Repent and Be Baptized

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Southeast Christian Church

Feb 3, 2023

In Acts 2:38-39 we read of Peter’s response to the people asking how they receive the Holy Spirit, in order to change the world as Jesus instructed. “Peter replied, ‘Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.’”

Peter’s words make it known that this promise isn't just good for today, but it applies to your children, your children's children, and all who are far off. It's as if Peter, inspired by the Holy Spirit, knew that at some point in the future there might be a group of people that would gather together, want to believe in Jesus and follow Jesus, but they don't want to repent or be baptized. They want to keep living the way they're living, and they don't want to make changes. They don't want to humble themselves, confess, and be baptized, but they still want Jesus. They want to follow Jesus close enough to get those benefits, but they don't want to follow Jesus close enough that it requires anything of them.

This message is for the person who looks around and compares themselves to other people and believes they're doing pretty good, and instead of repenting and being baptized, they just are going to hope that God grades on the curve and it'll all work out. It's for the person who's tempted to see repentance and baptism as antiquated traditions rather than an act of obedience. They want to believe a false gospel of self-acceptance and personal growth can save them. It's for the person who sits in church week after week and wants to follow Jesus, but they don't want to humble themselves because they worry about what people will think if they do. It's for the person who thinks that God's forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit is something they can earn through good behavior and altruism.

When we talk about kingdom opportunities, we're almost always talking about taking action today, not someday in the future. There's something within us that when we see a Kingdom opportunity or we sense God calling us or leading us, we think that we will get around to it one day or another. But when the Holy Spirit fills you and calls you, he'll almost always says, today!

Reflection/Discussion Question: What Kingdom opportunity is the Holy Spirit prompting you to take action on today?

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