January 13, 2022 -- Acts 2:6-8; 37-38 -- The Way of Great Freedom

People loved by the Father, in the power of the Holy Spirit: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!

And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language?
Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “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.
Acts 2:6-8; 37-38 ESV

Jesus had promised, in Acts 1:8, that when the Spirit of God descended on them, these disciples would be Jesus’ witnesses in Judea, Samaria and to the ends of the earth. The first reading today shows how this promise of Jesus Christ was immediately, partially fulfilled, and this one event must have confirmed for the disciples the veracity of Jesus’ words. Men were in Jerusalem, from 15 plus different regions and nations, for the Jewish feast and now the disciples, filled with the Spirit spoke in tongues, different languages, so all these foreign folks could understand the Gospel.

Notice also their response to the Gospel—they were cut to the heart. They were, because of Peter’s preaching which was anointed by the Holy Spirit, cut to the heart. That is, they were suddenly aware of their vulnerability before God. God is just, holy and good. Their sins were a stench before them and they knew unless the Lord would save them, they’d be left to the just and proper anger of God fully vented against their sin.

In his book, An Anchor for the Soul, Ray Pritchard gives a wonderful illustration, totally imaginary, to make the point of our tremendous need for God and His saving grace.

A fine looking man, all dressed up, rings the bell, at the entrance to heaven, where St. Peter is manning the entrance desk.

Man: I’d like to enter heaven.

Peter: Excellent. We’d be glad to have you. In order to enter heaven you need 1,000 points.

Man: That shouldn’t be any problem. I’ve given lots to charity. Was the chairman of the YMCA board for 25 years, and was involved in many volunteer projects.

Peter: Excellent. One point.

The man is shocked. He adds: I was married for 45 years to my wife and always faithful. Loved our five children and raise them up well.

Peter: I’m very impressed. We don’t get many people like you. That’s another point.

The man was sweating freely now, he starts shaking. He continued: You don’t understand. I was active in my church and gave every Sunday. I was an elder and a Sunday School teacher.

Peter: Your record is certainly admirable. That’s another point. So you have three points, you only need nine hundred and ninety-seven more.

Trembling, the man falls to his knees. In desperation he cries out, “But for the grace of God nobody could get in here!”

Peter smiles and looking at him says: Congratulations, you’ve just received one thousand points.

(Adapted and taken from: R. Pritchard An Anchor for the Soul. Chicago, IL: Moody Publishers, 2011 reprint, page 71

You get the point, right—sinners cannot earn their way into heaven. It is when a man realizes his great sinfulness and then begins to grasp the infinitely greater mercy and vast kindness, and immeasurable justice of God he kneels before the Almighty yields all to Jesus that such a man can be saved.

No wonder saints are the happiest people on earth. They know they can’t earn their salvation. They have been set free from even trying. Believers in Jesus Christ are forgiven. He, Jesus, is their story, He is their song and they praise Jesus all day long. Telling others about Jesus is not a burden or a fearful thing, the believer has already confronted his worst sins and knows these have been washed away by the reconciliation given from the Father in Jesus’ blood.

King Jesus, my sins are always before me, rising like a curtain of stench and humiliation. The more I would deny them, the greater is their foul odor. With Paul I cry out, "Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" [Romans 7:24-25a] Blessed are You, Father of all mercies! Blessed are You, Jesus Christ--Redeemer-King. Blessed are You, Spirit of Truth leading us into such a boundless, limitless place of freedom in Jesus Christ and adoption as sons and daughters of the Living God. Amen.

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