Repent and Be Saved: The Call to Transformation

2. Part Six Acts 2:37-47

4. Acts 2:37-47 Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brethren, what shall we do?”

5. Acts 2:37-47 And Peter said to them, “Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive

6. Acts 2:37-47 the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and your children, and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God shall call to Himself.”

7. Acts 2:37-47 And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation!”

8. Acts 2:37-47 So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

9. Acts 2:37-47 And they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.

10. Acts 2:37-47 And everyone kept feeling a sense of awe; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. And all those who had believed were

11. Acts 2:37-47 together, and had all things in common; and they began selling their property and possessions, and were sharing them with all, as anyone might

12. Acts 2:37-47 have need. And day by day continuing with one mind in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with

13. Acts 2:37-47 gladness and sincerity of heart, praising God, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number day by day those who were

14. Acts 2:37-47 being saved.

15. Probably the greatest question a pastor ever hears is “What must I do to be saved?”

16. Through Peter’s powerful preaching, the Holy Spirit had brought them to this very question.

17. They Realized • Messiah had come and they missed it. • Their participation in His death. • He’s alive and they’re currently His enemy.

18. Peter now answers their question as simply and clearly as he possibly can…

19. Repent and be baptized!

20. G3340μετανοέωmet-an-o-eh'-oTo thinkdifferently or afterwards, that is, reconsider (morally to feelcompunction): - repent.

21. Repent • Stop • Turn • Move • Teshuva = Return

22. It speaks of a change of purpose, of turning from sin to God and from rebellion to obedience.

23. I Thess. 1:9 For they themselves report about us what kind of a reception we had with you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve a living and true God,

24. I Thess. 1:10 and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, that is Jesus, who rescues us from the wrath to come.

25. Repentance is an essential component of a genuine conversion.

26. Both John the Baptist and Jesus called for repentance.

27. Matthew 3:1-2 Now in those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

28. Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach and say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

29. Although fear of God’s judgment can be a real motivator, it’s so important to become motivated by the love of God instead.

30. By calling them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, he is also saying, “Live out loud for Christ!”

31. Don’t try to hide in the background and please people.

32. Choose to please God by identifying yourself as a Christ follower!

33. Though some may teach that baptism is necessary for salvation, the full counsel of Scripture reveals otherwise.

34. If that were true, the Scripture as a whole would support it.

35. Here are just a few examples!

36. Acts 16:31 They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

37. I Corinthians 1:17 For Christ did not send me to baptize, but to preach the gospel, not in cleverness of speech, so that the cross would not be made void.

38. John 1:12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name,

39. John 1:13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor the will of man, but of God.

40. Galatians 2:15-16 We are Jews by nature and not sinners from among the Gentiles; nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith

41. Galatians 2:15-16 in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the

42. Galatians 2:15-16 works of the Law no flesh will be justified.

43. Ephesians 2:8-10 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

44. Ephesians 2:8-10 For we are His workman-ship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.

45. Be saved from this wicked, evil and perverse generation.

46. Wicked Generation • Matthew 12:39, 45 • Matthew 16:4; 17:17 • Mark 8:38; 9:19 • Luke 9:41; 11:29 • 2 Timothy 3:1-5

47. 2 Timothy 3:1-5 But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self; lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to

48. 2 Timothy 3:1-5 parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers

49. 2 Timothy 3:1-5 of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power; avoid such men as these.

50. Let’s go back to Acts 2:41-42.