Acts 2:37-42 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said to Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brothers… Peter's hearers — I. WERE IN A STATE OF DISTRESS. "Pricked to the heart." The Holy Spirit did this by means of — 1. What they saw; the wrong and folly of their action towards Jesus. 2. What they felt; that their folly and wrong-doing were sinful in the sight of God. 3. What they feared; that they might have to endure dreadful consequences. II. UTTERED A CRY OF DISTRESS, which meant — 1. That something must be done. The misery of self-condemnation must be ended by some means. It is a joy to an evangelist when hearers have this feeling. 2. That the apostles were able to tell them what to do. Peter had led them into that state, and it was natural to expect that he could deal with them in that state. 3. That they were ready to do what was required. The mark of true penitence is submissiveness. So long as a seeker lays down his own terms he is not fit to be saved. III. RECEIVED AN APOSTOLIC ANSWER. 1. Turn from your sins. They were already convinced of sin and sorry for it, and were therefore ready for the direction. 2. Openly declare that you have turned from your sins. At this time baptism meant a great deal, viz., that the service of Christ was chosen at the risk of certain suffering. 3. Fulfil the appointed conditions of pardon. "Repent etc. with reference to the remission of sins." So long as these are unfulfilled the sinner is morally unfit to receive pardon. 4. The Spirit who has given you this distress will give you joy. "Ye shall receive the gift," etc. The fulness of the Spirit's work always brings fulness of joy. IV. LEARNED THE GROUND OF THE ANSWER. "The promise is unto you," etc. How wonderful that their awful sin did not invalidate this promise. Who is not the subject of the Divine call? The call to repentance, faith and virtue comes by many means: by providence, the Word, the Spirit. Have you not heard it? V. RECEIVE A FINAL DIRECTION (ver. 40). 1. The generation was wicked. This had been abundantly proved. Is it not so with the present generation? What else mean the frauds, vices, and blasphemies of every class of society. 2. It was necessary for the followers of Jesus to be separate from the world. Reason, interest, and Christian philanthropy required it then and require it now. Jesus was separate from sinners; His kingdom is not of this world; and true Christianity and worldliness cannot coalesce. He, then, who wishes to be saved must renounce the world. 3. This direction, therefore, is properly the last to penitent inquirers. To leave the world is to give decisive proof of the genuineness of repentance and faith. (W. Hudson.) Parallel Verses KJV: Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? |
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