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?” Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:37-38
Peter preached a simple yet profound message about the crucifixion of Jesus, the resurrection and exaltation of our risen Lord. The hearts of the listeners were pierced and repentance toward God followed, evidence by their baptism. As a gift, they received the Holy Spirit of God into their lives. Wow!… is an understatement in describing the first big unplanned evangelistic event in the history of the church. A sense of awe and wonder followed.
Do I trust that the simple unplanned sharing of Jesus story will have the same impact today? When was the last time I shared the life, message and significance of Jesus life with someone?
God, the message of the cross is precious and powerful. Please forgive me for doubting its power and failing to fully appropriate the working of Your Spirit in my life. I want to know Your leading and guiding moment by moment. I look forward to that sense of awe and wonder.