{"id":1688,"date":"2022-04-03T13:39:14","date_gmt":"2022-04-03T18:39:14","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/biblicalpath.com\/?p=1688"},"modified":"2022-04-03T13:39:14","modified_gmt":"2022-04-03T18:39:14","slug":"a-very-important-message","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/biblicalpath.com\/index.php\/2022\/04\/03\/a-very-important-message\/","title":{"rendered":"A Very Important Message"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\u201cAnd they continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers<\/strong>\u201d
Acts 2:42 <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

Shortly after Jesus ascended into heaven, Peter\npreached the Gospel message of Jesus to the Jews in Jerusalem.\nOne reason was because they had rejected Jesus, crucifying Him, and many of them\nhad witnessed that crucifixion. They were guilty for His death. \u201c23. Him,\nbeing delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have\ntaken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: 24. Whom God hath raised\nup, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he\nshould be holden of it<\/strong> (Acts 2:23-24).\nHolden<\/strong> means \u201cto use strength to hold or retain<\/em>.\u201d When Jesus could not be held by\ndeath, He took the power of death<\/em><\/strong> that had previously been held\nby the devil, Satan. See the following verse to understand this: \u201c\u2026 that\nthrough death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the\ndevil<\/strong>\u201d (Hebrews 2:14b). Understand that death could not hold Jesus, for he\nconquered it. Jesus gave the power of life to any who would believe in\nHim.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Peter continued to explain to the people that because Jesus could not \u201cbe\nholden of it<\/strong>\u201d, Jesus rose from the dead. And the people to whom Peter was\npreaching, were witnesses of that fact: \u201cThis Jesus hath God raised up,\nwhereof we all are witnesses<\/strong>\u201d (Acts 2:32). What were they to do with that\ninformation? \u201cTherefore let all the house of <\/strong>Israel<\/strong>\nknow assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified,\nboth Lord and Christ<\/strong>\u201d (Acts 2:36).\nAll of the house of Israel\nshould have recognized that Jesus, whom they had crucified, was both Lord and\nChrist. Christ<\/strong> means \u201cthe Savior of the world<\/em>.\u201d They were to believe<\/em><\/strong>\nJesus was the Savior of the world. After hearing that Jesus had died, was\nburied, and raised again \u2013 conquering death once and for all, the people were\nbrought to a time of decision. Those people were given the choice to believe or\nreject.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How did they respond? \u201cNow when they heard this<\/em>, they were\npricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles,\nMen and<\/em> brethren, what shall we do?<\/strong>\u201d (Acts 2:37). When they heard the Gospel message preached, they\nwere \u201cpricked in their heart<\/strong>.\u201d Pricked<\/strong> means \u201cgreatly pained or deeply moved<\/em>.\u201d It is important that the Gospel\nmessage had a movement in their heart. Sometimes we call this \u201cconviction\u201d\n(which means \u201cfound guilty of an offense<\/em>\u201d). However, it is more important\nwhat those people did with that movement. Peter told them what they must do. \u201c38.\nThen Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name\nof Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the\nHoly Ghost. 39. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all\nthat are afar off, even<\/em> as many as the Lord our God shall call<\/strong>\u201d (Acts\n2:38-39). The people had to take action: repent. Repent<\/strong> means \u201cto imply pious\nsorrow for unbelief and sin, and a turning from them to God and the gospel of\nChrist<\/em>.\u201d Repentance is a response<\/em><\/strong> between a sinful man and\nGod. Baptism is an outward testimony<\/em><\/strong> of what happened to that\nindividual\u2019s heart. Notice that God \u201ccalled\u201d them. Call<\/strong> means \u201cGod\u2019s call\nthrough the Gospel message<\/em>.\u201d  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Gospel message is very simple: when one hears, feels the conviction\n(that \u201ccall\u201d), then one must just believe. In other words, simply believe and\nreceive without question. Jesus spent much of His ministry calling people to a\ntime of decision \u2013 to believe in Him, or choose to reject Him. When Peter\npreached to the people, he preached the same message: God must call the\nindividual\u2019s heart, and that individual must repent, believing in Jesus. Then\nit is important to reveal to others just what God did (a testimony) by being\nbaptized before witnesses. What did the people do once they understood? Those\nwho believed and responded to God\u2019s call were baptized, and there were three\nthousand people who believed!  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What they did next was very important. \u201cAnd\nthey continued stedfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in\nbreaking of bread, and in prayers<\/strong>\u201d (Acts 2:42).\nOnce there has been such a change in one\u2019s heart and life, it is important to\nlearn how to live<\/em><\/strong> this new life. Continued\nstedfastly<\/strong> means \u201cfaithfulness and\nsteadfastness in the outgoings of the Christian life \u2013 especially in prayer<\/em>.\u201d\nThey understood that learning from the Apostles was important (doctrine<\/strong> means \u201cthe teaching of the Apostles<\/em>\u201d\nand we now find it in our Bible). These new Believers not only learned\nthe doctrine, but fellowshipped together. This is something important that\nChristians should do even today: read their Bible, learn from Bible teachers\nwho know God\u2019s Word, and fellowship with other Believers as opposed to the lost\nworld who have not given their hearts and lives to Jesus. Next, read of the\nblessing for those who not only believed, but also shared the Gospel message\nwith others. \u201c\u2026 And the Lord added to the church daily such as should be\nsaved<\/strong>\u201d (Acts 2:47b).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Have\nyou been called to repent from your sin and believe in Jesus?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Have you shared the Gospel message with others?<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How to be Saved<\/a><\/blockquote>