Wednesday within the Octave of the Feast of Whitsunday
Scripture: Acts 2:37-47 (NKJV)
2:37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”
38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.”
40 And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this perverse generation.” 41 Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. 42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers. 43 Then fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through the apostles. 44 Now all who believed were together, and had all things in common, 45 and sold their possessions and goods, and divided them among all, as anyone had need.
46 So continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, they ate their food with gladness and simplicity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved.
Devotion
The Holy Scriptures include two teachings: the Law and the Promises (or Gospel).
The Law shows us our sin and produces sorrow over those sins. When St. Peter accused the Jews in Jerusalem of crucifying God’s Son, the text says that people “were cut to the heart.” Having been shown their sin, they understood the wrath they deserved and expressed their contrition. They asked, “What shall we do?”
The Promises of God are pure Gospel (good news). The Gospel reveals the promise of God through faith in Jesus Christ. Peter tells them to “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and to your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.” Through baptism into Jesus Christ, St. Peter proclaims the good news of God’s promise of the forgiveness of sins. “Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved…” (Mark 16:16). There were many who believed. They “gladly received his word [and] were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them.”
In accordance with God’s direction, the Law is to be preached first, and then the Gospel is to be preached to those who are contrite. Peter says, “Repent and let every one of you be baptized…” We, too, apply the Law to our lives that we might confess our sins. We, then, trust in the promise of the forgiveness of sins. That is what it means to continue steadfastly in the Apostles’ doctrine.
Prayer: Keep us, O Lord, in Your Word, that confessing our sins we would believe in the forgiveness of sins in Jesus Christ. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
