“Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.”
Acts 2:38
It’s only nine o’clock in the morning. Surely these people speaking in various tongues weren’t drunk on a holy day, of all days. And yet, the crowd did deserve and need an explanation. Who better to do it than Peter, our dearly beloved disciple who seemingly put his foot in his mouth often. Jesus restored him, and now, going forward, he would use his mouth boldly and passionately.
Read what Peter said to the crowd in Acts 2:14–41 and use it as a model for sharing about Jesus with those God puts in your path. There are some practical, but important, steps to take each time an opportunity arises:
- Be bold. This wasn’t a group gathered at church. These were Jews in town to commemorate the Feast of Weeks. Peter himself said that some present played a part in crucifying Jesus. So you can imagine this wasn’t necessarily the friendliest of settings. We, too, need to have courage and speak up even if others don’t seem receptive. Sometimes the greatest fruit comes in the midst of the greatest resistance.
- Properly quote Scripture. You can’t go wrong knowing which Scripture to share at the right time—in its proper context, of course. Peter quoted from Joel 2:28–32, which foretold the coming of the Holy Spirit, and Psalm 16:8–11 to prove the resurrection. When God directs you to share the Gospel with a particular person or group, ask Him through the Holy Spirit to lead you to share the appropriate Bible verses.
- Know your target audience. Peter knew who was in the crowd, so he focused on Jesus’ heritage; specifically, being a descendant of David. Jews knew that the Messiah would come from this king’s lineage, so Peter sought to prove the long-awaited Heir had arrived. The Jews should “be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”
- Extend the invitation. The response to knowing the truth was to repent and be baptized, as Peter clearly conveyed. The Holy Spirit will then go forward with the believer and future generations. It is a promise for all people.
- Warn of the consequences. Peter warned, pleaded, and begged them: “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.” This needs to be done carefully. Far too many Christians try to scare people into salvation. What truly makes hell an unspeakable horror is eternal separation from God.
It’s important to emphasize the fact that only God can move a heart. We can only move our mouths. On Pentecost, God chose to “cut to the heart” of many present so that they would respond positively—3,000 souls in fact! He can use you to reach one or millions if you just make yourself available.
