Luke 24:47
and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
Jesus did not leave us alone and forsaken but EVERYONE who repents and believes in Him, the Son of God, would receive the gift of Holy Spirit in their lives. We only need to turn to Jesus follow Him and enjoy the peace and love that only God can give us. The Father gifted us the guidance and protection that only Holy Spirit can provide. Do not fear man for our hope lies in our salvation. Carla
Acts 2:38-39
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.” NKJV
Repentance for the Judeans involved rejecting their former attitudes and opinions concerning who Jesus was. When a person recognizes who Jesus Christ really is, the result is the desire to do what He commands. The first action that Jesus requires of a new believer is baptism (Matthew 28:19, 20), the outward expression of inward faith. The idea of an unbaptized Christian is foreign to the New Testament (41; 8:12, 36; 9:18; 10:48; 16:15, 33; 18:8).
Is Peter saying that we must be baptized to receive forgiveness of our sins? Scripture clearly teaches that we are justified by faith alone, not by works (Romans 4:1–8; Ephesians 2:8, 9). The critical word in this phrase is the word for, which may also be translated “with a view to.” A comparison of Peter’s message in 10:34–43 makes it clear that “remission of sins” comes to “whoever believes.” Believers are baptized in view of God’s work of forgiveness, not in order to receive that forgiveness. God’s forgiveness in Christ gives baptism its significance. Baptism is a public declaration that a person’s sins have been forgiven because of the finished work of Christ on the Cross.
The gift of the Holy Spirit was the promise of Jesus in John 14:16, 17. The Holy Spirit puts us in communion with the Father and the Son. This indwelling of the Spirit is a beautiful promise of the New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:33, 34), an indication not only that our sins are forgiven, but also that the Lord has placed His law within us.
Peter exhorted his listeners to repent. In other words, each person had to make the decision to turn away from his or her sinful habits and turn to God in faith (16:31, 33, 34). Then God would forgive that person’s sins and declare them righteous because of Jesus’ work on the Cross. In first-century Israel, a father held tremendous influence in his home. When a father chose to receive Christ and be baptized, his children would follow his lead. The NKJV Study Bible
The Greek word used here, metanoeō, denotes a change of mind, will, or actions. Peter calls the people to believe that Jesus is the Messiah promised in the Old Testament. Peter’s exhortation involves two actions: repentance and baptism. These are connected with two promises: forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit. In Acts, Luke presents saving faith, repentance, forgiveness, baptism, and the gift of the Spirit as interrelated aspects of embracing Jesus and coming to belong to the people of God in Christ.
Just as circumcision served as a visible external marker of inclusion in the covenant community of Israel, so baptism serves as the public sign and seal of a person’s solidarity with Christ and participation in the new covenant community of faith, which encompasses both Jewish and non-Jewish people (Acts 8:36–38; 9:17–18; 10:47–48).
Baptism identifies a person with Jesus in His life, death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 6:3–4). God does not overlook or ignore sin, but graciously frees those who belong to Jesus from its condemnation and power.
Before His ascension, Jesus promised to send the Spirit to dwell in those who belong to Him, enabling them to trust and follow Him as their Savior and Lord (1:5, 8).
Peter could be referring to the applicability of the gospel message to the immediate members of a person’s household (16:15, 33) or more generally to the message of salvation reaching generations to come (the descendants of the people present).
Those who are far away could be a reference to Jews who lived in distant lands, but more likely is a reference to the nations who would hear the gospel throughout the whole earth (1:8; Isaiah 57:19; Acts 22:21). Faithlife Study Bible
Ephesians 2:12–13
that at that time you were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world. But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
Acts 3:19
Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,
Acts 22:16
And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’
Isaiah 44:3
For I will pour water on him who is thirsty,
And floods on the dry ground;
I will pour My Spirit on your descendants,
And My blessing on your offspring
When the world around us spins—and it feels like the “news-feeds” barrage—it is easy to be distracted and unmindful, and to miss what really matters.
And when we live as if reality is determined only by circumstance, sadly, we forget that we have agency. Yes, the capacity, and power, to choose.
It matters. It makes a difference.
But it is easy to lose track, isn’t it? Parker Palmer’s reminder that “our strongest gifts are usually the ones we’re barely aware of possessing.”
Yes. And here’s the good news, “Our hearts are more capacious than we could have imagined.” (Thank you, Rabbi Sharon Brous)
Capacious, spacious or roomy. That’s very good to know, when life feels too heavy. Because if reality is determined only by confining circumstance, then we forget that we have agency (and the strongest gifts)—the capacity to make choices—to get to say how the story ends.
So. Gratefully, from the stuckness, there can be rebirth, reawakening, and yes, resurrection.
In other words, as Rabbi Naomi Levy reminds us, “Finding your way in life is not so much about choosing a direction. It’s about uncovering the voice of the soul, the call that is already imprinted inside you, and then finding the courage to face down your fears and let your true voice be heard. One of my favorite verses from the Song of Songs is when the lover calls out, ‘let me hear your voice, for your voice is sweet.’
The ancient rabbis insisted it was God who was speaking those words to each one of us, ‘Let me hear your voice, for your voice is sweet.’”
Today I have an answer. I am a witness. You are a witness.
As a witness, I choose to pay attention while I am here.
In a world that rewards “dog eat dog”, I choose mercy.
In a world where demeaning someone is applauded, I choose to honor dignity.
In a world where exclusion is real, I choose the Gospel: “You belong. Your humanity is not up for negotiation. Your presence does not require anyone’s permission.”
I choose to be a witness.
Yes. I can choose to show up now. Bravely, both strong, and tender.
What does this look like? Oh, it’s the little gifts my friends.
It makes a big difference to hug the hurt. To kiss the broken. To bandage the wounded. To befriend the lost. To love the lonely. To listen, making room for sadness. To grieve.
To stand up for the humiliated, and the degraded. To honor the dignity in every human. “I see you.”
To say Yes, to little gifts of compassion, connection, dignity, empathy, kindness, generosity, and peace that leave people better than we find them.To say No, to cruelty, and malice, and mercilessness.
I’m grateful for this today from Jennifer Butler. “Jesus does not only call us to reject lies. He calls us to bear witness. To bear witness that another reality is already breaking through. To bear witness to a kingdom not built on domination, but on dignity; not on fear, but on love; not on exclusion, but on belonging.
We resist not only through truth-telling, but through loving action, by standing with the vulnerable, protecting our neighbors, and refusing to participate in systems that deny their humanity. This is not passive, nor is it naïve.” Sabbath Moments
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