Opening Prayer
God, let Your Word convert our soul. Amen.
Text: Acts 2:37–42
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?” 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. 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.” And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, Be saved from this perverse generation.” Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them. And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Devotion
“They were cut to the heart,” so it should be. If God’s Word does not cut to our heart, then we hear it in vain. What did they feel then? They felt their sin and trembled before God’s wrath. So it should be. Whoever does not feel his sin with sorrow before God does not have true faith. – Many hear the Word about Jesus’ death with such cold hearts as if it did not concern them. Only when the sting of the accusation: “You are the man!” (2Sa 12:7) comes to our soul, does the question: “What shall I do?” (Act 16:30), become of vital interest to us, and only then are our ears open to the Word about the forgiveness of sins. It is and remains so: only those who are sorry for their sin can believe the Gospel. People do not hear the message of grace without first hearing the admonition of the commandment. Shout it out to the world that God is gracious and shout it in people’s ears. Say it with Peter’s fiery eloquence or with the loving, piercing voice of John, the son of thunder. With the Spirit’s enlightenment and power convince people of the saving value of Christ’s grace, and invite them with the Gospel’s heavenly calling, and compelling Word. It all seems in vain; they do not listen and do not come. Sometimes it seems that they are listening and yielding there, but then they break away and are lost, if they do not learn to know and repent their sin.
But you who see that you deserve God’s wrath, and now sincerely ask for salvation, come, all of you, and receive in the name of Jesus Christ full forgiveness, and be comforted. You are baptized into Christ, and the promise belongs to you. It is the Holy Spirit who humbles you in contrition, and He does it by healing you with grace through Jesus’ merit. Be saved from this faithless generation! The Lord your God calls you. Do not stand afar off, but come here and join His congregation, and live with His people. When from your heart you repent of your sin, because you have angered your God with it; when you truly want to flee from sin and to live according to God’s Word and command; when you can hear that the Gospel is a good message which you will gladly receive: then your repentance is true, and then you already have what you desire: forgiveness for all your sins with the Lord your God. Believe what Jesus has done, and accept what He has given, and continue steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine to the end. Don’t look for signs, but believe the Word.
Closing Prayer
Then we are one with the apostolic Church and have everything in common with them, sit at the same Communion table, break the same bread, and pray the same prayers to the same heavenly Father. God be praised!
Hymn
Heavenly Spirit, all others transcending,
Thou who with Father and Son dost abide!
Come Thou, our spirits in unity blending,
Come and make ready the heavenly bride!
Calling and gathering, and Jesus declaring,
Building God’s Church, shedding light from above,
Come, O Thou Spirit of God, never tiring,
Come and interpret God’s wonderful love!
Merciful Jesus, with love never failing,
Sending Thy Spirit, the pledge ever new,
That Thy atonement for all is availing,
Faith ever sees that Thy promise is true.
Crowned are Thy servants with heavenly fire,
Speaking with hearts and with tongues all aflame;
Heavenly Spirit, our voices inspire,
That we may sing of His glorious name!
Heav’nly Consoler, with unction celestial,
Heal Thou the wounds of each sin-burdened heart!
Strengthen our faith, and with zeal Pentecostal
Fill our faint souls, and Thy blessings impart!
Create within us new hearts and new spirits;
Lead us in truth, and sustain us in woe;
Teach us true faith in the dear Savior’s merits,
So that at death we Thy power may know!
Brun: L 432:1.3 LHy 377 tr. G. A. T. Rygh;
tune: Jesus, din søde Forening at smage (LHy 377); alternate hymn: O Holy Ghost, Thou gift divine ELH 26:3-5