What Shall We Do?

Daily Reading: Acts 2

Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” And Peter said to them, “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 2.37-38)

Devotional Thought: Pentecost.  What a day in the life of the Church.  It began with about one hundred twenty followers of Jesus hidden from view.  By the end of the day, three thousand were added to the Church!  How did that happen?  Through the power of the Spirit and the confidence of the disciples.

When the Holy Spirit descended upon them, the disciples were enabled to speak in languages that they didn't know.  But the gathered crowd did, for they testified that they heard them "declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues" (v. 11).  The disciples' utterances were not for emotional or sensational ends but were rather to bring others to faith in Jesus.  That should be our purpose as well whenever we seek the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

Then, notice Peter’s confidence.  "Knowing his audience", Peter used Jewish history and principles to convince them of the legitimacy of the gospel.  Sometimes we are fearful to present the gospel from an intellectual perspective, fearing that we do not have enough Biblical knowledge to present a good argument, or perhaps even fearing that our faith will unravel when pitted against the reasoning of the world.  That didn't deter Peter, for he had been with Jesus (Acts 4.13)!

There will always be obstacles to evangelism, so what shall we do?  We shall overcome those obstacles through the power of the Spirit and confidence of our witness!

Jenny Wade

Prayer: Jesus, you promised me power through the Holy Spirit.  I receive your Spirit now, that I may be a witness to your great love.  Amen.

Psalm of the Day: Psalm 71.17-24

17 O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds.

18 So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to another generation, your power to all those to come.

19 Your righteousness, O God, reaches the high heavens. You who have done great things, O God, who is like you?

20 You who have made me see many troubles and calamities will revive me again; from the depths of the earth you will bring me up again.

21 You will increase my greatness and comfort me again.

22 I will also praise you with the harp for your faithfulness, O my God; I will sing praises to you with the lyre, O Holy One of Israel.

23 My lips will shout for joy, when I sing praises to you; my soul also, which you have redeemed.

24 And my tongue will talk of your righteous help all the day long, for they have been put to shame and disappointed who sought to do me hurt.