Repent and Be Baptized

Acts 2:36-41

“Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”
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. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.”

The world we live in has a lot of different narratives to offer us. Some are positive that we feel will lead us to success. Some are negative that we feel will lead us to hardship. No one wants to walk down a path they know will bring them hardship and pain. People have a desire to be successful. To matter in this world. People want to find truth, so they can build a healthy and comfortable life with their family and friends. 

Of course, I believe there is a perfect and holy answer to build your life around, one that will give purpose and honor. However, the culture we live in pushes false narratives of hope and justice. They encourage shifting blame onto others. We are encouraged to escape responsibility and deflect from our flaws and failures. This only leads to brokenness that destroys families, demolishes hope, fosters loneliness, and consumes a person with darkness.

Praise God for verse thirty-eight, “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.” All we have to do to find the one and only perfect and holy solution is to repent. We must take responsibility for our sins. We must repent to the holy God through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. We must be baptized. Through our repentance and forgiveness, we receive the Holy Spirit to guide us through the craziness of life. If you haven’t, repent and be baptized. Trust Jesus, walking with Him daily, and allow the Holy Spirit to lead you in all that you do. This is the only narrative worth pursuing. 

While using the HEAR method (see below) consider the following questions:
  • What does it mean to repent? 
  • What is the significance of baptism that it would be one of the two things Peter prescribed to those willing to follow Christ? 
  • Can you point to a time when you have followed through with each of these things? 

Highlight – what words or phrases jump out at you
Explain – what does the passage mean?
Apply – how does the passage intersect with your life today?
Respond – how is God leading you to respond?

Today’s post is by Macon Jones,  
Pastor to Students and Young Adults

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The Power of the Holy Spirit and the Birth of the Church

Acts 2:1-13

“When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?”But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.”

The Pentecost celebration was a feast, or the feast of Weeks, 50 days after the Passover. In 50 days, Jesus’ followers had seen the betrayal, beating, and crucifixion of their friend, and teacher. They felt the terror of all they held to be true, seemingly crumble abruptly. And then soon after, they experienced the confusion, doubt, wonder, and then joy of Christ’s return from death. Jesus spoke with them, ate with them, encouraged and commissioned them during these 50 days. And when He finally left them to carry on what He had started, He gave them a heads up to what was about to happen, just like He did regarding His death, and His resurrection. And of course, just as in those times, they were taken completely unaware. But even with Jesus’ foretelling, how could they have been prepared for all that would take place as the Holy Spirit rushed into them and moved through them to usher in something completely new. 

What we can understand about the Spirit from this passage is that: 

  • He transforms and emboldens people to share the gospel of Christ
  • He points to the Father and the Son in a clear way that they can understand
  • He will compel but not command us to respond and follow. 
While using the HEAR method (see below) consider the following questions:
  • How do you think there could be in the crowd both those who were amazed and those who thought these men were simply drunk? 
  • What are your thoughts about the Holy Spirit from today’s passage? 

Highlight – what words or phrases jump out at you
Explain – what does the passage mean?
Apply – how does the passage intersect with your life today?
Respond – how is God leading you to respond?

Today’s post is by Jon Price

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Focus this Week – Jesus: the Sequel

Acts 1:1-11

“In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach,until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen.He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God.

And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

The book of Acts is Luke’s account of the birth of the early church. It begins with a changing of the guard. As the Son ascends after paying for the sins of all, defeating death and commissioning His followers to spread the gospel, the Spirit takes His place ushering in the church age. The church explodes in growth through the power of the Spirit with miracles and transformed men and women.

But the early church was not without it’s challenges. Former outsiders and enemies enter the fold, and growing pains force leadership to add more structure and integrate the gospel into new settings and cultures. 

Acts gives us a view into what the church can be and how it can be sidelined when competing agendas and outdated beliefs get in the way. 

Enjoy this short video on an overview of Acts. Click here.

Use the HEAR method as you spend time with today’s scripture.

Highlight – what words or phrases jump out at you
Explain – what does the passage mean?
Apply – how does the passage intersect with your life today?
Respond – how is God leading you to respond?

Today’s post is by Pastor Stephen Williams

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Sunday Edition

Good morning! We hope you’ll join us for worship today.  

On-Campus – Contemporary worship 9am and 11am, Blended 9:45am. 
Streaming online 9am and 11am at mybelmont.org/sermonsonline or facebook.com/mybelmont/live 

Verses for the week:

  • Monday – Acts 1:1-11
  • Tuesday – Acts 2:1-13
  • Wednesday – Acts 2:36-41
  • Thursday – Acts 2:42-47
  • Friday – Acts 4:32-37

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Small Group Discussion

We’ve been reading this week about the resurrection of Jesus. There have been many revolutionaries throughout history, many powerful communicators, many sages and prophets. But Jesus’ resurrection put Him in a class all to Himself. The resurrection was more than the last big firework in an impressive display. It was confirmation of Jesus’ claims, His teachings and His pedigree. It is the period, the italics, the underline and the bold that Jesus is the Son of God and worthy of all that we have and all that we are. 

Discuss with your small group what you’ve drawn from your reading this week and how God has spoken to you. Talk about how Jesus’ redemption answered and fixed what had been broken since the first sin by the first man. Be sure to note all that it implies for us that death has been defeated. 

You can also pull from the daily questions and use the HEAR method as a structure for your discussion.

If you aren’t currently in a group we’d love to help you connect with one. Contact jon@mybelmont.org or go to mybelmont.org/smallgroups

Highlight – what words or phrases jump out at you
Explain – what does the passage mean?
Apply – how does the passage intersect with your life today?
Respond – how is God leading you to respond?

Today’s post is by Jon Price

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Because Jesus is Risen, the Dead Will One Day Rise

1 Thessalonians 4:13-18

“But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep. For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord, that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord. Therefore encourage one another with these words.”

While using the HEAR method (see below) consider the following questions:
  • How should our response to the loss of a loved one differ from those who have no hope? 
  • What comfort and confidence can we draw from Jesus’ triumph over death? 

Highlight – what words or phrases jump out at you
Explain – what does the passage mean?
Apply – how does the passage intersect with your life today?
Respond – how is God leading you to respond?

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