"Experiencing Salvation" - an interactive sermon based on Acts 2:37-47

1. Jesus brings Salvation

At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit had come upon the first disciples with great effectiveness and power. Then the newly equipped Peter spoke the church’s first sermon, and we read that people “were cut to the heart”. Why so emotional? Well ... they had suddenly made the realisation of their lives!! From this moment their lives would never be the same.

Some of these may have previously cried out “crucify him” when Pilate had produced Jesus to the crowd some 53 days earlier, and now were feeling very complicit in the crucifixion of not only an innocent man, but also the Son of God. To live at a time of great injustice, while doing nothing about it, can raise much guilt in a person. They may have been there that day some years earlier when Jesus was rejected in his own home town of Nazareth.

Peter, in his Pentecost sermon, had spoken about how Jesus of Nazareth was actually sent by God to usher in a new kingdom rule. At the one and the same time, Jesus’ death was both an injustice to be regretted, and the perfect gift from God to bring about salvation. Jesus died because of these people, but Jesus also died for these same people! This man who they had put on the cross was offering them both forgiveness and a new start. And the resurrected Jesus had made the way clear for the coming of the Holy Spirit.

Here was salvation – Jesus was indeed the answer to the whole world’s problems – so people “were cut to the heart”. Some no doubt through guilt, for reasons just expressed, but others maybe through joy – for their life was such that they needed a new start, something hopeful ... someone they could absolutely trust in and never be disappointed. Here was Jesus – so interested in their welfare, that he did not shrink from going to the cross to bring them freedom.

Now we know that some people can be emotionally moved at some tragic event or major news story, but then quickly change the channel to something more trivial and less disturbing. And we know that in reality, some people would have walked away from Peter’s sermon that day unchanged. But that there was a really serious and sincere response is shown by the question that was asked: “Brothers, what should we do”? The proof that something is important to someone is seen in the action they are willing to take.

These people might have rejected Jesus in the past, or they might had stood by apathetically, but now they see the truth, and want to know what they needed to do. And they realised that just believing in an intellectual sense was not enough ... they needed to respond in some active way. They had become aware of the void in their lives and the bankruptcy of many of their actions, and were now willing to respond to this good news about God’s forgiveness.

2. Repentance, Baptism, Forgiveness & the Holy Spirit

The answer they received was to “repent”, and “be baptised” – so that their sins would be forgiven; and after this happened, just like happened for the original followers of Jesus at Pentecost, they would receive the Holy Spirit. Salvation is about the redeeming forgiveness of sin and the transforming work of the Holy Spirit within a life.

The first required response was to “repent”, which means to admit that you have acted wrongly and been on the wrong path, and commit to a new life orientation ... which basically centres on following in the Jesus way. This is not just mental agreement to wrongdoing or simple remorse. To “repent” is to have a change of mind, do an about face, and head in a new direction. This is a change of heart that leads to a new brand of decision-making and behaviour. To “repent” is to actively step away from that “corrupt generation” (mentioned in verse 40) and start living for God’s kingdom.

Why do we need salvation many will ask!?! It’s because once a person’s conscience is activated concerning their behaviour, there will be conscious or sub-conscious feelings of regret, guilt and shame. Without these feelings being lifted, they will accumulate into a very destructive and burdensome package. We can try to better ourselves and make up for our mistakes, but ultimately, we need the power of our transgressions lifted from us; and this is exactly what Jesus has done for us (through God’s grace).

It is God’s offer and our acceptance of forgiveness that starts the process of salvation. How else will we escape the slippery slope of soured conscience and shame that heads to corruption and darkness!! Where else have we to go than to Jesus? As Paul put it in his letter to the Romans (6:23) – “For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”. Salvation is God’s ‘search and rescue’ mission! Salvation brings the freedom from spiritual oppression and mundane lives that so many are searching for (and so little are finding).

John the Baptist had been the forerunner of such a call for “repentance”, taking people out into the Jordan river to be baptised. And so it was very natural for people once they “repented” like this, to understand that they should be “baptised” to publicly show that they had truly repented and been forgiven. Now with Jesus’ resurrection in view, and being baptised “in the name of Jesus Christ” (v. 38), baptism will clearly signify that a person has died to their sin and risen to new life. “Repentance” and forgiveness will be a continuing dynamic through this person’s life as needed.

In later times there has often been much more time taken between “repentance” (or we might say ‘conversion’) and actually being baptised. This is usually for the purposes of further instruction, or to make sure that this ‘change of mind’ is going to be permanent. But we should not get too far away from the point that baptism is the biblical symbol that designates a follower of Jesus. To be baptised “in the name of Jesus” signifies that this person now puts the Kingdom of God first and takes up their Holy Spirit inspired role in the church.

The forerunner, John the Baptist, preparing the way for the coming of Jesus, said, “I baptise you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming ... He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (Luke 3:16). And so it is, that this mindset for change and public witness to this life transformation leads to ultimate forgiveness and an experience of the Holy Spirit firing up our lives.

What are the two conditions on which we receive forgiveness??

(a) We should see in verse 38 that forgiveness does depend upon truly wanting to change, and taking the actions that lead to change and prove that change is taking place (baptism being seen as part of this process).
(b) If we read the “Lord’s Prayer” again in Matthew chapter 6, we will also remember that our forgiveness also depends upon our willingness to forgive others (following Jesus’ example). These conditions on our forgiveness actually coincide, because the one committed to change, will also be committed to seeing other people in new more transformative ways.

3. A Gift for Everyone

Now this salvation is an offer to everyone, for God continues to reach out in his love to all humanity ... everyone can experience salvation by coming to Jesus. And I want everyone here to truly experience salvation; and everyone out there to experience salvation as well.

As we have already mentioned, once Peter had established that this ‘salvation’ (and the promise of the Holy Spirit) was available to everyone, he implored the listeners to, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation”. The particular “generation” that Peter referred to, was the generation that Jesus had come to personally, and had largely rejected him. They were again being asked to change their allegiance from an old outmoded religious system to a living dynamic movement (based on personal relationship).

For us, we might interpret this as a call to change our allegiance from a faulty and fractured world system to this same living dynamic movement built around Jesus. To remain attached to the world as our primary reference point, causes the further “corruption” of life where people try to live without the God who created them in the first place to have a relationship with Jesus. This then brings all sorts of struggles. Where God is not on the throne, that only leaves self; and where there a large collection of selves fighting for supremacy ... well, we know how that turns out! Yet God continues to mourn for those affected by turmoil, violence and suffering, and remains hopeful that there can be a reconciliation.

Sometimes, we who have accepted the truth and follow Jesus, can just (temporarily) forget about the inheritance of empowerment we have received, and regress a bit, living like we don’t actually know Jesus. We need to quickly recognise this before we are overwhelmed by the negativity this will bring to us or we get entangled in things we can no longer control. Old habits are hard to break ... but we have no excuse not to keep trying (for we have God’s help).

This leads to making two very important points about ‘salvation’:

4. Salvation is not just a one-off event

Salvation is not just a one-off event – it only begins with a one-off decision. Then it requires an openness to growth and fruitfulness and giftedness and ministry and mission. Salvation is a journey from the beginning of a new start on earth, right through to taking up a position in the eternal kingdom. So let’s never see “salvation” as a word on a tick-off list ... done that! ... but rather as a progressive journey towards God. God has got a whole lot more of ‘God’s-own-self’ to give you yet! But are you “cut to the heart” enough to want it?

5. Salvation is not just an inward personal thing

Salvation is also not just an inward personal thing – it is certainly that ... the most poignant and significant of internal dynamics, but it’s not just that. Salvation is also an outward thing, affecting all of our decisions and behaviour. And as well, salvation, if it’s real, should positively affect all our interpersonal relationships and dealings.

Salvation should draw God’s people together, for their own sustaining and strengthening, and for the integrity of their collective witness to the rest of society. Salvation is a journey to be taken with company. As God exists and creates in community (“trinity”), salvation also operates in the context of community.

We read from verses 42 to 47 some of the collective activity of the early church groups. Part of their experience of being saved (from corruption) involved:

(a) Learning together (from those who had acquired understanding of the good news of Jesus)
(b) Mutual care, hospitality, sharing and generosity (social responsibility)
(c) Regular communion, worship and prayer (we commune with God ... Father, Son & Spirit ... as we commune together); and as a result ... as a natural outcome ...
(d) Witnessing (the missionary God creating a missionary church).

6. Now if you had to describe what you read from verses 42 to 47 in one word, what would that word be???

· For me, “togetherness” – together in dialogue we learn better, we discern God’s will more clearly, we have more collective resources to share and give away (including both material things and the various “gifts” of the Spirit), and make a bigger impact (in terms of gaining goodwill). This would be in the face of real differences and difficulties, where diversity and struggle were seen as opportunities through which to build effective unity and purpose.

· It is in being together that answers to prayer can be celebrated and joy can be multiplied; also, those with sorrows can share their discouragement and be supported. Genuine interest can develop in the progress of others, with a growing feeling of responsibility towards the well-being of one another. Jesus followers will want to worship God ... spontaneously, enthusiastically, regularly and corporately with their brothers and sisters in the local church. I hope that I am cheering for God much louder than I am cheering for Carlton!

· It is very unfortunate that some people, because of feelings of disappointment with life and God and God’s people, distance themselves from other church people ... physically, emotionally, or both. This will never help anybody; and many are irretrievably diverted. The Christian life was never going to be plain-sailing for anybody, not in this world – God’s promise concerns his presence with us through the long challenging journey.

· The early Jewish Christians carried on their daily worship and prayers in the temple as per their traditional religious obligations, but also met in each other’s homes, which became house churches, from where they grew the Jesus movement, that eventually cut the ties with the temple due to the new movement’s singular focus on Jesus as the Messiah. It was in this context that the church grew, with “the Lord” adding to “their number those who were being saved”. You’ll note (in verse 46) how often they were meeting together in some form or another ... “Day by day”!

· It is God that brings the increase, but it is God’s people that help create the stir through their everyday activity. And it is us that need to warmly accept and welcome the newcomers in. Wherever there isn’t growth, questions need to be asked as to why not.