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JUNE 17
and buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.
Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing
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that God had sworn with an oath to him that of
the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, He 2:42 apostles’ doctrine. The foundational
would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne, content for the believer’s spiritual growth and
31 he, foreseeing this, spoke concerning the maturity was the Scripture, God’s revealed
resurrection of the Christ, that His soul was truth, which the apostles received and taught
not left in Hades, nor did His flesh see cor- faithfully. fellowship. Literally,“partnership”or
ruption. This Jesus God has raised up, of “sharing.”Because Christians become partners
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which we are all witnesses. Therefore being with Jesus Christ and all other believers
exalted to the right hand of God, and having (1 John 1:3), it is their spiritual duty to stimu-
received from the Father the promise of the late one another to righteousness and obedi-
Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now ence (Rom. 12:10; 13:8; 15:5; Gal. 5:13; Eph.
see and hear. 4:2,25; 5:21; Col. 3:9; 1 Thess. 4:9; Heb. 3:13;
34 “For David did not ascend into the heav- 10:24,25;1 Pet. 4:9,10). breaking of bread. A
ens, but he says himself: reference to the Lord’s Table, or Communion,
which is mandatory for all Christians to
‘The LORD said to my Lord, observe (1 Cor. 11:24–29). prayers. Of individ-
“Sit at My right hand, ual believers and the church corporately (see
35 Till I make Your enemies Your 1:14,24; 4:24–31; John 14:13,14).
footstool.” ’
36 “Therefore let all the house of Israel know
assuredly that God has made this Jesus, about three thousand souls were added to
whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” them. And they continued steadfastly in the
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37 Now when they heard this, they were cut apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the break-
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to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of ing of bread, and in prayers. Then fear came
the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall upon every soul, and many wonders and signs
we do?” were done through the apostles. Now all who
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Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let believed were together, and had all things in
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every one of you be baptized in the name of Je- common, and sold their possessions and
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sus Christ for the remission of sins; and you goods, and divided them among all, as anyone
shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For had need.
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the promise is to you and to your children, and 46 So continuing daily with one accord in the
to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our temple, and breaking bread from house to
God will call.” house, they ate their food with gladness and
And with many other words he testified simplicity of heart, praising God and having
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and exhorted them, saying, “Be saved from this favor with all the people. And the Lord added
perverse generation.” Then those who gladly to the church daily those who were being
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received his word were baptized; and that day saved.
DAY 17: In response to Peter’s sermon, what instructions were given
on how to become a Christian?
Those who listened to that powerful sermon were “cut to the heart”(v.37).The Greek word for
cut means “pierce”or “stab,”and thus denotes something sudden and unexpected.In grief,remorse,
and intense spiritual conviction, Peter’s listeners were stunned by his indictment that they had
killed their Messiah.
“Repent”(v. 38).This refers to a change of mind and purpose that turns an individual from sin
to God (1 Thess.1:9).Such change involves more than fearing the consequences of God’s judgment.
Genuine repentance knows that the evil of sin must be forsaken and the Person and work of Christ
totally and singularly embraced. Peter exhorted his hearers to repent; otherwise, they would not
experience true conversion.
“Be baptized.”This Greek word means “be dipped”or “immersed”in water. Peter was obeying
Christ’s command from Matthew 28:19 and urging the people who repented and turned to the
Lord Christ for salvation to identify, through the waters of baptism, with His death, burial, and res-
urrection (19:5; Rom. 6:3,4; 1 Cor. 12:13; Gal. 3:27). This is the first time the apostles publicly
enjoined people to obey that ceremony. Prior to this, many Jews had experienced the baptism of

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