Acts 2:37-39 ESV  

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.” 

The people hearing Peter’s words were devastated. Some of them may have even been part of the crowd who cried out for Jesus’ crucifixion, but now, being persuaded that Jesus was indeed God’s appointed Messiah, they realized they had rejected Christ and now wanted to know how they could make it right. Repentance and baptism in Jesus’s name was Peter’s response. 

Rather than just a feeling of sadness or remorse, he told them they needed repentance, a radical change of direction in life and baptism, which has since the time of John the Baptist, become the symbol of washing away of sins by a spiritual cleansing and the beginning of a new, transformed life in Christ. The people at Pentecost were not just offered forgiveness of sins but also the filling of the Holy Spirit for their growth and service in the church, especially for the mission. 

The church’s main mission is to share the gospel’s good news. They would now have assurance of salvation and the power of the Holy Spirit to enable them to accomplish the church’s mission.  

This week, in the same way the crowd responded to Peter’s message, we can respond to God’s word by opening our hearts and being transformed to allow the Holy Spirit to guide us to live for Him. Scripture tells us that God’s salvation is available to everyone He calls, and it strengthens us to share the good news with others.