Their hearts were pierced to the very core. They had to respond to the message. They cried out asking what they ought to do.
“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?””
Acts 2:37
After hearing the Gospel message from Peter concerning Jesus’ death and resurrection(Acts 2:22-36; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4). these Jews who had gathered in Jerusalem from every nation(Acts 2:5) on the day of Pentecost(Acts 2:1), repented and received the Word.(Acts 2:38, 41).
But why? Was it because of Paul’s eloquence? No. Was it because of the seeker-sensitive service? No. was it because their felt needs were addressed? No. Was it because they were told what they wanted to hear rather than what they needed to hear?(2 Timothy 4:3-4) No.
It was not because of any human means or method, but it was because of divine calling. God had called them to Himself(Acts 2:39).
One Puritan explains this divine call.
“The sublime and irresistible influences of the holy God upon the heart, by which He inclines, bows, and subjects the stubborn and rebellious will to believe and receive the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Benjamin Keach
So what are the implications for ministry, whether you are a missionary, a church-planting pastor, or a pastor of an already established church? How would YOU start a church? Grow a church?
Knowing that God started His church and grew His church by calling people to Himself, then there is only one thing to do, and that is what is delineated in the Scriptures.
- Preach the Word, in season and out of season.(2 Timothy 4:2)
- Reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.(2 Timothy 4:2)
- Devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation, to teaching.(1 Timothy 4:13)
- Take sin seriously enough to practice church discipline for the sake of the church’s purity.(Matthew 18:15-20; 1 Corinthians 5; Ephesians 5:25-27)
- Proclaim Christ.(Colossians 1:28-29)
- Care for the flock by warning them and by exposing false teachers.(Acts 20:28-31; Titus 1:9)
- Shepherd the flock.(1 Peter 5:2-3)
- Declare the whole counsel of God.(Acts 20:27)
Are you doing these things, or have you succumb to the pressures of the market-driven church? Are you preaching God’s Word or are you preaching your own words? Are you entertaining the goats, or are you shepherding the sheep? Are you putting on a show, or are you proclaiming Christ? Are you stroking people’s self-esteem, or are you confronting their sin? Are you trying to grow the church by your innovative methods, or do you realize that only God causes the growth(1 Corinthians 3:7).
After all, this is not your church, but “the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood”.(Acts 20:28). Your divine charge and calling are a solemn and sacred thing in light of who Jesus Christ is, the Judge of the living and the dead.(2 Timothy 4:1) Whose approval are you seeking, God’s or man’s?
“But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.”
Galatians 1:8-10
