What shall we do?

When the people heard this, they were deeply troubled and said to Peter and the other apostles, ‘What shall we do, brothers?’

Peter said to them, ‘Each one of you must turn away from your sins and be baptised in the name of Jesus Christ, so that your sins will be forgiven; and you will receive God’s gift, the Holy Spirit.’ (verses 37, 38)

Read Acts 2: 37-47

It is a shocking thing when we recognise our own sin, particularly when there is nothing we can do to make up for it. King David cried out in pain when he realised how grievously he had sinned against God. The pain was even greater when he understood what the consequences of his sin would be (see 2 Samuel 11 and 12).

The people who heard what Peter said were convicted of their sin by the Holy Spirit and finally understood the enormity of what they had done. They had killed the author of life! They had killed the holy one of God! How could they ever pay for this most heinous of crimes? They couldn’t. There was nothing they could do to bring Jesus back to life. But of course they didn’t need to, did they? The Father in heaven had already done that work. There was only one thing for them to do, and that was to accept the forgiveness, the love and the faith that Jesus offers through the waters of holy baptism.

That is the only thing any of us can do when we are confronted with our own sins against God. And isn’t that wonderful news indeed?

Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner. Amen.

by Greg Graham, in ‘Guidance for each Day’ (LCA, Openbook, 2002)

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