Jump Start # 799

Acts 2:37 “Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Brethren, what shall we do?’”

Our passage today comes from the great Pentecost sermon of Peter. The killing of Jesus was a little more than a month in the past. That was huge news. Jesus had influenced many lives and was very popular with many people. The hierarchy within the Pharisees viewed Jesus as a radical who was upsetting their traditions. More than that, many were viewing Him as the Messiah. They must have thought that the execution of Jesus would have killed His movement and things would settle down and return to normal. They hadn’t. His disciples and others were spreading a story that this dead Jesus came back to life. He was resurrected. Now Peter, in Jerusalem, before a massive crowd, connects the dots between O.T. prophecies, the Messiah and Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Messiah. You, Peter tells them, killed Jesus. In the midst of this sermon, the people cry out, “What shall we do?”

They got it. They realized that Jesus was the Messiah. They realized that they had killed the very one God sent. Peter answers their confusion by telling them to “repent and be baptized for the remission of sins.” That’s what you do. You accept this Jesus. You become a disciple of this Jesus. You obey this Jesus. You commit to this Jesus. You follow this Jesus. You become baptized.

The end of this chapter tells us that 3,000 were baptized that day. A massive amount of people. The power of God’s word touch hearts. These new converts became the first church. It started when they heard and responded to the sermon about Jesus. It started when they were pierced to the heart.

Older translations use the expression, “cut to the heart.” Pierced is a term that soldiers understood. Their number one weapon was the sword. In the midst of the battle a soldier thrusting his sword into the chest, into the heart, of the enemy was a death blow. Few survived piercing of the heart. That image is what took place during Peter’s sermon. His words, the truth pierced deep into the mind, conscience, will and soul of the audience. They understood. They made application. They got it. They realized they were dead. They, for the first time, felt guilt and shame for killing Jesus. They understood that they were wrong. They saw themselves as sinners before a righteous God.  This is where an honest and good heart will take you when it intersects with the word of God. This is how the Holy Spirit convicts us of sin.

This didn’t happen to everyone. Throughout the N.T. there are examples when an audience heard a sermon but rejected the message. In some occasions, such as Stephen’s sermon, they turned against the preacher.

Why is it that way? Why is it that some are pierced to the heart and others have little or no effect? Same sermon, different reactions. Some got nothing out of the lesson and for others it was life changing. Why? It’s not the message or the messenger, but the heart of the listener. That’s the key. The person who is listening intently, with an honest heart will be convicted and changed. Sermons help. Sermons answer questions and remove doubt. Sermons build faith and confidence. Some get better because of sermons. Others, sleep. Every preacher wonders why? Every preacher questions if the fault lies in the delivery of the sermon. Every preacher quietly asks, “Am I boring?” Been there. Done that. Experienced that. Felt that. Not a good place to be. The honest preacher will adjust, grow and continue to try to be the best that he can be in presentation, thought and passion. But there is that element in the audience who are not pierced in the heart. Even the greatest preacher, Jesus, faced this. Some walked away from Him. Some didn’t hear what He said.

The piercing takes place when the pure message meets an honest heart. That heart has to be open to listening, considering and thinking. A person whose mind is made up, will not be cut to the heart. A person who is not interested will not be affected. A person who doesn’t care, will not be changed.

What happened in Acts 2, was that an audience listened. They thought. They traveled with Peter as he made points about Jesus. They saw. They understood. Then the lights came on. Then they realized. Then the guilt. Then the question, “what shall we do?”

God’s word is living and active. It’s sharp like a sword. It will cut right through error, preconceived ideas, prejudice, pride, and sin. It will get right into a person’s heart. The Bible can make a person feel very uncomfortable. That’s good! It can make them realize that they have not been doing right. It can show them that they have angered God. It can show that unless they change, they will not go to Heaven. Serious thoughts. Scary thoughts. Yet, that same Bible, once a person starts applying it, following it, obeying it, brings great comfort and joy. That book that once pierced the heart, now fills the heart with great truths and love. That book that was once unknown becomes a best friend. That book becomes a ready companion. It is sought to find answers. It is read to known and learn. It is followed as a trustworthy friend. It is defended and shared.

Amazing how that works. Amazing is the power of God’s word. The pure word meeting an honest heart is always a good thing.

Roger