Conviction of Sin and Guilt Results in True Repentance

Acts 2:14-41

In his book “Unfinished Business”, Dr Charles Sell tells a story about guilt and transformation. “A man entered a bar, bought a beer and immediately poured it on the bartender. Quickly grabbing a napkin, he helped the bartender dry his face. “I’m so sorry, I have this compulsion to do this. I fight it, but I don’t know what to do about it,” he said. The barkeep replied, “You better do something about your problem. Until you do, I won’t serve you another drink.” Months later, he came back. He explained he saw a therapist and his problem was solved. So the bartender gave him a drink, but immediately the man poured it on him. “I thought you were cured,” the bartender screamed. The man replied, “I am. I still do it, but now I don’t feel guilty.”

Dearly beloved, no one can change without the Spirit’s work. Only he can help us to repent and transform. When Peter sinned, there was guilt - but Christ restored him. 50 days ago, he denied Christ; now he preached boldly at the last Pentecost. He was a transformed witness. The Jews had already heard the wonderful works of Christ - the gospel. Some wanted to know more; others mocked. This is why now, when he preached, he gave them the vital warnings they had to hear to live. That’s the first lesson. And secondly, we see their convicted responses that led to life.

Firstly, the vital warnings we must hear to live. Verse 14-15 - “But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words: For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.” Peter preached loudly - he lifted up his voice. There were thousands present. “Hearken to my words!” And he rejected their mockery. “Don’t be insulting, it’s 9 am, they’re not drunk. You’re all Jews. You’ve just heard the gospel in your own language - the wonderful works of God. You’ve seen these signs. You know the prophecies. These are the last days. You have a time limit.” This is what he explains in verses 16-20 - what the signs meant. The prophet Joel prophesied about them 850 years prior. At that time, the Jews faced judgment. God sent a plague of locusts to punish them. But Joel said this plague was nothing. The great and notable day of the Lord was coming. On that day, they’d be judged and sent to hell. And he listed warning signs of that judgment. Verse 17 - “And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh.” The Spirit would come and God’s people will preach. And this happened at the last Pentecost! Men, women, young, and old preached and had visions. These were the last days.

Other signs included wars. Verses 19-20 speak of blood, fire, smoke; the sun will be blackened and the moon will turn to blood. Now, to be clear, fantastical thinking like blood moons, sabbath years, microchips, barcodes - the mark of the beast - are not meant here. We interpret Scripture by Scripture. These are signs of wars. Jesus spoke of them in Matthew 24 - there’d be wars and rumors of wars, nation rising up against nation, famine, disease, earthquakes - these are the beginning of sorrows. So blood, fire, and smoke on earth refer to war - death and burning cities. And when there’s smoke, the sun is darkened. The moon turns red because of ash. There’s famine. People die. When they’re not buried, there’s disease. These are the beginning of sorrows. It’s not one but many events. And wars and pandemics did follow.

Next, Peter warned them that Jesus was the Christ - and that’s bad news for them. “Jesus of Nazareth - remember him? The one you crucified? His miracles proved he was from God. Even Nicodemus acknowledged he was from God because of the miracles. You saw the miracles but rejected and crucified him.” But this was God’s plan. Christ’s death was planned, verse 23. He was delivered by God’s deliberate arrangement. This means, his betrayal, torture, and trial, Pilate’s fear of the mob, their shouting “crucify him” were all God’s plan. And this was very bad news. Why? These very Jews here called for him to be killed. And what was worse was he didn’t remain dead. He resurrected! Verses 24-31 quote several of David’s Psalms prophesying that Christ couldn’t remain dead. So even their own Scripture was warning them. Jesus whom they crucified was the Christ. His resurrection was also witnessed by his disciples. This was bad news. It warned them. “Jesus, whom you killed, is Christ. He resurrected and went to heaven. He poured his Spirit - they’re preaching. Prophecy is fulfilled. These are the last days. You have a time limit. Why? The Christ that you crucified will come one day - on Judgment Day!”

And this was his final warning. The last days will end in judgment. In verses 33-35, Peter quoted from Psalm 110 to describe what he will do one day - “Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, until I make thy foes thy footstool.” Christ is on God’s right hand - a position of great authority. All power is given to me in heaven and in earth. He’s already shown his power by sending his Spirit. But one day, he will conquer his enemies. They will be his footstool. When ancient kings conquered their enemy, they made him lie at their feet, and then they’d place their feet on his neck. Christ will come one day to do this to his enemies.

And the warning of this judgment was the tongues speaking. Yes, tongue speaking was a warning sign to disobedient Jews. God warned in Isaiah 28, that if they heard God’s Word from foreign lips, it was a sign of judgment. This is quoted in 1 Corinthians 14:21 - “In the law it is written, With men of other tongues and other lips will I speak unto this people; and yet for all that will they not hear me, saith the Lord.” The sign of other tongues has always been a sign judgment. In Babel, God confused their languages and scattered them. Deuteronomy 28:49 says - “The Lord shall bring a nation against thee from far…as swift as the eagle flieth; a nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand.” Jeremiah 5:15 - “Lo, I will bring a nation upon you from far…a mighty nation…a nation whose language thou knowest not, neither understandest what they say.” In Israel’s history - she was disobedient. God threatened to judge her if she didn’t repent. And each time it happnened, foreign languages were present. The Assyrians conquered Israel - they spoke Assyrian. The Babylonians conquered Judah - they spoke Chaldean. Similarly, when the Jews refused to believe Christ, God sent the Latin speaking Romans in 70 AD. This threat of judgment was real. Verse 36 says, “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.” “Beware! Hear these warnings! You’ve heard the gospel. Would you believe or continue to mock?”

But this is the grace of God. Despite the warning and their sin, in verse 21, Peter already gave them a way out of judgment - “whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” So secondly, we see the convicted responses that lead to life. What is the response to the threat of judgment? Some will mock. Some will not believe. But those who understand, will be convicted of their sins and respond with guilt. This is the work of the Spirit. John 16:8 says, “When the Holy Ghost is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment.” When the gospel is preached, a response is demanded. And the Spirit demands conviction of sins. After Peter warned them, the Jews responded. Verse 37 - “Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?”

They pleaded - what shall we do? And that’s amazing. Usually it’s the pastor who pleads with the people to obey. But Peter’s congregation made the plea - what shall we do? They asked this because they felt guilt. Their hearts were pricked. The gospel and the warning produced pain in their hearts. It’s because they realized their sin. They crucified their Lord and Christ, their king and savior. This was ultimate sin against God. And they knew the implications! They’d be judged. And so when they asked - what shall we do - they knew they were wrong. They recognized their great sin. Killing the Christ - the one they’ve always been looking for. If anyone is to be forgiven, this is the guilt and conviction he must have. If such guilt is not felt, sin is not understood. And this is the same for us. There is a way to repent that is genuine.

And this kind of repentance led to blessings. How did Peter respond to their guilt laden question? Repent and you will be forgiven. Repentance leads to forgiveness. He told them in verses 38-39 - “Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” The way to escape judgment is by repentance. It’s not penance - you don’t punish yourself - hell will punish you plenty if you want. It’s not bribery - you can’t give God money - he owns it anyway. It’s not being religious - to serve God to repay your debt. Why would God reward you for something you’re obligated to do? The only way is repentance. John preached it -“Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” So did Jesus - “repent ye and believe the gospel.” Repentance - turn turn from their ways - would be the only way to remove that guilt. Verse 38 - “Repent in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.” The result of repentance is forgiveness. There’s no forgiveness without repentance. But there’s always forgiveness with repentance. And despite what they did - killing the Lord and Christ, all they needed to do to be forgiven was to repent and believe.

And their repentance also led to the gift of the Holy Spirit, verse 38. And that’s amazing. They killed the Son, and now they’re offered the Spirit. They crucified the second person of the Trinity, and they were gifted the third person of the Trinity. All this upon repentance. This is the heart of Christ. When Adam sinned, God covered his nakedness. When Peter cut off the ear of Malchus, Jesus healed it. When these crucified the king of glory, he gave them the Spirit.

Furthermore, not only would Christ give them the Spirit, the promise was also to their children. Verse 39 - “For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” The promise of salvation is to you Jews who killed Jesus, who shouted “crucify him” and wanted Barabbas to be released, and who when he washed his hands of guilt said - “His blood be on us, and on our children.” Here, Peter offered forgiveness to these killers and their children, whom they were willing to curse. These children who belonged to God were the very ones they were prepared to sacrifice. Yet, they who were so eager to kill Jesus are now the very ones offered the benefits of Christ’s death. And God extended the covenant to their children. This reminds us of Genesis 17:7 - “And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee.” This was the covenant God made with Abraham. He promised to be a God to them and their descendants. But how about us Gentiles? This promise is to those who are afar off. Ephesians 2:12-13 - “That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.” We were once aliens to that promise. We were once far off. But because of Christ, we have been brought near to God, so that, anyone who believes in Jesus is a descendant of Abraham, and an heir of that promise. Galatians 3:29 - “And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.” God extends his forgiveness even to us and our children.

Once they heard this and were convicted, it led to joy. Verse 40 - “And with many other words did he testify and exhort, saying, Save yourselves from this untoward generation.” His preaching didn’t stop - he spent more time to convince them. He testified - meaning put his life on the line to witness. He exhorted or strongly urged them. And his last exhortation to them - verse 40 - “Save yourselves from this untoward generation.” Literally, be saved from this corrupt generation. If you call on Jesus, he will save you from these others who deserve judgment. Peter’s quote of Joel in verse 21, is part of a larger context. Joel 2:32 - “And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.” Those that call on Jesus are joining a remnant. They’re not like the world. They’ve left a corrupt generation. They should’ve been judged, but are now saved. And that’s what we see in verse 41. Up until this moment there were 120 people in the community. After 3 years of preaching, Jesus had 120 followers. But after the Spirit convicted them, in one day, 3000 joined the remnant. And they received the Word with gladness. They didn’t receive the Word with grudging, or unwillingness to respond, or delay, or justification. They received it with gladness. They were happy. They were forgiven. They would no longer be judged. They would come out of the last days unscathed.

Dearly beloved, what’s the application for us? Firstly, we’re still living in the last days. Since Christ, wars have ravaged the world. Last century, 100 million people died from wars. 1/3 of the world is hungry today. We’re living through a pandemic. These are last days. And therefore, the message to them is a message to us. There’s a coming judgment. And where does judgment first start? It starts with those who call themselves God’s people. 1 Peter 4:7 - “For it is time for judgment to begin with God’s household; and if it begins with us, what will the outcome be for those who do not obey the gospel of God?” Let us make sure of our own salvation. And if we’re living in the last days, what chiefly defines us? Our career? Our success? Our life? What are we living for? It must be the death, resurrection, ascension, and rule of Christ. Young people, have you called on his name? Have you joined this remnant? You’re not inwardly a Christian because you hang around Christians or grew up in church. You’re one outwardly. Acts 2 is clear. The end is approaching and there’s judgment. Will Christ be your savior? Or will you be his footstool?

Secondly, how do you react to the preached word? Do you say - oh, another sermon where the preacher is trying to make me feel guilty? Or do you say, like the Jews reacting with conviction - what shall I do? We don’t preach for our health - because we like to make you feel bad. There’s joy when you repent and come under conviction. What shall I do to the way I live, speak, and think? One of the most dangerous ways to deal with guilt is to harden the heart and quench the Spirit. That’s what the Jews did to Christ - he preached, they sought to kill him. The prophets preached - the people killed them. Stephen preached, they stoned him. Why? Because they dealt with guilt not by admitting their sin. But the right response to the Word when there’s sin is guilt - a guilt that seeks to be relieved by God. As believers, let’s not crucify Christ afresh by our refusal to put aside our sins. Our sins put him there - how shall we as his people continue any longer in them? The benefits of salvation comes only when there is repentance; and repentance is characterized by the phrase - what must I do?

Thirdly, do you receive the Word with gladness? Are you happy in your Christian life? And there is a relation between how you receive and respond to the Word with the joy you experience as a Christian. What’s the Spirit teaching you? How’s he convicting you? The response is not merely remorse and then returning to what you were; but it’s a resolve to change. And when you surrender to change, there’s joy. How has the Lord spoken to you about your career or hobbies? About your family life? About your temperament? About your service? About your appetite? About your relationships? About your children? Remember, we have joined a remnant. Therefore, our careers do not define us. Neither should our hobbies. We do not behave in the same way as the corrupt generation, who live according to the works of the flesh. We do not harden our hearts to the conviction of the Spirit. There’s a guilt that leads to repentance, we have forgiveness and power. And we receive all the blessings and joy. When you surrender your fears about your career or studies or life to him - he fills you with peace and contentment. When you surrender your flesh to him, he’ll change your character. When you serve your enemy, you’ll understand his heart. God doesn’t only give you his Son, but everything else in his Son.