October 18, 2007 - Acts 2:41

“Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.” Acts 2:41.
After Peter preached to the large crowd during the Festival of Pentecost, thousands in the crowd were pierced to their hearts with the message concerning Jesus. They asked Peter what they should do in response to the conviction within their own hearts, and Peter instructed them to turn from their sin and believe in and follow the Lord Jesus Christ. Amazingly, 3,000 people became followers of Jesus in that one moment. In response to the message, they all believed and were baptized that same day! Remember, there were only 120 or so of the original followers of Jesus who were present that morning, and now there was added another 3,000 to that number. That is about 2,500% growth in one day!
Can you imagine what it would be like to be one of the twelve or to be part of a body of 120 people who now were to baptize 3000 people? You talk about faith and works!! I would imagine that there were some tired, but satisfied, people that night when they laid their heads down to sleep! This little band of Jesus’ followers had just exploded, and now they had to figure out how to do this Jesus-life together. Ready or not, here we go!!
I don’t know about you, but this verse stretches and challenges me. In reflecting on this verse, I realized something about myself. It is this: that I have been choosing to not have the faith for growth because of all the work that it would require of me. How willing am I to do all that God asks of me? I realized that there is a “turn-off switch” inside my head, and when I think that I have done enough, I stop. Now that I realize this, I choose to say “YES” to whatever God has for me. I am willing to not try to limit God and to not try to turn that switch off any more. How about you? How are you challenged by this verse?
Are you willing to do the work necessary, whatever that may be, in order to see God’s kingdom here, on earth? What do you envision to be your part? Take some time today to think about how we can partner with God.