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Great Commission Preaching - Acts 3
Great Commission Preaching - Acts 3
As Peter was drawing to the end of his second sermon, he said: “Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you” (Acts 3:19-20).
Here are two charts to help us think through this conclusion of the sermon.
SEE CHART 1
These are not two DIFFERENT options, but the same demands of how to respond to the resurrection of Jesus.
Thus the second chart, which shows Peter combining the different accounts of the great commission by Jesus.
SEE CHART 2
We might also add the end of Matthew’s commission: “teaching them to observe all that I commanded you”; and Acts 2:42: 42 They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”
With all the talk of ‘fulfilling the great commission’, so much preaching today ignores MOST of the commission! In fact, most preaching today argues AGAINST the commission as it is argued that ALL one has to do is believe: thus, they effectively leave out the demand of repentance and baptism. I would suggest that we handle the great commission as did Peter: don’t choose which part or which account to follow but take ALL of it TOGETHER. When one thus learns about the resurrection and glorifying of Jesus, he should believe it, repent, and be baptized in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins, and then continue steadfastly in the apostles' teaching. Does this describe your conversion?
Hugh DeLong
