Acts 2:29-37
That is, God the Father hath ordained and appointed this Jesus whom we have crucified, to be the head and Saviour of his church, he being the true and promised Messiah.Learn hence, That the Lord Jesus Christ was constituted and appointed by his Father, to be the supreme Governor and only Saviour of his church. God had made Jesus both Lord, and Christ, both a prince and a Saviour.
Note farther, How very close and home the apostle is in applying what he had said to his auditors; he doth not rest in generals; but says plainly, Ye are the men; This is the same Jesus whom ye have crucified, whom ye with wicked hands have slain: Had not the application been so close, it is probable the success of the sermon had not been so considerable.
Thence learn, That the success and efficacy of the word preached, depends upon a particular and warm application of it to every man's conscience: generals will not affect. See an instance of it in what follows.
That is, God the Father hath ordained and appointed this Jesus whom we have crucified, to be the head and Saviour of his church, he being the true and promised Messiah.
Learn hence, That the Lord Jesus Christ was constituted and appointed by his Father, to be the supreme Governor and only Saviour of his church. God had made Jesus both Lord, and Christ, both a prince and a Saviour.
Note farther, How very close and home the apostle is in applying what he had said to his auditors; he doth not rest in generals; but says plainly, Ye are the men; This is the same Jesus whom ye have crucified, whom ye with wicked hands have slain: Had not the application been so close, it is probable the success of the sermon had not been so considerable.
Thence learn, That the success and efficacy of the word preached, depends upon a particular and warm application of it to every man's conscience: generals will not affect. See an instance of it in what follows.
Here the success of St. Peter's sermon is recorded; The auditors were not only affected, but their hearts were touched with a kindly remorse; they mourn for sin and inquire what they should do to be saved; Some in our days would have been offended at such an inquiry, and told them, it was not doing, but believing only, that God expected; that Christ had done all for them, and that they had nothing to do, but to believe strongly that all was done to their hands; but St. Peter reproves them not for their iniquity, but puts them upon doing; namely, the exercise and practice of repentance, in the next verse.
Hence note, 1. That conversion, where it is in truth, begets and occasions a very great and sensible change.
2. That the preaching of the word is the instrumental means for the effecting and accomplishing of this charge.
3. That the best preaching is that which pricks men's hearts, wounds and convinces their consciences, and makes them thoroughly sensible both of their sin and danger, and of the great necessity of a change.
4. That when men are once convinced of their bad state, and dangerous condition, their first inquiry will be, yea should, and ought to be, What they should do to be saved? They said, Men and brethren, what shall we do? The apostle liked that inquiry very well; and answers it in the next verse.
Copyright information for
Burkitt