So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls. They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer.
— Acts 2:41–42 —
Eduardo Izquierdo: Instituto de Expositores | USA
The preaching of God’s word is essential to the life of the church and the Christian. In today’s passage, the apostle Peter preached the word of God at the start of the church era and it was incredibly effective—three thousand souls were added to God’s universal church! Numbers aside, Peter’s preaching was the means that God used to produce precious, long-lasting, spiritual fruit in thousands of lives. The preaching of God’s word must be a priority for the church and the Christian. When Peter saw that the multitudes were confounded by the multi-language ministry of the Spirit, he stood up and preached God’s word. His sermon focused on the good news of the gospel as evidenced by the Old Testament Scriptures. This preaching led to the salvation, baptism, and fellowship of those who repented in faith (Acts 2:37–42). The preaching of God’s word went on to transform the desires of those converted. There was a desire to be nurtured with the teachings of Jesus; there was a desire to edify and exhort one another with the goal of becoming more like Christ; there was a desire to share God’s physical provision with others; there was a desire to fellowship with God through dependent prayer. All of this was the fruit of preaching God’s word. The preaching of God’s word must be a priority for the church and the Christian. It transforms our lives and those with whom we interact with. Nothing else will create a love for the Scriptures, a desire for genuine fellowship and dependence upon God through prayer in the hearts of God’s people. Thank God for your pastors who preach God’s word and pray for them.
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