当天，前往耶路撒冷做礼拜的犹太人没想到他们要聆听第一篇基督教的讲道词。时间大约是公元29年五月。很多人知道，五十三天前，一个人，名叫耶稣，受了审判。虽然罗马当局判他“无罪，”但是，犹太人把他钉十字架。众人并不知道耶稣已经从死里复活了，不知道耶稣是天上神的儿子。众人没想到，当时就有一位，名叫彼得，站在他们的面前，讲道，说些使得众人感到惊讶的话！彼得说服他们，基督的死亡是他们的责任！
彼得的话还没讲完，听众就问他说，“我们怎么办呢？”（普通话本）。彼得回答说：“你们个人要悔改，奉耶稣基督的名受洗，叫你们的罪得赦，就必领受所赐的圣灵”（使徒行转2:37-38，和合本）。
彼得回答观众问题的同时，他也教导那些将要阅读《圣经》的我们有关洗礼的意义。从彼得讲道的上下文可知，洗礼跟耶稣基督的宝血有很亲密的关系。
耶稣为世人受难，为万人复活。只有耶稣的宝血和神的恩典才能够赦免人的罪孽。神高高兴兴地把他的恩典施与万人。耶稣被钉于十字架也是自愿的。
但是人也有他的责任。张三需要伸出他的双手接受神的恩典和耶稣的宝血。
当天，彼得的讲道词，前部分说明神的作为。神差遣耶稣降世；耶稣的受难是按照神早已决定的计划；神叫耶稣从坟墓里复活。这些都算是神的作为和奇妙的恩典。
耶稣的生命是神圣的。耶稣的牺牲是自愿的；他的痛苦是真的；他的复活不是虚假的。这些都属于神的作为和恩典。
已经说过，人也有他的责任；人要对神的作为和恩典有所反应。人要相信神，要顺服神。张三要伸出双手接受神的恩典和耶稣的圣血。
在今天我们所学习的经文里，彼得告诉我们如何伸出双手接受神的救恩和耶稣的宝血。彼得告诉张三有两个责任：1）要“悔改”过失和罪孽；2）要“奉耶稣基督的名受洗。”悔改罪孽和接受洗礼是我们对神恩及耶稣的十字架和复活的部分反应。当受洗时我们在此就接受神的救恩，神的礼物，神的赦免。
朋友，《圣经》的信息是“神爱世人”（约翰福音3:16）。使徒彼得也告诉我们，悔改和洗礼是信仰神的人当有的反应。当悔改受洗时，神的爱彰显在我们个人的生命上，耶稣也成为我们个人的救主。使徒彼得宣布说：“你们个人要悔改，奉耶稣基督的名受洗，叫你们的罪得赦，就必领受所赐的圣灵。”请您快一点如此作吧！
【洗礼】七：耶稣宝血和我们的洗礼
“Baptism” 07: Jesus’ Blood and Our Baptism
作者：谢德华 ©By Edward Short
Jesus’ Blood and Our Baptism
Acts 2:38
The Jews who went to worship in Jerusalem that day had no idea that they would hear the first Christian sermon ever preached. The date was probably about May, A.D. 29. Many people knew that some fifty-three days previously, a man named Jesus, had been put on trial. Although the Roman authorities pronounced him innocent, the Jews crucified him. The crowds didn’t know, however, that Jesus had been raised from death, and they didn’t know that he was the Son of God. How surprised they were, therefore, when someone named Peter stood in their midst and proclaimed this very message. Peter convinced them that the blood of the Christ was on their hands!
Peter had not yet finished speaking when the people asked him, “What shall we do?” Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38, NIV).
In answering the question asked by the audience, Peter also ex-plained the meaning of baptism to those who would later read the Bible (i.e., you and me). From the context we see that there is a very close relationship between baptism and the blood of Jesus.
Jesus was crucified for the world, and was raised from death for all people. Nothing other than the blood of Jesus and the grace of God can forgive a man’s sins. God happily extended his grace to mankind, and Jesus went to the cross voluntarily.
Man has his responsibility too, however, so we must reach out and accept God’s grace and the precious blood of Jesus.
The first part of Peter’s sermon that day explained what God had done to save mankind. God had sent Jesus. The suffering endured by Jesus was all part of God’s plan and foreknowledge, and then on the third day, God brought Jesus forth from the grave. All of this was God’s marvelous grace.
Jesus’ life was holy. Jesus’ sacrifice was voluntary; his pain was real; his resurrection was not faked. Jesus’ life and work were also part of God’s marvelous grace.
As stated previously, man has his responsibility too. Man must believe God and have faith in God; man must extend his hands and receive God’s grace and Jesus’ blood.
In the Scripture that we’re discussing, Peter tells us how to extend our hands and receive the grace of God and the blood of Jesus. Peter says that we should, 1) ”repent,” and 2) be “baptized, every one of you…” Repentance and baptism are part of the response we make to God’s love and grace, to Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection. In baptism we receive God’s grace, his gift and his forgiveness.
The message of the Bible is that “God so loved the world…” (John 3:16). The apostle Peter proclaims that repentance and baptism are the correct responses of faith through which the love of God is applied to an individual believer, and the time at which Jesus becomes one’s personal savior. The apostle Peter declared, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” I hope you’ll make the decision to do this real soon!