當天，前往耶路撒冷做禮拜的猶太人沒想到他們要聆聽第一篇基督教的講道詞。時間大約是公元29年五月。很多人知道，五十三天前，一個人，名叫耶穌，受了審判。雖然羅馬當局判他“無罪，”但是，猶太人把他釘十字架。眾人並不知道耶穌已經從死里復活了，不知道耶穌是天上神的兒子。眾人沒想到，當時就有一位，名叫彼得，站在他們的面前，講道，說些使得眾人感到驚訝的話！彼得說服他們，基督的死亡是他們的責任！
彼得的話還沒講完，聽眾就問他說，“我們怎麼辦呢？”（普通話本）。彼得回答說：“你們個人要悔改，奉耶穌基督的名受洗，叫你們的罪得赦，就必領受所賜的聖靈”（使徒行轉2:37-38，和合本）。
彼得回答觀眾問題的同時，他也教導那些將要閱讀《聖經》的我們有關洗禮的意義。從彼得講道的上下文可知，洗禮跟耶穌基督的寶血有很親密的關係。
耶穌為世人受難，為萬人復活。只有耶穌的寶血和神的恩典才能夠赦免人的罪孽。神高高興興地把他的恩典施與萬人。耶穌被釘於十字架也是自願的。
但是人也有他的責任。張三需要伸出他的雙手接受神的恩典和耶穌的寶血。
當天，彼得的講道詞，前部分說明神的作為。神差遣耶穌降世；耶穌的受難是按照神早已決定的計劃；神叫耶穌從墳墓里復活。這些都算是神的作為和奇妙的恩典。
耶穌的生命是神聖的。耶穌的犧牲是自願的；他的痛苦是真的；他的復活不是虛假的。這些都屬於神的作為和恩典。
已經說過，人也有他的責任；人要對神的作為和恩典有所反應。人要相信神，要順服神。張三要伸出雙手接受神的恩典和耶穌的聖血。
在今天我們所學習的經文里，彼得告訴我們如何伸出雙手接受神的救恩和耶穌的寶血。彼得告訴張三有兩個責任：1）要“悔改”過失和罪孽；2）要“奉耶穌基督的名受洗。”悔改罪孽和接受洗禮是我們對神恩及耶穌的十字架和復活的部分反應。當受洗時我們在此就接受神的救恩，神的禮物，神的赦免。
朋友，《聖經》的信息是“神愛世人”（約翰福音3:16）。使徒彼得也告訴我們，悔改和洗禮是信仰神的人當有的反應。當悔改受洗時，神的愛彰顯在我們個人的生命上，耶穌也成為我們個人的救主。使徒彼得宣布說：“你們個人要悔改，奉耶穌基督的名受洗，叫你們的罪得赦，就必領受所賜的聖靈。”請您快一點如此作吧！
【洗禮】七：耶穌寶血和我們的洗禮
“Baptism” 07: Jesus’ Blood and Our Baptism
作者：謝德華 ©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!