“Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.” When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, 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. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off-for all whom the Lord our God will call.”-Acts 2:36-39
Peter, the man who had just weeks before denied Jesus three times, is the person who delivers the first keynote address. How was Peter able to do this? Because he had been filled by the Holy Spirit. If you will notice Peter tells the people to whom he was speaking directly and to us, whom he was speaking indirectly, that they must repent or turn away from their old lives of sin. He then tells them they are to be baptized, but baptism is not the key step here. The key step is repentance and the forgiveness of sins given through Jesus’ death on the cross. It is only when you acknowledge that Jesus is both the Lord of your life and your Messiah or savior, that you will be filled with the Holy Spirit. That is the promise Jesus gave his disciples two thousand years ago and it is a promise he gives us to today. It was only through the power of the Holy Spirit that Peter was able to get up and address this group and see three thousand new believers join the fold. And it is only through the power of the Holy Spirit that you will be able to do the things that God has called you to do.