On Sunday, we worshipped with Frederick Boulevard Baptist Church, and heard Pastor Shawn preach from Acts 2 on “The Church that Makes a Difference”. I’m not going to recap that here, but I did want to touch on a passage that struck me as I was looking back over the Scripture:
Acts 2:37
Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
As Peter preached the gospel to the Jews gathered in Jerusalem, His testimony of Jesus rang true. Reinforced by the Holy Spirit, the message spoke straight to the souls of those listening, and the masses were convicted. This Jesus that had been crucified was the promised Messiah. These very people had cried out, “Crucify him!”
They were cut to the heart by the revelation.
“Brothers, what shall we do?”
They needed to take action. They needed to do something with the truth they’d just heard.
As I think about this account, I can’t help but reflect on my own receptiveness to God’s truth.
How often am I truly cut to the heart? How often am I so convicted that I have to do something in response? That I’m COMPELLED to act? That I can’t go on without action?
Further, as we’ve worshipped in a variety of churches over the past couple months?
I’ve wondered how many Christians in general are truly cut to the heart by the truth of Scripture.
I say that not to bash any person or any church, but simply as observation and question:
Are the majority of modern American Christians really receptive to the truth of Scripture?
Are the majority of modern American Christians convicted regularly of our own short-comings?
Or are we more regularly concerned with the sin and failings of others? Or the detestable state of our world? Or the ugliness of situations and circumstances surrounding us?
Where’s our focus?
Jesus calls us to be salt and light in our world. And we can’t do that without the guidance He provides through Scripture and through regular communion with Him. Without the conviction He brings. Without the movement in our soul He triggers.
We have to be cut to the heart to make a difference.
We have to be cut to the heart to be what He intends us to be.
We have to be cut to the heart to love like He loves.
We have to be cut to the heart to forgive when it seems impossible.
We have to be cut to the heart.
Period.
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