Luke the physician wrote how Peter spoke to the multitude gathered outside the house where the upper room and said, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost”, and in chapter two and verse thirty-nine of the book of Acts Luke shared how Peter told the multitude, “the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off” where we read:
For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off,
even as many as the Lord our God shall call.
The verse begins, “For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, ...” Luke began with the words, “for the promise” which means “because, since and on account that the announcement and divine assurance of good” “is unto you” or “is toward you, multitude of people”, “and to your children” which means “and to your, the multitudes' offspring, prodigy and descendants”, “and to all that are afar off” or “and to each, every, the whole and everyone who is a great distance away”. Luke shared how Peter said the “promise” of God's Holy Spirit is to the multitude, their descendants and everyone distant from where they are.
The verse continues, “... even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” Luke added the words, “even as many as the Lord our God” or “to whomever and every person the One to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, and the title given to God the Messiah who is the Godhead bodily and trinity which is comprised of God the Father, Christ the Son and the Holy Spirit” “shall call” which means “will bid, beckon, summon and invite”. Luke shared how Peter told the multitude “everyone” who is “summoned and invited” by God will be given the promise of His Holy Spirit.
When we meditate upon Luke's words in this verse, we discover how Peter told the crowd of people the “divine assurance” of God by giving His “Holy Spirit” is not only to the multitude of people, but also to their offspring and anyone who is distant from them. The only requirement was they needed to be “summoned” by God, and His invitation is to everyone. God loves people, and He bids every person to have a personal relationship with Him through His Son Jesus. Sin separates people from God, and when they receive His Son Jesus as their “Savior and Lord”, He will forgive their sins, grant them everlasting life and guide them by His Holy Spirit. Those who carefully examine “Peter's” words will see God's invitation and yield themselves to Him.
Next time Luke shares how Peter, “with many other words did he testify and exhort”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".
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