Not the End of the Story

THIS WEEK’S BOLD STEP DEVOTION

“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.” (Acts 2:36–38).

If you’ve ever wondered what Christianity is all about, or maybe you’ve heard the story of Jesus’ crucifixion and asked yourself, “Who really crucified Him?”—the answer might be more personal than you think. Yes, the Romans nailed Him to the cross. Yes, some of the Jewish leaders called for His death. But the deeper truth is this: We all crucified Him.

The apostle Peter makes this clear in Acts 2 when he speaks to a crowd, reminding them that Jesus was not a victim of political or religious systems. Jesus was handed over to die because of our sin. It was our choices that put Him there. And yet, He willingly lay down His life, and it was His love for us that held Him there, despite everything He had to go through. When you consider that, it’s a powerful thing to realize.

I know this truth can be hard to swallow, especially when we want to place blame somewhere—on others, on circumstances, or even on Jesus for not preventing it. But the reality of the gospel of Jesus’ death and resurrection is that each of us is complicit in His suffering. It was for our sins that He was nailed to that cross.

But here’s where the message of the gospel becomes so life-changing: Though we crucified Him with our sin, He didn’t stay dead. The cross is not the end of the story—it’s just the beginning. And that’s why Peter, after confronting the crowd with the truth of their own responsibility, gives them the way forward. He calls them (and us) to do something: “Repent and be baptized” (Acts 2:38).

Jesus gives each of us an invitation to a brand new life. It’s a decision that you have to make. It’s not something you can inherit from your family. It’s about taking responsibility for your sin, realizing that it was your sin that led Jesus to the cross, and then turning to Him in faith, allowing His love to transform your heart.

If you’ve never done this before, I encourage you to take that step today. Repentance and baptism aren’t just rituals; they’re life-changing decisions. You don’t need to clean yourself up first—Jesus is the one who does that. He invites you just as you are, but He loves you too much to leave you that way. The moment you make that decision, your sins are forgiven and you receive the Holy Spirit, and that’s the beginning of a journey with Him that will change everything.

What will your response be? If you’re ready to take your next step with Jesus, click on My Next Step.

Listen to the sermon: What Should We Do?

sermon

Ministry Update from Mark

This past October was 153 years since D. L. Moody spoke to his Sunday school listeners, asking them to consider responding to Christ—but they never got that chance. As services ended, fire alarms sounded in the streets. The meeting closed in panic and the young people left the building to find the city in flames, what is known today as the Great Chicago Fire.

Moody left Chicago for New York, seeking funds for rebuilding his work after the fire, but “my heart was not in the work of begging.” While walking down Wall Street, he had a spiritual experience so powerful that he seldom referred to it afterward. “I was crying all the time that God would fill me with His Spirit. I can only say that God revealed Himself to me, and I had such an experience of His love that I had to ask Him to stay His hand!”

Deep tragedy was followed by a deep and powerful work of the Spirit. God loves to empower us the most when we are the weakest. If you’re feeling weak and overwhelmed, be encouraged. You might be in the best place to be empowered afresh by His Spirit!