In Peter’s sermon, he is addressing “Israelites” (v. 29). He is speaking to many who have Jewish roots and traditions. He calls on them to “repent.” In the Greek language, the word that is translated as “repent” (metanoein) basically means “to change one’s mind.” These Israelites might well have recalled the Hebrew word for “repent” (teshuvah). In that language, the word means “to go in a new direction.” This all is the gift of the Holy Spirit (v. 38).

The title of this week’s lesson (“The Spirit Convicts”) reminds us that it is the Holy Spirit who calls us to change our mind, to change our direction. Peter invites those who repent to be baptized. Baptism is a sign of God’s activity. Repentance comes when the Spirit moves us to that. Peter even says that the promise is even to children (v. 39), so the baptism of a child is a clear mark of God’s activity, God’s work.

If I repent more than once, why am I not baptized more than once? Baptism is the recognition of God’s activity in pursuing us. That does not change, so we baptize once, a signal that God is always continuing the work of grace. Repentance is not a “one size fits all” matter; one repentance does not see me okay for the rest of my life. God’s grace is sufficient, symbolized by (one baptism), but my journey calls me to repent again and again. It is God’s grace, God’s Spirit, that calls me into repentance, so I might find forgiveness and a new direction.

When I was in the third grade, my teacher (Mrs. Tally) wanted us to understand how it took a variety of jobs to get our community functioning. She asked each of us to tell the class what job our parents had. We heard “My dad owns a gas station.” “Daddy is a farmer.” “My mom works at the bank.” “My parents run the furniture store.” “My father is a pastor.” “My mother works at home.” Then, we waited for Paul Gyles to speak. We all knew that his father was the principal of the school. Finally, Paul Gyles spoke up. “My daddy’s biggest job is being my daddy.”

What is your biggest job? It may not be in the way the world measures value. God’s Holy Spirit moves us into new attitudes, new relationships, new possibilities. In order to say “yes” to the newness to which God calls me, I repent of the ways I have crucified Jesus (v. 36) by failing to live the new life He would give me. The Spirit moves me to that repentance. The Spirit moves me to that new tomorrow.

What Someone Else Has Said: Emil Brunner (I Believe in the Living God, Westminster) wrote: “To repent is really nothing else than to become honest before God and to see oneself as one is, in the mirror of God. Only when one becomes honest before God can one really receive God’s word of grace.”

Prayer: As you prepare this lesson, let your prayer begin: “Speak, Lord. I’m listening…”