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Yes! There Is Good News!

Bill Rollins has been publishing each week a column in the local Elk Horn, Iowa paper for the past several years.
Note the original publication date on each blog post

Yes! There is Good News!                                   9.2.17

12/21/2020

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In our previous article we spoke of baptism. We saw that there is rejoicing in the presence of the angels of God over one sinner who repents. Is there a connection in the bible between these two ideas?

Last Saturday, as we gathered around the baptismal, I read a scripture that is found in Acts, chapter 2. This chapter starts out with the feast of Pentecost when all the believers were gathered together. There came the sound of a blowing mighty wind from heaven that filled the whole place. (I am sure you remember the event.) Something like tongues of fire appeared over each of them and the promise of God was fulfilled wherein each one was filled with the Holy Spirit.

At the sound of the wind a large crowd came running to see what was happening. Many of those gathered in Jerusalem for the feast, had come from distant lands and they heard from the disciple’s lips “the wonders of God in their own languages.”

Eventually Peter gets everyone’s attention and brings forth a message concerning a prophecy from the book of Joel. I leave it for you to refresh your memory on this message in Acts 2 at some other time, but at the end of his sermon, Peter says this, “Therefore let all the house of Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” Have you ever considered that if you were there, Peter’s finger, as it swept across the crowd, would have pointed to you? “Bill Rollins, this Jesus whom you have crucified …” Yes it was my sins that were the cause of Jesus having to shed His blood on the cross.

In Acts 2:37 the crowd responds to Peter’s words, “When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, ‘Brothers, what shall we do?’” Isn’t it interesting that the reaction of the people wasn’t something like, “Bah, you can’t put the blame on us for this man’s death.” No, they were cut to the heart and desired to know what they should 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.” In this short statement, Peter tells us several things. The initial step is not baptism. The first step is to repent. What does “repent” mean? The Greek word used here means, “to change one’s mind or purpose.” In a sense it means to turn around and go the other way. When God calls someone to join themselves to God’s family, the first thing they must do is to turn around, no longer walking in the ways of the world, but rather begin walking in the ways of God.

And God willing, we shall talk more of this in the next article!
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    Author

    Bill Rollins resides in Elk Horn, IA, with his wife, Sally, and has pastored the Church of God of Omaha, NE for more than 35 years.

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  • Home
    • FOT 2018 >
      • Feast messages
  • Essays
    • Psalms of Ascent >
      • Psalm 120
      • Psalm 121
      • Psalm 122
      • Psalm 123
      • Psalm 124
      • Psalm 125
      • Psalm 126
      • Psalm 127
      • Psalm 128
      • Psalm 129
      • Psalm 130
      • Psalm 131
      • Psalm 132
      • Psalm 133
      • Psalm 134
      • Psalms of Ascent Chiasm
    • Yes, There Is Good News!
    • Timely Comments - Blog
    • Christian Walk
    • Holy Days >
      • Passover >
        • children's lessons
      • Days of Unleavened Bread >
        • children's lessons
      • Pentecost >
        • children's lessons
      • Trumpets >
        • children's lessons
      • Atonement >
        • children's lessons
      • Feast of Tabernacles >
        • children's lessons
      • Eighth Day >
        • children's lessons
    • Holidays
  • Current Sabbath School
    • Sabbath School 2025
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