Acts 2:40-47 With Footnotes

[And with this, we come to the end of 2nd Chapter of Acts' first album, With Footnotes.]

Peter made his appeal to them and with many other words he urged them, saying, "Save yourselves from the punishment coming to this wicked people!" Many of them believed his message and were baptized; about three thousand people were added to the group that day. They spent their time in learning from the apostles, taking part in the fellowship, and sharing in the fellowship meals and the prayers.

Many miracles and wonders were done through the apostles, and this caused everyone to be filled with awe. All the believers continued together in close fellowship and shared their belongings with one another. They would sell their property and possessions and distribute the money among all, according to what each one needed. Every day they continued to meet as a group in the temple, and they had their meals together in their homes, eating the food with glad and humble hearts, praising God, and enjoying the food will of all the people. And every day the Lord added to their group those who were being saved.

I wake up in the mornin' and start cryin'

All the folks around me are dying

Oh, they never heard

About Jesus, the Living Word

Why can't they hear the Good News?

Well because they're too busy watchin' T.V.

Never takin' time to read in the real book of life

All they know is war and killin'

Yet their spirit's dead ain't filled

They haven't received the Light

They're just walkin' in the night

Father, I know you can hear my prayer

About all of those people that are dyin' way out there

Open my ears and tell me what to do

So I can do my part and get your Holy Word through

So they can hear the Good News

So they can hear the Good News

Why can't they hear the Good News?

"Good News"
©1974 Latter Rain Music and Word Music, Inc.

https://youtu.be/W7bj31tvQbg

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Truth is...While most of what happens in this blog assumes a certain level of belief and faith amongst the readers, I also admit to a hope for those who don't believe and aren't people of faith to come along for the ride with hearts willing to be transformed by Christ.

What IS the Bible?: Top 25 Jesus Quotes: #10

There are plenty of opinions floating around about the Bible...

• The Bible is a collection of oral traditions put in writing...ancient myths given credence through publication.
• The Bible is a book of lies, foisted upon humanity as a bid for control.
• The Bible proves itself, through contradiction and illogic, to be a faulty, man-made work of fiction.

And yet...

• There is more handwritten manuscript support for the Bible's contents than any other piece of ancient literature. (By far.)
• Millions of people attribute a positive change in their lives to the teachings of the Bible.

Perhaps the Bible's longevity, integrity, and effectiveness are partly due to the truth of what Alistair Begg has said about it:

The Bible is one book, written by one Author, with one subject: Jesus Christ and the salvation God...provides through Him.

Truth is...our faith is better grounded on the God of the Bible than on the Bible that talks about God, but when Jesus gives testimony to its trustworthiness, it wouldn't hurt to pay attention: 

It is easier for heaven and earth to disappear than for the smallest point of God’s law to be overturned. (Luke 16:17 NLT)

Taking Care of Business

It would be pretty easy to be jealous of the apparent ease of existence for the financially-successful among us. To be able to purchase whatever one fancied without regard to the price tag? Who wouldn't want that?

However...

It seems to be so common that it's almost a cliche: The sharp-as-a-tack business person who loses their grip on what's really important in life.

Ray Stevens sang about it in his song "Mr. Businessman" way back in 1968.

Itemize the things you covet

As you squander through your life

Bigger cars, bigger houses

Term insurance for your wife

Tuesday evenings with your harlot

And on Wednesdays, it's your charlatan analyst

He's high upon your list

You've got air-conditioned sinuses

And dark disturbing doubt about religion

And you keep those cards and letters going out

While your secretary's tempting you

Your morals are exempting you from guilt and shame

Heaven knows you're not to blame

You better take care of business, Mr. Businessman

What's your plan?

Get down to business, Mr. Businessman

If you can

Before it's too late and you throw your life away

Did you see your children growing up today

And did you hear the music of their laughter

As they set about to play?

Did you catch the fragrance of those roses in your garden?

Did the morning sunlight warm your soul

Brighten up your day?

Do you qualify to be alive

Or is the limit of your senses so as only to survive?

Spending counterfeit incentive

Wasting precious time and health

Placing value on the worthless

Disregarding priceless wealth

You can wheel and deal the best of them

And steal it from the rest of them

You know the score, their ethics are a bore

Eighty-six proof anesthetic crutches

Prop you to the top

Where the smiles are all synthetic

And the ulcers never stop

When they take that final inventory

Yours will be the same sad story everywhere

No one will really care

No one more lonely than

This rich important man

Let's have your autograph

Endorse your epitaph

You better take care of business, Mr. Businessman

What's your plan?

Get down to business, Mr. Businessman

If you can....
©1968 Ahab Music Co.

https://youtu.be/RbaKSHiCx-E

Truth is...What do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your soul? (Matthew 16:26 NLT)

Acts 2:38-39 With Footnotes

Peter said to them, "Turn away from your sins, each one of you, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, so that your sins will be forgiven; and you will receive God's gift, the Holy Spirit. For God's promise was made to you and your children, and to all who are far away  -  all whom the Lord our God calls to himself."

Goin' home

I'm always goin' home inside

There's an ache in my heart that I can't bear

Take me home

Take my hand and lead me home, oh Lord

I'm so broken up inside

I need to hide in your love, in your hand

So take me home

I'm not sayin' you don't give me joy

I just need more of you

How I love you

And I want to be changed just like you

So take me home

Help me wait on you, Lord

Until the day you come

All my ways need a grave

So I can rise with you when you come

To take me home

"Goin' Home"
©1974 Latter Rain Music and Word Music, Inc.

https://youtu.be/SJFMmQCmnVY

"All my ways need a grave." That's the proper response to Peter's instruction to "Turn away from your sins each one of you, and be baptized." That's a correct interpretation of Paul's words in Romans 6:3-6...

Don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin.

Truth is...It's hard to listen to this song without feeling some of the longing with which it was written and sung.