Peter is filled with the Holy Spirit and then preaches. Let’s go through the sermon.

He points out Jesus’ signs and wonders and how that showed God had sent Him. Peter points out that Jesus died according to God’s plan and how Jesus was raised because death couldn’t hold Him since the Scriptures say that God would not abandon Him or let Him see corruption.

Peter points out that he and the others are witnesses of Christ’s resurrection.

Peter, using a verse from Psalms that he heard Jesus Himself use, defends Jesus as Lord and Savior, the promised Christ or Messiah of the Jews.

Peter declares to his audience that they crucified the Christ. They don’t take offense at the statement even though they hadn’t been involved specifically in Jesus’ death. They don’t get angry at the accusation. They are cut to the heart.

They turn to all the apostles and say, “What do we do?”

Peter has the answer. “Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.” He says that they will receive forgiveness of their sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Baptism is in Jesus’ name. You are baptized into Christ, into His Body, which can only be because you are forgiven and given the Spirit. We can’t be united to Christ in our sin, and it’s the Spirit that is the love that binds the Body together.

We aren’t baptized simply as a public display of our faith. That’s certainly not what Peter preaches here.

We’re baptized into Christ for the forgiveness of sins. It’s not a work to save ourselves. We are saved by faith, not works. But faith without works is dead. If your faith has no works, that faith isn’t going to save you. Baptism in faith to have your sins washed away and to receive the Holy Spirit is a work demonstrating your faith. That kind of faith saves.