Conversion
Homilist
Acts 2:37-42
Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said to Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brothers…


I. REFERS TO WHAT THEY HEARD. They heard —

1. An explicit statement of the truth.

2. Enforced by solid reasoning.

3. Brought home to their own Consciences with fidelity.

II. IT DESCRIBES WHAT THEY FELT — "They were pricked in their heart." The expression denotes a sudden, deep, strong, anguished feeling.

1. Agonised astonishment — at this ignorance amid so much light — at the error committed against such evidence. They see that Jesus was no impostor.

2. Inexpressible conviction. They felt the guilt of rejecting a Divine Teacher.

3. Terrified apprehension. Could they forget their treatment of Jesus? Think of the alarm that now seizes them when the tumult of rage gives way to the conviction of guilt.

III. IT RECORDS WHAT THEY SAID.

1. What shall we do? This explanation is the utterance of concern — concern which it is not in the power of language to express.

2. It is the utterance of ingenuous confession.

3. It is the language of surrender. They abandon unbelief.

4. The language of anxiety for salvation.

(Homilist.)



Parallel Verses
KJV: Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do?

WEB: Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"




Being Pricked to the Heart
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