What Should We Do?

Acts 2:37 (ESV) – 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?”

This question was the first of many Peter received as the most prominent leader of the church’s earliest years. The Jews who just heard him preach had seen the sign of the coming of the Holy Spirit and knew something was happening. They had experienced the conviction of the Holy Spirit but they did not fully understand the working of the Holy Spirit, let alone how or if the Spirit would speak to them personally. They did what most of us would in such a situation. They asked someone who looked like he did know what was happening. They asked the man who had just preached to them and those with him, “What should we do?”

Note how Peter answered them. Luke gives us no record of divine revelation for an answer to such an important question. Instead, Peter drew on what he had seen and learned from Jesus. The first word of instruction he gave was the same word Matthew used to summarize Jesus’ preaching in Matthew 4:17, “Repent.” The call for water baptism is a core piece of the Great Commission Jesus gave them just a few days before (Matthew 28:19). Of course, the Holy Spirit had just filled Peter and the rest of the disciples and He no doubt empowered Peter’s boldness as well possibly forging the lessons from Jesus’ ministry into Peter’s mind then words. Did Peter’s response come from his own reasoning or the Holy Spirit’s inspiration? In all likelihood, both contributed. This is likely the kind of wisdom James tells us to pray for (James 1:5) and Solomon tells us to seek (Proverbs 2:6 et al). It is God-given but can use either or both supernatural guidance and natural reasoning, drawing from learning and experience as well as inspiration.

Decision-making is a core component of leadership and wisdom is key to good decision-making. People will continue to seek those who are wise for direction in their lives. We grow more wise as we learn from those who are wise, reason through our own experience, and seek the Holy Spirit’s inspiration.