Rise and Be Baptized

Day 184: Acts 21:37-40, 22:1-16

"And now why do you wait? Rise and be baptized and wash away your sins, calling on his name." - Acts 22:16 ESV

Paul's enter-at-your-own-risk trip to Jerusalem has led to an incredible opportunity. The mob which was trying to kill him now becomes an audience for his testimony. This speaks to how much compassion Paul had for the Israelite people (who were his own).

In this carefully crafted message, Paul gives us a few more details about Ananias' role in his conversion to Christianity. As you may recall from Acts 9, Ananias was not, at first, a willing participant in being sent to the murderous Pharisee. He responded to Jesus' command with a question: "Have you not heard how bad this guy is toward Your people?" Jesus had heard (and seen) it all.

The language Ananias uses is so powerful. This time, he asked Paul a question: "Why do you delay?" Paul didn't need more than three days to realize that this Jesus who knocked him on his back (with light) was the Son of God, risen and exalted.

One of the ways I've been praying this verse is to ask that certain non-Christians would not delay, that they would respond quickly in faith via confession and baptism.

Who are you praying for to come to faith in Jesus? Perhaps praying this verse is a way to refocus us on the urgency and necessity of salvation from sin.

In contrasting Cain's descendants with Seth's, Moses includes this detail as he wrote:

"Seth also had a son, and he named him Enosh. At that time people began to call on the name of the LORD." - Genesis 4:26 NIV

May we and all those we are working to reach do the same. We pray it in Jesus' name, Amen.

'And in the act of being baptized his invocation of Jesus as Lord would declare the dominant power in his life henceforth."
- Bruce, F. F. (1988). The Book of the Acts (p. 418)