A Time For Acts IV
It had been exactly fifty days since Jesus Christ had laid down His life in the crucifixion and picked up His life in the resurrection. His ascension completed, the Holy Spirit had brought God’s power in a new marvelous way to man which had never been seen before. Yet now Peter and John are once again in the cross roads of acting in a manner that many in the Church today have forgotten. Peter had just healed a lame man, Acts 3:3-10 “Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. 4 And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” 5 And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. 6 But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” 7 And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. 8 And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.” As amazing as this is, this is not the focus of today’s post! Peter’s real act to examine comes in the following verses.
Peter directs the star struck crowed towards the true source! Acts 3:11-12 “While he clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in the portico called Solomon’s. 12 And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk?” Peter is directing the people to who they really should be focused on, he is taking them to scripture, he is taking them to Jesus. No more was Peter afraid to address the crowds, no more was he focused on his own self ambitions; but rather focused on having people understand who Christ was. Ironically, he does this in what many “number seeking pastors” today would argue against, he tells them they have sinned! He tells them they have made a huge mistake leaving the true God of their Fathers. Acts 3:13-18 “13 The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. 14 But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. 16 And his name--by faith in his name--has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all. 17 “And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. 18 But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled.”
Yet, this action of Peter is not done, he recognizes what the Jewish community had already started to reject, that their Messiah was in fact murdered. Jesus Christ was the expected King of the Jews, and yet He was killed. The majority of nation had left the way and had turned to their own religious idolatry. This is why Peter tells them in verse 19 “come back.” Some English translations say “convert” but this does not fit with the Greek meaning as much as “turn back”, Peter is exporting them to turn back to the true way Judaism was designed to be, Acts 3:19-20 “19 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, 20 that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus.” Peter is recognizing the Jewish cultural foundation that is Christianity. People today see them as two different religious ideas. However, the following of Jesus Christ has been the same since the beginning. Nothing has changed, even God’s plan with Israel in the end times has not changed. Daniel the prophet spoke of those days, and other prophets spoke of what Christ would do. This is why Peter identifies the Old Testament as important as the coming New Testament. Acts 3:21-26 “whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago. 22 Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. 23 And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.’ 24 And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days. 25 You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’ 26 God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.”
So what can we take from this incredible action? Three huge take always. First, that our actions should always be centered on Jesus Christ. No matter what God does through us, we bring the glory, honor and praise back to Jesus Christ. Second, we articulate our words to help those around us see their sin is not cleanable by themselves. They need Jesus Christ. Third, direct them to scripture. Allow them to see how God’s Word is truth and life. Nothing made by mankind is capable of being identified in the same category as the 66 books of the Bible. Peter’s actions would bring five thousand men not counting women and children to the Lord that day. And yet, all he did was act on his faith and lean on Christ for what was needed. I would ask you, can you and I do that today? Can we stand in front of a crowed who is eagerly wanting to listen to us and point them back to Christ? Take some time and see what the Lord is calling you to do. You might be surprised that maybe Christ is calling you to your own small crowd or even an individual and declare to them what Peter declared in Acts chapter 3.
Hold until relieved, our Blessed Hope is coming,
Jl