Turn Around
In the second great sermon of Peter that we read about in Acts, we get a profound lesson in the priorities of the Christian faith. Jesus Christ died and was raised from the dead in order to bring about something wonderful and miraculous. God healed a man born lame, and used the healing to bring people to faith, to trusting in Jesus so that they would be forgiven their sins, but that was not all, and it wasn’t the ultimate goal. What is the ultimate goal of the Christian faith apart from glorifying God through Jesus Christ?
Scripture
Acts 3:11-26 ESV 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? [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. [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, [21] 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.”
Bible Study Questions
What are we clinging to?
A man who was given the ability to stand, walk and even leap for the first time in his life of over 40 years is understandably over-joyed, but he has the freedom to do wherever he wants with his newfound freedom. What does he do with it, and what does that tell us about what he’s actually been given?
Acts 3:11 ESV While he clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in the portico called Solomon's.
Acts 3:8-10 ESV 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.
What brings wonder to you?
The witnesses to this miracle were astounded and it instantly brought a crowd together. The irony of their wonder was that they were blown away by the power they witnessed through Peter and John and strangely unmoved by all that Jesus did. What get’s our attention, shouldn’t it be Jesus and what He’s already done?
Acts 3:12 ESV 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?
Luke 16:30-31 ESV And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ [31] He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”
Mark 3:4-6 ESV And he said to them, “Is it lawful on the Sabbath to do good or to do harm, to save life or to kill?” But they were silent. [5] And he looked around at them with anger, grieved at their hardness of heart, and said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” He stretched it out, and his hand was restored. [6] The Pharisees went out and immediately held counsel with the Herodians against him, how to destroy him.
Who was murdered and raised from the dead?
As with his first sermon at which thousands of people gave their lives to Jesus, Peter here emphasises four main facts. Who Jesus is, that He died and that He was raised from the dead. Why is this so important?
Acts 3:13-15 ESV 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.
Isaiah 53:11 ESV Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.
What does The Name of Jesus bring?
Peter says that for the lame man, two things resulted from faith in the Name of Jesus. Why has God the Father made the Name of God the Son, Jesus, so powerful?
Acts 3:16 ESV 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.
Philippians 2:5-11 ESV Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, [6] who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, [7] but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. [8] And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. [9] Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, [10] so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, [11] and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
God’s perfect plan fulfilled despite our ignorance
Those who heard and believed Peter’s sermon would probably have felt ashamed and convicted like the one who heard Peter’s first sermon. Peter assures them by reminding them that even though they can’t change the past, they don;t need to because is sovereign and has already purposed all things to His design. We don;t need to change the past that we;re ashamed of but we do need to do something now, what is that?
Acts 3::17-18 ESV “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.
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?”
Matthew 26:52-54 ESV Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place. For all who take the sword will perish by the sword. [53] Do you think that I cannot appeal to my Father, and he will at once send me more than twelve legions of angels? [54] But how then should the Scriptures be fulfilled, that it must be so?”
If you respond to anything, respond to this
Peter calls for a specific response from those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God, Messiah and that He died according to God’s plan, to take the punishment for our sins, and that He was raised to life again. This is the message of Jesus Christ, Moses and all the prophets from the very beginning. What are we all called to do, who believe this great and wonderful news, and what is the consequence if we do not respond?
Acts 3:19-24 ESV 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, [21] 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.
The blessing of Christ promised from Abraham
Complete this sentence: God raised up Jesus and sent Him to us to bless us by….
Why is it that we are so quick to finish that sentence with phrases like, “forgiving us”, “saving us from the wrath of God” and “giving us eternal life” and we’re not as quick with the response that Peter calls for below? All these responses may be right but are they enough? What is the purpose of our faith?
Acts 3:25-26 ESV 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.”
Romans 8:28-29 ESV And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. [29] For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.