Acts 3:13-26
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.
Peter starts out this speech to the Jews with a recounting of their sin in putting Jesus to death. But he uses that not to leave them judged and condemned, but to call them to repentance. Repentance can be a blessing, as Peter says in verse 26: "God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness". The bad news is our old way of life, when we are trapped in our "wickedness". The good news, the blessing, is the offer of repentance, the opportunity to change and enjoy God's favor. As it says in verses 19-20, "Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord". Not only will our sins "be blotted out", but we will enjoy "times of refreshing". This offer is available to all of us. It was available then to those who had participated in the death of God's own son, and it is available now to those of us who have participated in sexual immorality. Let us repent and accept God's blessing.
Lord, thank you for the blessing of repentance.
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.
Peter starts out this speech to the Jews with a recounting of their sin in putting Jesus to death. But he uses that not to leave them judged and condemned, but to call them to repentance. Repentance can be a blessing, as Peter says in verse 26: "God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness". The bad news is our old way of life, when we are trapped in our "wickedness". The good news, the blessing, is the offer of repentance, the opportunity to change and enjoy God's favor. As it says in verses 19-20, "Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord". Not only will our sins "be blotted out", but we will enjoy "times of refreshing". This offer is available to all of us. It was available then to those who had participated in the death of God's own son, and it is available now to those of us who have participated in sexual immorality. Let us repent and accept God's blessing.
Lord, thank you for the blessing of repentance.