April 21, 2018 Saturday

“So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? “The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. “But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, “and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. “And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all. “Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers. “But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,” (Acts 3:12-19 NKJV)

            This message of Peter is so amazing and is made up of three parts which lead to a call to repentance and commitment to the Jesus they rejected and killed.

1.       The first part connects Jesus to the patriarchs of the Jews and who was glorified of God as His servant.

2.      Peter not only accuses the Jewish people of denying Jesus as the Holy One and the Just but of killing Him even though Pilate was determined to let Jesus go.  The Jews asked that a common murder be set free “and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses.” (It is interesting that the Son of Father God was killed in the place of Barabbas which means son of the father)

3.      And finally Peter explains to them who Jesus is and that He is the One foretold by the prophets.  Peter then calls for them to “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord,” Repenting and coming to Jesus not just brings forgiveness but times of refreshing!

Some might say this is where the traditional three point sermon comes from!

            Peter used the example of Jesus to see miracles as a sign of God’s glory, recognition of Jesus and the promise of spiritual as well as physical healing.  The message is a call to not be lost in the miraculous but to recognize the message and the One who is the source of the miracle!

            Are you more desirous of the miracle than Jesus who is the source of all miracles?  Are you so lost in the miraculous that you miss the “times of refreshing”? 

            God gave to me those “times of refreshing” today as I had a full day with the family dinner at Puleos restaurant to spend time with Sarah and Levi as they are in for a weekend.  We went home and had an early Mother’s Day so all the kids could celebrate Bonnie.  We had a good time together and had supper at home.  It was a good day but left me full of joy and weary. Thank You My Lord and My Love for today!