When I was in seminary, a friend of mine was very skilled at the Baptist practice of making a congregation feel guilty. As he preached, several preacher friends in the audience pulled out handkerchiefs and pretended to wring out tears.
We Baptists may be known for guilt, but Peter also knew how to lay the guilt on people (see Acts 3:11-16). Like my friend in seminary, Peter’s goal was to turn their guilt into an opportunity to repent.
“And now, brothers and sisters, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. In this way God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, that his Messiah would suffer.” (Acts 3:17-18)
There are two parts to salvation. The first is human responsibility, which Peter emphasizes here. The second is God’s plan and purpose carried out through His Son. These two parts work together. When we receive them in faith, we experience God’s grace, mercy, and forgiveness.
Times of Refreshing
Peter was an untrained fisherman, yet after walking with Jesus for three years and being empowered by the Holy Spirit, he shared messages that trained theologians spend years unpacking. His words to the crowd are a prime example of Holy Spirit-inspired wisdom.
“Repent, therefore, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Messiah appointed for you, that is, Jesus, who must remain in heaven until the time of universal restoration that God announced long ago through his holy prophets.” (Acts 3:19-21)
The first part of Peter’s message is the most important. When we repent, we turn away from a self-centered life and begin living with Jesus. Our sins are wiped away.
The next part is more complex. Times of refreshing come from the Lord’s presence, along with the Messiah sent to us. How will this happen? Let’s look at a few important theological terms and explain them.
The fancy term for this is eschatology. It comes from the Greek word eschaton, meaning “goal.” The goal of human history is for God to rule the earth and have loyal people who love Him, rather than living apart from Him.
We live between two times. Theologians call this the “already, but not yet.”
Our sins have already been forgiven. The Holy Spirit lives within us. Through all God has done, we already have a relationship with Him. But we are not yet who we should be, and we are not yet who we will become.
The goal of God’s redemptive work in history is for everything to be all that God has planned for His creation.
Meanwhile: Privilege and Responsibility
When God called Abraham, He gave him a great privilege and a great responsibility.
“I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and the one who curses you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.” (Genesis 12:1-2)
It is easy for God’s followers to focus mainly on the privileges and gifts He gives to those who walk with Him. Yet, Abraham’s calling and privilege also included a mandate to bless all the people of the earth. The same command to bless the inhabitants of the earth was embodied in Jesus’ last words to His followers.
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)
Peter reminded the Jewish crowd listening to him that they were part of the family line that began with Abraham. They were blessed to be God’s people, but they also had the responsibility to share that blessing with the whole world.
“You are the descendants of the prophets and of the covenant that God gave to your ancestors, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your descendants all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you, to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.” (Acts 3:25-26)
Go to Church and Be Good
One of my favorite practical theologians is Findley Edge. Dr. Edge often said that many people think being a good Christian means attending worship, giving money, and being good. He emphasized that this is only part of it. We also have a responsibility to bless the world through our actions and our words.
YouTube Discussion
Rudy Ross, Bruce Kirby, and I discussed Acts 3:17-26 on YouTube today.
