Acts 3:11–21
You might have noticed that instead of an Old Testament
reading, in the season of Easter we are reading instead from the book of the
Acts of the Apostles. Sometimes called,
“the Gospel of the Holy Spirit”, this book of the bible tells the epilogue to
the Gospel of Jesus Christ, or in other words, it shows how the good news of
Christ crucified and risen is spread – from Jerusalem, to Judea, to Samaria,
and even to the ends of the earth.
Today, we’re in chapter 3.
It’s still fairly early.
Pentecost has just happened (chapter 2) and the apostles are
increasingly bold in their preaching of Jesus. Today’s reading picks up right
after Peter heals a man – a man who was born lame. He heals him in the name of Jesus. That man used to sit at the entrance to the temple
and beg for money every day, so he was well known. And now to see him completely cured, healed,
and hanging on Peter and John. It was
quite an attention-getter for those temple-goers. It caught their eye, and now Peter had their
ear. And so he preaches to them.
“Men of Israel…” he addresses them. The preaching of the Gospel followed the
pattern of: first to the Jew, then to
the Gentile. That’s how Acts
unfolds. That’s how Paul would preach as
well. And it’s even how Jesus
preached. Peter begins addressing these
observant Jews, and he preaches to them in the very temple where they’ve come
to pray and worship and make their sacrifices.
These are not hardened pagans.
They aren’t atheists. They are
religious people. They are the good
church-going types.
He answers their unspoken amazement, “Why do you keep
staring at us, as if we are the ones who healed this man on our own? No, it wasn’t us, but it was in the name of
Jesus that he was healed.” And so Peter
rightly takes no credit for the miracle, but like all miracles, it is simply a
sign pointing to Christ. In fact, he
rightly takes this opportunity to preach Jesus to them. And we do well to hear Peter’s sermon today.
First, he really zings them.
“You killed the Author of Life!” (that’s
Jesus, of course, the source and font of life – by whom all things were made –
including all life. In Him is life, and
that life is the light of men. What an
irony. They killed the one – the very
author of life.
Now someone might say, “wait a minute, Peter,” that was 2
months ago, and it’s not likely that many of these people were even there at
the time. How many of them, really, were
in that crowd that cried, “crucify!” and asked for Barabbas to be released
instead. Surely some of them –
especially the Jewish leaders. But not
all of them.
But Peter’s accusation is more than fair. It’s an accusation that could be levied at
all of us just the same, even here today.
You killed the author of life. By
your sins. If you are a sinner, and all
of us are, then you also bear a part in sending Jesus to that cross. It was your sins, too, that he bore. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried
our sorrows. So Peter’s pointing finger
is aimed at you and me, just as well as the “men of Israel”.
And look at this. He
even accuses them of denying Christ.
Denied in the presence of Pilate.
Denied the Holy and Righteous one.
Peter knows a thing or two about denying Christ. But his own failure on this point doesn’t
negate the accusation. We can’t throw it
back in Peter’s face and say, “Well you’re no better.” Because the truth is, we do deny Christ in sinful
deeds and words and thoughts. But do we
go out and weep bitterly because of it, like Peter did?
Though we, and they, are culpable – yet this was also God’s
plan that the Christ must suffer and die and rise. Though sinful men sold out Jesus unto death,
God uses this ultimate evil for the ultimate good of all. Just as the lame man at the gate was lifted
up and restored – so is Christ raised up from death and restored to glorious
life – and so are we raised from the death of sin to the fullness of life that
is in Christ Jesus.
God raised Jesus from the dead – and to this, we (that is,
Peter and John) are witnesses. They saw
his nail-scarred hands and pierced side.
They watched him eat the broiled fish.
They felt his breath upon them when be bestowed his Spirit and charged
them to forgive sins. They are witnesses
of the resurrected Christ! And they are
sent to give their testimony to all.
But also to preach.
To preach and teach and baptize.
To make disciples of all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And so on the Day of Pentecost, Peter
preaches his first sermon – with similar themes to this one. Preaching Christ crucified and risen. Preaching repentance and forgiveness of sins
in his name.
And so Peter calls them to repent, and Peter calls you to
repent. Repent of your denials of Christ
and your selling out of Christ and your crucifying Christ anew by your selfish
indulgence of sin. Turn away from your
sins, hate your sins, weep bitterly over them.
But when you turn, turn to Christ, and you will find no frowning face,
but a warm welcome. Open arms of mercy
that will embrace you anew every time.
Repent, because in Christ your sins are blotted out. Erased.
Wiped off the ledger, never to be seen again. Now, when you get a stain on your new white
shirt and you go to blot it out with a wet paper towel, it never seems to work
quite perfectly and fully. But the sins
that are blotted out in Christ are gone, gone, gone. There is no trace left. They are washed clean in the flood of
baptismal grace that washes over you from the font to the grave.
Peter also encourages such repentance, “That times of
refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.” When you think of a time of refreshing – you
might think of a vacation, or enjoying a cold beverage after working outside on
a hot day. Or maybe you think of the
spiritual refreshment that comes in the presence of the Lord here at the altar-
in the body and blood of Christ. Here
God refreshes us with a holy meal, and another means of delivering his
forgiveness won by Christ. Here, where
forgiveness is, there come all other spiritual blessings: life, salvation, strength for the daily
struggle against sin. Here, at his
table, are times of refreshing in Christ!
Ah. But Peter also has his eye on the future – on the full
appearance and final fulfillment of God’s plan for us in Christ. Heaven must receive Jesus until the time has
come for the restoring of all things.
See it’s not just your sins that are blotted out. It’s not just your soul that is
refreshed. But this whole creation which
has fallen into sin must be restored.
And Jesus will do just that when he comes again in glory. Then we will see the final completion of his
plan. Then we will enjoy the final
blessings he has prepared for us. Then
we will behold, as he makes all things new.
Until then, heaven must receive him. That is to say, he must continue to reign
from his heavenly throne over all things, for the benefit of his church. We can rest in the forgiveness of sins and
the refreshment of his presence until that day of final restoration comes –
because we know that he reigns. He’s
exactly where he belongs – ruling over all creation (and your life) from the
pinnacle of heaven. From there he sends
his gifts for the benefit of his people.
From there he sends forth the Spirit, to comfort, guide, encourage,
enlighten and sanctify. From there he
sends his angels to guard and protect us.
And from heaven’s high throne he works in all things for the good of
those who love him. Even the crosses
that we must bear ultimately bring good when you are in Christ.
So men of Israel, people of Messiah, Keller, and all who
hear the Word of God this day – you who hear the good news of Jesus Christ and
have life in his name – live in the repentance of sins and the certainty of
faith. For he lives and reigns with the
Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
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