That Times of Refreshing May Come Acts: The Unfinished Story of the Church Series [9] Acts 3:11-26 April 22, 2012 Pastor Paul K. Kim

That Times of Refreshing That Times of Refreshing May ComeMay Come

Acts: The Unfinished Story of the Acts: The Unfinished Story of the Church Series [9]Church Series [9]

Acts 3:11-26Acts 3:11-26

April 22, 2012April 22, 2012 Pastor Paul K. KimPastor Paul K. Kim

LESSONS FROM PETER’S RESPONSE TO A CAPTIVE

AUDIENCE• Direct their attention TO CHRIST: “Don’t look at us—look at

Jesus; he is the ONE who healed this lame man to walk.”11 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. (vs. 11-

13)

Peter avoided the lure and danger of heroism as the healer.

How? Peter & John knew who they were and who Jesus is. We are also to turn people’s attention from ourselves (&

our fruits) to Christ, giving him the glory and honor!


AUDIENCE• Don’t skip THE BAD NEWS: “You have denied and killed

this Jesus who was the promised Christ—and is now the risen Savior.”

…the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom youdelivered 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. (vs. 13b-15)

Without the bad news, the good news is not really good.

But we often feel awkward and shy about it so we skip or sugar-coat the bad news—yet Peter was straightforward.

We also need to share about sin in light of God’s holiness and judgment—politely yet straightforwardly.


AUDIENCE• Keep your focus on SHARING ABOUT JESUS: “Jesus

healed this man right before your eyes—Jesus can also transform your life!”

…the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus (v.13)…the Holy and Righteous One (v.14)

…the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. (v.15)…the Christ appointed for you, Jesus (v.20)

Peter was deliberate in his sharing—he kept on bringing up the truths about who Jesus really was as the central focus.

They are many “good” things to share but they distract the central focus if we are not careful.

We also need to keep bringing it back to the central focus in sharing our faith: the truths about Jesus Christ.


AUDIENCE• Call them to REPENTANCE AND FAITH IN JESUS:

“Therefore, repent and turn back to God; receive Christ’s blessings by grace.”

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… (vs.17-19a)

Sharing the truths without invitation to repentance and faith leads often to a mere religious conversation.

Peter was bold in calling them to repent and believe.

We must also be clear and bold in calling people to repentance and faith in Jesus.

BLESSINGS OF REPETENACE AND TURNING BACK TO GOD

1) Repentance and turning back to God brings us complete forgiveness—all of our sins being wiped out.

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. (vs.19-21)

The forgiveness in Christ is immediate and instantaneous because it is not earned but given freely by God’s grace.

The forgiveness in Christ is complete—every sin bing wiped out and remembered no more.

We look to Christ for this kind of forgiveness through repentance and faith in Christ.


2) Repentance and turning back to God brings us spiritual refreshment—“times of refreshing” from God.

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.

(vs.19-21)

Spiritual refreshment is the positive side of our sins being wiped out—our spirit is renewed and refreshed.

The ultimate consummation of “times of refreshing” will come when Christ returns (i.e, already but not yet fully).

When we rid of guilt and lead a holy life in Christ, we too can experience a season of refreshing from God’s presence.


3) Repentance and turning back to God brings us the second coming of Christ who will restore all things.

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. (vs.19-21)

3) Becoming Christ’s own through repentance and faith grants us the eternal hope of Christ’s return.

4) When Christ comes for the second time as God’s appointed Messiah and King, all things will be restored.

5) It is in this hope, we are to look to Christ as his own, repenting from our sins and turning back to God in faith.

But according to his promisewe are waiting for new heavens and a new

earth in which righteousness dwells.

2 Peter 2:13


4) This Christ and his blessings were foretold by the prophets of the Old Testament. 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.” (vs. 8-10)

Peter chooses three prophets as the proof: (1) Moses, (2) Samuel & those who came after him, and (3) Abraham.

God’s plan was that the Jews would be blessed with the opportunity first—then, all peoples would be blessed as well.

Keep It Christ-centered and Exalt Christ!The most remarkable feature of Peter’s second sermon, as of his first, is its Christ-centeredness. He directed the crowd’s attention away from both the healed cripple and the apostles to the Christ whom men disowned by killing him but God vindicated by raising him, and whose name, having been appropriated by faith, was strong enough to heal the man completely . . . it is striking that he presents Christ to the crowd “according to the Scriptures” as successively the suffering Christ (13, 18), the Moses-like prophet (22-23), the Davidic king (24) and the seed of Abraham (25-26) . . . This comprehensive testimony to Jesus as rejected by men but vindicated by God, as the fulfillment of all Old Testament prophecy, as demanding repentance and promising blessing, and as the author and giver of life, physically to the healed cripple and spiritually to those who believe, aroused the indignation and antagonism of the authorities. The devil cannot endure the exaltation of Jesus Christ. So, he stirred up the Sanhedrin to persecute the apostles.

- John R. W. Stott

THREE PRACTICAL QUESTIONS FOR OUR EVERYDAY LIFE

1. In what ways can I keep my sharing of faith more Christ-centered?

1. How do I share the bad news as well as the good news of Jesus in love?

1. What can I do to experience “times of refreshing from Christ” more fully in the coming week?

Documents

That Times of Refreshing May Come Acts: The Unfinished Story of the Church Series [9] Acts 3:11-26 April 22, 2012 Pastor Paul K. Kim