It is once again time for the Weekend Sermon. I am glad to be able to post these messages every week. I hope that all of you had a really good week.
Please continue to pray for those who were struck by the terrible typhoon in the Philippines. I heard on the news this morning that in some of the areas with the worst damage, the people have not yet received any type of aid. Pray that aid will reach those who need it. Pray that the Lord will heal the injured and comfort those who mourn.
Please keep the nation of Syria in prayer. The war there continues, and there is also an outbreak of polio among the country's children. Pray for the war to end quickly and for the children to get well.
I would ask that you continue to pray for me. I am working very hard in writing, and I am doing fairly well. I am still looking for more work.
In last week's message, I focused on the miracle that occurred when Peter and John went to the Temple to praise the Lord and proclaim His message. A man who was lame was instantaneously healed and began to praise God. We learned that it is our responsibility as believers in Jesus to do all that is in our power to help those in this world who we can help. We may not be able to do everything, but we can do what Jesus enables so to do to bring honor and glory to His name.
After the lame man was made well, the people that saw the miracle were amazed. They had undoubtedly seen this man begging in the Temple area for years. Many of them may have given him money. They knew that this was not some kind of staged miracle on the part of Peter and John to get a crowd. A truly lame man had been restored to full health and strength. The people wanted to know what was going on, and they flocked to Peter and John to learn more.
In Acts 3 verse 12, the first thing that Peter did when he addressed the crowd was to take the focus off of himself. Peter told the people that the miracle of healing that had just occurred was not through his own or John's power. Peter directed the crowd's attention to the miracle worker Himself. Peter put the focus on Jesus Christ.
In verse 13 Peter said, "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."
This is a very interesting verse. Peter makes it clear that the God of the Jewish people was the one who sent Jesus into the world. Peter also makes it clear in this passage that Jesus was the Messiah, and that this was demonstrated through the suffering of Jesus. In Isaiah chapters 52 and 53, one called the servant is identified. This servant would suffer for the redemption of His people. Peter is pointing out to the crowd that Jesus is the fulfillment of the prophecy found in Isaiah. Jesus is the Servant, and he suffered at the hands of His people and at the hands of the Romans in the same manner as was foretold by the prophet Isaiah.
As Peter says in verse 14, the people denied the Holy One and Just One. Instead, they asked that a murderer be released to them instead. Jesus was completely holy. He never committed any sins. The Bible says that Jesus was tempted in every manner that we are, yet He was without sin. This title of "Holy One" also equates Jesus with God. It was a name for God. Peter was saying that the people in the crowd did not recognize their God when He came to them in human form. Instead, they chose a murderer and asked that Jesus be crucified.
In verse 15, Peter says that they, "killed the Prince of Life". Jesus was the one who created all and for Him all things were created. Every person owes their existence to Jesus. However, so few acknowledge their Creator. Just as the people did in Jesus' day, the people of this present age do not want to follow Jesus. So many reject Jesus and follow a path that leads to destruction instead of following the path of the Savior that leads to life.
Although the people and the Romans rejected Jesus and put Him to death on the cross, what Jesus did was vindicated by the Heavenly Father. Jesus was raised from the dead. This miraculous resurrection was the proof that all that Jesus did was true. The resurrection was a vindication of Jesus' message. Everything that Jesus taught while He was on this earth is true, and we should follow all that the Lord Jesus has instructed and commanded.
The resurrection also demonstrated that the sacrifice that Jesus made on the cross for the sins of the human race was acceptable to the Father. Jesus took the sins of this world on Himself. He was the spotless lamb of God who took away the sins of the world.
Peter makes it very clear in verse 16, that Jesus was the cause of the lame man's healing. This reflects the glorification of the Risen Lord. Jesus is alive and active. He is with the Father in Heaven, and Jesus is still at work in this world. Jesus is still touching broken lives and healing broken souls and bodies. Jesus may use us as His instruments on this earth, but He is the one who performs mighty miracles, forgives sins and transforms people's lives.
Once again in verse 18, Peter reiterates the fact that everything was foretold by the prophets about the Messiah was fulfilled in the life and ministry of Jesus. Then in verse 19, Peter tells the people what they needed to do. They needed to repent so that their sins could be forgiven. Then they would receive a time of refreshing from the Lord.
To repent means to change one's mind. The people did not have the right understanding of who Jesus is or what He did. Peter had just explained to them the truth about the life and work of Jesus. The people now had a decision to make. They could go on in the way they had been going and continue to reject Jesus, or they could change their mind, turn from their sins and be converted. When they turned to Jesus, their sins would be blotted out. They would be forgiven and receive the refreshing presence of the Lord in their lives. Jesus would come into their hearts and have a relationship with them and give them eternal life.
This same good news is available to people today. If you have rejected Jesus, you have just had the truth about Jesus presented to you. You now have a choice. You can repent and turn in faith to the Lord Jesus and receive His forgiveness, or you can continue to reject Jesus just as the people did in His own time.
Peter goes on to say that Jesus would remain in Heaven until it was time for the restoration of all things. Jesus said that He would return to earth one day and establish His eternal kingdom that would have no end. I am looking for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ to occur, and I can't wait for that day. When Jesus returns, He will establish a kingdom of eternal peace. He will rule and reign in righteousness. Sin will no longer have dominion in this world. All will be restored to the way God designed it to be before mankind rebelled against His Creator.
Peter once again tells the people of a prophecy that Jesus fulfilled. Moses spoke about the fact that a prophet would be raised up from among the people. This was Jesus. Peter went on to say that every prophet from Samuel on spoke about Jesus. Jesus had come to set His people free. As God said to Abraham, all the nations of the world would be blessed through Him. Jesus as the seed of Abraham has brought blessing to every one in this world. Anyone can come to faith in Jesus Christ. Anyone can turn from their iniquity and turn to the Savior.
The people who heard Peter that day had to make a decision about Jesus. So do you. Will you follow Jesus. He fulfilled the prophetic words of Isaiah, Moses and the other prophets. God has raised Him from the dead. Will you accept Him as the Lord and Savior of your life.
Next week, I will bring a message about Acts 4 and what happened to Peter and John after this message was concluded. I will post a review on Wednesday. May God Bless You.
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