Acts 3:12-26 (CLICK HERE FOR BIBLE VERSES)
Hi GAMErs,
Today’s passage is Acts 3:12-26. As usual, I encourage you to read the passage yourself first and see what you can glean with the Holy Spirit’s help, then read the GAME sharing below. Let’s go!
Acts 3:12-16 (NIV)
12 When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Men of Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?
13 The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go.
14 You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you.
15 You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this.
16 By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see.
On verses 12-16: As Peter speaks to a Jewish audience that has just seen this crippled man healed, notice a few things:
– Instead of taking credit for this healing, Peter credits Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through Him as giving complete healing to this once crippled man.
– Notice the words Peter uses to describe Jesus. Peter calls Jesus a servant of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (v13). He calls Jesus “the Holy and Righteous One” (v14). He calls Jesus “the author of life” (v15). In other words, Peter presents Jesus as the Messiah Israel has been waiting for, the one Israel was made to worship.
– Notice how differently Peter describes the way the Father treated Jesus versus the way Peter’s audience treated Jesus. Whereas Peter accuses his audience of handing Jesus over to be killed (v13), disowning Jesus before Pilate (v13), asking a murderer to be released to them in place of Jesus (v14), and killing Jesus themselves (v15), God glorified his servant Jesus (v13) and raised Jesus from the dead (v15). How we treat Jesus says a lot about what is truly in our heart.
– That phrase in verse 16 “the faith that comes through him” suggests that through Jesus Christ we find a faith so powerful that it can bring healing to others in Jesus’ name.
– When Peter says in verse 15, “We are witnesses of this”, it recalls Jesus’ own words when Jesus told His disciples that “you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Jesus’ own prophetic words are being fulfilled as Peter steps out in faith.
Acts 3:17-26 (NIV)
17 “Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders.
18 But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Christ would suffer.
19 Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,
20 and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you–even Jesus.
21 He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets.
22 For Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own people; you must listen to everything he tells you.
23 Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from among his people.’
24 “Indeed, all the prophets from Samuel on, as many as have spoken, have foretold these days.
25 And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.’
26 When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.”
On verses 17-26: Over and over in these verses Peter presents Jesus as the one whom all the prophets in the Old Testament were pointing to (v18, 21, 24), starting with Moses (v22-23), then Samuel (v24) and every one of God’s prophets after that. Peter is trying to show his Jewish audience what a special position they are in. Not only are they heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with their ancestors (v25), but now they get to be the first to respond to the Messiah Jesus (v26). He tells them to repent of their sins and turn to God “so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord” (v19).
What can we learn from this?
– Don’t take for granted the position God has placed you in today, both to be uniquely blessed and to be a unique blessing to others. (v25-26)
– If we want our sins to be wiped out, if we want to experience refreshing from God, we too need to repent and turn away from our sins and toward Jesus to save us. (v19)
Father, thank You for sending Jesus Your Son to be the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy and the One who saves me from my sins. Thank You for the powerful faith I can receive through Jesus. Thank You that I am uniquely blessed to be a blessing to others. In Jesus’ name, AMEN!
Copyright © 2022 Justin Lim. All rights reserved.
