Peter Proclaims the Word and Required Responses (Acts 3:17-26)

Peter Proclaims the Word and Required Responses (Acts 3:17-26) In Acts 3:1-11, Peter and John, while entering the Temple at the time of the afternoon prayer, encounter a man, lame from birth, begging for money. Peter instructs the man to look up. He does, expecting to be given some money. Peter says he has no money, but that he will give what he has. Peter commands the man to stand, and then pulls him to his feet, fully healed. The man proceeds to be standing, leaping, and walking, none of which he has ever done before. And the crowd sees this man, who they have known as lame all of his life, and they gather on Solomon’s porch, overwhelmed with amazement. Peter addresses them. In Acts 3:12-16, Peter leverages the opportunity of the gathered crowd. He explains how the lame man was healed. It should not have come as a surprise to them, nor was it because of any power or personal godliness of Peter or John that healed this man. Peter then identifies the Son of God, Jesus, as the recipient of their rebellious actions. Peter directly accuses them of five sins: (1) They handed over Jesus; (2) they denied Jesus before Pilate, who wanted to release Him; (3) they denied the release of Jesus; (4) they requested a murderer to be released instead of Jesus; (5), and effectively killed Jesus, the leader or originator of life. Peter then affirms and attests to the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, and attributes the healing of the lame man to belief in the person and power of Jesus. 1. Peter Acknowledges Two Factors "Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers.18 "But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. 17 a. The ________________________________ of the people • Access to the Word of God does not constitute knowledge. • Exposure to the Word does not constitute knowledge. • Only through continuous meditation on the Word of God does knowledge come. If not done, we live in ignorance. • Do not underestimate your own ignorance. b. The _____________________ of prophecy (God’s Word came true) 2. Peter Appeals to Them to Respond 19 "Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, a. The ______________________ of salvation (preachingresponse) b. The _______________ of salvation (___________________ of sin) 3. Peter Presents Further Truths so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, 20 "and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, 21 "whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, a. The ________________________________ of the Lord b. The ________________________________ of Jesus c. The ________________________________ of Jesus Northridge Baptist Church – Pastor Kevin Subra – October 4, 2020 4. Peter Points to Revelation which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began. a. From _____________ b. Through ____________ c. Throughout _____________ God’s Word has been central throughout time. 5. Peter References Moses "For Moses truly said to the fathers, `The LORD your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you. 23 `And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.' 22 a. A promise of God (“The LORD your God will raise up”) b. A coming Prophet (“a Prophet like me from your brethren”) c. The Prophet’s speaking (“whatever He says to you”) d. The expected _____________________________ (“you shall hear”) e. The result of ________________________________ 6. Peter References Other Prophets 24 "Yes, and all the prophets, from Samuel and those who follow, as many as have spoken, have also foretold these days. a. Starting with Samuel (last judge, 1st prophet) b. Successive prophets (ongoing reminders) c. Proclaimed these days (the entire Word corroborates & reinforces) 7. Peter Connects the People to the Prophets "You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, `And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.' 25 a. They are the recipients of the prophets b. They are the recipients of the Abrahamic Covenant c. One key promise of the covenant: ________________ to all families 8. Peter Circles Around to Jesus "To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities." 26 a. Their ____________________ (to you, the Jews, first; cp. Rom 1:16) b. c. d. e. f. The _______________ (resurrection – “God, having raised up…Jesus”) The __________________________ (the Child of God sent by God) The ______________ (to bless the Jews [and families of the earth]) The ____________________ (by the turning away…from your evils) The _____________________________ (each of you, Titus 2:11-14)