May the mumbling commence!
There are miracles. Then there is the Good News – the Message which gives the power to cause the miracles to happen. I wonder sometimes how the people reacted to the miracles and to the messages that followed them. In Acts chapter three, Peter and John healed a crippled man at the gate of the Temple through the Name of Jesus.
With the healing, they had the attention of the people. I would guess that some of them hung on the words that came from Peter’s mouth. I would guess that more people were dumbfounded by the healing and discussing how this came to be. No matter how good the message was that followed the miracle, I would guess that people would remember and talk to each other about the miracle rather than the message that followed it.
Today, I want to focus on the message that Peter spoke to the enthralled people. Read from Acts chapter three:
While the beggar held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon's Colonnade. 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? 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. You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. 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.
Now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. But this is how God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, saying that his Christ would suffer. Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord, and that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you – even Jesus. He must remain in heaven until the time comes for God to restore everything, as he promised long ago through his holy prophets. 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. Anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut off from among his people.'
Indeed, all the prophets from Samuel on, as many as have spoken, have foretold these days. 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.' When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways." (Verses 11-26)
Peter diverted the attention and the honor to Jesus Christ. Peter did not perform this miraculous healing by his own holiness or power. Peter knew that he stood on level ground with the people that he preached to.
He spoke of disowning Christ Jesus because he knew that he, too, had disowned Christ. Though he speaks of disowning Jesus twice, Peter disowned Christ three times.
Peter acknowledged that the people he was speaking to acted out of ignorance. Peter knew that he failed out of knowledge. He knew what he had turned down. But Peter was speaking boldly to show these people that he had picked the mantle back up.
He accepted leadership for the people who chose to follow the way of Christ Jesus. Peter knew that repentance and the forgiveness that follows it is available to all people. So, he encouraged people to repent and accept that forgiveness.
And Peter underscored that the way that Jesus lived and died and rose again in glory is rooted in the prophets of old from the first prophet Samuel to the last. The peoples’ ignorance was not incurable.
May you and I hear the message of Peter this day! May we repent and receive our forgiveness daily. May we reconnect with our spiritual and faith roots in the light of Jesus Christ. And may we bless all people through the service that Christ calls us to.
Spread the Message!
Enough mumbling for now…
Peace Out
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