DAY #184: Acts 3:12-4:4

Peter took advantage of a gathered, attentive crowd, and he addressed them by making it clear that this miracle was not the product of his personal power or godliness. Rather, this miracle had been performed by God himself, for a very explicit purpose. Peter wanted to make it clear to this Jewish crowd that this miracle was the handiwork of the very God they claimed to follow, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, the God of Jacob, the God of all our ancestors.

The miracle also had purpose: to bring glory to Jesus. God the Father was exalting the Son through this miracle. Peter told them point-blank that they were responsible for Jesus’ death.
The Roman leader, Pilate, had decided to release Jesus, but the Jews had rejected Pilate’s offer and had clamored to have Barabbas, a murderer, released instead. When Peter said, Jesus whom you handed over, he meant it literally. Jesus’ trial and death had occurred right there in Jerusalem only weeks earlier. All Jews were there (and thus guilty) through their representative leadership.

That God was fulfilling what all the prophets had declared probably refers to such prophecies as Psalm 22, Isaiah 50:6, and Isaiah 53:1-12. The Jews had not expected a suffering Messiah; instead, they had anticipated a great ruler, a conquering king. When he arrived as a lowly carpenter and then died a criminal’s death, they missed it. But Peter explained that it wasn’t too late. They may have acted in ignorance, but now they could understand that Jesus was exactly what the Messiah had been prophesied to be.

They had rejected, despised, and killed Jesus, but they could still turn from their sins, turn to God, and be cleansed. They could change their minds about Jesus. The words “turn from your sins” are the standard Greek term (metanoeo) for repentance. The verb means to turn away from a former way of life and toward a new way of life. The term “cleansed” (exaleiphthenai) is often used in Greek as a figure of speech, meaning to erase, especially of writing.

The message of salvation came first to the people of Israel, the descendants of Abraham, Moses, Samuel, and the prophets. They—of all people—should have known the prophecies and recognized him when he came. They were to have been the prime beneficiaries of the blessings of the covenant.


Imagine these Sadducees, who did not believe in the resurrection of the dead, listening to Peter claiming, right there in the Temple, the resurrection of the dead. No wonder they were very disturbed. Peter and John were refuting one of the Sadducees’ fundamental beliefs and thus threatening their authority as religious teachers. The religious leaders had thought this uprising would be finished with the death of its leader, so it disturbed them to find Jesus’ followers teaching the people in the Temple.

The Jewish religious leaders were able to arrest (at least for one night) Christ’s messengers; they could not, however, stop the spread of Christ’s message. The miraculous healing of the crippled man in such a visible place, combined with the powerful preaching of the apostles, sent spiritual shock waves through Jerusalem. This brought the total number of believers to about five thousand men, not counting women and children. God was mightily using Peter, for at his first sermon, three thousand people had become believers!


SO WHAT? (what will I do with what I have read today?)

This passage is so reminiscent of the world today. Hard-hearted people who are ignorant of the scriptures and of God's love. Lord, help us build a church that reaches people with the truth of Christ and the love of Christ. Lord, soften the hearts of people. Bring revival to the San Ramon Valley. Bring revival to our church and bring revival to me.

Lord, make our worship service be powerful and impacting. Use your word to change hearts and lives and families. Raise up men and women who will be sold out for You. Raise up students who will not be ashamed of You.

Lord, use our VBS week to reach children for You.