Peter Speaks to the Onlookers
3 v. 11 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.
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 have made this man walk?
13 The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God our fathers, has glorified His servant, Jesus. You handed Him over to be killed…
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….
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.’
NOTES
Again, Peter finds himself ‘preaching’, using the opportunity with the crowd gathering around the lame man who can now walk (and leap, and dance). This is another example of the flow, within the Spirit of Jesus, of word and deed, miraculous activity and dynamic teaching.
Peter points out, quickly, that this healing was not ‘of them’, but ‘of the Lord’. They were mere vessels for the healing to come ‘in the name of Jesus’. Complete healing includes not only the physical healing the man experienced, but the emotional and spiritual healing, which enables him to leap and dance, filled with praise and worship, awe and wonder.
Peter calls for all those who he is now speaking to, within the temple complex, to ‘repent / turn to God’. This is clearly challenging them to turn from an existing belief in God, an existing faith structure, and to think / believe differently. A big challenge to the status quo, or to their inherited faith. The promise of this new life, in Christ, involves forgiveness, seasons of refreshing, and an encounter with the living, resurrected Jesus.
PRAYER
When humanity did its worst – ‘killed the author of life’
You, O God, conquered even death – ‘raised Him from the dead’
Thank You, Jesus, for the complete healing I find in You –
forgiveness,
refreshing,
encountering You, risen Lord.
Change my heart, O God
Make it ever true
Change me heart, O God
May I be like You.
AMEN.