And Some Good Reasons to Repent
Acts 3:1-26
February 27, 2022
Pastor Craig Ledbetter
Bible Baptist Church, Ballincollig, Cork, Ireland
I. Review (Acts 5:42)
A. We are moving on now into Acts chapter 3
B. Throughout this year, we will travel along with the first Christians as they spread throughout the Roman empire with the Gospel, turning the world and its religions completely upside down with the fact that only Jesus can save a soul!
C. It has been a few days since Pentecost
D. It has been a very busy and hectic few days
1. 3,000 people have just repented (a good Bible word) of their wicked religious pride
2. And received the free gift of eternal life by believing in Jesus Christ
3. And then got Scripturally baptized
4. And now have started meeting as a new church in Jerusalem, scattered across the city in hundreds of houses (Acts 5:42) And daily in the temple, and in every house, they ceased not to teach and preach Jesus Christ.
E. Well, in Acts 3, life begins to return to normality for Peter and John – at least they thought so
II. Context
A. Peter and John Had the Habit of Prayer (Acts 3:1)
1. Acts 3:1 Now Peter and John went up together into the temple at the hour of prayer, being the ninth hour.
2. Notice it was the ninth hour of the day, which is 3:00 PM in the afternoon - nine hours from sun rise. [SHOW CLOCK]
3. They had the habit of praying at three in the afternoon.
4. Do you have a HABIT of praying at a set time every day? You should.
5. It is interesting that a lot of cultures have a nap time at 3 in the afternoon due to the heat of the day. But these men made prayer their most important thing to do at that hour.
6. What will it take before WE have the same kind of habit dear Christian?
B. A Lame Man (Acts 3:2,3)
1. Acts 3:2,3 And a certain man lame from his mother's womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms of them that entered into the temple; Who seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple asked an alms.
2. Crippled from birth, born with a defect that stopped him from being able to walk.
a. He was carried everywhere.
b. There was no wheelchair or an electric scooter. Only someone to carry him from place to place.
c. It must've been very humiliating for him.
d. Many days he would be laid outside of the temple at the entrance gate there so that he could beg for money
e. We call it mercy giving or Alms.
3. And he sees Peter and John approaching him and he looked them in the eyes and he reached out his hands and begged.
C. Peter Gives What He Has (Acts 3:4-6)
1. Acts 3:4,5 And Peter, fastening his eyes upon him with John, said, Look on us. And he gave heed unto them, expecting to receive something of them.
2. Peter did not ignore this lame man and just pass on.
a. Like maybe I might, or other people might.
b. Peter actually stopped and looked right at this crippled man. And he asked him to not be ashamed to look back at him.
3. Acts 3:6 Then Peter said, Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have give I thee: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth rise up and walk.
4. Did you notice anything unusual?
5. Peter announced his own poverty of wealth.
a. Which means he was not a Pope! [PICTURE OF POPE’S WEALTH]
b. And it means all these multi-multi-multi millionaire “ministers” are hustlers and frauds!
1) Kenneth Copeland €700 million
2) Pat Robertson: Net Worth $100 Million
3) Benny Hinn €42 million
4) Joel Osteen €35 million
5) Creflo Dollar €27 million - a private jet, two Rolls-Royce cars, and million-dollar homes in Atlanta and Manhattan
6) Joyce Meyer €8 million - a $10 million jet, and several homes that cost up to $2 million each
7) Paula White €5 million
c. There is nothing wrong with having money and being wealthy if you earn it
d. But wealth gotten as a servant of people is suspect!
6. Peter then declares that he had something far better than money.
a. What Peter had was a powerful God named Jesus of Nazareth
b. Not just the God Jehovah
c. But the NAME of the Son of God!
d. Peter had a confident faith in Jesus's power to heal anybody!
7. It was in that moment that Peter offered an invitation to that man to trust in Jesus.
8. Peter then reached out and took this lame man's hand and lifted him up.
9. Did you know that YOU and I have that very same NAME
a.
That is the name we use when we
pray! The power of prayer is in Jesus’ name!
Joh 14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the
Father may be glorified in the Son.
b.
That name is why we gather
together as a church. The power of a church is in Jesus’ name! Not our name, or
our money, or our abilities!
Mat 18:20 For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am
I in the midst of them.
c.
That name causes knees to bow, and
tongues to confess that Jesus Christ is LORD!
Php 2:10,11 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in
heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue
should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
d.
That name is the authority behind
why we boldly preach…
Act 9:29 And he spake boldly in the name of the Lord Jesus, and disputed
against the Grecians: but they went about to slay him.
e.
That is the name people are
baptized in obedience to
Act 10:48 And he [PAUL] commanded them [SOME NEW BELIEVERS] to be baptized
in the name of the Lord. Then prayed they him to tarry certain days.
f.
And that name SAVES!
Act 2:21 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name
of the Lord shall be saved.
10. Forget the names, Bill Gates, George Soros, Vladamir Putin, Joe Biden, Michael Martin
11. Start living and believing in the power of the NAME of Jesus!
D. The Man was Instantly Healed (Acts 3:7-11) by his faith in that name!
1. Acts 3:7 And he took him by the right hand, and lifted him up: and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength.
2. Acts 3:8 And he leaping up stood, and walked, and entered with them into the temple, walking, and leaping, and praising God.
3. Acts 3:9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God:
4. Acts 3:10 And they knew that it was he which sat for alms at the Beautiful gate of the temple: and they were filled with wonder and amazement at that which had happened unto him.
5. Acts 3:11 And as the lame man which was healed held Peter and John, all the people ran together unto them in the porch that is called Solomon's, greatly wondering.
6. And from that moment, he leaped up off the ground and stood on his own feet for the first time in his life! This crippled man became strong enough to stand on his own. A MIRACLE
7. He then started walking, and he headed with Peter and John into the temple.
8. He had never been allowed in the temple before!
a. He had always been kept OUTSIDE
b. Being crippled, he was not allowed in the temple
c. But now he was equal with everyone else by the miracle of healing!
9. And he started leaping as he walked and loudly praising God.
a. He was so very glad and thrilled at what had just happened to him.
b. Peter and John must have laughed and smiled seeing all this man's joy. The man held on to those men, he would not let them go.
10. The reaction of onlookers was amazement and curiosity
a. Everyone in the temple saw him and heard him praising God.
b. This miracle could not be faked. Everyone knew that he was born crippled and he had every time been left at the gate.
c. And yet here he was dancing.
d. You see the miracles didn't die with Jesus. They continued!
e. And watching this man praise God brought joy to everyone there, and caused everyone to run together to see this fantastic miracle!
E. And that's when Peter used it as an opportunity to preach again!
1. Not to brag on himself, or about miracles
2. But to preach the message of the Gospel
3. And what a message Peter preached!
III. Message
A. “Consider What You Have Done” (Acts 3:12-15)
1. Acts 3:12 And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?
2. Why Marvel as if WE did this with our own power?
3. Forget this miracle – we men have no power – we are only men
a. We are not like superman, or spiderman, or Thor, or Zeus
b. This miracle was done by Jesus Christ, just to get your attention
4. Acts 3:13-15 The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go. But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; And killed the Prince of life...
5. Consider what YOU have all done…
a. You delivered up Jesus, a Jewish man, to a Gentile governor, named Pilate, that we all hated. Since when do we seek to the Gentiles for justice?
b. You denied the rights of this innocent Jewish man to a fair trial, to the right of counsel, to the right of self-defence – yet you denied Him every right you hold dear! Even Pilate could not find any fault in Jesus!
c. You desired a murderer (who was just like yourselves) to go free, so that you could carry out your bitterness against Jesus – remember Barabbas?
d. In the end, you killed/murdered the Prince of Life – one of the titles of Jesus
1) The Source of Life - The Lord of Life
2) Acts 5:31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.
e. You are just like THIS crippled man was – crippled with SIN!
B. Now, “Consider What GOD Has Done” (Acts 3:15,16)
1. Acts 3:15,16 And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses. And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him [BY JESUS] hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.
2. GOD Raised up Jesus back from the dead – the greatest miracle!
3. And God has healed this crippled man - born lame in his legs and had never walked – God perfectly healed him
4. Both were impossible events, and yet here we are
5. Both mean something
6. What is God telling you? Can you figure it out???
C. “Your Ignorance is No Excuse” (Acts 3:17,18)
1. Acts 3:17,18 And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers. But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.
2. You have been Ignorant of God’s Son – you did not recognise who He was
3. Ignorant of God’s Plan – to save the world through one final innocent Lamb, Jesus
4. Ignorant of God’s words – plainly laid out in your own Bible from start to end
5. Yet you SHOULD have known!
a. The Bible says what you did to Jesus was wrong!
b. Your own CONSCIENCE tells you, you did wrong
c. Almost every religion in the world says what happened to Jesus was wrong
6. You have no excuse!
D. “Only One Choice” (Acts 3:19) Repent ye therefore…
1. BECAUSE of all the wrongs what you have done!
2. Your only option is to REPENT
a. What a strong word!
b. Acts 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent
c. It is the ONLY word that matches the seriousness of your actions
d. Belief is cheap – repentance is the only attitude that allows faith to work!
3. Repentance is a desperate attitude that rejects / turns away from whatever you are doing that is against God
a. Your religion is against God
1) Look what your religion has done to the Messiah.
2) It was the RELIGIOUS who murdered the only righteous Man who ever lived!
b. Your pride is against God
c. Your sins are against God – and you know it!
4. Why Repent? So that you can receive God’s free gift with empty hands! Mentally and emotionally TURN from it all, so that the only thing you have in view is JESUS CHRIST! And so that you can receive from HIM (not some church, or some priest, or preacher, or some guru) but from JESUS forgiveness of sins and eternal life!
E. The Promised Results of True Repentance (Acts 3:19-21)
1. Acts 3:19-21 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.
2. What are the results of humble, broken heart towards God?
3. Conversion – Jesus changes you when you repent – GREATEST MIRACLE
4. Sins blotted out – makes it so the record of your sins is RUINED! Praise God!
a. The most heinous, vile, worst sins
b. Even the sin of rejecting in killing the Messiah can be blotted out.
5. Times of Refreshing – joy comes where shame and darkness ruled
6. Jesus will come for you – the Second Coming that you all know will happen soon
7. Restitution of all things – Armageddon
a. Jesus will return everything to a perfect condition - from Ruin to Paradise
b. The Millennial kingdom of heaven on earth!
F. Beware the Results of Rebellion (Acts 3:22,23)
1. Acts 3:22,23 For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.
2. Remember that Moses told us that a prophet was coming (Deuteronomy 18:15-19)
a. Deu 18:15 The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;
b.
Deu 18:16 According to all
that thou desiredst of the LORD thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly,
saying, Let me not hear again the voice of the LORD my God, neither let me see
this great fire any more, that I die not.
[ISRAEL DID NOT WANT TO HEAR GOD’S VOICE]
c. Deu 18:17 And the LORD said unto me, They have well spoken that which they have spoken.
d.
Deu 18:18 I will raise them up
a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in
his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him.
[SO GOD PROMISED TO SPEAK WITH A ‘MAN’S’ VOICE – A MESSIAH]
e. Deu 18:19 And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him.
f. God promised to send a Messiah – a Saviour – a prophet equal to Moses!
1) With the same authority to speak for God
2) And the same abilities to prove that He is from God
g. Of your own brethren – a JEW (not European, or African, or American)
3. Did anyone notice that Moses commanded us to hear and do whatever this Prophet says, just like we are commanded to obey Moses?
4. If you won’t hear what Jesus said, and continue to rebel…
5. You will lose – you will be destroyed as a nation
a. How many times was Israel ruined because of rebelling against Moses and against God? Countless!
b. Don’t do it again!
G. You Jews Were Given Priority Access to God (Acts 3:24-26)
1. Acts 3:24-26 Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days. Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.
2. All the Old Testament Scriptures prophesied of THESE days…
a. Of the coming of the Messiah
b. Of His abuse and torture and crucifixion and death and burial and resurrection
c. Of the Holy Spirit being poured out on all Israel
3. YOU are the results of the ministry of all the prophets and their warnings – they saved this nation over and over in the past!
4. You are in a special covenant with God – in a special place – you all are first place in God’s program
5. DON’T MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY TO REPENT TODAY and turn to God for forgiveness of your sins!
6. By-the-way, the whole world needs the same attitude of repentance, for forgiveness!
IV.Conclusion
A. It is amazing how one miracle, one unusual event, launched into a great message on repentance…
B. Peter used that miracle to remind all those people how they had treated the Messiah
1. They killed the Prince of life!
2. Who is now back alive and Christians are proof of it
3. This lame man’s healing is also proof that Jesus is alive
4. And you will soon face that same Jesus that you murdered
5. You had better repent right now! Before it is too late!
6. Use that NAME right now, and call out to Jesus, asking Him to save you! He alone can hear you and will answer you!
C. This straight-up message cut them to their heart
1. It always does
2. 5,000 devout Jews Repented and Believed the Gospel that day!
3. Acts 4:4 Howbeit many of them which heard the word believed; and the number of the men was about five thousand.
D. Will you be just one more? How have YOU responded to Jesus Christ? You can be saved!
E. And by-the-way Christian, keep repenting – not to be saved, or to stay saved, but to stay soft, and responsive to preaching, and to the will of God!