ACTS: God is Very Patient and Forgiving; It's Never to Late too Repent!

Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon’s, greatly amazed. (Acts 3:11)

As we studied in the previous lesson, Peter had simply spoken the Word, Peter said, “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.”  And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God. Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. (Acts 3:6-10; see ACTS: Healing Power in Jesus Christ Name; Another Manifestation of the Holy Spirit) Just like when Jesus performed miracles, multitudes of people followed Him, mainly to see a "show".  Peter was going to clarify to the people what happened and through Whom it happened.

So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go [John 19:5-24]. But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you [Matthew 27:15-26], and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all. (Acts 3:11-16)

Peter sets a perfect example of how we should respond to the blessing of God using us - give God all the credit He deserves! Remember when Jesus told Pilate, “You could have no power at all against Me unless it had been given you from above." (John 19:11)  The point being, all power belongs to and comes from God. God has spoken once, Twice I have heard this: That power belongs to God. Also to You, O Lord, belongs mercy; For You render to each one according to his work. (Psalm 62:11)

Peter goes on to explain to the crowd in the temple, “Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers. But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began. (Acts 3:17-21)

This should encourage all of us, but especially those who are not saved, yet!  It does not matter what we may have done, nor how bad it may have been; whether we have "denied" God and or Christ Jesus and "killed" Him before others, we can still be forgiven.  All we have to do is repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.  We must never forget that God ...desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (I Timothy 2:4)  All we have to do is turn from the direction we're going; “Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it." (Matthew 7:13)

"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. And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.’ [Deuteronomy 18:15,18,19] Yes, and all the prophets, from Samuel and those who follow, as many as have spoken, have also foretold these days. 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.’ [Genesis 22:18, 26:4, 28:14] 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.” (Acts 3:22-26)

The reason that the sixty-six books were included in the Bible and not others, was because of their common theme throughout - the Word of God, whether spoken, prophesied, or fulfilled in the life of Christ Jesus.  Peter is reiterating to the Jews that this Word was given to them, that through them, all the families of the earth shall be blessed.  Even though they had denied the Holy One and the Just, and killed the Prince of life, God still raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless them.  All they had to do, and all any of us has to do is turn away every one of you from your iniquities.  The Lord is ...longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. (II Peter 3:9)

Now as they spoke to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came upon them, being greatly disturbed that they taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they laid hands on them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. However, many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand. (Acts 4:1-4)  Despite the miraculous evidence of Christ Jesus life, death and resurrection, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees still refused to repent therefore and be converted, that their sins may be blotted out.  Thank God that at least 5,000 heard the word believed.  Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. (I Corinthians 15:58)

Jesus had forewarned the disciples, and this warning is for all of us who believe also, “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates Me hates My Father also. If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would have no sin; but now they have seen and also hated both Me and My Father. But this happened that the word might be fulfilled which is written in their law, ‘They hated Me without a cause.’ [Psalm 69:4] (John 15:18-25)

“But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me. And you also will bear witness, because you have been with Me from the beginning. (John 15:26-27)  “Now when they bring you to the synagogues and magistrates and authorities, do not worry about how or what you should answer, or what you should say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.” (Luke 12:11-12) No matter what may come, the disciples, and we also are more than prepared to deal with it, through the empowerment of God's Holy Spirit in us!