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- Preaching the Living WORD through
the Written WORD - 2 Tim 4;:2 - |
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THE
MESSAGE OF THE MIRACLE, REPENTANCE FOR ISRAEL Acts 3:13-19
(7/28/13) Grace Bible Church,
Gillette, Wyoming Pastor Daryl Hilbert I. THE SOURCE OF THE MIRACLE WAS ON THE
BASIS OF FAITH IN JESUS (12-16) A. The God of Abraham Glorified His Chosen
Servant Jesus (Ac 3:13a) 1. [Intro] After the healing of the crippled
beggar, the crowd gathered around him and the apostles in amazement (Ac
3:12). Peter denied that the healing occurred because of any innate power or
godliness of the apostles. Not only would he explain that the source of the
miracle came in the name of Jesus, but he took the opportunity to preach to
Israel concerning repentance and faith in Jesus as Messiah. 2. Amidst an audience of Jewish worshippers,
Peter appealed that his message was from their God, expressly the God of
Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Ex 3:6; Mt 22:32, equivalent expression to “God
of our fathers,” Ac 5:30; 7:32). It was this God that glorified Jesus by
raising Him from the dead (Ac 2:32), seating Him at the right hand of God (Ac
2:33), and calling Him Lord (Ac 2:34-36). Peter designated Jesus as “God’s
Servant,” a thematic reference to the Messiah from the prophet Isaiah (Isa
42:1; 49:3; 52:13; 53:11 cf. Isa 61:1-2). B. Israel Rejected God’s Chosen Servant Jesus
(Ac 3:13b-14) 1. With boldness, Peter identified Israel as
the ones (humeis - emphatic “you
yourselves”) who “delivered” (paradidomai
- handed over, Jn 18:30, 35; 19:16; Ro 8:32; Ep 5:2) Jesus over to
Pilate. 2. It was clear from the biblical account of
the New Testament that it was the chief priests and the Jewish people who
“disowned” (aor. mid. - arneomai - renounce or
reject) Christ. 3. God’s chosen people,
Israel, rejected God’s chosen Servant (and Son), Jesus (Ac 3:14). Peter
accentuated that Israel rejected the sinless “Holy One” (Is 37:23; 41:14; Ps
16:10; Lk 4:34; Jn 6:69; 1Jn 2:20) and innocent “Righteous One” (Is 53:11; Ac
7:52; 22:14 cf. Mt 27:19; Lk 23:47) in exchange for Barabbas, an actual
criminal (Mt 27:16–21; Mk 15:11; Lk
23:18; Jn 18:40). C. God’s Chosen Servant Jesus was Crucified
(Ac 3:15a) 1. After acquitting Jesus five times, there
was nothing Pilate could do except proceed with the crucifixion (Mt 27:24).
Not only did the people repeatedly cry out “crucify him,” (Mt 27:22-23; Lk
23:20-22) but Pilate absolved himself from the people’s decision (Lk
23:24-25). 2. Christ’s death by crucifixion was also
according to the predetermined plan of God (Ac 2:23). His death on the cross accomplished the atonement for the sin of man (2Co
5:21). 3. Here Peter calls Jesus the “Prince of
life” (archēgos - founder, leader,
originator, He 2:10- author of salvation; He 12:2 -
author of faith) as the author or originator of life for all believers
(Jn 1:4; 4:14; 5:26; 10:28). D. God Raised Jesus from the Dead (Ac 3:15b) 1. The resurrection was the ultimate miracle
that according to the prophets would identify God’s Servant, the Messiah (Is
53:10-11). 2. The Messiah was identified in Scripture
as the Son of God (Ps 2:7; 45:6-7 cf. He 1:8-9; Mt 16:16; 26:63-64; 27:54; Jn
20:31). Therefore, the miracle of the resurrection declared that Jesus Christ
was the Son of God (Ro 1:4). E. The Apostles Were Witnesses of Jesus’
Death and Resurrection (Ac 3:15c) 1. The apostles were first hand witnesses of
the death and resurrection of Christ (Jn 20:19-20). They were also chosen spokesmen for Christ (Ac 1:2). As chosen spokesmen for God they infallibly testified of Christ’s
death and resurrection (Ac 1:8). In addition, they were the divinely
confirmed appointees (1Co 12:28) and the foundation of truth for the church
(Ep 2:20). F. The Apostles Healed in the Name of Jesus
(Ac 3:16) 1. The apostles were further confirmed as
God’s spokesman by performing miracles (2Co 12:12).
Hence, they were apostles “in the name of Christ” or with the authority of
Christ. 2. When they performed miracles, they
performed them “in the name of Christ” or with the authority of Christ. So, the healing of the crippled beggar was done by the
apostles “in the name of Christ” or with the authority of Christ (Ac 3:6).
The phrase “in the name of Jesus” did not refer to a verbal formula or
magical incantation that brought about a miracle. 3. The healing of the crippled beggar was also accomplished “on the basis of faith” (epi tē pistei). Does faith refer to the apostles’ faith, the
beggar’s faith, or Christian faith? a) Though Scripture sometimes mentions the
necessity of faith on the part of the one being healed (Mt 9:22; Mk 10:52; Lk
17:19; 18:42; Ac 14:9) it does not always need to be the case. Sometimes the
power of God is exhibited without the prerequisite of faith (2Ki 13:21; Mt
27:52). b) It could be argued that the crippled
beggar did not exercise faith in that he was looking for a hand-out,
not a miracle. Also it was Peter who reached down
and raised him up (Ac 3:7). At that moment, he was
immediately healed and “given perfect health.” c) The “basis of faith” is qualified as “the
faith which comes through Him.” Though this could refer to Peter’s faith, it
might be better understood as the faith “on the basis” (dia
- rare causal usage cf. Ro 12:1) of Christ. In other words, the miracle
was on the basis of “the” faith (tē
pistis - the Christian faith) which
comes from Christ. d) The purpose of a miracle is to attract
attention in order to deliver a message (gospel) “in the presence of all.” II. TWO PURPOSES WILL BE ACCOMPLISHED WHEN
ISRAEL REPENTS (Ac 3:17-19) A. Israel Acted in Spiritual Ignorance of
Prophecy (Ac 3:17-18) 1. Peter speaks to his Jewish brethren,
mitigating that they themselves crucified their own Messiah in “ignorance” (agnoia - lacking of knowing better). This
ignorance did not mean they were inexcusable, but rather they were
spiritually blind with a lack of understanding through unbelief (Ac 13:27;
cf. Paul - 1Ti 1:13). However, Jesus prayed for their forgiveness (Lk
23:34) and God overlooked the “times of ignorance” (Ac 17:30 cf. Ro 3:25; 1Co
2:8). 2. In addition, though Israel was
responsible for the death of Christ, God predetermined and prophesied
Christ’s death. In fact, Christ’s death was “announced beforehand” (prokataangellō - emphatic use for
prophecy, Ac 7:52) by all the prophets (Lk 24:44). Peter will speak more
on the prominence of prophecy in Ac 3:21-26. B. Israel Was to Repent and Inaugurate the
Millennial Kingdom (Ac 3:19) 1. Having acted in spiritual ignorance of
prophecy, their response was to repent and return. Israel had essentially turned
from God spiritually and followed wicked ways instead of following the Lord.
Consequently, they were to “repent” (aor. imper.
- metanoeō - change of mind, convert) and
change their mind about faith in Christ. In this way God’s people would
“return” (aor. imper. - epitrephō
- turn around or back) to their God and His redemptive plan in Christ. 2. Two purposes (eis
- sometimes indicates purpose; hopōs -
conjunction with subjunctive indicates purpose) would be accomplished if
Israel would repent and place their faith in Christ. First, their sins would be wiped away. Their sins would be “removed or
erased” (exaleiphō - wipe away,
erase, or eliminate, Col 2:14; Re 3:5; 21:4). This is the concept of
forgiveness of sin, but in the Jewish mind, forgiveness carries the idea of
removing or blotting out their transgressions against the Law (Ps 51:1; Is
43:25; Je 18:23; Col 2:14 cf. Ac 2:38; 5:31). 3. The second purpose of Israel’s faith in
Christ would inaugurate the “times of refreshing.” This phrase referred to the
return of Christ and the Millennial Kingdom. If Israel would
have received Christ, would Christ have returned ushering in the
Millennial Kingdom? Yes, but with qualification. A
better way of looking at it would be to say, when Israel repents and
receives Christ as Messiah, Christ will return and usher in the Millennial
Kingdom. 4. Israel had been promised a “new covenant”
(Je 31:31) in a new “time of refreshing” (Je 31:23-25). Both of these refer
to the Millennial Kingdom when Israel’s Messiah/King will sit on the throne
(Je 33:15-17). It will be prefaced by Israel’s faith at the second coming of
Christ (Je 31:34; Re 7:4; 14:1). 5. Even though Peter did not know the “times
or epochs (of the Kingdom) which the Father has fixed” (Ac 1:6-7), he did
know about the Kingdom and its prerequisite. Peter knew that when
Israel received Christ, the “times of refreshing” would come, and they
will come from the “presence” (prosōpon
- lit. face, i.e. presence) or advent of Christ (cf. Ac 3:20). However,
he was not aware that Israel would experience a “partial hardening” (Ro
11:25) before its restoration (Ro 11:26-29). Therefore, Peter was
theologically correct is his statement. III. OBSERVATIONS AND APPLICATIONS A. The message of the miracle of healing the
crippled beggar led to a call to repentance for Israel and faith in Christ.
Through God’s chosen spokesmen, confirmed by
miracles, the apostles declared that Israel put God’s chosen Servant Jesus to
death. However, the death of Christ fulfilled God’s predetermined redemptive
plan. Israel could return and trust in Christ for forgiveness of sins and
inaugurate the Millennial Kingdom. B. The message of the miracle of the crippled
beggar is relevant not just for the Jews and not just for their time. It is a
message that anyone today can respond to Christ by faith and have his sins
wiped away. Those who respond to the gospel message become new-generation
witnesses of the death and resurrection of Christ. They can do so giving full
assurance to hearers on the basis of miracles
recorded in the historical and divine reliability of the Scriptures. They can
do so with a personal relationship with God’s Servant Jesus who accomplished
salvation, the sinless Holy One, the Righteous One who imputes His
righteousness, and the Author of life who gives eternal life and power to
live the Christian life. |
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