The Kingdom among Us: Acts 3 (5)

Pray Psalm 98.1-3.
Oh, sing to the LORD a new song!
For He has done marvelous things;
His right hand and His holy arm have gained Him the victory.
The LORD has made known His salvation;
His righteousness He has revealed in the sight of the nations.
He has remembered His mercy and His faithfulness to the house of Israel;
All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

Sing Psalm 98.1-3.
(Duke Street: Come, Let Us Sing unto the Lord)
Come, let us sing unto the Lord new songs of praise with one accord!
Wonderful things our God has done: Jesus has our salvation won!

Now is God’s saving mercy known; His glory to the world is shown. 
Faithful and kind is God our Lord; earth has the Name of Jesus heard.

Read Acts 3.1-21; meditate on verses 17-21.

Preparation
1. What did God fulfill in Jesus’ death and resurrection?

2. What is the proper response to this?

Meditation
Peter actually says that his hearers “practiced ignorance,” not only in killing the Lord, but in everything else they did as well. They were living in darkness and unbelief, under the canopy of the Lie, and not in the Light of God. So Peter, and the Lord, are willing to cut them some slack. Their rulers, too. That “ignorance” though, must have grated on any rulers in the audience, I suspect. Truth hurts.

The coming of Christ brings light and truth and understanding into the way of things (Eph. 4.17-24). But to enter that experience one must repent and turn away from every sinful practice, giving evidence of forgiveness in their hearts, and opening their souls and every aspect of their lives to the refreshing blessings of the Lord.

The blessings of salvation are all to be enjoyed in Jesus, Whom we may know, enjoy, and follow now, and Who is one day coming to take us unto Himself forever. This, Peter explained, is all in line with the prophets; he’s not making this up. We can turn to those same prophets to help skeptics and scorners today to see that God has truly appointed Jesus for the salvation of lost sinners. If, that is, they are willing to repent and believe the Good News. 

In ignorance the religious people of Peter and John’s day acted contrary to the will of God. These people went up to the temple to pray and worship daily. But they were ignorant of the truth of God and guilty of sinning against Him. They thought the followers of Jesus were the ignorant ones. Much like today.

The Gospel offers the hope of life and refreshment in the Lord, but people need to admit their sins and turn from them before they can receive the ongoing work of Christ in their lives. For now, ignorance engulfs many of our neighbors. Our duty is, knowing their ignorance, to make known to them the truth that is in Jesus.

Treasures Old and New: Matthew 13.52; Psalm 119.162
And “when we make known to them the truth that is in Jesus” we can rest assured that this Word, this truth, is sure.

Peter pointed out their sin to them for three reasons:
1. They needed to be sure of their need for a Savior.
2. They needed to realize that all the words about this very occasion, their participation in the killing of Jesus, was prophesied in the Scriptures. And it had been fulfilled. Just so.
3. Jesus will return in the “times of restoration”. This has been prophesied. It will be fulfilled. Just so.
“…those things which God has foretold…He has thus fulfilled” (Acts 3.18). Acts fulfilled.
“…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…” (Acts 3.21). Acts to come.

Get on board. God has spoken about His Son Jesus by the mouth of His holy prophets since the world began. (Acts 3.21) And He will return. “I charge you therefore before God and the Lord Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead at His appearing and His kingdom… (2 Tim. 4.1).

We, too, can rest assured that every word of the Scriptures is true. We can count on it, and not be afraid to take it into our hearts—to read it, absorb it, meditate on it, consume it, pray about it, and fully believe it.
And then boldly share it with others.

It is the basis for our existence. “Set your hearts on all the words—all the words of this law. For it is not a futile thing for you, because it is your life…” (Deut. 32.46, 47).
“‘Is not My word like a fire?’ says the LORD, ‘and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces?’” (Jer. 23.29)
“Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth” (Jn. 17.17).
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly…” (Col. 3.16).
“For the word of God is living and powerful…” (Heb. 4.12).

We can absolutely count on every word of God to be true and trustworthy. God always keeps His promises. His word never returns void (Is. 55.11).

“The words of the LORD are pure words,
like silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times” (Ps.12.6).
“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away” (Matt. 24.35).

Like Peter, we carry the confidence of this secure Word into our Personal Mission Fields to overcome ignorance with Truth.

For reflection
1. Why can we have confidence in the message of the Gospel? What should we expect as we share it?

2. We are not ignorant of the things of Christ. How should knowing and believing the Gospel affect our prayers?

3. What does it mean to set your heart on all the words of God’s Law and all His Word?

Ignorance, saith he, hath made you guilty, yet God hath brought that to pass which he had determined, that Christ should redeem you by his death. This is a most notable consideration, when as we ponder and consider with ourselves, that through the wonderful counsel of God our evils are turned to another end to us… John Calvin (1509-1564), Commentary on Acts 3.18

Pray Psalm 98.4-9.
Pay attention today to every reminder of God’s goodness and salvation – the warm sun, a passing bird, the kindness of a friend, the food on your table. Rejoice in the Lord and speak of your joy to Him out loud.

Sing Psalm 98.4-9.
(Duke Street: Come, Let Us Sing unto the Lord)
Raise to the Lord your loudest voice! Break forth and sing! Rejoice! Rejoice!
Praise, praise to You our God and King, with all our hearts and strength we bring!

Now let the whole creation ‘round burst into song with joyous sound!
Jesus will come to judge the earth; let all proclaim His matchless worth!

T. M. and Susie Moore

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Except as indicated, all Scriptures are taken from the New King James Version. © Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved. For sources of all quotations, see the weekly PDF of this study. All psalms for singing are from The Ailbe Psalter (Williston: Waxed Tablet Publications, 2006), available by clicking here.