A Grand Invitation & A Glorious Promise (Part 2) Series

A GRAND INVITATION & A GLORIOUS PROMISE

(PART 2)

Acts 3:19-26

(Antioch Baptist Church: Wednesday, July 23rd, 2025)

In the days before the internet and the vast theological resources that are now available at our fingertips many of us had certain bible study tools that were “standards” in our homes. These were usually a Scofield reference Bible, a Thompson Chain reference Bible, a Nave’s Topical Bible, a concordance, and then there was this little red paperback book called “The Bible Promise Book”. That book contained over 1,000 promises that are recorded in scripture. Though it was a great resource, it was not exhaustive, for there are far more than 1,000 promises recorded in the Word of God.

In his second Epistle, the Apostle Peter wrote that God has given us “exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these (we) may be partakers of the divine nature”. We certainly possess many “exceedingly great and precious promises” as followers of Christ. In our study of the Book of Acts we are currently examining, “A Grand Invitation & A Glorious Promise”. In our last session we focused on the “grand invitation”, today we will consider the “glorious promise”.

At the conclusion of Peter’s bold sermon at Solomon’s Portico, he cried out, “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” (v19). The grand invitation is for lost sinners to “repent” and be “converted”. The glorious promise for those who accept this invitation is that their sins will be “blotted out”.

The catalyst that led to the mass conversion after Peter’s sermon was the miracle that Jesus performed in the life of the lame beggar who was laid daily at the Beautiful Gate. After this man began walking and leaping and praising God, a vast crowd came running to the Apostles “in the porch, which is called Solomon’s, greatly amazed.”

Peter made it clear to the crowd that was before him that it was not by the power of godliness of the Apostles that this man was made to walk, rather, it was through faith in Jesus’ name that “this man was made strong”. With great compassion the Apostle gave an invitation for the Jews in attendance to “repent and be converted” (v19). Even after rejecting and killing the sinless Son of God, there was an opportunity for these people to receive salvation.

- Peter follows up this grand invitation with a glorious promise. Let’s move further and consider:

THE GLORIOUS PROMISE

v19 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,

Peter’s compassion for the souls of his Jewish brethren shines through as he explains to them that they are not without hope; salvation was available if they would repent and believe in Jesus. He said that if they would repent they would be “converted”. The word “converted” is used throughout the New Testament to describe what happens when lost sinners turn to the Holy God. Many “great and precious promises” are given to those who repent and are converted.

When people repent and are converted, their sins are “blotted out”. If the Jews would repent and believe in Jesus, their sins could be completely washed away, consequently they would be washed away by the very blood that they were responsible for shedding.

The “blotting out” of sin is a wonderful promise for the children of God. The Hebrew word translated “blot out” means “to abolish, destroy, erase, or utterly wipe away,” In ancient times, people hand-wrote deeds, receipts, and bills with reed or quill pens and black ink made of soot, gum, and water. On the occasion where a printing error was made, it had to be covered. In some instances a writer would blot out the error on a document with ink and then rewrite the letter. When using parchment or vellum one could use a sharp blade and gently remove a thin layer of the animal skin (along with the ink). After this they could rewrite over the smoothed area. Ancient Romans often wrote on wax tablets, when an error occurred in a letter they could use sponges with vinegar to simply erase the erroneous text from their tablet and move on.

The only substance that is powerful enough to “blot out” man’s sins is the precious blood of Jesus. The spotless Lamb of God can blot out our transgressions, erase our sin debt, and make us clean before God. Thankfully, God promises that those who will repent can claim the wonderful promise that their sins are completely “blotted out”.

Under the Old Testament Law, God allowed the substitution of bulls, sheep, and goats. When their blood was shed, it symbolized what God would do when He sent His Messiah to be the final propitiation for sin. Through the blood of Jesus, God completely and eternally blots out the transgressions of every person who comes to Him in faith. In Isaiah 43:25 the Lord says to His people, “I, even I, am he who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more.” Those who have had their transgressions blotted out by the blood of Jesus are forgiven and will spend eternity in heaven with Him.