Pentecostal Preaching (2) Series

INTRODUCTION

John Newton said, "I am not what I was, I am not what I am going to be, I am not what I should be, but I am what I am by the grace of God." This is repentance. A deep an ongoing saving grace. One that is at the beginning of our conscious conversion. One that continues each day. One that is corporate in our covenant renewal in public worship. It contains a hope of being like our Lord, it contains a despising of the breaking of God’s law, and one which rests in the present in Christ alone.

TEXT

12 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? 13 "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 (face) of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. 14 "But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 "and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. 16 "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. 17 "Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers. 18 "But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. 19 "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, 20 "and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, 21 "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. 22 "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. 23 ’And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.’ 24 "Yes, and all the prophets, from Samuel and those who follow, as many as have spoken, have also foretold these days. 25 "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.’ 26 "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."

OUTLINE

1) THE APOSTOLIC KERYGMA (PROCLAMATION)

2) THE APOSTOLIC CALL - REPENTANCE

Acts 3:12 Seeing (this - the people gathering), Peter answered to the people, Men of Israel, - Peter would say later answer before the Sanhedrin, Paul would answer before Festus and Agrippa. Indeed Peter would tell us that we are to be able to "give an answer" to anyone who asks for an account of our hope.

This was an "answer" avpekri,nato to the occasion.

First note that this miracle was for the Glory of Jesus Christ and His Name.

12 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?

Matthew Henry points out that, "When he saw the people ready to adore him and John, he stepped in immediately, and diverted their respect from them, that it might be directed to Christ only." And, "Note, The instruments of God’s favour to us, though they must be respected, must not be idolized; we must take heed of reckoning that to be done by the instrument which God is the author of."

The Old Geneva Bible makes a good point against all of the Roman Catholic superstitions: "Miracles are appointed to convince the unbelievers, and therefore they wickedly abuse the miracles who, standing amazed, either at the miracles themselves or at the instruments and means which is pleases God to use, take an occasion to establish idolatry and superstition by that which God has provided for the knowledge of his true worship, that is, Christianity."

Through His Name

13 "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 (face) of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. 14 "But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 "and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. 16 "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.