THERE IS HOPE FOR YOU!
Acts 3:16-19
It is vitally important for each person here to comprehend the reality that absolutely no one is beyond the reach of God’s amazing grace. It is true that an innumerable multitude will face eternal condemnation. Revelation 21:8 tells us that “the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death”. Paul declares in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 that “the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God. Do not be deceived. Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor homosexuals, nor sodomites, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners will inherit the kingdom of God.
These are very sobering verses; they must be proclaimed, and they must be believed. It is important for people to heed the warnings that are given in scripture concerning death, judgment, and the wrath of God. It is only when one comprehends the righteous indignation of God that he can truly appreciate the love, mercy, grace, and salvation that is available in Christ.
It is encouraging to know that many former fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, homosexuals, thieves, greedy people, drunkards, verbally abusive people, and swindlers have been saved and radically transformed by Jesus. The Apostle references their conversion in 1 Corinthians 6:11, “And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God”. No matter your current situation, this verse proves that there is hope for your salvation.
If you have ever been involved in personal evangelism then you have likely encountered someone who felt that they were “too lost to be saved”. My former pastor and I once witnessed to a man and told him that Jesus died to save him from his sins, that man looked at us and said “nah, Jesus died to save good people like y’all, not hell raisers like me!” The reality is that lost is lost and we were all “born in sin”. (Psalm 51:5). We have “all sinned and come short of the glory of God”. (Romans 3:23). “There is none righteous no, not one” (Romans 3:10). Apart from Christ we are all “dead in trespasses and sins”. (Ephesians 2:1)
Titus 3:3-7 shows us that salvation is available and how it is made possible. Paul said “For we ourselves were also once foolish, disobedient, deceived, serving various lusts and pleasures, living in malice and envy, hateful and hating one another. But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit, whom He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior, that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
I believe that our selected text proves more than any other passage in the Bible that no one is “too lost to be saved”. I would like to look at this passage and preach on the thought “There Is Hope For You!”
During His earthly ministry, Christ performed many miracles and changed countless lives; His miracles displayed His love and compassion for others and they illustrated the change that He can bring into one’s life. As Jesus traveled the land, the blind received their sight, the mute were given the ability to speak, the deaf were made to hear, lame people began to walk, the demon possessed were delivered, lepers were cleansed and even the dead were brought back to life.
However, performing miracles was not Jesus’ purpose for coming to earth; the miracles were a means to an end, they were intended to display His supernatural power. Jesus was far more than a miracle worker, He was the promised Messiah, He was God in the flesh! Jesus Christ possessed the power to transform men and women; not only physically, but spiritually and eternally. He did this before His death, burial and resurrection and Peter makes it clear that Jesus was still doing that even after His ascension.
v16 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.
The crowd that was gathered before Peter was astonished by the miracle that had taken place in the life of the lame man. Rather than accepting the glory or taking credit for the miracle, Peter seizes the opportunity to tell the people that it was Jesus who was the source of this man’s healing. He pointed out the fact that the miracle was performed by the same Jesus that they had rejected, denied, and crucified. This Jesus was “God’s servant” and God had raised Him from the dead and glorified Him in Heaven. Peter declares that it was “faith in Jesus’ name that had made this man strong”.
Faith in Jesus was essential to this miracle; likewise faith in Jesus is essential to the miracle of salvation. In the next chapter, Peter proclaims that there is no salvation in “any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)
Those witnesses knew who this man was, they recognized him as the lame beggar who had sat for a long time at the entrance of the Temple begging for alms. Now he is healed, his legs are strong, and he is able to walk, leap and praise God. God had “given him perfect soundness” in their presence.
Peter’s goal was not to attack the Jews for their rejection of Christ; his desire was for them to realize their error, repent of their sin and turn to Jesus. Though Peter’s boldness is on full display, so is his compassion. This compassion leads the Apostle to give an invitation for those 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. What a wonderful display of the amazing grace of God!
These verses make it clear that salvation was available to those who were gathered at Solomon’s colonnade. Notice - v17 “Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers”. Peter has boldly declared that his Jewish audience was responsible for the death of Christ; but now there is a noticeable change in his approach, he refers to these people as his “brethren”. His compassion for their souls and his concern for their spiritual condition shines through as he explains to them that they are not without hope. Salvation was available if they would repent and believe in Jesus.
This is similar to Paul’s compassion and concern for the Jewish people in Romans 9:1-5; there he says, "I tell the truth in Christ, I am not lying, my conscience also bearing me witness in the Holy Spirit, that I have great sorrow and continual grief in my heart. For I could wish that I myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren, my countrymen according to the flesh, who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises; of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen.”
Peter declares that the rebellious acts of his Jewish brethren were done in ignorance. This is not to excuse their actions but to open their minds to the reality of their situation. The Jews had long expected the arrival of God’s Messiah; however they had many preconceived notions as to what the Messiah would do when He did arrive. They were looking for a mighty conqueror that would deliver them from Roman oppression and restore the kingdom of Israel. They were looking for a military commander not a humble carpenter; they were expecting someone mighty and imposing, not someone who was meek and lowly. Jesus was the complete opposite of what they were expecting, and they refused to believe that He was the Promised One.
Even their rejection of Jesus as Messiah was a fulfillment of prophecy. - Isaiah 53:1-5 Who has believed what we have heard? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? He grew up before him like a young plant and like a root out of dry ground. He didn’t have an impressive form or majesty that we should look at him, no appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of suffering who knew what sickness was. He was like someone people turned away from; he was despised, and we didn’t value him. Yet he himself bore our sicknesses, and he carried our pains; but we in turn regarded him stricken, struck down by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced because of our rebellion, crushed because of our iniquities; punishment for our peace was on him, and we are healed by his wounds.
After addressing their rebellious actions, Peter urged his audience to “repent and be converted”. The Jewish people would not believe that Jesus was the Son of God; furthermore they likely thought that they were honoring God by killing what they perceived to be as an impostor. Jesus Himself addressed their ignorance as He was hanging on the cross dying for their sins. In Luke 23:34 He prayed to God on their behalf and said “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing”. Paul also mentioned the ignorance of the Jews in 1 Corinthians 2:8 where he declared that (had the rulers of this age known) “they would not have crucified the Lord of glory”. Their ignorance was no excuse for their sin, but even though they had crucified the Son of God, they still had the opportunity to receive grace, forgiveness and salvation from God.
The world is filled with people who are just like the people of Israel; in ignorance and unbelief they reject Christ, if they continue, they will die in their sins and they will be held accountable for their rejection of Jesus. All who die in their sins will face eternal condemnation; ultimately they will be cast into the Lake of Fire. When this happens, it will not be because God sent them there; they will receive the due penalty of their sins because they rejected the mercy, grace, love and salvation that God has provided through His Son.
God has taken great measures to ensure that the people of this world have the opportunity to be redeemed; a very high price was paid for our redemption. There is nothing that we can do to deserve the marvelous grace of God; it is a gift from Him to us. The Apostle Paul said “the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 6:23).
It is fascinating to know that the very people who were responsible for the death of Jesus had the opportunity to receive the grace of God and find salvation in the very Christ that they had rejected. Many of them seized that opportunity.
Peter paid a great price for his bold preaching. Acts 4:1-3 tells us that “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.”
Though Peter endured opposition and persecution, his message had its desired result. Acts 4:4 says “However, many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand.” Peter was bold, faithful and Biblical and God used Him to reach many Jews with the Gospel. In turn, God continued to “add unto the Church”. This is one of the greatest evidences that no one is too lost to be saved. No matter where you have been or what you have done, you are not beyond the grace of God. Like the people at Solomon’s Colonnade, you have the opportunity to “repent and be converted”.
The application of today’s message is twofold. Most importantly, if you have never trusted in Christ as your Lord and Savior, it is important for you to realize that you have the opportunity to be born again today. If you are a believer, then this message will give you one of the most important and effective tools available when you encounter someone who believes that there is no hope of their salvation; one that is convinced that they are “too lost to be saved”. The reality is that each of us are just as guilty concerning the death of Christ as those Jews who cried “crucify Him”. The wonderful news is that we too have the opportunity to repent and believe in Jesus just like those who were a part of “The Crusade At Solomon’s Colonnade”. No matter where you have been or what you have done, you are not too lost to be saved! The Bible makes it clear that there is hope for you, and this hope is in Jesus Christ.
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