I'm generally not a fan of commercials, but one that I continue to chuckle at, involves the "back to school theme". Seeing joyous parents singing "it's the most wonderful time, of the year" at the prospect of their kids going back to school, always puts a smile on my face.
Fall tends to be a refreshing time of year for a number of reasons. With Sunday school back on, Parents don't have to worry about kids during the service. With elementary and high school, they don't have do occupy the kids during the summer, and even with the rest of the time: the cooler nights, more rain and resumption of the many fall activities, it's all very refreshing. Yet, it all depends on your attitude. Some look at this as a time of joy at new prospects, but to others it's just back to a fall grind.
The Jews looked forward to the coming of the Messiah as a time of peace and prosperity for the whole earth. In Acts, Peter had to clarify that although the Jewish Messiah had come, the Messianic age in its fullness was still to come when he returns (20). His audience’s participation in these times of refreshing (19) when the time comes for God to restore everything (21) hinged upon their attitude towards Jesus (New Bible commentary: 21st century edition. 1994 (D. A. Carson, R. T. France, J. A. Motyer & G. J. Wenham, Ed.) (4th ed.) (Ac 3:1–4:31). Leicester, England; Downers Grove, IL: Inter-Varsity Press.).
For the events of your life, your expectations will determine your reaction to events. If you are a hopeful person, with purpose and expectation, you will be joyful and that will be infectious. But if you are pessimistic, wandering, and either dread or disregard the future, one in relation to Christ's work now and in the future, then it will only get worse as time goes on.
The message of Acts 3:20-26 calls everyone to consider their relation to Christ and the joy and refreshing that comes through repentance and faith in Him. In this section we see: 1) Refreshing Joy (Acts 3:20), 2) Restoring Joy (Acts 3:21), 3) Resulting Joy (Acts 3:22-24) , 4) Realized Joy (Acts 3:25–26)
1) Refreshing Joy (Acts 3:20),
Acts 3:20 [20]that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, (ESV)
Repentance not only brings the individual blessing of forgiveness of sin, but ultimately collective blessing also. True forgiveness could only have come from their turning to God by accepting his Messiah. Then only would “the times of refreshing” come from the Lord. The word times is in the plural and signifies periodic seasons in which the forgiven and restored believer experiences the refreshing nearness of the Lord (Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953-2001). Vol. 17: Exposition of the Acts of the Apostles. New Testament Commentary (135). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.).
• One of the basic realizations this morning is that we come corporately to the presence of the Lord: we come with our questions, burdens, and concerns. We marvel at His greatness, we acknowledge our failures, we thank Him for his forgiveness, and we plead for His guidance and intercession. This is meant to be refreshing.
Although Kairos (times) points to a fixed, set, or predetermined time. It is expressed that it may come, which is an AORIST ACTIVE SUBJUNCTIVE, denoting an element of contingency. The actions of Peter’s hearers, in some sense, determined the time of spiritual consummation (Utley, R. J. (2003). Vol. Volume 3B: Luke the Historian: The Book of Acts. Study Guide Commentary Series (59). Marshall, TX: Bible Lessons International.)
Jesus used it in Acts 1:7 to answer the disciples’ query about the restoration of the kingdom. He told them, “It is not for you to know times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority.” For generations, Israel had waited anxiously for that kingdom. They longed to see Messiah reign personally on the earth and to have their enemies vanquished. The prophets had spoken of a glorious period of rest for the people who had known little peace over the centuries. Tragically, when the King came to offer that kingdom, they rejected Him. And, as Peter points out, it is impossible to have the kingdom without accepting the King.
• Often feelings like anxiety, emptiness and lack of direction are God implanted realizations of the basic need of Christ. There is a time when it is necessary to confront those who reject Christ with the implications.
Please turn to Isaiah 35
The kingdom will be a time of much needed refreshing for Israel. Ezekiel said it would be a time of “showers of blessing” (34:26). Isaiah saw the kingdom as a time when God “will pour water on him that is thirsty” (44:3 KJV). Joel 2 gives a description of the coming of the kingdom, even referring to it as a time of satisfaction (2:26).
Isaiah 35:1-–10 describes the peaceful rest of the kingdom in these familiar words:
Isaiah 35:1-10 [35:1]The wilderness and the dry land shall be glad; the desert shall rejoice and blossom like the crocus; [2]it shall blossom abundantly and rejoice with joy and singing. The glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the majesty of Carmel and Sharon. They shall see the glory of the LORD, the majesty of our God. [3]Strengthen the weak hands, and make firm the feeble knees. [4]Say to those who have an anxious heart, "Be strong; fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you." [5]Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; [6]then shall the lame man leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute sing for joy. For waters break forth in the wilderness, and streams in the desert; [7]the burning sand shall become a pool, and the thirsty ground springs of water; in the haunt of jackals, where they lie down, the grass shall become reeds and rushes. [8]And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray. [9]No lion shall be there, nor shall any ravenous beast come up on it; they shall not be found there, but the redeemed shall walk there.[10]And the ransomed of the LORD shall return and come to Zion with singing; everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain gladness and joy, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. (ESV)
"Refreshing” (anapsyxis) talked about in Acts 3:20 has the basic meaning cooling off that comes from blowing, like the refreshment of a cool breeze. This rare biblical word occurs only here and once in the Septuagint (Exod 8:11), where it refers to the relief that came to Egypt after the plague of frogs ceased (Polhill, J. B. (1995). Vol. 26: Acts. The New American Commentary (134). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)
The word translated refreshing also refers to restoration of strength and nourishment. Strength is restored when hope is restored. In a real sense the phrase describes what those responding to Peter’s invitation would experience at that moment, salvation, modelled in the healed man; lifelong limitation and its accompanying exclusion from God’s presence now gloriously banished forever (Milne, B. (2010). The Acts of the Apostles: Witnesses to Him ... to the Ends of the Earth. Focus on the Bible Commentary (101). Ross-shire, Great Britain: Christian Focus Publications.).
How will this all happen? The kingdom will not come about through human efforts, but will come from the presence of the Lord. Yet, Peter placed the responsibility for the delay in the coming of the kingdom squarely on their shoulders. It was their lack of repentance that, humanly speaking, postponed the kingdom. God, through Peter, gave them the opportunity to repent of that sin. Sadly, though a few individuals responded, the nation as a whole continued to spurn God’s gracious offer.
Illustration: In September of 1900, a killer hurricane bore down on Galveston Island. One old bridge connected the island to the mainland, serving as the only evacuation route for thousands. Even without modern-day detection systems, the coming hurricane was spotted, and ample warnings given. There were no visible signs; people living on the island couldn’t actually see the hurricane nor hear its fury—so they chose to do nothing. When that terrible storm struck, six thousand people were killed, and the city of Galveston destroyed. Today a strong concrete sea wall stands as a barrier against such disaster, but also as a reminder that a century ago, thousands of people heard a message of warning and chose not to respond (Gangel, K. O. (1998). Vol. 5: Acts. Holman New Testament Commentary (48–49). Nashville, TN: Broadman & Holman Publishers.).
2) Restoring Joy (Acts 3:21)
[21]whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago. (ESV)
There can be no kingdom without the King. Peter told the crowd that if they would reverse the verdict of Passover evening, God would send the Christ appointed for them. The One who has been chosen, expressed here as a perfect passive; which is a categorical statement, in that there can be no other appointee (Mills, M. S. (1998). The Acts of the Apostles (Ac 3:12). Dallas: 3E Ministries.)
Please turn to Romans 8
Some may have wondered why, if Jesus were the Messiah, He did not remain and set up His kingdom. In reply, Peter reiterates the truth that in God’s sovereign timetable the fulfillment of the kingdom follows the nation’s repentance. Until that time, Jesus will remain as it says in verse 21, in heaven. Jesus waits in heaven (2:33–34; compare Psa 110:1). This explanation would help the audience understand why Jesus is not present at that moment. This stage of God’s plan calls for Christ to reign in heaven while waiting to restore all things (Barry, J. D., Grigoni, M. R., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Mangum, D., & Whitehead, M. M. (2012). Faithlife Study Bible (Ac 3:21). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.)
The period for restoring (apokatastaseos) means to return something to its original state. It is used of restorative healing (Matthew 12:13; Luke 6:10) and pictures the Messiah’s work (Malachi 4:5–6; Mark 9:12; Matthew 17:11; Acts 1:6). Peter explained that a national restoration could happen if the Jews would turn from their sin and to God by accepting Jesus as their long-awaited Messiah (Barton, B. B., & Osborne, G. R. (1999). Acts. Life Application Bible Commentary (52). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House.).
• There is also a personal restoration through repentance. When a life is surrendered to God, the Holy Spirit produces love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control (Gal. 5:22-23)
The personal restoration is indicative of a much wider restoration:
Romans 8:18-25 [18]For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. [19]For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. [20]For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope [21]that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. [22]For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. [23]And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. [24]For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? [25]But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience. (ESV)
Thus, while Luke gives enormous stress, both in the Gospel and Acts, to the fact and achievement of the first coming of Christ, he never loses sight of the future horizon and the final fulfilling of God’s purposes at Christ’s coming again. For Peter’s hearers their invitation to repent and believe, and receive forgiveness, did not mean salvation was confined to a merely personal experience in the immediate present. Rather their repentance and faith in Christ would bring them into an entirely new sphere of being, the long-promised kingdom of God, and hence to a full participation in its final, culminating realization when the ascended Lord would be the descending Lord, ‘with power and great glory,’ as he had himself promised (Luke 21:27); a fullness in the terms presented in the Old Testament prophets (cf. Isa. 65–66; 34:4; 51:6; Jer. 15:18–19; 16:15; 23:8; 24:6; Ezek. 17:23). The verb restore points to a transformation which will at the very least recover the pristine character of the original creation (Milne, B. (2010). The Acts of the Apostles: Witnesses to Him ... to the Ends of the Earth. Focus on the Bible Commentary (101–102). Ross-shire, Great Britain: Christian Focus Publications.).
The truths Peter proclaimed were not new; God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets long ago/from ancient time. God is always the speaker, the prophets are always the media or instruments “through” whom he speaks. It is the “mouth” of the prophets which God uses, for the very words they speak are those desired by God, and the “mouth” is mentioned although the written word is referred to. The prophets are called “holy” as being set apart and belonging to God who makes them his mouthpiece (Lenski, R. C. H. (1961). The Interpretation of the Acts of the Apostles (144). Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg Publishing House.).
• The faithful followers of Christ fulfill a similar yet distinctive role today. We have a similar role to be the mouthpieces of God, both proclaiming and living His joy. Yet it is distinct, for when our words and life do not reflect the joyful call to repentance, and we become rapped up in our own entertainment, we must repent ourselves and return to exemplifying a joyful message and life.
Illustration: 5067 Walking Revival!
Newspapermen went down from London to report at firsthand the marvelous happenings of the great Welsh revival at the turn-of-the-last century. On their arrival in Wales one of them asked a policeman where the Welsh revival was. Drawing himself to his full height he laid his hand over his heart and proclaimed: “Gentlemen, the Welsh revival is inside this uniform!” (Tan, P. L. (1996). Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times. Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc.).
3) Resulting Joy (Acts 3:22-24)
Acts 3:22-24 [22]Moses said, 'The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. [23]And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.' [24]And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days. (ESV)
As an example of a prophet through whom God spoke, Peter cites Moses—Israel’s first and greatest prophet. In Deuteronomy 18:15, quoted here by Peter, Moses spoke of the coming Messiah: The Lord God will/shall raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers/brethren. You shall listen/give to him in whatever/everything he tells you. The prophet like Moses was generally regarded by the Jews as the Messiah (cf. John 1:21, 25; 6:14; 7:40). In English, we have two verbs that are synonyms, yet each can have its own distinct meaning. They are the verbs to hear and to listen. To hear means, among other things, “to perceive with the ear.” To listen signifies “to hear with thoughtful attention.” Due to the multiplicity of noises that we hear around us, we often fail to listen. That is, our minds possess an uncanny ability to hear but not respond. Children at times demonstrate this proficiency of hearing without listening when bedtime approaches. Parents gently remind them to get ready for bed, but find that the youngsters continue to stall for time. If the children do not respond even after repeated and sometimes more persistent reminders, father or mother often asks: “Do you hear me?” Certainly they hear, but they fail to listen.
• Similar episodes also occur daily in our own adult lives. Speaking to us of his Son, God says, “You must listen to everything he tells you.” We nod and promise to do so. But when we examine ourselves, we confess that even though Jesus speaks to us when we read the Scriptures, we fail to act obediently. Remember, therefore, that God spoke from heaven at the time of Jesus’ transfiguration and said: “This is my Son, whom I love; I am well pleased with him. Listen to him!” (Matt. 17:5) (Kistemaker, S. J., & Hendriksen, W. (1953-2001). Vol. 17: Exposition of the Acts of the Apostles. New Testament Commentary (138). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.)
Moses also warned of the consequences of rejecting the Messiah. In Deuteronomy 18:19, also quoted by Peter in verse 23, Moses cautioned, And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to/heed that prophet shall be destroyed from the people. Rejection of the Messiah would result in loss of the covenant blessings. That was the perilous condition in which Peter’s hearers found themselves. Those who persist in rejecting Jesus Christ, whether Jew or Gentile, will forfeit God’s promised blessings. They will be destroyed from the people—killed and damned.
This is not only the message of Moses, but as verse 24 mentions, and all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him/his successors onward, also proclaimed/announced these days. The prophet Samuel lived during the transition between the judges and the kings of Israel, and he was the first in a succession of prophets. Samuel had anointed David as king and had spoken clearly of the establishment of David’s kingdom (1 Samuel 13:14; 15:28; 16:13; 28:17; see also 2 Samuel 7:12–16). Peter wanted his audience to come to grips with the fact that from the inception of the prophetic office down through the whole order of the prophets, all had spoken of these days, which had found their ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ (Barton, B. B., & Osborne, G. R. (1999). Acts. Life Application Bible Commentary (52–53). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House.)
Please turn to Luke 24
Jesus fulfilled numerous Old Testament prophecies, leaving the nation without excuse. In John 5:39, to the unbelieving Jews Jesus said, “You search the Scriptures, because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is these that bear witness of Me” (John 5:39). Luke 24:25–27 records His rebuke of two of His followers:
Luke 24:25-27 [25]And he said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! [26]Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?" [27]And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. (ESV)
• Israel’s problem, and all those who reject Christ is moral, not intellectual; It is one of a lack of repentance, not information.
Illustration: 2680 What Secular Books Say
The Encyclopedia Britannica uses 20,000 words to tell about Jesus, and never hints that He did not exist. This is more words than the Britannica allows for Aristotle, Alexander the Great, Cicero, Julius Caesar, or Napoleon Bonaparte. H. G. Wells blasphemed Jesus, yet he felt compelled to discuss Jesus on ten pages in his Outline of History and never questioned that a man named Jesus did live (Tan, P. L. (1996). Encyclopedia of 7700 Illustrations: Signs of the Times. Garland, TX: Bible Communications, Inc.).
4) Realized Joy (Acts 3:25–26)
Acts 3:25-26 [25]You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, 'And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.' [26]God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness." (ESV)
Please turn to Romans 9
Peter closes on a hopeful note. In spite of their sin of rejecting the Messiah, they were still the sons of the prophets, and of the covenant. The apostle Paul expressed that truth in:
Romans 9:3-5 [3]For I could wish that I myself were accursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my kinsmen according to the flesh. [4]They are Israelites, and to them belong the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises. [5]To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen. (ESV)
They were heirs of all the promised covenant blessings—more so than any other generation, since in their lifetime Messiah had come. God’s covenant with Abraham found its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus Christ. He is the offspring/seed of Abraham in whom all the families of the earth be blessed. The word “offspring/seed” is singular here. Much as in Gal 3:16, the Abrahamic covenant is related to Christ. He is that sole offspring/seed in whom blessing would come (Polhill, J. B. (1995). Vol. 26: Acts. The New American Commentary (137). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)
That blessing was still available. The leaders had made their choice when they killed Jesus. These people now faced theirs.
• Although you may have many reasons to complain: perhaps your childhood was abusive or neglectful, you inherited certain medical conditions, your environment might be difficult, but you now have a choice. You can either continue to blame your circumstances on others as an excuse and continue the decline, or you can realize the life changing opportunity through Christ before you and live through Him. He doesn't promise to remove all your difficulties, but give you the resources to overcome and transcend them
Because of God’s grace, mercy, and love for Israel, He did not permanently reject them even when they rejected His Son (Rom. 11:2). It was for them that verse 26 concludes by saying that God, having raised up His Servant, sent Him to you first, to bless you. By preaching the gospel to the Jewish people first, Peter and the apostles were obeying the mandate of their Lord. In Luke 24:47, He told them that “repentance for forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.” In His last conversation with them before His ascension, He repeated that command: “But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Even Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, acknowledged that the gospel was “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Rom. 1:16).
All the rich blessings of salvation and all the covenant promises are available. Peter’s hearers, and everyone today can obtain them, however, by turning every one of you from your wickedness/wicked ways. Peter concluded his message with the statement that God wants to turn people away from sin in order to “bless” them. This is exactly the opposite of what many believe. They consider God the ultimate party pooper, a kind of cosmic killjoy who wants to turn people from sin in order to make them miserable. Why do we tend to think like this? Because of the craftiness of our enemy. The consummate liar, he has—since the beginning of the human race—been successful in tempting us to doubt God’s goodness. If God withholds something from us—fruit in a place called Eden, illicit sex, etc.—it must be because he is trying to deny us some secret blessing. That is how we reason if we doubt the goodness of God. But if we embrace the truth that God is good, then we acknowledge that God prohibits certain things in order to bless our lives “infinitely more than we would ever dare to ask or hope” (Ephesians 3:20 (Barton, B. B., & Osborne, G. R. (1999). Acts. Life Application Bible Commentary (54). Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House.)
(Format Note: some base commentary from MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (1994). Acts. MacArthur New Testament Commentary (117–123). Chicago: Moody Press.)
