Acts 3:11-20
Last week as we began looking at Acts 3 we saw in verses 1-10 the lame man asking for something temporary when he asked Peter and John for money. However, he got something better when Peter reached down and took him by the hand because he got working legs. This miracle quickly led to Peter’s 2nd sermon.
If you remember, when the lame man was healed he not only walked, he leaped into the air, and he went into the temple praising God.
This commotion drew a big crowd and gave Peter yet another opportunity to preach the gospel to the crowd that had gathered around the former lame man.
Today I want to examine Peter’s sermon and ask a question. Is the church preaching the same message today?
The recent hot topic in the news has been that the Catholic Church is rewriting a few things to be more acceptable to the world we live in today and churches of many denominations are working at becoming more acceptable to society...
I wonder what Peter thought about being politically correct?
Well open your Bibles and let’s find out. PRAYER
Peter’s sermon has 3 main points that I believe should be closely examined:
1. Peter says…You chose a murderer over the Messiah: look at verses 13-14.
Barabbas was chosen over Jesus by Jews. You see the custom was that every year at Passover a convicted criminal would be set free as a demonstration of mercy.
Barabbas was the most notorious criminal of that day. He was guilty of treason, of rebellion against the government of robbery and even murder. But when Pilate asked the crowds to choose between Jesus and Barabbas as to whom they desired to be set free, the crowd which had been worked into a frenzy called out, “Give us Barabbas!”
When Pilate asked what he should do with this Jesus, the crowd in unison cried out “Crucify Him!”
They chose a murderer and rejected their Messiah. They chose a guilty man and condemned an innocent man. They spared the life of a murderer and ordered the murder of the one who had raised the dead!
Now you might be saying to yourself, “Well pastor, that’s a good Bible lesson but what does that have to do with me?” LET ME TELL YOU
Barabbas represents everyone who rejects Christ as Savior.
“So pastor, are you saying that all unsaved people are thieves? Well let me tell you something… I have never stolen a thing in my life!”
My answer to you is yes, you have, every day that you reject Jesus you are robbing God of the glory which belongs to Him.
You and I were created for fellowship with God and to bring Him glory.
He allows you to walk His earth, breathe His air, enjoy the life you received from Him—but when you refuse to love and serve Him you rob Him!
The same goes for those who gave their hearts to Jesus but refuse to completely surrender to Him.
Now most people get saved to avoid hell. That’s all they want and that’s a good reason, but not exactly the best reason. We preachers are guilty of warning of the pending doom of hell but surrendering to Jesus just to avoid hell is actually a bit selfish. Why not get saved first and foremost to give God the glory He deserves!
Can I tell you what happens when you rebel? Each person who rejects Christ is doing more than just missing a great blessing; they are in reality shaking their fist in the face of God and saying “I don’t need you! I don’t want you! I can make it on my own!” that’s rebellion!
Even the child of God is capable of the same thing. (Prodigal son) “I’m going to heaven!…I don’t need anything else from You…!
We read in Psalm 14:1 & 53:1 where it says “The fool says in his heart, there is no God…”
We usually apply to an atheist…but in studying the Hebrew text I found the words “there is” are placed inside [brackets]. In most cases the brackets mean that the words are not in the original text or at least not in the form we read.
If [there is] is NOT in the original Hebrew then it simply reads “The fool has said in his heart ‘NO, God!’”
In other words “God, I don’t want your authority in my life! I reject Your influence, Your rules, Your Word and I reject Your Authority etc.!
How many times have you been in a restaurant and the server asks if you would like desert but you are too full so you say, no dessert?
Now it’s not that you don’t believe in the existence of dessert, but that you don’t want any, or don’t have room for it and so you reject the offer!
You may, very much, believe in the existence of God. You may have somewhere, sometime prayed some prayer but you have no room for Him and when you say no to God, YOU ARE A rebel, a thief just like Barabbas.
Ladies & gentlemen Christians can and do rebel. We say, “No God! There’s no room for You in my life!”
Barabbas was a thief. He was a rebel BUT he was also a:
• Murderer—“pastor are you accusing us of murder?”…I sure am. You might ask…“Who have I killed?” My answer to you would be “God’s only begotten Son”! And so did I…it was my sin and yours that nailed Him to that cross!
R. G. Lee was witnessing to a man one day who said, I guess I’ve done about every sin but kill a man…R.G. Lee said, no you did that too!
The first thing Peter said was: “you desired a murderer” and when you reject Jesus you choose the murderer of all murderers, Satan himself.
Have you ever really thought about that?
To deny and reject Jesus is to choose the devil, his world and his way.
2. Next Peter says: You have denied the Lord: look at verses 13-14
Twice Peter uses the word ‘denied’
He tells them that they have denied the RISEN Lord in verse 15.
One thing about Peter is that he can’t help but mention the resurrection in all his sermons. Why is that? Because the resurrection is the proof that Jesus is who he says He is and that we’re right!
The tone of the sermon suddenly changes, however, as Peter offers them a way to be cleared of these charges!
Peter tells them not only have you denied a risen Lord…but you have also denied a redeeming Lord.
Look at verse 17. Peter tells them what they did was done in ignorance.
Even though they knew He was an innocent “man”, they truly didn’t believe He was the Messiah.
I feel at this point we must understand that this is a Jewish crowd, familiar with the law, which teaches there is a clear difference between willful sins and sins of ignorance. They understood that God places willful sin and sins of ignorance in completely different categories. As different as murder and manslaughter!
As a matter of fact the book of Numbers chapter 35 talks about a city of refuge.
[Numbers 35:11 NKJV] “then you shall appoint cities to be cities of refuge for you, that the manslayer who kills any person accidentally may flee there.”
This is different from “I’ll kill that sorry piece of work!” and more like “Man! He hit me and I hit him back but sure didn’t think I hit him that hard.” God is not excusing them of their guilt, but he is modifying the circumstances and the charge is reduced from murder to manslaughter and now there is a glimmer of hope!
Peter started off as the prosecuting attorney, but now he moves up close to them, walked over to their side and becomes their defense attorney.
Now he’s pointing their attention to someone seated above them: the judge who pardons!
Let me ask you this. Do you know where our spiritual city of refuge is?
Our “city of Refuge” is in Jesus Christ!
Do you know how long could a person could stay in the OT city of refuge?
According to Scripture they stayed as long as the high priest lived!
Now MY Bible says our High Priest, who is Jesus Christ, lives forever!
Peter has said, you desired a murderer, you denied the Lord…
3. You must decide to repent: Look at verse 19
The gospel is not complicated! The simple truth is that we are all sinners, we are all Barabbas. Just like Barabbas, you too can be set free. Even though you may be as guilty as Barabbas, you can be set free.
I believe that Pilate brought Barabbas out thinking that, surely they’ll pick Jesus over Barabbas. Why just look at him! He’s a thief and a murderer, surely he can’t find forgiveness! The truth behind this scene is that, because of Jesus, the vilest of sinners can be set free!
