Times Of Refreshing

TIMES OF REFRESHING

Acts 3:19-20

INTRODUCTION

A. HUMOR

1. There are a lot of people who need revival!

2. One lady, Vickie, called a lawyer’s office. She made an appointment with their Family Law department.

3. "How can I help you, ma’am?" asks the lawyer. "Is it true," asks Vickie, "that if I get divorced, I'm entitled to 50% of all of my husband's possessions?"

4. "Well," the lawyer replies, "the law firm would get their fee, of course, but after that, it’s usually the case that the woman ends up receiving at least 50% of her husband’s entire assets. So, are you ready to file for your divorce?"

5. "Oh no," replied Vickie, "I need to find a husband first."

B. BIBLE MEANING: REFRESH

1. EVERYBODY LIKES THINGS TO BE FRESH! Like fresh FOOD, fresh COFFEE, fresh FLOWERS, new innovations. We like new EXPERIENCES, we don’t want things that are STALE or WORN, we like them JUST MADE or JUST BEGUN!

2. We’re talking about getting ‘re-freshed’ today. This word is used in the Bible about what God’s Word (Ps. 19:7) does for us; it’s what God’s Presence (Ps. 23:3) does, and what Christian fellowship (Rom. 15:32; Phim. 1:7) does for us. Refreshes us!

C. TEXT: Acts 3:19-20

1. After healing the crippled beggar it the temple, the apostle Peter urged the crowd to embrace “the refreshing” made possible by Christ.

2. “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times [‘seasons,’ ASV] of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before” Acts 3:19-20.

3. So tonight we’re looking at what the Holy Spirit meant in Acts 3 when He invited us to “Times of Refreshing.”

I. REQUIREMENTS TO GET THE REFRESHING

“Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out...” Acts 3:19a

A. REPENT. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO REPENT?

1. To review one's actions &

2. feel REGRET for past wrongs.

3. to commitment to PERSONAL CHANGE and resolving to live a more responsible life.

4. It usually refers to CONFESSION to God or admission of guilt to the one wronged.

5. It typically includes a promise or resolve not to repeat the offense and/or an attempt to make RESTITUTION for the wrong where possible.

6. BIBLICAL TERMS FOR REPENTANCE. In Biblical Hebrew is ??? shuv (to return) and ??? nicham (to feel sorrow). In the N. T. is the Greek word µet????a (metanoia), “change of thinking.” But many Christians have a wrong concept about repentance.

7. In his book, I Surrender, Patrick Morley writes that the church's integrity problem is in the misconception "that we can add Christ to our lives, but not subtract sin. It is a change in belief without a change in behavior." He goes on to say, "It is revival without reformation, without repentance." [Quoted by C. Swindoll, John The Baptizer, Bible Study Guide, p. 16.]

8. Biblical repentance starts with a U-Turn. And a Christian can’t continue to grow without regular repentance. Repentance KEEPS us right (1 Jn. 1:9). Regular repentance is hard because we’re busy, we’re prideful, and we’re often overlook holiness.

9. There are 3 ELEMENTS of genuine repentance:

a. First, there is CONVICTION. This is when the Spirit of God and our conscience tell us, “You’re on the wrong road!” Conviction is God waving a red flag of warning.

b. The second element of true repentance is CONTRITION or “godly sorrow,” as it is called in 2 Cor. 7:10. It’s sincere regret over past sins and an earnest desire to walk in a new path of righteousness.

c. Third, repentance carries with it the idea of CHANGE–changing your mind, your attitude, and your ways. If we’re truly repentant, we’ll make a reversal of direction.

B. ILLUS.: Changed Character (Converted)

1. An old legend tells us about two brothers who were convicted of stealing sheep in an Old World country. For their punishment, they each were branded on the forehead with the letters ST, for "sheep thief."

2. One brother, bitter to the core, ran away to another land to build a new life. Even there, people continually asked him about the strange letters on his forehead. He was agitated so much by the stigma, that he became a recluse.

3. The other brother thought his predicament out. "I can't run away from the fact that I stole sheep,” he said, "But I will stay here and win back the respect of my neighbors and myself."

4. As the years went by, he earned a sterling reputation of honesty, respect, and love. One day a stranger saw the old man with the letters branded on his forehead. He asked a citizen of the town what the letters stood for.