After the man who had been crippled for over 40 years was miraculously healed, an astonished crowd gathered around this restored man who was now clinging to Peter and John with ecstatic joy. Peter responded to their incredulity by beginning the second of his sermons/speeches recorded by Luke in Acts. He asked them why they were so amazed and why they were looking at Peter and John as if they had the power and godliness to heal of their own accord.
But if they didn’t have the power, who did? Peter then developed an understanding for these men of Israel by referring to the God their fathers … the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Their God, Yahweh, had glorified Jesus, the Servant of God. But Jesus, whom God had elevated so highly was not kindly received by the Jews, for they delivered Him over to Pilate, denying His identity as Messiah, even when Pilate was prepared to release Him. Peter asserted quite emphatically that they had renounced, repudiated, and denied Jesus, who was in fact the Holy One, instead requesting a murderer to be released instead! In fact, the One they killed was actually the Author of Life, a title that Peter attributed to Jesus. Of course, the Author of Life could not remain in the grave, and God had indeed raised Him to life … of this, the apostles were eyewitnesses. This is the One … and faith in Jesus (and in His name) is what had brought divine healing to this crippled man.
So what about them, the murderers of Jesus?!? Peter now delivers a message of kindness, telling them that their evil actions were done in ignorance of Jesus’ true identity. Nevertheless, Jesus had fulfilled all the messianic prophecies – He was God’s Christ. And their ignorance would not be excused, nor could it assuage their guilt before God; and so Peter urged his audience to now repent, to turn back from their sin for the forgiveness of their sins, and their reception of Jesus as Lord would bring relief to their consciences. After all, Jesus was THE Prophet that Moses had foretold; and to fail to listen to Jesus would be disastrous, resulting in their eternal destruction. All the prophets had spoken of Jesus; and Jesus had been sent first to Israel to bless them through the offer of repentance. How would they respond: continued rejection, or would they repent and believe on Jesus, the One whom they had crucified?
You can listen to this teaching on Acts 3:11-26 by clicking on the following link: Peter’s Sermon In Solomon’s Portico
