Acts 3:17-21

Acts 3:17-21

And now, brothers, we have known that according to ignorance you acted – just as also your rulers.  And God, to whom he announced beforehand through the mouth of all the prophets to his Christ suffer, fulfilled similarly.  Therefore repent and turn around in order that your sins are being wiped away by which means times of refreshing should come from the face of the Lord and he should send forth the one who has been hand-picked for you all: Jesus Christ.  Who in one case it is necessary to receive heaven until the times of restoration of all things that God called out through a mouth of the prophets from his era.

Thoughts for Today:

First Thought:

When Peter says that the people who condemned Jesus acted in ignorance, he is not saying that they are free from guilt.  God may have known Jesus was going to die – and He may have even known that salvation would come through the act – but that does not absolve those who rejected Jesus from the guilt of that action.  In the same way, anyone who has since rejected Jesus will be held accountable for that choice as well.

So, what does it mean to accept or receive Jesus?  How do you know when a person has done so?

Second Thought:

Peter does tell the people what to do should they find themselves face to face with guilt: repent.  Repentance is that moment in life where we recognize just how bad the works of our hands are and how much we need God to make the best out of life.  Repentance is that moment when we realize just how badly we’ve screwed up and we need God to come along and show us how to do things right.  In its most generalized sense, repentance is when we recognize that we’re sinful and we are overcome with our remorse for that fact.

If all it takes is that we genuinely repent before God, why do you think there is such resistance to the idea of believing in God?  Is it so hard to acknowledge our mistakes and have a contrite heart before God?

Third Thought:

Peter also talks about looking forward to the future when God will restore the world.  Imagine living in a world where people always do the right thing.  Imagine a world where jokes are actually always funny and never hurtful.  Imagine living in a world where our thoughts are genuinely always focused on what God would have us thinking about.

What does that time mean to you?  What are you looking forward to the most with respect to living in a world that God has remade to be without sin?

Passage for Tomorrow: Acts 3:22-26