It Wasn't Us!
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This morning we are picking back up in the book of Acts. If you’re new to our church, it would be good for you to know that we practice a form of preaching called “Expository Preaching”. What that means is we believe the Bible is best taught by taking books of the Bible and then studying them chapter by chapter, verse by verse, in order to understand what they mean in our lives today.
With that said, we are currently working our way through the book of Acts. A book of the Bible that gives us a template for the mission and purpose of the church. Jesus sums up it p like this in . Right before Jesus ascends into heaven He says this:
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
In this statement Jesus gives us the mission of the church and the means to accomplish the mission.
The mission is to take the gospel to the entire world. And the means for that to be accomplished is through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit.
So as a result, not only have we been studying the mission of the church, for the last several weeks we have been studying the empowerment of the Spirit as well.
An event that took place in as God poured His Spirit out upon the first Christians. And with that outpouring came a spiritual empowerment that enabled the first Christians to share the gospel with supernatural boldness, authority, and power.
Last week we saw the first demonstration of this empowerment as Peter and John were on their way to the temple to pray.
You may recall as Peter and John approached the temple, they encountered an opportunity for ministry. Luke puts it like this:
2 And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple.
Acts 3:
Luke says the opportunity is a man who has been crippled from birth. A man who for years had sat outside of the temple begging for mercy from those who passed by. A man who had never been able to enter the temple and experience the presence of God. And it’s at this point Peter and John see opportunity.
Because while they had passed by this man many times before, this time it’s different. This time Peter and John are operating under the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. This time Peter and John are spiritually equipped and prepared to minister to the needs of this man. This time Peter and John are walking with a spiritual mindset.
So, seeing the opportunity, instead of passing him buy, they stop. And in this moment of divine opportunity they offer this man something money can’t buy. They offer him something no doctor can give him. They offer him the healing power of Jesus. Luke records it like this:
4 And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” 5 And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. 6 But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” 7 And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong.
Luke says in a moment of spiritual awareness and boldness, Peter and John operate in the power of the Spirit as they offer this man the ability to walk.
How did they do it? How was it possible? They did it in the name of Jesus. A name that has power. A name that has authority. A name that brings hope, healing, and salvation. And in that moment a lame man who had never walked, got up.
Now, while that’s an amazing story, the real question is, “How does this apply to us?”
And as we learned last week, it applies in the same way. How do we know? For two reasons:
Number 1, The fact is, people like this man are still sitting outside of the church today:
People who are spiritually crippled and are separated from God.
People whose marriages are crippled and on the brink of divorce.
People who are crippled by addiction and substance abuse.
People who are crippled by depression and thoughts of suicide.
People who are living with no hope for tomorrow. The fact is, people like this man still sit outside of the church today.
Number 2, it applies because if we’ll embrace the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, Jesus still wants to heal those people through us. Because that’s what the gospel is all about.
The good news of the Gospel is that Jesus Christ has come to heal the spiritually broken person.
And because of Jesus, they don’t have to live in a crippled state any longer. The good news of the Gospel is that Jesus Christ has come to heal the spiritually broken person. Jesus himself says this in :
18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me,
because he has anointed me
to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives
and recovering of sight to the blind,
to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
Jesus Christ has come to restore broken relationships.
Jesus Christ has come to deliver people from addictions.
Jesus Christ has come to bring hope into hopeless.
And most importantly, Jesus Christ has come to restore what sin has stolen and restore our relationship with God. Jesus has come to raise us up.
That’s the message of hope Peter and John brought to this crippled man, and it’s the message of hope we can bring to people as well.
The fact is, what happened through Peter and John can happen through us. The truth is, if we’ll walk with a spiritual mindset. If we’ll be open to the opportunities that surround us. God will put people in our path who need help and healing. People who are spiritually crippled. People who are in need of a savior.
Like Peter and John we have to walk with a spiritual mindset. Because as the man sat there begging for alms, Peter and John didn’t pass him by. They didn’t pretend like they didn’t see him. They weren’t distracted by their smartphones. They weren’t preoccupied with their own needs. No, seeing the opportunity, they stopped. And in this moment of opportunity they offered him something money couldn’t buy. They offered him something no doctor could give him. They offered him Jesus.
So, seeing the opportunity, instead of passing him buy, they stop. And in this moment of opportunity they offer this man something money can’t buy. They offer him something no doctor can give him. They offer him the healing power of Jesus. Luke records it like this:
4 And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” 5 And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. 6 But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” 7 And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong.
Acts 3:
Luke says in a moment of spiritual boldness, for the first time Peter and John operate in the power of the Spirit as they offer this man the ability to walk.
How did they do it? They did it in the name of Jesus. A name that has power. A name that has authority. A name that brings hope, healing, and salvation. And in that moment a lame man who had never walked rose up.
And what happened in that moment through Peter and John can happen through us as well. The truth is, if we too will walk with a spiritual mindset. If we too will be open to the opportunities that surround us. God will put people in our path who need help and healing. People who are in need of a savior. People who are spiritually crippled.
And in that moment of opportunity, if we are willing to step out in faith, through the power of the Spirit we can offer them hope and healing. In the name of Jesus we can help a spiritually crippled person walk.
Which brings us to our passage today. Because as we saw last week, if we’re willing to do that, it’s going to get people’s attention. Because when crippled people begin to walk again, people take notice. Listen to how the people responded in Peter and John’s situation:
Now, you might be thinking, “Wow pastor, that sounds
Now, as we saw last week, if we’re willing to do that, it’s going to get people’s attention. Because when crippled people begin to walk again, people take notice. Listen to how the people responded in Peter and John’s situation:
Acts 3:
9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.
When the people saw this crippled man walking, the man everybody knew was crippled. The man that used to sit at the Beautiful Gate. When they saw him walking, they were amazed. They were filled with wonder.
And the same will be true when you and I step out in faith and help somebody spiritually crippled walk.
The same will be true when you lead somebody to Jesus, and God delivers them from drug addiction.
The same will be true when you lead somebody to Jesus, and a broken marriage is healed.
The same will be true when you lead somebody to Jesus, and a broken marriage is healed.
The same will be true when you lead somebody to Jesus, and they are delivered from alcoholism.
The same will be true when you lead somebody to Jesus, and they are delivered from alcoholism.
The same will be true when you lead somebody to Jesus, and they are delivered from pornography addiction.
The same will be true when you lead somebody to Jesus, and they are delivered from pornography addiction.
The same will be true when you lead somebody to Jesus, and people begin to say:
And he same will be true when you and I step out in faith and lead somebody to Jesus. It will catch people’s attention. And as the crippled person begins to walk, in amazement they will say:
“Isn’t that Joe, the guy that used to get wasted every weekend at the bar?”
Isn’t that Sally the meth head, the woman I used to see wondering around town?”
“Isn’t that the couple that was separated but seems to be working it out?”
Isn’t that the student who was known as a trouble maker, but is now challenging other students to live for Jesus?”
“Isn’t that the person who used to walk around in a state of depression but now is covered in joy?”
“Isn’t that the person who was always negative but is now full of positivity?”
Isn’t that the person who used to cut people down but is now lifting them up?”
Isn’t that the person who used to cuss like a sailor and now they speak words of hope and affirmation?”
Isn’t that the person who used to gossip about everybody, and now their praising others?”
You see, when you lead a spiritually crippled person to Jesus, people take notice. People take notice when people who were once crippled begin to walk.
And when that happens, new doors of opportunity are going to open up as people begin to ask questions and seek answers.
That’s what it did for Peter and John. Because listen to what Luke tells us happened next as Peter and John entered the temple with the formerly crippled man. Picking up in verse 11, Luke writes:
Acts 3:11
11 While he clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in the portico called Solomon’s.
Luke says in the aftermath of this miracle, the people were so taken back by what had happened, that they began to run towards Peter and John looking for answers.
Can you imagine the scene. Here’s a guy who has never walked, running, jumping, and leaping down the isles of the church. It would have been quite a scene.
And the same is going to happen to you. Because when you operate in the power of the Spirit, and when spiritually crippled people begin to walk, their friends, family, and co-workers are going to want to know what happened?
How did their friend, their brother, their sister, their co-worker, their father, their mother, their son, or their daughter experience such a drastic change in their life? What happened? How did they overcome the addiction? How did they save their marriage? How did they overcome the depression? How did they put the bottle down? How did they literally become a different person? Why do they have so much joy? What happened? Whose responsible? What’s going on out at the church by Taco Bell?
And the fact is, the person that is going to be standing there with their friend, family member, or co-worker isn’t going to be me or someone else, it’s going to be you. Like Peter and John you will be standing there and people are going to be looking at you for answers. Because:
You’re the one who invited them to church for Christmas.
You’re the one who told them about Jesus.
You’re the one who showed them a better way.
You’re the one who acted on the opportunity.
The fact is, people are going to be looking at you wanting to know how this has happened.
And in that moment a wide door of opportunity is going to open for you. An opportunity to lead more people to Jesus.
The question then is, “What do you say? How do you explain the change in that person? How do you explain what has happened? How do you explain that they are no longer the same person? How do you explain that somebody who was once spiritually crippled is now walking?”
I think we need to know the answer to that question, don’t you?
Do you tell them, “Go talk to Pastor Brad?” Do you tell them
I think we need to be able to explain why 35 people got baptized last month.
I think we need to be able to explain why our parking lot is full on a Wednesday night for a prayer meeting.
I think we need to be able to explain why lives are being transformed on a weekly basis. Because at some point, somebody is going to ask you. Somebody is going to take notice. And you and I need to know what to say.
Thankfully, Peter and John are going to show us what to say. Because as the people gather around them, Peter takes advantage of another opportunity to share the gospel and explain this miraculous event.
And what we’re going to see, is it’s not so much an explanation as it is a call to a change in behavior and belief. In other words, Peter is going to use the excitement of this miracle to issue three challenges for change.
And to be honest, that’s what encounters like this are meant to do. Because in this moment people are open to listen to what you have to say. A miracle has taken place and they want to know how it’s happened.
So, here’s what we are going to do today.
First, we are going to read through the passage and see how Peter addressed the people.
Second, we are going to walk back through the passage uncover the challenges he gives.
Finally, we’re going to determine what these challenges mean for us.
So, with that as our basis, let’s pick back up in as Peter addresses the gathering crowd. Luke writes:
11 While he clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in the portico called Solomon’s. 12 And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? 13 The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. 14 But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. 16 And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.
17 “And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. 18 But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled. 19 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, 20 that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, 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. 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. 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.”
11 While he clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in the portico called Solomon’s. 12 And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? 13 The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. 14 But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. 16 And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.
17 “And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. 18 But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled. 19 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, 20 that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, 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. 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. 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.’
There’s a lot happening in this passage, and we’re going to get to all of it, but what I want you to notice first is how Peter begins to explain the miracle. Notice what he wants people to understand first. Again Luke writes:
Acts 3:11-
12 And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk?
Peter begins by saying, “Listen, it wasn’t us!”. So, why does Peter start there? He starts there because as you can imagine, in situations like this, people tend to look for answers in the wrong places. And in doing so, they tend to put their faith in the wrong thing.
Think of it like this. If you had cancer and somebody told you there was a doctor who could cure cancer, what would you do? You’d find out who that doctor was, right? And you would go find him hoping he could heal you. Because apparently he has figured out something other doctors haven’t. He has an insight, an ability, a drug, a treatment he’s developed, something that can apparently cure cancer. And now your hope for a cure is in this doctor’s ability.
Think of it like this. How many of you have ever been to a magic show or watched a magician on tv? A lot of us have, right? And if they’re good, it’s a of fun to watch.
Think of it like this. If you had cancer and somebody told you there was a doctor who could cure cancer, what would you do? You’d find out who that doctor was, right? And you would go find that doctor hoping they could heal you. Apparently they have an insight, an ability, a drug, a treatment something they’e developed, something that can apparently cure cancer. And now your hope for a cure is in this doctor’s ability.
But, let’s just be honest, when you watch that magician make something disappear, saw somebody in half, or make something float, while you’re amazed, at the same time your skeptical. At the same time you’re thinking, “This isn’t real. This is an illusion. You can’t make something disappear. There would be blood all over the place if they really sawed them in half. There’s a string attached to that floating object. What they’re doing is impossible. This is a trick.”
And because you know it’s not real, what you’re really focused on is, “How did they do it? How did they trick you into thinking the object disappeared. Tricked you into thinking they sawed that person in half. Tricked you into thinking objects can float. While your amazed, you want to know how did they appear to do something you know isn’t possible.”
In a way, that’s what’s going on here. Something impossible has happened. A man who was crippled is walking. And now the people want to know how Peter and John did this because this is an amazing power.
And so Peter begins by saying, “It wasn’t us!”, which leads us to the first challenge. I would state the challenge like this:
Challenge #1 - Stop putting your hope in what man can’t do.
Luke writes:
How do we know that? We know from the response Peter gives. Listen again to what Peter says first as the crowd gathers around him and John:
12 And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk?
Luke says the first thing Peter challenges the people to do is stop putting their hope in what is impossible for man to do.
You see, more than likely, what the people were wrongly assuming about Peter and John is that they were modern day sorcerers. That somehow they had tapped into a power or an ability to perform supernatural acts, or what appeared to be a supernatural act.
In fact, in the first century this was a common belief. When we get to we’re actually going to meet a man who claimed to be a sorcerer and amazed people. His name was Simon. Listen to what Luke tells us about him:
9 But there was a man named Simon, who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was somebody great.
9 But there was a man named Simon, who had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he himself was somebody great. 10 They all paid attention to him, from the least to the greatest, saying, “This man is the power of God that is called Great.” 11 And they paid attention to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic.
11 And they paid attention to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic.
9 And when his disciples asked him what this parable meant, 10 he said, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of God, but for others they are in parables, so that ‘seeing they may not see, and hearing they may not understand.’ 11 Now the parable is this: The seed is the word of God.
So sorcery is common in the 1st century. And as a result, based on what Peter and John have done, the people wrongly assume that they are sorcerer’s as well. That Peter and John have somehow harnessed a power that allows them to perform magic.
That being the case, the first thing Peter wants everybody to understand is he and John do not possess such a power. In other words, while they were part of what happened, the power that raised this man up didn’t come from them.
Peter says, “Listen, we aren’t magicians. We’re not sorcerers. So quit looking to us like we have some great power or ability. Don’t make the mistake of putting your hope in us, because we have no power.”
That somehow they had tapped into a power or an ability to do something miraculous.
And just like Peter and John, when we go to explain to people how Jesus has worked in a situation, we need to make sure people understand what has happened isn’t the result of human ability. What we need to make clear is that this change, this miracle, this radical transformation is not of human origin.
Now, at this point, you might be thinking, “Ok pastor, I get what you are saying. I can see why people in the 1st century would have thought Peter and John were sorcerers. But we live in the 21st century now pastor. We don’t believe in that kind of stuff now. We know better. Nobody is going to think I’m some kind of sorcerer that helped their friend.”
You’re probably right. But here’s the deal. Just like in the 1st century, in the 21st century we are still trying to explain and give man credit for what only God can do.
That’s true, right? Because when something miraculous or unexplainable happens, we tend to try and give man credit.
And no, we don’t call it sorcery, but we do have other names and explanations for the transformations we sometimes see in peoples lives.
For example, when God delivers somebody from alcohol, it’s easy to assume, “They must have gone through a great rehab program to kick that. Or AA must really be working for them. Or they must be really disciplined.” It’s gotta be something like that.
And to be honest, when it comes to leading somebody to Jesus, that’s always the first place you have to start. You have to start by knowing who you are talking to.
When a marriage is miraculously reconciled. It’s easy to assume, “They must have gotten some great marriage counseling.” Tell us, “What counselor did you go to? What marriage book did you read? What curriculum did you go through? What counsel saved your marriage?”
When an individual kicks depression, it’s easy to assume, “They must be on some strong anti-depressants. They must be going to counseling. They must have read a great self-help book. It’s gotta be something like that.”
For example, in Peter’s case, for the most part he is addressing a Jewish audience. Jewish people who are familiar with scripture the promises of God. As a result, much of what Peter will say is based on that knowledge.
When God heals somebody, it’s easy to assume, “The medicine must have worked. The chemo must be working. They must have a good doctor, he’s a real miracle worker.”
that tends to be what people assume. And please hear me, when I say all that:
I’m not saying that people shouldn’t go to rehab centers.
I’m not saying there’s anything wrong with AA.
I’m not saying there’s not a place for marriage counseling, anti-depressants, or a good book.
And I’m not saying you shouldn’t seek medical help for your sickness. Because there is a place for all of those things.
What I’m saying is, when God moves miraculously in somebody’s life, it’s easy for the world to try and explain it as a human ability.
But what Peter wants everybody to understand is there are some things that only God can do. There are some acts and miracles that no human being can perform. And when it comes to this lame man, this is one of those acts. Because his ability to walk has nothing to do with them.
And the same is true when it comes to the miracle of salvation. Salvation is an act only Jesus can perform. A miracle that we have nothing to do with. But you can be sure of this. People are going to want you to explain what has happened when Jesus transforms a life.
For example, people are going to want to know how and why 35 people were baptized on a Sunday morning at MCF. How is that possible? Why did that happen?
And concerning that, people are going to automatically make some assumptions. They’re going to assume, “It must have been Pastor Brad’s power of persuasion. He must be really good at manipulating people into doing something they wouldn't’ normally do.”
They’re going to assume, “It must have been the power of peer pressure. Everybody else was doing it so others felt pressured into doing it.” You see, they’re going to make some assumptions.
Or, “It must have been the power of peer pressure. Everybody else was doing it so others felt pressured into doing it.”
When it comes to a full parking lot on Wednesday night, people are going to make some assumptions. They’re going to assume, “Pastor Brad must be telling people stuff to make them feel good about themselves. He must be a really good motivational self-help speaker to get that many people to come out on a Wednesday night for a “Prayer” meeting.”
When it comes to your transformed friend, co-worker, or family member, some assumptions are going to be made. People are going to assume, “They must have finally gotten into rehab, finally gotten on some medication, finally gotten some counseling, finally gotten some discipline, finally listened to the doctor, finally read the book...” And the list goes on...
Do you see what I’m saying. And it’s in that moment that we have to be willing to stand up and say, “Listen, I know what this looks like. I know it would be easy to attribute it to some sort of human talent, ability, ingenuity, or knowhow. But what has happened isn’t of human origin. It’s nothing I did, MCF did, the doctor did, the counselor did, the book did, the rehab did, or Pastor Brad did.”
So, how did it happen? How did this person move from death to life? How did they kick the habit? How did they reconcile the marriage? How did they overcome the depression? How were they healed? How did they literally become what seems to be a different person?
And that’s when you say, “I’m glad you asked.” And you issue the second challenge. And the second challenge is this. If you want to know what has happened, then it’s time to:
Stop putting your hope in what man can do.
12 And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk?
Acts 3:
2. Stop denying Jesus and His power.
Peter goes on to say:
13 The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. 14 But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. 16 And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.
Acts 3:13-
After deferring credit away from himself, Peter now assigns credit where credit is due as he points the people towards Jesus. And in doing so, he makes some strong statements and accusations.
Notice what he says. He says,
“You want to know how this happened? Let me point you to the God of Abraham, Issac, and Jacob. Let me point you to the God of the Bible. The one and only true God.
Let me point you to His son. The one who you delivered over to Pilate. The one who you picked to be killed over an actual murderer. Let me point you to him.
Because contrary to popular opinion, he wasn’t just another man. In fact, He’s much more than that. He’s the author of life. He’s the one who breathed life into your nostrils. He’s the one who you thought was dead but is actually alive. You know who I’m talking about, right. His name is Jesus.
So, you want to know who did this? You want to know how this man is walking. He’s walking because Jesus, the Son of God, the author of life, the one you denied, the one you killed, healed him.”
In this moment, Peter goes for the jugular. He doesn’t mince any words. He simply tells the people the truth.
He does it First by pointing out their denial of Jesus. He points to their rejection of God’s son.
Second, he holds them accountable for Jesus’s death. They’re the reason God’s Son was killed.
Third, He tells them that while they thought their plot to kill Jesus worked, it didn't’. Because God raised Jesus from the dead
Finally, he tells them it’s by the name of Jesus that this man now walks. That through faith in Jesus God brought life and health back to this man.
You know what Peter is giving them? He’s given them the gospel.
And he tells them the person they’ve been denying is the one who raised this man up. That the person they crucified is the one who healed this man. That Jesus is the one responsible for this man’s miraculous healing.
And what Peter does in this moment is exactly what we need to be willing to do in our moment.. Because the fact is, most of the people we come in contact with when it comes to explaining the work of God, are going to be people who have heard or know about Jesus.
But unfortunately, for many, Jesus is just a name or an icon. A name they’ve often denied. A name they’ve often dismissed.
A name they’ve rejected in trade for human reasoning.
A name they’ve rejected in trade for religious thinking.
A name they’ve rejected in trade for human ability.
A name they’ve rejected in trade for cultural thinking.
A name for most that they believe has no power.
And that’s where we come in. That’s where we say, “Listen, it’s time for you to stop denying the truth. It’s time for you to stop rejecting Jesus. You want to know why your friend is different? You want to know how they kicked the depression. You want to know how they overcame the addiction. You want to know how the marriage was reconciled. You want to know why they seem like a different person now?
It’s because they’ve accepted the truth. They’ve recognized who Jesus really is.
They’ve accepted they are guilty of sin and it should have been them on the cross and not Jesus.
The Apostle Paul writes:
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
They’ve recognized that Jesus paid a price for their sin. But because HE was sinless, death couldn’t hold Him, and so He rose from the dead.
Luke writes:
24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.
They’ve now recognized that through faith, Jesus has the ability to save them. And so they put their faith and hope in Jesus. And when they did, Jesus came into their situation. Jesus transformed their life. That’s who did this. His name is Jesus.”
You know, the one you keep rejecting. The one you keep dismissing. That’s what happened to your friend. That’s what happened to your co-worker. That’s what happened to your loved one. That’s who did this. His name is Jesus.”
You see church, it’s ok to be frank with people. It’s ok to tell people the truth. We don’t have to dance around the truth. Honestly, I’m sick and tired of Christians trying to be politically correct with people who need Jesus. I’m tired of Christinas being afraid they might offend somebody if they tell them the truth. Listen, if you don’t tell them the truth about Jesus, then who will?
The Apostle Paul writes:
14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”
14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?
“But pastor, what if I make them mad? What if they won’t talk to me anymore? What if they think I’m some kind of religious nut? What if they laugh at me?
Paul says we must preach. The word for “preach” here means, “To publically announce religious truths and principles while urging acceptance and compliance”. It means you have to say something. It means you have to tell them the truth. You have to urge people to consider that Jesus is who He claimed to be.
“But pastor, what if I make them mad? What if they won’t talk to me anymore? What if they think I’m some kind of religious nut? What if they make fun of me?”
Let me ask you this, “What’s more concerning to you. What they think of you or where they spend eternity?” Because the truth is, if they keep rejecting Jesus and denying Jesus, if they keep looking for answers in the wrong place, they’re going to die in their sin. They’re going to die outside of the presence of God. They’re going to go die in their crippled state.
Listen, it’s time to start telling people the truth. I know it’s not politically correct. I know it will bring persecution. I know it won’t make you popular. But it’s the truth that sets people free. Jesus puts it like this:
31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”
Peter wanted the people to understand that Jesus wasn’t just a man. He wasn’t just a good teacher.
He’s the author of life. He’s the one who died for our sins. The one who rose from the dead. The one who can restore us to right relationship with God. The one who can heal what sin has destroyed. He’s the true power.
And that’s the message we have to deliver when people are seeking answers. When they ask, “How did this happen? What caused the change? Why did 35 people get baptized. Why are people coming to a prayer meeting? How did they get delivered?” We have to be willing to say, “It’s because of Jesus. It’s because of what He did for us. It’s time to quit denying him. It’s time to stop rejecting Him. It’s time to put your faith in Him. Because what He did for them, He can do for you.”
It’s time to start telling people the truth.
Which leads us to the third challenge. Because once you tell them the truth. It’s time to tell them how to receive what Jesus has done for them. And to do that, you have to:
Challenge #3: Start putting your hope in Jesus and His promises.
17 “And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. 18 But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled. 19 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, 20 that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, 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. 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. 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.’
17 “And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. 18 But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled. 19 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, 20 that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, 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. 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. 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.”
In the final part of this message, based on who Jesus is, Peter makes it clear what the people must do.
However, in order to understand these final verses, what we need to understand is that Peter is addressing a specific group of people. In other words, Peter knows who his audience is, and much of what he says in these closing verses is in relation to this group.
In order to understand this passage, the first thing we need to understand is that Peter is addressing a specific group of people. In other words, Peter knows who his audience is, and so much of what he’s going to say will be in relation to that audience.
You see, Peter is preaching this message for the most part to Jewish people. We know that because that’s who would have been at the temple. And so knowing his audience, Peter tailors his closing challenge to them.
He does it buy acknowledging their lack of understanding. He says, “I know that you acted in ignorance.” In other words, you didn’t recognize Jesus for who He really was. You didn’t know the truth. But now that you know the truth, you need to repent. You need to turn from your sin and put your hope and faith in Jesus.
And then to help them see who Jesus is, he points them back to the OT. He reminds them of what the prophets had said concerning the Messiah. He reminds them of what Moses had said. That, “The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. And you shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. And it shall be that every soul who does not listen shall be destroyed.”
He then reminds them that they are the offspring of the prophets. That the promise of a redeemer was a promise for them.
But to receive the promise, they must first repent. They must turn from their wickedness and put their faith in Jesus.
You see, in this moment Peter not only tells them the truth, he urges them to embrace the truth.
And the fact of the matter is, you and I must be willing to do the same for our audience in our context.
And to be honest, when it comes to leading somebody to Jesus, that’s always the first place you have to start. You have to start by knowing who you are talking to.
For example, in Peter’s case, for the most part he is addressing a Jewish audience. Jewish people who are familiar with scripture the promises of God. As a result, much of what Peter will say is based on that knowledge.
So, a good question might be, “Who is our audience?”
Well, for the most part, our audience are American gentiles. And in our immediate context, it’s people who live in about a 60 mile radius of this church.
And if you do a little research, what you’ll discover is our area is made up mainly of two groups. What you might call the religious group and what you would call the unchurched group.
The religious group is made up of people who grew up in some kind of faith background. And in our context it’s largely a Catholic, Lutheran, Presbyterian, or Methodist population. If you look at the statistics, that’s who makes up the largest part of that group.
For the unchurched, it’s people who either tried church at one point, didn’t like it, and quit. Or its people who never grew up in church or went to church. In our county its around 4000 people.
So, knowing that, how do you reach those two groups? How do you lead them to the truth?
To be honest, in much the same way Peter did. To both groups you must be willing to tell them the truth.
To the religious group you have to be willing to say, “Listen, you’ve got part of it right. But your hope is in the wrong place. Because while you have your rituals, heritage, and tradition, those things wont’ save you. Those things won’t transform your life. Those things won’t set you free. Because their of human origin.
You see, that’s what the people of Israel had bought into. That’s what the religious leaders were selling their audience. They were selling empty rituals and traditions that were doing nothing to set people free.
But then Jesus came along. And he offered life. He offered hope. Through a relationship with Him, he offered salvation. And really the the question for the religious person now is, “How long?
How long do you want to be religiously crippled?
How long do you want to feel hollow?
How long do you want to go through the motions with no change?
How long do you want to keep denying the truth.
How long do you want to reject what Jesus did?
How long do you want to put your hope in empty rituals and traditions that do nothing to save you.
When are you going to embrace the truth of God’s Word. The truth that says it’s through faith and faith alone in Jesus that you are saved.”
Paul writes:
9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
Paul says it isn’t heritage, it isn’t rituals, and it isn’t tradition that saves you. The only thing that can save you and set you free is faith in Jesus. The writer of Hebrews puts it like this:
25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.
The fact of the matter is, God's in the relationship business, not the religious business. And if you’re the religious person, and you want to walk in new life, then it’s time to rise up. It’s time to put your faith in Jesus, embrace what he’s done for you, and let the truth set you free.
I know it’s not what you want to hear, but it’s the truth. Your religious background and association ins’t’ going to save you. No church, no priest, no ritual, no tradition has the power to save you. The only person that has the power to save you is Jesus.
For the unchruched person, I would ask you this, “How long?”
How long do you want to continue in hopelessness?
How long do you want to keep trying to find fulfillment in a world that can’t fill you up?
How many times do you want hit rock bottom?
How many relationships and marriages do you want to go through?
How long do you want to try and find hope in a bottle or a pill?
At what point are you going to be ready to stop denying who Jesus is?
How long are you going to reject what He did for you?
At what point are you going to surrender and give your life to Him?
How miserable to you have to get?
Because the fact is, God wants to heal you. God wants to raise you up. God wants you to find the same joy that crippled man found.
But for you to receive it, you have to stop denying Jesus. You have to acknowledge that you are a sinner in need of saving. You have to put your hope and faith in Jesus.
You have to embrace the truth.
And if you’ll do that, then like the lame man, with one decision you’ll be walking, and leaping, and praising God.
At the end of the day, wether our a religious or unchurched person, Jesus is the only one that has the power to deliver you and set your free. And today, if you’ll put your faith in Him, he has the power to set you free. He has the ability to raise you up and set you on a path of joy.
So, as we close this morning, here’s my challenge for you.
For those of you that are “All In”, for those who are committed to leading others to Jesus, my challenge is for you to not be afraid to tell people the truth. To be confident in what you know to be true about Jesus. And to lovingly and with respect, share it with others. The Apostle Peter puts it like this:
15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect,
For those of you that have put your hope in religion, my challenge for you is to quit putting your hope in what can’t save you, and put your hope in the one who can. To embrace the Biblical fact that it’s by faith and faith alone that a person can be saved. My challenge for you is that you would be open to a relationship with Jesus versus a religion. That you embrace the words of the Apostle Paul. Paul writes:
8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast.
For those of you that don’t have a religious background, my challenge to you is to consider that there is a God who loves you. A God who sent His Son to die for you. A God who wants to give you hope. A hope that this world cannot offer you. A hope that no human relationship can offer you. A hope that no substance can offer you. A hope that no material possession or amount of offer can give you. My challenge for you is to consider that Jesus died for you, rose from the dead, and He now offers life to you. And if you’ll put your faith and hope in Him, you can begin to live a life you never dreamed possible. But for that to happen, you have to repent, make Jesus Lord of your life and let Him heal you.
Let’s Pray
Let’s Pray