Neverending Glory

He… fell asleep halfway through. How do you do that??? Falcor had lost Atreyu. Falcor!!! The Nothing was consuming Fantasia! There was drama and danger and a luck dragon.

and my little dude fell asleep.

He is staring at one of the greatest stories ever told… and he is too tired or too bored to get it.

Now, in fairness, he was like five or six. But don’t worry, I finished the movie while he slept and it was still great.

We approach the gospel, Peter’s second evangelical sermon.

We could just skip it, because, it is a LOT like his first evangelical sermon. It is the gospel presented again.

We could just skip it… but we won’t.

This is the greatest story ever told, the true Neverending story, told on the stage of history.

How can we be tired of hearing the greatest story ever told?

May God retell it in us all over again.

Peter’s 2nd Sermon

Recap Healing of the Lame Beggar

Silver and gold have I none, but such as I have I give thee. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.

Walking and leaping and praising God

Text of Peter’s Sermon

Open into the sermon, picture this guy clinging to Peter. I like to picture the whole body koala hug.

Acts 3:11–26 ESV

While he clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in the portico called Solomon’s. 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? 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. But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. 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. “And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled. Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, 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. 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. And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.’ And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days. 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.’ God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.”

Peter rapidly transitions from this great intro (more about that in a second) to the pure gospel.

And it is very similar to his first (which is comforting). Peter isn’t making up new stuff, he is diving into the Old Testament and seeing new connections to salvation history… but the gospel is the same. Conviction of sin, Repentance, and Restoration to righteousness.

He very quickly turns from the miracle of the beggar with a “what are you looking at?” and launches into the gospel message.

He begins with conviction.

Conviction

Acts 3:13–14 ESV

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. But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,

He addresses the people of Israel as the people of Israel. Rooting the gospel in history, in the forefathers, reaching back to the “God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. That God glorified Jesus… but you turned him over. Remember how Pilate wanted to free him?

You didn’t. You chose a murderer instead.

Acts 3:15 ESV

and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses.

You… “killed the Author of life.” The one who invented life, or it could mean the “very first to be alive”. And God raised him from the dead… we saw it. To further prove his power, it is in His name that the man has been healed.

Repentance

But Conviction is only a moment. It is not God’s purpose, nor is it Peter’s purpose here to make people feel bad.

Acts 3:17–18 ESV

“And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled.

First, God knows that you didn’t really know what you were doing. You acted in ignorance. But even your ignorance God used for His glory. It was foretold by the prophets (again rooting the gospel in Israel history and tradition). Deep roots.

Then he turns and gives the beautiful offer of repentance.

Acts 3:19 ESV

Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out,

“Blotted out”. Wiped away, annihilated. Gone forever. There… and then made so it is simply not there any more. What good news that is!

And repentance immediately leads into beautiful restoration:

Restoration

Acts 3:20 ESV

that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus,

Or, I love this Message translation

Acts 3:19 The Message

“Now it’s time to change your ways! Turn to face God so he can wipe away your sins, pour out showers of blessing to refresh you,

Repentance leads straight into reconciliation and blessing.

And on into eternal life.

Acts 3:20–21 ESV

that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, 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.

Reaching forward into the return of Christ, the eager expectation of his soon return, restoring all things.

and then again, he roots this beautiful gospel message in Israel’s history.

Acts 3:22–23 ESV

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. And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.’

Moses foretold Christ as a “prophet like me”. Aren’t you going to listen to Moses?

Acts 3:24–26 ESV

And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days. 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.’ God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.”

and all the prophets, from Samuel to after. Reaching back to the covenant with Abraham in Genesis 12, Peter establishes Jesus and his gospel in covenant continuity all the way back.

I like to imagine that Peter just discovered that awesome connection in his study with the other apostles that morning. Guys… I think Genesis 12 is about Jesus. Guys!

The gospel is good news, and it is news, but it has been planned and prophesied, prepared for from all history.

Peter arrested while 5000 believed

Peter is still preaching when the religious leaders freak out and drag him off arrested. Even as his being arrested, people are coming forward. About five thousand men… so who know how many additional woman or children believed as well?

The gospel goes out, the name of Jesus is heard, and people are changed. The lame are healed, hearts are changed, lives are saved.

Absolutely incredible. Would you be excited if we did an outreach event and it started with a lame man walking and ended with 5000-10000 being transformed by the gospel, by the name of Jesus?

What are you looking at?

I want to jump back to the beginning. How did Peter start?

Turns to the gospel

Acts 3:12 ESV

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?

What are you looking at?

Because Peter is looking at the gospel, looking at Jesus.

He appears to be not tempted in the slightest to take the glory, he is so firmly fixed on something so much more glorious.

This could be a “cap” on the power allowed to you and I. What can I be trusted with? What can I be entrusted with?

Likely what Peter did, if God did that through me I would be swept away by the glory of it! I would want some of that. I would soak in some of that.

I expect God will not do more glorious things through me than I can handle… because the glory would be absolutely toxic to me and my life unless it is immediately reflected back to him.

We see leaders and celebrities destroyed by glory all the time. Glory is rightfully and rightly to God alone always.

Peter reflects it all, turns it all immediately to the gospel. To the name of Jesus.

What are you looking at? Instead… look at what I am looking at.

What you SHOULD be looking at!

and again we see the focus on the name.

Acts 3:16 ESV

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.

What are you looking at? Look at that: the name of Jesus. Which is to say “Jesus’ identity, authority, ongoing presence.”

There is faith here… though it is interesting to ask “who’s faith?”

The beggar’s? Maybe, he seems to have heard about Jesus 10 seconds ago. Perhaps that tiniest response of faith was part of it.

Peter’s faith? Yes, certainly, Peter shows no doubt, acting confidently with faith in the name of Jesus. But note that it says about the quantity or quality of faith… only the source of faith. “The faith that is through Jesus” or “faith in his name”. That is the direction of faith but also its source.

It is Jesus, the name of Jesus, faith in Jesus that healed this man. But why are you even looking at the healing?

There is some FAR more glorious to look at.

Old Faithful

In 2013 on our way back from Idaho we went to Yellowstone.

Kids bored standing around looking at a hole. They want to wrestle, they want to chase, they want ice cream ‘cause that kid has ice cream.

Dad. Where’s the ice cream? Dad. Dad? Dad! Dad?

And then… Old Faithful goes off. And they go totally silent. They are watching in wonder. Their only scramble is to get a better view, to see more. “Lift me up so I can see!”

Did I have any glory any longer? Did they want anything from me? No… unless it helped them for a moment get closer to or a better look at what was truly glorious there.

Eyes on Jesus. Name of Jesus. His gospel.

This is not about “artificially” drumming up excitement.

People can smell artificial enthusiasm a mile away. That reeks like the worst of salesmanship. It’s gross. Icky.

If our eyes are on Jesus, and we are seeing his gospel transforming our lives and the lives of those around us, the excitement and the passion follows.

Why is Peter so excited?

Of course Peter is excited. He is in his first 3 years of Christianity! He is a baby believer. He just found out about the resurrection a month or so ago and has had the Holy Spirit for days.

And… he just healed a lame beggar who had been so lame every day for 40+ years. The beggar is still hanging off him!

Peter is seeing the transforming work of the name of Jesus before his eyes. Of course his eyes are on Jesus. Of course he is full of passion for the gospel.

If we approach with skepticism, perhaps it is because we are not seeing the gospel play out before us.

What Are You Looking At?

It should not be amazing to us that Peter is excited about the gospel. It should be amazing to us if we are not.

If we are complacent. Blaze. Even skeptical. Even… bored.

I am as guilty of feeling like I have heard it all… or there is nothing new to offer. I repent!

How can we be tired of hearing the greatest story ever told?

Am I seeing it written in the lives of my kids? In the lives of my friend?

Am I having that conversation with someone? Anyone? Am I seeing the transforming work of God in me?

If I am seeing the greatest story told all over again in my life and those around me… I can’t help but be passionate about the gospel and I can’t help but reflect all the glory to him.

Then it becomes the easiest thing in the world for us to “reflect all glory back to God.” We are ourselves honestly in awe of the gospel at work in our lives and in the lives of those we love.

We say “what are you looking at?” Look at the name of Jesus!

We look with eager expectation towards Easter, towards crucifixion and resurrection.

Restore unto us the joy of your salvation.

Reawaken the passion within me. Do so as I see gospel take root and form within my friends, within my children… within myself for Jesus knows I still need His transforming and saving power.

That I would give all the glory to God.

That God could do glorious things through me… but that it would only and ever be immediately reflected back to God.