Acts 3:11-20
New International Version 1984 (NIV1984)
Peter Speaks to the
Onlookers
11 While the beggar held on
to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in
the place called Solomon’s Colonnade. 12 When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Men of
Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own
power or godliness we had made this man walk? 13 The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our
fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be
killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him
go. 14 You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be
released to you. 15 You killed the author of
life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. 16 By faith in the name of
Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and
the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him,
as you can all see.
17 “Now, brothers, I know that you acted in
ignorance, as did your leaders. 18 But
this is how God fulfilled what
he had foretold through
all the prophets, saying that his Christ would suffer. 19 Repent,
then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may
come from the Lord, 20 and
that he may send the Christ, who has been appointed for you—even Jesus.
Have
you ever known someone who has been healed in a miraculous way? It seems like today that when people are
healed they explain it away as a medical miracle, or possibly the person wasn’t
sick in the first place. I recently had surgery
and the surgeon did not find what he was looking for. Even though two tests revealed that I had an issue
that needed to be corrected, when he went in, it was not there. Right before I went to surgery I asked him if
I could see his hands. He asked why and I
told him that they had been blessed many times so I wanted to see them. I think that made an impression on him and I
hope it got him thinking. I never saw
him again after surgery. People tried to
explain this mystery away, maybe I was mistaken but I know I wasn’t and I know
how many prayers were prayed regarding my healing and I know God healed
me. I also have numerous MRI’s that show
that I have Multiple Sclerosis (MS) this is a disease that once it starts
generally progresses. Mine however, has
remained the same for the past 27 years.
I sometimes have some symptoms of tiredness but the disease has not
progressed. Again, I believe this is a
gift from God, I had a pastor at the time of the first incident that was
convinced I would be healed and I believe that God gave him that revelation and
I praise the Lord for it. But, no one
wants to admit that miracles happen today, that was a thing of the past. They pray for them but when they happen, they
try to explain them away.
So,
how should we react to miracles? Look at
how Peter responded. His response was
not one of a healing because of man but because of Jesus Christ. He used this opportunity to witness to the
Jewish people regarding the Christ that they crucified. And look at how he did it, it was not gentle
and kind but was straight forth, pointing a finger and telling them how wrong
they were. Yet look at what he says in
verse 17, he takes the blame off of them a little bit by saying that they had
acted in ignorance. Then he tells them
in 19 to repent. Even though they might
have been ignorant, now they know the truth and they need to repent. What I find to be amazing in this is that
there is absolutely no sin on this earth that God will not forgive if we only
repent. The very people that put Christ
on the cross could be forgiven, why would people think that their sins were too
great to be forgiven. The proof is here
as well as in Luke 23:34, “Jesus
said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what
they are doing.’” Even
while hanging on the cross He cared for his children. This is not a God who limits His forgiveness
but one who offers it to anyone who will repent. Anyone who does not repent cannot use the
excuse that God will not forgive them, as we can see that He will. The only reason anyone is not forgiven is because
they choose to ignore the resurrection power of our Lord and Savior and they
choose to sin rather than to repent. I
pray that if anyone who is reading this has not repented and recognized Jesus
as their Lord and Savior, they would do so today. There is no sin too great for the Father to
forgive, repent, and be saved.
As
you seek Him I pray that you will recognize the miracles that He performs in
your life. I hope you will use those
miracles to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ to those around you. Repent my friends and be saved.
Seeking
Him with all my heart,
Sheila
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