#1551 Acts 3 Part 2 You Asked For a Murderer Instead

 

11 And while he was clinging to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them at the portico called Solomon’s, full of wonder. 12 But when Peter saw this, he replied to the people, “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this, or why do you gaze at us, as if by our own power or piety we had made him walk? 13 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered 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 but put to death the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead, a fact to which we are witnesses. 16 And on the basis of faith in His name, it is the name of Jesus which has strengthened this man whom you see and know; and the faith which is through Him has given him this perfect health in the presence of you all.

17 “And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, just as your rulers did also. 18 But the things which God announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, that His Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. 19 Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; 20 and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, 21 whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time. 22 Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers; to Him you shall listen to everything He says to you. 23 And it will be that every soul that does not heed that prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.’ 24 And likewise, all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and his successors onward, also proclaimed these days. 25 It is you who are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ 26 For you first, God raised up His Servant and sent Him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways.” Acts 3: 11-26 LSB

Acts 3: 11-26

V. 12 But when Peter saw this - A man who was lame had just been healed. Peter sees a crowd forming so instead of taking a bow he sees a far more glorious opportunity. This is the man that begged daily at the Gate called Beautiful. 

V. 12 b&c Why do you marvel at this, or why do gaze at us, as if by our own power or piety we had made him walk - Yes, the guy who you saw laying here crippled every day for so many years, this guy here, is now walking and leaping, completely whole. That is the this that they are marveling over. He calls them men of Israel, as it came first to the Jews, the wonderful news of the gospel, that their Messiah had arrived, that He had gone to cross for the forgiveness of their sin. Peter makes it very clear that the reason for this man's healing had nothing to do with anything inherent to Peter. It was the power of God through Peter as the messenger, the jar of clay. He is seizing this opportunity by taking the glory that is being placed upon him by the eyes of those watching, and redirecting their gaze to Christ. 

…3For I could wish that I myself were cursed and cut off from Christ for the sake of my brothers, my own flesh and blood, 4the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption as sons; theirs the divine glory and the covenants; theirs the giving of the law, the temple worship, and the promises. 5Theirs are the patriarchs, and from them proceeds the human descent of Christ, who is God over all, forever worthy of praise! Amen.… Romans 9: 3-5

…7So he asked the officials of Pharaoh who were in custody with him in his master’s house, “Why are your faces so downcast today?” 8“We both had dreams,” they replied, “but there is no one to interpret them.” Then Joseph said to them, “Don’t interpretations belong to God? Tell me your dreams.” 9So the chief cupbearer told Joseph his dream: “In my dream there was a vine before me,… Genesis 40: 7-9

…15Pharaoh said to Joseph, “I had a dream, and no one can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that when you hear a dream you can interpret it.” 16“I myself cannot do it,” Joseph replied, “but God will give Pharaoh a sound answer.” Genesis 41: 15-16

…27John replied, “A man can receive only what is given him from heaven. 28You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Christ, but am sent ahead of Him.’ 29The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom stands and listens for him, and is overjoyed to hear the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete.… John 3: 27-29

…17If anyone desires to do His will, he will know whether My teaching is from God or whether I speak on My own. 18He who speaks on his own authority seeks his own glory, but He who seeks the glory of the One who sent Him is a man of truth; in Him there is no falsehood. 19Has not Moses given you the law? Yet not one of you keeps it. Why are you trying to kill Me?”… John 7: 17-19

V. 13 The God of our fathers, has glorified His Servant Jesus - He makes it abundantly clear that he is a Jew, and which God he is referring to. 

…5“Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.” 6Then He said, “I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.” At this, Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God. 7The LORD said, “I have indeed seen the affliction of My people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their oppressors, and I am aware of their sufferings.… Exodus 3: 5-7

1“Here is My Servant, whom I uphold, My Chosen One, in whom My soul delights. I will put My Spirit on Him, and He will bring justice to the nations. 2He will not cry out or raise His voice, nor make His voice heard in the streets. 3A bruised reed He will not break and a smoldering wick He will not extinguish; He will faithfully bring forth justice.… Isaiah 42: 1-3

V. 13b -14 Whom you delivered and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release Him - Not only did you turn Him into the authorities, your Messiah that is, but they were willing to let Him go, and you made sure that they didn't. Pilate realized Christ's innocence, that this was about ego, about jealousy on the part of the Pharisees, and he was willing to release the Messiah. "But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you." This is so important, they are being indicted once again, this is your sin, but they are also being offered forgiveness for this unparalleled crime. They not only pushed for this, but the reality of it is they needed this to happen. They weren't Holy or Righteous, Holy as in set apart, otherly, as God is to us, and it is the eternal God that we offend, so Jesus is that, Holy, eternally so. He is also our righteousness, in becoming a man, fulfilling all the righteousness of the law which we didn't keep. 

…39But it is your custom that I release to you one prisoner at the Passover. So then, do you want me to release to you the King of the Jews?” 40“Not this man,” they shouted, “but Barabbas!” (Now Barabbas was an insurrectionist.) John 18: 39-40

V. 15 But put to death the Author of life - There's actually no comparison for what you did. You murdered God. 

Wiersbe - There must be conviction before a sinner can experience conversion. Unless a patient is convinced that he is sick, he will never accept the diagnosis or take the treatment. Peter turned the temple into a courtroom and laid all the evidence out for everybody to see. How could two ordinary fishermen perform such a great miracle unless God was with them? Nobody would dare deny the miracle because the beggar stood there before them all in “perfect soundness” (Acts 3:16; 4:14). To accept the miracle would have been to admit that Jesus Christ is indeed the living Son of God and that His name has power. (Borrow Be Dynamic). (Bolding added)

But put to death the Prince of life - NET has "You killed the Originator of life, whom God raised from the dead." What a pithy accusation Peter levels against the Jews! Death to the very One Who was Originator of Life (Jn 1:3+) and Sustainer of Life (Col 1:17+, Heb 1:3+ = "upholds [present tense] all things by the word of His power"), "the Word of Life" (1 Jn 1:1), "the Bread of Life," (Jn 6:48), "the resurrection and the life," (Jn 11:25), "the life" (Jn 14:6), the very One in Whose Name all believers "may have life" (Jn 20:31).

John Phillips - Life from nothing began through Him. It was His idea; He was its Creator and Sustainer. There was not a man, woman, or child in that audience who did not owe life itself to Him. The very breath they breathed was in His hand. This One, the Prince, the Author of life, had come into the world as a man, and they had killed Him. Could crime be greater? The enormity of their sin had to be brought home to them. Not indeed that they were worse than we. Any rejection of Christ in any age is a manifestation of the same spirit. (Exploring Acts)

As the Prince or Author of life, Jesus was the one who prepared the worlds by His Word (Heb 11:3) Through Jesus the Creator God breathed life into one created from the dust of the earth (Ge 2:7). And finally, and most importantly, Jesus is the Author of Eternal Life, declaring " I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; and no one will snatch them out of My hand." (Jn 10:28) - Precept Austin

1In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2He was with God in the beginning. 3Through Him all things were made, and without Him nothing was made that has been made.…

…4In Him was life, and that life was the light of men. 5 The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1: 1-5

V. 16 And on the basis of faith in His name - They were doing these things by the power of God, attributing these things to the Author of Life, the One Who had risen from the dead. These men are presenting the gospel, and testifying as eye witnesses, but with power, because the people have witnessed the miracle, yet the disciples are associating it with the name of Jesus, not their own piety or power, it's all Jesus. Your faith need not rest in these disciples, but in the person and work of Jesus Christ. 

Moody Bible Commentary on faith in this passage - Peter took no credit for the healing. After the resurrection, Jesus’ name possessed the same power as the name of God. The lame man’s spiritual condition prior to the healing is not stated in the text. His healing was not a result of his faith, and in fact he did not even expect to be healed. The primary function of miracles in Acts is Christological—to prove that Jesus was alive and thus Israel’s promised Messiah. - PA

Vs. 17-18 I know that you acted in ignorance - That is as soft an approach as it gets considering what they had done, what we all have done. God shows this sort of mercy inside the indictment, "you did this, and it's heinous, but your pretty clueless." Now this is not the same as "ignorance is bliss", don't buy into the cliché gospel of the universalist. God still owes you justice for being a sinner, Christ had come for this very fact, that God might righteously extend His hand to those who are lost. Look at v. 18 "that His Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled." Jesus was on a very specific mission as the only means by which mankind could be made right with God. That was the sum of the Old Testament. You are fallen in Adam, an offense to a Holy God, God owes you death, but has graciously provided Christ to take your place. He decided all this from eternity, before you and I were ever born, before the birth of the universe.  

…33When they came to the place called The Skull, they crucified Him there, along with the criminals, one on His right and the other on His left. 34Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up His garments by casting lots. 35The people stood watching, and the rulers sneered at Him, saying, “He saved others; let Him save Himself if He is the Christ of God, the Chosen One.”… Luke 23: 33-35

V. 19 Repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away - This is the course your on, heading for destruction, quit believing in yourself and your good works, change course, follow Christ. It is interesting that Peter starts this off by denying his own piety and turning the spot light on Jesus. 

…24And a servant of the Lord must not be quarrelsome, but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, and forbearing. 25 He must gently reprove those who oppose him, in the hope that God may grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth. 26Then they will come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, who has taken them captive to his will.… 2 Timothy 2: 24-26

V. 20 And that He may send Jesus the Christ appointed for you - Ah the remedy, the one that Isaiah heralded, that Psalm 22, the sacrifices, and the temple all spoke of, all pointed to. 

…8Then the LORD said to Moses, “Make a fiery serpent and mount it on a pole. When anyone who is bitten looks at it, he will live.” 9So Moses made a bronze snake and mounted it on a pole. If anyone who was bitten looked at the bronze snake, he would live. Numbers 21: 8-9

V. 21 Until the period of restoration of all things - This is the period marking Christ's return, when He reigns over all and brings order to the world.

John MacArthur writes "The period of restoration of all things is another name for the future earthly reign of Christ, the millennial kingdom. It is reminiscent of our Lord's description of the kingdom as the "regeneration" (Mt 19:28). It is then that the apostles' question in Acts 1:6+ will be answered (cf. Mark 9:12). The kingdom will be marked by peace, joy, holiness, the revelation of God's glory, comfort, justice, knowledge of the Lord, health, prosperity, and freedom from oppression. The universe will be dramatically altered in its physical form (Joel 2:30, 31+; Joel 3:14-16+; Rev. 16:1-21+) as the curse on man and his world is reversed. (MacArthur New Testament Commentary – Acts) - PA

…11And on that day I will give Gog a burial place in Israel, the Valley of the Travelers, east of the Sea. It will block those who travel through, because Gog and all his hordes will be buried there. So it will be called the Valley of Hamon-gog. 12For seven months the house of Israel will be burying them in order to cleanse the land. 13All the people of the land will bury them, and it will bring them renown on the day I display My glory, declares the Lord GOD.… Ezekiel 39: 11-13

Then a shoot will spring from the stem of Jesse,

And a branch from his roots will bear fruit.

2 The Spirit of Yahweh will rest on Him,

The spirit of wisdom and understanding,

The spirit of counsel and might,

The spirit of knowledge and the fear of Yahweh.

3 And He will delight in the fear of Yahweh,

And He will not judge by what His eyes see,

Nor render a decision by what His ears hear;

4 But with righteousness He will judge the poor,

And decide with uprightness for the afflicted of the earth;

And He will strike the earth with the rod of His mouth,

And with the breath of His lips He will put the wicked to death.

5 Also righteousness will be the belt about His loins,

And faithfulness the belt about His waist.

6 And the wolf will dwell with the lamb,

And the leopard will lie down with the young goat,

And the calf and the young lion and the fatling together;

And a young boy will lead them.

7 Also the cow and the bear will graze,

Their young will lie down together,

And the lion will eat straw like the ox.

8 And the nursing baby will play by the hole of the cobra,

And the weaned child will put his hand on the viper’s den.

9 They will do no evil nor act corruptly in all My holy mountain,

For the earth will be full of the knowledge of Yahweh

As the waters cover the sea. Isaiah 11: 1-9

Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, having the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 3 and he threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were finished. After these things he must be released for a short time.

4 Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their witness of Jesus and because of the word of God, and who also had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand. And they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection. Over these the second death has no authority, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years. Revelation 20: 1-6

Vs. 22- 23 Moses said, "the Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers" - Moses is referring to Jesus, and Peter is preaching in the Emmaus way, taking his Jewish listeners back to the Pentateuch and showing them Jesus from the OT. V. 23 gives a stern warning about the souls of those who refuse to listen to the One God sends. He is greater than Moses, the Son of God, the Seed from the garden, the Lamb without blemish, the Ram in the thicket, and the righteousness needed to stand before a Holy God. He is our righteousness, and He is the only Way. This is the gospel.

More on Deuteronomy 18

V. 24 From Samuel and his successors onward - They all spoke of Christ, all of history is about the need, the wait, the OT looking forward to His coming to die for our sins, and the NT pointing back to this most pivotal point in history. B.C. (Before Christ) A.D. (Anno Domini meaning "in the year of our Lord"). Samuel anointed David, who was of the tribe of Judah, the lineage of Jesus.  

Vs. 25-26 You who are the sons of prophets and of the covenant. He is here speaking to Jews who have as yet not believed.

He has remembered His covenant forever,

The word which He commanded for a thousand generations,

9 Which He cut with Abraham,

And His oath to Isaac.

10 Then He confirmed it to Jacob for a statute,

To Israel as an everlasting covenant,

11 Saying, “To you I will give the land of Canaan

As the [b]portion of your inheritance,”

12 When they were only a few men in number,

Of little account, and sojourners in it.

13 And they wandered about from nation to nation,

From one kingdom to another people.

14 He permitted no man to oppress them,

And He reproved kings for their sakes:

15 “Do not touch My anointed ones,

And to My prophets do no evil.” Psalm 105: 8-15

Who are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God made with your fathers - The Jews were the descendants of the prophets and they were sons of the covenant in the sense of being Abraham's physical offspring. To which covenant does Peter refer? We do not have to guess for Peter quotes from Genesis describing the unconditional Abrahamic Covenant that was cut with the Jewish patriarchs, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Notice they are called "sons...of the covenant" (the Abrahamic Covenant) indicating that the Abrahamic promises to the Jews has not be abrogated in the New Testament, contrary to what many teach today!

John MacArthur makes an interesting observation in light of the increasing number of folks who hold to the false teaching of replacement theology - The amillenialist who comes along and says that because the Jews crucified Jesus Christ, they forfeited the covenant doesn’t understand the Scriptures. He says to them right here, this is obvious. This is what you have done, but he says in Acts 3:25, “You are the sons of the...covenant.” And he still treats them as the men of Israel, covenant people. God is not yet through with Israel. They have not been totally set aside. Only temporarily blinded as Paul clearly brings in Romans 9, 10, and 11. (Peter Preaches Christ) - Precept Austin

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#1550 Acts 3 Part 1 Silver and Gold Have I None

 

Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the ninth hour, the hour of prayer. 2 And a man who had been lame from his mother’s womb was being carried, whom they used to set down daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, in order to beg alms of those who were entering the temple. 3 When he saw Peter and John about to go into the temple, he began asking to receive alms. 4 But when Peter, along with John, fixed his gaze on him, he said, “Look at us!” 5 And he began to give them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. 6 But Peter said, “I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene—walk!” 7 And seizing him by the right hand, he raised him up; and immediately his feet and his ankles were strengthened. 8 And leaping up, he stood upright and began to walk; and he entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God; 10 and they were recognizing him, that he was the one who used to sit at the Beautiful Gate of the temple to beg alms, and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.

Peter’s Sermon in Solomon’s Portico

11 And while he was clinging to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them at the portico called Solomon’s, full of wonder. 12 But when Peter saw this, he replied to the people, “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this, or why do you gaze at us, as if by our own power or piety we had made him walk? 13 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered 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 but put to death the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead, a fact to which we are witnesses. 16 And on the basis of faith in His name, it is the name of Jesus which has strengthened this man whom you see and know; and the faith which is through Him has given him this perfect health in the presence of you all.

17 “And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, just as your rulers did also. 18 But the things which God announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, that His Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled. 19 Therefore repent and return, so that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; 20 and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, 21 whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time. 22 Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers; to Him you shall listen to everything He says to you. 23 And it will be that every soul that does not heed that prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.’ 24 And likewise, all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and his successors onward, also proclaimed these days. 25 It is you who are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ 26 For you first, God raised up His Servant and sent Him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways.” Acts 3: 1-26 LSB

Acts 3: 1-10

Lenski observes regarding the association of Peter and John - they supplement each other. Diamond polishes diamond, writes Rieger, and it may well happen that each enhances the luster of the other. God often uses the friendship of believers for the good of the church, especially the friendship of highly gifted men; witness the working together of Luther and Melanchthon. (The Interpretation of The Acts of the Apostles)

John Phillips on Peter and John - Peter and John! That was different. It used to be Peter and Andrew, James and John. Now it is Peter and John. Calvary had brought these men into closer fellowship with each other. By nature and temperament they were different. Peter was a doer, John was a dreamer; Peter was a motivator, John was a mystic; Peter had his feet on the rock, John had his head in the clouds. Peter would point to John and demand of the Lord, "And what shall this man do?" (John 21:21). John would quietly whisper to Peter in a moment of doubt, "It is the Lord" (Jn 21:7); John would outrun Peter to the tomb; Peter would push past John and rush right in; Peter would dash on out again, his mind in a whirl; John would walk away thinking deeply over the significance of those strangely ordered grave clothes. Peter and John were opposites. By nature they would get on each other's nerves, but now they walked together. We read, "Now Peter and John went up together into the temple." Before, they had been mutual disciples of Jesus, now they were members of a common body; before, they knew friendship, now they enjoyed fellowship. (Exploring Acts) - Precept Austin

V. 1 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the ninth hour - Peter and John had known each other for quite some time, and in Luke's gospel we come to find that they were associates in the fishing business as well. There is a picture painted often by the brush stroke of authors and artists alike, one of John being this paisley sort, as if he were unmanly for being the disciple of love. Let's not forget, as J Mac points out, he was also one of the Sons of Thunder. He and Peter were both fishermen, and not in any easy sort of way. They did not have modern boats or instruments, they went through the rigors of casting their nets, rowing their boats, mending and building. Now it was idyllic often, a wonderful place to make a living, out on the water, but these were manly men, men well associated with risk and danger. These were men who had been at odds with one another as well, arguing over who would be the greatest in the kingdom, but John has been transformed from the brawler of the docks to one who would always have Jesus before him. I agree with the authors I quoted above, they are different men, but this only makes each of them better. Here we also learn more about the ninth hour, it is the hour of prayer, about 3 in the afternoon. I think there are two types of time that are important in the Christian walk, time alone and time with fellow believers. Two are always stronger on the road, when one is weak the other comes along beside, when one has no experience in a matter, sometimes the other does, or the two heads come together to resolve the matter more efficiently. I used to think the ascetics had it right, but they too often forsake the assembly, too often look within for answers that can only come from without. God has made us relational creatures, even those who are introverts, and I have found that I need more mature brothers to correct me, to make me clarify or even change course at times. 

…16restraining her is like holding back the wind or grasping oil with one’s right hand. 17As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. 18Whoever tends a fig tree will eat its fruit, and he who looks after his master will be honored.… Proverbs 27: 16-18

1 After this, the Lord appointed seventy-two others and sent them two by two ahead of Him to every town and place He was about to visit. 2And He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest.… Luke 10: 1-2

V. 2 Whom they used to set down daily at the gate of the Temple which is called Beautiful - This man and his condition had been long before the people, a common sight. The Beautiful gate was also called the Corinthian gate, and all the gates were beautiful, but this one exceedingly. Josephus describes it as larger than the other gates and more costly adorned. 

Vs. 3-6 I do not possess silver and gold - I could see Benny Hinn spitting his coffee out at that, from his nose and his mouth all at once. God has given these Apostles actual, real power, power that they don't use to point to themselves or to get wealthy from. This is fascinating too, because Jesus had been performing countless miracles like this during His earthly ministry. It is foretold also of Messiah and His kingdom that it would be marked by health and old age. The man, you, everyone is suffering from a far worse condition though, that of being spiritual still borns, at enmity with God, and so we see Christ's ministry of atonement as the greater need, yet we see hear the continuing promise of a kingdom where the physical effects of sin are banished as well. Peter freely gives this man something better than money, and for the Jews present, those who had read the prophets, this was another sign. These men belonged to a different kingdom, their words were being attested to by the power of the Holy Spirit.  

It may well be that healings like tongues was also a sign from God to unbelieving Jews. Maybe in a little different way. Back in Exodus chapter 15, God made a promise to His people when they came out of Egypt, and they were being constituted as a nation, as a people, being led to the promised land. Verse 22 of Exodus 15. “Moses led Israel from the Red Sea, and they went out into the wilderness of Shur; and they went three days in the wilderness and found no water. When they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter; therefore it was named Marah,” meaning bitterness. “So the people grumbled at Moses, saying, ‘What shall we drink?’ Then he cried out to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree; and he threw it into the waters, and the waters became sweet. There He made for them a statute and regulation, and there He tested them.”

And listen to what He says in verse 26: “If you will give earnest heed to the voice of the Lord your God, and do what is right in His sight, and give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I, the Lord, am your healer.”

What is this? This is the healing promise. A healing promise from God to Israel. If you obey Me, if you obey My commandments, I will be your healer. Remember Deuteronomy 28, when God said, if you obey Me, there will be blessing, and if you disobey Me, there will be cursing? This could be a promise from God that previews the kingdom.

Now, we know about the kingdom from the prophets. And in the kingdom, if somebody dies at the age of 100, they die like an infant. People will live longer. Life will be very different. A lion will lie down with a lamb. Children can play in a snake pit. It’s going to be very different. And one of the characteristics of the kingdom is physical health and wellbeing. The curse of disease and death will be mitigated in the kingdom. So perhaps, not only is the healing ministry of Jesus and the healing ministry of the apostles an evidence of divine compassion, but it is also an indication of divine faithfulness to a long-ago promise. God will be one day the healer of Israel when they do obey His commandments, and when they do acknowledge their Messiah, His Son.

If you go back into chapter 3, very important. Peter’s sermon, and we’ll get to this. Verse 13. Listen to what Peter says. “The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers,” meaning the Jews, “has glorified His servant Jesus, the one whom you delivered and disowned in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release Him. But you disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, but put to death the Prince of life.” I mean, that’s a severe indictment. Listen, Israel had done a lot of terrible things in its history; none this bad. This takes the cake. This is the ultimate iniquity. “You disowned the Holy and Righteous One. You put to death the Prince of life.” Does that cancel all Israel’s future? Does that make us into instant amillennialists? Is that it?

Go to the end of chapter 3. Verse 23. “And it will be that every soul that does not heed that prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.” That prophet being none other than the Messiah, Christ. “And likewise, all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and his successors onward, also announced these days. It is you who are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ For you first, God raised up His Servant and sent Him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways.”

You know what’s remarkable about that? They had killed the Prince of life, disowned the Holy and Righteous One, and He says you are still the sons of the Covenant. Why? Because God’s Covenant is irrevocable. Could it be that in the healing ministry of Jesus, and even after in the healing ministry of the apostles, God is saying to the Jews: though you killed the Prince of life, even though you disowned the Holy and the Righteous One, God’s promise is still valid, and here are previews of what God will do for you if you turn to Him in the kingdom. God’s healing promise is still valid.

So while tongues, in a sense, languages, is a sign of judgment to the Jews, healing becomes, for them, a sign of hope that in spite of the horror of their iniquity, the disaster of their rejection, they are still the sons of the Covenant because it’s an irrevocable, unilateral covenant that God makes with Himself. - John MacArthur

…19I will rejoice in Jerusalem and take delight in My people. The sounds of weeping and crying will no longer be heard in her. 20No longer will a nursing infant live but a few days, or an old man fail to live out his years. For the youth will die at a hundred years, and he who fails to reach a hundred will be considered accursed. 21They will build houses and dwell in them; they will plant vineyards and eat their fruit.… Isaiah 65: 19-21

Vs. 7-8 Walking and leaping and praising God - Peter gives him this in the name of  Jesus the Nazarene, making sure we know which Jesus, and also making sure the credit goes to where it belongs. Peter doesn't have this power of himself, which he makes very clear. Listen, I used to want to be made whole, to not have epilepsy anymore, to see sickness leave other people, but who cares if you heal people without them being made alive. So what if I am healthy and wealthy here if when this life comes to it's unavoidable end, I go into eternity without being freed from sin. You know what will happen, healed or not here, the worst day here, now, will seem like heaven, and you will forever know God's just wrath against sin because you will never stop sinning in your heart. You will forever continue to call God unjust, yet prove his just nature by His continuing to be infinitely opposed to your sin. I like to think that this man is not just walking and leaping and generically praising God because he has been physically healed, but that when Peter pointed him to Christ, he believed. That is of eternal consequence, infinite value. 

Vs. 9-10 And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him - This reminds you of the awe from verse 43 in the last chapter. The people recognize him, the story of Christ had gone about, everyone knew of His crucifixion, but also of the miracles He performed, and here are these men who are claiming that He rose again, and they are exhibiting the same sort of power. Their words are being attested to. 

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#1549 Acts 2 Part 5 Shot Through The Heart

 

37 Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men, brothers, what should we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.” 40 And with many other words he solemnly bore witness and kept on exhorting them, saying, “Be saved from this crooked generation!” 41 So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls. 42 And they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to the prayers.

43 And fear came upon every soul; and many wonders and signs were taking place through the apostles. 44 And all those who had believed were together and had all things in common; 45 and they began selling their property and possessions and were dividing them up with all, as anyone might have need. 46 And daily devoting themselves with one accord in the temple and breaking bread from house to house, they were taking their meals together with gladness and sincerity of heart, 47 praising God and having favor with all the people. And the Lord was adding to their number daily those who were being saved. Acts 2: 37-47 LSB 

Acts 2: 37-47 

…9And now I rejoice, not because you were made sorrowful, but because your sorrow led you to repentance. For you felt the sorrow that God had intended, and so were not harmed in any way by us. 10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation without regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. 11Consider what this godly sorrow has produced in you: what earnestness, what eagerness to clear yourselves, what indignation, what alarm, what longing, what zeal, what vindication! In every way you have proved yourselves to be innocent in this matter.… 2 Corinthians 7: 9-11

V. 37 Now when they had heard this, they were pierced to the heart - I want you to notice this, and it bothers me, because I heard a lot of "gospel" presentations  when I was a child that went more like this:

• Jesus loves you and has a beautiful plan for your life.
• Your so special, Jesus needs you.
• Repeat this prayer after me and you are guaranteed to spend eternity with God in heaven. 

I still hear them, and I even hear people get up, claim to be Christian, and then beg other Christians to quit talking about sin. Why? Because, they say, "people are tired of hell, fire and brimstone, and they are having much more success with just saying, you can have your best life now." People promise material gain in the name of Jesus, health, better marriages, better jobs, friendship, a club, fame, and all kinds of things that aren't promised to us in this life by God. They forget that all God owes any man is death, that's the wages of sin, and all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. The Apostle Peter just accused this crowd of murdering their own Messiah, how is that as an intro to the gospel? That is the first part of it. Why? Because Jesus didn't come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance. You will notice as we go through Acts that this is the gospel, and sometimes people repented and sometimes they beat or even killed the messenger, but the message didn't change. If you leave out the condition then you preach another gospel, if you think it's up to your cleverness then you are in error of believing that God needs you, that He somehow misspoke and requires your editing skills. Christ builds His church, and if people don't like the true gospel it is because they need to be born again. 

In his 1892 work "Soul Winner" Spurgeon accentuated the great need for men to first being convicted of sin before they could even truly see their need for a Savior...

Sometimes we are inclined to think that a very great portion of modern revivalism has been more a curse than a blessing, because it has led thousands to a kind of peace before they have known their misery; restoring the prodigal to the Father’s house, and never making him say, ‘Father, I have sinned.’ How can he be healed who is not sick? or he be satisfied with the Bread of Life who is not hungry? The old-fashioned sense of sin is despised and consequently a religion is run up before the foundations are dug out. Everything in this age is shallow. Deep sea fishing is almost an extinct business so far as men’s souls are concerned. The consequence is that men leap into religion and then leap out again (Ed: Like some of the fish I have temporarily had in the boat!). Unhumbled they came to the Church, unhumbled they remain in it, and unhumbled they go from it.” (Woe!) (Bolding added) - Precept Austin

10Then I will pour out on the house of David and on the people of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and prayer, and they will look on Me, the One they have pierced. They will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for Him as one grieves for a firstborn son. 11On that day the wailing in Jerusalem will be as great as the wailing of Hadad-rimmon in the plain of Megiddo.… Zechariah 12: 10-11

V. 37b Men, brothers, what should we do - Pentecost was the birth of the Church, and I think you get a taste here of what will be on a much larger scale towards the end of the Great Tribulation, the prophecy of Zechariah. 

…15The sword is outside; plague and famine are within. Those in the country will die by the sword, and those in the city will be devoured by famine and plague. 16The survivors will escape and live in the mountains, moaning like doves of the valley, each for his own iniquity. 17Every hand will go limp, and every knee will turn to water.… Ezekiel 7: 15-17

…14shall we again break Your commandments and intermarry with the peoples who commit these abominations? Would You not become so angry with us as to wipe us out, leaving no remnant or survivor? 15O LORD, God of Israel, You are righteous! For we remain this day as a remnant. Here we are before You in our guilt, though because of it no one can stand before You.” Ezra 9: 14-15

12For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it pierces even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It judges the thoughts and intentions of the heart. 13 Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight; everything is uncovered and exposed before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. 14Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we profess.… Hebrews 4: 12-14

V. 38 Repent, and each one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins - The call is always to repent, that God created the earth, created mankind, and there is no such thing as autonomy. He even saw what He created and said it was good, but then man, being made a moral creature, given the ability to decide, was given a command by God and then presented with an alternative by Satan. "Hath God said, ...you know, if you eat of this fruit you will be like God." We all know what happened, and we, or I at least, have made light of it at some point in my life. It was just an apple, but that is a lie. You can't be like God, you were made in His image. You are a created thing, called into being, but He is the eternal, uncreated Being. You were given life, yet He is. It is still even the stumbling block of the Arminian churches today, putting the creature at level with or his feelings and wants even above God. Every time you sin you show unbelief, not that there's a God, for many, even the demons believe as much, but our actions show that we don't believe what God says. We think there is something better, a better gospel, life, way, than that of the Creator of the Universe. We know more as finite creatures, so we think, than the infinite, invisible designer of all that is. We think we know more than the one Who created the mind we think with. It's treason I tell you. 

…8If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. 9If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10If we say we have not sinned, we make Him out to be a liar, and His word is not in us.… 1 John 1: 8-10

1In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea 2and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near.” 3This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the wilderness, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for Him.’ ”… Matthew 3: 1-3

…8Produce fruit, then, in keeping with repentance. 9And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 10The axe lies ready at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.… Matthew 3: 8-10

…4But when the kindness of God our Savior and His love for mankind appeared, 5He saved us, not by the righteous deeds we had done, but according to His mercy, through the washing of new birth and renewal by the Holy Spirit. 6This is the Spirit He poured out on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Savior,… Titus 3: 4-6

…20who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In the ark a few people, only eight souls, were saved through water. 21And this water symbolizes the baptism that now saves you also— not the removal of dirt from the body, but the pledge of a clear conscience toward God— through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers subject to Him.… 1 Peter 3: 20-22

V. 39b For all who are far off - This is a reference to gentiles, those formerly outside of the camp, pagans, often referred to as Greeks. Israel was always intended to be a light to the nations, not chosen because of any good inherently in them, but chosen by God's own good pleasure to record His law, His word, and to be the people from whence Messiah would come. 

15That is why I am so eager to preach the gospel also to you who are in Rome. 16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, then to the Greek. 17For the gospel reveals the righteousness of God that comes by faith from start to finish, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”… Romans 1: 15-17

V. 39c As many as the Lord our God will call to Himself - It is a powerful call, one that awakens the dead. 

…31The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and awesome Day of the LORD. 32And everyone who calls on the name of the LORD will be saved; for on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there will be deliverance, as the LORD has promised, among the remnant called by the LORD. Joel 2: 31-32

…8So do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, or of me, His prisoner. Instead, join me in suffering for the gospel by the power of God. 9He has saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works, but by His own purpose and by the grace He granted us in Christ Jesus before time began. 10And now He has revealed this grace through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has abolished death and illuminated the way to life and immortality through the gospel,… 2 Timothy 1: 8-10

1And you were dead in your trespasses and sins, 2in which you used to walk when you conformed to the ways of this world and of the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit who is now at work in the sons of disobedience. 3All of us also lived among them at one time, fulfilling the cravings of our flesh and indulging its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature children of wrath.… Ephesians 2: 1-3

V. 41 There were added about three thousand souls - This is the great work of the Holy Spirit, the awesome harvest. People get so caught up in the miraculous gifts that they miss the real gift, the greater miracle, that men were raised from death unto life, from eternal damnation to salvation. They went from 120 strong to 3000 in one day. The birth of the Church was men and women being born again. 

…7Do not be amazed that I said, ‘You must be born again.’ 8The wind blows where it wishes. You hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.” 9“How can this be?” Nicodemus asked.… John 3: 7-9

V. 43 And fear came upon every soul - Some interpretations say awe instead of fear. For those in the church awe most definitely, but for those outside or especially in opposition to, like the Pharisees and Sadducees, fear would be appropriate. The signs and wonders that the Apostles are doing showed that they were a continuation of the Master's ministry. It was nothing that could come of human origin or will, and the disciples continue to point to Christ as the source, but this is Christ Who the unrepentant and self righteous did not want.  

MacArthur adds "The life of this first fellowship was so genuine and spiritually powerful that everyone, whether inside or outside the church, kept feeling a sense of awe. They weren't awed by the church because of its buildings, programs, or anything reflecting human ability, but by the supernatural character of its life. Such an effect should be produced when the spiritual gifts are properly operative (1 Cor. 14:24, 25). (MacArthur New Testament Commentary – Acts)

Vs. 44-46 As anyone might have need - The church took care of each other. I have heard some reference to this as grounds for Communism, but this was unforced. There are times when it becomes necessary, even practical  to sell all. The church will come under persecution, and you will later see Paul take up a collection for the believers in Jerusalem. In other areas they were not persecuted by the Jews, but by the guilds, or what we would call unions today. The guilds usually had a particular patron god or even emperor that they worshiped, yet Christians denounced all other gods. This made it hard for them to find work in such situations, property could be taken from them and redistributed, and so believers in better situations would give or even sell things in order to give aid. The early Puritans, Pilgrims, tried a general practice of this, but then realized many were no longer pulling their weight. God made us to work and so taking the whole counsel of God they found that they needed to address the laziness. I have known two older people that were in a cult that believed Christians are not supposed to work, but that is not Scriptural.  

…9Not that we lack this right, but we wanted to offer ourselves as an example for you to imitate. 10For even while we were with you, we gave you this command: “If anyone is unwilling to work, he shall not eat.” 11Yet we hear that some of you are leading undisciplined lives and accomplishing nothing but being busybodies.… 2 Thessalonians 3: 9-11

…16By this we know what love is: Jesus laid down His life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers. 17 If anyone with earthly possessions sees his brother in need, but withholds his compassion from him, how can the love of God abide in him? 18Little children, let us love not in word and speech, but in action and truth.… 1 John 3: 16-18

Guzik - With the influx of more that 3,000 believers, most of whom stayed in Jerusalem and didn’t have jobs, the family of Christians had to share if they were to survive. We shouldn’t regard this as an early experiment in communism because it was voluntary, temporary, and flawed to the extent that the church in Jerusalem was in continual need of financial support from other churches. Also, we don’t have any evidence this continued very long. (ED: AS NOTED ABOVE THERE IS NO MENTION OF THIS PRACTICE AFTER ACTS 5)....The Jews had a tremendous custom of hospitality during any major feast like Pentecost; all visitors were received into private homes, and no one could charge for giving a bed or a room to a visitor or for supplying their basic needs. The Christians took this tremendous feast-time hospitality and made it an everyday thing. (Acts 2 Commentary)

Boice - The early Christians shared their possessions, not because they were communists or socialists – not because they were forced to share their things – but for a far better reason. They shared their goods because they were generous, and they were generous because they had learned generosity from God. God had been generous with them. So because God had been generous with them, they were determined to be generous with one another. - Precept Austin

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