Acts 3:11-19

Peter Speaks in Solomon’s Portico

While he clung to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the portico called Solomon’s Portico, utterly astonished. When Peter saw it, he addressed the people, ‘You Israelites, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we had made him walk? The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our ancestors has glorified his servant Jesus, whom you handed over and rejected in the presence of Pilate, though he had decided to release him. But you rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked to have a murderer given to you, and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. And by faith in his name, his name itself has made this man strong, whom you see and know; and the faith that is through Jesus has given him this perfect health in the presence of all of you.

‘And now, friends, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. In this way God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, that his Messiah would suffer. Repent therefore, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out.

Once some people in the temple area saw the beggar healed and transformed, “walking and praising God” (Acts 3:9), news spread fast. People came running from all over. If there was any temptation on Peter’s part to take the credit for this healing, he doesn’t show it. Immediately he launches into a sermon that gives the glory to Jesus “and the faith that is through Jesus has given him [the crippled man] this perfect health in the presence of all of you.”

Seeing or witnessing is a key theme in today’s passage. The crowd is faced with a healed man and they have to decide who or what has healed him. Peter spells out that Jesus is the healer. But Peter also says clearly that he and others are “witnesses” that God raised Jesus from the dead. Two extraordinary events have been witnessed, but what will the crowd around Peter and John make of it all?

Peter has a clear invitation here for the newly assembled crowd. With the evidence before them of a man who had been crippled from birth now able to walk, will they acknowledge the authority and power of Jesus? Peter is not condemning of this Jewish crowd. He does say that they and their leaders have acted in ignorance towards Jesus. What is important here is not criticism. Peter is pointing to a better way, a different way, a journey that needs to begin with a change of heart – or repentance.

Another lovely phrase to look at is in verse 20. Peter tells his audience that a change of heart will result in “times of refreshing” as they receive Jesus into their hearts. If they (and if we) sincerely change our ways and align ourselves to God’s will, this enables God to provide the most wonderful sense of refreshment. The world looks different, our relationships take on a different dimension, the life and breath that we have been given, even today itself, is marvelously precious. And the glory goes to God, our Creator, Savior and Sustainer.

Blessings as we might witness by our lives to the power and majesty of the Risen Christ.  Be safe!  Be well!  He is Risen!

To Ponder:

• If you haven’t already given God thanks for your life today, this may be an appropriate time to do so.
• “Times of refreshing” are precious in a journey of faith. Reflect on a previous oasis in your life, or it might even be an opportunity given to you during ‘lockdown’. Ask God for greater discernment to glimpse God’s glory in the everyday events of this day.