Part Eight Acts 3:11-18
Acts 3:11-18 And while he was clinging to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them at the so-called portico of Solomon, full of amazement.
Acts 3:11-18 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
Acts 3:11-18 had made him walk? The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus, the one whom you delivered up,
Acts 3:11-18 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
Acts 3:11-18 murderer to be granted to you, but put to death the Prince of life, the one whom God raised from the dead, a fact to which we are witnesses.
Acts 3:11-18 And on the basis of faith in His name, it is the name of Jesus which has strength-ened this man whom you see and know; and the faith which comes through
Acts 3:11-18 Him has given him this perfect health in the presence of you all. And now, brethren, I know that you acted in ignorance, just as your rulers did also.
Acts 3:11-18 But the things which God announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, that His Christ should suffer, He has thus fulfilled.”
The preachers of the first century were focused on exalting the name of Jesus Christ!
They baptized in His name! (Acts 2:38)
Acts 2:38 And Peter said to them, “Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ…”
They healed in His name! (Acts 3:6)
Acts 3:6 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!”
Philip preached the name of Jesus! (Acts 8:12)
Acts 8:12 But when they believed Philip preaching the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were being baptized, men and women.
Paul preached the name of Jesus! (Acts 9:27)
Acts 9:27 But Barnabas took hold of him and brought him to the apostles and described to them how he had seen the Lord on the road, and that he had talked to him,
Acts 9:27 and how at Damascus he had spoken out boldly in the name of Jesus.
Even opponents of the church recognized how central the name of Jesus Christ was in their preaching!
Acts 5:40 And they took his advice; and after calling the apostles in, they flogged them and ordered them to speak no more in the name of Jesus…
The Jerusalem council commended Barnabas and Paul as “men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ!”
Acts 15:24 “Since we have heard that some of our number to whom we gave no instruction have disturbed you with their words, unsettling your souls,
Acts 15:25 it seemed good to us, having become of one mind, to select men to send to you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
Acts 15:26 men who have risked their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Paul expresses his willingness to die for the name of Jesus Paul expresses his willingness to die for the name of Jesus! (Acts 21:13)
Acts 21:13 Then Paul answered, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name
Acts 21:13 of the Lord Jesus.”
The Bible refers to our Lord by many names!
Precious Names Alpha and Omega Beloved Bread of Life Bright and Morning Star Firstborn from the dead
Precious Names Holy One Immanuel Lamb of God Light of the world Lord of lords
Precious Names Lion of Judah Lord of the Sabbath Man of Sorrows Mighty God Prince of Peace
Precious Names Servant Savior Good Shepherd Son of God Son of Man
Precious Names King of kings Righteous Judge Root of David Word of God Living Water
But of all the names we call Him by…
…the one used the most is Jesus!
The name Jesus is declared over 800 times in the New Testament.
Jesus Christ is the One who brings salvation.
All spiritual blessings come through His name:
Adoption (John 1:12)
Salvation (Acts 4:12)
Forgiveness (Acts 10:43)
Answered prayer (John 14:13-14)
The Holy Spirit (John 14:26)
It’s at His name that every knee will bow. (Philippians 2:10)
Everything we do should be done in His name! (Colossians 3:17)
But before Peter spent the next several minutes talking about our precious Jesus, he asked two very interesting questions.
Acts 3:12 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
Acts 3:12 had made him walk?
You should know better!
Men of Israel… you’re children of the covenant!
God said this was going to happen!
The Prophets declared that Messiah would come!
That He would preach the good news of the kingdom and go about performing miraculous sign and wonders.
It all took place right before your very eyes!
Why are you looking at us as if our own power and piety could make this man walk?
It’s all about Jesus!
Acts 3:13 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus, the one whom you delivered up, and disowned in the
Acts 3:11-18 presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release Him.
It’s as if Peter is screaming at the top of his lungs, “This isn’t a new thing… it’s a true thing!”
Peter proclaims that the God of the covenant, the God of the patriarchs and the prophets, has glorified His servant Jesus.
The word “servant” shows up several times in the book of Isaiah.
Isaiah 42:1-4 Behold, My Servant whom I uphold; My chosen one in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit upon Him; He shall bring forth justice to the nations.
Isaiah 42:1-4 He will not cry out or raise His voice, nor make His voice heard in the streets. A bruised reed He will not break, and a dimly burning wick He will not extinguish;
Isaiah 42:1-4 He will faithfully bring forth justice. He will not be disheartened or crushed until He has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands will wait
Isaiah 42:1-4 expectantly for His law.
In Matthew 20:28, Jesus said of Himself, “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.”
In John 6:38 He said, “I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.”
In John 8:28 He added, “I do nothing on My own initiative, but I speak these things as the Father taught Me.”
We know that He came as the suffering servant, but when His suffering was over, God glorified Jesus and seated Him at His right hand.
Now Peter reminds them all the more that they rejected Jesus and chose death instead of life.
Acts 3:14 But you disowned the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,
To emphasize their guilt, Peter repeats the charge that they disowned Jesus.
Then he shows them a stark contrast between life and death.
He was Holy and Righteous right before your eyes!
You didn’t want holiness and righteousness.
You wanted a murderer!
You could have had the Son of God!
But you wanted the son of your father, the devil.
Even Pilate’s wife could see what you were doing.
Matthew 27:19 And while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent to him, saying, “Have nothing to do with that righteous Man; for last night I suffered greatly in
Matthew 27:19 a dream because of Him.”
The Roman centurion saw it!
Luke 23:47 Now when the centurion saw what had happened, he began praising God, saying, “Certainly this man was innocent.”
Peter’s indictment of them was devastatingly direct.
You didn’t just choose death by selecting a murderer, you condemned the Prince of Life.
Acts 3:15 but put to death the Prince of life, the one whom God raised from the dead, a fact to which we are witnesses.
Thank goodness your plan didn’t work!
Peter brings home the point that they were open enemies of the God they professed to love.
They had been working against the very One they had come to the temple to worship today.
They wanted their own plan instead of God’s best!
The One whom God had exalted, they had delivered up, disowned, and executed.
Their guilt must have been enormous, but God was and is bigger than their murderous and selfish hearts.
Acts 3:16 And on the basis of faith in His name, it is the name of Jesus which has strength-ened this man whom you see and know; and the faith which comes through
Acts 3:16 Him has given him this perfect health in the presence of you all.
Does anybody else see it?
Can you see t he glimmer of hope?
If this man could be healed by faith in the name and person of Jesus Christ, then what about us?
Acts 3:17 And now, brethren, I know that you acted in ignorance, just as your rulers did also.
Acts 3:18 But the things which God announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, that His Christ should suffer, He has thus fulfilled.”
So it is time!
Jesus Christ paid the price for your sin as well.
Get ready, get ready, get ready…
In the second part of his sermon, he clearly offers them the answer.
Repent!
Believe!
Be baptized!
Live for Christ!