“You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this.”
This seems to be the way of the world. When confronted with a choice between the holy or the profane, we seem to be more comfortable with the profane.
We are more comfortable with the things that demean rather than the things that raise up.
We are more comfortable with the compromise rather than to stand for righteousness. We are less threatened by the blurred line than by the clear stand.
God calls us to be different; He wants us to be noticed for our commitment, our clarity of purpose, our willingness to risk for the sake of others.
Peter spoke to the deviance he saw, but did so without condemnation.
His stand was clear; “… you disowned… you put to death the Prince of life in exchange for a murderer.”
Peter is not condemning them, but opening their eyes to the truth of God. This is the work of God for their sake.
Acts 3:15
“You killed the author of life, …”
They killed the giver of life in exchange for one who took life.
How often have we preferred the convenience of denying life, to the effort of giving life.
When we choose to disobey, to rebel, we choose that which robs us of life and we delight in the momentary pleasure it gives us to resist the one who gives life and does so in abundance.
Our blindness to the eternal goodness of God traps us into that which robs us of life.
Acts 3:19
“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;”
“Therefore…” “That being the case…”
After all they have heard and seen, Peter comes to the “Now” moment. He challenges them from being mere observers and listeners to becoming partakers in God’s goodness.
They, like us, must be drawn into the life God has for us.
“Now repent of your sins (transgressions, rebellion, ignorance) and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped away.”
Here is the promise, “Repent, turn to God and you will be forgiven, cleansed.”
But that is not all. “Then time of refreshment will come from the presence of the Lord, and he will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah.”
Repentance brings refreshing from the very presence of the Lord and the promise of Jesus’ return.
One man’s faith and one man’s healing began to restore a people to the Father.