3:12 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?
3:13 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.
3:14 But you rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked to have a
murderer given to you,
3:15 and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the
dead. To this we are witnesses.
3:16 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.
3:17 "And now, friends, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did
also your rulers.
3:18 In this way God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the
prophets, that his Messiah would suffer.
3:19 Repent therefore, and turn to God so that your sins may be
wiped out,
I need help in locating a poem I want for a friend. The poem is
about how hatred (I think) excludes people. The last line goes
something like "but love drew a circle and took me in." I can't find
it anywhere in my resources, and I hate to tell you what I get when
I search for "love circle" on the Internet!!! Any help you can give
would be greatly appreciated. RevJan
Actually, there was a song based on that lyric (the love as a circle
theme) by Captain and Tennille many years ago (late 70s?) . . . on
one of their albums. I'm embarrassed to say, because I'm not one of
their fans (!) . . . Bob Dylan is more my speed. But that WAS a very
good song, and same basic lyric/story. Good luck. -- Dave K. in Ohio
For this week's installment of "Luke's Story of the Church," I've
decided to use Acts 3:1-16 (since it's harder to understand the
crowd's astonishment and Peter's answer without hearing about the
healing that evoked these reactions).
Sermon title is: "The Faith That Is Through Jesus." I want to
explore the nature and impact of the "faith that is through Jesus."
Comments, ideas, illustrations welcomed!
Can anyone suggest any good commentaries on Acts? (I have the Anchor
Bible on Acts, but it's not very insightful.)
Doug in Riverside
I'm also expanding the lection -- same reasoning; I'm going to use
Acts 3:1-19 . . . did you trim the last 3 verses for reasons of
brevity, or other? . . . Sermon title: "Better Than Silver And Gold"
-- Dave K. in Ohio <><
I'm looking at using "Core Value" for a sermon title. Idea comes
from Net Results, Vol. XX1, No. 5. Basicly, we all have a core
value...even if we do not know what it is. To find out, just look
around at what is held important. In Acts, Peter gives what is most
important to him...Jesus Christ. As a result a man lame from birth
walks. People are amazed and a door opens for sharing the gospel in
a way that will change lives. Peter goes straight to the core of the
Christitan faith as egery Christian church ought to today...These
are just stater thoughts...suggestions?
Csue, San Antonio, Tx.
To Doug in Riverside --
I once asked my favorite seminary NT prof which Acts commentary he
would suggest. I am not sure I am spelling it right (and am on
vacation away from my library) His suggestion was the one by
Haenchon. Again, check the spelling. Dave not in Iowa
Peter stresses the critical point that all this is what GOD has
done--not human beings. Brings us back to reconsider the main reason
we come together as people of faith. That may be my sermon focus.
Sharon in Bethlehem
Doug,
I recently found, and really like, the NIV Application commentaries.
They are expensive (hardback only) but I think worth it, for they
make me think . . . The one on acts is written by an evangelist from
Nicargua (sp?) . . talk about the church in action. Also, I use the
Life Application Commentaries. Another good resource, although not a
"true" commentary is the IVP Bible Background Commentary. I found
after --- years of preaching Doubting Thomas the Sunday after
Easter, I just couldn't do it anymore. These commentaries (plus my
favorite, Barclay) have helped me tremendously these last two
Sundays (and several others . . .) RevJan
Acted in ignorance:
How wonderfully amazing that when the Light shines again on those
who loved darkness (Apostles' witness to the resurrection and the
power in the name) that so many of them turned to the Light. Their
deeds done in darkness (ignorance) are now revealed to them and many
indeed repent.
How hard it is for a person to admit doing wrong. I wonder what
excuses we come up with today when our dark deeds are revealed. "I
was born this way." "My parents made me do it." "I don't care."
"Well, that's just your way of looking at it."
Again just a reminder that the movement in the book of Acts happens
not as a result of the apostles (heaven's we're never told the rest
of their stories) but it is all about the growth of the church from
Jerusalem to the ends of the earth simply by means of the power of
the Holy Spirit!
John near Pitts.
I'm playing with the contrasts here in v. 14-15; murderer/author of
life/raised from dead. There's something very basic about this
opposition of life and death, and the simplicity of Peter offering
to the crowd the same choice his ancestors were offered; life or
death? I remember in my adolesence (mid-eighties) a trend of
T-shirts that proclaimed "Choose Life!" Some people thought this was
a statement on the abortion debate, but I always preferred to see it
in its broadest possible meaning. How often in our lives are we
given a choice between life-giving and death-dealing options, for
ourselves and those around us. How often, out of fear or jealousy or
whatever, are we like those who killed the Author of Life? And how
wonderful that, through him, we are still given the option, every
day, life or death? Choose life!
Heather Newmarket, Ontario
To Dave in Iowa, Dave not in Iowa, and RevJan:
Thanks for your comments on commentaries.
The reason I chose to end with v. 16 was simple: since the sermon
title is drawn from verse 16, I wanted the reading to end with an
implied transition to the sermon (even though there's a hymn in
between).
One good reason for including 17-19, though, might be the softening
of Peter's seemingly blanket condemnation of the "Israelites" in vv.
14-15, and the opportunity for repentance and forgiveness clarified
in v. 19.
Interesting that it's the time of the "hour of prayer" (not "sweet
hour of prayer"!) when the man lame from birth is healed and the
crowd is amazed. In a book on "True Prayer" by Kenneth Leech, I came
across this quotation from Karl Barth (no reference given): "To
clasp the hands in prayer is the beginning of an uprising against
the disorder of the world." One can infer from the text that it was
probably routine for this man to be brought to the temple and to beg
for and receive alms. "All the people recognized him." There was a
kind of order to his presence there, and to the giving and receiving
of alms. But there's also a kind of disorder when someone either has
to, or chooses to, beg for a living. In Bible study today, some of
the participants used the analogy of "enabling" re substance abuse.
But the surprise healing took this (dis-)order and threw it into
disarray.
Chapter 4 then narrates the arrest, questioning, and release of
Peter and John regarding this sign: a sign which not only
demonstrates the authority of the risen Christ, but which also calls
into question the arrangement of beggars and almsgivers.
Doug in Riverside
After reading some of the comments here I decided to imagine sitting
in a pew hearing this text beginning with verse 12. Unless you had
some background of the first 11 verses it would be very confusing.
Then after reading the first 11 verses I couldn't help but think of
one of my favorite scenes from "Life of Brian" (Monty Python) "Alms
for an old ex-leper." I know, I know - this is Peter and John and
the 'ex-leper' talks about Jesus "the bloody do-gooder." But O, am I
sorely tempted to show that clip on the screen to set up a the
message. Now couldn't you see that same man in a short time being
like the monty python character. initially praising God - jumping
about - but in awhile realizing that his whole livelihood of begging
at the gate would have to change. Isn't that what is so unsettleing
about this story. The people were accustomed to the routine of the
crippled man begging. To see him strong and no longer crippled was
something unexpected, and to see this srength come from the name of
the one that they had turned their backs on. What a message of how
Christ is risen IN DEED. In action, in healing.
Eric in Waterford, MI
For those preaching on the healing there's an old chorus that goes
with this "Silver and Gold have I none...and he went walking and
leaping and praising God". In an Olympics obsessed Australia this
may connect with a theme about real victory. Petereo
I am calling my sermon "No Longer Ignorant." We say that ignorance
of the law is not an excuse. At least with God (according to this
passage from Acts) we get a second chance to get it right. We can
repent. The second part of my sermon will deal with several great
Christian truths with the recurring line, "I don't want you to be
ignorant." -- Fred in NC
