Confrontation

Scripture:

24 “Indeed, beginning with Samuel, all the prophets who have spoken have foretold these days.  25 And you are heirs of the prophets and of the covenant God made with your fathers. He said to Abraham, ‘Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed.’26 When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.”  (Acts 3:24-26)

Observation:

Peter and John are going to the temple for daily prayers and as they enter the gate called Beautiful, Peter administers a miracle.  The recipient, a man born lame, praises God and draws attention to what God has done for him.  This brings a crowd who react in surprise and are “filled with wonder and amazement.” 

Peter admonishes them, asking them why they look to him as though he did this on his own power or Godliness.  He points them to Jesus, saying: “You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead.  We are witnesses of this.  By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know, was made strong. “

Not once did Peter or John take credit or glory for the miracles.  Because they kept their egos out of it, because they always pointed the people back to Jesus, the Spirit of God was able to flourish – proving that not even death could stop the gospel message. 

While in the middle of admonishing the onlookers for their part in Jesus’ death (something that could have put a wedge of condemnation between God and his people), Peter pulls them in, reminding them of the promises God made to them through Abraham and the prophets.  He reminds them of the prophesy that the “Servant would suffer” (Isaiah).  He reminds them what God said to Abraham in the covenant “Through your offspring all peoples on earth will be blessed”

Then he gets to the best part, he tells them something in their place and time that I can hold on to here in mine.  He says in verse 26 “When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you, to bless you, by turning each of you from your wicked ways.”

This was the opening door for many people who saw Jesus from a distance.  They’d heard who he was.  Might have been curious about him, but mostly just followed the crowd.  For some, this might have been the first miracle they’d observed (it says they were amazed).  They could no longer pretend he was just a good man, or a teacher.  Peter claimed that they weren’t doing any of those miracles on their own power – but by the power of the suffering servant who was raised. 

Peter uses the miracle to get the peoples attention, but the point of the whole thing was to confront them with Jesus; to get them to repent of their wickedness.

This was the blessing!

Application:

Tomorrow we will talk about the result of this confrontation, but let me circle back for a moment and ask you a question.  Have you confronted Jesus lately?  Have you found sin in your life that you’ve turned away from?  If you have… if you’ve conformed your life to His, then look for the blessing!

If you know you are on the wrong track, avoiding the saving work of Jesus, won’t you stop running and confront him?  Talk to Him about your hurts and your disappointments.  Give him the chance to talk to you and prove how surrendering your wickedness will bring blessings in your life.

Prayer:

Father God, I know that what I just asked them to do is scary.  We often feel so overwhelmed and harbor self-contempt, wondering how you could ever love us when we are so messed up.  It’s hard to believe that you can love us so much when we sometimes don’t even like ourselves.  But I pray for them, Lord, that you would give them the courage to speak to you honestly about their hurts and the things they love that they know are wicked.  Help them see themselves the way you do.  Increase their hope, and pour out your truth in their life so they can see past the delusions and enter into the blessing.  Amen.