“Acts 3: The Second Gospel Sermon”

Tuesday, January 03, 2017

As chapter 3 opens, two apostles, Peter and John, are headed to the temple to pray and to preach about Jesus Christ.

First, they meet a man lame from his mother’s womb and perform their first miracle of healing in the name of Jesus. This miracle draws a multitude to Solomon’s porch where Peter preaches the second gospel sermon.

Like the first sermon in Acts 2, this sermon is centered on the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. The gospel is good news because of its message about the death, burial and resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Because of the death of Jesus on the cross, we can have the forgiveness of our sins. And because of the resurrection, we can have hope of eternal life in heaven with God.

In a similar way as in the first sermon, Peter tells his listeners that they are guilty of crucifying God’s Son, whom he calls “the Prince of life.” There must always be conviction of sin in the process of conversion.

Peter’s charge to them is to “repent and be converted.” This is a parallel thought to Acts 2:28 – “repent and be baptized for the remission of sins.” Baptism is the point at which one’s relationship to God is changed from unsaved to saved.

Finally, Peter reminds them of an Old Testament prophecy by Moses, originally found in Deuteronomy 18:15-19. In that prophecy, Moses, one of the greatest heroes of the Old Testament, predicted the coming forth of another Lawgiver. He spoke, of course, of Jesus the Messiah, but when He came into the world, His own people, the Jews, did not accept Him as their Savior.

Those who reject Him will be “utterly destroyed.” Those who listen, trust and obey Him will be blessed.

--Roger Hillis

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