Good day dear friends. Our text for today comes from Acts 3: 12 When Peter saw he had a congregation, he addressed the people: 13 The God of Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, the God of our ancestors, has glorified his Son Jesus. The very One that Pilate called innocent, you repudiated. 14 You repudiated the Holy One, the Just One, and asked for a murderer in his place. 15 You no sooner killed the Author of Life than God raised him from the dead - and we're the witnesses. 16 Faith in Jesus' name put this man, whose condition you know so well, on his feet - yes, faith and nothing but faith put this man healed and whole right before your eyes. 17 "And now, friends, I know you had no idea what you were doing when you killed Jesus, and neither did your leaders. 18 But God, who through the preaching of all the prophets had said all along that his Messiah would be killed, knew exactly what you were doing and used it to fulfill his plans. 19 "Now it's time to change your ways! Turn to face God so he can wipe away your sins, pour out showers of blessing to refresh you, (The Message)
Christians know where their power lies, it lies in God. No one can nor should take credit for what God has done or is doing. Such was the case with Peter and John. The passage begins with Peter's response to the congregation gathered after witnessing what was for many, their first miracle; a man born without the ability to walk, carried everywhere by his friends, is now not just walking, but "leaping and jumping, and praising God," as the Sunday school song says. Peter asks, how can you be so amazed at what our God can do? It was the same God we have always believed in, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, Who also provided us with Jesus, that did this miracle. Yes, even the same one you turned over to be tried and killed, that's the One who made this man's walking possible. It was in the name of Jesus, through faith, that had made possible this man's walking among you.
What also amazes me is Peter's message of understanding about why so many were involved in this process of turning Jesus over to be killed, and offers to them a chance to believe and to get right with God. Peter offers them an opportunity to confess and come clean with what they've done personally with their lives, and to receive, through that new relationship a "shower of blessings" with which to be refreshed.
That continues to be the message we as individual members of Christ' Church and as the Church need to continue to offer to all. Our "demonstration plus proclamation should equal credibility" among those who have not yet believed. This quote comes from John Maxwell's "Leadership Bible." Dr. Maxwell was for years a successful Wesleyan preacher in San Diego, CA, later became a writer and speaker and founder of a leadership education empire. His Bible has leadership message by most of the stories and teachings of the Bible. This passage is one Maxwell labels as that which allowed the Christian movement to pick up steam and grow throughout the area. It was thanks to the faithfulness of Peter, John, and the others to make it so. It continues to depend on leaders such as you and me, to see that this movement never ends.
PRAYER: Loving God of all people, even the unsaved, bless and use us to make known this message of love and forgiveness. If ever Your church needed showers of blessings, it is now. Make me a part of that shower and let me join with others in living a life that demonstrates faith that matches our proclamation, so that it may be a credible message to all. I pray in Jesus' precious name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
