Acts 3:11-26 – Spiritual Ignorance Rebuked

Reverend Leo H. McCrary II

Let’s explore Peter’s second sermon in Acts 3:11-26 to understand the message of rebuke, repentance, and God’s forgiveness.

Introduction

Will God forgive the ignorant, or are they forever lost?

In our bible study this week, we’re going to pick up where we left off in Acts 3.  After the lame man had been healed through the power of the Holy Spirit, let’s remember that he immediately entered the temple courtyard, praising the Lord – he became a testimony of the Holy Spirit’s power.  The miracle healing of the lame man led to Peter’s next sermon, which once again opens the door for forgiveness. 

Healing Through Christ Preached

Acts 3:11 Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon’s, greatly amazed. 

• Solomon’s porch was located in the court of Gentiles, the outer court of the temple.  Large crowds would be able to gather in this area.

Acts 3:12 So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? 

• As with his first sermon, Peter addresses this message to the “men of Israel”, though it could be possible that Gentiles were present.  This reminds us that the gospel was first directed to the men of Israel.
• “As though by our own power or godliness” reminds us that the works of the apostles were only possible through the dwelling of the Holy Spirit.
  • The works of the sincere believer are led by the Holy Spirit.  We are not to do works according to our own will, but the will of God.

Acts 3:13-15 The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go.  But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses.  

• In his second sermon, Peter rebuked the men of Israel, once again preaching the gospel (Jesus’ death and resurrection).  
• This is the message of the Holy Spirit:
  • He will always glorify Christ.
  • He preaches the gospel because the gospel saves the soul.
• In this sermon, Peter includes the fact that the Jews chose to set Barabbas free over Christ.
• Barabbas was the murderer whom the Jews demanded to be let go.  The gospels note that Barabbas had been imprisoned for leading an insurrection against Rome (Mark 15:7; Luke 23:19; John 18:40). 
• Once again, the Jews were the first to receive the gospel message, as they were being rebuked with the hope that they would repent from denying Christ.
• The Holy Spirit rebukes and preaches the gospel to give one an opportunity at repentance.

Acts 3:16 And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.  

• Peter glorifies Christ, rather than taking credit for the healing of the lame man.
• The lame man was healed through his faith in Christ.
• The lame man was strengthened through the receiving of the Holy Spirit.
• Believers are saved through Christ’s sacrifice.
• The souls of believers are renewed and transformed through the receiving of the Holy Spirit (Rom. 12:1-2; 2 Cor. 5:17).

Ignorance Can and Will Be Forgiven

Acts 3:17 “Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers.  

• “It” is a reference to the crucifixion of Christ.
• Peter acknowledges the ignorance of people not knowing who Christ was when they sought His death.
  • Keep in mind, ignorance is a lack of knowledge, education, or awareness.
  • In essence, Peter raises the notion of innocence in the crucifixion of Christ.
    • Notice that the people and the rulers (the religious leaders) are included in this ignorance.
    • Though Jesus condemned the actions of the scribes and Pharisees in Matthew 23, not all of them were condemned (see Nicodemus).

Acts 3:18-21 But those things which God foretold by the mouth of all His prophets, that the Christ would suffer, He has thus fulfilled.  Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before,  whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all His holy prophets since the world began. 

• Repentance is offered to those who move out of ignorance; God does not immediately condemn.
• We must also be clear in that while God does not condemn ignorance, He does not tolerate it.
  • God teaches so that one does not remain ignorant.
    • Ignorance of God’s way is why Christ was given.
    • God sent prophets to Israel so that they could not claim ignorance of God’s law and their sin.
  • God rebukes so that one is not ignorant of their sin.
    • Rebuke is a form of correction – God will not permit those who know better to continue in sin they either commit knowingly or out of ignorance.

Acts 3:22 For Moses truly said to the fathers, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you a Prophet like me from your brethren. Him you shall hear in all things, whatever He says to you. 

• This is a reference to Deuteronomy 18:15-22.
• Moses said that if one questioned the legitimacy of a prophet, the prophet could be tested by waiting to see whether the thing they prophesied came true or not (Deut. 18:22).
  • The resurrection of Christ fulfilled the multiple predictions He made of His death and resurrection.
  • By this test, those who doubted Christ should have accepted that He was not only a prophet but the Prophet of Moses’ prophecy.

Acts 3:23-24 And it shall be that every soul who will not hear that Prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.’  Yes, and all the prophets, from Samuel and those who follow, as many as have spoken, have also foretold these days. 

• Destroyed because they’d make a choice not to believe the Prophet, though His prediction came true, and the prophecies of Old Testament prophets also.
• Mercy nor forgiveness will be shown to those who blatantly choose to deny Christ when proof has been shown.
• Proof of Christ:
  • His fourfold witnesses (John 5:31-40).
  • The apostles’ witness (2 Pet. 1:16).
  • The witness of the women, like Mary Magdalene (John 20:1-18).
  • Witness of the two on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-27).
  • Hundreds who witnessed Christ (1 Cor. 15:6).
  • The Holy Spirit (John 15:26; 16:12-15).

Acts 3:25 You are sons of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your seed all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’  Acts 2:26 To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities.” 

• The gospel was preached to the Jews first because they were the sons of Israel, the sons of the covenant.
  • The first mention of God’s covenant with Abraham is found in Genesis 12:1-9.
  • Israel entered into the covenant after their exodus and arrival at Mount Sinai in Exodus 19:1-10.
  • Christ was sent to the house of Israel first because He made a covenant with them first; He does not forsake His promise.
• “All the families of the earth” is also part of the Abrahamic covenant and came includes Gentiles.  The saving of Gentiles was always part of God’s will, going back to God’s promise in Genesis 3:15.
  • Jesus confirmed the Abrahamic covenant on multiple occasions:
    • In His teaching Nicodemus, Jesus told him that whoever believes in Him will not perish but will have everlasting life.
    • In John 10:16, Jesus told the religious leaders that He has other sheep who are not of the fold of Israel that He would save and bring so that He is the shepherd over one flock.

All Can Be Forgiven

In closing of this week’s study, I want to highlight Acts 2:17.  It is incredibly important that all of you know that God will forgive your sins should you come to Him in repentance.  To be clear, repentance is an acknowledgment of one’s sin, heeding God’s rebuke, and then moving to correct one’s ways according to God’s instructions.  

All sins will be forgiven except for one sin.  In Matthew 12:31-32, Jesus explained this by saying, “Every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men.  Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.”

As we have seen in our studies of the book of Acts, the Holy Spirit is at work to save souls.   If you move to hinder the work of salvation, God will not forgive.  Yet, for every other sin that you commit, the Lord is willing to show you mercy.

So, I encourage you:  Have no shame in seeking God’s forgiveness, as He wants to forgive you.  Do not let your sin build up without you going to the Lord!  Sin is such a heavy weight that you shouldn’t be trying to carry, especially not alone, because the guilt will destroy your soul.  So, as Peter encouraged, I encourage you today: Cast your cares upon the Lord, for He cares for you (1 Pet. 5:6-7).