A Taste of the Times of Refreshing

Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, Acts 3:19–20

Acts 3:1–4:4 – The Story of the Church: Living Into This Drama in the 21st Century
Second Sunday of Easter – April 11, 2021 (am)

I don’t know about you, but I think it’d be just fine with me to go through some times of refreshing! (3:20) It seems to me that if the Bible talks about such times, they would have to be marked by the shalom we talked about last Sunday, Jesus’ greeting (Luk.24:36) to the eleven and all the rest (cf. Luk.24:9) on the day of His resurrection. After all, the Greek word [here] can mean rest, relief, respite or refreshment (Stott 93). Could you do with a bit of refreshing? I think so! And according to Peter here, it comes by responding rightly to the Person and works and words—to the name—of Jesus.

This section, c.3 into c.4, progresses similarly to c.2: (1) a miracle (2:1-13; 3:1-10) followed by (2) a sermon explaining that miracle, including an appeal for [repentance] (2:14-41; 3:11-26), and finally (3) a description of life in the immediate aftermath concluding with a growth report (2:42-47; 4:1-4). We took c.2 in three parts to give due consideration to each, even though we acknowledged that it was one longer narrative unit. Here in 3:1-4:4, we’re going to take it in one piece to see how important it is for it to hang together. So, let’s get started looking at the three parts.

Peter and John Display the Power of Jesus’ Name – 3:1-10

The miracle in this progression is familiar and beautiful. What Peter does here reminds us of what Jesus did with the daughter of Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue (Luk.8:41-42). She had died, but Jesus [took] her by the hand and [said], “Child, arise.” And her spirit returned, and she got up at once (Luk.8:54-55).

But it reminds us of more than that! It echoes Isaiah’s words about the day of God’s salvation (35:4). When that day arrives, he wrote: 35:5 Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf unstopped; 6 then shall the lame man leap like a deer…!

And that is precisely what we’re seeing here. It was the ninth hour (1), 3:00 pm, the time of the afternoon sacrifice during which the people gathered to pray (Marshall 93): 2 … a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple. I wonder how many times Jesus must’ve passed him, saving his healing for this particular day? This man was known to sit in this location asking for money (3:10). And he wasn’t young (4:22). 3 Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms, quite possible without even [looking] up. 4 And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John—this wasn’t going to be a quick, impersonal exchange—a good model for gospel encounters. Peter and John [riveted their eyes on] him, and said, “Look at us.” 5 And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. 6 But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. I share with you the power of God! In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” And he did! In fact, he 8 … entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him…, 10 and recognized him…. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. The disciples were continuing the work of Jesus, healing in His name, enabled by the Holy Spirit!

This is a glorious miracle! It was a blessing to this man and it’s a picture for us of the ultimate salvation of the Lord, the day of His appearing with all that’ll be [restored] and set right on that day! (21) But beware of preaching that stops with this account and makes it the point of this passage, suggesting that this is what we need more of in the church—the wonders and signs that were being done through the apostles that brought awe to every soul (2:43) and wonder and amazement (10) to this crowd. But this isn’t the response to Jesus that brings times of refreshing! (20)

Peter Proclaims the Power of Jesus’ Name – 3:11-26

Peter continues on to instruct this crowd, and us through them, regarding the right response to what they just saw, to what we read here. His instruction comes in two parts.

Peter connects this miracle to the name and power of Jesus. – 11-16

“[Surely you don’t think we performed this miracle on our own],” Peter [said to] the people of Israel (12). So, he was preaching primarily to the Jews in this passage. And he affirmed two important truths. In reverse order:

It’s faith in Jesus’ name that has made this man strong; the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health (16). Peter doesn’t make it clear here whether it’s this man’s faith or his own faith that’s in view here. And it could also be the faith of those who carried him to this place in the temple area daily, as it appears to have been in a similar situation back in Luk.5:18 And behold, some men were bringing on a bed a man who was paralyzed, and they were seeking to bring him in and lay him before Jesus, 19 but finding no way to bring him in, because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down with his bed through the tiles into the midst before Jesus. 20 And when he saw their faith, he said, “Man, your sins are forgiven you.” James (5:15-16) also suggests that it’s the one who’s [praying] more than the one needing prayer whose faith is honored. But here, the focus is on the Object of faith, not on the one who has faith—which really is always so.

This Jesus is the direct Agent of God. He’s God’s servant (13). In fact, He is God! He’s the Holy and Righteous One (14). He represents the God of Abraham…, Isaac…, and Jacob! (13) But you delivered Him over and denied Him in the presence of Pilate, and asked for a murderer to be [released instead], and then killed the Author (the pioneer or giver [Stott 92]) of life, … But God raised Him from the dead! (13-14) Clear implication: if you’re working against Jesus you’re working against God, the God of Israel, the God of the OT, the God… of the living! (cf. Luk.20:38)

So, the power of Jesus is the power of God! And this miracle was done by the power of Jesus!

Peter calls for repentance from the Jews who opposed Jesus. – 17-26

So, how was Israel suppose to respond to the power of Jesus here? Was it just with awe (2:43) and wonder and amazement? (10) No! Anyone who sees a display like this one would stand in awe of it! But, feeling awe doesn’t reconcile people to God, or bring refreshment! Jesus didn’t come just to [amaze] people! Peter tells us right here how to respond.

To these people, he said: Yes, you acted in ignorance of who Jesus really is. And so did your rulers (17). But that doesn’t impede God’s purpose. Your ignorance can’t frustrate or forestall God’s plan. He just works through it, or around it, or in spite of it, to accomplish His will anyway (18). And you just end up losing out on the [blessing], and the joy, of having participated in it!

The thing that needed to happen was to find a solution to their problem of opposing the Person and work of Jesus! And Peter provided that. It’s our key verse today. It’s the thing Israel most ought to hear and heed in this text. It’s the key ingredient that God’s people in every age need even more than wonders and signs (2:43). In fact, it’s the thing that wonders and signs were given to encourage. 19 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out—we need a solution for [sin], for all that makes any of us oppose Jesus! We need a solution that’s provided by Someone Who’s proven that He’s conquered [sin], and its curse, death, as well as all other painful manifestations of the sinful brokenness of this world, like a man being lame from birth (2). 19 Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, 20 that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ, Messiah, the Deliverer Who’s appointed for you, Jesus.

Yes, He ascended back to heaven until the appointed day of His return (21), the day Israel had been looking for ever since God first started speaking through prophets, like Moses (22) and Samuel and the rest (24). But they also needed to listen to the prophets (22b), and obey them! (23) And that’s not what they’ve been doing! So, Peter reminds them: 25 You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, “And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.” God is for you! His [blessing] has been yours from the start, Israel! God promised it to you through Abraham, and through him to all the nations.

But the [blessing] is experienced not just by being born into Abraham’s line, or even by having a front row seat to see the wonders and signs done by Jesus, or done by His disciples in His name. The [blessing] comes when Israel, and also the nations, recognize, as Paul did (Gal.3:16), that Jesus in the offspring of Abraham through Whom all the families of the earth small be blessed (25). And the way we’re called to affirm that is by turning… from [our] wickedness (26). The times of refreshing we long for come as we repent… and turn back, that [our] sins may be blotted out (19).

We’re not talking about full deliverance when all things are [restored] (21). We’re talking about a taste of that final [restoration] through miracles of deliverance like this one here that previews the new creation where all things will be [restored], all expressions of [sin] and suffering, disease and death, will be healed, eradicated from human experience once and for all by power of the name of the crucified and risen Jesus!

All who oppose Jesus as God’s promised salvation must repent and be reconciled to God by faith in Jesus name (16). This is the heart of Peter’s message in this passage!

The Varied Responses to Peter’s Proclamation – 4:1-4

But there was a varied response to Peter’s proclamation, then just as now. We mentioned earlier how we need to beware of preaching that stops with the miracle account and makes it the point of this passage, as though wonders and signs bringing awe and amazement is what we need more of in the church, as thought this is what brings times of refreshing! But surely the miracle isn’t the point in this narrative. It just sets the stage for Peter’s sermon which makes the point.

But this is one of the varied responses we see to this text. It’s not one that Luke spotlights right here, but earlier in his gospel he talked about people who kept seeking a sign from [Jesus], a sign from heaven (Luk.11:16). But Jesus said no sign will be given to [them] except the sign of Jonah (Luk.11:29) who [preached] in Nineveh and they repented (Luk.11:32).

People who just want miracles are missing the point even of the miracles themselves! [Repentance] is the aim!

A second response to Peter’s proclamation that Luke does mention explicitly is that of the religious leaders: 4:1 … as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captains of the temple (4:1), the head of the temple police and second in charge to the high priest (Marshall 104), and the Sadducees came upon them. We’ll meet the Sadducees several more times in Acts. In short, they didn’t believe in the resurrection (cf. 23:8). They believed the Messianic movement began during the Maccabean period more than century earlier, so they weren’t looking for a Messiah (Stott 96). And they were more politically oriented than the Pharisees, interested in maintaining good relations with Rome. So, on several fronts this group was no friend of the growing church (Marshall 104). 4:3 And they arrested [Peter and John] and put them in custody until the next day….

This where persecution of the church begins in Acts, and it develops into a rather prominent theme.

But here, the primary thing we notice in this paragraph is that one of the varied responses to Peter’s preaching was to be greatly annoyed (2) by it, disturbed by the the inconvenience and disruptive influence it might have. It’s not as though priests and Sadducees didn’t want to experience times of refreshing (3:20). They just had a different idea of what would bring them about. They had a different idea of how God was at work in their day and that involved a bit more attention given to political matters with a bit less to supernatural expressions and facets of their faith. This miracle was disruptive. And teaching on the resurrection was going to make them seem like some sort of a fringe religious sect. This kind of crazy talk had to be put to a stop if they were ever going to be taken seriously by Rome!

Sadducees are still around today, don’t you think?

Finally, Luke reports that many of those who had heard [Peter’s proclamation] believed (4:4). They received his teaching and responded with [repentance]. They [turned] back, that [their] sins may be blotted out (3:19). They heard the heart of the matter and responded in the way that was needful, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord (3:20). That’s how it happened back then. And that’s still how it happens now!

Conclusion

Do you want to taste times of refreshing… from… the Lord? (3:20) Walk in [repentance] (3:19) with your faith fixed in the powerful name of Jesus (3:16), the Holy and Righteous One! (3:14)

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Resources

Bruce, F. F. The Book of Acts, Revised. The New International Commentary on the New Testament. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1988.

Carson, D. A. The Gospel According to John. The Pillar New Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1991.

Gempf, Conrad. “Acts,” in New Bible Commentary 21st Century Edition, edited by D. A. Carson, R. T. France, J. A. Motyer, and G. J. Wenham, 1066-114. Leicester, Eng.: InterVarsity, 1994.

Longenecker, Richard N. “Acts,” in Expositor’s Bible Commentary, volume 10, edited by Tremper Longman III and David E. Garland, 665-1102. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2007.

Marshall, I. Howard. “Acts,” in Commentary on the New Testament Use of the Old Testament, edited by G. K. Beale and D. A. Carson, 513-606. Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2007.

_____. Acts. Volume 5, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 1980.

Polhill, John B. Acts. Volume 26, The New American Commentary. Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 1992.

_____. Study notes on Acts. In ESV Study Bible. Wheaton: Crossway, 2008.

Stein, Robert H. Luke. Volume 24, The New American Commentary. Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 1992.

Next Week: Acts 4:5–22, Jon Hoglund