Acts 3:1-4:4         The Transforming Power of Jesus   

Preached at St Johns Wood Baptist November 2007

The book of Acts, as you know, is the account of the spreading of the flame of the gospel all around the world in the days of the early church. And therefore it is a great place to turn for a church anniversary when you are celebrating being part of that continuing witness to the glorious and soul-ravishing greatness of Christ.

Without doubt we live in a time when most people that we meet think that Christianity has had its day. And it is easy to let the drumbeat of media cynicism and political correctness and post 9/11 concerns about fundamentalism subtly modify the level of boldness with which we proclaim the good news.

We experience the rise of secularism, the rampant overturning of previously Judeo-Christian values, the march of Islam – so hard for political leaders to even gently question without being accused of offence. Living in a time when a long-serving Christian JP can lose his job for saying that he believes that placing adotive children with same sex couples isn’t in their best interests. We are living in days when sin has been redefined as indiscretion, which sounds much more innocent. We used to call promiscuity and stealing from work and tax fiddles great evil. Now they are indiscretions and firms build a percentage into their budget for people stealing because everyone does it.

It can be very tempting to believe that Christianity has had its day and no longer be bold about proclaiming the good news. That the flame is no longer spreading.

I find it so encouraging that it was exactly the same when Luke was writing The Acts of the Apostles. Society was wallowing in gross immorality, the Christians were about to suffer extreme persecution and suppression and the gospel had definitely not had its day. After his resurrection and before his ascension Jesus said to the disciples “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you and you will be my witness in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the Earth.” 40 days later in Jerusalem the Holy Spirit came on the church with transforming power and there was an explosion of witness which hasn’t stopped to this day. Acts tells the story of that witness in ever widening circles, ending with the proclamation that the good news of Jesus is going to go to the whole gentile world.

 

The Gospel Goes Out

Our passage this morning tells of how the gospel went out in those first days after Pentecost in Jerusalem. We heard about a miracle, a sermon that interprets and applies it and about two different responses.

Peter and John went to the temple. There was a crippled man who was there every day but on this occasion something astonishing happened. There was no doubt about the extent of the man’s need, it was very visible. He was crippled from birth and now over 40. He was a familiar face, begging in the temple for many years. Peter looked at the man, God gave Peter in that moment a gift of faith for his healing and he said “in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”

And he did. Well, not just walking. He jumped and praised God. Just imagine yourself there. God had come into his life unexpectedly, with revolutionary power. The aroma of life is spreading. Astonishing supernatural power is being witnessed – wonderful and exciting.

The healing immediately had two effects. First it attracted people. Those who saw it were amazed, the word quickly got around and a big crowd came running. You bet it did. You can imagine them thinking “are we going to get lots of miracles? We want to get in on it.”

Second and more importantly, it attested to the message that Peter proclaimed. We see that in v16: the healing that you can all see comes in the name of Jesus and the faith that is given through Jesus. Peter says “You can see it, you are amazed by it, you want to know what has happened and I will interpret it and explain it to you.” The miracle on its own doesn’t explain anything. But it does attest to the word. It gets every ear straining to hear.

 

A Shockingly Blunt Message 

And what they hear is shockingly blunt. First Peter just clears out any possibility of misunderstanding “Men of Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare as if we had done this by our own power or godliness. Its not from us. It isn’t some new treatment, or a therapy, or magic or witchcraft. No, its divine power from God because the God of our fathers has glorified his servant Jesus.” That’s the reason. You are looking at this amazing thing, this work of the Holy Spirit, and you want to know how on earth it can happen and what it means. And the answer is that God has glorified his servant. Its Jesus power. Manifested to glorify Jesus in this man’s life and among all of you. The purpose of the miracle is that you believe in Jesus.

How has God has glorified his servant Jesus such that this power is manifested? I see 4 glories of Jesus that Peter spells out in this passage:

• Jesus is the servant of the Lord. Everyone knew from the book of Isaiah that God would send an exemplary, redeeming servant. They knew that the servant would suffer for the sins of God’s people, would die a death among the wicked and then would be raised to life in honour and triumph. Peter says “that’s Jesus” in v13. Which is why he says “why are you surprised? Why does this astonish you? Haven’t you read from infancy about the resurrection of the Christ and the blessings of God he will bring?” So the first glory is that he is the promised one who brings salvation with him.
• The second way that God has glorified Jesus, the suffering servant, is by raising him from the dead. The heart of the good news message is there in 4:2 – they were proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. 3:15 “God raised him from the dead.” Romans 1:4 says “through the Spirit of holiness he was declared to be the son of God with power by his resurrection from the dead.” Before he was the son of God in humility, now he is seen and declared to be the son of God with power. How do we know Jesus is the suffering servant of Isaiah? Because Isaiah prophecied the resurrection when he said: “after the suffering of his soul he will see the light of life and be satisfied…by his knowledge my servant will justify many.” That’s how we know.
• Thirdly v14 he is the Holy and Righteous one. The perfect revealer of God, the true worshipper, the fulfilment and consummation of God’s people, the exact representation of God’s being, the fullness of His splendour. 1 Cor 1:30 says “He is the source of our life, whom God made our wisdom and our righteousness and sanctification and redemption.” We don’t stand in our own righteousness. He was made sin so that we might become the righteousness of God.
• Fourthly, v15 he is the author of life. All things were made by him and through him and for him and every breath in our bodies is his

4 great glories. It isn’t possible to be a Christian and hear such ringing endorsements of the glory of our Christ from Peter without faith and worship springing to life in our hearts. I pray that is what is happening in your heart right now. But you might ask “what, then is so shocking?”

 

4 Stinging Indictments

The shock is that the four great glories are paralleled with 4 absolutely stinging indictments and denunciations of those who are listening:

• v13 - you delivered him up
• v13 again and v14 – you disowned him
• v14 – you asked for the righteous one to be traded for a murderer
• v15 you killed the author of life

I think you would have heard a pin drop. And as their minds are struggling to come to terms with it, Peter bluntly sums it up: you killed him, God raised him, we are witnesses. And you can see its true because God has healed with his power. What madness you have participated in. Can you see the horror of your situation: you killed the one who gave you life. And now he is raised and seated in power, how do you think you are standing with him? You are the opponents of the author of life.

But thankfully he doesn’t leave them there. In his grace God doesn’t write off sinners, even those immediately responsible for the death of Jesus. Peter says “you acted in ignorance, but actually God was at work bringing about his salvation.” It’s a bit like Joseph. Do you remember when he became Prime Minister and the met the brothers who sold him into slavery he said “you intended it for harm, but God intended it for good. You thought you were acting freely in the moment when in fact you were acting exactly as he had purposed beforehand. God’s goodness always trumps people’s wickedness.”

 Its like that here “you acted in ignorance but God fulfilled what he had foretold.” God decided beforehand. He knows the future and makes the future before it happens. God reigns over every decision and plan of men.

 

The Necessary Response

So what do they have to do? In v22 Peter says that Moses promised that God would raise up a prophet who speaks with all the authority of God. Jesus. And God has sent the Christ first to the Jews to bless them. The blessing is that they may turn from their wicked ways and receive the promises that God gave to Abraham.

Romans 4 says that the promises God made to Abraham are now inherited by those who belong to the seed of Abraham – Jesus. He gives forgiveness, righteousness and the Holy Spirit. Here in Acts 3 he says that if you receive him your sins will be wiped out, he says that times of refreshing will come from the Lord – that means you will receive the Holy Spirit in your life – and that God will send Jesus for you at the judgement, at God’s wrapping up of the world, and that he will be your saviour.

That is what we have to do. We have to listen to Jesus, as Moses commanded in v23 and as Samuel and all the prophets testified. To receive him. Which means we have to repent and turn to God. Anyone who doesn’t listen will be cut off from God’s people.

I said at the beginning that we live in a country that is redefining sin as mere indiscretion. That believes that this message in Acts is insensitive, maybe primitive, certainly abusive and intolerant. How dare Peter trample on individual rights and freedoms by insisting that God won’t accept me on my own terms? Doesn’t he know how manipulative he is being? Doesn’t he understand that the most important thing in life is me realising my own potential? Acts 3 is an abusive message – in the world’s eyes - because it doesn’t allow us to establish the conditions on which God accepts us but insists that he sets out the terms. And the terms are:

Repent. Stop putting yourself on the throne of your life. Stop following the lures and enticements of the world, its hollow philosophies. A church anniversary is the best time to ask “are we cherishing God with all our hearts or are we pursuing pleasure that fades and joy that will not last. Or ambition that take scant of God being glorified in St Johns Wood and all over the world.” Do you think he is somehow of less worth to you than other things you are pursuing? Do you think he is less delightful? Less beneficial? Of inferior worth? Dear friends he is priceless gain besides which every pleasure in the world is tarnished and dull.

If you repent and turn then your sin is blotted out, and when God establishes the Kingdom of Jesus Christ we are confident that he is for us. And if we reject the offer then we remain in our wickedness with no saviour, and we will find ourself cut off and destroyed on the day that Jesus returns.

 

Two Applications:

1.     If you aren’t a Christian choose one of the following two options:

 Peter speaks to an amazed but ignorant crowd. He interprets the miracle for them. He shows that God has glorified Jesus Christ and that a positive response to him is vital. And in the passage the man makes the right response. He praises God. Many others did. In 4:4 it says that another 2000 people believed because of this miracle and message and they praised God for what had happened. But at the start of chapter 4 and on into the book the apostles get seized and jailed by others for proclaiming the glory of Jesus and the resurrection from the dead.

Two choices. Where do you see yourself? With the man praising God? With the 2000 who believed and the 3000 who believed at Pentecost? Or among the opponents of the author of life. The message to the crowd in the temple was “repent.” and the message to us today is “repent.” The physical transformation that happened in that man’s life is only a little indication of the transformation that comes by trusting in Jesus. The Bible says he transforms us from one degree of glory to another with ever increasing glory, by his power. We get new hearts, new hope and a new home as children of righteousness. Times of refreshing come from the Lord. Choose if you haven’t already. What would stop you? Why would you reject him and have him reject you?

2.     If you are a Christian: Take every opportunity provided by God’s supernatural activity to witness to Jesus. Acts is the record of bold witness in the face of great hostility. I believe times of fiery trial are coming on us in churches in this country. We are going to discover  how tempting it is to keep our head below the parapet and be frightened into complicit silence.

God did something supernatural. Peter knew how provocative and unpalatable this message was. He probably knew they would get arrested for righteousness. He could have done the miracle and left it at that and life would have been much easier. But he didn’t. He said “this is the sign to you that Jesus is Lord. God has stepped into your lives, so repent and turn to him.”

 

Supernatural Living

Now we might not have contemporary examples of supernatural healing (although some might), but if we are Christians we absolutely have plenty of other examples of God’s supernatural working in our lives.

 The church is a supernatural community. It’s a beacon of the gospel in a dark world. When you are ill or you’ve just had a baby and your neighbour says “how come so many people have been round to bring meals? Nobody does that for me.” We say “Its not just that we have a lot of friends, its that God has adopted us into his new community which the world is amazed at.” “How come you find it so easy to get babysitters?” You say “Well that’s God’s church. We love and care for each other because we are God’s people.” We are very different, but we all belong to Jesus so we belong to each other.

And we live supernatural lives because of the indwelling Spirit. When people say “how come you work more conscientiously than others? How come you don’t get involved in office politics and gossip?” Its not just that you don’t like that kind of thing. Its “I belong to Jesus. I’ve repented and been given the Holy Spirit who makes me alive to God.”

Or when its “you don’t get drunk every night and sleep around like the others at work” – what do you say? You say “by my own inclination I probably would, but I belong to the author of life and he has done a supernatural work in my heart which makes me want to live for him, not for evil.”

God’s given us loads of examples of the supernatural activity of the Holy Spirit in our lives to lead into testimony. He is teaching us about community, principles for Godly marriage, for bringing up children, for working to honour our employees. For our ambitions and the way we use our money. For the things we watch on TV. For relationships and sex. These aren’t natural things, we wouldn’t do them except for the work of God in us. And other people find it really surprising. It says in 1 Peter that they are amazed that you don’t plunge into a flood of unrighteousness with them.

And so we tell them. “I don’t act this way because I am a good person. I act this way because Jesus is my King and my righteousness.” And you will be laughed at and you will get despised and scorned but you will be doing Acts 3. And some, gloriously, will see the miraculous work God has done in us and will hear the explanation and they will repent and turn to him just as we have done.

 

Dear friends, the world rages against God. It loudly proclaims that Christianity has had its day. It hates the gospel. It loathes the fact that the Holy Spirit is convicting people of sin, righteousness and judgement as Jesus promised. And it will act in hatred in our day to silence, to scare and to slay.

And the good news will go to the ends of the earth, in the power of the Spirit, just as it did in the book of Acts. Because God has glorified his servant and in Jesus is the forgiveness of sins and the resurrection from the dead. Love him, have confidence in him and proclaim him with every breath and all of your heart.