Bible Study: Acts 3, 11 to 26 and Luke
24, 35 to 48.
When Jesus appeared to the company of his disciples, they were at first
taken aback thinking it was a ghost. Jesus wanted them to be concretely sure that
they were not seeing a ghost, that what they were seeing was not just a figment
of their imagination nor a dream. So he asked them if they had anything to eat
and they gave him a piece of broiled fish which he ate in their presence. He then
went on to explain the Scriptures further to them.
It is very important that we take note of Jesus’ words here: “Thus it is
written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third
day, and that REPENTANCE AND FORGIVENESS of sins is to be PROCLAIMED in his
name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these
things.” Luke 24, 46 to 48. It is sad to say that much of our preaching these
days and especially in this part of the world can be summed up with one word:
PROSPERITY. We now play down on the preaching of repentance so much that Christians
today do not believe anymore that there is anything like sin.
Even when miracles happen in our churches today, it is an opportunity
for the man of God to raise his or her personal ego and appear more like a god
before the church members. We no longer see miracles as occasions to preach the
message of repentance instead we give ourselves extra titles. Just take a look
at our first reading this morning. After Peter and John cured the man at the Beautiful
Gate who was crippled from birth, the people gathered and here what Peter said:
“You Israelites, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us,
as though by our own power or piety we had made him walk? The God of Abraham,
the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our ancestors has glorified
his servant Jesus, whom you handed over and rejected in the presence of Pilate,
though he had decided to release him. But you rejected the Holy and Righteous
One and asked to have a murderer given to you, and you killed the Author of
life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. And by faith in
his name, his name itself has made this man strong, whom you see and know; and
the faith that is through Jesus has given him this perfect health in the
presence of all of you. "And now, friends, I know that you acted in
ignorance, as did also your rulers. In this way God fulfilled what he had foretold
through all the prophets, that his Messiah would suffer. REPENT THEREFORE, and turn to God so that your
sins may be wiped out…” Acts 3, 12 to 19.
Peter takes glory away from himself and directs the attention of the crowd
to Jesus. He knew the miracle had captured their attention and he decided to
convict them of their sin of crucifying Jesus and then, he asked them to repent
and turn to God. It takes a lot of courage to tell people their sins because no
one likes to hear that his or her mouth is smelling; no one likes to hear the
truth. We have lost a consciousness of sin and Christianity has become an
avenue of coping with harsh economic realities in our society today. All we
want to hear is how God will bless me, prosper me and grant me riches, how I will
not die or fall sick, how I will marry early, win a big contract or carry my
baby and so on but the truth must be said: REPENT TODAY AND STOP INDULGING IN
SIN. Seek First God’s kingdom and his righteousness and every other thing shall
be added unto you.
Let us Pray:
Lord Jesus, give me courage to preach
like Peter did and humility never to direct attention to myself when you work
through me. Amen.
God bless you. Good morning. Be
Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. Happy Last day in the
month of March and please no “April Fools” tomorrow!
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