not by our power or piety

Good morning friends,
In yesterday's reading Peter and John healed a man who had been unable to walk since birth by calling on the name of Jesus. Today we see what happens next. Not surprisingly, the people watching this and the people who see the man not only walking but leaping for joy are amazed at what they see. I love Peter's response to the attention: "Why do you wonder, or why do you stare at us as though by our own power or piety we had made him walk?" It was clear to the apostles and the early church that they weren't the main actors in the incredible things the church was doing; God was working through them.

So Peter takes the opportunity of having a crowd to tell them about Jesus and to call them to repentance. He also connects Christ's return from heaven with the completion of God's plan for the world. In other words, when Jesus returns it will be impossible to miss because the world as we know it will transformed into the Kingdom of God. I like Peter's term: universal restoration; that's what we expect for God's conclusion of history.

May God give you a taste of restoration and refreshment today by the Holy Spirit,
Sam


Acts 3:11-26

11While he clung to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the portico called Solomon’s Portico, utterly astonished. 12When Peter saw it, he addressed the people, “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? 13The 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. 14But you rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked to have a murderer given to you, 15and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses.

16And 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. 17“And now, friends, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. 18In this way God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, that his Messiah would suffer. 19Repent therefore, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out, 20so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Messiah appointed for you, that is, Jesus, 21who must remain in heaven until the time of universal restoration that God announced long ago through his holy prophets.

22Moses said, ‘The Lord your God will raise up for you from your own people a prophet like me. You must listen to whatever he tells you. 23And it will be that everyone who does not listen to that prophet will be utterly rooted out of the people.’ 24And all the prophets, as many as have spoken, from Samuel and those after him, also predicted these days. 25You are the descendants of the prophets and of the covenant that God gave to your ancestors, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your descendants all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ 26When God raised up his servant, he sent him first to you, to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.”