Acts 3:11-25 | The Benefits of Repentance

This is City Post Church. We're about three things.

Build equipped and send. All under the Lordship of Jesus

Christ, A small church plant in Fort Worth, TX who decided to do

things a little differently. Adoramos ayesu cristo.

I love City Post because of the people.

It's where I belong. We truly preach the word.

I love City Post because of the community we've been able to

build to do ministry like Jesus for light to push back darkness.

This is City Post podcast. One of the things that we need

to talk about is this whole idea of repentance, asking for

forgiveness. How does all that work?

Why do I have to ask for forgiveness?

So if like, if God's going to forgive me, why should I ask for

it? And there's a story in Acts

Acts 3 · chapter mention

chapter 3 where Peter shows us not just the benefits of

repentance, but also as us as believers in Christ, how to

engage those who don't know Jesus.

All right, so. Let me catch this up in chapter.

3 John and Peter, they're on their way to a synagogue and

like Hector Red, they come across a lame beggar at a gate

called Beautiful and he is begging for money because he

can't do anything else. And Peter and John look at him

and they're like, hey, I we don't have.

Gold or silver, but have something?

Way better. So in the name of Jesus Christ

in Nazareth, get up and walk and guess what happened.

You know what happens? Like I'm talking about my

babies. He gets up and he walks and he's

healed. He's miraculous healed,

miraculously healed. So he begins to go with Peter

and John to the temple to pray because he's excited because

he's walking again. I couldn't imagine what that's

like. And that's when we kick off.

So I'm just going to speed this up because our our own, what I

really want to plant or feed it is in verse 19, but I want to

catch us up here. So in verse 11 and 12, I was

going to read it real quickly. It says 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 or astonished. 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 it was by our

own power or godliness, when we sorry godliness we have made

this man lock. Isn't this kind of like Peter's

little much so extreme, like, think about it.

Yeah, but that is healed. You're drawing across.

You're inside a synagogue. And instead and everybody's

like, whoa, this is amazing. And what does Peter do?

He turns around and he looks at them.

He's like, why are you all surprised?

What way to kill the vibe, Peter Buzzkill.

And and what Peter is understanding here is because he

knows where he's at. You understand, culturally where

we're at here with the synagogue.

So. So you have a lot of these

religious leaders, a lot of the Jewish culture at the time, you

know, they believed in God, but they didn't believe in the.

Messiah, they didn't believe in Christ and.

Peter Muntz said this as an opportunity to share the Gospel.

Message to these folks and. Something I want us to

understand is that Peter understands that the saving

grace does not come in miracles and sharing how great God is.

The gospel message is not about the miracle.

The gospel message is about the miracle maker.

Come on, He's the one that's going to save you.

So like, man, it's great to point people to a church, but

no, it's to point people to the head of that church is Jesus

Christ. So Peter is immediately

deferring what is happening. He's deflecting.

He's like, no, it's not us, it's him.

Like I know y'all are excited about this.

This is awesome, yes, but but come in a little bit.

Are y'all astonished? For him.

And what he's going to do is that he remember the context

here. He's going to help them realize

that they need the. Forgiveness of sin and they need

to put their faith in the real Messiah.

Now he's talking to. People in the church like the

religious folks. It ain't all like sex, drugs and

lock and roll. There's people living like great

who still don't know Christ is and Peter's here.

Look at verse 13 through 15. So he goes in, He starts talking

to them and what they know. Verse 15 I mean 13 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 kill the Prince of life whom

God raised from the dead, of which you are witnesses.

Confrontational. Yeah.

Now y'all are celebrating this. Y'all are the ones that killed

the guy who gave them. What are you celebrating for?

So when he does and he does a few things, Peter spoke to them

about the God that they know the God of Israel.

So that means that he used God's name, the Yahweh, the the God

that that they worship in Hebrew.

And he talked about God, but yet pointed them back to Christ.

So he talked about God. He pointed them to Christ.

Then he boldly, he said, this is crazy.

He boldly said the guilt of Jesus's death where they

properly belong. Y'all did y'all need to realize

of what was happening, what we did because Pilot the Roman

governor was determined to let him go.

But the Jewish mom started cheering saying like crucify and

crucify. Then they tried to let go of a

murderer named Barabbas. And you guys are like, no, give

us Barabbas, you know, take Jesus.

They made a choice and go Peter. Where's getting at When it comes

to our sin? There's got to be some sort of

personal responsibility. When it comes to sin, you must

take responsibility because repentance can't occur until

there is a wrong that has been omitted.

So yeah, Lord, forgive me. Of what?

And I started to realize that the hard.

Part. For us, is not asking for

repentance the hard part? For us, is that many that we

want. It's a many like fault, and many

of us. God Forgives.

God Forgives. God Forgives.

Oh, what? What did you?

What? What?

What is he going to? Forgive you for and listen you

God can't take anything that you don't bring to the altar.

So many of us are walking around with this concept of being.

Forgiven or we haven't even shared our hearts to the Lord

yet. And what he's doing, he's

pointing out to these guys like man Jesus, like Jesus, you guys

are responsible and you don't even see it.

There's got to be some kind of personal responsibility.

You've chosen a different way, but then.

He also talks about how this all this gets fixed and in the next

verse. 16 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. So he's talking about like, yes,

there's Paul, you guys, look what you did.

However, because of his name, if you put your faith in his name,

his presence will be with you. So we're going to walk this

thing out. So I want you to see what

Peter's doing here and then look at verse 17.

I love what he does. Now, fellow Israelites, I.

Know. That you acted in ignorance, as

did your leaders. So he is.

Addressing boldly their sin. But something Peter understands

is that Peter understands. The main goal, The goal is not

to make the religious leaders look stupid.

The goal is not to win. An argument.

The goal is repentance and belief.

What he wants them to do is repent of their sin and put

their faith in Jesus Christ. So what?

He's not a jerk about it. Look what it says in 17.

He calls them. Now my fellow Israelites, some

versions might say, my fellow brethren, my brothers, but also

we also understand that Peter, because if you go back to 13 and

14, Peter is accusing them twice of denying Christ, you know,

also denied Christ, Peter. Come on.

He knows what it's like. He understands.

Like what Paul talked about. He's like, man, don't ever

forget that you were once dead. So it's a great.

Reminder to us, like Peter understands that they're denying

Christ. Hey, I know what that's like

because I did it too. Y'all did it twice.

I did it three times. I'm worried.

But he's lovingly going after them and he's he's sounds like.

But listen, y'all active and arrogant man.

Y'all had no idea what you were doing.

You guys call for the execution of Jesus in arrogance.

However, your arrogance did not deter the defer God's eternal.

Plan. So even though you did that in

arrogance, even though you had no idea what you did, it did not

ruin what God was doing. And I just want.

To say even if you sin in arrogance and or ignorance not

arrogance, I'm sorry. Even if you sin in ignorance,

not knowing it still shouldn't. You still sinned against a holy

and righteous God. So whether you meant to do it or

whether you didn't mean to do it, regardless of your

ignorance, you still failed. You still failed against the

holy and righteous God. And what Peter is doing, he's

pointing it out. He's like, yes, you had no idea

what was going on. You had no idea that this was

God's eternal plan and that you guys played a huge part in it,

even Jesus when he was on the cross.

What do you need? Pray Father, forgive them.

For they know not what they're doing.

Pretty much saying father forgive them because they're

ignorant. They have no idea what's going

on right now. It's all part.

Of God's. Wonderful plan for us.

And then look what happens in verse 18 because Peter's going

to tie it all together, man. You guys call for Christ.

Like y'all are celebrating this like y'all the ones that did

this and but God through faith, he put faith in him.

He's mighty to say like he could save you.

Yes, you were anger, but listen, you still failed.

You still sinned against the holy and righteous God.

And then in 18. But this is how God fulfilled

what he had foretold through all the prophets saying that this,

that this Messiah would suffer, which Peter is letting us know

that. Listen, even despite all the

evil that you did to Jesus, it did not change or derail God's

plan. That's why we see in.

In Genesis 50, Joseph is able to use the same principles.

You meant for evil against me, but God meant it for good.

Same thing with the crucifixion of Christ.

It was evil, but yes, God saved the world through it.

Romans 828 And we all know this, and we know that in all things

God works for the good of those who love him, who have been

called according. To his purposes.

So yes, we did all this stuff. I like what Peter's doing here,

how he's kind of reflect using that reflection.

But look, look what he does. He goes, he's like, yeah, you

all messed up. We all messed up.

You have to admit it. Jesus is the one who forgives us

and heals us. OK, now what?

So he's walking in through it. Now what do we do?

What is it that we have to do? Verse 19.

Repent them and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out

that times are refreshing may come from the Lord and that he

may send the Messiah who has been appointed for you.

Even Jesus love of Peter does here because he ties the word

repent with hope. There's something that he's.

Attaching. Hope to it.

Repent then, and turn to God and the.

Words they want you to look at is that so that hold the 19 real

quick. If you put verse 19, there's a,

there's a so that. So there's a.

Connector there. There's like a.

There's like a causing effect if you repent and turn to.

God so that what your sins may be blotted out, your sins may be

wiped out. Like I said, I think the hardest

part for repentance is US admitting that we are fault,

that we are wrong. It's.

It's funny how many of us see this like admitting fault

Admitting. Wrongness like I was wrong like.

Honestly, this is probably one of the hardest things for us as

human beings, us sinful nature. I'm not going to.

I'm just going to be real. Us as men to do.

It's hard for us to admit fault now.

Somehow I'm thinking like, man, Ricky, but if I do that, I might

look weak. I don't want people to think

lonely of me. They're going to think that I

don't know what I'm doing. Man.

Check this out. So apart.

Let's just go into the western world like the western culture.

I was reading an article in Forbes magazine that a study on

25 CEO's in the United States and they were doing a study.

They were looking at specific qualities like like what makes

them successful? What do all of them have in

common? And when you look at

characteristics of Fortune 500 CE OS, one of the top ones is

authenticity and humility. And they have to explain that

because we're doing different things to different people.

So what you say is that these guys, these are super successful

running these massive. Companies.

Are willing to acknowledge mistakes and learn from them and

doing so it inspires and it motivates their people that are

able to admit fault. It's actually a wonderful

quality. But then I was thinking about

like, what if you can't? Why is it?

What is it hard? For you to do that, there's also

another study in Psychology Today that say like people that

find it really. Difficult that that can't admit

if they're wrong or they have faults.

They are less likely to be in leadership positions.

They are less likely to have close relationships.

They are less likely to have be or be found respected by others.

They are less likely to advance in their careers.

And then they, they, they start attaching their, their, their,

their higher divorce rates even like they're more likely to have

higher anxiety and depression, like even the physical impact

those who find it difficult to say.

I'm at fault and so. You're like never you can put a

secondary. What about like the like

spiritual stuff? OK, let's talk about it.

Peter and Judas, they both denied Christ.

Peter denied and three times Judas sold Jesus out for some

silver, Peter and maybe he's like, Lord, I sinned against

you. Judas was like I betrayed

innocent blood, Peter. Repented.

Judas. Hung himself.

Repentance. There's something.

About asking God to forgive. Your sin because you've been

wronged. And then Peter, God, Jesus

restores him and says, ma'am, I built my church on you.

And what is the legacy of Judas like?

Nobody here leaves their kid, Judas.

Not even their dog, Lady God has a song that's about it.

Because there's something about repentance.

That we have got to. Look at There's something

beneficial about repentance that comes here.

So we see. Peter, he takes the word repent.

He's connecting it with the word of hope.

There's benefits to repentance. So he says repent then and turn

to God so that your sins may be wiped out, your sins may be

blotted out, which kind of leads to my first point, like when

what are the benefits of repentance I got?

Four of them for us. The benefits of repentance #1 it

clears your record of sin. So you're listen, you're,

they're not only forgotten, but you've been also forgiven.

Many of us need to understand that we're forgiven, But then

why do you keep bringing it back?

And what God is saying is like that through Christ, if you have

asked for repentance of your sin, I don't only forgive you,

but the Bible says that I cast them.

Out as far as the East. Is from the West.

Don't bring it up anymore. Man in the mid 90s.

There was this award-winning movie called Friday Culturally.

Shifting and in the movie. Friday there is a character

named. Evo and Devo is the neighborhood

building and he goes around. He knows what he wants to take.

Everybody's scared. Of him and every time people

take something. He gives the same response.

So when Red goes and says hey evo grab.

My bike back, you know. What he says, What right?

And then when he takes his chain, they're like, man, people

give his chain back. What does he say?

What chain? And.

Watching this like man, you know, I feel like the same way

with God, how we go to him like I'm messed up.

Like I was like watching, come on, my Jesus covered you like

you are forgiven of your sin. So when we go to Christ, we've

been justified, justified by faith and we've been redeemed

and restored. So when God looks at us, he

doesn't look at Ricky the Sinner.

He looks at his son. So whenever we're forgiven,

whenever we're forgiven because of our faith and we've asked

that we been redeemed and restored because of repentance

and we go to God and we're like God, man.

I can't because I've checked it up so bad and God looks like

he's like, what did you Jack up? It's clear the Bible says it's

been wiped out. It's been blotted out.

I also read a story of because I was in Forbes.

So there was a story of about Royce.

Royce. Royce is one of like, those cars

cost more than houses and what Rolls Royce kind of pride?

Himself. On is that their cars never have

an issue, they never have an issue and it was a.

Story of a gentleman in the UK who sold some some of his

companies and he wanted to buy himself.

His dream was to get a Rolls Royce, so he did.

And these cars run about 300 four, $100,000.

So it took about seven months. He got, he received his vehicle,

he was super excited about it and after about like 3 or 4

weeks he started to drive it and he started.

Hearing a sound that was coming from the injury.

And he's like, I thought there was never any issues.

So he calls the. Dealership and he lets them know

like, hey, there's something wrong with the car.

They're like no problem, we're going to fly somebody out to you

immediately. So somebody gets on an airplane,

goes to his home, the next day shows up.

Fixes the vehicle and as he is leaving.

The man looks and says, what do I owe you and the guy?

Looks and says for what? He's like, 'cause you fix the

car, you fix the mistake in the. Car.

What the man looks, he turns around and he goes, what

mistake? And he smiles and walks off.

And guys, when it comes to our sin, what we're saying is the

reason why we repent and turn to God is that our sin is blotted

out and even when we bring it up.

There's this whole idea like that's like, I've, I've forgiven

that. It's covered by Christ.

I'm not going to bring it up, so why don't?

We bring it up you. Don't have to be forgiven.

Our sins are wiped out. You know a better.

Translation is blotted out, and the word blotted out is it's

just kind of like a being erased off of a sheet of paper.

Like it's just gone. So what are the?

Benefits of repentance is that we're not only forgiven, but our

sins have been wiped away. They are forgotten.

God doesn't just continually bring them back with Jesus the

number 2. Another benefit of.

Forgiveness is refreshment and restoration for our souls.

It's how we refresh our souls. And there's something about

asking for forgiveness. Well, look what it says in the

text in 19 Eagle Sins May. Be wiped out, that times of

refreshing may come from the Lord, and that He may send the

Messiah who has been appointed for you, even Jesus.

Times are refreshing, so it's not just that I've been.

Forgiven, but God. Restores your soul.

And many of us that may be feeling just beat down and tired

in life maybe the answer. Is repentance and asking.

The Lord to forgive. Maybe there might.

Be some unforgiving sin, like something in your life.

That you have not confessed to him yet.

The Bible says in James when? You confess sins to one another.

Getting it out there, it helps. It helps with forgiveness.

But Peter? Here is also talking about Jesus

coming back. He's also talking about the

refreshness doesn't just come from us being in our souls

forgiveness, but also it comes back to knowing that Jesus is

coming back for his. People and that you're one of

his. People.

What Peter is doing here is that he.

If you if you keep reading, look at verse 21 says heaven must.

Receive him until the time's come for God to restore

everything as He. Promised long ago.

Through the holy prophets for Moses said the Lord your God

will rise up for you, a prophet like me from among your own

people and you must listen to everything he tells you.

So what Peter is is is letting remember he's talking to the

people of Israel people that live in Jerusalem who don't

really believe in the Messiah being Christ.

He's warning them he's like man, if you guys would turn to Christ

if you would put your faith in here.

This could actually help the rest of your.

People out, when he comes back, he's going after their

eschatology, how they saw the end times.

Peter is essentially offering Israel the opportunity to hasten

the return of Jesus by embracing him, not just on a personal.

Level, but on a national level, because we got to remember this

is what he's talking about. We see this in in Matthew 23.

We see some Romans 11. After 2339 Jesus calls out

Jerusalem. Here he goes, For I tell you,

you will not see me again until you say blessing is heed, who

comes in the name of the Lord. Romans 11/25.

I do not want. You to be ignorant of this

mystery, brothers and sisters, so that you may not be

conceited. Israel has experienced a

heartening in part until the full number of the Gentiles have

come in. And in this way, all Israel will

be saved. What he's doing is that he's,

he's letting them know because remember, they believe that I

have faith in God. God has had favored me just

because of where I was born and by who I was born.

From. And Peter is pointing out like,

no, it's not that. It's all about faith in Christ

regardless of where you're coming from.

So y'all need to turn to God. Y'all need to put your faith in

hand. There will be a period that will

be marked by all kinds of blood and renewals and listen to the

people of that day. The religious leaders thought

that because they had a covenant with God, they were good

forever. And what he's pointing?

To. Here is that, listen, if you

don't find faith in Christ, if your faith isn't anything other

than the living God and his Son, that you can actually break the

covenant that he has with you because of your sin.

And it was kind of like difficult to understand here,

but Peter's like, you're not out.

You're not out of the woods just because of where you're.

From we're all sinners. We all need to put our faith in

Christ. We all need forgiveness.

Then, if you keep reading in verse 22, Peter's warning about

the dangers of rejecting Jesus. Because of the prophecy that

he's just reading here in the Old Testament, in verse 23, he

says anyone who does not listen to him will be completely cut

off from their people. All these guys thought they were

good. All these, all these guys

thought. They were in and he's like, no,

you reject Christ, you're rejecting the covenant because

Peter is also reciting Deuteronomy 18 and he's also

reciting Leviticus 2329. He's understanding his audience.

Peter's audience was in a precarious position of losing

covenant blessings by rejecting the Messiah.

Deuteronomy 18 verse 17 says, look, the Lord said to me, what

Deuteronomy 18:17

they say is good. Verse 18 I will raise up for

them a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites,

and I will put my words in his mouth.

He will then tell them everything I have commanded him.

Verse 19 I myself will call to account.

Anyone who does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in

my name. So #3 what's another benefit of

repentance being spared from the promise of judgment?

Thanks. Repentance is required for

redemption. Repentance is required for

justification. And if you are unrepentant, if

you do not repent your sin to God, then you're still under His

breath and you're still under His judgments.

And that's what He's calling us out for.

There's a destruction that is promised in prophecy that's

going to come to this generation of the Jewish.

People. Because they lived amongst

Jesus, they saw His miracles, they heard His word, and they

still rejected Him. So there's going to be a

judgment that's going to happen to this generation, and Peter is

warning them. I also think this is great for

us to understand that many of us in this room and many of us in

Texas have heard the gospel. We have heard the message of

Christ. We have been on mission trips,

we have been to VBS, we have been to church.

And yet you still don't. Know the Gospel.

So judgment is going to be even worse because you know the truth

and you have rejected it. And what Peter's calling out,

he's like, man, there's a way. There's a way.

Just put. Your faith in Christ and repent

and believe, which I think is extremely loving and then verse

24 indeed being with Samuel, all the prophets.

Who have spoken have foretold these days.

Why does Peter mention Samuel? Which I think is just so

fascinating to me Because we know that Samuel Samuel was

called a prophet in first Samuel chapter.

Three verse 20 he didn't directly prophecy about Christ.

Are you who came out of his lineage David?

Christ came from David, Second Samuel, Chapter 7.

2 Samuel 7 · chapter mention

So remember, Peter's talking to religious leaders, so he's tying

them back. To what they know verse 25 and

you are heirs. Of the prophets and of the

covenant God made with your Father's.

He said to Abraham, through your offspring, all peoples on earth

will be blessed. And when God raised up his

servant, he sent him first to you to bless you by turning each

of you from your wicked ways. From your wicked ways.

He puts you on another direction.

He gives you a new direction. I know some are thinking One

Direction. But he gives.

Us a new direction to go in. That's what repent means.

Repent. Means about face, it's not a

360, it is a money. So you're going one way and then

then you turn around, he turns you around and he places you on

a new direction. A.

Different. Direction.

And honestly, it is One Direction and that.

Direction is toward again, so that direction that he gives you

because of our repentance to him, He doesn't just forgive

you. He doesn't just like blot out

your sin. He doesn't just forget about all

that stuff, but he takes you and he says.

You know what? You're going the wrong.

Way the way that you're going is destructive.

It's hard like man like the that's not the person I have for

you. That's not the job I have for

you. If you trust me, let let me give

you a better direction. So what did he do?

When you surrender your life, that takes you.

So when we trust Him. With all your heart and you

don't. Mean on your own understanding

and you acknowledge him. In all of your ways, then, what

does he do? He directs.

Your path, that's probably true. Everything is about God

directing your path and on with this the man that was.

Sitting at the gate called. Beautiful he was.

Lame, he was asking. For money.

He was asking for alms and John and Peter look at him and says

hey listen, what I have is so much better for you.

I could give you gold, I could give you silver.

But you're still not going to be able to walk.

You'll be here tomorrow. So what I'm going to do is I'm

going to give you Christ. In Christ.

It's not about the healing physically the greatest miracle.

Is how he heals a man's. Heart and how he forgives it and

how he changes our. Lives.

So he looks at him, Say I got something better for you.

It's Christ, John and Peter, and they go to the temple and

they're celebrating and Peter looks at the crowd and he goes.

Listen guys, I know you're excited, but I got something so

much better for you. His name is Jesus.

Put your faith in Him. Put your faith in Him.

He's better. And I just want to let you guys

know today. I don't know why you're.

Here I don't know what you're looking for.

I don't know what you came for number some of us man jobs are

important, families are important to us goals of

appointment social. Life, your dreams, your careers,

whatever it is, whatever you're looking for.

Awesome. But I got something so much

better than you. And his name is Jesus, and if

you put your faith in him, and you repent, you put your hope

in. Him, let him change your.

Direction and watch him do some amazing things.

It's going to be great. We pray for us.

So Father we love you and we thank you so much for all that

you're doing Lord Lord, I pray that those who have heard your

word and those who have received the message God that they don't

reject you that they don't turn from you but they turn towards

you. So, Father, if there's anybody

in this space, there's everybody in this room right now that is

searching, that is looking for meaning, that is looking.

For repentance, Father, I pray that you convict their hearts,

you convict their lives, Father, that you know like man, if you

just, if you just ask God to repent for your repentance or if

you just. Give God your sin, he is mighty

and Savior forgive you and he will embrace everything.

So Jesus, in your name, I pray that your Holy Spirit, come now,

work on our hearts, work on our minds, work on our lives,

Father, and help us turn to you power and repentance.

Lord, help us to get over ourselves and admit our fault in

Jesus name and Amen. And as we worship, we're.

Going to have some people here that if you would like somebody

to. Pray with.

Please feel free to come and pray with them if the altar is

open. If you just need time to pray by

yourself, you can do that too. There's nothing weird about

that. But don't, don't let this moment

go.