SCRIPTURE: Acts 3:17-26

OBSERVATION:
Peter appeals to Jews/Jewish leaders to accept Jesus as the promised messiah (‘Christ’ is Greek for Hebrew ‘Messiah’), claiming that He is the fulfillment of all the OT prophecies. The call is to change their minds (repent) regarding Jesus.
Note the two levels, what the Jewish leaders did in ignorance, and God’s invisible hand at work behind the scenes, through human choices, to fulfill His plan.
God’s plan is to send Jesus back to restore the creation after the season of repentance; all of history since Jesus’ first coming has been this season, and God works in a variety of ways to get our attention, show us our desperate need, and draw us back.

APPLICATION:
Jesus came as the fulfillment of Jewish prophecy, but He is not just a Jewish messiah, He is the blessing for all nations, the human messiah. He also fulfills all the longings, desires and dreams of non-Jewish religions, philosophies and ordinary people.
I need to open my eyes to see the hand of God at work in and behind the day to day circumstances. Things may look bleak (as they did for the disciples during the crucifixion), but God’s hand remains firmly in control. Peter confirms what Jesus stated from the cross: ignorance = they do not know what they are doing. (Luke 23:34)
This is the season of repentance, and my task is somehow to help people see that they too need to get their hearts and lives back on track with God – through repentance and faith and commitment to serving the King. This is a hard message to communicate – most people think that the messenger is nuts!

PRAYER:
Lord, help me to trust that You are at work in me and through me, and that even if my message sounds foolish to others, its the message that all people need! Amen!