Sermon notes to come.
“And now, brothers, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. But what God foretold by the mouth of all the prophets, that his Christ would suffer, he thus fulfilled. Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago. Moses said, ‘The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet like me from your brothers. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. And it shall be that every soul who does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from the people.’ And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those who came after him, also proclaimed these days. You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your offspring shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’ God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.”—Acts 3:17–26
Sermon Discussion Questions
Main Point: We should respond to Jesus’ death and resurrection with repentance and receive the removal of our sins, times of refreshing from the Lord, and the restoring of all things by his Second Coming.
Outline
- They did not know what they were doing (Acts 3:17)
- God knew what he was doing (Acts 3:18)
- The Call to Repent and Receive (Acts 3:19–26)
- Repent (Acts 3:19)
- Receive (Acts 3:19–26)
- Removal of Sins (Acts 3:19)
- Refreshing (Acts 3:20)
- Restoration (Acts 3:20–26)
Discussion Questions
- How does Acts 3:1–16 relate to 3:17–26?
- Lookin at Acts 3:14–15, name four ways that the crowd had dishonored Christ by disowning him.
- How does the resurrection of verse 15 reverse all the dishonor of the crucifixion in verses 14–15?
- What is the relationship between verse 17 and verse 18?
- What is repentance? (Acts 3:19) Why is repentance such a natural response when they realized that the healing is proof that the Jesus they killed is now alive and risen and reigning?
- Sin flows from the failure to see Jesus for who he really is. How have you sinned in your relationship with Jesus?
- What are the three Christ-centered promises people will receive if they repent? (Acts 3:20–21)
Application Questions
- Have you repented of your sins and trusted Christ for removal of sin, for refreshing, and for the future restoration of all things? If so, what does each of those promises mean to you? How do they change the way that you speak, act, and live?
- Sin occurs whenever the worth of Christ is dishonored as distasteful and unwanted, whenever the beauty of Christ is rejected as undesirable, whenever the kindness of Christ is rejected as unwanted, whenever the words of Christ are disregarded as untrue, whenever the wisdom of Christ is dismissed as unwise or unwelcome, and whenever the work of Christ is rejected as unnecessary. Confess the times when Jesus was not reverenced, not honored, not admired, not respected, not feared, not praised, not cherished, not treasured, not obeyed, not savored, not trusted, and not loved. Make this Easter a new day when the slate is wiped clean and times of refreshing will come from the presence of the Lord and enrich your relationship with him.
Prayer Focus
Pray for a grace to repent and receive all that God has for you in Christ—for the first time or for the present time.
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