(as) he clung to Peter and
John, all the people ran together and came to them in Solomon's Portico, astounded.
When Peter saw this he addressed them, "Men of Israel, 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 and of Isaac and of Jacob, the God of our
fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the
presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. But you denied the Holy
and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and you
killed the Author of life, whom God then raised from the dead. To this we are
witnesses. And his name, by faith in his name, has made this man strong whom
you see and know; and the faith which is through Jesus has given this man perfect
health in the presence of you all. And now, brethren, 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 should suffer, he thus fulfilled. Repent
therefore, and turn again, 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
establishing all that God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old.
Moses said, 'The Lord God will raise up for you a prophet from your brethren as
he raised me up. You shall listen to him in whatever he tells you. And it shall
be that every soul that does not listen to that prophet shall be destroyed from
the people.' And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel to those who
came afterwards, also proclaimed these days. You are the sons of the prophets
and of the covenant God gave to your fathers, saying to Abraham, 'And in your
posterity shall all the families of the earth be blessed.' God, having raised
up his servant, sent him to you first, to bless you in turning every one of you
from your wickedness."
In a Nutshell
Peter announced wonderful news to all who believed what the Lord God of Israel had done in raising the Messiah from death. God's Forgiveness is full and free. Serve the Lord with gladness and come into His presence with a song.
Questions
Think about the process Peter went through before he become a preacher.
A man lame from birth had been healed. He had been healed by Peter, with John as witness, and it was done in the name of Jesus of Nazareth. A crowd of the worshippers gathered to see the man and Peter addressed them. This was to have been their time of prayer. Peter informed them why they should be praying, why they should repent and rejoice in the grace and love of God Almighty. Peter was aware that by teaching in the temple he was following Someone who taught in that same precinct not so long before. He knew that God's mercy had triumphed over guilt and judgment. The people there who had heard Jesus teach may not have lifted a finger to prevent His execution; in fact they had cried for His blood. But Peter had also been completely turned around by God's love. He could only commend this Love and Mercy to his fellow worshippers.
Read Peter's sermon again and let it sink in. Think how Peter had to let the events he describes sink into his fisherman's brain.