Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord (Acts 3:19).
The Apostle Peter’s message to those in the Temple is quite astounding! He does not mince words but goes right to the heart of the matter. These are they who had the oracles of God but were blind to the purposes of their God. Peter begins his exhortation saying, “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 killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses […] Yet now, brethren, I know that you did it in ignorance, as did also your rulers […] Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus Christ, who was preached to you before, whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things” (Acts 3:13-15, 17, 19-21).
Christ’s forgiveness is unfathomable! Its depths cannot be explored by human intelligence! God will blot out the sins of those who will admit they are wrong! Peter tells the Jews in the temple that because of their ignorance, they did not recognize who Jesus really (is). So, God was giving them further opportunity to repent (amazing grace). This exhortation in the Temple, as in his Pentecost sermon was an offer to repent but now to repent as a nation. Was Peter saying that if Israel as a nation would repent, God’s Kingdom would come to earth? I believe that is exactly what he is saying! Therefore, I have made it my aim to preach the Gospel throughout the world, so as to hasten “that day!” If Israelis individually would repent, their repentance would result in immediate forgiveness of sins, but if Israel as a nation would repent, the coming of the Kingdom (times of refreshing, the second coming of Christ) would be fulfilled. Then Christ, the Messiah, would bring forth His Kingdom.
Living a repentant life,
Pastor Don