Study #23: Peter called the Jews to repentance and faith in the resurrected Christ (Acts 3:17

Study #23: Peter called the Jews to repentance and faith in the resurrected Christ (Acts 3:17 - 26)

Acts, Chapter 1.2: The Sanhedrin violently rejected the Gospel of Jesus Christ from the Apostles (3:1 - 42)

§Unique Introduction: God used a miracle to open a door for Peter and John to preach the Gospel to a large crowd of Jews (3:1 - 11)

¶Opposite A disabled man asked Peter and John for a gift as they were going into the Temple (3:1 - 5)

¶Opposite God healed the disabled man, providing an opportunity for Peter and John to preach the Gospel to the Jews in the area (3:6 - 11)

§Complement Body: The Sanhedrin Council of Jews vainly attempted to stop the preaching of the Gospel in Jerusalem (3:12 - 5:16)

¶Opposite Peter indicted the Jews for their participation in the execution of their own Christ (3:12 - 16)

¶Opposite Peter called the Jews to repentance and faith in the resurrected Christ (3:17 - 26)

¶Complement The Sanhedrin Council of Jews commanded Peter and John not to speak anymore in the Name of Jesus (4:1 - 22)

¶Complement The Apostles prayed for the power and protection of the Holy Spirit (4:23 - 31)

¶Unique The Holy Spirit slew Ananias and Sapphira at the word of Peter for attempting to corrupt the Assembly in Jerusalem (4:32 - 5:16)

§Complement Conclusion: The Sanhedrin Council of Jews arrested and beat the Apostles; and then released them (5:17 - 42)

¶Complement Peter rebuked the Sanhedrin Council for their attempts to stop the preaching of the Gospel of Christ (5:17 - 33)

¶Complement The Sanhedrin Council released the Apostles after beating them and commanding them not to speak in the Name of Jesus (5:34 - 42)

This study will look at the first two paragraphs of the Body Section of Chapter 1.2 of Acts.

We continue our study of Acts Chapter 1.1 with an overview of the Golden Ratio design of the entire Chapter.

Remember from previous studies that the Golden Ratio paragraph pattern for the Chapters in every Book in the Body Section goes like this:

Chapter 1.1: UCC-OO

Chapter 1.2: OO-CCU

Chapter 1.3: UCC-OO

Chapter 1.4: OO-CCU

Chapter 1.5: UCC-OO

Chapter 2.1: OO-CCU

Chapter 2.2: UCC-OO

Chapter 2.3: OO-CCU

Chapter 2.4: UCC-OO

Chapter 2.5: OO-CCU

So, the first two paragraphs in the Body Section are “OO” in the Golden Ratio design, which means that their themes oppose each other; and it also means that their sub-paragraph designs also go in opposite directions; that is to say, the sub-paragraph design for these two paragraphs is “UCC-OO | OO-CCU”.

U = Unique; C = Complementary (like two sides of the same coin); O = Opposite.

Notice how the two paragraph themes oppose each other:

¶Opposite Peter indicted the Jews for their participation in the execution of their own Christ (3:12 - 16)

¶Opposite Peter called the Jews to repentance and faith in the resurrected Christ (3:17 - 26)

First, Peter indicts the Jews and exposes their guilt in crucifying their own Messiah. Then, he turns around (as it were) and calls them to repent and trust in Christ to be saved. This is a perfect illustration of the “OO” in the Golden Ratio design.

Now, in the rest of the Body Section, the Supreme Council of the Jews in Judea (called the Sanhedrin) called Peter and the Apostles and commanded them not to speak in the Name of Jesus anymore, and threatened them. (Complementary)

Then, the Apostles prayed to God for power and boldness to preach the Gospel in spite of their persecution by the Council. (Complementary)

Then, Peter exposed the lie of Ananias and Sapphira, and the Holy Spirit slew them. (Unique)

¶Complement The Sanhedrin Council of Jews commanded Peter and John not to speak anymore in the Name of Jesus (4:1 - 22)

¶Complement The Apostles prayed for the power and protection of the Holy Spirit (4:23 - 31)

¶Unique The Holy Spirit slew Ananias and Sapphira at the word of Peter for attempting to corrupt the Assembly in Jerusalem (4:32 - 5:16)

The Golden Ratio design of the Holy Bible is infallible, because it originally came from God the Holy Spirit, who caused the human authors of Holy Scripture to write the Scriptures in such a way that the Golden Ratio design would be embedded with it, even though they had no knowledge of the Golden Ratio themselves; and if they had heard of it in the days of the Apostles, they had no conception that it was part of the Holy Scriptures. This is the ultimate proof that the one trueGod is the ultimate Author of the Bible. It truly is the Word of God, and the Golden Ratio design of the Scriptures is his “fingerprints” upon the Bible text.

If the Bible were not the Word of God, where does the Golden Ratio design come from? It would be impossible for mere men to produce it, even if they were somehow collaborating and scheming together to create it. Especially since the human authors of Scripture lived over a period of approximately 1,600 years.

But there is not one iota of historical evidence that the human authors of Scripture (e.g. Moses, Samuel, Ezra, Paul, Luke etc) knew of the Golden Ratio design, so they did not create it themselves. The only other possible Source of this design is God Almighty, because the Bible is the Word of God.

“Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture comes of one’s own interpretation: for the prophecy came at no time by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.” 2 Peter 1:20-21

“All Scripture is God-breathed; and is beneficial for doctrine, for rebuke, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness; that the man of God may be complete, and thoroughly equipped for all good work.” 2 Timothy 3:16-17

§Complement Body: The Sanhedrin Council of Jews vainly attempted to stop the preaching of the Gospel in Jerusalem (3:12 - 5:16)

¶Opposite Peter indicted the Jews for their participation in the execution of their own Christ (3:12 - 16)

Unique And when Peter saw this, he answered to the people, “You men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why do you look so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we made this man to walk?

Complement The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his Son Jesus; whom you delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.

Complement But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted to you.

Opposite And you killed the Prince of life, whom God has raised from the dead: whereof we are witnesses.

Opposite And his Name through faith in his Name has made this man strong, whom you see and know; moreover, the faith which is by him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

Comment: The UCC-OO (one unique, two complements, and two opposites) Golden Ratio design of the sub-paragraphs for paragraph 1:

Unique Peter rejected the apparent belief of the people that he or John had anything to do with the man’s healing

Complement Peter pointed to the God of the Jews as the cause of the glorification of Christ in his crucifixion, whom the people denied in the presence of Pilate (before the resurrection)

Complement Peter pointed to the guilt of the people in denying the Holy One and the Just, and asking for a murderer instead (before the resurrection)

Opposite Peter indicted the people for killing the Prince of Life, whom God has raised from the dead (the resurrection)

Opposite The faith of the disabled man in Christ has given him a perfect healing (after the resurrection)

Before you can be saved, you must realize that you are a sinner. Peter used this truth to present the Gospel to his hearers:

First, understand that you have sinned against Almighty God. If there is no sin, there is no need for a Savior, because that is what the Savior does: He forgives our sins and SAVES us from the penalty of those sins, which is an eternity in Hell and the Lake of Fire, if those sins have not been forgiven when you die.

¶Opposite Peter called the Jews to repentance and faith in the resurrected Christ (3:17 - 26)

Opposite And now, brethren, I know that through ignorance you did it, as did also your rulers.

Opposite But those things, which God before has shown by the mouth of all his Prophets, that Christ should suffer, he has so fulfilled; therefore repent, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, that the times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord; and he shall send Jesus Christ, who before was preached to you; whom the Heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God has spoken by the mouth of all his holy Prophets since the world began.

Complement For Moses truly said to the fathers, ‘A Prophet shall [Jehovah] your God raise up to you of your brethren, like me: him shall you hear in all things whatsoever he shall say to you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul, who will not hear that Prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.’

Complement Indeed, and all the Prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.

Unique You are the children of the Prophets, and of the Covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.’ Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.”

Comment: The OO-CCU (two opposites, two complements, and one unique) Golden Ratio design of the sub-paragraphs for paragraph 2:

Opposite Peter acknowledged the ignorance of the people in their actions that crucified their Messiah

Opposite But these things were all fulfillment of Holy Scripture; therefore repent and be converted to Christ

Complement Moses prophesied the coming of a Prophet, who would be like him

Complement The Prophets from Samuel and onward also prophesied of these days

Unique Peter called the Jews to faith in their resurrected Messiah: the Son of God, Jesus Christ

Next, understand that that Jesus is the answer to your sins: Jesus died on the cross for your sins, and experienced your pain and suffering in Hell FOR YOU (as your substitute) and rose again from the dead on the third day.

Now, all you must do is BELIEVE in Jesus Christ: “Repent, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out”

Repent:

1) Realize that YOUR SINS put Jesus on the cross, because Jesus had no sin and needs no Savior, because He is God, manifested in the flesh.

2) Realize that YOUR SINS are dragging you down into Hell, and that ONLY JESUS can save you.

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is no other Name under Heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

Believe in Jesus Christ and receive Him as your personal Savior:

1) Believe that Jesus is the resurrected Son of God:

“Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was made of the seed of David according to the flesh, and was declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of Holiness, by the resurrection from the dead;” Romans 1:3-4

2) Believe that only Jesus Christ can save you from going to Hell:

“Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is no other Name under Heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” Acts 4:12

“But as many as received him, to them gave he authority to become the children of God: even to them that believe on his Name” John 1:12

3) Turn to Jesus in prayer and ask Him to save you:

“Lord Jesus, I know that I have sinned against YOU. I am no good, and you are righteous! I believe that you died on the cross for my sins, were buried, and rose again from the dead on the third day. I want you to come into my life and be my Lord and Savior. Please come into my heart right now. Forgive me for all my sins, and save my soul. In the mighty Name of Jesus, I pray, Amen!”

Now, follow your prayer of faith with a lifetime of obedience to God and his Word. Read his Word daily, and do what it says. Find a Bible-believing, Bible-preaching church (Independent Baptist churches are the best), and serve the Lord there each week.

If you have turned from your sins and accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and only Savior from sin, please message me through Facebook and let me know that you have done that, so that I can pray for you and rejoice with you in what God has done in your life. Amen.

Final thoughts: Some churches want to be so positive and friendly to the world that they only present Jesus Christ as a friend, a pal, or even a drinking buddy. They never present Jesus as the Bible teaches, as I have described above. And they will likely never talk about sin or the penalty for sins, which is Hell and the Lake of Fire. Instead, they like to talk about prosperity, and how you can become wealthy. This is a false Gospel, and you will never be saved from Hell and the Lake of Fire with this kind of teaching.

If you are a member of this kind of church, you need to flee for your spiritual life to a Bible-preaching, Independent Baptist Church, that preaches Hellfire and Jesus as the only Hope of our salvation, and our Coming King.

Find a church that preaches that the Bible is the Word of God from cover to cover.

Find a church that gives invitations to sinners to be saved in every service.

Find a church that still sings the old hymns of the Christian Faith: Amazing Grace, Rejoice the Lord is King, I sing the Mighty Power of God, Great is thy faithfulness, and so on.

If they have a rock music band in their services, walk out and find one that doesn’t. I haven’t taught much on this subject, but it is a bad sign to have Satan’s music in your church. And yes, rock music is of the devil.

If you follow these guidelines, I know that the Lord will bless you and help you grow in his grace. Amen!