What I love about reading straight through long passages in the Bible is that I invariably see some new progression or timing of events or ideas that I hadn’t noticed on earlier readings. Today’s revelation hit me in Acts chapter 3.
Peter is preaching Christ to the Jews in Jerusalem. Listen to the progression of what he says:
“You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. You killed the Author of Life, but God raised Him from the dead.” (Acts. 3:14-15)
“Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord,” (Acts 3:19)
“When God raised up His Servant, He sent Him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your wicked ways.” (Acts 3:26)
It’s easy to forget at verse 19 and 26 that Peter is speaking to the very ones that delivered over Jesus and clamored for his death. Yet Peter tells them to repent and have their sins wiped clean, to receive a time of refreshing from the Lord. And he tells them that God sent Jesus to them first, to bless them by turning them from their wicked ways.
If this is possible for those that physically rejected Jesus and sent Him to the cross, what sin that we have committed can remain beyond the realm of His forgiveness and grace? God promised these people refreshing and blessing through repentance. And if Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever, can we expect any less?