I would invite you to turn back with me to the portion of scripture we read earlier on, so this is Acts chapter 3 and we will be looking at the second part of that Peter's speech is his sermon from verse 11, Acts chapter 3.
I was reading recently an interview with a footballer, an interview where this footballer spoke of the practical jokes that were played on him by his teammates and his fellow professionals.
So these guys, his fellow players, they didn't like the fact that this player in question, that he was, as they saw, a bit of an intellectual, which I think for footballers basically meant that he used to occasionally read a book or two.
But they didn't like this.
So on one occasion, what they did, without his knowledge, was they took a pair of scissors and they cut out, what a terrible thing to do, they cut out the very last paragraph of this long novel that this guy had been reading.
And in this interview, I was reading, the player spoke of his dismay.
Imagine reading this novel for week after week after week and then in his words he said, he was now unable to properly grasp the story because of the absence of a few crucial words.
Now, a great practical joke, I'm sure you would agree.
But I think the player's words there can equally be said of this week that we've got in front of us, the book of Acts.
Because when we consider Acts, if we fail to just have a few key words in our minds, then we're also going to fail to grasp much about what is really happening in this book.
Because you see, in chapter 1, right at the beginning of Acts, in Acts chapter 1 and verse 8, the author, Luke, what he does is he really sets out his skull.
So there, in chapter 1 and verse 8, what he does is he tells us what's to come in the rest of the book.
So he tells us that Acts is going to show us the disciples being Jesus witnesses, first in Jerusalem, then to all Judea and Samaria, and then to the ends of the earth.
That is how the book of Acts is going to be structured.
And that means, of course, that what we've got before us this evening, in this first part of the book of Acts, is an account of the advance of the gospel, not in Judea and Samaria, exactly.
It's not an account of the advance of the gospel to the ends of the earth.
What we've got in front of the earth.
What we've got in front of us is an account of the advance of the gospel in the city of Jerusalem.
Something that we'll see tonight is crucial to any proper understanding of Acts chapter 3.
So with the theme for tonight, in our minds, the theme that is all about Jesus, that is all about Jesus, let's consider our first of three points.
And let's consider that the speaker here was all about Jesus.
The speaker was all about Jesus.
Now, we know, having just read it, what the background is here, don't we?
Peter has just healed this crippled beggar.
So this man, who was suffering from a congenitive, debilitating disease, he has been healed to the extent, you see it, that he's now followed Peter and John into the temple courteous.
And you see how he's managed to do that?
He is now walking, and he is jumping, and he is praising God.
And then this miracle seems to draw a crowd, doesn't it?
Let's think about that.
These people, who were familiar with this cripple, so people who would have walked past this cripple thousands of times on their way into the temple courteous.
They see the guy, now we're in the distance, and he's walking, and he's jumping, and so, they run towards him.
And they're desolate to find out what's going on, what's happened.
Forget this, this is the important thing.
clearly their attention
is actually specifically
on Peter
and John
isn't it?
It isn't so much on that guy but on Peter
look what Peter has to say to this large guy
of Christus here
he says why do you stare at us
as if by
our own power or piety we have made
this man walk
you see
the attention is on
Peter
and John
and what I would dearly love for you to see
and appreciate this evening
is how Peter
redirects
that attention group
because surely think about it
see at that moment in the temple
warrior Peter's the man
isn't he?
I mean every eye
is on Peter
he's got this crowd that's before him on
tender looks
but he doesn't observe
bask in the glory of the healing
does he?
I mean he doesn't just
pause for a minute
and enjoy the line right there
does he?
you know not a bit of it
look
immediately
without even a second thought
look he moves the focus
away from him
and he moves it straight to Jesus Christ
look at this
look at what he says
why do you stare at us?
the God
of Abraham
has raised his servant
Jesus
so he directs
or redirects
he diverts
he deflects the crowd's attention
and he deflects it to
Jesus Christ
and note
as well
that he doesn't do that
just to explain
what's happened
in this miracle
with the crippled bear
right
he doesn't sort of
just deflect attention
to show that it was
Jesus power
rather than
his own
that's healed this man
I mean yeah
okay
he is going to do that
and he'll tell them that
but before he does that
what does he do?
he seizes
this moment
of attention
doesn't he?
and he presents
to this crowd
that's before him
in the temple
some of the key events
of Jesus
before he speaks
about this miracle
with the crippled
he speaks about
Jesus' betrayal
and he speaks about
Jesus' day
and he speaks about
Jesus' resurrection
so what we've got
is Peter
redirect
redirecting
attention
from himself
to the glory
of the risen
Christ
now folks
please hear this
we currently
live in a culture
that really
exists
in antithesis
to the attitude
that Peter
displays here
don't we?
I mean
Peter here
lives to deflect
attention
away from himself
where our culture
is absolutely
obsessed
with drawing
attention
to the
individual
we in the 21st century
we live in a
self-free society
don't we?
we live in a
culture
where everything
everything
is about
self-promotion
our TV shows
like the
X Factor
or
what's the other one
Britain's Got Talent
you know
they show us
sneaking crowds
of thousands
of hopefuls
all
just desperate
for some sort
of deserving
time in the
spotlight
don't they?
the internet
has made it
easier for us
to upload
videos of
ourselves
to YouTube
or upload
pictures of
ourselves
to Facebook
I think you
could probably
also sustain
an argument
for saying
that popular
music
has changed
you know
songs about
unacquainted
love or
protests a few
decades ago
to songs
today
that kind of
just say
look at me
look how much
money I've got
look how many
cars I've got
look how many
girls
I can get
we are perhaps
more than
any other time
in history
firmly immersed
in this
look at me
culture
a self-free
society
and so please
friends
I urge you
tonight
just to look
at Peter
and see that
the Christian
life must
hold entirely
different values
to that
that instead
of us
following that
sort of
pervasive
self-promotion
society
that we
consider the
apostle
and we
see this
we see
that the
Christian
life
must be
in essence
a life
of redirection
that we
should in
everything
that we
do
seek not
glory for
ourselves
but in
everything
that we
do
we seek
to promote
the glory
and the honour
of Jesus
Christ
that if
we do
attract
attention
to ourselves
that it's
only through
our good
works
that Peter
with his
cripple
but that
only so
that we
can redirect
people to
the fruit
of the
cross
friends I
hope you
see this
clearly
what we've
got here
under
what is it
Solomon's
portico
is a
paradigm
and it's
a pattern
for the
whole of
Christian
life
that we
live to
direct
attention
to our
saviour
we live
to direct
attention
to our
Lord
the speaker
here
is Peter
and the
speaker was
all about
Jesus
let's know
because
secondly
that the
scriptures
are all
about Jesus
the scriptures
are all
about Jesus
okay let's
go back
and consider
the text
in a little
bit more
detail
so we've
seen that
Peter has
taken this
miracle
and the
resultant
intrigue of
the crowd
and he has
used that
to speak
about
what
to speak
about
God's
action
in Jesus
Christ
but there's
something we
need to
notice about
the manner
in which
he does
this
and there's
something we
talked about
right at the
beginning of
the sermon
because in
this speech
the sermon
in the city
of Jerusalem
what we've
got in front
of us
is actually
a very
Jewish
presentation
of the
gospel
a very
very Jewish
presentation
now do you
see what I
mean by that
if not
observe
firstly
the way
that Peter
addresses the
crowd
what does he
say
he calls
them men
of Israel
then
observe
how he
speaks about
God
what does he
call God
what does he
speak about
God
he says
the God
of Abram
the God
of Isaac
the God
of Jacob
the God
of our
fathers
then observe
especially
how Peter
speaks about
Jesus
what does
he say
God
has done
here
think about
this
he says
that God
has glorified
his
servant
Jesus
now
that might
not mean
all that much
to us
in here
but it would
have jarred
the first century
Jewish audience
wouldn't it
that would
have sent
them straight
back in their
minds to
Isaiah 52
and to the
exaltation
of the
suffering
of the
servant
wouldn't it
and it's
the same
with this
other
messianic
title
that he
uses
here
you see
that
the
holy
and
righteous
one
do you
see what's
happening
do you see
what Peter
is doing
here
he's showing
the crowd
that this
man
that he
is talking
about
Jesus
of Nazareth
that he
was the
one that the
Jews
had been
waiting for
he's saying
that this
man I'm
speaking about
Jesus of
Nazareth
he was the
one that
dares
the
old
testament
was
pointing
to
and we
may listen
to him
just now
think
okay maybe
I see
that
maybe
look at
the second
half of the
sermon
Peter makes
his point
so explicit
because he
is effectively
saying to
this crowd
before him
in the
temple
friends
the old
testament
is all
about
Jesus
look what he
says
verse 18
God
foretold
the
sufferings
of Jesus
of Nazareth
in all
the prophets
verse 21
Jesus was
promised long
ago by the
holy prophets
verse 22
Moses
spoke
of the
government
of Jesus
verse 24
Samuel
and all
the prophets
thereafter
spoke about
these days
what is
the days
of Jesus
Nazareth's
death
and
resurrection
everything
in scripture
Peter says
to this
Jewish crowd
everything
in scripture
is about
this man
that has
just been
put to
death
Jesus
of Nazareth
but I
would urge
you
not to
read
Acts 3
and think
of it
as a
dry
monotonous
lecture
where Peter
mechanically
points out
where Jesus
pops up
in the
Old Testament
it's not a
lecture
this is a
man in the
temple
giving this
heartfelt
evangelistic
appeal
to these
people
why?
because Peter
could see
that by
this
crowd
not
recognising
Jesus
of
Nazareth
as the
one
Old Testament
spoke of
him
that they
were rejecting
and renouncing
their own
longed for
Messiah
I mean this
is not about
missing a
sort of
detail or a
technicality
about identity
this was
about denying
their
Christ
and with
that
please allow
me to
pose to
you a
couple of
crucial
questions
firstly
when you
read your
Bible at
home
and I
assume
what you
do
when you
read your
Bible at
home
are you
seeing
Jesus
are you
see when I
was studying
for the
ministry
a few years
ago
we had a
teacher
a lecturer
!
and he
would say
the same
thing every
year to
his class
and he
would tell
us
if you
have something
important to
say to an
audience
what you
do
I'm sure
you've
probably
heard this
before
from
someone
else
what you
do
is first
of all
you tell
the audience
what it
is that
you are
about
to tell
them
and then
the second
thing you
do is
you tell
the audience
what it
is that
you have
to tell
them
and then
the third
thing
you tell
the audience
what it
is that
you have
just
told
them
but you
isn't
it
but isn't
that what
God has
done for
us with
Jesus
Christ
in
scripture
isn't
it
and he
has foretold
the coming
of the
important
effect
and then
he has
told us
in detail
about
Jesus
ministry
and then
he has
explained
to us
again
the
significance
of all
of that
so I
wonder
are you
finding some
of the
parts of the
old
testament
really
difficult
I mean
are you
finding them
sometimes
almost
impenetrable
I wonder
tonight
do you
see that
this
here
what
Peter
says
to this
crowd
is the
key
to it
all
that we
must
read the
bible
read
scripture
and we
see
Jesus
that we
read
even those
really difficult
parts of the
old testament
I mean
do you not
read them
in isolation
we read
them as
they sit
in God's
perfect plan
of redemption
that reaches
its apex
it reaches
its zenith
at the
cross
now do you
do that
I wonder
is that how
you are
using your
bible
when you
go to
Genesis
you see
that the
seed of
the woman
points
to Jesus
you see
that Ruth's
kinsman
redeemer
points
to Jesus
you see
that Noah's
ark of
salvation
points
to Jesus
you see
that Noah's
fish of
deliverance
it points
to Jesus
that Jesus
is the
everything
and the
every
layer of
scripture
and without
him there
is no
understanding
of the
riches
and truths
of the
word of
God
and then
the second
question
is to
those here
who are
perhaps not
yet
saved
it's a
question to
you tonight
if you're
not a
Christian
friend
with
all
respect
do you
see that
you're
making
the same
mistake
as this
Jewish
crowd
because you
see the
old
testament
came to
them
and it
spoke
very very
clearly
that the
messiah
would
suffer
and they
rejected
him
but we're
told
look at the
end of the
section
we're told
in verse
26 that
the gospel
came
first
to the
Jews
but as we
saw at the
beginning of
the sermon
the gospel
would go
out of
Jerusalem
and it
would go
to all
the nations
of the
world
and you
see the
truth is
that tonight
as you sit
here in this
church
the gospel
has come to
you
look around
you
look at how
many bibles
are in this
place
you have
the good
news
and it
tells you
very very
clearly
that Jesus
is
the
Christ
friends
do not
keep on
making
the same
mistake
as this
Jewish
prayer
do not
deny
Jesus
the one
that
all
scripture
speaks
about
so the
speaker
was all
about
Jesus
and the
scriptures
are all
about
Jesus
so thirdly
let's
conclude
let's
consider
that the
consummation
will all
be about
Jesus
so the
consummation
the end
times
will be
all about
Jesus
and again
let's
let's use
our imagination
and let's
picture the
scene that
we're reading
about in
Acts chapter
3
okay so
Peter
is at the
side of the
temple
in Solomon's
portico
right in the
side of the
temple
and he's
spoken to
this crowd
and he's
not sugar
coated it
has he
I mean he's
really underlined
for these
people their
clear culpability
that God
has promised
a suffering
saviour
that that
suffering saviour
has come
and they
have rejected
him
here's the
thing
surely
the question
that arises
for that
crowd
is what
now
what
now
given
their
sin
given
what
Peter
has
just
pointed
out
given
their
denial
of
Christ
is
there
any
hope
for
them
is that
what
they're
asking
or is
it
too late
are they
beyond
saving
well
what
Peter
does
here
Peter
not only
tells them
what they
need to
do to
be saved
but he
also tells
them exactly
what that
salvation
will lead
to
so what
does he
say is
the only
way to
be saved
do you
see it
in verse
19
as clear
as day
Peter
announces
the only
way of
salvation
he says
what's the
word
repent
turn to
God
turn
from that
denial
of
Jesus
turn
to
Jesus
and see
that his
name
is the
name
that's
above
all
other
names
so he
tells the
crowd
the way
of
salvation
but when
he's done
that
he then
speaks of
what happens
to those
who are
saved
in Jesus
Christ
now what
does he
say
I would
ask you
to soak
these in
okay
he says
verse 19
that repentance
will lead
to sin
being
wiped
out
that
great
divine
record
of
wickedness
is
blotted
out
from
Jesus
Christ
he tells
us that
then he
tells us
that through
repentance
times of
refreshing
will come
that just
like the
cripple
that will
stand in
the side
that salvation
will involve
a wonderful
new lease
of life
in Jesus
but thirdly
and we're
going to
end with
this one
Peter tells
the crowd
that if they
turn from
their denial
of Jesus
that God
will send
his son
again
that repentance
in Christ
will lead
to a
glorious view
of the
second coming
of Christ
and do you
see what
Peter says
will happen
when Jesus
returns
what will
happen
he says
that verse
21
through Christ
God
is going
to work
he is going
to restore
everything
he is going
to restore
all things
that not only
are the speaker
and scriptures
all about
Jesus Christ
but the
consummation
the
restoration
the future
is going
to all
be about
Jesus
Christ
that he
will
return
that his
creation
will be
made new
by his
power
that his
people
will be
transformed
that his
city
the new
Jerusalem
that it
will be
inhabited
that his
power
that his
wiped away
sin
that it
will then
wipe away
all tears
and all
pain
that his
songs of
glory
will be sung
that his
crowns
of glory
will be
handed out
that all
attention
of every
single person
will be fixed
upon the one
who unlike
us
is actually
deserving
of all
the focus
and of all
the praise
and of all
the glory
that the
consummation
will all
be about
him
Jesus
Christ
friends
all of that
is the
wondrous
fruit
of repentance
in Christ
now
the obvious
question
I have to
finish with
is have you
turned from
your sin
have you
really
stopped denying
the saviour
can you see
this evening
that
your life
your
hopes
you know
your future
your affections
above
everything else
it must
all
be
about
Jesus
Christ
do you see
that
it must
be
do you know
what's
beautiful
that
we learn
in verse
four of
the next
chapter
that many
of those
people
before
Peter
they saw
it for the
first time
and we are
told
that they
were saved
I wonder
tonight
do you see
it
do you see
that it's
all about
Jesus
have you
really
repented
of yourself
let's pray
Thank you.