Acts 3:24-26

 

Rachel Workman: ²⁴ “Starting with Samuel, every prophet spoke about what is happening today. ²⁵ You are the children of those prophets, and you are included in the covenant God promised to your ancestors. For God said to Abraham, ‘Through your descendants^[f] all the families on earth will be blessed.’ ²⁶ When God raised up his servant, Jesus, he sent him first to you people of Israel, to bless you by turning each of you back from your sinful ways.”

I like to believe that it is through God's covenant with my ancestors that he continues to bless me. It certainly isn't because I've earned it or even deserve it. I'm trusting in God in all ways. But I'm not faithful in all ways.

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John Burnett:  And likewise, all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and his successors onward, also announced these days. 25 It is you who are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant which God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your seed, all the families of the earth shall be blessed.’ 26 For you first, God raised up His Servant and sent Him to bless you by turning every one of you from your wicked ways.”  Peter is talking to Jewish brothers in Christ.  Verse 26 again points out that salvation is completely an act of God and has nothing to do with a decision we make.  God sent Him (His Servant the Holy Spirit) to turn every one of you from your wicked ways.  The Holy Spirit is responsible for your repentance because He does the turning.  We are all wretched and would never choose to repent on our own.  Romans 3 reminds us of this, "No one does good, no not one."  I rejoice that I have the Holy Spirit to help me in my battle with sin every day.

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Tomorrow’s reading for Acts 4:1-7

4 The priests and the captain of the temple guard and the Sadducees came up to Peter and John while they were speaking to the people. ² They were greatly disturbed because the apostles were teaching the people, proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection of the dead. ³ They seized Peter and John and, because it was evening, they put them in jail until the next day. ⁴ But many who heard the message believed; so the number of men who believed grew to about five thousand.

⁵ The next day the rulers, the elders and the teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. ⁶ Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and others of the high priest’s family. ⁷ They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: “By what power or what name did you do this?”