Turn & Look
Sermon Series:Acts
At the end of Acts 2, Luke writes of many “signs and wonders” being done in the power of the Holy Spirit through the apostles and chapter 3 is an example; specifically the healing of a 40 year old man who had never walked. Expecting to get a hand-out, the man instead got helped to his feet, having his legs completely healed. His response involved walking, leaping, and praising God. The response of the onlookers, however, was astonishment and wonders and questions. Peter’s response to their astonishment was to connect the dots to Jesus and invite them into repentance and relationship with Him. As we engage the text with our imaginations as well as our minds and hearts, there are some particular snapshots that catch our attention: reframed expectations; the breaking in of the restorative nature of the Kingdom of God; the paradox of the “Beautiful Gate” that, for so many, was more of a barrier to worship than a door; and the emphasis throughout the text on “turning and looking.” Peter engages their minds and hearts, explaining through Scripture what is going on, and calling them to encounter Jesus, to repent of their sin, to receive the grace and forgiveness of God and the gift of the Holy Spirit who then continues to sanctify and transform every part of their lives and, within the context of this new community called the church, to share this good news with others and bring the Kingdom of Jesus - justice and healing and restoration and reconciliation and peace and joy and hope and love into every part of the world.