Acts 3:24-26 24And all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and all those who followed, also proclaimed these days. 25You yourselves are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘And in your offspring will all the families of the earth be blessed.’ 26God, having raised up his servant, sent him to you first, blessing you by turning every one of you from your wickedness.”
Peter continued his brief summary of Jewish Scripture to show how Jesus fulfilled prophecy. Since Luke often gives only the high points of a speech, it is possible that Peter went into more depth with how various prophecies were fulfilled. His statement in verse 24 summarizes many centuries of prophetic activity, beginning with Samuel, who prophesied just before the rise of the monarchy and during the reign of Saul. The focus of the prophecies was on these days, referring to Jesus’ death, resurrection, and exaltation.
The premise of this verse is significant for Christians in that our faith is based on history and the long story of God’s plan through Israel. Christianity is not a new religion but the fulfillment of God’s plan that began to unfold with Abraham. Peter makes that point clear in verse 25 by connecting the events that the people in the temple were witnessing to the ancient covenant with Abraham. They were part of the sacred history of Israel. God was working out his plan with them. They had an opportunity to be part of the blessing promised to the prophets and Abraham.
Verse 26 makes clear that the promise comes through God’s servant, referring to Jesus (verse 13). The promise of blessing comes because of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead. The good news of resurrection makes all the difference. The Jews of Jerusalem were the first to hear of the good news, but this message would go to all the peoples of the earth. Paul the Apostle later wrote to the Romans in chapter 4 that Gentiles can also join in this promise through faith. The blessing would be experienced by a new life free from bondage to sin. Luke’s account of Peter’s sermon ends with this verse, but as 4:1 suggests, the discussion continued until it was interrupted by the religious officials.
Peter had come full circle in his sermon, supporting the gospel with Scripture, describing the people’s rejection of Jesus (their sins), and calling them to believe in Jesus. All the elements of a clear evangelistic message are present. Peter had learned well from Jesus. His message was personal and not theoretical. He had also rejected the Messiah through his denial but had experienced Jesus’ forgiveness and restoration. The Holy Spirit had cleansed him and filled him with courage to speak the truth clearly and boldly. God can do the same miracle of transformation in any person who is willing to be humble and obedient to the leading of the Holy Spirit.
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