Acts 3:
12 Seeing this, Kefa addressed the people: “Men of Isra’el! Why are you amazed at this? Or why do you stare at us as if we had made this man walk through some power or godliness of our own? 13 The God of Avraham, Yitz’chak and Ya‘akov, the God of our fathers,[Acts 3:13 Exodus 3:6, 15] has glorified his servant Yeshua — the same Yeshua you handed over and disowned before Pilate, even after he had decided to release him. 14 You denied the holy and innocent one, and instead asked for the reprieve of a murderer! 15 You killed the author of life!
“But God has raised him from the dead! Of this we are witnesses. 16 And it is through putting trust in his name that his name has given strength to this man whom you see and know. Yes, it is the trust that comes through Yeshua which has given him this perfect healing in the presence of you all.
17 “Now, brothers, I know that you did not understand the significance of what you were doing; neither did your leaders. 18 But this is how God fulfilled what he had announced in advance, when he spoke through all the prophets, namely, that his Messiah was to die.
19 “Therefore, repent and turn to God, so that your sins may be erased; (Complete Jewish Bible).
***This week's readings begin with Peter addressing a crowd of Israelites, and the text invites us to wonder with the Israelites. Peter and John have just healed a man who had been unable to walk, and Peter asks the crowd, "Why do you wonder at this?" Well, because it's a wondrous thing to behold! It's not every day one gets to see such a transformation, and wonder seems a natural response.
Peter and John have just recently seen an even greater transformation. Their teacher and Lord has risen from the dead! Now, they want to be sure everyone knows that it's God who does these mighty things. It isn't by their own power that the man now walks, but by the power of God, who has been working wonders since the days of Abraham and Sarah, and who continues such wonders even today. What a joy that God includes us in this great work!
Wondrous God, you kept impossible promises to Abraham and Sarah, you sent your Son to defeat the power of death and you worked through the apostles to heal and teach. Help us to see how you continue to work through us, that we may proclaim your kingdom in all we do; through Jesus Christ, our victorious Lord. Amen.
Amanda Jertson Talley, '12
Pastor, Trinity Lutheran Churches, Hartington and Crofton, Neb.
Acts 3:12 When Peter saw it, he addressed the people, "You Israelites, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we had made him walk?
13 The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our ancestors has glorified his servant Jesus, whom you handed over and rejected in the presence of Pilate, though he had decided to release him.
14 But you rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked to have a murderer given to you,
15 and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses.
16 And by faith in his name, his name itself has made this man strong, whom you see and know; and the faith that is through Jesus has given him this perfect health in the presence of all of you.
17 "And now, friends, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers.
18 In this way God fulfilled what he had foretold through all the prophets, that his Messiah would suffer.
19 Repent therefore, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out, (New Revised Standard Version)
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