Description

In this devotional, we examine Peter's powerful sermon in Acts 3. Learn how genuine repentance isn't just about sorrow for sin, but about turning to God to receive forgiveness and experience the promised 'seasons of refreshing' that only He can provide.

Scripture: Acts 3:17-21

Explanation

Following the astonishing healing of the lame man, Peter has the undivided attention of the crowd. He could have taken the credit, but instead, he redirects all glory to the Lord Jesus. He then confronts them with a hard truth: they had rejected and killed the 'Prince of life.' Yet, in the very next breath, he extends incredible grace. He acknowledges they acted in ignorance, which is not an excuse for their sin but an open door for God's mercy. The call is simple and profound: 'Repent ye therefore, and turn again.' In the Greek, this means to change your mind and your direction—to turn away from your sin and turn toward God. The promise attached to this command is one of the most beautiful in Scripture: 'that your sins may be blotted out, that so there may come seasons of refreshing from the presence of the Lord.' This isn't just a legal pardon; it's a spiritual renewal, a revival of the soul that quenches a thirst we may not even know we have. It is the deep peace and restorative joy that comes only from being reconciled with our Creator.

Parable

Let me paint a picture for you. Sarah owned a small farm that had been in her family for generations. But a long, brutal drought had scorched the land. The rich soil was now cracked and barren, the creek bed was a gray ribbon of dust, and the crops had long since withered. Each day, she would scan the empty, brassy sky, her hope drying up right along with her land. One afternoon, a water-rights negotiator from the county visited her. He explained that a great reservoir, fed by eternal mountain springs, lay just beyond her property line. 'A canal was planned years ago to run right through here,' he said, pointing to an old survey map. 'But your grandfather, in a prideful dispute, refused the offer. He was convinced he could manage on his own.' The negotiator looked at her with compassion. 'The offer still stands. The water is there, ready and waiting. All you have to do is sign this agreement, acknowledging the old mistake and giving us permission to open the main sluice gate. The water is yours for the asking.' Sarah was humbled to her core. She saw clearly the stubborn pride that had led to her family's hardship. With a trembling hand, she signed the paper. It was a simple act of turning away from the old, failed path. The next morning, she was awakened by a sound she hadn't heard in years: the gentle, steady rush of water. She ran outside to see the canal filled with clear, life-giving water, spilling into her irrigation ditches. As the cool water soaked into the parched earth, she felt a profound sense of relief and renewal wash over her own soul. The land had received its refreshing, and so had she.

Moral

Brothers and sisters, much like Sarah's parched farm, our souls can become dry and barren from sin and self-reliance. We try to survive on our own strength, ignoring the source of living water that is always available. Peter's sermon in Acts is that same offer from the negotiator. We must repent—that is, acknowledge our past, our rejection of the 'Prince of life'—and turn again to God. This simple act of faith opens the floodgates of His grace. When we do this, He doesn't just forgive us; He sends 'seasons of refreshing from the presence of the Lord,' restoring our souls and bringing new, abundant life where there was only dust and despair. “Repent ye therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that so there may come seasons of refreshing from the presence of the Lord;” Acts 3:19 (ASV).