Acts 3:17-26 CSB
"And now, brothers and sisters, I know that you acted in ignorance, just as your leaders also did. [18] In this way God fulfilled what he had predicted through all the prophets-that his Messiah would suffer. [19] Therefore repent and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped out, [20] that seasons of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send Jesus, who has been appointed for you as the Messiah. [21] Heaven must receive him until the time of the restoration of all things, which God spoke about through his holy prophets from the beginning. [22] Moses said: The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your brothers. You must listen to everything he tells you. [23] And everyone who does not listen to that prophet will be completely cut off from the people. [24] "In addition, all the prophets who have spoken, from Samuel and those after him, have also foretold these days. [25] You are the sons of the prophets and of the covenant that God made with your ancestors, saying to Abraham, And all the families of the earth will be blessed through your offspring. [26] God raised up his servant and sent him first to you to bless you by turning each of you from your evil ways."
Psalm 23:1-3 CSB
The LORD is my shepherd; I have what I need. [2] He lets me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside quiet waters. [3] He renews my life; he leads me along the right paths for his name's sake.
Acting in Ignorance
We as humans were and are designed to have fellowship with our loving Father in Heaven. Our entire existence, both before and after the fall of the world, depends on God. It was sin that drove Adam and Eve from the garden, and this remains the fallen state of every person. Because of this separation, we have a hole inside of us that we desperately try to fill with the things of this world. We might seek to become the foremost expert in our work, craving the ear of power, or try to find ultimate happiness in a “perfect” soulmate. Perhaps it is the allure of the world’s nightlife and the party; we find ourselves continually chasing “more” to fill that void. The sad fact is that we live in a fallen world surrounded by fallen things. The allure never holds up to the hype; we are left unsatisfied, adding more and more in a vain hope that we will finally find contentment. But even that perfect soulmate is an imperfect person who will eventually disappoint.
When we return to the Father, we find the peace that was intended for us before the fall. All our wrongs are wiped away by what Jesus did on the cross for us, and we are freed to have fellowship once again. Our sins are not just covered; they are wiped out. In ancient days, ink was made without acid, meaning it could be completely wiped off papyrus with a damp cloth before it dried. It would be as if the words were never there. This is what Jesus does for us. Our wrongs are completely wiped away so that we can finally fill the hole at the center of our being. Through Him, we find the peace we were designed to have.
Peter delivered a strong condemnation to the Jewish multitude, but it was a condemnation born out of love. As he spoke, hearts were pricked—the Holy Spirit working within the hearers to bring conviction. Having identified the wound, Peter now gave them the remedy. He began by softening the truth of their sin, acknowledging that they acted in ignorance and explaining that Jesus had to suffer for us. He called them to repent and believe. They now held the truth in their hands, and their choice would determine their eternal destination: fellowship with the Father or being cast away. It was a choice between trying to fill that internal void with the fleeting things of this world or finding real contentment and peace with a loving Father.
Many false religions claim that their leaders are the “Prophet” promised by Moses. They attempt to lay claim to leading others as Moses once did, of being a light and source of truth, but there is only one who fulfills this and every other prophecy: Jesus. He is not only the true light to the Jewish nation but also the light to the rest of the world. He is the only one who can lead us to the “quiet waters” mentioned in the Psalms.
We all have a chance to believe the words about Jesus or reject them. Those who believe and turn to follow Him as Lord have their sins wiped clean and their fellowship with the Father renewed. This is a restoration that carries into eternity.
Reflection Questions
- Peter told the crowd they acted in “ignorance.” Looking back at your life before Christ, can you see how you were trying to fill the “hole” in your heart with things that could never satisfy?
- The image of ink being wiped off papyrus means the record is gone. Do you struggle to believe that God has truly “wiped out” your past, or do you still try to “re-write” those sins back into your story?
- Jesus is the Prophet we must listen to. In what area of your life is the Holy Spirit currently “pricking your heart” to listen more closely to His voice?
Prayer
Father,
We thank You that You do not leave us in our ignorance or our fallen state. Thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit, who pricks our hearts and leads us back to You. We praise You that through the blood of Jesus, our sins are not just hidden, but completely wiped away—as if the ink were never on the page. Help us to stop trying to fill the void of our souls with the things of this world and instead find our total contentment in You. Lead us beside the quiet waters and renew our lives for Your name’s sake.
Amen.
