Acts 3:26 To you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities. I. GOD RAISED UP HIS SON JESUS TO BE A PROPHET (ver. 22, Deuteronomy 18:15). 1. To teach the will of God (Isaiah 61:1). 2. To expound it to us (John 14:2; John 15:15). (1) By His prophets (1 Peter 3:19; Nehemiah 9:30). (2) Himself (Hebrews 1:1, 2; Hebrews 2:2, 3). (3) His apostles (2 Corinthians 5:19, 20). (4) His ministers (Ephesians 4:11, 12). II. GOD SENT HIM. 1. By promise in the Old Testament (1 Peter 1:10, 11; 1 Peter 3:19; Genesis 3:15). 2. In person in the New (Galatians 4:4, 5). (1) First to the Jews (Acts 2:39; John 4:22). (a) He was first promised to them. (b) Born of them. (c) Manifested Himself first among them (Matthew 4:12, 17). (2) To the Gentiles also (Acts 2:39; Acts 11:18; Acts 15:7-9; Galatians 3:14; Genesis 22:17, 18). III. HE WAS SENT TO BLESS US (Genesis 22:17, 18). 1. To purchase a blessing for us (Galatians 3:13, 14). 2. To apply it to us. IV. HIS GREAT BLESSING IS CONVERSION FROM SIN (Psalm 1:1; Psalm 32:1, 2). lsit not a blessed thing to know — 1. Our sins pardoned (Matthew 9:2). 2. God reconciled (Romans 5:1). 3. That we have an interest in Christ (1 John 3:24). 4. To have a pacified conscience (2 Corinthians 1:12). 5. To delight ourselves in the best things (Psalm 1:2). 6. To be related to God (Galatians 4:6). 7. To have all things blessed to us (Romans 8:28). 8. To have an infallible evidence of our title to heaven (Romans 8:1; Matthew 25:46). V. CHRIST HAS PURCHASED THIS BLESSING FOR US (Matthew 1:21; 1 Peter 1:18; Titus 2:14; 1 John 3:8). 1. What? (1) Pardon; therefore conversion (Ezekiel 18:30; chap. Acts 2:38). (2) Peace with God; therefore conversion. (3) Redemption from misery; therefore conversion (Luke 13:3). (4) Heaven; therefore conversion (John 3:16; Hebrews 13:14). 2. How? Note — (1) All men are sinners. (2) Christ undertook to cleanse us from our sins. (3) This could not be but by purchasing the same grace we lost by sin. (4) No way to obtain grace but by the Spirit of God.(Ezekiel 36:27; Numbers 14:24). (5) God would not send His Spirit until man's sins were satisfied for, and so God reconciled. (6) Christ by His death satisfies for sin (1 John 2:2). (7) And so purchased the donation of the Spirit (John 16:7). (8) The Spirit sent into our hearts, turns us from sin (2 Thessalonians 2:13). (Bp. Beveridge.) Parallel Verses KJV: Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities. |
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