Acts 3 records the healing of the lame man who “laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful” (v. 2). Those who witnessed the lame man walking at the side of Peter and John were “greatly amazed” (v. 11). This opened a door of opportunity for Peter to speak about the Christ to the ones who killed Him. His message was not solely purposed toward exposing them as a guilty party, but remedying the guilt. He said, “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” (v. 19).
Acts 2 marked the beginning of the last days. The last days are those which are governed by Christ in the New Covenant. Christ ushered in the New Covenant due to the inability of the Old Covenant to save mankind – “For if that first covenant had been faultless, then no place would have been sought for a second” (Hebrews 8:7). The Hebrew writer was not implying that the design of the Old Covenant was faulty. If a covenant fails to fulfill its purpose then the one who made it is imperfect. However, “The law of the Lord is perfect” (Psalm 19:7). God is incapable of failure. The design of the Old Covenant served its purpose – “the Scripture has confined all under sin” (Galatians 3:22). It was a yoke which no one could bear (cf. Acts 15:10). “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). The Old Covenant was faulty when viewed as the solution to the problem of sin. However, its purpose was not to conquer the problem of sin, but to “[confine] all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe” (Galatians 3:22). The Old Covenant was the tutor; faith in the Christ is the solution (cf. Galatians 3:24-25).
The Old Law emphasized the need for a savior. Paul, by inspiration, put it this way, “I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. For I delight in the law of God according to the inward man. But I see another law in my members, warring against the law of my mind, and bringing me into captivity to the law of sin which is in my members. O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? I thank God – through Jesus Christ our Lord!” (Romans 7:21-25a). The burden of the guilt of sin the Jews experienced under the Old Law reached the apex when they crucified the one who could bring “times of refreshing.”
The times of refreshing only come from “the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19). Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Matthew 11:28-30). Peter commanded two things be done “so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19). He told those gathered in Solomon’s porch to “repent therefore and be converted” (v. 19). This carried with it no different meaning than his command on the day of Pentecost to repent and be baptized (cf. Acts 2:38).
When one carrying the burden of sin turns to Christ by obeying the gospel his sins are “blotted out” (v. 19). Then times of refreshing come from the Lord as promised. In Him we have the forgiveness of sins. In Him we have hope, and comfort!
