The first Christian community forms in Jerusalem. Luke tells their story in the Acts of the Apostles, the sequel to his gospel. Their story continues Jesus’ story.
In Acts Luke writes sermons, which he puts in Peter’s mouth, that interpret what Israel’s scriptures say of a messiah who suffers. We hear Peter’s second sermon in Sunday’s first reading. Peter and John visit the temple in midafternoon. A lame man asks for alms, instead Peter heals him, then sits down, and teaches the people who gather around. He proclaims God has raised up the prophet whom the people rejected. Faith in him heals and forgives sins.
In his sermon Peter refers to Jesus as the “Holy and Righteous One.” This continues Luke’s characterization in his gospel of Jesus as a righteous and innocent man. Pilate thinks Jesus is innocent of any crime (Luke 23.14). The good thief recognizes Jesus is innocent of any crime and asks Jesus to remember him when he comes into his kingdom (23.42). The centurion supervising Jesus’ crucifixion says after his death, “Certainly this man was innocent.”
Sunday’s gospel leaves off with Jesus’ call to his disciples to become witnesses of his resurrection and to preach repentance to all nations. In Acts Peter and the other disciples fulfill Jesus’ commission. They invite people to change their minds and accept Jesus as the messiah, God’s Son. They insist the God of Israel’s ancestors glorified Jesus, whom they call God’s servant.
Turn to God and be forgiven.
Peter said to the people, “The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our ancestors has glorified Jesus, God’s servant, whom you handed over and rejected in the presence of Pilate, who had decided to release him. But you rejected the Holy and Righteous One and asked to have a murderer given to you, and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses.
“And now, friends, I know that you acted in ignorance, as did also your rulers. In this way God fulfilled what God had foretold through all the prophets—that the messiah would suffer. Repent, therefore, and turn to God so that your sins may be wiped out.”
Acts 3.13-15,17-19
- What do you say about Jesus to people who know nothing about him or his teachings?