These small group Bible studies of Acts 3:11-26 contain commentary, discussion questions, and practical application. Visit our library of inductive Bible studies for more in depth inductive studies on this and other books of the Bible you can use in your small group.
Acts 3:11-26 Bible Study Guide – Guilt, Repentance, Refreshment
Discussion Questions
• How did the lame man being healed open a door for the gospel?
• What do you notice about Peter’s actions when a large crowd started to congregate?
• What do you learn from Peter about humility and deflecting glory back to God?
• How can you practice giving God the glory when people praise you?
• Why do you think Peter started off this sermon by “making them feel guilty” about what they had done to Jesus?
• This would be uncomfortable for many in the audience to hear. Should preachers avoid making people feel uncomfortable? Is it possible to go too far in the “hell and brimstone” direction? How much “hell and brimstone” is appropriate?
• How does Peter connect what happened to Jesus to the Old Testament (18)?
• Where are the Messiah’s sufferings predicted in the Old Testament?
• What was the call to action in Peter’s sermon?
• What would be the result of repentance (20)?
• Have you experienced the refreshing forgiveness of God after repenting of certain sins?
• What does this teach us about God’s character?
• In what way would Jesus be “like Moses” (22)?
• How would the people that day be blessed through Abraham’s descendant (25-26)?
Cross-References
Psalms 115:1 – Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory, for the sake of your steadfast love and your faithfulness!
1 Corinthians 6:20 – For you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.
Ephesians 3:20-21 – Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.
Proverbs 28:13 – Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy.
1 John 1:9-10 – If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.
Isaiah 53 – This passage details many of the sufferings that the Messiah would face.
Luke 13:3 -No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.
Deuteronomy 18:15 – The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among you, from your brothers—it is to him you shall listen.
Genesis 12:3 – I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.
Verse by Verse Commentary
1. All the people gathered at Solomon’s portico –
The miraculous healing of the lame beggar attracted a lot of attention. This was big news. Word of mouth spread of the miracle spread like wildfire. When people heard about it, they rushed over to see what had happened. Soon a large crowd had gathered.
In the last passage, we saw that Peter and John went off their planned schedule to reach out to the beggar who had asked for help. We saw that this led to an opportunity to help this man, not only physically, but spiritually.
In this chapter, we see that this act of kindness opened an even wider door for the gospel. The Lord works in sometimes surprising ways. It doesn’t seem that Peter planned to call a meeting and preach. But now a crowd had spontaneously gathered and they were eagerly waiting for a word.
These events remind us that although the disciples were obedient to God’s calling, the Holy Spirit was the mastermind of the early church explosion.
2. Peter took advantage of the opportunity –
“When Peter saw it he addressed the people.”
Here was a man who was ready. An opportunity for the gospel presented itself and Peter jumped right in. He didn’t miss it. Peter was sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading. At the same time, he was actively looking for opportunities to share the good news of Jesus. He struck while the iron was hot.
Note that this was not originally on Peter’s agenda. He didn’t wake up that morning and say, “I think I will go do a miracle and preach to the crowds that gather after.” Instead, he was actively doing those good deeds that presented themselves (Ephesians 2:10).
He was flexible.
2 Timothy 4:2 – Preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching.
Peter was definitely ready in season and out of season to preach the word.
Application – There will be times in our lives when opportunities to share the good news, do a good deed, share a testimony, or perform an act of service come out of nowhere. Let us be flexible. Let us be sensitive to the Holy Spirit. When the opportunity comes and the Holy Spirit prompts you, will you respond?
Reflect – When was a time in your life when an opportunity to serve God came out of nowhere?
3. Peter gave all the glory to God – All the people were amazed about the miracle that had happened. In their eyes, Peter was the one who had done it. It would have been so tempting and so easy for Peter to start to get puffed up, to let it go to his head a bit.
Christianity was a new movement. Peter could have indeed received all of the credit from man and set himself up as some kind of Pope, even as the heir to Christ.
But Peter did not do this. He was humble. He immediately redirected the glory to God who deserved it.
The lessons on humility and servanthood that Jesus had taught the disciples had been taken to heart.
Mark 9:34-35 – But they kept silent, for on the way they had argued with one another about who was the greatest. And he sat down and called the twelve. And he said to them, “If anyone would be first, he must be last of all and servant of all.
The disciple in Mark 9 who had argued about who was the greatest would not have responded to the crowd’s praises so humbly.
Other passages remind us what God thinks of people who receive glory for themselves instead of giving it to God.
Acts 12:21-23 – On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat upon the throne, and delivered an oration to them. And the people were shouting, “The voice of a god, and not of a man!” Immediately an angel of the Lord struck him down, because he did not give God the glory, and he was eaten by worms and breathed his last.
Application – In what aspect of your life do you struggle the most with pride? It is likely an area of your life that you are good at. Sports? Academics? Investing? Teaching or preaching? Health and fitness?
What are things you may be tempted to do to receive the praise of people? What are some practical ways you can give God the glory in these areas?
4. You have to preach someone into hell before you can preach them into heaven –
A person who does not realize he is lost will not ask for directions. In like manner, a person who does not realize his sin or the seriousness of it will not come to Christ for salvation.
The Jews during Peter’s time were very self-righteous. After all, they were God’s chosen people. They didn’t worship idols like the Gentiles did. They had received the law. They had Scripture and memorized much of it. The Jews historically had encountered angels and received the prophets.
What is more, they were practically born into this religion. On the eighth day, they were circumcised.
You may have heard people claim that they were “born a Christian” due to being in a Christian family. The Jews were born into it. They believed that they had good standing with God automatically because they were God’s chosen nation.
You can see their complacent attitude and John the Baptist’s condemnation of this attitude in Matthew.
Matthew 3:9-10 – And do not presume to say to yourselves, We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
The point is that the Jews Peter was preaching to would not come to Jesus for salvation unless they fully realized that they needed to be saved. Thus they had to be preached into hell before they could be preached into heaven. They had to realize how guilty they were before God, how serious their sin was, and how far they fell short of God’s righteous standards.
Unless they understood the depth of their sin and the wickedness of their own heart (Jeremiah 17:9), they would not be able to repent and receive the forgiveness that was available.
Therefore Peter really lays into them about their sin in killing Jesus.
Was it comfortable? No. Was it awkward? Almost certainly. Was it necessary? Yes.
Application – When we share the gospel, we must not leave out sin, guilt, judgment, or any other uncomfortable part. However, while there is a place for “hell and brimstone” teaching, we also need to be wise in how it is delivered.
The message needed depends on the audience. A person who claims to have no sin needs to be corrected and shown that he has sin. Otherwise, he cannot receive forgiveness and be saved. But a person who is very well aware of their sin and perhaps thinks of little else may need to hear a different message. Instead of shining the light into that person’s eyes when they already know they are in the dark, you may need to shine it toward the exit from their cave. They may need a message of hope, restoration, and forgiveness. Tell them that if they repent their sins can be totally washed away and removed as far as the east is from the west.
The gospel message is never changed. However, sometimes a hammer is needed and other times a gentle touch.
Many modern churches are not willing to hear the “whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27). Let us not become ear “ticklers” to satisfy or attract people.
2 Timothy 4:3-4 – For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.
5. The sinfulness of people –
Peter lists out their heinous sin in crucifying Jesus in detail.
• You delivered him over.
• You denied him in the presence of Pilate.
• You refused to allow Pilate to release him.
• You denied Jesus, the Holy and Righteous One.
• You chose to have a murderer set free instead of the Messiah.
• You killed the Author of Life (Creator, Savior).
God’s Son came and instead of welcoming and worshipping Him, they murdered Him. It doesn’t get much worse than that.
Reflect – We should not think we are better than them. We too have a mountain of sins that need forgiveness. Spend a few minutes to list out (mentally or on paper) your own worst sins.
Indeed, a few minutes is not enough.
My own list is long. I would never want it read out in public. Peter’s message is not just for the Jews then. It is for us. Our sins put Jesus on the cross.
That is the bad news. We are guilty. But there is good news. Redemption is possible.
That leads us to the main point of Peter’s sermon, the call to repent.
6. The call to repent –
Acts 3:19 – Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out.
Every good sermon should have a call to action. The point is not just to pass on information or facts. It is not just to give people more head knowledge. Peter wasn’t on a quest to get his revenge on the people who killed his leader by guilt-tripping them.
His call to action was simple and clear. He called them to repent. If they did repent, their sins, as heinous as they were, could be blotted out.
Applications –
• Firstly, if you have not repented, repent. Is there an ongoing sin in your life you have not confessed to the Lord and turned away from? Today is the day.
• Second, when you share the gospel, call the listener to repent. Do not merely relay information but encourage them to turn to the Lord.
o Trivia question – Who is a messenger in the Bible that didn’t bother to include a call to repentance? (Answer: Jonah. He didn’t want them to repent and be forgiven.)
• Whenever you preach or teach the Word, you should include a call to action. Firstly, you should be clear on what you hope the listener will do in response to the message you are sharing. Secondly, you should make that clear so that the hearer knows the action step they should take.
7. Refreshment follows repentance –
Acts 3:20 – That times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.
Repentance brings about a time of refreshing. God does not want us to wallow in guilt and self-pity. Guilt is meant to be a temporary feeling used to drive us to confess and receive mercy.
The strongest sermon is based on truth and personal experience. Peter was not preaching something which he did not know. He himself had stumbled in a terrible way when he denied Jesus three times. After that, he repented. He experienced that time of refreshing. He experienced what it was like to be restored to personal fellowship with Jesus.
The sin and guilt were washed away. Peter was restored and God used him again.
Reflect – Have you experienced a time of refreshing after confession?
It is available for each of us if we will turn away from our sins and to the Lord.
8. A prophet like Moses –
Peter refers to Moses’ prophesy that God would raise up another prophet like him. The Jews even at the time of Christ were still waiting for this prophet. They asked John the Baptist if he was it.
John 1:21 – And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.”
Jesus was the fulfillment of this prophecy. Jesus, of course, is not only a prophet. He is also a priest and a king as well as the sacrificial lamb.
Jesus would be a prophet like Moses. So what was Moses like?
Deuteronomy 34:10-12 – And there has not arisen a prophet since in Israel like Moses, whom the Lord knew face to face, none like him for all the signs and the wonders that the Lord sent him to do in the land of Egypt, to Pharaoh and to all his servants and to all his land, and for all the mighty power and all the great deeds of terror that Moses did in the sight of all Israel.
Moses knew the Lord face to face.
In addition, the Israelites were afraid to interact directly with the LORD. They wanted a mediator to go in between. That was because of God’s awesome power and holiness.
Deuteronomy 18:16-17 – Just as you desired of the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly, when you said, Let me not hear again the voice of the Lord my God or see this great fire any more, lest I die.’ And the Lord said to me, They are right in what they have spoken.
Therefore the context in Deuteronomy gives us the answer as to what it means to be a prophet like Moses. Moses knew God face to face and directly represented God to the people. He was the mediator to bring God’s law, the Old Covenant, to the people. In addition, he interceded for the people to the Lord. His plea for their lives to be spared resulted in their salvation (Exodus 32).
Now how is Jesus similar? Jesus was in the very throne room of heaven face to face with the Father from eternity. He directly represented the Father to the people. He was the mediator to bring the New Covenant. He intercedes for us. And indeed, His mediating on our behalf results in our salvation.
In theological terms, God is described as being transcendent. He is unknowable and incomprehensible unless He makes Himself known to us. In the Old Testament, He did that through Moses. In the New Testament, He did that through Jesus. That highlights another aspect of God’s nature, His immanence. That means that He draws close to us. As we see at Mt. Horeb, if He does that directly it is a terrifying and potentially deadly encounter. Therefore, He does it through His intermediary. That is Jesus, a prophet like Moses.
Reflect – Which verse or principle stood out to you in today’s passage? What practical steps can you take to apply one part of today’s passage to your own life this week?
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