Acts 3:17-23

Peter continues to seize the opportunity to speak to his audience, who have just witnessed a miraculous healing. After confronting them about their role in Jesus’ death, he takes a more conciliatory tone and lets them know that all of this happened according to God’s plan, as foretold by the prophets.

Now, all they needed to do was repent and turn to God so that their sins could be wiped away. Simple enough—but for some, their hardened hearts would not allow it.

Peter then says that times of refreshment would come from the presence of the Lord. Who couldn’t use some of that?

But then, notice what Peter says next: “…and He will again send you Jesus, your appointed Messiah…”
The Messiah was the One they had been waiting for, yet those to whom He was sent—and those who prided themselves on their knowledge of the Scriptures—missed Him completely. Peter is stating, without question, that Jesus was indeed the One they had been looking for. And now, He must remain in heaven until the time of the final restoration of all things.

He will come again, yet here we are, still waiting for His return some 2,000 years later. But for context, Moses prophesied about Jesus coming some 1,200–1,500 years before His first arrival. Time is not a factor for God—only for us. His plan will unfold according to His timeline, and we must remain faithful in our belief throughout our lifetime. If He tarries, we must still die in faith.

Moses was clear that anyone who would not listen to “that” Prophet—referring to Jesus—would be completely cut off from God’s people. The crowd had the opportunity to respond rightly, just as we do today. Whether or not we live in the generation that sees His return, we must live with the expectation that we will.

Are we living in expectation of Christ’s return or have we grown comfortable in the delay? ?