Peter declares that the crowd has rejected and killed “the Author of Life”—yet God raised Him from the dead. What does Peter mean when he says they acted “in ignorance”? Does ignorance remove moral responsibility? And why does God call us to repent, worship Him, and live for His glory? In this lesson from Acts 3, we explore Peter’s powerful proclamation of Jesus, the significance of His titles, the resurrection, repentance, and the restoration God promises through Christ.

In this Equipped adult Sunday School lesson on Acts 3 led by Allen Crostic, we continue Peter’s speech in Solomon’s Portico following the healing of the lame man at the Temple. Peter points the crowd away from human power or piety and toward Jesus Christ, whom he identifies as the Holy and Righteous One, the Author of Life, and the one whom God raised from the dead. We examine the significance of these titles and their connections to Old Testament passages such as Psalm 16, Isaiah 53, and the suffering servant, as well as Peter’s emphasis on the apostles as eyewitnesses of the resurrection. We also explore what Peter means by “faith in his name,” including the relationship between faith, trust, allegiance, and the authority of Jesus. The lesson then considers Peter’s statement that the people acted in ignorance, examining the distinction between ordinary ignorance and culpable ignorance and asking whether ignorance removes moral responsibility. Peter’s call to “repent and turn back” leads into a discussion of forgiveness, the “times of refreshing,” the restoration of all things, and Jesus as the prophet like Moses promised in Deuteronomy. Along the way, we address a classic skeptical objection: Does God have an ego problem because He repeatedly calls people to worship Him and acts “for His name’s sake”? We examine the difference between pride and humility, why God’s self-exaltation is fundamentally different from human arrogance, and why worshiping God is not an expression of divine vanity but a response to who God actually is. The lesson also explores idolatry, our innate tendency to worship and serve something, and why faith is not blind belief but active trust in what we have good reason to believe is true. This study of Acts 3 highlights Peter’s proclamation of the risen Christ, the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy, the necessity of repentance, and the hope of restoration through Jesus.

Chapter Markers

0:00 Intro
0:45 Verses 11–15
1:27 Verses 16–21
2:30 Why the Man “Clung” to Peter and John
3:40 Why Does Peter Ask, “Why Do You Wonder at This?”
6:24 Why Is the Word “Servant” Used?
7:23 The Significance of “The Holy One”
8:58 The Significance of “The Righteous One”
9:47 The Wisdom of Solomon
14:25 Other Uses of “Righteous One” in the New Testament
15:35 Why Peter’s Accusation of Their Injustice Was Alarming
20:05 Why Luke Emphasizes That They Were “Witnesses”
20:40 The Synoptic Problem
23:10 The Name “Jesus” in the First Century
25:32 What Does the Name “Jesus” Mean?
26:04 The Reputation of Nazareth
27:30 Does God Have an Ego Problem?
30:41 The Difference Between Pride and Humility
33:06 What Is False Humility?
35:35 Why Does God Insist That We Worship Him?
38:11 What Is an Idol?
40:23 “Faith in His Name”
42:55 What Is Meant by Faith?
46:40 What Is Culpable Ignorance?
48:52 Why a Suffering Messiah Was God’s Plan
49:43 Conclusion of Acts 3
50:59 The Significance of the “Times of Refreshing”