These Days - Pt 3

“Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” (Acts 2:36-39 ESV).

The second period of time, “these days,” is the days of the Church. This is the age in which we are now living. The Prophet has come and gone, but he has commissioned his apostles to preach the good news of the forgiveness he purchased. And he has promised to give his Spirit for the refreshment of all who believe. The "times of refreshing" (cf. Acts 3:19), therefore, are the era beginning with Pentecost, the period of the church, the period in which forgiveness of sins is preached on the basis of Jesus' death and resurrection, and the period in which the refreshing cleansing of the Holy Spirit comes to all who believe in Christ. The reason I think the "times of refreshment" in chapter 3, verse 19 refer to the outpouring of God's Spirit is because of our reading today. It is so similar to what Peter says in those verses from chapter 3. In the one, Peter says, "Repent, be forgiven, and receive the gift of the Spirit." In the other, he says, "Repent, be forgiven, and experience times of refreshing." Therefore, I conclude that the "times of refreshing" are the age of the Holy Spirit when the gospel is preached and men and women receive the gift of the Holy Spirit by turning from sin and trusting in Jesus. This era extends from Pentecost to the return of Christ in glory. I know that the difficulties and trials of life can make our journey feel anything but “refreshing.” However, we must remember that the real gift is not for the here and now alone. We have strength, power, and purpose here and now; however, we have eternal life and healing then and there. It is of more than passing interest that Jesus’ body was not “prepared” for burial in the common manner of the day. One of the spices often used was Myrrh. Another might have been what is referenced in the Old Testament as “the balm of Gilead.” These were put on the body to mask the scent of death. Jesus needed no such thing. He did die; however, that death was overcome with the resurrection to eternal life! There was only a brief parenthesis in this transformation. That is the same state we are in now. The Church Age is merely a parenthesis between death under the Law and life in the final work of Jesus. So, no matter how much you think this life “stinks,” that is only the scent of immerging life!