What does "times of refreshing" mean, and how can believers experience it today? Opening the Text “Repent, then, and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped away, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you.” (Acts 3:19-20) What “Times of Refreshing” Literally Means • “Times” (kairoi) – specific, God-appointed seasons • “Refreshing” (anapsyxis) – a cooling breeze, relief, revival, restoration • Together: divinely scheduled seasons when God breathes new life and relief upon His repentant people Old Testament Echoes • Isaiah 28:12 – God offered “rest” and “repose” to the weary nation • Isaiah 44:3 – “I will pour water on the thirsty land… My Spirit on your offspring” • Jeremiah 31:25 – “I will refresh the weary and satisfy the faint” These passages foreshadow the Spirit-empowered renewal Peter proclaims. Two-Fold Fulfillment in Acts 3 1. Immediate, personal renewal for every repentant sinner (Acts 2:38; Psalm 19:7) 2. Ultimate, cosmic renewal at Christ’s return (Acts 3:21; 2 Thessalonians 1:7) Believers live between these fulfillments, tasting now what will one day flood the earth. How Believers Experience “Times of Refreshing” Today • Repent and turn continually – Keep short accounts with God (1 John 1:9) • Receive the Spirit’s ongoing filling – Ephesians 5:18 commands a present-tense, continual yielding • Saturate your heart with Scripture – “The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul” (Psalm 19:7) • Engage in wholehearted worship – “In Your presence is fullness of joy” (Psalm 16:11) • Practice Sabbath-like rhythms of rest – Mark 6:31; Isaiah 30:15 link quietness to strength • Walk in reconciled relationships – Acts 3:19 joins repentance with relational restoration (Matthew 5:23-24) • Serve others with gospel hope – “Whoever refreshes others will himself be refreshed” (Proverbs 11:25, cf. Galatians 6:9-10) Lasting Results of Genuine Refreshing • Cleansed conscience (Hebrews 9:14) • Renewed strength (Isaiah 40:31) • Joy-filled perseverance (Romans 15:13) • Eagerness for Christ’s return (Titus 2:13) Living Expectantly Hold fast to daily renewal in the Spirit while longing for the climactic “times of refreshing” when Jesus returns and “makes all things new” (Revelation 21:5). |
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