Redemption Has A Story, Acts 3:11-26

This sermon was a total blast to preach.

Redemption Has a Story
Acts 3:11-26

Intro: Next week our country will celebrate Independence Day. Suppose a child or someone unfamiliar with US History came and asked you to tell the story of our county and all you said was “ well in 1776 we declared independence, in 1783 we won the war, and in 1787 we adopted Constitution” and you just left it at that. Without talking about the Mayflower, Great Awakening, Independence, Constitution, 2nd Great Awakening, War of 1812, Civil War, Steam Engine, Industrial Revolution, Spanish American War, Light bulb, Telephone, Automobile, Ice cream, Hot Dogs, Airplanes, World War I, Radios, Great Depression, Television, World War 2, the Baby Boom, Cold War, Elvis, JFK, Landing on the Moon, Vietnam War, Computers, and so on and so on. You need a big picture to understand the history of any country, understand your family because it helps you appreciate it and embrace it. So it is with redemption. Sometimes we want to describe the Christian faith as Jesus died on a cross and rose from the dead, but there’s more to the story and in Peter’s sermon, this Kingdom proclamation, we get a glimpse of the story of redemption and how it encompasses human history from beginning to end. From Creation, Fall, Redemption and the Restoration of all things. And in our text this morning we will see that Redemption has a story, and this story is old and it must be told.

I. The story of redemption is old
A. The Old Testament
1. Covenant – v 13, 20, 25-26 (the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob)
2. Proclamation of prophesy – 18 on..

B. The New Testament
1. Continuation – the story goes on!
2. Proclamation of fulfillment – Jesus fulfills OT prophesy

II. The story of redemption must be told
A. To others
1. Resurrection – this is the central theme in Peter’s sermon & other’s
2. Redemption – this was accomplished by the resurrection
3. Repentance – Peter’s call to repentance mirrors OT pattern of the Prophets
calling the people to repent and embrace the Lord with their hearts!
4. Renewal – God has promised to “restore everything” this is all encompassing

B. To ourselves
1. Continuity –the OT, NT and ourselves. We are part of the story!
2. Clarity – So we can understand the message of all Scripture!
3. Comfort – We have hope in the power of the Gospel to change lives!
4. Concern – Our understanding of the Gospel leads us to proclaim it!