Times of Refreshing: From a Porch to a People Renewed

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Scripture • World English Bible

Acts 3:11–26

WEB

¹¹As the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch that is called Solomon’s, greatly wondering.

¹²When Peter saw it, he responded to the people, “You men of Israel, why do you marvel at this man? Why do you fasten your eyes on us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made him walk?

¹³The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had determined to release him.

¹⁴But you denied the Holy and Righteous One and asked for a murderer to be granted to you,

¹⁵and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, to which we are witnesses.

¹⁶By faith in his name, his name has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which is through him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.

¹⁷“Now, brothers, I know that you did this in ignorance, as did also your rulers.

¹⁸But the things which God announced by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he thus fulfilled.

¹⁹“Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, so that there may come times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord,

²⁰and that he may send Christ Jesus, who was ordained for you before,

²¹whom heaven must receive until the times of restoration of all things, which God spoke long ago by the mouth of his holy prophets.

²²For Moses indeed said to the fathers, ‘The Lord God will raise up a prophet for you from among your brothers, like me. You shall listen to him in all things whatever he says to you.

²³It will be that every soul that will not listen to that prophet will be utterly destroyed from among the people.’

²⁴Yes, and all the prophets from Samuel and those who followed after, as many as have spoken, also told of these days.

²⁵You are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying to Abraham, ‘All the families of the earth will be blessed through your offspring.’

²⁶God, having raised up his servant Jesus, sent him to you first to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your wickedness.”

World English Bible (WEB) • Public Domain

Reflection

In the porch that is called Solomon’s a dramatic scene draws a crowd: a man healed, clinging to Peter and John, and many wondering how such a thing could have happened. The miracle points away from the apostles and toward the God who works through Jesus. Peter refuses to let the people worship the deception that the power came from him. Instead he directs attention to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob and to Jesus—his suffering, his death, his resurrection, and the fact that the crowd’s rejection of Jesus did not thwart God’s purposes.

Peter’s words move quickly from explanation to invitation. He names the wrong—denying and handing over the Holy and Righteous One—and he names the remedy: turn back, repent. That repentance is not merely feeling sorry; it is turning away from a life shaped by sin and turning toward the Lord. Peter promises that when people respond in that way, their sins may be blotted out and times of refreshing will come from the Lord. Those words link forgiveness and renewal: the blotting out of sin removes the barrier to life with God, and out of that restored relationship flows the refreshing only his presence can bring.

Notice two truths that help us receive this promise. First, faith in Jesus’ name is the channel of God’s power. Peter points to the healed man and says it was faith in Jesus’ name that made him whole. Second, repentance and restoration are corporate and prophetic: Peter situates this call within God’s long story of promise to the fathers and the prophets. God is fulfilling what he announced and is inviting a people—indeed, all the families of the earth—into blessing through Christ.

What does a time of refreshing look like for us? It is less a one-time emotional uplift and more an experience of renewed relationship with God: clear conscience, renewed obedience, courage to witness, peace amid trouble, and the hope of consummation when Christ returns. Peter’s sermon reminds us that God’s refreshment follows repentance and springs from Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.

So when discouragement, spiritual dryness, or the weight of sin sits heavy, remember the pattern here: God shows his mercy through Christ; faith receives God’s power; repentance opens the door for sin to be blotted out; out of that restored fellowship comes the Lord’s refreshing. The crowd at Solomon’s porch witnessed a healed body and heard the way to a healed soul. We, too, are summoned to turn and to receive refreshing from the presence of the Lord—and then to join in God’s mission of blessing to the nations.

Putting Faith Into Action

Practice a short, honest time of repentance each morning: name a sin, confess it to God, and intentionally turn from it that day. Let the cleansing lead you into renewed service or worship.
When you feel spiritually dry, ask God for a specific sign of his presence—read Scripture about Jesus, pray for boldness, and tell one person how Christ has refreshed you; faith expressed often invites God’s renewing power.
Share the story of how Jesus has changed you with someone from a posture of compassion and clarity: point away from yourself to Christ, invite repentance, and offer to pray with them for refreshing from the Lord.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank you that your name brings life and that your mercy invites us to turn back to you. Forgive my sins, renew my heart, and fill me with your refreshing presence so I can live and speak boldly for your kingdom. Help me to point others to you. Amen.

Memory Verse

Acts 3:19 — “Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, so that there may come times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord, (WEB)

““Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, so that there may come times of refreshing from the presence of the Lord,”

Keep Going Continue to Part 9 No Other Name Acts · Acts 4:1–12 Read the next devotional →

Bible Context

Read all of Acts 3

Acts 3

World English Bible • WEB

¹Peter and John were going up into the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour.

²A certain man who was lame from his mother’s womb was being carried, whom they laid daily at the door of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask gifts for the needy of those who entered into the temple.

³Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive gifts for the needy.

⁴Peter, fastening his eyes on him, with John, said, “Look at us.”

⁵He listened to them, expecting to receive something from them.

⁶But Peter said, “I have no silver or gold, but what I have, that I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, get up and walk!”

⁷He took him by the right hand and raised him up. Immediately his feet and his ankle bones received strength.

⁸Leaping up, he stood and began to walk. He entered with them into the temple, walking, leaping, and praising God.

⁹All the people saw him walking and praising God.

¹⁰They recognized him, that it was he who used to sit begging for gifts for the needy at the Beautiful Gate of the temple. They were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him.