The Main Point -

Peter speaking to the crowd at the temple -

You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this...Now I know that you acted in ignorance, as did your leaders. Acts 3:14-15, 17

Acted in ignorance....

In Numbers 15 God gives us His remedy for "unintentional sin."

Now if you unintentionally fail to keep any of these commands the LORD gave Moses--any of the LORD'S commands to you through him from the day the LORD gave them and continuing through the generations to come...he must bring a year-old female goat for a sin offering. The priest is to make atonement before the LORD for the one who erred by sinning unintentionally; and when atonement has been made for him, he will be forgiven. Numbers 15:22-23, 27-28.

The atoning sacrifice forgave the sin. Blotted it out, not hiding it under a rug, hoping no one would see it...
Continuing through the generations to come.

Sin is sin. "Ignorance is no excuse," we say. Whether we act in ignorance or in full knowledge, sin is still sin.

Many in Peter's audience had been witnesses at the cross. Some of them had heard Jesus cry out, "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."

Perhaps some of them had screamed out to Pilate to release Barabbas and crucify Jesus. Maybe they had even seen Him, healing the sick, forgiving people of their sins, during His ministry -- but they just didn't get it!

The penalty for sin is stark and clear.

The grace of God prevails. There is nothing we can do to make God love us more. There is nothing we can do to make Him love us less.

This is the essence of grace. They had another chance. After rejecting Jesus and screaming for His death, God still reached out and gave them the message again. Another chance to repent and be converted.

Today was Lord's Supper Sunday. We were not there at that Passover. We did not turn Christ over to be crucified. We did not scream out to release Barabbas.

But we still crave His grace, every hour, every day, as surely as our bodies crave water to drink.

This is not a simple memorial service -- it celebrates God's greatest act in the history of the world. It's giving us another chance to repent and convert. Amazing grace, how sweet the sound!

Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out. Acts 3:19

How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called the children of God! And that is what we are! I John 3:1