Over the past two weeks, Daniel had learned that Jesus is more than a great teacher. He discovered that Christians believe Jesus is God’s promised Savior who died on the cross for our sins and rose again. Mei also explained that, according to the Bible, people who believe in Jesus receive forgiveness, become children of God, and begin a new life in Christ.
One week later, Daniel met Mei again at a café.
“I’ve been thinking about what we’ve discussed,” Daniel said. “If I want to follow Jesus, what should I do?”
Mei opened her Bible and said, “After Jesus rose from the dead, Peter told the people, ‘Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshing may come from the Lord.’ (Acts 3:19, NIV)”
Daniel looked at the verse. “What does repent mean?”
“It means to turn around,” Mei explained. “Imagine you are walking away from God. Repentance means you stop, turn back, and walk toward Him. It is more than feeling sorry for your sins. It means choosing to leave your old way of life and return to God.”
Mei then pointed to the last part of the verse.
“What does ‘times of refreshing’ mean?” Daniel asked.
“It means God gives us a fresh start,” Mei replied. “When we turn to Him, He forgives our sins, gives us peace inside us, and helps us begin a new life.”
Daniel nodded. “So I admit my sins, turn back to God, and trust Jesus?”
“Yes,” Mei said. “Christians believe that when we repent and place our trust in Jesus—believing He died for our sins and rose again—God forgives us and gives us a new life.”
Daniel smiled. “I understand better now. I want to keep learning about Jesus and what it means to trust Him.”
As they left the café, Daniel kept thinking about Peter’s words and what they could mean for his own life.
Question
- What does the word “repent” mean in this story?
- Why should people turn to God when they repent?
- According to Acts 3:19, what happens when people repent and turn to God?
- Can a person trust God without repenting? Why or why not?
- Listen to a volunteer’s or a friend’s story. What did you learn from their story?
Fri@DU Connect 17 July 2026