Devotion for 9 June 2011 Anno Domini (Thursday past Ascension Sunday)
“12 And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk? 13The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.14 But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you;15 And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.16 And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all. 17And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers.18 But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.22 For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.23 And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.24 Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.25 Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. 26Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.” (Acts 3:12-26)
“And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?” The very first thing a man of God, or a Christian layperson, should do when congratulated for a Godly sermon or work is to deny the honor to self and give attribution to its rightful owner – God. And why do men flock to the halls of some notable charismatic who claims sole ownership on the time and workings of the Holy Spirit? Why place so much value in men when any value we have can only come from God as a gift and not a merit?
“The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.” Peter castigates the Jews here as bearing greater guilt, as Christ Himself stated, than the Consul who acceded to their unreasonable demands to crucify the Lord of Glory. “Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.” (John 19:11) This is not the God of the Jews, or of the Greeks. It is the same God who has made all men of one blood, and who has made all who claim the Name of Christ as children of promise in the line of Abraham’s Seed.
“But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you.” These wicked religious fools, jealous of their own station and power, opted to release a murderer sooner than release a man whom they knew to be a worker of miracles and the Son of God. Do not let the point escape your notice that Christ physically died in the stead of a cold-blooded murderer. One can only hope that Barabbas also accepted the blood sacrifice Christ made for his soul as well. Does this make your spirit unsettled? Perish the thought! He also died for you and me who fall just as far short of God’s righteousness as Barabbas!
“And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.” Indeed, they did murder the Prince of Life and made Eternal life possible for all who will accept the gift. This is perhaps the only ‘temporary’ murder on the books of historical experience, because Christ did not stay in the Tomb but was raised by God on the third day. How greatly incensed were these Jews to have their sins and guilt brought to such public light and reminder; and how mortified were their consciences at the reminder. They would have cherished the death of the messenger if they could not remove the guilt from their hands.
“And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.” By the Name of Christ all our prayers are heard, and through His Name are all miracles of God brought to pass. The faith we have is by Him, its author and finisher. This miracle was done, not in the darkness of Judas’ betrayal, but in the broad light of the Temple porch.
“And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers.” Though there can be no excuse for such a sin against heaven, Peter, at least, wishes to ameliorate their awful sin through the possibility of their ignorance of the enormity of it. Jesus Himself, on the cross, pleaded the same for these culprits. “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do!” (Luke 23:34) Christ would have forgiven them outright but for the fact that the deed would not have been completed until His death and therefore could not have been repented of. Moreover, He could not have forgiven them on behalf of the Father for the murder of His only Begotten.
“But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.” Even though your actions resulted in the highest crime under heaven, yet the result was foreordained of God as a means whereby we might be saved. Peter is telling them that, though they meant it for evil, God used their wicked actions for good to us who believe!
Please consider here what an amazing God we have, and what Grace He does offer: “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.” Even if these wicked would repent (and hopefully some did) there is room at the cross of Christ even for them! Even those ugly sins of Calvary are able to be forgiven by the One murdered. Those times of refreshing are the moments when Christ will make all things new, including those miserable sinners who repent and turn to Christ whom they pierced.
“And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.” Yes, from the very beginning was this Christ preached by the Holy Prophets. He shall return in due season, to be determined by the Father, to make a full restitution of all things which Satan has misappropriated to himself. He shall return either to receive you, or to cast you away into outer darkness. Which result do you seek?
“For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.” No prophet had a closer communion with God than Moses, but now One has come who takes the preeminence of all. He not only has a closer Communion with God the Father, but is of the same substance with the Father. As Paul says: “2 Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house. 3 For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house. 4 For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God. 5 And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after; 6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.” (Heb 3:2-6) The better understanding is perhaps that those who willingly will not hear the prophets shall be destroyed from among the people of God.
“Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.” All of the prophets of God have spoken with one voice of the fullness of the Gospel. We did not understand because we had not listened, or would not listen.
“Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.” These last words are just as applicable to believers of today as to those Jews gathered on Solomon’s Porch. That promised Seed of Abraham had its fulfillment in Christ. All who believe are just as surely the true seed of promise as Isaac was who came by way of the miracle of Promise. Those fleshly seed of Abraham are not the children of Promise unless they have come to believe on the Son of God, for no man comes to the Father but by the Son. (Romans 4:13, 16, Rom 9:7-8) All who confirm the promise and receive the Savior are the Seed of Promise and, therefore, the true seed of Abraham.
“Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.” Christ came to save sinners, and these were the foremost of sinners. He was born from among them, walked where they walked, and communed with them in close quarters, yet, they rejected and killed Him. He was sent to bless the workers in the Vineyard and, yet, they cast Him out of the Vineyard (without the gates of Jerusalem) and slew Him mercilessly. Even now, the owner of the Vineyard will forgive their sins if they repent and turn to Him. The message holds true to every Jew and Gentile alike today. Turn not back to the crude and powerless sacrifices of goats and oxen of the Old Testament which were a shadow of the more perfect sacrifice in Christ. I do not know if the Jews will ever again make animal sacrifices in the Temple, but I know, if they do, they will further be in rebellion against that perfect sacrifice of God’s Son made, once and for all, for all who will turn to Him.
“12 And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk? 13The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.14 But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you;15 And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.16 And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all. 17And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers.18 But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.19 Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord;20 And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you:21 Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.22 For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you.23 And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.24 Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.25 Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. 26Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.” (Acts 3:12-26)
“And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk?” The very first thing a man of God, or a Christian layperson, should do when congratulated for a Godly sermon or work is to deny the honor to self and give attribution to its rightful owner – God. And why do men flock to the halls of some notable charismatic who claims sole ownership on the time and workings of the Holy Spirit? Why place so much value in men when any value we have can only come from God as a gift and not a merit?
“The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.” Peter castigates the Jews here as bearing greater guilt, as Christ Himself stated, than the Consul who acceded to their unreasonable demands to crucify the Lord of Glory. “Jesus answered, Thou couldest have no power at all against me, except it were given thee from above: therefore he that delivered me unto thee hath the greater sin.” (John 19:11) This is not the God of the Jews, or of the Greeks. It is the same God who has made all men of one blood, and who has made all who claim the Name of Christ as children of promise in the line of Abraham’s Seed.
“But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you.” These wicked religious fools, jealous of their own station and power, opted to release a murderer sooner than release a man whom they knew to be a worker of miracles and the Son of God. Do not let the point escape your notice that Christ physically died in the stead of a cold-blooded murderer. One can only hope that Barabbas also accepted the blood sacrifice Christ made for his soul as well. Does this make your spirit unsettled? Perish the thought! He also died for you and me who fall just as far short of God’s righteousness as Barabbas!
“And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.” Indeed, they did murder the Prince of Life and made Eternal life possible for all who will accept the gift. This is perhaps the only ‘temporary’ murder on the books of historical experience, because Christ did not stay in the Tomb but was raised by God on the third day. How greatly incensed were these Jews to have their sins and guilt brought to such public light and reminder; and how mortified were their consciences at the reminder. They would have cherished the death of the messenger if they could not remove the guilt from their hands.
“And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.” By the Name of Christ all our prayers are heard, and through His Name are all miracles of God brought to pass. The faith we have is by Him, its author and finisher. This miracle was done, not in the darkness of Judas’ betrayal, but in the broad light of the Temple porch.
“And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers.” Though there can be no excuse for such a sin against heaven, Peter, at least, wishes to ameliorate their awful sin through the possibility of their ignorance of the enormity of it. Jesus Himself, on the cross, pleaded the same for these culprits. “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do!” (Luke 23:34) Christ would have forgiven them outright but for the fact that the deed would not have been completed until His death and therefore could not have been repented of. Moreover, He could not have forgiven them on behalf of the Father for the murder of His only Begotten.
“But those things, which God before had shewed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled.” Even though your actions resulted in the highest crime under heaven, yet the result was foreordained of God as a means whereby we might be saved. Peter is telling them that, though they meant it for evil, God used their wicked actions for good to us who believe!
Please consider here what an amazing God we have, and what Grace He does offer: “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.” Even if these wicked would repent (and hopefully some did) there is room at the cross of Christ even for them! Even those ugly sins of Calvary are able to be forgiven by the One murdered. Those times of refreshing are the moments when Christ will make all things new, including those miserable sinners who repent and turn to Christ whom they pierced.
“And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.” Yes, from the very beginning was this Christ preached by the Holy Prophets. He shall return in due season, to be determined by the Father, to make a full restitution of all things which Satan has misappropriated to himself. He shall return either to receive you, or to cast you away into outer darkness. Which result do you seek?
“For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.” No prophet had a closer communion with God than Moses, but now One has come who takes the preeminence of all. He not only has a closer Communion with God the Father, but is of the same substance with the Father. As Paul says: “2 Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house. 3 For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house. 4 For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God. 5 And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after; 6 But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.” (Heb 3:2-6) The better understanding is perhaps that those who willingly will not hear the prophets shall be destroyed from among the people of God.
“Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days.” All of the prophets of God have spoken with one voice of the fullness of the Gospel. We did not understand because we had not listened, or would not listen.
“Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.” These last words are just as applicable to believers of today as to those Jews gathered on Solomon’s Porch. That promised Seed of Abraham had its fulfillment in Christ. All who believe are just as surely the true seed of promise as Isaac was who came by way of the miracle of Promise. Those fleshly seed of Abraham are not the children of Promise unless they have come to believe on the Son of God, for no man comes to the Father but by the Son. (Romans 4:13, 16, Rom 9:7-8) All who confirm the promise and receive the Savior are the Seed of Promise and, therefore, the true seed of Abraham.
“Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities.” Christ came to save sinners, and these were the foremost of sinners. He was born from among them, walked where they walked, and communed with them in close quarters, yet, they rejected and killed Him. He was sent to bless the workers in the Vineyard and, yet, they cast Him out of the Vineyard (without the gates of Jerusalem) and slew Him mercilessly. Even now, the owner of the Vineyard will forgive their sins if they repent and turn to Him. The message holds true to every Jew and Gentile alike today. Turn not back to the crude and powerless sacrifices of goats and oxen of the Old Testament which were a shadow of the more perfect sacrifice in Christ. I do not know if the Jews will ever again make animal sacrifices in the Temple, but I know, if they do, they will further be in rebellion against that perfect sacrifice of God’s Son made, once and for all, for all who will turn to Him.
