Know assuredly that this same Jesus, whom you crucified

....  God has made both Lord and Christ (Acts 2:36).  Peter was speaking to devout Jews dwelling in Jerusalem from every nation under heaven. These were those who had all heard the disciples speaking to them in their own tongue  on the day of Pentecost  (verses 5,6). It was not a sermon for  itchy ears.  Pulling no punches, He had been speaking to them of “this same Jesus” who “being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it” (verses 23, 24). Likely, since they were those who were dwelling in Jerusalem (verse 5), many of them had been among those who had been insistently calling for His crucifixion at the Passover  (Luke 23:21).

But even if they had not been actively calling out for His crucifixion, they had done nothing to intervene. “But what could they have done?” you ask.  The saying all that evil needs to flourish,  is for good men to do nothing, comes to mind. Imagine the guilt, of those who one way or another had consented to His death, believing the elders that He was blaspheming. But now all that He had said was vindicated by God by raising Him from the dead.  And then the accusation coming personally “You with wicked hands, crucified this same Jesus” (KJV).  No wonder they were cut to the heart (verse verse 37).  Some of us needed and need a similar rude awakening before we,  like the three thousand (verse 41) who got saved that day, also cry out to be saved.

The Jewish elders,  and likely mostly all that were there that day, and been (and some still were) deceived.  The Scriptures tell us that Satan has blinded the minds of those who do not believe (2 Corinthians 4:4). The thing about being deceived, is that you don't know you are deceived, and the virtual reality that you live in, in your deception,  feels real. It was the Scriptures that God used to open  the the eyes of the three thousand (verses 25-36),  and it is the Word of God that opens ours. What I am feeling the Lord wants to say to us this morning (me too), is that at some level we are all still deceived. If this were not the case, we would be living life to the full, experiencing life in all its fullness (John 10:10b). Part of what I am saying, is that no matter how far we have come, there is still ground to be gained (Exodus 23:29, 30), and revelations to be received.

Father, the verse “Let he who thinks he stand take care lest he fall” (1 Corinthians 10:12) also comes to mind. Lord please help us never to be content with the status quo, but with zeal according to knowledge keep on keeping on,  and pressing in toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:12-14). And we will give You all the glory in Jesus Name Amen