Do we continue to drive nails into the hands and feet of Jesus Christ? Or are we celebrating the richness and fullness of living within His resurrection? One day, each of us will stand before Him in judgment. Will we, as the people in Acts 3:11, be full of amazement, or will we already know what Christ has done for us? Will we already believe in the power He holds? Will we have taken the steps to live in Him?
After healing the lame man, the apostle, Peter, addresses those people in Acts 3, asking, "Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this…?" He continues his response to the people, fundamentally convicting them of driving the very nails that were put into their Savior’s hands and feet.
He says, "The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus, the one whom you delivered up, and disowned in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release Him. But you disowned the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, but put to death the Prince of life, the one whom God raised from the dead…" (emphasis added).
I ask again, have our sins, our actions, and our thoughts convicted us? Because of our sins and unrighteous thoughts and actions, Christ’s burden on the cross is made even heavier.
We are thankful to God Almighty for the sacrifice of His beloved Son! But we are also thankful for the resurrection of His Son! It is through His death, burial, and resurrection that we, too have hope of eternal life.
In verse 19, Peter says, "Repent therefore and return, that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord…" In verse 38 of the previous chapter, Peter even better defined repentance as including more than simply becoming a good person. He says, "Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins…"
If you have not taken these steps, or if you continue to drive nails into the cross, you stand convicted by Jesus Christ.
After healing the lame man, the apostle, Peter, addresses those people in Acts 3, asking, "Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this…?" He continues his response to the people, fundamentally convicting them of driving the very nails that were put into their Savior’s hands and feet.
He says, "The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified His servant Jesus, the one whom you delivered up, and disowned in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release Him. But you disowned the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, but put to death the Prince of life, the one whom God raised from the dead…" (emphasis added).
I ask again, have our sins, our actions, and our thoughts convicted us? Because of our sins and unrighteous thoughts and actions, Christ’s burden on the cross is made even heavier.
We are thankful to God Almighty for the sacrifice of His beloved Son! But we are also thankful for the resurrection of His Son! It is through His death, burial, and resurrection that we, too have hope of eternal life.
In verse 19, Peter says, "Repent therefore and return, that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord…" In verse 38 of the previous chapter, Peter even better defined repentance as including more than simply becoming a good person. He says, "Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins…"
If you have not taken these steps, or if you continue to drive nails into the cross, you stand convicted by Jesus Christ.
