THURSDAY October 20, 2022
Lawless Hands
“Him, 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.”
Acts 2:23-24
Peter expounded on the Crucifixion. The Jews crucified their Messiah–– Jesus Christ! In his discourse, he recalled how Jesus was forcefully taken by lawless hands and crucified. Peter reasoned with them using the truth about Jesus’ death and Resurrection. Peter pointed out that they were guilty of an innocent man’s blood. Jesus’ blood was on their hands!
However, God in His sovereignty allowed the Jews to hand over Jesus to sinful men to be crucified. It was His foreordained plan: For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16). This plan of salvation existed long before the world ever existed:
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved (Ephesians 1:3-6).
In His foreknowledge, God knew what would happen to His Son. He also knows who will accept Jesus Christ by faith as Lord and Savior. He knows all things; He is God! Honestly, I do not get caught up with the subject of predestination. Salvation is the free gift of God. Everyone has the opportunity to receive Jesus Christ as their Savior. All you have to do is respond to His love and repent of your sin. Then you will become a child of God. Believe Jesus is able to save you!
We took our sins and drove them like nails through his hands and feet. We lifted him high up on the cross of our transgressions, and then we pierced his heart through with the spear of our unbelief.
~C.H. Spurgeon~
