Acts 3:13-16 The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his Son Jesus; whom you delivered up… How terrible an evil this was Peter showed — I. BY THE TESTIMONY OF A HEATHEN. The sentiment of common humanity was against this treatment. How often has the conduct of professors shocked the prayerless. II. BY THE NATURE OF THE THING ITSELF. This is set forth in an awful gradation. The rejected One was — 1. Spotless. 2. Righteous. 3. The Prince of Life, without whose interposition no man could have had life. 4. God's own chosen Servant.Those who in rejecting Him had repudiated purity, justice, needful grace, and indispensable Divine service, might well prefer a murderer. What is reserved for those who now reject Christ with clearer light and further knowledge? III. BY GOD'S MANIFEST OPPOSITION TO IT. 1. Men put Jesus to death, but God raised Him from the dead. 2. Men cast Him out, but God declared Him to be His accepted servant by the Resurrection.Men thought the Crucifixion would put an end to His influence, but God augmented that influence by the energy of the Holy Ghost which empowered the apostles. The argument showed that they had been fighting against God, and that God had completely overcome their evil course. IV. BY THE KEEN REBUKE WHICH THE APOSTLES WERE DIRECTED TO KEEP UP. "Whereof we are witnesses." (W. Hudson.) Parallel Verses KJV: 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. |
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