Tuesday Devo
Scripture:
Acts 2:22-24
22 “People of Israel, listen! God publicly endorsed Jesus the Nazarene by doing powerful miracles, wonders, and signs through him, as you well know. 23 But God knew what would happen, and his prearranged plan was carried out when Jesus was betrayed. With the help of lawless Gentiles, you nailed him to a cross and killed him. 24 But God released him from the horrors of death and raised him back to life, for death could not keep him in its grip.
22 “People of Israel, listen! God publicly endorsed Jesus the Nazarene by doing powerful miracles, wonders, and signs through him, as you well know. 23 But God knew what would happen, and his prearranged plan was carried out when Jesus was betrayed. With the help of lawless Gentiles, you nailed him to a cross and killed him. 24 But God released him from the horrors of death and raised him back to life, for death could not keep him in its grip.
Commentary:
2:23 Peter combines a clear affirmation of God’s sovereignty over world events and human responsibility for evil deeds. Although Jesus was delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, showing that God had both foreknown and foreordained that Jesus would be crucified, that still did not absolve of responsibility those who contributed to his death, for Peter goes on to say, “you crucified and killed” him. Though one may not understand fully how God’s sovereign ordination of events can be compatible with human responsibility for evil, both are clearly affirmed here and in many other passages of Scripture (cf. notes on 3:13–16; 3:17; 4:27; 4:28). by the hands of lawless men. Peter also places responsibility on the Gentile officials and soldiers who actually crucified Jesus.
Questions:
- Because Christianity is a fulfillment of Jewish prophecies, this means the gospel is also PREDESTINED. In verse 23, Peter calls the events that unfolded surrounding Jesus' death and resurrection where the prearranged plan of God. Clayton described in great detail the tension between God's sovereign, predestined plan and our own free will. This tension creates a lot of questions, but those answers and their difficulty are better than thinking God isn't in control. Man is NOT in control, but also not absolved from responsibility of his actions. Here's the question we should all ask ourselves... Would you want God's best for you to be determined by YOUR faithfulness or HIS? By YOUR ability or HIS? You were captive to your master the devil, and now you are free to do God's will and experience his best. What could be better than that?
- Peter mentions that it was God's plan, but also points out that "you nailed him to the cross." God's SOVEREIGNTY doesn't nullify man's RESPONSIBILITY. Even though God is in control, our actions still have eternal consequences and we are still accountable for them. If you lived with a constant awareness of your accountability before God for the choices you make, how might it affect them?
Prayer Topics:
- That you would remember that you are freed to do God's will, not just your own.
- That you would be accountable for your own actions.
This Week's City 7:
Try to commit to memory!
2. Are there sources outside the Bible that confirm the Biblical account of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead? Many Roman and Jewish historians have confirmed that the apostles died as martyrs for preaching that they saw Jesus risen from the grave. No one dies for something they know to be a lie.
(Luke 1:1-4; Acts 26:26; 1 John 1:1-4, Josephus, Clement, Hegesippus, Tertullian, Origen, Polycarp)
(Luke 1:1-4; Acts 26:26; 1 John 1:1-4, Josephus, Clement, Hegesippus, Tertullian, Origen, Polycarp)
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