Week 43 Acts 2
I just finished reading the gospels in consecutive order. That’s been 179-pages of the life of Jesus. Now here in this long sermon Peter basically compresses those 89 chapters into ~25-verses.
I wondered if Peter’s synopsis could be boiled down even more and when I got rid of a few things I came up with this more-condensed version:
Listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know.
This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.
But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.
Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.
Abbreviated versions are usually good for two reasons. First is that they’re abbreviated. And secondly – if they’re any good in their selection criteria – they pick the most important ideas to highlight.
Peter gives public addresses again in chapters three four & five and these ideas keep showing up: A) Christ was from God. B) you assassinated him. C) God raised him from the dead. Key ideas. Repeater ideas. Ideas worth remembering.
Note: quote from Acts 2:22-24 36 (NIV)