H Bonar

"Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made

that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.  Now

when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto

Peter, and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? 

Then Peter said unto them, Repent and be baptized every one of you in the

name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, acid ye shall receive the gift

of the Holy Ghost."—Acts 2:36-38.

     This is part of the first sermon preached under the Christian

dispensation.  It was preached by Peter, who some seven weeks before

had thrice denied the Lord; not by John the beloved disciple.  It was

preached in Jerusalem, not far from the spot where the Lord was

crucified.  It was preached to those who had slain Him.  It was preached

immediately after a remarkable outpouring of the Spirit, and by one full

of the Spirit. It is strangely calm and unimpassioned; no exaggerated

description, no strong language, no sensation.  It is a simple narrative

about Jesus.  He who spoke it manifestly trusted to some power beyond

his own to give effect to it; to something in the simple facts themselves to

work the end desired.  He spoke as a witness and a reprover; not as an

orator or a logician. Yet, as for its simplicity, so for its effects, it is one of

the most marvelous sermons ever preached.  A child could understand it;

yet three thousand men were overwhelmed by it.  It is a true specimen of

preaching or speaking in the Holy Ghost. Such should our preaching be.

This would keep us "abreast of the age"; this would meet the infidel and

confound him; this would be better than eloquence or science, or the

enticing words of man's wisdom. This would do the work of God.

     The three verses which we have read bring before us (1) the crucified

one; (2) the crucifiers; (3) the connection between the latter and the

former, both for evil and good.

     I. The crucified one. Let us note concerning this,

     (1.) Who He was,ó"that same Jesus"; yes Jesus of Nazareth; He who

was born at Bethlehem; who went about doing and speaking only good.

     (2.) What was done to Him. He was betrayed, tried, condemned,

crucified, slain.  All hatred was displayed to Him; all shame poured upon

Him; the vilest and most terrible of deaths was inflicted on Him.

     (3.) By whom was this done.  By "His own"; by "Israel," the house of

Israel,óthe Jews of Jerusalem.  Not by Romans or Gentiles; but Jews; by

them who ought to have been foremost to welcome Him.

     (4.) What God has made Him,ó"both Lord and Christ." The stone

which the builders rejected has been made the head of the corner.  "Both

Lord and Christ"!  All that the prophets predicted concerning the seed of

the woman; all that Israel was expecting; all that could be

comprehended, of power, and dignity, and authority, and glory, and

excellency, in these two names, are given by God to this same Jesus.

Whatever man may think of Him, God's thoughts of Him are of the

highest kind. Whatever Israel may do to Him to shew hatred and

contempt, God treats Him as infinitely worthy of all honour in earth and

heaven.

     II. The crucifiers. They were, as we have seen, "the house of Israel";

but this is not the point to which I ask your attention here. They are

accused of an awful crime. They had deliberately united to crucify.

     (1.)  An innocent man.  One who had done nothing amiss; one against

whom no charge was substantiated; one whom their own law would have

acquitted of having done anything worthy of death.

     (2.)  A good man.  A bad man may be, in respect of certain charges,

quite innocent; but this man was more; He was righteous, and He was

good; He had said and done nothing but what was good all His life. His

had been a life of pure and holy love.

     (3.)  A prophet.  One of their own rulers had confessed Him as a

teacher sent from God; and his whole life proclaimed Him a prophet,

greater in word and deed than any of their ancient ones.

     (4.) The Lord of glory. The Son of God in the truest sense of the

expression; Son of the Highest; equal with God; truly divine.

     (5.) Their own Messiah. The very Christ whom their prophets

predicted; whom they and their fathers had been expecting,ótheir King

and Lord.

     They were thus not merely murderers, but no ordinary ones;

criminals in the highest and darkest sense; their hands red with

innocent blood; the blood of their own Messiah ; the blood of God.

     III. The connection between the crucified and the crucifiers for evil

amid for good.

     (1.) For evil.  For condemnation.  It was this that they felt so awfully

when the apostle had stated the simple facts. (1) They were pricked in

their hearts; (2) they cried out, What shall we do? A full sense of their

awful criminality flashed through them. They were murderers; the worst

murderers the world ever saw; the murderers of their Lord and Christ.

Then indeed condemnation,óinfinite condemnation was theirs. They had

perhaps not actually nailed Him to the tree, but they had concurred in

the deed. They were guilty of His blood; and they did not seek to deny it. 

So is every sinner a concurrent in this infinite murder.  This is God's

charge against us, "Ye slew my Son."

   (2.) For good. This connection for evil might be disannulled, and a

new one formed.  An opportunity was to be given for disavowing their

deed, and that disavowal was not only to disconnect them with all the

evil they had incurred, but was to connect them with all the good which

Messiah came to bring. They would then be treated by God as if they had

welcomed Him from the first.  Not only would they receive remission of

sins, but also the gift of the Holy Ghost. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ

and thou shalt be saved; believe in Him and thou shalt receive the Spirit;

and with Him all present and eternal blessing.