Peter Proclaims Jesus’ Resurrection Power

Peter has just finished the introduction of his sermon to this large crowd at Pentecost. He now tells this doubting crowd that Jesus is Messiah (vv. 22). This is the theme of his message.

It insists that the Cross was no accident. It belonged to the eternal plan of God (v. 23).  Acts states this same thing over and over again (3:18; 4:28; 13:29).

1. It insists that this in no way lessens the crime of those who crucified Jesus (v. 23).
2. It proves that the sufferings and death of Christ were the fulfilment of prophecy (v. 25).
3. It stresses the resurrection as the final proof that Jesus was indeed God’s Chosen One.
4. Without the resurrection there would have been no Christian Church at all.

Notice those words; “miracles, wonders and signs (v. 22).” The New Testament records only 36 miracles that Jesus performed. This would  average out to one a month for the three years of His public ministry. There are people today who see something unusual happen and say, “What a miracle!” What they see is not a miracle. A miracle is a supernatural work done by a man of God to prove he is God’s man. God is not approving men today by miracl­es. He approves men today by faithfulness to the Word of God.

Who killed Jesus? It seems to say that the Jews did (v. 23). The fact that the first-century Jews delivered Christ to death is relatively important. The fact that the Gentiles did the actual nailing of His body to the cross is also important. However, Jesus said, “No one takes my life from me. I lay it down on my own accord.” Death could not hold Him in its power (vv. 24-28).