“Thank You, Lord Jesus, that You are reconciling both Jews and Gentiles back with You. Thank You, that through the covenant, which You made with Abraham, all the nations of the earth are being reconciled with You. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.”
We see here how the purpose of God, to reconcile all nations to Himself is being worked out. This audience was of Jews from all the nations of the world. God purposed that the Jews be His instruments to take His message of reconciliation to the nations of the earth.
We can see the focus and clarity of Peter in his message, for he knew his audience.
Acts 2:14 But Peter, standing up with the eleven, raised his voice and said to them, “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and heed my words.
We have seen that Peter was confident, strong, clear, and articulate in his communication. Peter, therefore, tailored his message with great care, wisdom, conviction, and love. It was the Holy Spirit, who was powerfully at work, through Peter, as he shared this message.
Acts 2:22 “Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know.
Peter is bringing home the message of Jesus. He makes them realise that they were fully aware of the life of Jesus. He affirms to them that Jesus was attested by God or He was the solution of God for man.
If Jesus was the answer of God to reconcile man to Himself, then, what was hindering the Jews to receive Him? Peter was addressing this struggle for the Jews in his message.
Romans 9:4-5 who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises; (5) of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen.
The Jews had a pivotal role in the plan and purposes of God. The Jews had a strong basis for their relationship with God. God’s plan of redemption of the world was to be worked out through Jesus, who became flesh, in a Jewish milieu.
Romans 9:31-33 but Israel, pursuing the law of righteousness, has not attained to the law of righteousness. (32) Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone. (33) As it is written: “BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A STUMBLING STONE AND ROCK OF OFFENSE, AND WHOEVER BELIEVES ON HIM WILL NOT BE PUT TO SHAME.”
Though they should have been the flagbearers for proclaiming the plan of God to the nations of the world, the Jews stumbled. Why has this tragedy occurred?
The Jews have always been genuinely pursuing the Law of righteousness.
Nevertheless, they have not attained the righteousness of God because they sought to be right before God, by their own effort.
They did not seek righteousness before God, by faith. All that they did in following the Law and ordinances was entirely an effort of the self.
This is man’s fundamental problem, isn’t it? Man has enthroned himself. He has, in his heart, rejected God. He has sought to prove his righteousness before God, by himself, but not by faith in God.
The Jews kept the Law, to the minutest detail, but it is all a self-effort. This has made them become self-righteous and judgemental of others. This was the culture of the Jews, which was each one meeting the righteousness of God by their own effort and diligence. This was where the Jews stumbled. No one can be made righteous before God, by keeping the Law.
God’s purpose is that both Jews and Gentiles must come to Him by faith and not by the workings of the self. It is through Jesus and by faith in Jesus, who came in flesh as a Jew, that all the world, both Jews and Gentiles, will be reconciled with God.
Romans 1:3-4 concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, (4) and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.
Jesus was born of the seed of David according to the flesh. This is the connection that Peter is seeking to establish with his Jewish audience. Peter, with all earnestness, is longing for the Jews to place their faith in Jesus, for He was one of them.
Jesus is the Saviour for all, both Jews and Gentiles, who place their faith in Him.