Enemies No More - Acts 2:22-39

“Once Your enemy, now seated at Your table, Jesus, thank You.”

Words from a song I deeply enjoy.

As you hear those words, which part is more difficult to believe?

The fact that you were once an enemy or that in Christ, you are welcome, like family, at God’s table?

It depends on how you see yourself and how you think God sees you. Were we really enemies of God?

And, if so, does God indeed welcome us in the most intimate setting of fellowship with him?

I think so.

The song gets it right.

And when we understand this, then things begin to change for us.

When we know what we deserve and what God gives us instead, we start to experience increasing gratitude, humility, security, and zeal to tell others.

God is not ashamed of welcoming and identifying with his former enemies.

This stands out stand out as monuments of his grace.

We read from Scripture “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23).

We have to understand the severity of our separation from God due to sin.

Otherwise, we might underestimate the gospel,

This isn’t just some spiritual guidanc

No this is a profound rescue operation.

Listen everyone, except Jesus, has sinned,

A sin is a violation of God’s word (1 John 3:4), either by failing to do what God says or by doing what God says not to do.

But that’s not all.

Our natural disposition is opposition to God.

We were born into this fallen state of rebellion. All of us are “by nature children of wrath.”

And this fallen state leads to sinful actions.

Sin and separation from God don’t lie dormant.

Sin is active.

All people are sinners both by nature and by choice.

The language the Bible uses to describe people outside of Jesus can be jolting.

I think that’s the point.

The words are meant to rattle us. Some of the descriptions of unbelievers include

“wicked” (Ps. 10:3);

“a slave to sin” (John 8:34);

“full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness” (Rom 1:29);

“haters of God” (Rom. 1:30);

“inventors of evil” (Rom. 1:30);

“enemies” (Rom. 5:10);

“hostile to God” (Rom. 8:7);

“evil” (2 Thess. 3:2);

and “foolish” (Titus 3:3).

This language doesn’t reflect ambivalence or indifference but rather active opposition to God.

In terms of our status before God, we are all sinners, but the degree of expression may differ.

As Spurgeon says, “They are all in the mire; but they have not all sunk to an equal depth in it.”

Our natural state is helplessly and hopelessly depraved.

This is what it means to be lost.

But God acts.

He pursues us.

He rescues the rebels.

Now and then, we come across a scene in a book, in a film, or in the news that reflects this type of radical reconciliation.

And when we do, it shakes us and brings with it a mandatory moment of silence.

One example came in a courtroom in 2019.

After an off-duty police officer killed his brother, Brandt Jean was allowed to give a victim impact statement.

He addressed Amber Guyger, the woman who shot his brother:

“If you truly are sorry, I can speak for myself, I forgive, and I know if you go to God and ask him, he will forgive you. And I don’t think anyone can say it—again I’m speaking for myself—but I love you just like anyone else. And I’m not gonna say I hope you rot and die just like my brother did, but I presently want the best for you.”

Then he asked the judge if he could hug Ms. Guyger.

The judge permitted, and the image of a grieving, yet forgiving, brother hugging the woman who took his brother’s life flooded the news.

It challenged the limits of forgiveness and the possibility of recon- ciliation.

To forgive and embrace someone who caused such pain is not common.

It’s extraordinary.

It’s shocking grace.

Yet, as riveting as this scene was, our reconciliation to God is ratcheted up a few levels.

Our crimes against God are even more heinous because God is so holy.

Looking through the lenses of God’s infinite holiness and our sin’s ugliness, we begin to better appreciate God moving toward his enemies with the embrace of the gospel.

By means of his grace, he says, “I love you. I forgive you. I want you to be part of my family.”

“Once Your enemy, now seated at Your table, Jesus, thank You.”

As we reflect on Jesus’ costly sacrifice.

I want to take us to the first sermon that looked at Calvary.

Peter preached in Jerusalem.

The city that killed Jesus.

John Bunyan reflected on how surprising this is to consider, since it was only a few weeks prior that these people in Jerusalem “had their hands up to the elbows in his heart’s blood.”

He could’ve sent his disciples to the rest of the world first and then, perhaps, come back to Jerusalem.

That still would’ve been grace— remarkable grace.

But he sends Peter to the city where he was crucified.

Acts 2:22–23 (ESV)

“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.

Peter explained how they were guilty of killing the Messiah. He quoted Psalm 110, calling them the enemies of God.

Think how unpalatable this would have been to these proud Israelites.

But Peter wanted them to know the truth. God was on Jesus’s side, and by virtue of their crime, he was not on theirs.

And stunningly, the people responded with contrition.

God the Holy Spirit attended Peter’s preaching with his power.

Those who formerly rejected Christ now were crying out under intense conviction.

Acts 2:37–39 (ESV)

Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.”

Jesus pursues those who oppose him because he wants them to be part of his family.

“So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls” (Acts 2:41).

Mercy conquered three thousand enemies!

See how willing Christ is to win murderers with the word of life! Once his enemies, now we are seated at his table.

Consider this scene and see through the eyes of Christ.

He is not ashamed to identify with those who’ve opposed him.

You can imagine the objections that would’ve welled up in the hearers’ hearts and how the gospel answered their deepest concerns.

Objection: “But I plotted for him to be killed. How can I be saved?” Answer: “The promise is for you.”

Objection: “But I bore false witness against him. Is there grace for me?” Answer: “There is grace for you from the King of grace.”

Objection: “But I cried out, ‘Crucify him, crucify him’; and desired that Barabbas, the murderer, might live, rather than him.”

Answer: “Repent and be baptized every one of you!”

Objection: “But I spit in his face and mocked him.” Answer: “Though you were ashamed of him, he won’t be of you.”

Objection: “But I rejoiced when I thought he was defeated. Is there any hope for me?” Answer: “There is hope for every one of you who call on the name of the Lord.”

Tonight we are reminded that we were once enemies

Romans 5:8 (ESV)

but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Every drop of blood was shed to draw you in and bring you to him.

He is not ashamed of you.

Even though you and I were formerly enemies of God, as soon as we come to Christ, we are welcomed at his table.

We forget what lies behind, and we press on toward the goal.

With our minds set on the loveliness of Christ , we go out, just as he has sent us, to call others home.

Could you imagine how our lives might change if we looked at people the way Jesus does?