Once Your Enemy - Acts 2:22-39 -Good Friday 2024

Tonight we reflect on the sacrifice of Christ.

We remember that Jesus suffered immensely.

The men who had walked with him for years all scattered and abandoned him.

At the hands of the religious leaders he suffered unspeakable violence.

He was tormented and nailed to a cross.

Good Friday is when we look at this gruesome scene and ask why?

A song that words it so well says:

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

When we understand that we were once enemies of God.

That what the scriptures say “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23) is true of us.

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.

When we understand the severity of our separation from God due to our rebellion.

Then we can understand why this scene makes us pause with awe and wonder.

With sorrow and gratitude

Because our God acts.

He pursues.

He rescues the rebels

It’s extraordinary.

It’s shocking grace.

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.”

Look how low the savior will go to bring us back to God.

As we reflect on Jesus’ costly sacrifice.

I want to take us to the first sermon in the shadow of this event.

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?

See your savior on the tree, bleeding for you so that you would no longer be an enemy but welcomed at the table.

Let’s Pray:

Lord Jesus,

Time and eternity will come and we will still be stunned with awe, worship, and gratitude for the greatness of your sacrifice and love for us.

Because you were fully forsaken, we are forever forgiven.

Because you exhausted God’s judgment against our numberless sins, we now live by the gift of your perfect righteousness.

Bow our heads in humility and raise our hands in praise.

So we pray, in your all-glorious, all-grace-full name.

Amen