Reflections: Being deliberate is a theme throughout the Bible

Words in the Bible fascinate me.

Especially words that I haven’t seen before. Or maybe words I have forgotten.

More Reflections:Jesus was the ultimate Sacrificial Lamb

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I was introduced to such a word on Easter Sunday. It was used in a sermon preached by Justin Miller, the lead pastor of Real Life Christian Church with several campuses in Lake and adjoining counties.

The word was deliberate, and it was used in the first Gospel sermon, preached by Peter. You can find it Acts 2:23.

Let me set the stage for you. It was the Day of Pentecost. Earlier, in Acts, Peter told the other 10 Apostles that they needed to replace Judas. He had to have been with them from the beginning. They nominated two men, Joseph, also called Justus, and Matthias. They cast lots and Matthias was selected to be the 12th Apostle.

Now we are in Acts 2 and the day of Pentecost. Jesus had already risen and lived with the Apostles for 40 days, ten days before Pentecost.

Jesus told them to wait in Jerusalem until they received the gift that God promised. Jesus told them they would be baptized with the Holy Spirit.

And that’s what happened on Pentecost Sunday. They were filled with the Spirit. They left the upper room where they were staying and were able to talk in different languages.

Naturally, this caused quite a stir, as the Apostles were unschooled Galileans, but they spoke at least 15 languages and all that were there could hear them in their own tongues.

There were many Jews in Jerusalem because of Pentecost. But they were all able to hear. Of course some made fun of them and said they were drunk.

There are always folks that will make fun of spiritual people.

As stated earlier, Peter seized the moment and delivered the first Gospel sermon. And quite a sermon it was.

He knocked their socks off. Of course they really didn’t wear socks.

But it was quite a message.

He said, starting in Acts 2:14, “Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. These people are not drunk, as you suppose. It’s only nine in the morning! No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel.”

And he said what Joel had said in Joel 2:28-32.

Then Peter said, beginning in Acts 21:22, “Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know.”

In the next verse Peter used the word I had alluded to in the beginning of this column—deliberate.

Peter had already gotten their attention. Now he was able to deliver the final blow.

Let’s begin Acts 2:23.

He said, “This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.”

Did you catch it?

This was God’s deliberate plan. From before time began.

Peter quoted David and said beginning in Acts 2:32, “God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.”

A deliberate plan. By God.

And beginning with Acts 2:36, Peter sunk the hook saying, ““Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah.”

How do you think you would have felt if you were there?

Let me tell you something, you were there. And so was I. So was all of humanity.

We all nailed Jesus to the cross.

What could we say? Probably what they said.

We’re told when the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

I firmly believe that they didn’t expect an answer, at least not a positive one.

I firmly believe they expected to die in their sins. It’s what they deserved.

What I deserved.

But this was God’s plan from the beginning. His deliberate plan.

Can you imagine their surprise when Peter said, ““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. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

Peter warned and he pleaded with them to, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.”

And many heard their words.

We’re told in Acts that those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.

What a day it must have been.

Could it happen again?

Rick Reed is a columnist for The Daily Commercial, to reach Rick, e-mail him at ricoh007@aol.com. And if you can’t get enough Rick Reed, read his blog at rickreed.co.

This article originally appeared on Daily Commercial: Being deliberate is a theme throughout the Bible