The Messiah's Murder

Jesus's death had shaken Peter to his core. He had believed Jesus was the Messiah. ((Luke 9:20)) Never had he believed in anything so strongly. When Jesus had been executed, it shattered his world. Then God had brought Jesus back to life, demolishing Peter's understanding of the long prophesied Messiah. In the forty days that followed, Jesus explained, yet again, the scriptures. ((Luke 24:44-45)) Now, freed from old preconceptions, Jesus's life, ministry, death, and resurrection finally made sense.

God's plan had not gone terribly wrong. It had all been laid out in plain view, for anyone with eyes to see. It was only their twisted souls that had made the scriptures difficult to understand. Yet despite their lack of understanding, God's plan has succeeded even when every human being had failed.

Now Peter did his best to explain these same things to his fellow Jews in the temple courts. ((Acts 2:23)) "My family," he called, "I am offering you nothing except what the prophets have already told us must take place. Yes, he was dead, but what is death to God? It cannot hold back his plans. Death is not his master. ((Acts 2:24)) Death answers to him. You have heard that Jesus is not dead. If you will listen, I will tell you why that must be true."