“And now, friends, I know you had no idea what you were doing when you killed Jesus, and neither did your leaders. But God, who through the preaching of all the prophets had said all along that his Messiah would be killed, knew exactly what you were doing and used it to fulfill his plans. Now it’s time to change your ways! Turn to face God so he can wipe away your sins, pour out showers of blessing to refresh you, and send you the Messiah he prepared for you, namely, Jesus.” (Acts 3:17-20, NLT)

Jesus had set the stage for Peter’s message of grace in these passages when he prayed to the Father to forgive his executioners, saying, "Father, forgive them, for they don't know what they are doing" (Luke 23:34). The crucifiers' jealousy and hatred, stemming from their failure to recognize Jesus' true identity, led them to crucify him. Despite their ignorance, God used their actions to fulfill the prophetic predictions about the Messiah suffering and atoning for sin (Isa. 52:13-53:12).  

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Although the ones who crucified Jesus were accountable for their actions, Jesus and his early followers understood that their actions were performed in ignorance. Instead of harboring hatred, the early disciples hoped for their repentance and forgiveness. They considered Jesus' opponents as potential "brothers," deserving of forgiveness rather than condemnation. Peter's desire, reflecting Jesus' own wish, was for those responsible for Jesus’ death to repent and embrace Jesus as their Savior, Lord, and Messiah so that their sins might be "wiped away."  

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Reflect on the significance of this forgiveness for us: if God could forgive those who crucified his Son and transform their hearts, is there any sin we could have committed that can stand between us and God’s promised forgiveness?

So, what does this mean for you and me? This whole sermon series is called “A Deeper Life through Discomfort,” and I can’t think of anything more uncomfortable than being called an accessory to murder, which is what Peter does in these verses from Acts. While you and I were not alive at the time and did not participate in the crowd calling for the crucifixion, we were definitely not blameless or free from sin prior to our accepting Christ as Savior. The message of the “undeserved free gift” is for all of us, regardless of what junk we bring to the table. You and I may not be an “accessory to murder,” but God’s forgiveness is more than enough for us. If you haven’t taken that step, I challenge you to consider Peter’s words.  

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For those of us who are already believers, we should take a lesson from the disciples in this set of verses. They strongly desired for those who called for Jesus’ death to come to repentance and forgiveness. We are surrounded by people who don’t know the truth and are not in a right place with God. How can you and I share the message that Peter demonstrated for us? How can we reach the one person that God keeps placing on our hearts? We live in this world, with its trials and troubles, but our Savior has overcome the world and has a much better plan for you and me, and he challenges us to share it with our potential brothers and sisters, just as Peter did.  

Dear Heavenly Father, I am in awe of the depth of your love for us. I know that I don't deserve it and can't earn it, but your grace is beyond my comprehension. I’m profoundly thankful for your endless forgiveness and compassion. I am also inspired to think of those family members and friends who need to open their hearts to Jesus. Please, Lord, work in their lives, use me as your mouthpiece if you choose, and gently guide them toward your Son. I ask this in his precious name and for their sake. Amen.