The Most Productive Sermon Ever Preached

DR. CRITTENDEN'S FIRST BLOG SINCE BEING OUT OF THE HOSPITAL:

The Spirit made Peter a strong new man;
Gone was the foot-in-mouth bumpkin from birth.
He was able to lead men in God's plan:
"As in heaven, His will be done on earth!"
The commotion had caused a crowd to come;
Though speaking in language of Galilee,
Peter's words were heard in ev'ry tongue,
Preaching the good news that makes all men free!
"Jesus was sent to reign on David's throne;
Thus for humans' sins He did full atone,
And for eternal life opened the way!"
Three thousand souls believed at Pentecost;
Christ's church was born, a haven for the lost!

Please read the full Scripture passage Acts 2:14-40. Here is a part. Peter is speaking to the crowd:

"Men of Israel, 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. This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose 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 hold on Him.'" (Acts 2:22-24)

"Therefore, let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." (Acts 2:36)

When Peter had finished, there was a great anguish in many of his listeners. They were struck to the heart at what they had done and pleaded how they might be relieved of their guilt. He told them to repent and believe and 3000 of them did so. This was the beginning of the first Christian church. The new converts added to the original 120 disciples. Note they were practically all Jewish. Peter's sermon can be justly termed 'the most rewarding sermon ever preached' in significance.

In 70 A. D., just 38 years later, Jerusalem was destroyed by the Romans, though the Christians there were warned by an angel and saved by fleeing to Pella. Over one million Jews were slain; 300,000 were sold into slavery in other nations (See Zech. 11:1-4 for one prophecy of this.)

Israel was driven from the Promised Land for 1788 years, until 1948 when the United Nations granted them a thin sliver of the original land for their own, and modern Israel was established.