Acts 2:22-28: a reflection

22“Men of Israel, hear these words! Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved by God to you by mighty works and wonders and signs which God did by him among you, even as you yourselves know, 23him, being delivered up by the determined counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by the hand of lawless men, crucified and killed; 24whom God raised up, having freed him from the agony of death, because it was not possible that he should be held by it. 25For David says concerning him, ‘I saw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved. 26Therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced. Moreover my flesh also will dwell in hope, 27because you will not leave my soul in Hades, neither will you allow your Holy One to see decay. 28You made known to me the ways of life. You will make me full of gladness with your presence.’

In his sermon at Pentecost, Peter speaks of the crucifixion of Jesus in a striking way: this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. Two things are held together: the cross was the deliberate plan of God, and it was also a wicked act carried out by sinful people. It was, at once, the worst crime ever committed and the very plan of God for the world's salvation. And death could not hold Jesus; God raised him up.

Notice how Peter holds together God's sovereign plan and human wickedness in the cross. The crucifixion was, on the one hand, a grievous crime, done by lawless hands; and on the other, it was the definite plan of God, foreknown and purposed for our salvation. God did not merely permit the cross; it was his plan. And yet those who carried it out were guilty of a wicked act. The worst thing that human beings ever did was, at the same time, the very means of God's saving purpose.

That truth, that God worked his saving purpose even through the worst human act, is a deep comfort. If God could take the greatest evil ever done, the murder of his Son, and make it the very means of salvation, then there is no evil so great that God cannot work his purpose even through it. This does not excuse the evil; the cross was still a wicked crime. But it means that God is sovereign even over the worst that people do, able to weave even great evil into his good purpose. When you face evil, whether done to you or in the world, do not despair as though evil could defeat God's purpose. He worked his greatest good, our salvation, through the greatest evil, the cross; he is able to work his purpose even through the evil you face. God is sovereign even over the worst that people do; trust that he can bring good even out of evil, as he brought salvation out of the cross.

Lord, at Pentecost Peter spoke of the cross in a striking way: this Jesus, delivered up according to your definite plan and foreknowledge, was crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men; the cross was at once a wicked crime and your very plan for salvation, and death could not hold Jesus, for you raised him up. Help me hold together, as Peter did, your sovereign plan and human wickedness in the cross. It was a grievous crime, done by lawless hands; and yet it was your definite plan, purposed for our salvation. The worst thing human beings ever did was, at the same time, the very means of your saving purpose. Give me the deep comfort of that: if you could take the greatest evil ever done and make it the means of salvation, then there is no evil so great that you cannot work your purpose even through it. This does not excuse the evil; the cross was still a wicked crime. But it means you are sovereign even over the worst that people do. When I face evil, whether done to me or in the world, keep me from despairing as though evil could defeat your purpose. You worked your greatest good through the greatest evil; you are able to work your purpose even through the evil I face. Help me trust that you can bring good even out of evil, Lord, as you brought salvation out of the cross.