The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

Acts 2:22-28, “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know–
23 this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death.
24 “But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.
25 “For David says of Him, ‘I saw the LORD always in my presence; for He is at my right hand, so that I will not be shaken.
26 ‘Therefore, my heart was glad and my tongue exulted; moreover my flesh also will live in hope;
27 because you will not abandon my soul to Hades, nor allow your Holy One to undergo decay.
28 ‘You have made known to me the ways of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’”

Dear friend, the next time you hear a preacher speaking at length, and are tempted to criticize him, just remember Peter’s extended message of hope to this frightened congregation! His message was all and only about Jesus! One of my loving, faithful preacher-friends of days long gone by used to say, “Just take a text and make a bee-line for the Cross!” That’s precisely what Peter did!

Jesus had passed the test of genuine faithfulness. He performed miracles and wonders and signs –all of which were God the Father’s means of saying, This is My beloved Son! Look at the wonders He performs! Yet, instead of believing upon Him, His own people sent Him to the cross. As with Abraham’s near-sacrifice of Isaac, Jesus was physically put to death! Thus, the LORD God of Heaven –Jesus’ own Father—raised Him from the dead and received Him alive back into Heaven. This was the sum and substance of Peter’s message.

But the question yet to be answered here is why did the Father allow this to befall His Son? He did it for you! Had Christ not suffered and died on that Cross, you and I would have no hope of salvation! He paid the price you and I ought to have paid. He did it out of Love! He wants us to spend eternity with Him –not in Hell, the place prepared for those who refused to accept Him as their Savior. Why would people reject Jesus? You tell me.

Yet, the truthful fact remains that those who trust Him will spend eternity with Him. Will your eternity be with Jesus? I most earnestly pray that it will. And may our lives attract others to Him while we all await His Return!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.
Springdale, Arkansas 72764
United States of America

“We never know that Christ is all we need until He becomes all that we have.” – Corrie ten Boom