What was the substance of Peter's preaching about Jesus in Acts?
Peter's preaching in Acts declared to Israel that Jesus was the Christ, whom they delivered up and killed, but God raised Him from the dead. He identified Jesus as God's glorified Son and the Prince of life, emphasizing that His resurrection meant He could still fulfill the Old Testament promises.
Les explains that in Acts 3 Peter preaches to a massive crowd of Jews gathered because of the miracle done for the lame man. Peter addresses them as "Ye men of Israel," with no mention of Gentiles, and credits the miracle not to his own power or holiness but to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, who glorified His son Jesus. Peter reminds them they delivered Jesus up before Pilate and killed the Prince of life, but God raised Him from the dead. Les made the point that Peter never associates salvation with Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection; all Peter claims is that Jesus was the Christ, they had crucified Him, but God raised Him, and He could still fulfill all those Old Testament promises because He was alive.
The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go.
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