PT-1 "The Resurrection of Christ" (Acts 2:24-32)

 

SPIRITUAL DIARY FOR 7/28/2017 9:50 AM

My Worship Time                                                            Focus:  PT-1 The Resurrection of Christ

Bible Reading & Meditation                                     Reference:  Acts 2:24-32

            Message of the verses:  “24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. 25  For David says concerning him,  “ ‘I saw the Lord always before me,  for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; 26  therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced;  my flesh also will dwell in hope. 27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption. 28 You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’ 29  “Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30  Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, 31  he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses.”

            One of the great themes of the book of Acts is the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, for if Christ had not risen from the dead then there would be no need for the book of Acts.  Paul writes about this in the 15^th chapter of 1 Corinthians:  “12 Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; 14 and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. 15 Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; 17 and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.”  Paul realized the importance of the doctrine of Jesus being raised from the dead as Peter also did too.

            This theme of the resurrection of Christ is not only the theme of the Apostle’s preaching but as John MacArthur writes it is “also without question the climax of redemptive history.  It proves beyond doubt the deity of Jesus Christ and establishes His messianic credentials.  It is also the guarantee of our own resurrection (John 14:19; Rom. 6:4-5; 1 Cor. 6:14; 15:16-23).  The resurrection is the crowning proof that God accepted the sacrifice of Jesus Christ (cf. Rom. 4:25) [‘He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.’]  Without it His death becomes the heroic death of a noble martyr, the pathetic death of a madman, or the execution of a fraud.”

            So as we think about the resurrection of Jesus Christ we can say that it is the greatest proof that He is indeed the Messiah.  Not His preaching, or His miracles, but His resurrection proves that He is Messiah.

            Let us look at verses 23 and 24 as they are one connected thought “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.”  The truth is that Israel rejected her Messiah but God raised Him up again, and this is the truth that Peter is forcefully driving home to those who are listening to his inspired preaching.  Peter is telling the crowd that they are guilty of opposing God—despite their boasts to the contrary.  Let us look at Romans 2:17-20 “17 But if you bear the name "Jew" and rely upon the Law and boast in God, 18  and know His will and approve the things that are essential, being instructed out of the Law, 19  and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20  a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the immature, having in the Law the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth.”  This is not the only time that this tactic was used in the book of Acts.  “14  "But you disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15  but put to death the Prince of life, the one whom God raised from the dead, a fact to which we are witnesses (Acts 3:14-15).”  39 “We are witnesses of all the things He did both in the land of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They also put Him to death by hanging Him on a cross. 40 “God raised Him up on the third day and granted that He become visible (Acts 10:39-40).”  “27 “For those who live in Jerusalem, and their rulers, recognizing neither Him nor the utterances of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled these by condemning Him. 28 “And though they found no ground for putting Him to death, they asked Pilate that He be executed. 29 “When they had carried out all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the cross and laid Him in a tomb (Acts 13:27-30).”

            John MacArthur writes “By raising Jesus, God put ‘an end to the agony of death’ for Him.  ‘Agony’ translates odinas, which literally means ‘birth pangs.’  Like the pain of a woman in labor, the pain of death for Jesus was temporary and resulted in something glorious—the resurrection.”

            Spiritual meaning for my life today:  I can say for certain that if Christ had not been raised from the dead then I would not be writing what I am writing at this time.  I can also say that I am thankful for a better understanding of the Greek language that John MacArthur brings out in his commentary.

My Steps of Faith for Today:  Trust the Lord to see me through a trail that I am going through at this time, but in the end it will bring glory to the Lord.

Answer to yesterday’s Bible question:  “Rahab” (Joshua 2:1-4).

Today’s Bible question:  “Which book has as its main theme ‘That Jesus is a better priest or mediator between God and man than were the Old Testament priests’?”

Answer in our next SD. 

7/28/2017 10:22 AM