David Bahn – Reflections

My Podcast is on hold this week. You can listen to past podcasts here, including the sermon I preached at Angaza Igoma Lutheran Church in Mwanza, Tanzania

Acts 2:22-36

“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— ²³ this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. 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. ³³ Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. ³⁴ For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says,

“‘The Lord said to my Lord,
“Sit at my right hand,
³⁵ until I make your enemies your footstool.”’

³⁶ Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

I recall a few sermons from my time at the seminary. This one, specifically was by the seminary president, Dr. Robert Preus. His message was about certain sins which we seminary students would certainly avoid. I don’t recall the specifics, except when he said, “But we don’t do that, do we?” It was a rhetorical question meant to challenge us to take a deep dive into our own hearts, motives, and thoughts. He went on to call us to honest repentance, and acknowledgement that we need a Savior: Jesus of Nazareth to be precise! Without Jesus there is no hope.

Peter goes to great links to confront the people on that first Pentecost with their culpability in killing God’s Son. This One who was attested to by signs, wonders, and mighty works they killed. I’m not certain just how many of the people there that day had been present at Jesus’ crucifixion. Maybe some had. Perhaps some had even called for his death, “Crucify him!” But surely not all of them. And even those who did might well have been swayed by the crowds and given in to the peer pressure when they had added their voices to the call for his death. Surely none of them swung the hammer and drove the nails into the hands and feet of Jesus.

Yet Peter says they killed him. They handed him over. They were guilty. And even though this was part of God’s plan it was only part. For the fullness of that plan was that not only would Jesus die, but he would rise from the dead. He would conquer sin, Satan, and death.

When God raised him from the dead, he declared that Jesus is Lord and Christ. The fullness of God’s plan was that we would confess him as such, and call on his name (“Lord” cf. Acts 2:21; Joel 2:32), and be saved. We who call Jesus Lord should be first in line to admit that we need him as Savior.

Our purpose here in Tanzania this week is to help pastors and their spouses get that more firmly into the hearts and lives of God’s people – with emphasis on getting it into their lives. One key component of our teaching has to do with the importance of teaching the truth of God’s word. The second part is vital: discipling people so that they make other disciples, In this way the message of Jesus spreads and more and more people call on the name of the Lord and are saved. This is our great hope and joy.

NOTE: Diane and I are in Tanzania, teaching pastors and their spouses about discipleship (following Jesus). If you want to track our experiences in Tanzania, you can check my Smugmug photo website. I’ll include photos there throughout the week.