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.”
There are few exceptions to reading Jesus into the Psalms as far as I am aware. We have here (with regard to Peter’s quote from Psalm 16) a clear example of an Old Testament prophecy that finds its ultimate fulfillment in Jesus’ life, suffering, death, and resurrection. These would be the Psalms (as well as other Old Testament writings) to which Jesus would point the disciples on the road to Emmaus (cf. Luke 24:27).
Jesus mission and ministry was no last minute idea. From the earliest moments of creation and the Fall, God had in mind to send his Son to save us. He speaks to the serpent, “I will put enmity between you and the woman, between your seed and hers. He will bruise your head and you will strike his heal” (Genesis 3:15). Peter now sees how Jesus fulfills this Psalm as well as many others. The New Testament had yet to be written. And when it is, Peter himself will write, “We have the word of the prophets made more certain” (1 Peter 1:19).
Some people like to use the Bible as an instruction manual for life. Indeed there is great wisdom for those willing to learn it – whether in the book of Proverbs or the stories of the Old Testament by which we may gain insight into how to live or how not to live. We can learn from the mistakes of others.
Best, however, we hear these words as a call to faith in Jesus, and to following him in all of life. It starts with repentance – to which Peter is calling the people of his day in this sermon. It continues on as we learn to follow Jesus everywhere, every moment, of every day. This need not lead you to Tanzania or any other foreign mission field. But it should lead you to ask for God to show you the way, and you to seek to know this Jesus who calls us to follow him.
Where is God calling to you follow Jesus today through these words?
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.
David Bahn - Reflections 
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