My Podcast is on hold this week. You can listen to past podcasts here.
I look forward to resuming recording these posts next week.
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 is little question over the fact that Jesus suffered and died. No one argues against that. The manner in which Jesus suffered and effect of that suffering Peter is pointing out, together with the far-reaching implications of that.
Jesus was faithful to God all the way through his suffering and death. His cry from the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me,” is a cry of faith in the face of suffering. Even as he dies – forsaken by God, he still calls to his Father in faith, “my God.” By this Jesus is atoning for the sin of the world. By his resurrection, Jesus is vindicated. All Jesus did is proved to have been good, right, and salutary. So now he reigns on high. All heaven honors him as King of kings and Lord of lords. One day every knee will bow before him. We all will acknowledge and confess, “Jesus Christ is Lord.” This is the glory and honor he deserves.
But there is far more to Jesus’ suffering, death, resurrection and ascension than Jesus’ glorification and honor. For it was God’s plan from eternity that we lost, wayward, erring, rebellious, and condemned sinners would be redeemed by Jesus. And by means of Jesus death, we have been redeemed. We’ve been rescued. We’ve been saved. And so that we can make this our own, God has poured out his Holy Spirit. By that Holy Spirit Peter and the others are emboldened to preach and call people to repent and believe. By the Holy Spirit we who hear that word are brought to faith and are saved.
Jesus is honored whenever people proclaim this Good News. Jesus is honored whenever we believe in him. I want to honor Jesus in both of those ways.
David Bahn - Reflections 
Leave a comment