David Bahn – Reflections

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Acts 13:26-41

“Brothers, sons of the family of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, to us has been sent the message of this salvation. ²⁷ For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers, because they did not recognize him nor understand the utterances of the prophets, which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him. ²⁸ And though they found in him no guilt worthy of death, they asked Pilate to have him executed. ²⁹ And when they had carried out all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb. ³⁰ But God raised him from the dead, ³¹ and for many days  he appeared to those who had come up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people. ³² And we bring you the good news that what God promised to the fathers, ³³ this he has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm,

“‘You are my Son,
    today I have begotten you.’

³⁴ And as for the fact that he raised him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, he has spoken in this way,

“‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.’

³⁵ Therefore he says also in another psalm,

“‘You will not let your Holy One see corruption.’

³⁶ For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, fell asleep and was laid with his fathers and saw corruption, ³⁷ but he whom God raised up did not see corruption. ³⁸ Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, ³⁹ and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses. ⁴⁰ Beware, therefore, lest what is said in the Prophets should come about:

⁴¹ “‘Look, you scoffers,
    be astounded and perish;
for I am doing a work in your days,
    a work that you will not believe, even if one tells it to you.’”

Years ago I learned the power of the little word, “but.” I love you but… I would give you a break, but… You would have received the pay raise, but… The word has the power to set aside everything that goes before it. Imagine how different the Bible verse would be if Romans 6:23 would say, “The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ, but the wages of sin is death. Ugh. So much for the gift of God! And when God is in the picture – WOW!

And in this passage Paul makes a very powerful – and good – point about God’s interjection. And while he uses the word “but,” the Greek construction is not “Αλλά” but “ὁ δε” which might be rendered, [on the one hand] “…on the other hand.” This is a comparison between what had happened initially to Jesus after his death. They laid him in a tomb, but God raised him from the dead. On the one hand Jesus was killed and buried. But on the other hand, God raised him from the dead.

God has the last word. And his last word is life and grace, mercy and forgiveness, salvation and glory. There is so much to this. It has to do with the righteousness of Christ. He was purely and perfectly holy, righteous, and good. He was without sin. For that reason it was impossible for sin to hold him down. Justice would be served. And that meant Jesus had to live. He had been perfectly faithful.

Jesus’ faith was in God’s truth, justice, and righteousness. His faith was perfect – unlike ours which wavers and wanes. But Jesus remained faithful even in the face of death. Even as he dies on the cross, being forsaken by God, he calls out, “My God, my God…” And he was vindicated – even though men had done all they could to undercut his faith and thwart God’s plan.

This becomes personal when we put one more layer over all this. Even though we are sinners, Christ died for us. Even though we were dead in our trespasses and sins, God made us alive. Even though we had deserved death and damnation, God has condemned Jesus in our place and given us the glory he deserves.

You may be in a place of despair, distress, hopelessness, shame, disease, or death. But God has an abundance of grace, hope, life, healing, peace, and joy. He gives that to us by his grace. We may face grave and insurmountable challenges. But God’s promises are fulfilled in Jesus, and gives them to us through faith.