Jesus, Lord and Christ (Easter 2007 - Acts 2)
Jesus, Lord and Christ
I. Introduction
A. Text: Acts 2:29-39
B. Main Idea: The Resurrection Confirms Jesus is Christ
C. Illustration
II. Body
The Book of Acts opens with Jesus resurrected. It summarizes his ministry before Jesus ascended to Heaven where he sat down at the right hand of the Father, to reign with the Father for all eternity. But the disciples - we call them apostles now - are still here ministering in this world. Peter in particular is trying to make sense out of what's happened.
For 10 days, the apostles prayed, and studied Scripture - what we call the Old Testament - trying to understand all that had happened. They saw God's Word in a new way. Predications made by prophets long since dead were seen as fulfilled by Jesus Christ. And after 10 days of prayer and studying of God's word, the Holy Spirit came upon the apostles, this outpouring of the Holy Spirit was yet another prophecy fulfilled.
Everything was understood and explained in terms of the fulfillment of Scripture.
One of the passages of Scripture Peter prayed over was Psalm 16. We know this, because he quotes from it in Acts 2, right before today's text. His reasoning in this sermon seems to be something like this:
We know God made a promise to David (2 Sam 7:12-16) that one of his descendants would be the King of Israel, an everlasting king. This is the "Son of David", the Messiah (Isa 9:6-7), the Christ. Now when Peter thought about this promise, and all he had witnessed as a disciple of Jesus, he remembered David's words in Psalm 16 - words he preached in Acts 2:26-27. David says that because of his Lord, his heart was glad, he knew God would not abandon him in death.
Peter must have prayed over this passage, thinking that since David did die, something bigger must be happening. Then, remembering Jesus' resurrection, and applying this truth to Scripture, Peter started to see that David was speaking through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit - David's psalm spoke of the resurrection, and it filled David with hope. This same hope filled Peter as well. God will not abandon me - not even in death!
A. What God Did Through Jesus Christ (29-36)
This connection between what was promised to David, David's death, and Jesus' resurrection is spoken of in today's passage, in Acts 2:31. Let's look at the text now, and see how Peter's speech continues.
1. Promise Made to David
The first thing Peter mentions, as he continues his preaching to the people of Jerusalem, is that David died and was buried. He had just told them from Psalm 16 that David didn't fear dying. What's more, God had promised David his descendant would reign as King of Israel. Well, at the time Peter was preaching, David was dead, and Israel didn't exist, so there wasn't a descendant of David's on the throne!
Peter knows something else, though - something he's seen with his own eyes, something he's experienced personally: Jesus is risen! The resurrection offered hope that of something, actually someOne, greater than death. Jesus is raised to life - eternal life! Jesus, a descendant of David, still lives. The firstfruits of faith, and the promise to David reigning forever.
2. Resurrection Proves Jesus' Identity
So Peter, while preaching God's promise to David, brings up the resurrection. Peter says that the resurrection is God's means of achieving the promise. What was the promise to David? A descendant will reign as King forever.
Jesus, passing through death, is alive forever now. And Peter saw Jesus ascenscion to Heaven where he is seated at the right hand of the Father. Peter saw that Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ. The resurrection proves what Jesus confessed: Jesus is the Christ!
Now, you might be thinking "So what?" ... why's this matter to me? Let's see.
B. What We Must Do (37-38)
God acted decisively in the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus went to the Cross to redeem us from sin. God made a promise to David, the Son of David would reign forever as King of Israel. In John's Gospel (11:25ff.) Jesus said that he is the resurrection and life - that in order to live, to have eternal life, it has to be through him. Then, he turned to the woman and asked, "Do you believe this?"
This is the point Peter is driving home: Do you believe this good news, this Gospel?
This is the point all of us face: Do you believe this good news, this Gospel?
1. The Cry
The people hearing Peter's speech did believe. Verse 37 says they were "cut to the heart," they were convicted of the truth by what Peter preached and they cried out in hope, "What shall we do?"
They admitted they needed what Jesus offered. They admitted they needed to be saved, they wanted eternal life. And they admitted they couldn't get it on their own. Why? They had killed Jesus on the Cross! Peter just convicted them of this truth. Today, our sins are what place Jesus on the Cross. So we have the same problem.
This is everyone's problem - theirs, mine, yours. What can we do!
2. The Call
The very next verse, Peter answers their cry. Repent and be baptized.
We just admitted we needed saving, that we couldn't do it ourself. Peter says, turn from your ways, confess your sins, and accept the forgiveness that's available.
Peter calls on his hearers to "repent". This word implies a complete change of heart and the confession of sin. With this he couples the call to "be baptized", thus linking both repentance and baptism with the forgiveness of sins.
When we say "Yes!" to repenting, when we say "Yes!" to baptism, we are saying "Yes!" to Jesus as our Lord and Savior!
C. What God Will Do With Us (38-39)
Peter called on everyone to be baptized, not just those seeking to join the Jewish faith. He recognized that this is something new. He also stressed everyone because it requires an individual response from each person. My parents can't save me, only my God can. Being baptized includes me in the saving act of Jesus Christ, and allows the gift of the Holy Spirit to be received.
This is what is needed for eternal life - the Holy Spirit living within me. If God grants me the Holy Spirit, I can pass through death and share in the resurrection - I can rest in Christ!
1. Included in God's Promise
When we accept God's invitation, we also indicate our willingness to be adopted by God into His family. God's promise of eternal life is made possible by God's very act of redeeming us.
2. Blessed with the Holy Spirit
Joining God's family, becoming part of the promise, includes with it a gift from God - the Holy Spirit, God himself in us. This shouldn't be confused with the gifts of the Holy Spirit living in us - the charismatic gifts - but "the gift" is the Spirit himself given to minister the saving benefits of Christ's redemption to believers. It is God ministering to you and me directly, personally, through the Holy Spirit.
This blessing of the Holy Spirit is not what we do through the power of the Holy Spirit, but what God does to us through the Holy Spirit. Our water baptism is an outward sign of the inner baptism of the Holy Spirit.
III. Conclusion
There's a saying that there are only two certainties in life: Death and taxes. No one likes paying taxes, but at least it means we've earned an income. Death is an enemy; we want to live. Death is not the consequence of something good, but of sin. I can't save myself from death - scientists can't cure us of death - but God can. The resurrection proves shows us Jesus is greater than death, and confirms Jesus is the Messiah - the promised heir of David - the Christ.
But there's more! More good news. Not only am I freed from the curse of sin, but I am given life through the Holy Spirit living in me when I accept God's invitation. This is how Paul describes it in Romans 8:11 " ... if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you." Jesus promised he is the way, the resurrection is the path, and the Holy Spirit is God's gift of power to travel the path back to God.
The resurrection is an act of grace by God that serves as a source of hope for all who believe God. The resurrection confirms Jesus is Lord, the Cross confirms Jesus is savior. Those who believe and repent are baptized into the life of Christ through the gift of the Holy Spirit. So the question remains:
Do you believe?
