Scripture Reading(s)
Acts 2:14a, 22-32
2:14a But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them,
2:22 “You that are Israelites, listen to what I have to say: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with deeds of power, wonders, and signs that God did through him among you, as you yourselves know-
2:23 this man, handed over to you according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of those outside the law.
2:24 But God raised him up, having freed him from death, because it was impossible for him to be held in its power.
2:25 For David says concerning him, ‘I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken;
2:26 therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; moreover my flesh will live in hope.
2:27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One experience corruption.
2:28 You have made known to me the ways of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’
2:29 “Fellow Israelites, I may say to you confidently of our ancestor David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.
2:30 Since he was a prophet, he knew that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would put one of his descendants on his throne.
2:31 Foreseeing this, David spoke of the resurrection of the Messiah, saying, ‘He was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh experience corruption.’
2:32 This Jesus God raised up, and of that all of us are witnesses.
Reflections
This passage is very fitting to fall right after Easter. Our role as Christians is to go out and boldly proclaim the Gospel and live it out in our day to day lives.
Peter here is without any hesitation speaking the truth so eloquently and without fear. The truth of the matter is that the Gospel will offend those who hear it because it speaks to the worst parts of you. It reveals your sinful nature and all the things that your heart values the most. Most of all, it reveals to you what separates you from God himself and fully making God the center of your life and spending eternity with Him.
However, the Gospel is not meant to bring hurt but to fill you with a sense of true hope and joy that the world cannot offer you. There are many things in this world that you will go after thinking it will bring you satisfaction and the answer to life’s problems. However, having a deep and intimate relationship with Christ will fill any void that you desire to be filled. Whether that void is to be loved, God is the answer (John 3:16). Whether it’s loneliness, God promises to never leave us nor forsake us (Hebrews 13:5). Whether its sadness, God promises to always bring joy to our hearts (Psalm 30:5). God IS the answer to all of the questions that you seek. Trust in Him and don’t shun or reject the Gospel when it is presented to you. Thank Him for the loving sacrifice that your soon took to get Him there and for the saving Grace that His death and resurrection took to give you a new life.
The excitement of Peter and the disciples, along with many others, can only be explained by one thing; Jesus indeed rose from the dead and visited with them as the scriptures say. I can think of no other reason why these men would put their lives on the line for Jesus especially after Jesus had just been killed which was the end of the story as far as they were concerned.
Notice that no evangelical work was recorded between Jesus’ and His resurrection. I would submit that this is because Jesus’ disciples were both unaware of what must happen to Jesus and they also doubted He was the messiah.
Today we have some of the same fears and doubts. We question our faith and our beliefs because we are waiting to see more proof. But it’s been my experience that those who truly seek God will find Him and there will be no lack of supernatural evidence to convince you otherwise. Give God a try and see if He doesn’t turn your life upside-down. I know He did for me.
[Featured image from dailybiblememe.com]