This morning we continue our look at Peter's sermon on Pentecost when he presents to the world, for the first time, the gospel of Jesus Christ.
He says to the crowd at Pentecost, "Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through Him, as you yourselves know." (Acts 2:22) As much as Jesus' enemies would have liked to, they were never able to deny the miracles He performed. The best they could do was suggest He performed them by the powers of darkness. Jesus pointed out how ridiculous their accusation was when they accused Him of driving out Satan by the powers of Satan, "If Satan drives out Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand?" (Matthew 12:26) Not one enemy and not one friend ever denied the miracles. They couldn't. The miracles took place before their very eyes. The miracles were the credentials Jesus Christ presented to the world to prove He was the Anointed One---the Messiah---as foretold by the prophets of old. Peter says, "You yourselves know Jesus of Nazareth performed many miracles, wonders, and signs. This is a fact. It is also a fact that He did these things through the power of God, because He is God."
The religious leaders couldn't deny that Jesus healed the sick, cast out demons, and raised the dead. Yet they refused to believe in Him. They had Him put to death, thinking they were ridding the world of a deceiver. They congratulated themselves on having done a great deed for the nation, and Satan congratulated himself on having cut the life of Jesus short, but this was all part of God's plan from the very beginning of the creation. The religious leaders think they've accomplished their own will. Satan thinks he's accomplished his own will. But it was God's will for Christ to be betrayed and put to death. "This man was handed over to you by God's deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put Him to death by nailing Him to the cross." (Acts 2:23)
If Jesus of Nazareth had gone to the grave and remained there, how would we ever know that He spoke the truth about Himself and about the salvation available to us through Him? To prove that He is who He says He is, and to give us assurance that His sacrifice is enough to save us from all our sins, God the Father raised Him from the dead. This final and most stunning miracle of all is what makes our salvation secure. God accepted the work Christ did on our behalf, and to prove it He raised Him from the dead to be alive forevermore. "But God raised Him from the dead, freeing Him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on Him." (Acts 2:24)
Hallelujah! Death has no power over the Giver of life! The grave has no authority over the Creator who calls into existence things that do not exist. (Romans 4:17) What could be more powerful than the power of the One who created all things out of nothing? Not even a fearsome enemy like death could stand in the way of the resurrection of the Son of God. Christ rose from the dead because it was impossible for death hold Him. And because we trust in Christ for our salvation, it will be impossible for death to hold us. If we go to our graves before Christ returns for His church, no hole in the ground and no mausoleum and no cremation jar will be able to hold us when He calls our names!
Our worship song link for today is below.
I Will Rise
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