Good News: Christ is Risen

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Scripture: Acts 2:22-24 (ESV)

22 “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.

Devotion:

            In todays meditation on the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and its meaning in the 21st century we find an early recitation of the gospel. Luke, the author, uses the voice of Pater to begin setting forth the truth of Jesus’ life on this earth. He tells of the miracles, signs, and wonders Jesus performed and which the original hearers of Peter’s words would have been familiar. This indicates to us that the name and actions of Jesus were well known among the people in the weeks following his death and resurrection. This fact is a challenge for us as 21st century Christians to make Jesus known to our friends and neighbors.

            We have in this passage a reaffirmation of both the ultimate sovereignty of God and the free will of man. Pontius Pilate had a choice of what he would do with Jesus. He listened to the people (the polling of his day) and ordered Jesus to be crucified. However, God was not taken by surprise by this. In fact, this was all part of his plan to rescue us from sin and death. As God does so frequently, he has taken what sinful men and women do and used it for his glory.

            Then after Jesus is dead and buried God does the ultimate miracle. God raises Jesus from the dead. Jesus predicted the resurrection of himself many times in the Gospel stories (See Matthew 16:21, 17:9, 23, 20:19, 26:32, Luke 7:22, 9:22, John 2:9, 22) so we can be sure that the facts of his death and resurrection would have been well known by his disciples and indeed all the people of Israel among whom he lived and worked. This again should encourage us to tell the basic gospel story in every way we can to everyone we can all the time we can.

Prayer:

            Lord God, the almighty and powerful God who raised Jesus from the dead. We pray that you will display your power in us and through us today. May we never be bashful about telling the wonders of our God. You, O God, have saved us from death and hell and raised us up to have new life with you in heaven. We praise you for your great power. You have been so good to us. We know we can never repay what we owe you. So, help us today to live in faithful obedience to you. Amen.

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