Let's turn to Acts chapter 2.
! We are taking a break from our series in Matthew for Resurrection Sunday.
! Acts chapter 2. Acts is in the New Testament.
! The second, fourth of the book.
It's the fifth book in the New Testament.
After John.
Let me pray now for the reading and preaching of God's Word.
Heavenly Father, what...
What amazing grace that...
You take sinners like us...
and adopt us as your sons and daughters.
Lord...
You are so high and lifted up.
And what grace, Lord, that you...
employ someone as lowly as me to proclaim and herald your Son, Jesus Christ.
So, Lord, grant us all...
Ears to hear.
Eyes to see.
May the words of my mouth and the meditation of all of our hearts as we listen be pleasing in your sight.
Oh, Lord, our rock and our Redeemer.
Amen.
In Jesus' name we pray.
Amen.
If you are able, please stand and join me for the reading of God's Word to honor God as He addresses us from His written Word in Acts chapter 2, verses 22 to 32.
Jude 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,
this Jesus delivered up according to the definite plan
and foreknowledge of God,
you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.
God raised him up, losing the pangs of death
because it was not possible for him to be held by it.
For David says concerning him,
I saw the Lord always before me,
for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken.
Therefore my heart was glad and my tongue rejoiced,
my flesh also will dwell in hope,
for you will not abandon my soul to Hades
or let your Holy One see corruption.
You have made known to me the paths of life.
You will make me full of gladness with your presence.
Brothers, I may say to you with confidence
about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried
and his tomb is with us to this day.
Being therefore a prophet and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him
that he would set one of his descendants on his throne,
he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ,
that he was not abandoned to Hades,
nor did his flesh see corruption.
This Jesus God raised up,
and of that we all are witnesses.
This is God's holy and authoritative word.
Please be seated.
No serious historian doubts that Jesus was a real historical figure
who lived between 6 BC and 33 AD
and was crucified by Pontius Pilate.
As Mark Allen Powell,
a professor and founding editor of the Journal for the Study of the Historical Jesus,
writes,
quote,
150 years ago,
a fairly well-respected scholar named Bruna Bauer
maintained that the historical Jesus never existed.
Anyone who says that today,
in the academic world at least,
gets grouped with the skinheads who say there was no Holocaust
and the scientific holdouts who want to believe the world is flat.
Even Bart Ehrman,
an avowed atheist and outspoken critic of Christianity
who teaches New Testament and religion
at the University of North Carolina,
writes this,
Jesus certainly existed
as virtually every competent scholar of antiquity,
Christian or non-Christian, agrees.
How else do you explain tens of thousands of ancient New Testament manuscripts
speaking of Jesus?
With Paul's letters,
included in the New Testament,
being written in the 50s and the 60s AD,
within the lifetime of Jesus' own family members,
Jesus is an unusually well-attested historical figure.
Likewise,
no serious historian doubts
the historical and cultural impact of Jesus.
Historian and sociologist Rodney Stark
puts it simply,
Western civilization would not exist
had not there been Jesus.
H.G. Wells
is today best remembered for his fictional work,
The War of the Worlds,
The Time Machine,
but during his lifetime,
his best-selling work
was actually a history book
entitled The Outline of History.
In 1935,
Wells wrote a newspaper article
entitled Greatest in History,
where he mused about
the greatest figures in human history.
And even though he was an atheist,
H.G. Wells argued that
Jesus is the single individual
who has left the most permanent impression on the world.
He writes this,
Now, it is interesting and significant
that a historian,
without any theological bias whatever,
should find that he cannot portray
the progress of humanity honestly
without giving a foremost place
to a penniless teacher from Nazareth.
Yet,
more than 1900 years later,
a historian like myself,
who does not even call himself a Christian,
finds the picture
centering irresistibly
around the life and character
of this most significant man.
It is one of the most revolutionary changes
of outlook that has ever stirred
and changed human thought.
The world began to be a different world
from the day that doctrine was preached.
Maybe you've seen the widely circulated quote
of uncertain origin,
probably an excerpt from an otherwise forgotten sermon
from an unknown preacher like me.
It's entitled, usually,
The Greatest Man in History.
Jesus had no servants,
yet they called him master.
He had no degrees,
yet they called him teacher.
Had no medicines,
yet they called him healer.
He had no army,
yet kings feared him.
He won no military battles,
yet he conquered the world.
He did not live in a castle,
yet they called him Lord.
He ruled no nations,
yet they called him king.
He committed no crime,
yet they crucified him.
He was buried in a tomb,
and yet he lives today.
The tiny group of Jesus' disciples
around 40 AD
spread from Jerusalem
all the way to Turkey,
Asia Minor, Greece,
Rome, Ethiopia, Egypt,
as far as Spain and India
by the end of the first century.
Historians estimate
that the number of Christians
grew by 40% every decade.
And by the fourth century,
they numbered in the millions,
and since then,
Christianity has remained
the world's largest religion
for 1,700 years straight.
The cultural and intellectual impact
of all the followers of Christ
is incalculable.
This one man, Jesus,
from the no-name town of Nazareth,
as it says in verse 22,
had a singular, unparalleled impact
and influence on this world.
He is the pivot
upon which world history turns
from before Christ
to Anno Domini,
the year of our Lord, AD.
And his followers,
as their detractors once said
in Acts 17, 6,
have turned the world upside down.
Who is this man?
Acts chapter 2, 22 to 41,
which we just read,
teaches us that Jesus Christ
is the risen Lord
to whom we bear witness.
We're going to first see
how he was attested by God
and then delivered up by God
and then raised by God
from the dead
and then finally
that he is witnessed to by men.
Peter says in his sermon
in verse 22,
man 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.
Peter addresses men of Israel,
but this is what grammarians
call the generic usage
of the word man,
which is inclusive
of both men and women.
We know this for a fact
because a few verses earlier,
in verses 17 to 18,
Peter confirmed
that there were both
sons and daughters,
male servants
and female servants
in the audience
that received the gift
of the Holy Spirit.
But Peter's choice
of the word men
puts extra emphasis
on the introduction
of Jesus
as a man
attested to you
by God.
In other words,
Jesus was a man
just like you all.
He was truly,
really human
like the rest of us.
This is the reality
of Jesus' incarnation.
The Son of God
became a Son of Man.
He took on human flesh.
He has a real earthly hometown
called Nazareth,
and He has a real earthly
human mother called Mary.
As Hebrews 2.17 says,
in order to represent humanity
and save humanity,
Jesus had to become human
in every respect.
In the same way
that sin and condemnation
and death
came into the world
through one man, Adam.
So the free gift
of God's grace
and righteousness
and justification
and eternal life
can only come
through a man,
the one man,
Jesus Christ.
But this humanity
and manhood of Jesus
is brought into sharp relief
by what?
By this remarkable fact
that He was a man
attested to you
by God.
To attest
is to demonstrate
or to prove something.
Men who write books
need other men
to write endorsements
on the back cover.
Men who publish
academic articles
need to be peer-reviewed
in order to be credible.
Men who are doctors
need degrees
from medical schools
attesting that they are
qualified to practice.
Men who would be lawyers
need to pass
the bar exam
administered to
by other men
in order to be licensed.
We all seek out
recommendation letters
and references
in job applications
because we need
other people
to attest
to our credentials.
But Jesus
needs
no attestation
from man
because He
was attested
to us
by God.
He says in
John 2, 24
that Jesus
on His part
did not entrust
Himself to man
because He knew
all people
and needed no one
to bear witness
about man.
Jesus did not
seek approval
or commendation
from people
because He
didn't need it.
Jesus said
in John 5, 37
the Father
who sent me
has Himself
borne witness
about me.
God Himself
testified
to the kind of man
that Jesus is.
God Himself
put His stamp
of approval
on Jesus
by doing mighty works
and signs
and wonders
through Him.
try to put yourself
in the shoes
of people
listening to
Peter's sermon
in the first century.
Notice that Peter
doesn't even attempt
to prove
that Jesus did
signs and wonders
and miracles.
Imagine
if you were
trying to make up
you know
if you were
a charlatan
let's say
trying to sell
some fake
miracle drug
that's a panacea
to cure all things
wouldn't you
then invent
fantastic stories
and hire people
to write
fake reviews
online
and to provide
fake testimonials
but Peter
makes no attempt
to prove
that Jesus
did mighty works
and wonders
and signs.
Why?
Because He
doesn't need to.
Jesus did
all of them
out in the open
in plain sight
of the public.
So Peter
simply says
a man
attested to you
by God
with mighty works
and wonders
and signs
that God
did through
Him
in your
midst
as you
already
know.
The crowds
have already
been
witnesses
of Jesus'
miracles
themselves.
So Peter
doesn't need
to call up
oh hey
Mary
remember
Jesus
cast out
seven demons
from you
come here
share your
testimony
for Lazarus
come up here
remember
he raised
you from the
dead
I mean
maybe you
don't remember
that
because you
were dead
but you
came back
to life
remember
come tell
everybody
what happened
it's
redundant
the crowds
are themselves
witnesses
of Jesus'
mighty works
and wonders
and signs
it's fascinating
that when you
read the gospel
narratives
and you see
the clash
between Jesus
and the Jewish
leaders
Jesus'
naysayers
the Jewish
leaders
who opposed
him
never questioned
that Jesus
did miracles
miracles
they only
ever questioned
how Jesus
did those
miracles
for example
they argued
that the
miraculous powers
at work
in Jesus
were because
he was in
league with
the prince
of demons
that was
their accusation
Jesus doing
miracles
he's like
yeah yeah
he's doing
miracles
but it's
because he's
in concert
with the prince
of demons
which doesn't
make any sense
why would
the prince
of demons
help Jesus
cast out
demons
we see
that same
assumption
even in
the non-biblical
historical
accounts
of Jesus'
life
the first
century
Jewish
historian
Josephus
who did
not believe
in Jesus
as the
Messiah
writes this
about this
time
there lived
Jesus
he was
one who
wrought
surprising
feats
and was
a teacher
of such
people
as
accept
the truth
gladly
he won
over many
Jews
and many
of the
Greeks
some other
translations
render surprising
feats
wondrous
feats
it's a
reference
to signs
and wonders
to miracles
similarly
Chalcis
a second
century
Greek
philosopher
who debated
Origen
who was a
Christian
minister
debated him
extensively
and wrote
a comprehensive
tract
against
Christianity
he said
this
Jesus
performed
miracles
by means
of
magic
notice
once again
that he
takes for
granted
that Jesus
performed
miracles
because the
fact in
that day
and age
was indisputable
and therefore
it was fruitless
to argue
against it
instead
he dismisses
the miracles
as being
performed
by means
of Egyptian
magic
that's what
he attributes
it to
Jesus
was attested
to you
by God
himself
through the
signs
the mighty
works
and the
signs
and the
wonders
he did
through him
there are
people who
come to
church
sometimes
to critique
and to
evaluate
and to
judge
the
teachings
and
claims
of
Jesus
Christ
but
Jesus
does
not
need
the
attestation
or approval
of any
man
I once
heard a story
and I've
shared this
with the
church
a long
time
ago
before
I once
heard a
story
about
college
art
students
who took
a trip
to Paris
to visit
the Louvre
the world's
largest
museum
they were
examining
a famous
masterpiece
I wasn't
told exactly
what it
was
maybe
a Da Vinci
or a
Raphael
or Rembrandt
when one
of the
students
who was
evidently
immature
and arrogant
began
to rant
and criticize
the
painting
the
professor
that was
leading
the
group
grew
impatient
and
after
losing
his
patience
he
rebuked
the
student
saying
this
is
an
undisputed
masterpiece
by one
of the
greatest
masters
in history
the
artistic
superiority
of this
painting
was
established
400
years
ago
and
is
no
longer
open
to
judgment
it
is
not
the
painting
but
your
taste
that
is
open
to
judgment
and
has
not
been
found
lacking
Jesus
himself
does
not
need
your
or
my
attestation
but
what
we
make
of
Jesus
means
a
great
deal
for
us
because
it's
a matter
of
eternal
life
or
eternal
death
in
hell
Jesus
was
attested
to
by
God
and
he
was
delivered
up
by
God
this
Jesus
Peter
continues
in
verse
23
delivered
up
according
to
the
definite
plan
and
foreknowledge
of
God
you
crucified
and
killed
by
the
hands
of
lawless
men
in
his
description
of
Jesus
trial
in
Luke
22
to
23
Luke
who
is
also
the
author
of
the
book
of
Acts
which
we
were
just
reading
paints
the
Jewish
leadership
as
being
the
driving
force
of
Jesus
condemnation
and
crucifixion
and
here
since
he
is
speaking
to
the
Jews
who
were
in
Jerusalem
at
the
time
he
holds
them
responsible
for
Jesus
death
and
he
says
you
crucified
and
killed
him
it's
possible
that
some
of
the
people
who
were
in
the
crowd
at
the
time
of
Peter's
preaching
were
part
of
the
very
mob
that
weeks
earlier
were
yelling
crucify
Jesus
crucify
him
but
the
Jews
are
not
solely
responsible
for
Jesus
death
Peter
says
you
crucified
and
killed
by
the
hands
of
lawless
men
the
phrase
lawless
men
does
not
merely
mean
immoral
men
or
law
breaking
men
it's
referring
to
those
who
are
outside
the
law
in
other
words
from
a
Jewish
perspective
the
Gentiles
the
Jews
at
that
time
were
under
Roman
rule
and
did
not
have
the
authority
therefore
to
execute
capital
punishment
so
they
relied
on
Pontius
Pilate
the
Roman
governor
and
he
authorized
Jesus
execution
and
the
Roman
soldiers
carried
!
it
out
and
even
though
both
Jews
and
Gentiles
are
the
approximate
or
immediate
cause
of
Jesus
death
they
are
not
the
ultimate
cause
we
see
this
in
verse
23
this
Jesus
delivered
up
according
to
whose
plan
the
definite
plan
and
foreknowledge
of
God
himself
there's
a
wonderful
interplay
here
between
human
responsibility
and
divine
sovereignty
on
the
one
hand
the
Bible
repeatedly
puts
the
blame
for
the
unjust
execution
of
Jesus
on
wicked
sinful
men
in
Acts
5
30
Peter
and
the
apostles
say
to
Jewish
council
you
killed
him
by
hanging
him
on
a
tree
but
on
the
other
hand
the
Bible
also
repeatedly
says
that
Jesus
death
on
the
cross
was
precisely
according
to
God's
definite
!
plan
Romans
3
25
says
God
put
Jesus
forward
as a
propitiation
by
his
blood
Romans
8
32
says
God
did
not
spare
!
Isaiah
53
10
prophesied
that
it was
the
will
of
the
Lord
to
crush
his
son
Jesus
and put
him
to
grief
these
dual
realities
offer
wonderful
comforts
to us
if we
understand
it
if the
greatest
injustice
in human
history
the
most
heinous
evil
the
worst
abuse
ever
perpetrated
by
mankind
the
crucifixion
of the
innocent
blameless
perfectly
righteous
son
of
God
if
that
turns
out
for
our
salvation
and
redemption
and
the
glory
of
God
then
even
the
most
acute
suffering
in
your
life
and
even
the
deepest
disappointments
of your
life
and
even
the
hardest
losses
that
you
experienced
in
this
life
can
turn
out
for
good
that
is
in
fact
what
God
promises
in
Romans
8
32
as
Lauren
shared
earlier
for
those
who
love
God
all
things
work
together
for
good
for
those
who
are
called
according
to
his
purpose
no
matter
the
injustices
and
sufferings
that
you
endure
at
the
hands
of
sinful
men
in
this
broken
world
we
can
rest
assured
that
all
that
is
happening
according
to
the
definite
plan
and
foreknowledge
of
God
and
that
what
wicked
people
intend
for
evil
against
you
God
himself
intends
for
good
for
the
good
of
all
those
who
love
him
but
let's
not
move
past
the
shock
of
this
truth
too
quickly
why
would
God
deliver
up
to be
killed
the
very
man
that
he
has
attested
to
himself
why
would
God
plan
to
have
his
only
son
Jesus
Christ
crushed
and
put
to
grief
why
would
the
loving
father
the
loving
heavenly
father
do
that
the
answer
to
answer
the
question
we
must
understand
two
attributes
of
God
first
God
is
holy
and
just
and
therefore
must
punish
sin
and
evil
Romans
3
21
to
26
says
that
it
would
be
unjust
and
unrighteous
of
God
to
pass
over
sins
without
punishing
them
we
make
light
of
mercy
and
clemency
until
we're
the
victims
of
grave
injustice
and
then
we
all
cry
out
for
justice
only
a
corrupt
judge
turns
a
blind
eye
to
evil
so
Nahum
1
2
says
the
Lord
is
avenging
and
wrathful
the
Lord
takes
vengeance
on
his
adversary
and
keeps
wrath
for
his
enemies
Habakkuk
1
13
says
of
God
you
are
a
pure
eyes
God
bent
to
see
evil
and
cannot
look
at
wrong
Ecclesiastes
12
14
says
God
will
bring
every
deed
into
judgment
with
every
secret
thing
whether
good
or
evil
what
despicable
thing
have you
done
in
secret
maybe
you've
stolen
something
that
doesn't
belong
to
you
maybe
you've
shoplifted
or
you've
been
less
than
honest
fully
honest
in
your
taxes
maybe
you've
pirated
movies
maybe
you've
cheated
on
your
partner
if
not
in
physical
adultery
by
viewing
porn
on
the
internet
in
your
private
window
or
staring
lustfully
at
passerbys
your
entire
life
is
completely
open
to
God
and
not
only
for
what
you
have
done
Jesus
says
in
Matthew
12
36
I
tell
you
on
the
day
of
judgment
people
will
give
account
for
every
careless
word
they
speak
you
will
be
judged
for
every
careless
word
you
speak
how
many
times
have
you
said
something
mean
and
harsh
and
said
oh
I
didn't
mean
that
I
take
it
back
you'll
be
judged
for
that
careless
word
because
words
are
like
paint
you
can't
unsay
your
words
any more
than you
can
unspill
paint
and
clean
up
is
messy
in
both
cases
how
many
times
have
you
angrily
berated
someone
or
sarcastically
mocked
them
putting
them
down
a
notch
so
you
could
elevate
yourself
a
notch
how
many
times
have
you
uncharitably
gossiped
about
someone
else
you
will
be
judged
for
every
careless
word
you
speak
and
not
only
for
what
you
have
said
Hebrews
4
12
says
that
God
discerns
the
thoughts
and
intentions
of
the
heart
maybe
you
did
some
good
thing
or
said
some
nice
thing
to
somebody
but
really
in
your
heart
of
hearts
you
had
selfish
motives
you
were
doing
it
to
impress
other
people
to
make
it
seem
like
you
are
a
better
person
than
you
actually
are
you
were
doing
it
to
elevate
your
social
standing
before
others
by
flattery
God
sees
peers
into
all
of
that
all
the
ugly
hidden
thoughts
of
your
heart
the
secret
lustful
fantasies
the
bitterness
and resentment
that you
harbor in your
heart
toward
others
the
arrogant
self
absorbed
way
that you
think
yourself
better
than
others
smarter
than
others
nicer
than
others
better
looking
than
others
cooler
than
others
more
spiritual
than
others
God
sees
all
of
it
it's
a
fearful
thought
when
you
look
at
me
on
Easter
Sunday
you
see
my
Sunday
best
clothes
and
it
seems
like
oh
he's
the
pastor
he's
so
holy
righteous
but
if
you
could
see
all
the
sins
of
my
past
the
sinful
deeds
of
my
hands
the
sinful
words
of
my
mouth
the
sinful
thoughts
of
my
heart
you
would
be
repulsed
by
me
I
am
repulsed
by
me
and
if
my
sins
repulse
even
other
fellow
sinners
no
disrespect
but
you
are
no
better
than
me
how
much
more
than
the
perfect
holy
God
the
thought
of
all
my
secret
sins
lying
fully
exposed
before
the
searching
eyes
of
our
holy
God
makes
me
want
to
crawl
under
a
rock
like
a
writhing
dirty
worm
God
is a
pure
eyes
than
to
see
evil
he
cannot
stand
to
look
at
me
in
all
my
sinful
squalor
God
is
holy
and
just
but
that
is not
the only
attribute
of God
we must
understand
if God
were merely
holy
and just
then the
solution
would be
quite
simple
he
could
crush
all of
us
ruined
miserable
sinners
under
his
fiery
just
holy
wrath
and it
would
all
be
over
but
God
doesn't
do that
because
of a
second
divine
attribute
that's
God's
love
and
mercy
the
Bible
everywhere
declares
that God
is love
and that
his
steadfast
love
and
patience
towards
sinners
restrains
his
righteous
anger
towards
sinners
God
says
to
his
sinful
people
in
Hosea
11
8
to
9
that
even
as
his
righteous
wrath
burns
against
them
because
of
their
idolatry
and
sin
he
says
to
them
my
heart
recoils
within
me
my
compassion
grows
warm
and
tender
I
will
not
execute
my
burning
anger
Ephesians
2
4
says
that
God
being
rich
in
mercy
because
of
the
great
love
with
which
he
loved
us
even
when
we
were
dead
in
our
trespasses
made
us
alive
together
with
Christ
the
greatness
of
God's
love
and
the
richness
of
his
mercy
move
God
to
intervene
on
behalf
of
sinners
his
love
propels
him
to
send
his
son
to
be
the
propitiation
for
our
sins
as it
said
in
1
John
4
10
to
be
the
atoning
sacrifice
for
our
sins
so
then
on
the
one
hand
God
is
just
and
must
punish
sinners
for
their
sin
but
on
the
other
hand
God
loves
sinners
and
desires
to
show
them
mercy
and
these
twin
realities
intention
produce
a
consequent
necessity
the
wages
of sin
is
death
it
says
in
Romans
6
23
it
is
the
blood
that
makes
atonement
by the
life
says
in
Leviticus
17
11
for
this
reason
without
the
shedding
of
blood
there
is
no
forgiveness
of
sins
Hebrews
9
22
once
we
have
sinned
and
we
all
have
and
we
have
inherited
Adam's
original
sin
the
atoning
sacrifice
of
Jesus
on
the
cross
becomes
an
absolute
consequent
necessity
because
God is
righteous
and
just
and
cannot
therefore
grant
sinners
pardon
like
nothing
ever
happened
and
because
God
is
loving
and
merciful
and
he
will
not
abandon
sinners
to
perdition
and
it
is
at
the
cross
of
Jesus
Christ
that
the
proverbial
immovable
object
of
God's
justice
collides
with
the
unstoppable
force
of
God's
love
and
Jesus
because
of
his
unique
person
being
both
truly
God
and
truly
man
in
the
one
person
he's
the
only
one
who
can
secure
the
forgiveness
of
sins
for
all
humanity
Jesus
is
the
only
one
who
can
die
as
the
substitutionary
sacrifice
for
our
sins
and
in
his
death
the
immovable
requirement
of
God's
righteousness
and
justice
is
fully
satisfied
and
the
inexorable
love
of
God
that
he's
willing
to
pay
the
highest
cost
of
giving
up
his
own
son
his
beloved
!
Son
is
fully
displayed
on
that
cross
with
remarkable
specificity
Isaiah 53
prophesied about
how
Jesus
the
Christ
the
Messiah
would
die
as
the
substitutionary
sacrifice
for
our
sins
this
was
written
700
years
before
Christ
but
he
was
pierced
for our
transgressions
he
was
crushed
for our
iniquities
upon
him
was
a
chastisement
that brought
us
peace
and
with
his
wounds
we
are
healed
all
we
like
sheep
have
gone
astray
we
have
turned
everyone
to
his
own
way
and
the
Lord
has
laid
on
him
the
iniquity
of
us
all
at
the
cross
the
judge
takes
the
place
of
the
accused
at
the
cross
the
master
takes
the
place
of
the
slave
the
holy
one
takes
the
place
of
sinners
the
healer
takes
the
place
of
the
sick
the
Lord
of
life
takes
the
place
of
those
who
are
dead
in
their
sins
and
this
is
why
Jesus
was
delivered
up
according
to
the
definite
plan
and
foreknowledge
of
God
to be
crucified
and
killed
but
Jesus
did not
stay
dead
verse
24
says
God
raised
him
up
losing
the
pangs
of
death
because
it
was
not
possible
for
him
to
be
held
by
it
the
words
losing
and
held
teach
us
that
death
is a
form
of
captivity
it
binds
people
it
holds
people
like a
supermax
prison
the
gates
of
Hades
which
is
a
metaphor
for
death
the
gates
of
Hades
the
realm
of
the
dead
the
gates
of
Hades
clamp
down
upon
its
captives
like
a
great
white
shark's
teeth
upon
its
prey
and
once
it
has
taken
hold
of
you
it
never
lets
go
over
the
many
millennia
of
human
history
death
has
kept
over
100
billion
people
in
its
captivity
and
no
one
who
has
ever
died
has
escaped
its
chains
permanently
even
the
few
who
had
been
miraculously
raised
by
God
from
the
dead
eventually
succumbed
to
death
again
because
that
is
our
human
destiny
as
people
who
have
sinned
and
rebelled
against
our
God
but
God
raised
Jesus
up
losing
the
pangs
of
death
the
word
pangs
is
literally
pains
of
childbirth
that's
what
that
word
means
it's
a
Greek
word
that
means
that
birth
pains
it's
the
word
that
Jesus
used
to
describe
the
birth
pains
that
precede
the
consummation
of the
messianic
kingdom
throughout
his
gospels
it's
an
ironic
mixed
metaphor
the
tomb
of
death
in the
case
like
the
womb
of
life
like
a
womb
that
goes
into
labor
cannot
hold
back
the
baby
the
tomb
of
Jesus
could
not
hold
Jesus
down
and
why
did
this
happen
because
it
says
in
verse
24
it
was
not
possible
for
Jesus
to
be
held
by
death
why
was
it
impossible
for
death
to
hold
him
Peter
explains
by
citing
psalm
16
8
to
11
which
if
you're
reading
following
along
in
the
church
bible
reading
plan
that
we're
doing
you
read
just
this
past
week
he
says
in
verses
25
to
28
for
David
says
concerning
him
I
saw
the
Lord
always
before
me
for
he
is
at
my
right
hand
that
I
may
not
be
shaken
therefore
my
heart
was
glad
and
my
tongue
rejoiced
my
flesh
also
will
dwell
in
hope
for
you
will
not
abandon
my
soul
to
Hades
or
let
your
holy
one
see
corruption
you
have
made
known
to
me
the
paths
of
life
you
will
make
me
full
of
gladness
with
your
presence
this
is
a
psalm
where
King
David
in
about
1000
BC
asks
God
for
protection
from
mortal
threats
that he's
facing
and he
ends up
expressing
his
confidence
in
God's
deliverance
by
saying
for
you
will
not
abandon
my
soul
to
Hades
or
let
your
holy
one
see
corruption
but
Peter
as well
as
the
apostle
Paul
apostle
Peter
and
Paul
later
writing
in
Acts
13
35
interpret
this
psalm
to
be
about
Jesus
is
the
antitype
or
David
is
the
type
or
the
foreshadowing
or
a
prefigurement
of
Jesus
the
messianic
king
Peter
explains
his
reasoning
further
in
verses
19
to
31
brothers
I
may
say
to
you
with
confidence
about
the
patriarch
David
that
he
both
died
and
was
buried
and
his
tomb
is
with
us
to
this
day
being
therefore
a
prophet
and
knowing
that
God
had
sworn
with
an
oath
to
him
that
he
would
set
one
of
his
descendants
on
his
throne
he
foresaw
and
spoke
about
the
resurrection
of
the
Christ
that
he
was
not
abandoned
to
Hades
nor
did
his
flesh
see
corruption
so
David
in
his
context
was
delivered
from
the
mortal
threats
that
he
was
facing
but
his
deliverance
was
only
temporary
because
later
he
died
of
old
age
like
the
rest
of
us
1
Kings
2
10
tells
us
clearly
he
was
buried
in
the
city
of
David
and
you
could
actually
go
visit
it
in
Jerusalem
his
body
is
by now
thoroughly
decomposed
and
for this
reason
Peter
argues
that
David
could
not
have
been
the
ultimate
referent
of
that
prophecy
in
Psalm
16
rather
David
himself
was
speaking
prophetically
of a
messianic
king
who
would
come
from
his
dynastic
line
who
will
overcome
death
once
and
for
all
Jesus
descended
to
the
dead
as
the
apostles
creed
says
he
went
down
to
Hades
however
his
soul
was
not
abandoned
there
not
abandoned
to
Sheol
not
abandoned
to
Hades
nor
did
his
flesh
see
corruption
death
could
not
hold
him
why
because
he
was
the
prophesied
son
of
David
the
messianic
king
to
whom
God
had
given
his
promise
the
unbreakable
word
you
will
not
abandon
my
soul
to
Hades
or
let
your
holy
one
see
corruption
death
could
not
hold
him
because
Jesus
is
the
author
of
life
he
is
the
son
of
God
the
second
person
of
the
trinity
and
our
God
is
not
God
of
the
dead
but
of
the
living
death
could
not
hold
him
because
Jesus
was
the
sinless
and
blameless
lamb
of
God
and
death
is
the
consequence
and
wage
of
sin
so
then
what
right
and
power
and
authority
does
death
have
to
hold
Jesus
down
who
knew
no
sin
in
C.S.
Lewis
famous
novel
The Lion
the Witch
and the
Wardrobe
Aslan
the Lion
hands
himself
over
to the
white
witch
to die
in the
stead
of
Edmund
Pevensey
his name
lives on
in infamy
the traitor
who betrayed
all of
Narnia
and the
children
of
Adam
the
glorious
majestic
king
Aslan
sacrifices
himself
and is
brutally
killed
and
humiliated
atop
the
ancient
stone
table
I
remember
all of
my
girls
the
youngest
one
hasn't
read it
yet
but
all
of
my
older
two
girls
when
they
read
this
they
all
cried
in
that
chapter
and
they
asked
me
desperately
is
he
really
dead
but
how
can
Aslan
die
but
the
white
witch
was
not
aware
of
the
deeper
magic
from
before
the
dawn
of
time
C.S.
Lewis
writes
when
a
willing
victim
who
had
committed
no
treachery
was
killed
in
a
traitor's
stead
the
stone
table
would
crack
and
death
itself
would
start
working
backward
when
the
sinless
son
of the
high
king
of
heaven
descended
to
the
dead
death
itself
stared
at
him
aghast
the
heart
of
death
filled
with
horror
and
its
face
became
ashen
with
fear
and
the
gates
of
Hades
fled
before
him
and
flung
open
it
had
finally
met
a
champion
that
he
could
not
hold
down
as
Hebrews
2
14
to
15
says
Jesus
died
that
through
death
he
might
destroy
the
one
who
has
a
power
of
death
that
is
the
devil
and
deliver
all
those
who
through
fear
of
death
were
subject
to
lifelong
slavery
in
the
death
of
Christ
death
itself
is
dealt
a
mortal
blow
and
death
itself
starts
working
backward
when
the
sinless
one
died
the
death
that
he
did
not
deserve
in
the
place
of
sinners
like
you
and
me
he
crashed
the
system
and
the
law
of
slavery
and
sin
and
death
started
becoming
undone
the
sting
of
death
is
sin
and
the
power
sin
is
the
law
but
thanks
be
to
God
who
gives
us
the
victory
through
our
Lord
Jesus
Christ
Romans
5
25
says
that
Jesus
was
delivered
up
for
our
trespasses
and
raised
for
our
justification
dens
as
Christians
died for
our
sins
but
if
Jesus
had
stayed
dead
it
would
mean
that
him
substituting
himself
for
us
for
sinners
it didn't work.
It would mean that his sacrifice
was not accepted by God the Father, the judge.
It would mean that we could not be justified.
It would mean that death swallowed him up
like all the other people
that swallowed up before him
and that no man and no woman
can ever escape from the teeth of its iron gates.
But praise be to God
that death could not hold him.
We know that Christ being raised from the dead
will never die again.
Death no longer has dominion over him.
Dear saints of God,
this morning do you feel disheartened
by your struggles with sin?
Does it seem to you that your sin
continually gets the better of you,
mastery over you?
Fear not.
Our champion has wrestled and won.
Christ is risen.
His righteousness is counted as ours
for all those who have put their faith in Jesus Christ.
The risen Lord Jesus Christ declares
in Revelation 1, 17 to 18,
fear not.
I am the first and the last
and the living one.
I died.
And behold,
I am alive forevermore
and I have the keys of death and Hades.
Haven't we all wrestled with the pain of death?
Some of you have suffered the heartbreak
of miscarriages,
the loss of grandparents
and uncles and aunts,
even parents and siblings.
But beloved,
death is not the final word.
When our risen Lord returns in glory
and raises the dead,
we will join him in song
and taunt death with the words
that we read earlier.
Death is swallowed up in victory.
Oh death,
where is your victory?
Oh death,
where is your sting?
And then we shall live forever with God,
body and soul made whole
in the fullness of resurrection glory.
And this wonderful promise
is held out for every single one of you today.
For you to receive and grab hold of.
A few verses after our passage,
Peter says in verses 38 to 39,
repent and be baptized every one of you
in the name of Jesus Christ
for the forgiveness of your sins
and you will receive the gift
of the Holy Spirit
for the promise is for you
and for your children
and for all who are far off,
everyone whom the Lord our God
calls to himself.
That includes you.
The phrase for your children
indicates generational extent.
This promise was not merely
for Peter's audience
in the first century
but intended for every
subsequent generation.
The phrase for all who are far off
indicates geographical extent.
This salvation is not only
for those who were in Jerusalem
at the time
but to all those
and it will reach
to the ends of the earth.
And Peter caps it off
with an allusion to Joel 2.32
in verse 39,
everyone whom the Lord our God
calls to himself
will be saved.
Only those whom the Lord our God
calls to himself
can receive this promise
and be saved
but who are those people
that God calls to himself?
Peter told us earlier
in verse 21,
everyone who calls upon
the name of the Lord
shall be saved.
Once again,
there's a beautiful interplay
between divine sovereignty
and human responsibility.
It is not our place
to know whom God
has called to himself.
It is our place
and it is our responsibility
to call upon his name.
And if you speak the name
of Jesus Christ
into the void
and the despair
and the night of your life,
he will answer
and you will be saved.
So will you call upon
the name of Jesus Christ
and be saved today?
Today.
If you're visiting us
this morning
and you are not yet
a follower of Christ,
we all,
as a church,
collectively bear witness
to you this morning.
As it says in verse 32,
this Jesus God raised up
and of that
we all are witnesses.
Do you know
that the New Testament
contains numerous accounts
of people doubting
the resurrection
of Jesus Christ?
It makes you wonder, right?
I mean,
if you're a Christian
writing this,
why would you include that
in the Gospels?
When Jesus,
when the Jesus' disciples
meet him
after his resurrection
on mountain in Galilee,
it says that some doubted
in Matthew 20, 17.
Upon hearing the woman's report
of an empty tomb
and the angelic vision
that Jesus has risen
from the dead,
the disciples,
the apostles,
dismiss it as an idle tale
in Luke 24, 11.
When Jesus first appears
to them in Luke 24,
they think they're startled,
they think that
they're seeing a ghost.
In John 20, 24 to 29,
famously,
Thomas doubts,
he's one of the 12 apostles,
doubts that Jesus
was raised from the dead
and says,
unless I see in his hands
the mark of the nails
and place my finger
into the mark of the nails
and place my hand
into his side,
I will never believe.
Why does the Bible
include these accounts
of doubt?
One, it tells us
that the Bible
is a truthful account.
It's not trying
to put one over you.
It's telling you
what really happened.
And two,
this tells us
that people back then
did not believe
that people rose
from the dead
any more than you
and I do today.
So don't get into
this false idea
that, oh, people back then
knew nothing
and so they're foolish
and gullible
and so they believe
in the resurrection
like crazy stories
like this,
but we nowadays
know better.
Absolutely not.
People 2,000 years ago
knew very, very, very well
that people don't
rise from the dead.
That's why some of them doubt.
And Jesus' resurrection
is not a myth
or a metaphor.
It's the fact
of history
as real
as his death
on the cross.
And this is
a distinguishing mark
of Christianity
compared to other
major religions
in the world.
Islam began
with private visions
that Muhammad
had in a cave.
Can anybody
historically verify
that he had that?
No.
It's a private vision.
Siddhartha Gautama,
Buddha,
developed his teachings
from his internal
philosophical meditations
and musings.
Can anybody
objectively verify
the truth
of his claims?
No.
But Christianity
makes historical claims.
This Jesus
God raised up
and of that
we all are witnesses.
This is a historical claim
that is either true
or false.
And the entirety
of Christianity
depends upon it.
Paul wrote
in 1 Corinthians 15,
14,
if Christ has not
been raised
then our preaching
is in vain
and your faith
is in vain.
We are those
who have staked
our lives
on the truth
that Jesus
was raised
from the dead.
And generation
after generation
Christian sins
have been bearing
witness to the
resurrection of Jesus.
Jesus.
According to
third century
pastor and theologian
Origen
as well as
church historian
Eusebius
and many others
all twelve apostles
except for John
were martyred
while bearing witness
to this risen Lord.
Peter,
the first apostle
bore witness
to Jesus
from Jerusalem
all the way
to modern day Turkey
and then he was
crucified
by Emperor Nero
after bearing
witness in Rome.
James
bore witness
to Christ
throughout Judea
and was killed
by King Herod Agrippa
the first.
He was the first
apostle to be killed.
John
bore witness
to Jesus
throughout Asia
until he was
exiled to Patmos
under the persecutions
of Emperor Domitian.
If he hadn't
been out of sight
out of mind
in the island of Patmos
he probably would
have been killed too
but he died
in exile.
Andrew
bore witness
to Jesus
as far as
modern day Ukraine
southern Russia
and Kazakhstan
and then was
crucified in Patras
Greece.
Bartholomew
bore witness
to Jesus
as far as
modern day
India
and Armenia
where he was
flayed to death
for his faith.
James
the son of
Alphaeus
bore witness
to Jesus
as far as
Egypt
where he was
crucified
for his faith.
Judas
the son of
James
also known
as Jude
or Thaddeus
bore witness
to Jesus
in Iran
Syria
and Lebanon
where he was
beheaded
for his faith.
Matthew
bore witness
to Jesus
as far as
modern day Sudan
and church
tradition holds
that he too
was martyred.
Philip
bore witness
to Jesus
as far as
modern day Greece
Syria
and Turkey
where he was
beheaded
for his faith.
Simon
the zealot
bore witness
to Jesus
as far as
Mauritania
Libya
and Britain
where he was
crucified.
Thomas
the doubting
Thomas
that I mentioned
earlier
bore witness
to Jesus
as far
east as
India
where he too
was martyred.
Matthias
the last
apostle
to be appointed
to replace
Judas Iscariot
bore witness
to Jesus
in modern day
Azerbaijan
and Armenia
and Georgia
where he was
stoned to death.
Generation
after generation
people have
died
claiming that
Jesus rose
from the dead
and to that
we are all
witnesses.
Let's pray
together.
Let's pray
together.
Heavenly Father
please grant
the gift
of saving
faith
and knowledge
of Jesus
Christ
to all
those here
who do not
know you.
And Lord
please
refresh
and rejoice
your saints
in the hope
of the resurrection
this morning
and embolden
us
to be
witnesses
of our
lizard
Lord
Jesus
Christ
wherever
you
have
placed
us
in this
life.
In
Jesus name
we pray.
Amen.
Thank you.