Day 1146: A risen saviour - Acts 13 vs 26 - 41

26-27 Brothers, children of Abraham, and you Gentiles who fear God, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent. The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus, yet in condemning Him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath. 28-30 And though they found no ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have Him executed. When they had carried out all that was written about Him, they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb. 31-32 But God raised Him from the dead, and for many days He was seen by those who had accompanied Him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now His witnesses to our people.

33-35 And now we proclaim to you the good news: What God promised our fathers He has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm: ‘You are My Son; today I have become Your Father.’ In fact, God raised Him from the dead, never to see decay. As He has said: ‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings promised to David.’ So also, He says in another Psalm: ‘You will not let Your Holy One see decay.’ 36-37 For when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep. His body was buried with his fathers and saw decay. But the One whom God raised from the dead did not see decay.

38-39 Therefore let it be known to you, brothers, that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through Him everyone who believes is justified from everything from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses. 40-41 Watch out, then, that what was spoken by the prophets does not happen to you: ‘Look, you scoffers, wonder and perish! For I am doing a work in your days that you would never believe, even if someone told you.’” Acts 13:26-41 English Standard Version

As Peter had done on the day of Pentecost, so Paul now does for the people at Antioch Pisidia. After recapping the history of the Jews, he goes on to tell of the day that Jesus was crucified. He says that though He was innocent of any crime, He was put to death under Pontius Pilate. That is also a fact of history. Yet what was the result? (vs 31-32)

God raised Him from the dead!

This is always at the heart of the gospel. And it's not just the report of one man, or of someone's imagination. Jesus had chosen those who He would send into the world with the message of His triumph. And after His resurrection He showed himself to many of them on many occasions. So this message was now preached in Antioch Pisidia.

Paul preached the same gospel as Peter had done. He quotes from the same Psalms Peter had quoted to show that Jesus was the true Son of the Father, and that death would have no power over Him. He would never see decay. This was unlike David, to whom the promises were made, for he had died and his body underwent the natural process of decay. Like the prophets who were read every week in their synagogues, David had served God's purpose in his generation, but he was not the Messiah.

And so Paul applied his message to his hearers and said: “Let it be known that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you. Through Him everyone who believes is justified from everything from which you could not be justified by the law of Moses.” What a wonderful message! God freely and fully justifies the man or woman who believes the message he hears.

But Paul's application wasn't just a call to believe the gospel. It was also a strong warning against refusing to believe. (vs 40-41) The people of Jerusalem had, in killing Jesus, fulfilled the very words that were read to them each week. So too, those who hear the gospel now, and refuse to believe, are doomed to perish. The resurrection of Jesus is God's marvellous work. And the one who believes in the risen saviour is justified in God's sight.