Peter Proclaims Jesus’s Resurrection Power

Acts 2:22–36
» View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway)

Can you imagine how it would have felt to realize the Lord was the same One you had crucified 50 days earlier? It would be very much as if you went down to apply for a job, and on the way you got into an automobile accident. And when the other driver got out, you started beating … More

Resurrection

Peter proclaimed to the crowd that Jesus is Messiah (vv. 22). He insisted that the Cross was no accident, as it belonged to God’s eternal plan (v. 23), a fact that is stated multiple times in Acts (3:18; 4:28; 13:29). However, those who crucified Him were still guilty of murder (v. 23). The Jews delivered Jesus to death, and the Romans did the actual nailing of His body to the cross, but it was still His choice to die for the sins of the world. Jesus said, “No one takes my life from me. I lay it down on my own accord” (John 10:18). Death could not hold Him in its power (vv. 24-28).

Peter stressed that the resurrection was the final proof that Jesus was God’s chosen Messiah. Evidence of His resurrectioninclude: the empty tomb (vv. 29-31), the witness of the apostles (v. 32), and the presence of the Holy Spirit (vv. 33-36). Prior to the resurrection, the disciples did not believe that Jesus would be raised from the dead. After the resurrection, they were convinced, to the point that they were all willing to be imprisoned and even killed. Their witness was trustworthy. The Holy Spirit was sent to earth by the resurrected (and ascended) Jesus (John 16:7).

Peter also referred to King David throughout this section of his sermon. David was dead and buried in the city of Jerusalem (v. 29), not far off form where Peter was now preaching. David was never resurrected, nor did he ascend to heaven (v. 34), so he could not have been referring to himself in Psalm 16:8-11. Peter’s conclusion was both a declaration and an accusation: Jesus is your Messiah, but you crucified Him.

Application

Peter helped these unbelievers come to faith in Jesus by establishing the truth of the Resurrection. I’m impressed by Peter’s courage and his knowledge in these verses. It’s important that our presentation of the gospel is based on the facts, not just the feelings.

Acts 2:22-36 (English Standard Version)

Warning: MagpieRSS: Failed to parse RSS file. (Space required at line 39, column 24) in /var/www/html/familytimes/includes/magpie6-1/rss_fetch.inc on line 230

Warning: array_slice() expects parameter 1 to be array, null given in /var/www/html/familytimes/includes/rss/esvLookup.php on line 15

View this passage in NIV (Bible Gateway) »