Confirmation that Jesus is the Messiah

Transcript

GR 1582
11/07/10
Confirmation that Jesus Is the Messiah
Acts 2:22-36
Gil Rugh

We're in Acts 2 in your Bibles. The coming of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost has had a dramatic impact on the Jew gathered at Jerusalem. And following the miraculous events associated with the coming of the Spirit Peter stands before the Jews to explain to them the significance of what is taking place. And what he is going to be doing in this sermon is demonstrating and giving support from the Old Testament that Jesus is the Messiah of Israel. Now important to note, and keep this in mind, he is not saying that the kingdom has begun. And no Jew would have understood that the kingdom could have begun. And as I read different commentators they say, there is an implication here, there is a thought here. The Jews would have never had any concept of a kingdom other than the earthly kingdom the Messiah would rule over. What he is demonstrating is that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah prophesied in the Old Testament, and they must believe in Him or they will never experience His salvation and never be part of the kingdom that He will establish.

Peter began in verses 14-21 with a reference to the book of Joel and showing that what has happened with the coming of the Spirit is fulfillment of what Joel prophesied would happen in the last days. So in verse 17 we picked up that quote of Joel, it shall be in the last days says the Lord. We have to remember the expression the last days used in Old Testament passages we looked at, one of which was Isaiah 2:2, where in the last days God will establish His kingdom. The last days in Old Testament prophecy are the days of Messiah. We talked about the fact that the Old Testament prophets did not see the time gap between the first coming of Christ and the Second Coming of Christ. So the last days include events around the first coming, include events around the Second Coming, and could include events in between.

So in verses 17-18 with the coming of the Spirit are what has taken place on the Day of Pentecost with the coming of the Spirit, which is a demonstration that Jesus is the Messiah because He is the One who would bestow the Spirit on the nation. But we also noted between verses 18-19 there is a gap of about 2000 years because verses 19-20 talk about events associated with the Second Coming of Christ. Since the Old Testament prophets didn't have revealed to them the gap, they just have it unfolded together. That's not an error; the time sequence had not been revealed to them. So the wonders in the sky and on the earth and so on, they are events that surround the Second Coming, particularly the book of Revelation, that seven-year tribulation period looks at those events.

Then verse 21 that climaxes it really is true in association with the first coming, it's true in association with the Second Coming, and it's true during the entire period, from first coming to Second Coming of Christ. We'll see this when we study Romans 10, that as it was in Acts 2, so it is down through our day. Whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved. So Messianic days are days of salvation. They are days of judgment, they are days of salvation. So the Spirit has come, it is a time when whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved. And that will move us toward days of judgment and the Second Coming of Christ to earth.

Peter is now ready to show clearly that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah. And the Old Testament scriptures are clear on that, and only He can fulfill the requirement of the Old Testament scriptures. And even His death on the cross and subsequent resurrection is a fulfillment of what David prophesied. And that is crucial because David, the Davidic Covenant given to David is foundational for their coming Messiah. Well David spoke of Jesus Christ and His death and resurrection. So in verses 22-36 you have the heart of Peter's sermon, the clear presentation and demonstration from Old Testament scriptures that Jesus is the Messiah that was prophesied in the Old Testament.

So we pick up with verse 22. Men of Israel, listen to these words. And he is addressing the Jews, that is who are gathered here. Peter doesn't have a concept, as we've noted, at this time that the gospel is going to be carried beyond the Jews. So in verse 14 he addressed them as men of Judea and all you who live in Jerusalem. Now again he draws their attention. Men of Israel, listen to these words. And verses 22-24 give a summary of the life of Jesus Christ and events associated with His life, His death and His resurrection. So what happened in His life? Men of Israel, listen to these words. Jesus the Nazarene. Jesus was from Nazareth. That was His hometown. And it was common Jewish practice to identify a person from their hometown. We speak of Saul as Saul of Tarsus. Why? Because Saul, whom we know as the Apostle Paul, was from the city of Tarsus. So a way of distinguishing him from some other Sauls, he is Saul of Tarsus. Jesus the Nazarene designates Him and He is designated that way repeatedly in the gospels and through the book of Acts. There is a whole list of them; you could look them up in a concordance if you want to see that reference. So we talk about the Nazarene, Jesus the Nazarene ties Him to Nazareth, the city of Nazareth where He grew up.

He is a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know. So we move along and we are emphasizing His earthly life. The Nazarene. What was the sign that Pilate put over the cross in John 19? Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews. He is a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs. Now Peter makes clear that it was God working through Christ, doing these miraculous things, attesting to the fact that He was the Messiah of Israel. That's what the miracles demonstrated. The miracles, wonders, and signs. God was demonstrating that this is your Messiah.

Back up to Matthew 4. Jesus' ministry, verse 23, Jesus was going throughout all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, proclaiming the gospel of the kingdom and healing every kind of disease and every kind of sickness among the people. The news about Him spread throughout all Syria, they brought to Him all that were ill, those suffering with various diseases, pains. Demoniacs, epileptics, paralytics, He healed them. Large crowds followed Him from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, all over. That's going to become significant in a moment in what Peter says.

Turn over to Matthew 8:16, when evening came they brought to Him many who were demon possessed. He cast out the spirits with a word, healed all who were ill. This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, He Himself took our infirmities and carried away our diseases. Demonstrates He is the Messiah. What would the kingdom be like? It would be a time of blessing, salvation, deliverance, the curse lifted, the beasts of the field lying down together, the lion with the lamb and so on. The Messiah would free His people from all disease and all ills. This is the demonstration; this is your Messiah, Israel.

We're told that God performed these through Him because remember Philippians 2 tells us when Christ took to Himself humanity during His earthly life; He voluntarily set aside the independent use of His attributes. And so here is a display of the power of God at work through Him as the Messiah of Israel. And Peter adds there, just as you yourselves know. This is common knowledge among the Jews. It wasn't that some of the Jews knew what Jesus did but most didn't. It's just the opposite. Everybody knew who Jesus was. We saw early in His ministry that there were large crowds following Him in northern Israel, in the region of the Galilee, all the way down to the southern part in Judea and across the Jordan where some of the tribes had settled. So the whole land is covered with the knowledge of Him.

Come to John, we see the universal character of the ministry of Christ in Israel. John 2:23, when He was in Jerusalem at the Passover during the Feast many believed in His name, observing His signs which He was doing. Down in chapter 3 verse 2, Nicodemus comes to Him and says to Him, Rabbi, we know you have come from God as a teacher for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him. Clear recognition, you must be from God. There is no other explanation of the power you have to do these miracles and signs and wonders. Over in chapter 5 verse 8, Jesus heals a man, tells him to pick up his pallet and walk. The man became well, picked up his pallet and walked. Jump down to verse 16, for this reason the Jews were persecuting Jesus because He was doing these things on the Sabbath. But He answered them, My Father is working until now and I Myself am working. So you see associated the work of the Father and the word of the Son are inseparable. The Father carrying out His work through the Son. You come down to verse 36 of chapter 5, but the testimony which I have is greater than the testimony of John, for the works which the Father has given Me to accomplish, the very works that I do testify about Me, that the Father has sent Me. You see these miracles were the demonstration to Israel, this is your Messiah. He can forgive your sins, He can heal your diseases, and He can bring you salvation.

John 6:14, therefore when the people saw the sign which He had performed, another miracle, they said, this is truly the prophet who is to come into the world. Moses had prophesied that God would raise up a prophet like me, the coming Messiah would also be the prophet of God. In chapter 9 verse 32, the blind man was healed. And what is his testimony before the Jewish leaders who call him into account? Verse 32, since the beginning of time it has not been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. If this man were not from God He could do nothing. The Jewish leaders' attitude—you were entirely born in sin and are you teaching us? So they kicked him out of the synagogue. But the evidence is overwhelming. This is where Peter is. You Jews have no excuse. The evidence is overwhelming and you know it.

One more passage in John, John 11:47, therefore the chief priests and Pharisees convened a council; the leadership of Israel is meeting. They were saying what are we doing? For this man is performing many signs. They can't dispute the reality of the miracles that Christ did. And they are well aware of it. Here you are the leadership of the nation spiritually. If we let Him go on like this, all men will believe in Him and the Romans will come and take away our place and our nation. In other words they will soon declare Him king and Rome won't tolerate that. Then we'll lose our position and the nation will get destroyed. One of them, Caiaphas, who was High Priest that year said to them, you know nothing at all, nor do you take into account that it is expedient for you that one man die for the people and that the whole nation not perish. Now he did not say this on his own initiative, but being High Priest that year he prophesied that Jesus was going to die for the nation. He didn't know what he was saying. He meant one thing, God meant another. God was using him, just like He used Balaam’s ass in the Old Testament, giving truth and not understanding. And not for the nation only, but in order that He might also gather together into one the children of God who are scattered abroad.

So you come back to Acts 2. When Peter says He was attested to you by God with miracles, wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know. It would be rare the man in Israel who does not know about Jesus Christ and the miracles He has been going up and down the land performing during the three years of His ministry. You know this well.

This man, the man attested by God in your midst, this One delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God. We have been in Romans 9 talking about the sovereignty of God. You cannot understand the scripture if you don't come to some understanding of the sovereignty of God. This One, this man delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God. Let's have it straight from the beginning, it was the plan of God that He be delivered over, the predetermined and foreknowledge of God. He was delivered over to be crucified. You nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men. But foundational to this you understand this was the predetermined plan and the foreknowledge of God.

Just as God did the mighty acts through Christ, don't think you thwarted the plan of God. Don't think that the plan of God was frustrated by your rejection of Christ and subsequent crucifixion of Him. This was the predetermined plan according to His foreknowledge. And predetermined plan and foreknowledge are closely joined grammatically. We've talked about foreknowledge; it means more than God simply looking ahead into the future. Foreknowledge is part of His predetermined plan. They are inseparably joined together. And we won't take the time to look at uses of foreknowledge and foreknow, used of God and Christ in the New Testament. We've looked at that recently in our study in Romans. But it is the sovereign plan of God that was being carried out.

But I want you to note the balance here. This man delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross. And here you see the balance of God's sovereignty and man's responsibility. In God's sovereign predetermined plan Christ was crucified. You know what? You nailed Him to a cross. You can't say, it was God's plan, it's not my fault. You carried it out, you did it, it was your decision. But that was part of the predetermined plan of God. This is just presented as though the Jews would have no problem with this, and the Jews would not with their knowledge of the Old Testament. They would have recognized and understood something of the sovereignty of God and the responsibility of man. You nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. God uses the sinful desires of men to carry out His will. He doesn't make man sin, God cannot be tempted with sin nor does He ever tempt anyone to sin. James makes that clear as well as other passages of scripture, but we usually go to James for its clarity. But He uses the sinful desires of men. The Jews did what they wanted to do in their sinful rebellion against God. They wanted to silence Christ. We read the statement of Caiaphas. What are we going to do? He is doing these mighty miracles; the whole nation is turning to Him. The leader of the Jews, the religious leader, the High Priest says, don't be so stupid. We'll put Him to death. What about the impact of the miracles? I mean, what can you say? That poor blind man said this hasn't been heard of since the foundation of the world, that a blind man was given his sight. Caiaphas doesn't disagree with the mighty miracles, he just said we'll have to kill Him so that He can't do anymore. Did you ever consideration that this would be the Messiah of Israel? That is unacceptable.

So the Jews did what they wanted to do, but that was part of the predetermined plan, to use their sinful desires to accomplish His purposes. We'll be talking about this with Pharaoh in our study of Romans 9 in coming weeks.

You nailed Him to a cross by the hands of godless men. The predetermined plan of God, the action of the Jews, using the Romans. You nailed Him to a cross and you used godless men to do it. You know there is a lot of talk about being anti-Semitic, anti-Semitism today and you have to be very careful because if you say the Jews crucified Christ you are stirring animosity toward Israel. It's just a fact of history. The Bible says the Jews crucified their Messiah. That doesn't mean that therefore we ought to persecute the Jews. That would be unbiblical. I mean, to say the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. Oh, you are anti-Japanese, you are against Japanese, you think we ought to hunt down the Japanese and abuse them and kill them. No, I'm just stating a historical fact that happened in history, here is what happened. It was a horrific crime the Jews did, they crucified their Messiah, but God has not placed in our hands the responsibility to carry out the judgment that He reserves to Himself. And so this has no connection to anti-Semitism except by godless men who would attempt to twist the scripture. The scripture is clear, the Jews crucified their Messiah. They used godless men to do it, but it was the Jewish responsibility. If Pilate had had his way, he would have turned Christ free. That doesn't absolve him of the guilt for what he did, but it was at the instigation of the Jews that He was crucified.

I want to look at a few passages with you. Look down at verse 36 of Acts 2, therefore let all the house of Israel know for certain that God made Him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified. This is Jewish Peter addressing his people saying, you crucified Him. And he is driving home the point, what a horrific crime. This was the Jewish Messiah, the One attested by God, the One that God had foreordained to death. And you are the godless instruments that crucified Him. This Jesus whom you crucified. Look in Acts 3:13, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. Peter and John have healed a man at the temple. The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers has glorified His servant Jesus, the One whom you delivered and disowned in the presence of Pilate when he had decided to release Him. But you disowned the holy and righteous One and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and put to death the prince or author of life, the One whom God raised from the dead, a fact to which we are witnesses. You see that stress. Verse 13, you delivered and disowned Him in the presence of Pilate, when Pilate wanted to release Him. He said, I find no fault in Him. They wouldn't have it. You delivered and disowned Him; you disowned the holy and righteous One and asked for Barabbas to be released in His place. You put to death the prince of life.

Acts 4:10. Verse 8, Peter filled with the Holy Spirit said to them, rulers and elders of the people. If we are on trial today for a benefit done to a sick man as to how this man was made well, let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead. That contrast keeps coming up—you crucified Him, God raised Him. You see he puts these Jews in conflict with God. You crucified Him, God raised Him. That will be where Peter is going in Acts 2. Whom you crucified. He is the stone which was rejected by you, the builders, which became the chief cornerstone. And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved.

Turn over to Acts 5:27. And you see repeatedly before the Jewish leadership representing the Jewish nation. Verse 27, and when they had brought them they stood them before the council. The High Priest questioned them saying, we gave you strict orders not to continue teaching in this name and yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and intend to bring this man's blood upon us. They realized the impact of their ministry and message is the Jews are guilty for crucifying their Messiah. Peter and the apostles answered, we must obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus whom you put to death by hanging Him on a cross. He is the One whom God exalted to His right hand as a prince and Savior, to grant repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. You see in these messages we're reading to emphasize the role the Jews had in the death of Christ, but even that can be forgiven. What a great grace God has to proclaim a message of forgiveness to the very people that crucified the Son of God. This is what Peter and John and other apostles in Acts are doing. But the responsibility is laid at the feet of the Jews.

Over in Acts 7:52. Verse 51, you men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit. You are doing just as your fathers did. Which of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who had previously announced the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become. I mean, that is really blunt, that is really to the point. You are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears. Here is the problem, you are an unregenerate nation, you are an unsaved people, you have uncircumcised heart and ears. The sin has not been removed from your heart; you are not willing to hear the truth. You are always resisting the Holy Spirit and you are just like your parents and your ancestors. Because which of the prophets didn't they persecute? They killed those who had previously announced the coming of the Righteous One. That's bad enough, but you are the ones who killed the Righteous One. I mean, that's a culmination, isn't it? I mean, their Jewish parentage, fathers, grandfathers going back had been guilty of killing the prophets who told of the coming Righteous One. But you have even carried it a step further, you killed the Righteous One when He came. Whose betrayers and murderers you have become.

One other passage, to Acts 13, and we come to the ministry of the Apostle Paul. Acts 13 we are on the first missionary journey. Here is the message, picking up in verse 26, brethren, sons of Abraham's family and those among you who fear God; to us the message of this salvation has been sent. For those who live in Jerusalem and their rulers recognizing neither Him nor the utterances of the prophets which are read every Sabbath fulfilled these by condemning Him. And though they found no ground for putting Him to death, they asked Pilate that He be executed. And when they had carried out all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the cross and laid Him in the tomb, but God raised Him from the dead. You see that contrast between the action of the Jews and the action of God. But it is presented in the context, there is a Savior. This was part of the plan of God. And your guilt for crucifying Him is great. But His grace is greater than your sin, you can be forgiven.

We want to be careful. Christians become somewhat apologetic, we don't want anyone to think we are anti-Semitic and we don't want to say anything that is not politically correct, so we want to be careful we don't say anything that would be offensive. The Jews are guilty for crucifying their Messiah. Now it's also true that the death of Christ was a provision for my sin, and my sin necessitated His death. But the action in bringing about the crucifixion is laid at the feet of the Jews. Does that make them worse sinners than we are? No. Do they need salvation in a greater way than we need it? No. Can they be saved by faith in Christ like Gentiles? Yes. So there is no place for anti-Semitism. Anyone who uses this scripture for that is confused at best, and we won't go to the worst. But that is the message, they did it.

Come back to Acts 2. You know one thing we see here, you don't further the message of the gospel, you don't become more usable in the hands of the Holy Spirit by trying to take the truth of God and readjust it, reform it in a way that will be more acceptable to men. We might say, here we are, the Holy Spirit has come. Peter, you have an audience that should be somewhat receptive. You don't have to go overboard on this issue of sin and guilt of the Jews. Let's just leave it as the Messiah died in the plan of God and you can be saved if you believe in Him. But the truth of personal guilt is a reality. And it's just like we bring the message of sin to people. I know it's not what anybody wants to hear, I didn't want to hear it, you didn't want to hear it, and nobody wants to be told they are a sinner, they are guilty, they are under condemnation, and they are the enemies of God. But out of this sermon by the grace of God three thousand people will be saved. So we let the Spirit use the truth of God to do the work of God and we get into trouble when we think we help God out by becoming a little softer, a little easier, doing it in a little more acceptable manner. God's truth is never, ever on any occasion acceptable to the unregenerate man unless the grace of God intervenes in that life to open the blinded eyes to see. So we can get more people to follow us by adjusting the truth to make it more acceptable to them, but in that corrupting of the truth we forsake God's genuine work of salvation and create a terrible thing when we create the opportunity for counterfeit salvation.

All right, back to Peter's sermon. So you nailed Him to a cross by the hands of godless men. So no excuse here for the Roman activity, they were godless men, put Him to death. But God raised Him up again. There is the sovereign work of God, putting an end to the agony, or as you note in your margin, the birth pangs of death. And death can't hold Him anymore than a woman when it comes time to deliver a child and hold the child. The picture here, the birth pangs of death. It was impossible for Him to be held in the power of death, He had to break out. Why? For David says of Him, we're back to the sovereign plan of God and what God has said has to be fulfilled. So it was impossible for Him to be held in the power of death. It wasn't impossible for Him to die because it was the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God that put Him to death. But it's not possible for Him to be held in the power of death. Why? Because the same God who prophesied His death, prophesied His resurrection.

For David says of Him. And he is going to quote from Psalm 16:8-11. And you see the extensive quote here. He says for David says of Him, talking about Christ. And what he's going to show is what David wrote can't be about David, but David, he'll say in verse 30, was a prophet speaking of what God would do for one of his descendants. For David says of Him, I saw the Lord always in my presence; He is at my right hand so that I will not be shaken. Therefore my heart was glad, my tongue exalted. Moreover my flesh will also live in hope because you will not abandon my soul to Hades nor allow your Holy One to undergo decay. You have made known to me the ways of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence. So Christ presented here, the One who is in the presence of the Lord, the Lord at his right hand to provide for him, to care for him, to do what will have to be done to bring about His resurrection. Verse 27 becomes the key because you will not abandon my soul to Hades nor allow your Holy One to undergo decay.

Verse 29 applies it. Brethren, I may confidently say to you regarding the patriarch David that he both died and was buried and his tomb is with us to this day. Josephus was a first century Jewish historian. He comments that David's tomb was a building with several rooms and vaults for the burial of kings. The tomb remained untouched during the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 and is mentioned as still in existence down to the rule of the Emperor Hadrian who died in 138 A.D. So when he says we know that the patriarch David died, and the Old Testament records his death. He was buried and we still have his tomb with us. So he can't be talking about himself here. So because he was a prophet and knew that God had sworn to him with an oath to seat one of his descendants on his throne. So that goes back to the Davidic Covenant between God and David and his descendants, II Samuel 7 in particular. David gives a prophecy regarding his descendant. Did he fully understand it all? I take it not, any more than the other prophets could put it all together. But he was being the mouthpiece of God regarding one of his future descendants. He looked ahead since God had promised with an oath to seat one of his seed, one of his descendants on his throne. He looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of Christ, that He was neither abandoned to Hades nor did His flesh suffer decay, the Hades, the grave. And it's not just talking about a future resurrection at some time. Christ wouldn't be in the grave long enough to decay. David will be resurrected some day, but his body has decayed. By the time Peter preaches this he has been dead a thousand years. His body had decayed, his tomb is there. But He won't allow my body to see corruption.

This Jesus God raised up again to which we are all witnesses. We are eye witnesses, we testify to you. The Jews at Jerusalem would have known the issue of the empty tomb. Peter stands there with the other apostles to say, He is alive, we saw Him, He was raised from the dead. Don't be surprised. That's what David prophesied. So he takes it back to the one to whom was given the Davidic Covenant. And David himself prophesied of the resurrection of one of his descendants who would die but not be left in the grave to decay. This Jesus, verse 32, God raised up again to which we are all witnesses.

Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured forth this which you both see and hear. So now we are back to verses 17-18 from Joel and the promise of the Holy Spirit and connecting it to the ministry of the Messiah and how does this relate. Well now we can put together, and remember during his 40 days of ministry with the disciples after His resurrection He was explaining to them the Old Testament scriptures applying to Him. I take it this is why Peter understands this. Where did he get this now insight? He has had a 40-day instruction period here where he has been taught the Old Testament scriptures, shown the scriptures that prophesied the death of Christ, the resurrection of Christ, seeing how it fits together. Now you have the Holy Spirit given. But you see there is an order. The Holy Spirit would be given but it had to be after the death, resurrection and ascension of Christ. And now the promise of the Holy Spirit has been poured forth just as Joel prophesied, I will pour forth of My Spirit.

And he says in verse 34, for it was not David who ascended into heaven but he himself says, David says, David wasn't talking about himself. But David said, the Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet. David didn't ascend to heaven, Christ did. And David spoke about his Lord—the Lord said to my Lord. Remember Jesus used this with the people of His day when He asked if the Messiah is the son of David, how could David call Him Lord? Well here is a use of it with Peter that David said, the Lord said to my Lord, sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet. So that anticipated the ascension of Christ to heaven and is being seated at the right hand of the Father. So when He ascended to heaven to be seated at the right hand of the Father, He poured forth the Spirit. And He will remain in heaven until it is time for all His enemies to be subjected to Him. And that's when the kingdom will be established. There is no new information here. Peter is saying this is all set forth in the Old Testament; you just have not been willing to hear it and understand it. But now with the coming of the Messiah and these events taking place, here is the clarity. We not only have the earthly ministry of Christ and the miracles He did that attest He is the Messiah, we have the prophecies of David who prophesied His death and subsequent resurrection before any decay would take place, His ascension to the right hand of the Father and the pouring out of the Spirit, and He is awaiting at the right hand of the Father, seated there until He comes again, the time when His enemies will be made a footstool for His feet.

Let all the house of Israel know for certain that God has made Him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified. There is nothing in here that says the kingdom has begun. I say this because if you read many writers they say, this indicates the kingdom has begun. It may not be here in its fullness, but the kingdom has begun. No! What this demonstrates is that He is the Messiah, He is the Savior, He is the One that will establish the kingdom.

I just happen to have a book here. Let me read you what this recent writer says in this section. This is the promise that a Davidic descendant would sit on the throne of David so that his dynasty would be the fulfillment of God's promise for His people. The reference in the verse to David's throne looks to the carrying out of this rule with this authority. Peter will say that Jesus begins to fulfill this Davidic promise and Messianic authority by pouring out the Spirit. The reference to the throne is not concerned with the location of a chair in heaven or on earth, or with who is ruled over, but with the function that such a position reflects. In other words he is saying, what Peter says here, he's not concerned about whether the throne is on earth or in heaven or who He is ruling over. It's just a matter that He rules. So the kingdom has begun. I say the Jews would have had no such concept. What he is demonstrating is He is the Messiah. Once you have established the Messiah and His death on the cross, He is the Savior. Then every Jew recognizes He is the One who will come again and all enemies will be subjected to Him and He will establish His kingdom.

He says this kingdom is what Jesus taught about throughout His ministry. Now note this, and although the promise concerns Israel, the concept focuses on the rule He brought in as a result of His first coming. What do you mean? The promise concerns Israel, you interpret the Bible literally. Well we have a concept here that focuses on the rule He brought as a result of His first coming. So what he really wants to say is that the kingdom has begun. But you see this kind of secret that we can pick this up; to the Jews this would have been totally meaningless. I mean, you probably didn't pick this up when you read this, I hope you didn't because it's not there.

Peter's point is not that Jesus will have this throne one day sometime in the far future. But then he does say the throne discussed in these Old Testament texts is located in Zion and the promise is that one day such a rule will take place on the earth. He refers to Isaiah 2. Yet Peter's point throughout his speech is not about the future but about what is evident in the present. Well, wait a minute, Peter has given a totally different meaning to these passages that we just read which he admits the throne in these passages will be located in Zion and one day such a rule will take place on the earth. But Peter is giving a new meaning. I don't think the Jews would have ever picked this up, couldn't. I mean, Peter could have just said, I want to tell you something new about the kingdom, it has begun. It exists with the rule of Christ in the hearts of men. But we have all this secret language that someone will figure out 2000 years later that even though the text that he quotes referring to a throne on earth in Zion, Jerusalem. Yet Peter's point is what is evident in the future. No, Peter's point is He is the Messiah, not that the kingdom has begun. He is the Messiah. So you better believe in Him. Isn't this what John the Baptist preached? Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. And the Messiah is coming; you better believe what I am teaching about Him because He'll come in judgment. Well Peter said He is seated at the right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet, from the psalmist. Warning. Christ is at the right hand of the Father.

Think of the terrible condition you are in and they are pierced to the heart. What are we going to do? We crucified our Messiah, we are guilty, and He’ll come again with destructive wrath. What are we going to do? Then you have the message of salvation, you believe in Him. So the point is not that the kingdom has started. The man that I read is what is called a progressive dispensationalist, a professor at Dallas Seminary. The kingdom has not begun. Jesus is the Messiah; He was the Messiah when He was born at Bethlehem. The One born there is born King of the Jews, the wise men from the east came to worship the King of the Jews. The kingdom didn't begin. This is full, clear demonstration, He is the Messiah of Israel. His death was prophesied so that He would be the Savior of Israel and not only of Israel and for Israel, but of the world. But He is seated in heaven at the right hand, not seated on the throne of David. The throne of David will be on earth in Zion, as the Old Testament scriptures are clear, as these scriptures are clear. But He is seated at the right hand as a High Priest, bestowing His salvation on all who repent of sin and believe in Him. And He will come again in the sovereign predetermined plan of God, at the time known only to the Father, to pour out His full wrath on His enemies, bring destruction to them, and establish His kingdom, a kingdom of peace and righteousness and rule over the earth for all eternity.

Amazing plan, that God would preplan the coming to earth of His Son, His rejection and crucifixion, resurrection and ascension, the coming of the Holy Spirit and His gracious offer of salvation to all so that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. That's the provision God has made with this Messiah, the Messiah of Israel but the Savior of the world. Whosoever will call on the name of the Lord will be saved. That's what we have to offer to men and women with no apology. He is the Son of God, He is the Messiah of Israel, He is the Savior of the world. You are a sinner under the condemnation of God, you are His enemy, you are the object of His hatred and wrath, but in love and mercy He has provided His Son to be your Savior. Repent of your sin, believe in Him and you will be saved. If you do not believe in Him you will be condemned.

Let's pray together. Thank you, Lord, for your word. Thank you for the powerful preaching of Peter, thank you for the ministry of the Holy Spirit who took the word of God and made it alive in the hearts of those who would hear. And by your grace thousands of Jews, guilty of the crucifixion of their Messiah experienced the wonder of your forgiveness and your salvation. Lord, how we praise you today two thousand years later that the truth that whosoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved is true, that these are last days and these are days of salvation. And your Son is seated at your right hand and by your sovereign plan is bestowing your salvation provided in His death and resurrection upon all who believe in Him. How gracious you are to give us salvation at no cost to us, but through simple faith in Him. May we be proud and bold to share this message with others. Bless our fellowship now as we share together as your people. We pray in Christ's name, amen.