The Deliverances of the Resurrection

“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, loosing 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. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, “‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.”’ (Acts 2:22-35).

Peter’s sermon continued with an affirmation of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He connected the resurrection that was witnessed by the disciples to the prophetic words of David recorded in Psalm 16. He declares that it was not David, but that God would… “set one of his descendants on his throne” and it was this descendant… “the Christ” that was resurrected from the grave. Through Peter’s Holy Spirit inspired reflection on the death and resurrection of Christ we learn three truths about our own new birth and we are encouraged by the deliverances of the resurrection.

God delivered Jesus to death. We are reminded here that Jesus was given to the cross by the divine hand of His Father… “delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God”. He was illustrating an important spiritual principal that He had already taught His disciples… “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (John 12:24). This principal is vital for all disciples that are baptized into Christ… “We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4). In Christ, God continues His work in us, making room for new life through putting to death our old, sinful nature.

God delivered Jesus from death. God did not leave His Son in the grave… ‘God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it”. Our new birth and born-again life empowers us to live above the trials and temptations of this temporary world until we arrive at heaven… “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us” (Romans 8:18). In Christ, our forever life has already begun!

God delivered Jesus to a heavenly position. The father welcomed the Son into His eternal presence where Jesus now sits at God’s right hand… “exalted at the right hand of God”. From this intimate position, Christ intercedes with His Father on our behalf… “Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us” (Romans 8:34). The Spirit inspired Paul to remind us that we too are now seated in heavenly places with Christ… “God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:4-6). In Christ we have access to God and power to live above this world as we prepare for the new world to come.

As we grow up into Christ, we become more like Him through God’s grace applying to us…

The Deliverances of the Resurrection.