Resurrection Preaching in Acts
“Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth… being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it. Acts 2:22-24
Every year, almost exactly 50 days after Easter, we celebrate Pentecost. It was no different 50 days after the first Easter. But that Pentecost, while a regular celebration day on the historic Jewish calendar, was a first for Jesus’ initial disciples. It was the day they experienced the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise to send the Holy Spirit upon them in a very special way – with very special blessings.
A sound like “a mighty rushing wind” attracted a big crowd. Then Peter preached the first sermon of the New Testament era. He emphasized how Jesus rose from the tomb in which His crucified body had been laid. Not only had that earth-shaking event taken place only some seven weeks earlier, it also emphatically declared Jesus to be the Son of God and the Messiah. (Acts 2:36)
Many who heard Peter’s Pentecost preaching that day, were led by the Holy Spirit to repent of their sins and turn to Jesus for forgiveness. Many of them became members of that first Christian congregation in Jerusalem. Others returned to their homes throughout the Mediterranean world with the good news that Jesus was the promised Messiah, the world’s Redeemer. All of them joined Peter and their fellow Christ-believers in bearing witness to the fact that Jesus was raised from the dead. All who trust in Him could be confident that their sins have been forgiven.
The same Spirit who worked through Peter’s preaching of Jesus’ resurrection works through the same message today, so that we too would trust in Christ our Lord. Now we join those first believers in telling others how the resurrection of the crucified Jesus is the best good news ever. It changes everything.
Holy Spirit, use the wondrous fact of Jesus’ Resurrection to move me to speak of this great good news to others. Amen.