“But God raised Him from the dead, and for many days He appeared to those who had come up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are now His witnesses to the people. And we bring you good news that what God promised to the fathers, this He has fulfilled to us their children by raising Jesus, as also it is written in the second Psalm, ‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You.’”
- Acts 13:30-33
As we dive into Acts 13, there is a ton going on. Paul and Barnabas embarked on their first missionary journey, they proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ and talk a lot about the Old Testament. If anyone ever feels like the Old Testament is unnecessary to be a Christian take them to Acts 13. For if we were to throw out the Old Testament as a whole, as some Christian groups are inclined to do, then we are throwing out Christ as well!
Earlier this year we did a walk-through of various covenants and promises of God that helped shape the narrative of Scripture. We saw God’s initial plans of creation, His relationship with Noah, Abraham, Moses, and David become pivotal points of salvation that all point to Christ! Highly recommend going back and reading them, or getting and read God’s Kingdom through God’s Covenants.
All that to say, Acts 13 is Paul and Barnabas’ message of good news to Jews in Antioch, a city in Pisidia (Modern day Turkey, there are multiple Antioch’s in scripture). Before Paul shares about Christ and all that God did through Him, Paul appeals to His Jewish audience by talking about their people’s history and God’s promises.
Inheritance:
First was a promised inheritance that was 450 years and more in the making (13:16-20). Back in the days of Abraham, God made a covenant to make a nation out of Abraham, though he did not even have a child. Nations need two things, a population, and land. So God enabled Abraham and Sarah to have a son, Isaac, who would have Jacob (later named Israel) and gave way to the 12 tribes of Israel. So the population was a success.
The population though was not the inheritance promised by God, but God promised them land as well. Genesis 15:18-21 God sets the boundaries of the land Israel is going to inherit. Upon the defeat of those nations, by God’s power and grace, the covenant was fulfilled.
David:
Paul then goes on to share that the Israelites wanted a King to rule them, and so God appointed Saul. Saul was majorly flawed, though he could have been a successful King, his anxiety and impatience got the better of him and he turned away from the Lord. Then God appointed a new King, one who sought God’s, own heart. Though this person was of no royal or leading blood, this shepherd boy and psalmist was exactly what God wanted to lead His people.
God would make another covenant with David; this one would be directly setting the stage for Christ to come. One part of the promise was that there would always be someone in the line of David on the throne. Of which God was faithful to and in Jesus’ genealogy it can be traced back to David. In Jesus, all these covenants and more have been fulfilled for Jesus will always be sitting on the throne now.
Resurrection:
Throughout Jesus’ ministry, there were hints at His messiahship, that He was the one who would be the fulfiller of that covenant with David. He is the stump of Jesse. What cemented it though was that Jesus was raised from the dead.
Jesus needed to die, our sins were too great for us to be responsible for in the face of God’s anger and justice. God would have been right to end us because of our constant unfaithfulness. However, God is also gracious and loving and has been at work since Adam to bring us all back to Him in Christ. His grace abounded on the cross. His grace was a scarlet fountain on that tree. Jesus was the King of the Jews on that cross, but not necessarily the Jews by ancestry but as those who are known as God’s people, now the Church.
The resurrection cemented the good news of grace in Jesus Christ, for death was not the end, but only the threshold through which the Kingdom of God would come bursting through.
The good news is that Jesus is the fulfillment of God’s plans, and God the Father chose the Son to enact His will as both a King and a Sacrifice. Every promise made to the fathers of Israel was made complete in the Son. The stump of Jesse.
Good News:
When it comes to sharing the good news with others, it may help to paint a picture of how it’s a fulfillment over millennia as much as it is a single saving moment. Yes, His death has saved us so we may turn away from sin and turn toward God, but it is also an invitation into the presence of God, to live holy and in pursuit of Christ.
Final Blessing:
Jesus Christ is the fulfiller of many promises to many people and will bring about a glorious Kingdom far greater than the inheritance promised to Abraham. There’s going to be a beautiful New Jerusalem, a new city of peace where we all will dwell in the direct and unhindered presence of God.
Take a brief moment and worship our Savior and fulfiller of God’s work!
Graves into Gardens by Elevation Worship
Now may the Lord of Life and Redemption be with you in every step, every breathe, and every heartbeat of your journey.
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