Title: The Promised Son
Contents
Promised descendants (Acts 2:29-36)
Today's text testifies that all the prophecies that God promised through David were fulfilled. David died a long time ago, and there is his grave, but he was a prophet of God, and God said that one of this man's descendants would sit on the throne. Knowing this, he spoke of the resurrection of Christ. This means that Christ will not be sacrificed to Hades, and his body will not see corruption. This Jesus was raised by God. And as promised, the Holy Spirit was poured out. Therefore, the whole house of Israel must know. The fact that God raised Jesus who had been crucified and that that Jesus became Lord and Christ. Then why did David confess that his son, Jesus, was his Lord? How did God testify that Jesus is the son of promise, and how do we have faith in Jesus?
1. David's Prophecy
David prophesied of the resurrection of Christ. And according to the prophecy, Jesus, his descendant, died, but he was not abandoned in the grave, nor was he put to decay, but came to life. This is because God raised that Jesus. God appointed David as the king of Israel in place of Saul because David was a man after God's heart. And he promised to do God's will through him, and as he promised, he raised up a Savior as the descendants of this man, that is, Jesus. David had faith in the offspring that God had promised him, and the promised descendant was Christ, and he had faith in the resurrection through him. Therefore, David had faith in this promise, confessed that Christ was his Lord, and prophesied (Psalm 16:10-11). According to God's promise, God's will was accomplished through David (Acts 13:22-23).
2. Descendants of the Promise
The offspring of the promise prophesied through David is Christ, who came into this world in the flesh, that is, Jesus. However, the Israelites did not accept this Jesus as the Messiah (savior), but instead nailed him to a cross and put him to death. God's will and love for this promised descendant was testified by raising him to life. God raised up Jesus, set him on high, and placed him at his right hand. And Jesus poured out the Holy Spirit as promised (Acts 1:4-5, John 14:16). Jesus came as the promised seed, died and rose again, and sits at the right hand of the throne of God, pouring out the Holy Spirit, and coming again. Therefore, Jesus Christ is the Messiah of all men, the true Lord. God highly exalted Jesus, and at His name every knee should bow, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God (Philippians 2:10-11).
3. Faith in the Promise
God-given faith is faith in promises. Faith in the Resurrection also lies in trust and obedience to God's faithful promises. How, then, can we have faith in God's promises? First, by knowing, foreseeing, and speaking the words of prophecy, we have a firm faith in the promises (2:30-31). In this way, David came to have faith in the resurrection of Jesus. Second, we must receive the promised Holy Spirit (2:32). When Jesus' disciples received the Holy Spirit promised by Jesus, they became convinced that Jesus was the Lord of the resurrection, and they became witnesses of this. Third, we must hear and know the Gospel (2:36). God allows us to hear about His promises through the testimony of witnesses and have faith (Romans 10:17). That is why God is pleased to save those who believe through evangelism (1 Corinthians 1:21). Therefore, what should be the attitude and attitude of faith we should have toward God's promises? Above all, we must believe that all of God's promises are given through Jesus Christ (Romans 8:32), and give glory to God with the faith of Amen (2 Corinthians 1:20).