The preached Word has power! Acts 2:14–41 (ESV) 14 But Peter, standing with the eleven, lifted up his voice and addressed them: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words. 15 For these people are not drunk, as you suppose, since it is only the third hour of the day. 16 But this is what was uttered through the prophet Joel: 17 “ ‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; 18 even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy. 19 And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke; 20 the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day. 21 And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ 22 “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— 23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. 24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. 25 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; 26 therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope. 27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption. 28 You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’ 29 “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. 30 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, 31 he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. 33 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. 34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, 35 until I make your enemies your footstool.” ’ 36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” 37 Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38 And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” 40 And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” 41 So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 98 Q. But may not images be permitted in the churches as teaching aids for the unlearned? A. No, we shouldn’t try to be wiser than God. He wants his people instructed by the living preaching of his Word— not by idols that cannot even talk. Summary “The new is in the old concealed, the old is in the new revealed.” Perhaps you’ve heard this quote from the early church father, Augustine of Hippo, before. It captures the heart of the bulk of Acts 2 as Peter gets up and preaches a sermon, explaining from God’s Word in the Old Testament what had happened that day. Peter begins this sermon with the Word of the Lord to the prophet Joel, in which the Lord speaks of a coming day when He will pour out His Spirit on all His people, not just select individuals for certain tasks, and how all who call on the name of the Lord will be saved. Peter then expounds, opens up this declaration by the Lord in the book of Joel, speaking about Jesus, His life, death, and resurrection, which were foretold in the Old Testament at different points. Peter gives a couple of examples from their forefather David, the foreshadowing of Jesus’ resurrection in Psalm 16, and Jesus’ Lordship in Psalm 110. Because of Jesus’ ascension and enthronement at the right hand of the Father, the promised Holy Spirit, Peter says, the Spirit promised in the book of Joel, has been poured out that day, the fulfillment of God’s Word! Peter concludes his sermon saying: Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified. We see the Holy Spirit at work in these people’s hearts immediately as they are cut to the heart and ask what they are to do. Peter calls them to repentance, to be baptized, and that they will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit as they had; indeed, three thousand that day were brought from spiritual death to life by the Holy Spirit, repenting and believing in Jesus Christ! Dig Deeper How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who publishes peace, who brings good news of happiness, who publishes salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns’ (Isaiah 52:7). What a wonderful and beautiful thing the faithful preaching of God’s Word is! Whether Peter on Pentecost some two thousand years ago, as he explained the events of that day and their connection to Christ from God’s Word, or the Reformers as they sought to bring people back to the authority of God’s Word, and throughout the ages to today, the faithful preaching of God’s holy, infallible, inerrant Word is something to be cherished, especially in our day and age of information overload. Even today, there are plenty of people speaking what itching ears want to hear. God’s Word encourages and strengthens, yes, but also convicts, rebukes, and corrects. May we ever cherish the faithful proclamation of God’s Word, the Good News of the Gospel, this means of grace God has graciously given to His Church! AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who pours out His Spirit upon His people; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will be a strong laborer for the harvest; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

You are both the crop and the harvester! Faithlife.com SINCE WE LAST LEFT OFF... After Jesus ascended into heaven, the eleven remaining disciples met together and to replace Judas, who had betrayed Jesus. After nominating two men who 'had been with them the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among them,' they cast lots, which fell to Matthias. Acts 2:1–13 (ESV) 2 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they [the twelve disciples] were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance. 5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own language. 7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11 both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” 12 And all were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” 13 But others mocking said, “They are filled with new wine.” Belgic Confession Article 11: The Deity of the Holy Spirit We believe and confess also that the Holy Spirit proceeds eternally from the Father and the Son— neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but only proceeding from the two of them. In regard to order, he is the third person of the Trinity— of one and the same essence, and majesty, and glory, with the Father and the Son. He is true and eternal God, as the Holy Scriptures teach us. Summary The disciples didn’t have to wait long after Jesus’ ascension for the promised Holy Spirit, because ten days later, at the Feast of Firstfruits (also known as the Jewish Pentecost festival), the Word God spoke to the prophet Joel was fulfilled, in which He had promised to pour out His Spirit on all mankind. Ten days after Jesus ascended back into Heaven, we are told the disciples were all in one place, and there, the Holy Spirit was poured out on these believers, just as Jesus had promised, and it was no silent pouring out either. The sound of wind filled the place where these disciples had gathered, tongues of fire appeared and rested upon them, and the disciples, because of the Holy Spirit, began to speak in tongues. Luke then tells us about all the people that were in Jerusalem at that time because of the Pentecost feast - Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. As you can imagine, people were rightly curious about this loud sound that had just taken place, and they gather around to inquire about it. When they do, they hear the disciples, these Galileans, proclaiming the “mighty works of God” in their own languages! Everyone, Luke tells us, was amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, ‘What does this mean?' As we’ll see tomorrow, Peter’s going to tell them exactly what this means in his sermon at Pentecost, but before he does, some of the people aren’t having any of it. Sadly, some turn and mock the disciples, saying: They are filled with new wine. Dig Deeper This time of year, it’s the harvest season! As you drive by fields, even late into the night, you see farmers out on their combines and trucks bringing in the harvest the Lord crowned this year with, hard at work. Perhaps you’re listening in the cab of one of those right now! Harvest time is a lot of hard work, but also exciting as we see what the Lord has blessed us with, and get to praise and thank Him for His blessings to us. At Pentecost, we see a different kind of harvest - a harvest of souls! Pentecost was the celebration of the first fruits of the harvest, and here, the Holy Spirit brings three thousand people from spiritual death to spiritual life! That harvest continues today as the Holy Spirit continues bringing people spiritually to life, regenerating their hearts, and for those of us who believe in Jesus, we are a part of that harvest too! We, likewise, have that One and the same Holy Spirit that was poured out on Jesus and upon these believers at Pentecost and believers throughout the ages! Even though we are a part of the spiritual harvest that is taking place until the end of time, we are now laborers in the fields white with harvest. While we cannot spiritually bring people back to life - that is the Holy Spirit’s work - God still works in and through us to proclaim the mighty works of God, the Good News of the Gospel, planting or watering the seed. May the Lord ever help us and strengthen us to labor faithfully amidst the harvest field of the world wherever He has called us! AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who pours out His Spirit upon His people; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will be a strong laborer for the harvest; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

It’s actually to your benefit that Christ ascended back to Heaven! Faithlife.com Acts 1:1–11 (ESV) 1 In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. 4 And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.” 6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” 9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 49 Q. How does Christ’s ascension to heaven benefit us? A. First, he pleads our cause in heaven in the presence of his Father. Second, we have our own flesh in heaven— a guarantee that Christ our head will take us, his members, to himself in heaven. Third, he sends his Spirit to us on earth as a further guarantee. By the Spirit’s power we make the goal of our lives, not earthly things, but the things above where Christ is, sitting at God’s right hand. Summary Can you imagine what a joy it must have been for the disciples those forty days after Jesus’ resurrection from the dead, getting to continue learning from their and our Lord? Yet, forty days come and go, and the time for Jesus’ return to Heaven arrives. We don’t know every little thing that Jesus talked about with His disciples in those forty days, but the disciples do inquire of our Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel? Jesus doesn’t rebuke them for their question, but instead turns their attention from the end of time to what will take place leading up to that eventual day - the pouring out of the Holy Spirit to empower the disciples in proclaiming the Good News of the Gospel, being Jesus’ witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth. With this final word from Jesus, He is lifted up, a cloud taking Him from their sight. Interestingly, clouds are symbolic of God’s presence throughout Scripture, whether the pillar of cloud leading the Israelites, the cloud descending upon the Tabernacle, or on the Mount of Transfiguration. Calling the disciples from gazing up at the heavens, two men in white robes (angels), ask the disciples why they are standing around looking up into the sky? They confirm Jesus’ previous promise that He will return, returning the same way that He had ascended. Dig Deeper Our Lord in the first part of John 16:7 says, “But very truly I tell you, it is to your advantage (NIV “good”) that I am going away.” But how could it be to our advantage or benefit that Jesus returned to Heaven? Wouldn’t it be better for us if He were here? Maybe you’ve wondered these things yourself at one point or another. Yet, there are indeed benefits to our Lord’s ascension. The Heidelberg Catechism spells out three, namely: First, he pleads our cause in heaven…Second, we have our own flesh in heaven - a guarantee that Christ our head will take us, his members, to himself in heaven…Third, he sends his Spirit to us on earth s a further guarantee… With Christ in Heaven, we have One Who is ever interceding for us before our Heavenly Father, pleading our cause over against the accusations of our enemy the devil. With Christ in Heaven, we have our own flesh in Heaven, a guarantee that our bodies, the bodies of our loved ones who died in Christ, will not remain cold in the grave, but one day will be raised to life at Christ’s return and be in the New Heavens and the New Earth. With Christ in Heaven, He doesn’t abandon us here on earth. The Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, that same Holy Spirit that was poured out on Jesus at His baptism, was poured out at Pentecost on all believers, serving as a further guarantee and empowering us as we go about the work God has called us to - proclaiming the Good News of the Gospel. Never forget our Lord’s promise as well, brothers and sisters, that, even though He has ascended, He is coming back one day! AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who has received a physical man - Jesus Christ - to sit at His right hand; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you would live in the hope that Jesus will return in the same way He ascended; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

Live confidently in the midst of conflict knowing our Lord will be victorious! PSALM 110 A Psalm of David. 1 The LORD says to my Lord: “Sit at My right hand Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.” 2 The LORD will stretch forth Your strong scepter from Zion, saying, “Rule in the midst of Your enemies.” 3 Your people will volunteer freely in the day of Your power; In holy array, from the womb of the dawn, Your youth are to You as the dew. 4 The LORD has sworn and will not change His mind, “You are a priest forever According to the order of Melchizedek.” 5 The Lord is at Your right hand; He will shatter kings in the day of His wrath. 6 He will judge among the nations, He will fill them with corpses, He will shatter the chief men over a broad country. 7 He will drink from the brook by the wayside; Therefore He will lift up His head. Heidelberg Catechism Lord’s Day 19 Q&A 50 Q. Having ascended back into heaven, why is Christ now “seated at the right hand of God”? A. Christ ascended to heaven, there to show that he is head of his church, and that the Father rules all things through him. Q&A 51 Q. How does this glory of Christ our head benefit us? A. First, through his Holy Spirit he pours out his gifts from heaven upon us his members. Second, by his power he defends us and keeps us safe from all enemies. Q&A 52 Q. How does Christ’s return “to judge the living and the dead” comfort you? A. In all my distress and persecution I turn my eyes to the heavens and confidently await as judge the very One who has already stood trial in my place before God and so has removed the whole curse from me. All his enemies and mine he will condemn to everlasting punishment: but me and all his chosen ones he will take along with him into the joy and the glory of heaven. Summary In this week's Psalm, David, inspired by the Holy Spirit, gives us poetic insight into a divine declaration of victory. The first half is not necessarily a public declaration, although the LORD's people certainly are the winners in this victory. Rather, it's an intra-trinitarian conversation between our Father and His One and Only Son - between the LORD and the One David cryptically refers to here as simpy my Lord. When LORD is rendered in the Bible with all-caps, it's refering to God Almighty - YHWH; when it only has a capital 'L', it stands for the Hebrew word ʾā·ḏôni, which can either refer to a superior, the way we might use 'sir' in English, or in reference to God. Psalm 110 is the most quoted psalm in the New Testament, and in one of those instances, Jesus points to Himself as the Lord being referenced by David. We were reminded at the beginning of this year as we began reading through the Bible together that the first two psalms set the tone for the 148 that follow them. And here in Psalm 110, David unpacks and reinforces the victorious promises of Psalm 2. Notice that all of the pronouns in the first 4-1/2 verses are in the second person: the LORD telling our Lord (King Jesus) what He will do: I will make your enemies a footstool... I will stretch forth your strong scepter... Your people will volunteer (NIV: your troops will be willing... these people/troops, by the way, are us!) You are a priest forever... I wish I was smart enough to have planned things this way, but I just stumbled into it by God's grace. Yesterday as we read Christ's 'Great Commission' for His Church, Jesus prefeced it by reporting that all authority on heaven and on earth has been given to Him. And now here today, in Psalm 110, we get an amazing extrapolation of exactly what that means! Dig Deeper The pronouns change in the second half of the psalm from second person to third. In otherwords, the LORD is no longer just speaking to our Lord Jesus. In a sense, He's now talking to all of us, His people, about what our Lord will do. These words are meant to give you confidence! He will shatter kings and chief men over countries... He will judge among the nations... He will fill the nations with corpses (It's good to think of Jesus peacefully sitting with little children in His lap, but hold that image in tension with the vicious vengeance Jesus will unleash upon the unrepentant wicked when He returns!) He will drink from the brook - a promise of the LORD's providence in the midst of battle; He will lift up His head in ultimate victory! It's so easy to get drug down by the continual conflict that life here and now gets mired in - both personal and local conflicts, as well as massive and never ending geopolitical and social justice battles. But when these perpetual problems get the best of you, take a moment to read short psalms of victory like Psalm 2, and 110. Then, as the Catechism puts it so well, In all your distress and persecution I turn your eyes to the heavens and confidently await as judge the very One who has already stood trial in your place before God and so has removed the whole curse from you. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who gave all authority on heaven and on earth to His Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you'll live in the victorious confidence that Psalm 110 provides; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

The 'Great Commission' must be your top priority. Gospels: Week 12 — Jesus' Resurrection and commission SINCE WE LAST LEFT OFF... Although both the Imperial authorities and the religious establishment have tried to keep a lid on the fact that Jesus' body was no longer in its tomb, hundreds of people have now seen and interacted with our risen Savior. Matthew records one of Jesus' final moments on earth with His eleven remaining disciples. Matthew 28:18–20 (NASB95) 18 And Jesus came up and spoke to them [the eleven disciples], saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Belgic Confession Article 28: The Obligations of Church Members We believe that since the Church is the gathering of those who are saved and there is no salvation apart from it, no one ought to withdraw from it, content to be by himself, regardless of his status or condition. But all people are obliged to join and unite with it, keeping the unity of the church by submitting to its instruction and discipline, by bending their necks under the yoke of Jesus Christ, and by serving to build up one another, according to the gifts God has given them as members of each other in the same body. And to preserve this unity more effectively, it is the duty of all believers, according to God’s Word, to separate themselves from those who do not belong to the Church, in order to join this assembly wherever God has established it, even if civil authorities and royal decrees forbid and death and physical punishment result. And so, all who withdraw from the Church or do not join it act contrary to God’s ordinance. Summary We've read many of the profound statements that Jesus made throughout His earthly ministry once again this year as we've read through the four gospels these last three months. But the statement He makes here, having gathered His eleven disciples one last time before He ascends back to the right hand of God the Father Almighty, belongs at or near the top of anyone's list. All authority, Jesus announces, over both heaven and earth, has been given to me. We could spend the whole post unpacking the glorious truths of that statement, starting with how you need not worry about all of the complex particulars of this world that seem so out of control. All of it is under King Jesus' authority. But there's a key reason that Jesus choses this moment, as He commissions His Church, to announce His authority: He wants us to know that the following command doesn't come as simply good advice or a friendly suggestion. We, the members of His Church, are under orders to do what's laid out in these verses by the One who has all authority in heaven and on earth. These actions Jesus lays out are not optional activities just to dabble in if we have a few extra moments. Rather, this commission must be our top priority in life, with our worldly pursuits (family / career / hobbies) set aside for when we have a few extra moments. How many of us have got this ratio correct? Dig Deeper The primary command that Jesus gives in His 'Great Commission' is to: MAKE DISCIPLES A disciple, as defined by theologian D.A. Carson, is simply a person "who hears, understands and obeys Jesus' teaching." Jesus gives three key ways for us - that is, His Church - to fulfill this commission: First, Christ's Church is one that's always on the go. As it soon would be made clear to these first eleven members of His Church, they would need to hit the road to proclaim the Gospel (Good News) to the nations. But that word 'nations' means more than just far away, foreign destinations. The original Greek word is one you already know: ethnos, and it's often translated throughout the New Testament as 'Gentiles'. In other words, then, the Church is to go to all those who remain outside of it. Secondly, all of those ethnos need to be washed, or as Jesus puts it, baptized in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Heidelberg Catechism explains that baptism signifies that "just as surely as water washes away dirt from the body, so certainly Christ's blood and His Spirit wash away my soul's impurity - in other words, all my sins." Finally, disciples must be taught. Taught what? A couple of years of Sunday School and Catechism classes? Absolutely! But that's just the beginning! Jesus' syllabus is simple: disciples must be taught to observe all that He has commanded. That means not just every word of the Sermon on the Mount, or just all of Jesus' parables, or even just all of the topics Jesus addresses throughout all four of the gospels. It means every word of the entire Bible, all of which has been inspired by Jesus' Spirit. That means a lifetime of being taught and teaching. So, as Donald Hagner correctly concludes, "The emphasis in the Commission thus falls not on the initial proclamation of the gospel but more on the arduous task of nurturing into the experience of discipleship." The Church's task of making disciples by going, baptizing and teaching is way beyond any of our abilities to accomplish it, even when we combine our forces and work well together (which we far too often fail at). That's why Jesus ends this short but comprehensive commission with one of the Bible's most comforting promises: I am with you always, even to the end of the age. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who gave all authority on heaven and on earth to His Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you order your life in such a way that making disciples is your top priority; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

Jesus' most underrated miracle proves our physical bodies will live again! Gospels: Week 12 — Jesus' Resurrection and commission SINCE WE LAST LEFT OFF... After He rose from the grave, Jesus appeared to two of His followers as they travelled, but they at first didn't recognize Him. Once they did, they hurried off to tell the disciples. Luke 24:36–49 (NASB95) 36 While they were telling these things, He Himself stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be to you.” 37 But they were startled and frightened and thought that they were seeing a spirit. 38 And He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself; touch Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” 40 And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. 41 While they still could not believe it because of their joy and amazement, He said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” 42 They gave Him a piece of a broiled fish; 43 and He took it and ate it before them. 44 Now He said to them, “These are My words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things which are written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and He said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, 47 and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 And behold, I am sending forth the promise of My Father upon you; but you are to stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.” Belgic Confession Article 19: The Two Natures of Christ We believe that by being thus conceived the person of the Son has been inseparably united and joined together with human nature, in such a way that there are not two Sons of God, nor two persons, but two natures united in a single person, with each nature retaining its own distinct properties... His human nature has not lost its properties but continues to have those of a creature— it has a beginning of days; it is of a finite nature and retains all that belongs to a real body. And even though he, by his resurrection, gave it immortality, that nonetheless did not change the reality of his human nature; for our salvation and resurrection depend also on the reality of his body... Summary Luke frames the problem early on in today's passage. The resurrected Jesus suddenly stood in the midst of His gathered followers, but they were startled and frightened because they thought that they were seeing a spirit. The spiritual realm terrifies people because we don't fully understand it. The Bible tells us that it exists, but doesn't explain very much about it. Every time people in the Bible encounter the spiritual realm - either through angels or demons - their reaction is always the same: fear. But Jesus bridges the gulf between the spiritual and physical, and in today's episode He wants to emphasize, as our Confession put it, the reality of His human nature. It's important to understand that Jesus didn't just spiritually raise from the dead, but that He's physically just as real as every other moment in His life. So the first thing Jesus points out is His hands and His feet. He invites them to touch Him and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones. But Luke reports that even so, those gathered still could not believe, ironically because of their joy and amazement! There's something to chew on today - how can unbridled joy and amazement keep us from fully having faith? So Jesus goes on to perform what could be considered the Bible's most underrated miracle: He took a piece of broiled fish and ate it before them. That might not seem all that impressive, but Jesus' little demonstration proves one of the Bible's grandest claims: that the physical bodies of those who trust in Christ, even though, as Paul puts it, their perishable bodies have been sown in the ground, will be raised imperishable, just as physically real as ever. But there's still plenty of mystery! Jesus' resurrected body is able to eat a piece of broiled fish, but it's also able to appear out of thin air in the middle of locked rooms and vanish in the blink of an eye! Dig Deeper Today's passage also includes another profound statement: 45 Then Jesus opened their minds to understand the Scriptures... Yes, the Bible does include lots of mystery, and it can be difficult to know what a few of its passages really mean, but the reason that so many people fail to understand the Scriptures isn't that the Bible is just way too obtuse to make sense of. Quite the opposite! I hope that you've seen so far this year as we've worked our way through the Bible day by day, that every passage, in one way or another, in both the Old Testament and the New, all point to one over arching message proclaiming Good News: that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations. The problem isn't with the Bible; people's inability to understand this gospel message lies squarely within themselves: sin has blinded them to the plain and easy to understand truth the Bible conveys. But inasmuch as your mind has been opened to this truth by Jesus and His Holy Spirit, you have been made a witness of these things. You can't open the minds of others to understand, and that can be very frustrating, but be sure to know Scripture well so that you can do a good job of testifying to the Good News it tells of. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who raised Jesus' physical body from the grave; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you would witness well to the truth of Scripture; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

It's not wrong to doubt. But don't cling to it when the Gospel's truth becomes clear! Gospels: Week 12 — Jesus' Resurrection and commission SINCE WE LAST LEFT OFF... The women who went to prepare Jesus' body for burial, found the tomb empty and returned to tell the eleven disciples. Peter and John had run to see the empty tomb that the woman had reported early in the morning, and Mary Magdalene had already spoken to Jesus, and even hugged Him. John 20:18–31 (NASB95) 18 Mary Magdalene came, announcing to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and that He had said these things to her. 19 So when it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors were shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 And when He had said this, He showed them both His hands and His side. The disciples then rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you; as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” 22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.” 24 But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples were saying to him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see in His hands the imprint of the nails, and put my finger into the place of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” 26 After eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors having been shut, and stood in their midst and said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then He said to Thomas, “Reach here with your finger, and see My hands; and reach here your hand and put it into My side; and do not be unbelieving, but believing.” 28 Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen Me, have you believed? Blessed are they who did not see, and yet believed.” 30 Therefore many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; 31 but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name. Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 22 Q What then must a Christian believe? A. Everything God promises us in the gospel. That gospel is summarized for us in the articles of our Christian faith— [the Apostles' Creed] — a creed beyond doubt, and confessed throughout the world. Summary The doors we're still shut where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews. The evidence is beginning to pile up that something big has happened; His tomb is empty and Mary Magdalene even claims to have hugged the once again very much alive Jesus. But still they huddled together in that room afraid to go out. Thomas has carried with him the moniker of 'Doubting' for two millennia for his role in this scene, but really, none of these disciples is demonstrating strong faith here. They're all 'doubters' at this point as they hide behind a locked door. But then, seemingly out of nowhere, Jesus came and stood in their midst. His opening words left no doubt as to His true identity, as He says to them peace be with you! But Jesus has no time for small talk, or even to give an explanation for how He extricated Himself from a sealed tomb after having publicly died on a cross some three and a half days earlier. Rather, Jesus gives them (and us) a commission: As the Father has sent Me, I also send you. Where to? The destination Jesus gives isn't geographical, it's evangelical. Jesus' mission for His newly formed Church is to proclaim forgiveness. Those to whom the Church forgives, their sin will be forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained. Jesus here is not giving the disciples present in that room some sort of spiritual superpower to zap guilt in those they favor while leaving others to wallow in it. As D.A. Carson explains, "it is simply the result of the preaching of the gospel, which either brings men to repent as they hear of the ready and costly forgiveness of God, or leaves them unresponsive to the offer of forgiveness which is the gospel, and so they are left in their sins." Dig Deeper But Thomas missed out; He was not with them when Jesus came. Of course his colleagues eagerly tell him that we have seen the Lord as soon as Thomas gets back, but Thomas wants more than a story. He wants proof; He wants to see in Jesus' hands the imprint of the nails, and to put his finger into the place of the nails, and put his hand into His side. Without this sort of hard, incontrovertible evidence, Thomas stubbornly reports that he will not believe. Thomas stubbornly held the line for eight days. But then suddenly Jesus came through the (still) shut doors once again, this time when Thomas was with them. What would Jesus say to Thomas, who so far has refused to believe? Would Thomas be subjected to the 'O ye of little faith' scold that the disciples heard so often during their three years with Jesus? No. Not even close. Rather Jesus invites Thomas to experience the proof he'd demanded, so that he would no longer be unbelieving, but believing. Notice, though, that Thomas never touched Jesus' wounds. He didn't need to - He'd been fully convinced seeing and hearing His Savior. Thomas immediately responds with the Bible's most beautiful confession of faith: My Lord and my God! Believing in the truth of the Gospel has never ever been about simply taking a blind leap of faith, or substituting logic and reason for mere belief. Like Thomas, you can and even should ask hard questions of Scripture and have a high bar of proof that must be satisfied. Truth can sustain the most aggressive of inquiries. But when that bar has been met, like Thomas, you must confess your belief and submit to it. You will not see Jesus like Thomas and the other disciples did. But as awesome as that experience must have been, we've been given something better. Jesus told Thomas, blessed are they who did not see, and yet believe. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who through His Holy Spirit, and because of His Son Jesus, builds His Church; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you would have faith like Thomas'; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

Jesus is alive! Remember His words, and marvel at what has happened! Gospels: Week 12 — Jesus' Resurrection and commission Lifeway.com SINCE WE LAST LEFT OFF... Jesus has been nailed to a cross and died, his final words having been a quotation of Psalm 31 - Father "into Your hands I commit My spirit." After "He breathed His last," He was buried with royal honors, ironically, by a couple of sympathetic Pharisees. Luke 23:55-24:12 (NASB95) 55 Now the women who had come with Him out of Galilee followed, and saw the tomb and how His body was laid. 56 Then they returned and prepared spices and perfumes. And on the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment. 24 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men suddenly stood near them in dazzling clothing; 5 and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living One among the dead? 6 He is not here, but He has risen. Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee, 7 saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.” 8 And they remembered His words, 9 and returned from the tomb and reported all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. 10 Now they were Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James; also the other women with them were telling these things to the apostles. 11 But these words appeared to them as nonsense, and they would not believe them. 12 But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings only; and he went away to his home, marveling at what had happened. Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 45 Q. How does Christ’s resurrection benefit us? A. First, by his resurrection he has overcome death, so that he might make us share in the righteousness he won for us by his death. Second, by his power we too are already now resurrected to a new life. Third, Christ’s resurrection is a guarantee of our glorious resurrection. Summary Luke makes clear that the women who early on the first day of the week came to the tomb bringing the spices with which they would adorn Jesus' broken body for burial were not lost. That must have been their first thought when they arrived and found the stone rolled away from the tomb's opening, that somehow they must be at the wrong tomb. But it couldn't be, for it was just the night before that they had followed the men who burried Jesus, and saw the tomb and how His body was laid. Luke, in his typical understated style, reports that they were perplexed after they entered the tomb and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. But their mounting confusion and anxiety was just getting started when two men suddenly stood near them in dazzling clothing. Now they weren't just perplexed, they were terrified! This isn't the first time Luke reports of an angelic interaction with a woman. Luke's gospel account begins with Gabriel's appearance to Mary, in which he immediately tells her do not be afraid. But the two dazzling men that appear now offer no such comfort. Ironically, they're just as perplexed as the women, but for much different reasons. Why, they wonder outloud, do you seek the living One among the dead? After all, Jesus had spoken very clearly while He was still in Gallilee, explaining that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. But at the time, Jesus' proclamations sailed right over the heads of those He spoke to. It wasn't until this very moment that anyone finally comprehended what He had meant, when these women remembered His words. Dig Deeper The eleven and all the rest to whom these women came and reported all these things didn't think much of what they heard. Luke tells us that their words appeared to them as nonsense, and they would not believe them. But can you really blame them? We have the luxury of reading these words 2,000 years after the fact, after they've been passed on from not just one, but four different gospel writers, all reporting the same exact fact from slightly different perspectives and after reading the accounts of hundreds of witnesses who saw Jesus very alive and well after He'd been beaten to a pulp, nailed to a cross, and taken down very, very dead. So if you'd been locked in that room with the eleven disciples and all the rest, you probably would have scoffed as well. Dead people generally stay where they're put. These women must be crazy. But Peter - of course it was Peter - got up and ran to the tomb, and he too only saw the linen wrappings - but no body. What these perplexed, terrified women had reported was absolutely true! After three days, Jesus had risen again, just like He said He would! Peter went home, marveling at what had happened. We celebrate the resurrection each spring. Of course, remembering and celebrating it is good, but you've likely heard this story so many times that it's lost much of it's original impact. So as we review the most important event in human history this week, take time often to do what these three women and Peter did: remember Jesus' words, and then marvel at what has happened! AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, who raised Jesus from the dead; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will truly marvel at this, the most stupendous miracle ever performed, that forms the basis for your salvation. ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

The best way to give thanks to God is to know Him and confess Him to others. The Bible App Psalms Book V Psalm 107:1–22 (NASB95) 1 Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, For His lovingkindness is everlasting. 2 Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the adversary 3 And gathered from the lands, From the east and from the west, From the north and from the south. 4 They wandered in the wilderness in a desert region; They did not find a way to an inhabited city. 5 They were hungry and thirsty; Their soul fainted within them. 6 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble; He delivered them out of their distresses. 7 He led them also by a straight way, To go to an inhabited city. 8 Let them give thanks to the LORD for His lovingkindness, And for His wonders to the sons of men! 9 For He has satisfied the thirsty soul, And the hungry soul He has filled with what is good. 10 There were those who dwelt in darkness and in the shadow of death, Prisoners in misery and chains, 11 Because they had rebelled against the words of God And spurned the counsel of the Most High. 12 Therefore He humbled their heart with labor; They stumbled and there was none to help. 13 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble; He saved them out of their distresses. 14 He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death And broke their bands apart. 15 Let them give thanks to the LORD for His lovingkindness, And for His wonders to the sons of men! 16 For He has shattered gates of bronze And cut bars of iron asunder. 17 Fools, because of their rebellious way, And because of their iniquities, were afflicted. 18 Their soul abhorred all kinds of food, And they drew near to the gates of death. 19 Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble; He saved them out of their distresses. 20 He sent His word and healed them, And delivered them from their destructions. 21 Let them give thanks to the LORD for His lovingkindness, And for His wonders to the sons of men! 22 Let them also offer sacrifices of thanksgiving, And tell of His works with joyful singing. Belgic Confession Article 1: The Only God We all believe in our hearts and confess with our mouths that there is a single and simple spiritual being, whom we call God— eternal, incomprehensible, invisible, unchangeable, infinite, almighty; completely wise, just, and good, and the overflowing source of all good. Summary This week's psalm begins the fifth and final 'book' of the Psalter. These various 'books' are identifiable in that they end with several verses of doxology (words of praise), after which the next 'book' begins by setting its overall theme. The psalms in this section emphasize divine restoration and praise. This theme is made evident in the second verse: Let the redeemed of the LORD [give thanks], Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the adversary. We only read the first half of the psalm, but already the overall template for it becomes clear: (1) God’s people experience trouble; (2) they cry out to God in their trouble; (3) they are rescued; (4) they are invited to give thanks for God’s unfailing love demonstrated in their deliverance (source). This mirrors the pattern of the entire Old Testament. It also shows the futility of trying to attain lasting peace and salvation outside of Christ. Yes, as Psalm 107 makes crystal clear, God's love and redemption are unfailing, but it also makes clear our sinful tendency to continually wander back into sin and trouble right after being saved. Christ broke this hopeless pattern by becoming man and finally fulfilling on our behalf the perfect and lasting and complete righteousness the holy LORD God Almighty requires of us. Dig Deeper There's a ton of theology packed into Psalm 107's opening verse: Oh give thanks to the LORD, for He is good, For His lovingkindness is everlasting. Let's work through it: Oh give thanks This command appears five times in Psalm 107. The thanksgiving we are called to here goes beyond just simple gratitude. Literally translated the Hebrew word means to confess / praise. So one of the best ways to express gratitude to the LORD then is to speak theologically - that is, to exuberantly proclaim who the LORD is and what He has done and continues to do. to the LORD Remember, every time you see the word LORD in all caps in the Bible, it's referring to the holiest of God's names - the one He called Himself by as He introduced Himself to Moses from the burning bush: I AM WHO I AM. The ancient Hebrews held the name YHWH as being so holy that they did not dare to pronounce it. They would instead pronounce the word Adonai, which translates into the word Lord. for He is good The adjective good can seem dull, since we prefer more superlative words to describe things of tremendous value. But whatever other word that you might prefer - awesome, superb, excellent, etc. - remember that the LORD is the overflowing source of it. For His lovingkindness Almost every time you see the word 'love' either in a compound form or preceded with an adjective in the Bible, it's referring to God's ḥěʹ·sěḏ - His loyal, covenant love, unfailing kindness and devotion. is everlasting. The concept of eternity is almost incomprehensible for us. God's ḥěʹ·sěḏ will not just last all throughout your lifetime, but will never ever fail and last forever and ever. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father, the LORD, whose good lovingkindness is everlasting; ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray for the strength and desire to know God as best as you can so that you can properly give thanks as you've been commanded; ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED:

The final promise the Man on the middle cross made before dying is the most comforting of all. Gospels: Week 11 — Jesus' Suffering and death SINCE WE LAST LEFT OFF... Jesus has been convicted and sentenced to death. After first being flogged, He was nailed to a cross in one of the most shameful, cruelest forms of capital punishment ever devised. Luke 23:39-43 (NIV) 32 Two other men, both criminals, were also led out with him to be executed. 33 When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. -- 39 One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” 40 But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? 41 We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” 42 Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” 43 Jesus answered him, “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” Heidelberg Catechism Q&A 57 Q. How does “the resurrection of the body” comfort you? A. Not only my soul will be taken immediately after this life to Christ its head, but even my very flesh, raised by the power of Christ, will be reunited with my soul and made like Christ’s glorious body. Summary Today's Summary and Dig Deeper are reposted from May 29, 2023. This is a story of two criminals, one hanging on either side of Jesus, but both looking at their present situation from vastly different perspectives. To call them 'criminals,' or even 'thieves' as the older translations put it, is an understatement. In modern parlance, these guys would be classified as terrorists or insurrectionists guilty of murdering multiple people and fomenting violence wherever they went. Regardless of how they're referred to, they represent two different types of people in this world. The one insults and belittles the Son of God hanging next to him, since God is not giving him exactly what he wants. The other man better understands the reality of the situation: God is giving the both of them exactly what they deserve. It's this ability to look past the lies that come from within - an ability given by the Holy Spirit - that results in the proper attitude as he approaches his maker: This second, humbled criminal fears God. But notice this properly grounded fear of God doesn't result in terror and dread, rather it brings about one simple request to the Savior innocently suffering the same punishment as him: "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." Jesus' reply, likely coming between gasps for air as he hung, forms the foundation for one of the most comforting doctrines in the Bible. He says to this sinner turned saint, "Today you shall be with me in paradise." Dig Deeper Although this criminal's theology was spot on in his dying moments, it certainly wasn't well developed or comprehensively applied to life. He'd likely never read the Bible, and the only thing he knew about God's law was how to break it. But he obviously wasn't saved because of his lifetime of faithful service or good deeds, nor because of what he knew about the man hanging in the middle. Rather, his salvation came because of what Christ remembered of him, that he was a child of the God he ultimately came to fear, chosen before the creation of the universe to be a citizen of the Kingdom of God. Today we're focusing on the immediacy of the criminal's salvation. Because of this short conversation between two dying men, you can have absolute certainty that those you've known who placed their faith in Jesus Christ instantly were welcomed into paradise upon drawing their final breath. In addition, you can live the life of gratitude that this criminal would have most certainly lived had he been given the chance, knowing that you're last day in this life will instantly give way to your first day in eternity. AAA Prayer (About) ACKNOWLEDGE WHO GOD IS: Our Father God, who judges justly and calls all sinners to account. ALIGN YOUR LIFE WITH GOD'S WILL: Pray that you will live with the assurance of and gratitude for your sure salvation. ASK GOD FOR WHAT YOU NEED: