Meditation of the week: Psalm 16: 1-11 Text: Acts 1: 1-11 Message Title: The Message of Christ’s Resurrection to the World and Christians
The world had been miserable as the death of man for four days after the death of man corrupted without hope until Jesus, the only Son of God, became the Lord and Christ and resurrected . The four thousand years before Christ came was just the time as smelling of death because of sin, death, and curse.
Apostle Peter testified of the resurrected Jesus, shouting loudly to the inhabitants of Jerusalem:
“Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.” (Acts 2:36)
The testimony that Jesus is the Lord and Christ is that the one who came in the name of Jesus was the seed of a woman prophesied in Genesis 3:15 to bruise the head of a serpent and whosoever believes in him is to be saved from the devil, the prince of the world , This means that Jehovah God, who had been the LORD of Israel, has now made his only begotten Son Jesus as the Lord. Therefore, by the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ, the judgment of the devil who had the power of sin and death was done and through sending the Holy Spirit, the world ruled by the Devil is already finished already.
Apostle Paul testified this truth to the Hebrews:
“For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
27And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
28So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation. “(Hebrews 9: 26-28)
Through the text given today,we must realize why Jesus Christ, after his resurrection, remained in the world for forty days and spoke to his disciples about the kingdom of God.
Through his death, Jesus has already overcame the devil that had taken the power of death by resurrection after taking away the sin of the world, and he judged the devil who had ruled the world for thousand years.Since the Garden of Eden. So now the Lord has been working until now to establish his kingdom in the world where he will reign so that born again people of the Spirit enter into the kingdom of God.
However, the disciples, who did not realize this fact, thought that Jesus will immediately set the kingdom of God on the land of Israel when they heard that Jesus said to wait for God’s promise. But he said that one day he would establish his kingdom in Israel, but he did not inform them of the times and seasons,
Luke testified that after the resurrection of Jesus Christ many people would be pushed into the kingdom of God:
” The law and the prophets were until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.“ (Luke 16:16)
God long ago, through the prophet Hosea, told the Jews who did not believe in Jesus in the distant future to enter the great tribulation, to prophesy of the kingdom being restored to Israel in the midst of suffering and repentance:
“I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offence, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early. Come, and let us return unto the LORD: for he hath torn, and he will heal us; he hath smitten, and he will bind us up.
2After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.
3Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shallcome unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth. “(Hos 5: 15- 6: 3)
As the Apostle Peter testified, for God a day like a thousand years, and a thousand years like a day. After Jesus lifted to heaven, they shall repent in the midst of the Great Tribulation after two thousand years to be passed by Jesus will establish his kingdom on the third day (Thousand years). And they shall live before the Lord Jesus.
Jesus showed Peter, John, and James the glorious Millennium Kingdom on the sixth day where Jesus with Moses and Elijah:
” And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart,
2And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.
3And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. (Matt. 17:1-3)
Jesus after resurrection went up to heaven, sat on the right hand of God, and made Christians who received the Holy Spirit preached the gospel, and by calling many people into his kingdom, Finally, when the time is fulfilled he will judge the people that not believe in him but following the devil. and establish the kingdom in the earth. .
After His resurrection, Jesus went to Galilee to meet His disciples and commanded them:
“All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth.
19Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:
20Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world (Matthew 28: 18-20)
Finally, Jesus, when it was time for him to ascend up to heaven, said to the crowd who had assembled with the Apostles:
” But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
9And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight.“(Acts 1:89) “
Apostle Paul testified that the blessed that God promised was the promise of the Holy Spirit. Everyone who receives the promise of the Holy Spirit will receive the power of God. It is also possible to bear witness to the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ as it is seen in the power of the Holy Spirit:
” Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:
14That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.“(Galatians 3: 13-14).
That’s right! The devil who ruled the world where we live in has already been judged, and the world has ended and four thousand years have passed by since the end began. Therefore, we Christians have to preach of the sin because they not believe in Jesus, and of righteousness because they cannot go to him without the righteous of God through believing in him, and of judgment because the prince of the world, the devil is judged. We have to preach the hell for them not believe in Jesus boldly. This is the way that we please God.