“Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him. Therefore, let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.” (Acts 2:22-24, 36, NIV 1984).
My Musings – Things did not suddenly spin out of control leading to Jesus’ crucifixion. It happened “by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge.” The “set purpose” was the redemption of mankind, to all who would believe. The “foreknowledge” included the fact that He would “raise Him from the dead.“
As important as Jesus’ death was to payment for our sins, it would have been fruitless without the resurrection. For, “if Christ has not been raised, [our] faith is futile; [we] are still in [our} sins.” (1 Corinthians 15:17, NIV 1984). A big lie of the critics is that Jesus never lived. Their biggest lie, however, is that He was not raised from the dead. God did “not abandon [Him] to the grave, nor [did He] let [His] Holy One see decay… [to make] known to [us] the path of life.” (Psalm 16:10–11, NIV 1984).
My Advice – Let’s not fall for the lie that He remains in the grave. “He is not [there]; He has risen, just as He said.” (Matthew 28:6, NIV 1984). As a result, we can take “the path of life.” It is the only path.
The Brew Is A Musing 