The Impact of the Resurrection

“Now when they heard this, they were pierced to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Brethren, what shall we do?’ Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.’ And with many other words he solemnly testified and kept on exhorting them, saying, ‘Be saved from this perverse generation!’ So then, those who had received his word were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls. They were continually devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.” Acts 2:37-42

Why did Jesus die? Obedience to the will of the Father? It was prophesied? The one basic reason was because of sin. Why was He resurrected? Here Scripture gives many reasons and each will make your heart rejoice at God’s great plan, provision, and power. The prophets spoke of the eternality of the Messiah.

“But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah,
Too little to be among the clans of Judah,
From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel
His goings forth are from long ago,
From the days of eternity.” Micah 5:2

Jesus claimed eternal existence, the equivalence of deity, when He told the people, “...Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.” John 8:58

I Am was the very name by which God had identified Himself to Moses and the Israelites. Either Jesus was eternal - He was God, or He was a mere man with severe problems to have made such lofty claims. The author of Acts makes clear the answer - “But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.” Acts 2:24

Death had no hold on Him Who was eternally God. Read more of Peter’s message in Acts 2:22-42. Note the tremendous impact this truth had on its hearers. Commit yourself anew to the apostle’s teaching, fellowship, the breaking of bread, and the ministry of prayer.