“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—this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. For David says concerning him,

“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. 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, he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses.”—Acts 2:22–32

Outline:

Introduction: Hopeless, Weary World

1. The Plan and Power of God in the Life of Jesus (Acts 2:22)
2. The Plan and Power of God in the Death of Jesus (Acts 2:23)
3. The Plan and Power of God in the Resurrection of Jesus (Acts 2:24–31)

Application: Hopeful, Waiting Witnesses (Acts 2:32)

Introduction: Hopeless, Weary World

Well, today we start our Advent series. Advent means the arrival of something important. The season of Advent is where we take four weeks and remember what it was like for the people of God to wait for the first coming of Jesus. And then, we join them in waiting for his second coming.

Thanksgiving is always a good warm-up for Advent for me. I anticipate the Thanksgiving meal like no other meal in the year. I fast for it. And then I enjoy it. Our first sermon today in this series ends with the Resurrection. So it was fitting this year that I thought our Thanksgiving meal was dead (for one night!) and then was resurrected as my mom offered to make the food for us and deliver it. I could have gone and got it, but I’m fasting and weak. We did a Zoom call and she still got her standing ovation. 

That’s what Advent is like. We remind ourselves that our Savior is alive, coming soon, and one day we will feast with him at the wedding supper of the Lamb in his presence.

This year, we are going to stay right in the book of Acts and see Advent fulfilled. In other words, we get to see what it looked like when the Savior they were waiting for actually showed up. Jesus came as the fulfillment of all the prophecies of the Old Testament. He lived the perfect life of obedience to God we could never live, he died the death for sin that we deserved to die, and then he rose again, ascended, and is reigning over all things at his Father’s side. We get to peek into the first days of the family of God after all of that happened. 

Kids, you know what it is like to wait during this Christmas season. You look forward to the presents that are coming, and the whole world kind of lights up around us to remind us what season we are in. Well, I hope that’s what happens in all of our hearts in this season. I hope that you see how good Jesus is and know that you can trust him completely and that our worship services light up around us to remind you that the thing we look forward to most is being with Jesus someday very soon in a world where there are no pandemics and no ruined plans. 

We need sure hope. We are living in a hopeless world. Or at least a world that doesn’t have anything firm enough to actually support the hope we put in it. Can you imagine if instead of the chairs you are sitting on right now in here, we put chairs together with construction paper and tape? It’d be pretty silly to watch us all try to sit on those and see if they support us. Yet that’s all the world can do and what many of us are doing right now. 

People are desperately seeking places to put our hope. And, as that happens people are growing weary because every place we try to hope in besides Jesus keeps collapsing beneath us like a seat made out of construction paper and tape. Every time we fall on the ground, we act surprised and are tempted to get angry and anxious at the chair itself or the person that made the chair. But, what if we just need to find a new place to sit? A new place to trust. A new place to hope. A place that can actually bear the weight of all that we need it to. Well, there is a place that is a person. His name is Jesus. He is the only answer for a hopeless, weary world. He is the only one who can hold us up in this broken world.

Every generation in every place has had something happen in their lifetimes that made them think the world was going to end. Who knows? It could come soon. But, stuff has been breaking, and breaking very badly since Adam & Eve sinned and broke fellowship with God. So, this Advent, would you take your eyes off of everything out there with me? Just for a month? And would you fix them with me on Jesus? Are you frustrated with the pandemic? With politics? With pastors? Have you been let down? Are you restless? Are you weary? Let’s look at Jesus together. He won’t let you down.

1) The Plan and Power of God in the Life of Jesus (Acts 2:22) 

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. 

The Spirit has just been poured out as Jesus promised it would be. Last week, Chris Bruno did a great job of showing us how the mission of God by the Spirit of God through the people of God runs through the whole Bible. Peter stands up to explain how this is just part of God’s plan.

And here in Acts 2:22–32, the apostle Peter wants to show them that although they rejected Jesus and called him an impostor, Jesus was accepted by God and proven to be the Son of God. 

In verse 22, Peter begins by reminding them of the mighty works that Jesus did while he was among them—the mighty preaching, healings, and miracles. He says God was trying to show them that this Jesus was indeed the Son of God. If we go back to Isaiah 61, which is a prophecy of the Suffering Servant who would come to save the people of God, we can see that this was God’s plan all along and would be accomplished by the power of the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, because the LORD has anointed me to bring good news to the poor; he has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound.—Isaiah 61:1

In Luke 4, Jesus stands up in the synagogue and reads Isaiah 61. And then he basically says, “This is about me. I’m the one who has the Spirit upon me to do this.” And then the rest of Luke 4 is Jesus preaching, healing, and delivering from demons with the power of the Spirit.

Peter’s point in this sermon is this—you saw Jesus when he was here! You saw the preaching, the healing, the deliverances! Why did that happen? To show you that he was the promised Messiah who would have the Spirit of God upon him to perform such powerful signs! Yet they had missed him. They stuck around when the cool things were happening, but not when he said hard words. Here was the only One who could fulfill all their hopes and God was showing it so clearly and they missed him.

I pray we won’t miss Jesus and all that he continues to do among us this season. I pray that we will see all that Jesus continues to do and teach (1:1) by the power of the Spirit through his blood-bought people and stand back in awe. Kids, do your parents trust Jesus? Do you trust Jesus? That’s a miracle. We should stand in awe. Are we forgiven for our sins? That’s a miracle. Are we sons and daughters of the King adopted into his family fully, freely, and forever? That’s a miracle. Jesus is still doing miracles. Are our eyes open to see it? To take part in it? Or, will we be so distracted that we forget him and our mission amid the craziness of 2020? 

2) The Plan and Power of God in the Death of Jesus (Acts 2:23)

This Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men.

One thing the Jews could not wrap their minds around was a crucified King. They wanted a powerful King to conquer Rome more than they wanted a crucified King to conquer their sins. Peter is saying, “God was clearly showing that this Jesus was the Son of God come to save you from your sins—and you killed him!” Now normally that would be really bad news.

But, before we are too hard on them, let’s remember that we all crucified Jesus. It was our sin that put him on that cross. I said earlier that everything has been badly broken since Genesis 3. There is nothing more broken than a world killing its Creator or a people killing its Savior. But we all did it. 

All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.—Isaiah 53:6

Kids, in your favorite stories, the hero always wins, right? The good guy always wins. But what if, after a long story and a long wait, there was a great battle and the hero died? Wouldn’t that be an awful story? But what if you had talked to a friend before you finished the story and he told you the part where the hero dies was part of the plan all along. That would give you hope. Peter is saying that the death of Jesus was always part of the plan of God. He says that God planned it beforehand, and it was definite—it was certainly going to happen. 

Why did it have to happen? We already heard. We have all sinned and Jesus took our sins. Perhaps as Peter preached Isaiah 53 came to the minds of his listeners. In Isaiah 53 we see that the Suffering Servant from Isaiah 61 would die for the sins of the people. And then in verse 10 we hear who planned this:

It was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt.—Isaiah 53:10 

Whose ideas was it? It was the Father’s idea to crush him. It was the Father’s plan to crush him. Why? So that he could be an offering for the guilt of our sins! Peter is saying, “You look at Jesus and see his death as rejection. But God sees the death of his Son and sees it as acceptance. In fact, it is one of the reasons the Father loves the Son most!”

For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again.—John 10:17

The Father loves the Son because of their agreement from before the foundation of the world: that Jesus would be crushed to save people from their sins, so that they’d see the glory of God and then dwell in that glory forever around the throne to worship him.

South family, let’s not be those who think that difficult sufferings mean God’s rejection. Let’s not be those that forget God is working all things according to his plan, even pain and pandemics. And let’s not be those that forget that God is always for our good—for our salvation and fullest joy—even when the circumstances look bleak and weak in the moment.

3) The Plan and Power of God in the Resurrection of Jesus (Acts 2:24–31) 

God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it (v. 24). 

Here, Peter means to show them that even the resurrection was inevitable by God’s plan and power. They crucified him, but God raised him up. In fact, it was not possible for the King of kings to be held by death. The image of “pangs” here is normally associated with childbirth. The picture Peter is giving is that death could not hold Jesus any more than a womb can hold in a baby. Although it seemed bleak, it was never possible that Jesus would stay dead.

Peter quotes Psalm 16:8–11 in verses 25–28 to prove it. In Psalm 16, David says that his heart is glad and his whole body dwells secure. Why? Because he would not be abandoned in Hades to stay there or have his flesh waste away. Rather, in death, he would follow the path of life into the eternal presence of God. Peter explains that this could not actually be talking about David. 

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 (v. 29).

David died. David was buried. David is still buried and his body is corrupted. His grave was still right there in Jerusalem for them to see. So, if this psalm of David could not be fulfilled by David, then who is it about?

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, he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption (vv. 30–31).

David knew that God had promised him a son who would sit on the throne forever. This is where the idea of kingdom shows up again here. Jesus is the Son of David and Son of God, who is the promised King of the kingdom of God forever! Listen to this promise in 2 Samuel. 

Moreover, the LORD declares to you that the LORD will make you a house. When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son.—2 Samuel 7:11–14

Jesus is the Son of David and Son of God, and this promise of resurrection from Psalm 16 came true to show that God was keeping his promise of an eternal kingdom through him. Peter is preaching this sermon to give us confidence that God’s plans cannot be stopped because of God’s power. Jesus is alive. He’s King. And in him we have abundant life and will dwell in his kingdom forever. The eternal Thanksgiving is not canceled. We will feast with our King forever! 

Kids, I’m sure you’ve heard a lot about who will be president in these days. Maybe you’ve even been worried about it. Well, that’s a very important position, isn’t it? But because Jesus is alive, it means that he is the King of kings forever and ever. It means that no one can ever have more power than him. It means that he is in control of everything. No matter who is the president of our country, we are citizens of the kingdom of God that will never end. Jesus is our King.

The resurrection was always God’s plan. God’s plan was happening when Jesus was here on earth doing amazing things. God’s plan was happening when Jesus suffered and died on the cross. God’s plan was happening when he did not stay dead, but rose up again to show that he is the Savior who takes away our sins if we trust him and the King who rules over all the earth. 

Application: Hopeful, Waiting Witnesses (Acts 2:32)

That is what Acts and Advent is all about: the people of God who trust in the death and resurrection of Christ and are given power to live for his glory while they wait for him to return. A people empowered as citizens of the Kingdom to enjoy the King, bow to the King, and tell other people about the King until we are with him forever. God has given all authority to his Son, King Jesus, and Jesus promises to be with us always, while we go and make much of his name. Look at verse 32: 

This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses.

Peter is saying, “We have seen all this and we cannot deny it.” Remember in 1 Peter how much Peter hoped in the resurrection? Peter is confirming for them that this is not some early day-drinking that is happening—a filling with wine. Rather, this is a filling with the Holy Spirit that marks a new age where all the people of God will have the Holy Spirit and make much of Jesus. 

God’s plan marches on to make much of his Son by the power of his Spirit so that many will be saved and come to know him. We talked in the beginning of the sermon about how our world is hopeless and weary. We talked about how even we have been tempted to place our hope onto things that cannot hold their weight—like a construction-paper chair. The resurrection gives us the sure hope of God’s plan and power. God’s plan marches along by God’s power. Nothing can stop him. Nothing can thwart him. That sure hope is our sturdy place of rest.

The Son of David, who is Jesus, is also the Son of God. He came and lived a powerful and perfect life according to God’s plan. He died the death we deserved to die for sin according to God’s plan. He was raised up to conquer death according to God’s plan. He lives as the King of the universe forever according to God’s plan. And the Spirit was poured out on a people according to God’s plan.

Therefore, we too have died to sin with Christ. We’ve been forgiven. His sacrifice is enough. We have been brought into the kingdom of God as the blood-bought family of God. We have been raised with Christ. We have eternal life in him and we will never die. We will reign forever with him in his eternal kingdom. In fact, I would argue that now Psalm 16 is true of us as sons and daughters of God. Our souls can be glad and our whole being can rejoice. Because God will not abandon our souls or let our flesh see corruption. He has made known to us the path to life. And we will be with him forever, where there is fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore. 

That is our confidence this Advent season. The plans and power of God fulfilled in the name of Jesus. And so, in this moment, find fresh hope that his plans are never thwarted. His purposes are never stopped. Our King is alive and well. Death could not hold him. Fix your eyes on him and have hope.   

And let that hope turn your weariness into eager waiting. Jesus came once according to God’s plan. Jesus will come again according to God’s plan. We wait with hope—no matter the circumstances—because our King is alive. Because we know we are already raised with him to eternal life, and when he comes again, he will wipe away every tear and make all things new. Fix your eyes on him. Let your hope rise. Let your weariness fall. Rest. Breathe. Trust. Wait. And then tell someone else about the hope you have within you this Advent season.

Sermon Discussion Questions