Christ's Credentials Series

1. He proved it when He was here on earth.

a. He raised the widow’s son in Luke 7.

b. He raised Jairus’ daughter in Luke 8.

c. He raised Lazarus in John 11.

2. But the Scriptures say that He will raise us as well!

a. Hebrews 2:14-15, Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death--that is, the devil-- 15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.

b. 1 Corinthians 15:51-57, Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed-- 52 in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. 53 For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. 54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." 55 "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

c. Jesus will raise you and I from the dead and He has the credentials to prove he can do it!

D. Jesus is a man accredited by God to us by resurrection power.

III. Jesus was accredited by God to us with prophetic utterances.

Acts 2:25-31, "David said about him: "’I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand, I will not be shaken. 26 Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will live in hope, 27 because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay. 28 You have made known to me the paths of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence.’ 29 "Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day. 30 But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne. 31 Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay."

A. Peter is now quoting another OT passage of Scripture.

1. This time its Psalm 16:8-11.

2. Peter is quoting the OT king, David who is talking about resurrection.

3. David says that Go would not abandon "me" to the grave and God would not let His Holy One see decay.

4. Clearly (and this is what Peter goes on to say) David is not talking about Himself.

5. The "Holy One" could only be the Messiah.

6. And Peter goes ahead to clarify that the "me" in the passage is not David, but Christ.

7. Peter is using this OT Psalm to back-up His point that God has accredited Jesus to us by raising Him up from the dead.

8. Peter says that he can confidently tell them that David did die, was buried and his tomb is still there.

9. So David was clearly not speaking of himself, but Christ.