Freed From The Power Of Death Series

• Some times when we present the truths of the Gospel, and people reject it, we mistakenly believe that it is because we have just failled to explain it enough. Although, we may indeed fail to explain the truth because of either fear or apathy, or have our lifestyle contradict it, nevertheless, there is often a heart hatred of God that is benind the rejection of the Gospel. The purpose of the law of God is to show the universal failure to live up to the obvious moral demands of God and drive people to the open arms of a merciful God. The aim in sharing the Gospel is to show the obvious univeral moral failure and consequence before offering the benefit of forgivess and univeral life. Else, the benefit of the Gospel is seen as a redundant addition to life, and not the exclusive lifeboat to salvation.

The evidence from Jesus’ life and works that He was the Messiah of God was conclusive and undeniable. But because "people love darkness rather than the light; for their deeds are evil” (John 3:19), they commit the greatest sin that can be committed—they reject Jesus Christ.

Poem: "The God-Man"

Our blessed Lord combined in one, two natures, both complete; A perfect manhood all sublime, in Godhead all replete. As man He entered Cana’s feast, a humble guest to dine; As God He moved the water there, and changed it into wine. As man He climbed the mountain’s height, a suppliant to be; As God He left the place of prayer and walked upon the sea. As man He wept in heartfelt grief, beside a loved one’s grave; As God He burst the bands of death, Almighty still to save. As man He lay within a boat o’erpowered by needful sleep; As God He rose, rebuked the wind and stilled the angry deep. Such was our Lord in life on earth, in dual nature one; The woman’s seed in very truth and God’s eternal Son. O Child, O Son, O Word made flesh, may Thy high praise increase: Called Wonderful, the Mighty God, Eternal Prince of Peace (W. A. Criswell, Great Doctrines of the Bible, vol. 2 (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House, 1982), 122.)

2) The Death of Christ (Acts 2:23)

Acts 2:23 [23]this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. (ESV)

Peter’s emphatic use of the phrase this Man, translated here directly as "Jesus", brings out the stark contrast between his hearers’ evaluation of Jesus and God’s. The very One whom God had honored as Messiah, they had rejected and crucified.

Please turn to John 10

In this verse Peter answers an objection that would arise in the minds of his listeners. If Jesus was the Messiah, why was He a victim? Why did He not use His power to avoid the cross? Peter’s reply to this unspoken objection is that Jesus was no victim (John 10:17–18; 19:10–11); rather, He was delivered up according to/by the definite/predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God. God ordains the means as well as the ends of human events without violating human freedom and responsibility (Whitlock, L. G., Sproul, R. C., Waltke, B. K., & Silva, M. (1995). The Reformation study Bible: Bringing the light of the Reformation to Scripture: New King James Version (Ac 2:23). Nashville: T. Nelson.)