He has risen!
April 18, 2004
Acts 26:22-23
Ac 26:22 "Therefore, having obtained help from God, to this day I stand, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses said would come--
23 "that the Christ would suffer, that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles." (NKJV)
From Psalm Sunday with great joy and cheering, to the crucifixion with great suffering and death, to the rising from the dead the one and only Son of the living God, we behold our Savior. All of this happening in the very short time of about one week. The pictures and illustrations of the living Christ leap from the pages of the word of God into our minds and consciences. Jesus had appeared to His disciples and the apostles at least twice on two different Lord’s Days. He had showed them the very holes in His hands and His side. He had eaten in their presence and He had walked and talked with them. On one occasion after His resurrection, He had kindled a fire on sea shore and had place fish on the coals. His apostles came by in a boat and He beckoned them and they came and ate with Him on the sea shore. Jesus was and is and always will be the Son of the living God and He did arise from the dead.
In our text for today the Bible tells us apostle Paul is preaching to King Agrippa and great pomp entered as well as Festus and his company of officials. In Acts 26 we read the events that transpired leading up to our text.
Read Acts 26:1-23
1. Christ must suffer.
a. The beating that Jesus took, the average man could not withstand.
b. Jesus spirit was not average.
c. Jesus had to die on the cross.
2. Christ is the first to rise from those who sleep (death).
a. Elijah had raised the son of the Shunammite woman.
b. Jesus himself had raised Lazarus and the widow’s son at Nain. (Lu 7:11-16)
c. At Jesus’ death many of the saints rose and appeared to many.
d. Jesus would rise never to die again.
e. All those who rose from the dead died again.
3. Christ would proclaim light the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.
a. There is no anti-Semitic or anti-Jewish with Jesus.
b. There is no difference to those who obey the gospel.
c. The word light means understanding.
d. He will not force feed you and me. He simple sheds light and we can take or leave it.
e. His light is glorious. His light is everlasting.
Conclusion:
After the cheering stopped, after the crucifixion and death of Jesus, after the resurrection of Jesus, light began to shine. The gospel began to be preached. First 3000, then 5000 and then the souls began to multiply. Millions have received the light and obeyed the Gospel. How about you? Have you received the light of the Savior? Have you obeyed the Savior.
You must:
Believe – John 8:24
Repent – Acts 17:30
Confess believe – Matt. 10:32-33
Be baptized – Mark 16:16
Live faithfully – Rev. 2:10
