The Father's Approval

Acts 2:22-24 “Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. 23 This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. 24 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.”  
 
THE most fundamental truth of God’s salvation begins with the understanding God gave Jesus to us, so we can know the way to heaven. Here are two of many scriptures confirming this: John 3:16a “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son.” Galatians 2:20b The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. God’s salvation begins with God and is fulfilled through God.
   This is the first thing Peter wanted the large crowd to know when he revealed the powerful truth of God’s work among them. He says first that Jesus was accredited by God. This means that Jesus lived and ministered under God’s approval. The Father had certified the Son’s activity as the work of God.
   The evidence of this approval was through the miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him. When we recall the gospels, we note how the people responded with amazed wonder at Jesus’ miracles. They came in large crowds to be healed. Jesus’ healings and resurrections testified to his unity with the Father as the pharisee Nicodemus confessed: John 3:2b “Rabbi, we know you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the miraculous signs you are doing if God were not with him.”  
   Then Peter spoke a most amazing point when he reminded the crowd, “as you yourselves know.” How do they know Jesus’ miraculous signs? All the events of Jesus’ life were open for public knowledge. The reports of Jesus’ gracious, compelling words and supernatural works would have been a common topic among the Jews. The news of his death and resurrection was certainly flowing through Jerusalem, Judea and even into Samaria. And what would stop such news from going into other nations? Peter pointed out to the crowd that they knew Jesus of Nazareth was an extraordinary man under God’s favor.
   Jesus’ life should have been marked with peace and joy. All should have welcomed him. But God had not given his Son to the world to live in ease. Sin demands a blood payment. So God gave Jesus to suffer for your sin. Peter tells us God’s set purpose caused him to hand Jesus over to wicked men. They killed him on the cross. Then God’s set purpose raised Jesus to life because it is impossible for death to keep a hold on him.
   The people hearing Peter that day needed to know the same message we all must learn: We need a Savior. God is at work to save us through Jesus.
   Jesus is Savior because it  is impossible for death to keep its hold on him. Peter wants the Jews to know he is not preaching about a dead man. He is preaching about the Savior, who is alive. His next words confirm this foundation of our faith.