the Fourth Week after Easter
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Daily Devotionals
Day by Day Devotional - Year 4 of 5
Acts 13:32-52
"If Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain", the apostle writes to the Corinthians (1 Corinthians 15:14). Do not let us then be surprised by hearing him insisting so much on the resurrection of the Lord Jesus. To the Jews it showed that He was indeed the promised Messiah – the One of whom Psalms 16:1-11 and other Scriptures spoke (vv. 34, 35). To the heathen it confirmed the power of God and the imminence of judgment (Acts 17:31). To us believers the presence in the glory of our living Redeemer guarantees that His work has been accepted by God for our justification (Romans 4:25), that our portion is heavenly (Colossians 3:1-2), and that our hope is "sure and steadfast" (Hebrews 6:18-20).
Alas, the "glad tidings" (v. 32) meet with only contradiction and blasphemy on the part of the wretched Jews (v. 45). Then at the Lord’s command, the apostles turn solemnly to the Gentiles confirming that remission of sins is for whomsoever believes (vv. 38, 39).
These Jews judged themselves unworthy of eternal life (v. 46). It was in unbelief, not at all in humility. The Lord had spoken of them in the picture of the elder son in the parable (Luke 15:25 . . .) who, through his selfishness and self-righteousness, deprived himself voluntarily of the joys of the father’s house.
