His Name is Life!

Acts 2:22-24

22 "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know — 23 Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; 24 whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it. NKJV

22 "Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know . . .

. . . Men of Israel, hear these words . . .

In our previous study we went into some detail on what the Day of the Lord is and our need for an immediate response to Peter’s warning of the coming of day of vengeance that belongs to the Lord.

Luke 21:22 For these are the days of vengeance, that all things which are written may be fulfilled. NKJV

Rom 12:19

19 Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. NKJV

2 Thess 1:6-8

6 since it is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, 7 and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, 8 in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. NKJV

Heb 10:29-31

29 Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? 30 For we know Him who said, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. And again, "The Lord will judge His people." 31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. NKJV

. . . And we briefly went over who it is by whom salvation comes. In this study we will hopefully dig deeper into the Name on which we call on for salvation. Immediately after Peter quotes Joel he readdresses “Israel”. The following discourse from Peter is directed more towards the sin of his own nation and people. He is calling them and us, the reader, to pay attention to his words, “hear these words”. He begins his discourse with the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the Name that the prophet Joel says, “And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” To be even more specific Peter emphasizes the personhood and manhood of Jesus by stating, “Jesus of Nazareth”.

. . . Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know —

In that culture people were often identified by the place of their birth or business. They did not have a last name as we do in our culture. In our culture we carry on our father’s last name to keep the family name alive, unless you are a woman who marries, than you take on the name of the family you are married into (Rom. 7:3-4). Jesus who was more than just a man from Nazareth was also the appointed Messiah to save His people from their sins (Matt. 1:21). All who call upon Him for salvation take on His Name, if you will, like a woman who married into another family, and are called Christians, which means, a disciple of Christ or “little Christ’s” (Acts 11:26).

God did this by granting Christ the signs, which would accompany and prove, that Jesus was the Christ prophesied about by the fathers and prophets. The miracles and wonders He did was the authority that proved that what He spoke was true and from the Author of life. Peter who was an eyewitness of these miracles also testifies that God did this through Him openly before all the people of Israel and that they are without excuse if they now reject the Holy Spirit that is poured out again before them in these disciples. In other words, these Jews blasphemed the Christ which was forgivable, but if they now reject the outpouring of the Holy Spirit it will be unforgivable, as Jesus said,

“Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.” (Matt 12:31-32)

God was validating Christ’s life, death, and resurrection, that is to say His whole message, through the miracles that were done through Him. In fact, most of the miracles are what led to the hardness of heart in the Jewish leaders (Mk.2:6). The miracles that God was doing are what caused His death, but the greatest miracle was His resurrection proving that He was God in the flesh, and if they now reject Him they have also rejected the Holy Spirit which is a greater condemnation (Mt.10:15).

1 Cor 15:12-19

12 Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. 14 And if Christ is not raised, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. 15 Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up — if in fact the dead do not rise. 16 For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. 17 And if Christ is not raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! 18 Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. NKJV

. . . which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know —

Peter is pointing out, that not only he was an eyewitness, but all of Israel is able to testify that the miracles among them were of God.

John 9:30-33

30 The man answered and said to them," Why, this is a marvelous thing, that you do not know where He is from; yet He has opened my eyes! 31 Now we know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is a worshiper of God and does His will, He hears him. 32 Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind. 33 If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing." NKJV

. . . Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.

. . . Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God . . .

Him, Jesus, is who God delivered over to these ungodly men by God’s predetermined plan. God is declaring to these ungodly Jews who murdered and killed the Lord of glory that He is taking credit for what they did through their own ungodly actions. In other words, God sent His beloved Son into this world knowing before hand that His own chosen people would murder Him for the love of their own sin. It was God’s purpose to do this to save them from their sin and grant them salvation (Jn.3:16). It is like a father saying to the child whom he loves that he is taking responsibility for his or her sin. That is what God is, in effect, saying to His chosen nation and people, the Jews. He is saying,

“I am taking responsibility for what YOU did. I crucified and forsook My Son, so that, YOU can be declared not guilty. I gave Him over to YOU to be put to death. I permitted YOU to kill My innocent Son, so that, YOU can be declared perfect in My sight. I DID these things. And if YOU reject Him now there will be no hope for YOU”

Isa 46:8-13

8 "Remember this, and show yourselves men; Recall to mind, O you transgressors. 9 Remember the former things of old, for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, and from ancient times things that are not yet done, saying ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will do all My pleasure,' 11 Calling a bird of prey from the east, the man who executes My counsel, from a far country. Indeed I have spoken it; I will also bring it to pass. I have purposed it; I will also do it.

12 "Listen to Me, you stubborn-hearted, who are far from righteousness: 13 I bring My righteousness near, it shall not be far off; My salvation shall not linger, and I will place salvation in Zion, for Israel My glory. NKJV

. . . you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death . . .

Peter first gives God the credit then transitions to the real culprits of the crime. Again, Peter is just stating that what the Jews thought was done in secret is now made known to their conscience that God has seen it and they are without excuse.

Jer 7:8-11

8 "Behold, you trust in lying words that cannot profit. 9 Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, burn incense to Baal, and walk after other gods whom you do not know, 10 and then come and stand before Me in this house which is called by My name, and say, 'We are delivered to do all these abominations'? 11 Has this house, which is called by My name, become a den of thieves in your eyes? Behold, I, even I, have seen it," says the Lord. NKJV

The Spirit says that it was their sin that nailed God’s chosen Messiah to a tree, to become a curse, that should have fallen on them. Peter is saying that they wanted a Messiah of their own choosing and making, a Messiah in their own image and likeness, and a god after their own heart. The Spirit is saying that they deserve to have been cursed, but God gave His Son who was holy, harmless, and undefiled to be the curse in their stead (Heb.7:26).

. . . whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.

But the curse did not have power over this Messiah, for He was the chosen one to set the captives free, and being the eternal Son, God of very God, death was swallowed up in victory.

1 Cor 15:54-57

54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory."

55 "O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?"

56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. NKJV

Luke 4:18-19

18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord." NKJV

It was God’s Spirit that was working with and in Jesus to do the works He did, from the time of His birth to the time of His ascension into Heaven. All these things God did through this Man, Jesus the Christ of Nazareth. No one can claim to have done these things, but now that we have been given the Holy Spirit we are sent NOT as one man, but as a body of “little Christ’s” who have been given access to His power through the Holy Spirit. And God commands us to GO in this power and proclaim liberty to the captives of sin and death. His Name is Liberty and His Name is Life.

John 11:25-27

25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?"

27 She said to Him, "Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world." NKJV