Chapter Thirteen — Part Three: The Book of Acts
By: Pastors Rodney & Adonica Howard-BrownePublish date: 01/30/2022
Foundation Scriptures:Acts 13:23-37
1. Preaching Jesus.
a. Paul lays a foundation for them from the Old Covenant and offers them the blessing of the New—if they want it.
b. Acts 13:23 NKJV — From this man’s seed, according to the promise, God raised up for Israel a Savior — Jesus —
c. David bore the honor of being a forefather of Jesus Christ—the Seed—Who would crush the devil’s head (Gen. 3:15; Mt. 1:1-17; Lk. 3:23-38).
d. Isaiah 11:1 AMPC — And there shall come forth a Shoot out of the stock of Jesse [David’s father], and a Branch out of his roots shall grow and bear fruit.
e. Paul is declaring to them that God kept His promise that Israel’s Savior would come through David’s family line (2 Sam. 7:12-16; Ps. 132:11; Isa. 9:6).
f. In the person of Jesus Christ, every prophetic word was fulfilled.
g. Acts 13:24 NKJV — after John had first preached, before His coming, the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
h. John preached a baptism of repentance (Mt. 3:1-11; Lk. 3:1-21; Jn. 1:31-34).
i. Acts 13:25 NKJV — And as John was finishing his course, he said, ‘Who do you think I am? I am not He. But behold, there comes One after me, the sandals of whose feet I am not worthy to loose.’
j. John, the forerunner, was recognized by many as a Jewish prophet.
k. And he preached Jesus, acknowledging Him as Messiah (Acts 13:25; Mt. 3:11; Lk. 3:16).
2. The Message of Salvation.
a. Acts 13:26 AMPC — Brethren, sons of the family of Abraham, and all those others among you who reverence and fear God, to us has been sent the message of this salvation [the salvation obtained through Jesus Christ].
b. From Abraham onwards, all those who are reverenced and feared God, had been sent this message of salvation (Ps. 107:20).
c. Acts 13:27 AMPC — For those who dwell in Jerusalem and their rulers, because they did not know or recognize Him or understand the utterances of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, have actually fulfilled these very predictions by condemning and sentencing [Him].
d. Even though these prophecies were read every Sabbath, the priests did not understand them, nor recognize or acknowledge the Messiah when He came.
e. Acts 13:28 AMPC — And although they could find no cause deserving death with which to charge Him, yet they asked Pilate to have Him executed and put out of the way.
f. They sinned in that they crucified an innocent Man.
g. Acts 13:29 AMPC — And when they had finished and fulfilled everything that was written about Him, they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb.
h. Unwittingly, they fulfilled scripture by what they did to Jesus.
i. All that was foretold of the sufferings of the Messiah was fulfilled in Christ.
j. Acts 13:30 AMPC — But God raised Him from the dead.
k. They thought they had dispensed with Jesus, BUT after three days God, Himself, raised Him from bodily the dead!
3. Resurrection.
a. Acts 13:31 AMPC — And for many days He appeared to those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, and they are His witnesses to the people.
b. There was ample proof of the resurrection.
c. He appeared to many (500 different people) over a period of forty days.
d. They were eyewitnesses, and testified accordingly (Acts 1:8, 22; 2:32; 3:15; 4:32; 5:32).
e. Acts 13:32 AMPC — So now we are bringing you the good news (Gospel) that what God promised to our forefathers,
f. Good News—glad tidings—everything promised has been fulfilled! (Gen. 3:15; 12:1-3; Dt. 18:15; Isa. 7:14; 9:6; 11:1; 42:1-5; 61:1; Ps. 16:10).
g. His resurrection was the fulfillment, to the children, of all the promises made to their fathers, the patriarchs.
h. Acts 13:33 AMPC — This He has completely fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus, as it is written in the second psalm, You are My Son; today I have begotten You [caused You to arise, to be born; formally shown You to be the Messiah by the resurrection].
i. Jesus’ resurrection—physically, from the dead—is proof that He was Who He said He was, the only begotten Son of God and Messiah (Ps. 2:7).
j. The Father, Himself, sent Him, offered Him as a sacrifice, and raised Him up from the dead—for our sakes.
k. Hebrews 1:5-6 NKJV — For to which of the angels did He ever say: “You are My Son, Today I have begotten You”? And again: “I will be to Him a Father, And He shall be to Me a Son”? 6 But when He again brings the firstborn into the world, He says: “Let all the angels of God worship Him.”
l. In His resurrection, Jesus was counted as the Firstborn from the dead.
m. Acts 13:34 AMPC — And as to His having raised Him from among the dead, now no more to return to [undergo] putrefaction and dissolution [of the grave], He spoke in this way, I will fulfill and give to you the holy and sure mercy and blessings [that were promised and assured] to David.
n. God made this sure and holy promise of resurrection to David and all who believe (2 Sam. 7; Ps. 89:3-4, 28-36).
o. Acts 13:35 AMPC — For this reason He says also in another psalm, You will not allow Your Holy One to see corruption [to undergo putrefaction and dissolution of the grave].
p. Jesus rose from the dead, not having been abandoned in hell (Sheol) nor having seen physical corruption, as the Scriptures predicted (Isa. 55:3; Ps. 16:10; Acts 2:24-27; 13:33; Lk. 24:39; Jn. 21:14).
q. Acts 13:36-37 AMPC — For David, after he had served God’s will and purpose and counsel in his own generation, fell asleep [in death] and was buried among his forefathers, and he did see corruption and undergo putrefaction and dissolution [of the grave]. 37 But He Whom God raised up [to life] saw no corruption [did not experience putrefaction and dissolution of the grave].
r. These promises were not directed to David himself, who died and was buried, but to his Seed—Jesus Christ—Who lives and is alive forevermore!
s. The terms of the New Covenant depend on, and are guaranteed by, the resurrection (1 Cor. 15:9-23).