Acts 13:26-33: a reflection

26“Brothers, children of the stock of Abraham, and those among you who fear God, the word of this salvation is sent out to you. 27For those who dwell in Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they didn’t know him, nor the voices of the prophets which are read every Sabbath, fulfilled them by condemning him. 28Though they found no cause for death, they still asked Pilate to have him killed. 29When they had fulfilled all things that were written about him, they took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb. 30But God raised him from the dead, 31and he was seen for many days by those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses to the people. 32We bring you good news of the promise made to the fathers, 33that God has fulfilled this to us, their children, in that he raised up Jesus. As it is also written in the second psalm, ‘You are my Son. Today I have become your father.’

In his preaching, Paul brings the good news that God has fulfilled his ancient promise by raising Jesus from the dead. We bring you good news of the promise made to the fathers, Paul declares, that God has fulfilled this to us, their children, in that he raised up Jesus. Though Jesus had been condemned and put to death, God raised him from the dead; and he was seen by many witnesses. And this, Paul says, is the fulfillment of the promise God had made long before to the fathers: the good news that God has kept his ancient promise, raising Jesus from the dead. The resurrection is God's fulfillment of his promise, and the heart of the good news. This shows the good news that God fulfilled his ancient promise by raising Jesus from the dead. God fulfilled his ancient promise by raising Jesus from the dead. The resurrection is the good news of God's promise kept. God raised Jesus, and this is the heart of the gospel proclamation. God keeps his promises; the risen Christ is the proof.

Notice what Paul proclaims as good news. Jesus had been condemned and put to death, though no cause for death was found in him. But that was not the end: God raised him from the dead, and the risen Jesus was seen for many days by many witnesses. And Paul frames this resurrection as the fulfillment of God's ancient promise: we bring you good news of the promise made to the fathers, that God has fulfilled it by raising up Jesus. The good news is that God has kept his promise, that the resurrection of Jesus is God's own fulfillment of what he had promised long before. This is the heart of the gospel and a ground of great hope. God had made promises long ago, of salvation, of a Savior; and in raising Jesus from the dead, he fulfilled them. The resurrection is not only the vindication of Jesus, but the proof that God keeps his promises, that what he promised he has now fulfilled. This is good news for us: that God is faithful to his promises, and has fulfilled his greatest promise in the risen Christ, in whom salvation is now offered. We can rest our hope on a God who keeps his promises, whose faithfulness is proven in the raising of Jesus from the dead. We do well to receive this good news, that God has fulfilled his promise in the risen Christ, and to rest our hope on so faithful a God. Receive the good news that God fulfilled his promise by raising Jesus from the dead. The resurrection proves God keeps his promises. Rest your hope on a God who has fulfilled his greatest promise in the risen Christ. God is faithful; the risen Jesus is the proof.

That is worth taking to heart, for God fulfilled his ancient promise by raising Jesus from the dead, and this is the good news, proof that God keeps his promises, as Paul proclaimed. We might doubt whether God keeps his word; but Paul brings good news that God has fulfilled his promise to the fathers by raising up Jesus. God is faithful. Receive the good news that God has kept his greatest promise in the risen Christ, and rest your hope on so faithful a God. Receive the good news that God has fulfilled his ancient promise by raising Jesus from the dead, resting your hope on a God who keeps his promises, as in his preaching Paul brought the good news that God had fulfilled the promise made to the fathers in raising up Jesus, declaring that though Jesus had been condemned and put to death God raised him from the dead and he was seen by many witnesses; for this is the fulfillment of the promise God had made long before, the good news that God has kept his ancient promise by raising Jesus, so that the resurrection is God's fulfillment of his promise and the heart of the good news, which is a ground of great hope, since God had made promises long ago of salvation and a Savior and in raising Jesus fulfilled them, the resurrection being not only the vindication of Jesus but the proof that God keeps his promises, so that what he promised he has now fulfilled, which is good news for us that God is faithful to his promises and has fulfilled his greatest promise in the risen Christ in whom salvation is now offered, so that we can rest our hope on a God who keeps his promises, whose faithfulness is proven in the raising of Jesus, and we do well to receive this good news and rest our hope on so faithful a God.

Lord, in his preaching, Paul brings the good news that you have fulfilled your ancient promise by raising Jesus from the dead. We bring you good news of the promise made to the fathers, Paul declares, that God has fulfilled this to us, their children, in that he raised up Jesus. Though Jesus had been condemned and put to death, you raised him from the dead; and he was seen by many witnesses. And this, Paul says, is the fulfillment of the promise you had made long before to the fathers: the good news that you have kept your ancient promise, raising Jesus from the dead. The resurrection is your fulfillment of your promise, and the heart of the good news. Show me what Paul proclaims as good news. Jesus had been condemned and put to death, though no cause for death was found in him. But that was not the end: you raised him from the dead, and the risen Jesus was seen for many days by many witnesses. And Paul frames this resurrection as the fulfillment of your ancient promise: good news of the promise made to the fathers, that you have fulfilled it by raising up Jesus. The good news is that you have kept your promise. This is the heart of the gospel and a ground of great hope. You had made promises long ago, of salvation, of a Savior; and in raising Jesus from the dead, you fulfilled them. The resurrection is not only the vindication of Jesus, but the proof that you keep your promises. This is good news for me: that you are faithful to your promises, and have fulfilled your greatest promise in the risen Christ, in whom salvation is now offered. I can rest my hope on a God who keeps his promises. Take that to my heart. Help me receive this good news, Lord, that you have fulfilled your ancient promise by raising Jesus from the dead, and rest my hope on so faithful a God, whose faithfulness is proven in the risen Christ, in whom salvation is offered to me.