Character of God-Part 3

Acts 13:26-35 

26 “Fellow children of Abraham and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent. 27 The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus, yet in condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath. 28 Though they found no proper ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him executed. 29 When they had carried out all that was written about him, they took him down from the cross and laid him in a tomb. 30 But God raised him from the dead, 31 and for many days he was seen by those who had traveled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to our people.

32 “We tell you the good news: What God promised our ancestors 33 he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm: “‘You are my son; today I have become your father.’

34 God raised him from the dead so that he will never be subject to decay. As God has said, “‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings promised to David.’ 35 So it is also stated elsewhere: “‘You will not let your holy one see decay.’

To See is to Believe?

Non-believers would maintain: “To see is to believe!”

This statement, “To see is to believe!” has been a standing argument of unbelievers not because they want proofs but they want to disprove God. No amount of explanation, evidences, or argument can convince anyone who has decided to be in the opposite end.

Our passage today is a classic example of those people who had seen and experienced the Lord Jesus and His miracles but did not want to believe in Him.

Believer or unbelievers, God has displayed His character as lenient and loving.

1.  Lenient

26 “Fellow children of Abraham and you God-fearing Gentiles, it is to us that this message of salvation has been sent. 27 The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus, yet in condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath. 28 Though they found no proper ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him executed. 29 When they had carried out all that was written about him, they took him down from the cross and laid him in a tomb. 30 But God raised him from the dead, 31 and for many days he was seen by those who had traveled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to our people.

Those who crucified the Lord have seen but they did not believe in Him. The saw Jesus with their naked eyes; Christ’s miracles were not done in secret. Thousands of people ate the food that Christ miraculously multiplied.

God could easily destroy those who persecuted His Son but He showed leniency. No amount of miracle, no amount of great preaching can convince those who don’t want to believe in God.

This calls for re-evaluation of our attitude to missions and evangelism. It is not with method, not by human efforts, and no evangelism training can convince non-believers to put their trust in Jesus. Should we stop witnessing because we cannot convince people to believe?

No, inspiration to keep sharing the gospel comes from the Lord, not from results. We go and witness not because of converts; witnessing is a showcase of obedience. The Holy Spirit inspires obedience; converts are just bonuses. The Lord Jesus, the Master Teacher experienced how to be ignored; He was rejected by His own people and relatives but He kept preaching on about heaven.

The Old Testament prophets were ignored, rejected, persecuted, and executed.

When one is filled with the Holy Spirit, no threats, danger can scare the witness.

Ezekiel

In Ezekiel 3:4-9, the Lord instructed Ezekiel to warn the people of Israel…

4 He then said to me: “Son of man, go now to the people of Israel and speak my words to them. 5 You are not being sent to a people of obscure speech and strange language, but to the people of Israel— 6 not to many peoples of obscure speech and strange language, whose words you cannot understand. Surely if I had sent you to them, they would have listened to you. 7 But the people of Israel are not willing to listen to you because they are not willing to listen to me, for all the Israelites are hardened and obstinate. 8 But I will make you as unyielding and hardened as they are. 9 I will make your forehead like the hardest stone, harder than flint. Do not be afraid of them or terrified by them, though they are a rebellious people.”

The Lord did not command, “Go and convince people to believe me!” God knows that there are people who would believe and others who would not. Christ does not hold us responsible if people choose not to believe. Our responsibility is to warn people of the impending wrath of God and to tell them about God’s gift of eternal life.

The Jewish leaders and many people who saw Christ did not put their trust in Him. The prophet who did not see Christ personally believed and put their trust in Him. God has extended His love not just for those who saw Christ but to everyone.

2. Loving

32 “We tell you the good news: What God promised our ancestors 33 he has fulfilled for us, their children, by raising up Jesus. As it is written in the second Psalm:

“‘You are my son; today I have become your father.’ 34 God raised him from the dead so that he will never be subject to decay. As God has said, “‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings promised to David.’ 35 So it is also stated elsewhere: “‘You will not let your holy one see decay.’ 36 “Now when David had served God’s purpose in his own generation, he fell asleep; he was buried with his ancestors and his body decayed. 37 But the one whom God raised from the dead did not see decay. 

Many great men in the past did not see Christ face to face yet they believed. When a person believes in Christ, it is the work of the Holy Spirit. We need to keep relying upon the Holy Spirit when we go witnessing.

If you were in the place of God, how would you show your love to your child? If God loves the Lord Jesus why did He let Him be sacrificed and crucified? How should parents show their love for their children?

Bill Gates

Despite being the richest family in the world, Bill and Melinda Gates claim that they won’t be leaving too much of their fortune to their kids, why?

They want their children to find their own self-worth. Bill doesn’t want his kids to be like other heirs, who squander their parents’ money and don’t accomplish anything.

“You’ve got to make sure they have a sense of their own ability and what they’re going to go and do. We want to strike a balance so they have the freedom to do anything but not sort of a lot of money showered on them so that they can go out and do nothing,” Bill explained.

Many parents would do their best to give their children an easy kind of life. If it’s possible, they do not want their children to sweat; that’s human love.

God is love; God’s display of love in a godly way. God was not worried that His Son would feel bad of Him when He has chosen Him be the Sacrificial Lamb.

Christ Jesus loves His Father; He did not ask for easy life on earth. Christ knows that whatever the Father told Him to do is for His own glory.

In Revelation 5:12, 12In a loud voice they sang: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”

If the archangel Michael has been sent by God to be sacrificed instead of Christ, then Michael, would receive the reward for the Sacrificial Lamb, right?

In those moments, when Christ was punished tortured, He looked forward to the joy set and prepared before Him.

In Hebrews 12:2, 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Many church-goers are not convinced to go and desire to witness because they have not received the power and indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

Have you ever thought if God’s commands were designed for your benefits? Have you imagined how much reward is waiting for those who make disciples?

God is love; His commands are expressions of His love. Have you realized it?

No amount of retreat, training, or preaching can inspire obedience to God. The joy to obey God comes from the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

Be filled with the Holy Spirit and experience God’s wonderful design for your life.

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