ACTS
10:34-43
GOOD
NEWS FOR ALL
We
have arrived at this Resurrection Day to begin the Easter season of 2020 in a
different and dramatic manner, for most believers find themselves worshiping
differently than they ever have. I will be tuning to a local church’s worship
broadcast online. It is bittersweet because God’s people, thanks to technology,
are still able to worship together despite multiple gathering restrictions;
nonetheless, our hearts should long to be with one another in the fellowship of
the Spirit and the shalom only found in Jesus Christ.
Today
we celebrate the indisputable resurrection from the dead of God the Son who
perpetually lives in resurrected flesh and sits at the right hand of the
Father. Even in a society facing unprecedented challenges, death has been
defeated, sin has been negated for the people of God, and Jesus Christ reigns
supreme. The Apostles understood the gospel’s good news and even gave their
lives for its message, as believers should willing do now, for if Christians
are not willing to lay down their lives for the sake of the gospel, they have
not been changed by its message. The good news of the gospel hinges on Christ’s
resurrection: a proven historical fact. Focusing on this Resurrection Day then,
an excellent passage which conveys the truth of the gospel is Acts 10:34-43,
which the Apostle Peter boldly proclaimed to the Gentiles. To reflect on the
good news of the gospel, there are three imperatives, in this passage, about
the good news of the gospel.
Acts 10:34-43 English Standard Version (ESV)
Gentiles
Hear the Good News
34 So Peter opened his mouth and said:
“Truly I understand that God shows no partiality, 35 but
in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to
him. 36 As for the word that he sent to Israel, preaching
good news of peace through Jesus Christ he
is Lord of all), 37 you yourselves know what happened
throughout all Judea, beginning from Galilee after the baptism that John
proclaimed: 38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with
the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who
were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. 39 And
we are witnesses of all that he did both in the country of the Jews and in
Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree, 40 but
God raised him on the third day and made him to appear, 41 not
to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate
and drank with him after he rose from the dead. 42 And he
commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one
appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. 43 To
him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness
of sins through his name.”
Good
News That Must Be Preached (v. 34a, 42)
The
first verse of the passage here conveys that Peter opened his mouth. Moreover,
the Apostle references Jesus’ command to preach the gospel[1] “and to testify that he is
the one appointed by God to be the judge of the living and the dead” (v. 42). Peter’s
call to preach here is a similar reminder to what Paul says in his letter to
the Romans. “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And
how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they
to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent?”
(Rom 10:14-15a) Suffice it to say that Christians are called to preach. A
common notion is that believers should befriend someone and build a
relationship first before sharing the gospel with that person. Bear in mind,
however, that Peter here is likely speaking to people he has never met, as the
other Apostles did the majority of their ministries. The inference then is that
the gospel must be preached at all times and to all people; Christians must
ever be prepared to give an account of Jesus Christ (1 Pet 3:15).
Believers
seemingly tend to make preaching more complicated. While there are certainly
deep truths in the Bible and the gospel itself, preaching the foundation of its
message is not difficult. I am an advocate of planning conversations;
therefore, when someone has a gospel conversation with a lost person, it is
acceptable to plan the conversation if possible. Believers should know, at all
times, the message of the gospel so that it may be presented to a lost and
dying world. The gospel is an urgent need for the lost; yet, believers seem to
be casual with the only existing message of hope available. The church should
treat the preaching of the gospel as it is: an urgent need. Christ’s call to
preach endures still; believers must be obedient.
Good
News That Centers around Jesus (vv. 34b-41)
The
gospel, secondly, is good news that centers around Christ. The majority of the
passage here communicates the christocentricity of the gospel, for without
Christ’s mediation, all of humanity would be utterly hopeless. Peter tells the
story of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection in this passage because such is
the foundation of the gospel for all believers. While deep and mysterious
theological topics abound and should be examined, if Christians do not grasp
the weight of the threefold mystery of faith,[2] all other thoughts are
futile. Jesus is central because he mediates a new and better covenant (Heb
8:6). It should not be that the church preaches Jesus when all else fails but
that the church preaches Jesus always and no matter the situation. The gospel
centers around and is Jesus. Peter understands the centrality of Jesus here and
proclaims his story in his message to the Gentiles. Likewise, Christians should
proclaim the gospel that centers around Christ and his already-accomplished
work. Today, as believers around the globe celebrate Jesus’ resurrection,
Christ is central to all Christian activity and indeed to the good news of the
gospel.
Good
News Planned from before the Foundation of the World (v. 43)
Revelation
13:8 references the Lamb who was slain from before the foundation of the world.
Further, Peter here mentions the prophets who bear witness to Christ. It might
be reasoned then that the cross was not a secondary plan but that Christ’s
death and resurrection have been the means necessary for the good news of the
gospel from before time began. The prophets, hundreds of years before Christ
walked the earth, pointed to the coming Messiah and certainly looked to his
hope. Many seem to question why the Friday before Resurrection Sunday is often
given the name, Good Friday; it is because Christ’s death has been the eternal
plan from before time began and the only plan that would satisfactorily glorify
triune God. Therefore, Christ’s death is good. Moreover, Christ did not stay
dead but rose on Sunday. The gospel is good news not only because Christ died
for the sin of his people but that he also rose and lives eternally; the gospel
is good news because the plan of God from before time began succeeds and overcomes
everything else including the depravity of humanity and evil of Satan.
Rejoice
in the Gospel
Even
as many believers are worshipping in isolation today, this Resurrection Sunday
beginning the Easter season of 2020 should be a time of great rejoicing, for
the good news of the gospel has been proclaimed and indeed is being employed in
the lives of Christians around the world. Such good news should cause believers
to joyfully proclaim the story of Jesus Christ and boldly preach the gospel
message urgently to a lost and dying world. Not only when all else fails but at
all times, let the church remember and declare the threefold mystery of faith
and good news of the gospel: Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come
again! Quiver with fear, serpent of deception, for sin has been nullified,
death has been defeated, and the one whose heal you have struck has crushed
your head, and he who was in the tomb has risen and eternally reigns supreme!
