Acts 2:29-36
My friends, it is right for me to speak to you about our ancestor David. He died and was buried, and his tomb is still here. But David was a prophet, and he knew that God had made a promise he would not break. He had told David that someone from his own family would someday be king.
David knew this would happen, and so he told us that Christ would be raised to life. He said that God would not leave him in the grave or let his body decay. All of us can tell you that God has raised Jesus to life!
Jesus was taken up to sit at the right side of God, and he was given the Holy Spirit, just as the Father had promised. Jesus is also the one who has given the Spirit to us, and that is what you are now seeing and hearing. David didn't go up to heaven. So he wasn't talking about himself when he said, "The Lord told my Lord to sit at his right side, until he made my Lord's enemies into a footstool for him." Everyone in Israel should then know for certain that God has made Jesus both Lord and Christ, even though you put him to death on a cross.
Scripture taken from the Contemporary English Version © 1991,1992, 1995 by American Bible Society, Used by Permission.
For a decade or longer, Barbara Walters has selected a group of the Ten Most Fascinating People to interview each year. The group includes celebrities, politicians, and maybe a “hero” or two, like General David Petraeus. I get the premise of Ms. Walters’ program, but I honestly have to ask myself, “What makes these people so fascinating?”
I’ll be honest… I find a lot of people – and things - interesting. I am impressed with the fortitude of some individuals… the struggles and adversities they overcame to achieve a level of success or fame. I appreciate the physical dedication and determination of certain athletes… the absolute resolve of someone like Gabrielle Giffords to recover from what should have been a deadly head trauma – or the incredible inner strength of those who survived such human injustices as the concentration camps of war or the civil rights movements in our own country. I am amazed and fascinated by the miracle of life… a newborn baby… how the feathers of a bird come together to create incredible color patterns…the beauty and intricacy of the tiniest wildflowers on a forest floor.
But in all of these people and things, I recognize the One who truly deserves our fascination. The truly fascinating Being is the Giver of Life… our Almighty God. Without Him, none of us would exist. Without God, there would be no plants or animals… no starry skies or blazing sunsets. The fortitude and inner strength… resolve and determination… courage and beauty… all come from our amazing God. Without the gift of Jesus and His blood on the cross, we would have to fear death… and the prospect of an eternity in hell.
The people we consider fascinating are nothing in and of themselves. Whether they realize it or not, they got where they are because of our Heavenly Father. Any success they enjoy… any great accomplishments they achieve… any accolades they receive… any horrific experiences they overcame… are all because of the blessings, goodness, grace and mercy of God Almighty.
For me, this scripture passage is screaming, “IT’S NOT ABOUT YOU… IT’S ABOUT JESUS!” We’ve put the focus on ourselves. Peter is pointing out that David knew that God would make one of his sons a king… but he would make HIS Son the King of Kings. David got it… he realized this was not about him or his family, but about God and His kingdom. The question is… do we get it now? Are we busy focusing on Jesus… or are we self-absorbed and focused on ourselves and what God can do for us?
We need to recognize that we are nothing apart from God. We need to understand that we desperately need the Holy Spirit to guide us each and every day. We need to acknowledge that it is not about us… it’s all about Him. Where is your focus? What – and who – really fascinates you? Is Jesus at the top of your list? Shouldn’t He be?
©2012 Debbie Robus
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