Wednesday: The Exaltation of Jesus
“Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear” (Acts 2:33).
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In the third part of the speech, Peter went back to the issue of tongues, which had attracted the people in the first place. Instead of being drunk, which would have been strange at nine o’clock in the morning (Acts 2:15), the believers were speaking in tongues because the Holy Spirit had just been poured out from heaven.
Read Acts 2:33-36. What is the connection between Jesus’ exaltation at the right hand of God and the outpouring of the Spirit?
The right hand of God is a position of authority (Ps. 110:1-3). Peter’s argument, which he based on Scripture, is that it was because Jesus had been elevated to such a position in heaven that He poured out the Spirit upon His followers. The exaltation did not grant Jesus a status He did not have before (John 1:1-3, John 17:5). Instead, it represented the Father’s supreme recognition of His prerogative as Lord and Savior (Acts 2:36).
This event actually brings us to one of the most important themes in Scripture: the cosmic conflict between good and evil. The point is that the Spirit could not fully come if Jesus were not exalted (John 7:39), and Jesus would not be exalted if He had not triumphed on the cross (John 17:4-5). In other words, Jesus’ exaltation was the condition for the coming of the Spirit because it signified God’s approval of Jesus’ accomplishments on the cross, including the defeat of the one who had usurped the rule of this world (John 12:31).
The entrance of sin into the world cast a shadow upon God. Jesus’ death was necessary, not only to redeem human beings but also to vindicate God and expose Satan as a fraud. In Jesus’ ministry, the age of salvation was already at work (Luke 4:18-21). When He cast out demons or forgave sins, He was releasing Satan’s captives. Yet, it was the Cross that would give Him full authority to do that. So, when Christ’s self-sacrifice was authenticated in heaven, Satan had received a decisive blow, and the Spirit was being poured out to prepare a people for the coming of Christ.
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It is somewhat unfortunate that Peter's sermon is covered in 3 short daily lessons. It is arguably the first evangelistic effort of the Christian Church and both the circumstances and content of this sermon could and should be studied in depth.
My Challenge is this: Take the time to read the whole sermon, the events leading up to it, and the aftermath. Ask yourself these questions:
What did Peter really say?
How did he connect with his listeners?
Why do you think his listeners responded?
Thank you for the great question.
What did Peter really say?
Took the listeners to the Old Testament prophecy
How did he connect with his listeners?
He did not place blame on others.
He empathized with them.
Why do you think his listeners responded?
when the listeners comprehended the exalted position of Chris and the depth He was willing to go for the redemption of humanity, they accepted him.
I really appreciate this author's style of presentation of adding a Scripture to every statement he makes. This gives depth to the lessons and shows that he is not just giving his opinions.
The Spirit of God was always freely given to those who acted in faith according to the Word of God. There is no other source of power, knowledge or wisdom(Zech 4:6), and without this gift of God, our lamp will have no light(Matt 25:8,9).
Jesus' exaltation did not bring a new or different manifestation of the Holy Spirit, but His life Example, death and resurrection did inspire greater faith through His revealing of His Father, and thus the desire for the Holy Spirit was awakened in many. The Word of God is the manifestation of this Spirit through men, and the greater portion was written before the coming and death of the Messiah. The Spirit's power was manifest in many since the time of the patriarchs, and may be witnessed today in all who will receive this gift through repentance and faith, which has always been the condition. Jesus' promise of the Spirit was not a new thing, just as His "new" commandment was nothing new, as witnessed in the record of those who lived "by faith"(Heb 11, etc). Yet it is new to any who have never realized it before.
So what changed at the death/resurrection of Jesus? The promises of God were proven to be sure, and now fulfilled, while Satan was exposed as a liar and a fraud to the whole creation, and only those who allow him to deceive them cannot see it.
A thought. Peter's sermon cannot be taken in isolation of the work of the Holy Spirit. The reason Peter had an audience was because of the Spirit's work. The first part of his sermon is nothing but an explanation of that work.
Secondly, the believers were there because the Word of God had instructed them to be there in Jerusalem and to wait until they had power from God to do the work he had for them.
The second part of Peter's sermon is an execution of the Gospel Commission.
I did some research with regard to the word ,exalt. A word that is not used in our everyday language. I find some of the definitions are, to raise, or to elevate, or lift up and a few other ways to apply this word from scripture. The KJV does not use the word exalted. The continuation with Acts 2:33 refers to the pouring out of the Holy Spirit,and that according to apostle Peter, was referring to?. I
Nor unfortunately does KJV use the expression "poured out" in verse 33, which is much more accurate and descriptive.
Interesting enough, today I was reading a text in Philippians about our thoughts, that says "Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus" Phil 2:5, that started me to see how this can be applied. I continued to read till I came to a text that sais Jesus was exalted, verse 9. "Therefore God also has highly exalted and given Him the name that is above every name Phil2:9. I have a better understanding and application of Exaltation than before.
I tried to find from God's Word something that goes along with what the lesson says here: "..., and the Spirit was being poured out to prepare a people for the coming of Christ." I found nothing that says anything about "Preparing a people for His Coming." So I would say that the Spirit was being poured out to "Equip His People to Evangelize the World of the good news of His Saving Grace and Goodness in His Son Jesus before He comes again. Jesus is coming again whether we get prepared or not. But He is only taking with Him those who have chosen to live for Him, and tell others of that good news and be part of His Inheritance.
You've found that something in what you shared didn't you? This equipping of His people is for the evangelism that prepares those not yet His people for His coming. So it's both. Christ's object is to save whoever will believe on Him, so He enables by His Spirit, those who have received Him in order to seek the lost, that they might be prepared also.
Well, Robert Whiteman, Jesus will come whether we "Prepare" or not. And as I said before, I found nothing in scripture indicating anything about "Preparing a people for His Coming." God is not depending for people to be prepared for his second coming anymore than He was depending on people to be prepared for His First Coming. The Son Of God came as a Human Baby, grew up into an adult and demonstrated His Fathers' Love and character, became the worlds' sin offering, rose from the dead, ascended to His Fathers' Right Hand, and will come again in due time. The Holy Spirit and the Spiritual Gifts are given to tell the world about These Wonderful News and thereby the only way of salvation to them as well as to us. We are to do our part in "Preparing a highway for our God," not "preparing a people for it." If in preparing a "Highway" for our God, people somehow receive blessings for themselves and others on the way, this is also very Wonderful and Awesome. But the "Preparing," is for Him and for Him alone. If God were to depend on "People," to somehow be a "Flawless," representation of Him for Him to Come again, Then He would never come again.
You have found nothing? I find that interesting, for I see it everywhere in scripture. What do you read in Matt 24:42-44, Rev 7:3; 22:14, Titus 2:11-14, Eph 5:25-27, just to share a few?
Jesus first coming was foretold with a specific time, the 2nd coming is without warning and even "as a thief in the night", or for most; when not expecting it or, being prepared for it(see Zeph 2:3, Ps 91:1).
Thank-you. That was the one slip-up in an otherwise good lesson. It is a token to an offshoot group that believes God is somehow dependent on us to duplicate what Christ did. He chooses to use us to spread the word about his love, by word and example. The only preparation necessary for His coming is acceptance of Him as Lord and Savior.
And, yes, EGW said that "God is waiting for His Character to be perfectly reproduced in His people, then He will come to claim them as His own." She said this in reference to a very short parable by Jesus about God's Kingdom on this Earth before His Second Coming: about a seed of corn that is planted and it first produces a "blade," then an "ear," and then "The full corn in that ear." To me this Parable of Jesus just simply means that God intends to make sure that His Kingdom on this earth before He returns again to make all things new, will reach a total and complete maturity before He does this. But that also means to me that this will probably include the 1,000 year Millenium just before He fully destroys sin and all sinners from this universe and this earth.
But Pete He comes to claim us as His own the first time He comes. Not after the thousand years. " "When the fruit is brought forth, immediately he putteth in the sickle, because the harvest is come." Christ is waiting with longing desire for the manifestation of Himself in His church. When the character of Christ shall be perfectly reproduced in His people, then He will come to claim them as His own." Ellen White, Christ Object Lessons, Page 69.