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DEATH COULD NOT HOLD HIMText: Acts 2:24-33 Introduction:
I. During the personal ministry of Christ, God had shown
His approval of Christ through the miracles, wonders,
and signs “which God did by him in the midst of you,
even as ye yourselves know.” (Acts 2:22) Israel,
however, had not approved of Christ. They had not
admitted that He was sent from God. They rejected Him
and delivered Him up to be crucified (Acts 2:23). But,
God again showed His approval of Jesus Christ by
raising Him, “having loosed the pains of death: because
it was not possible that he should be holden of it.”
(Acts 2:24)
II. Christ was put to death, but death could not hold Him.
What was His condition after His death and before His
resurrection? How does Peter prove that Christ was
raised? Let us first consider His condition between
the time of His death and His resurrection. An
understanding of this give us some understanding of the
nature of man and what happens at death.
Body:
I. The condition of Christ after death and before His
resurrection.
A. What is meant of the word “soul”?
1. David’s prophecy contains this statement “For You
will not leave my soul in Hades” (Acts 2:27).
2. There are those who say that man is breath and
body and that when he dies, he ceases to be.
B. The Bible affirms that the body apart from the
spirit is dead (James 2:26), but nowhere doe sit
affirm that the spirit apart from the body is dead.
1. In Ecclesiastes 12:7 we are told that at death
the body returns to dust and the spirit to God
who gave it.
2. Example: What happen to the spirits of Abraham,
Isaac, and Jacob when they died.
a. Did they cease to be?
b. Matthew 22:31-32
c. Exodus 3:6 – God did not say “I Was”
3. “In the New Testament the Greek is used in the
following senses; being sometimes translated
‘soul’, and sometimes ‘life.’”
a. Life, the loss of which is death;…Matthew
2:20; 6:25; Mark 3:4; Luke 6:9; 12:20.
b. The soul of man as distinguished from the body
and existing separately or capable of so
existing. Matthew 10:28; Acts 2:27; Revelation
6:9; 20:4
c. Soul as a constituent element of man’s nature,
the seat of vitality, thought, emotion, will;
the human mind in the larger sense of the
word;… Matthew 11:29; 22:37; 26:38
d. ‘soul of life’ signifies a ‘living being.’
e. More frequently ‘soul’ alone indicates a human
person.
(E. L. Burton, New Testament Word Studies p. 65-
66)
4. Acts 2:27 states that Jesus’ soul went to God, to
the keeping of God in Hades. His soul or spirit
did not cease to exist when He died.
C. Where was His soul while His body was in the tomb?
1. It was in Hades.
2. Hades is the abode of the departed, the unseen
world into which men pass at death.
3. While the body of Jesus was in the tomb, His
soul was in Hades, and yet it was in Paradise.
Luke 23:43
4. This shows that to the righteous Hades is place
of enjoyment.
D. Before Christ’s body saw corruption, soul and body
were re-united in the resurrection. Peter goes on
to prove this.
II. How Peter proved the resurrection of Christ.
A. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the central
miracle of the Bible.
1. When one is assured that this miracle took place,
it is easy to accept the other miracles of the
Bible.
2. If not true, our faith is vain.
3. If true, all our hope which are centered in Him
can be realized. 1 Corinthians 15:12-32.
B. The resurrection was prophesied.
1. Acts 2:25-28
a. David was not talking about himself.
b. He had died and his tomb was still with them,
thus He saw corruption.
c. But the one of whom he spoke of did not see
corruption. Acts 2:29
C. Peter still had to prove that Jesus was the Messiah.
Thus, it was needful for Peter that this prophesy of
the resurrection was fulfilled in Jesus. Acts 2:32-
33
1. The proof of the witness. The apostles are good
witnesses in every way in which can and should be
tested. Let us notice two questions:
a. Were they in a position to know whether or
not that which they testify to took place?
(1) The apostles had been closely associated
with Jesus for over three years.
(2) They also were with Jesus after His death.
(3) Thus, they were in a position to know.
(4) They heard, saw, and touched Him.
b. Are they honest enough to tell the truth about
what they have seen?
2. The evidence drawn from the miracles on
Pentecost. Acts 2:32
D. God raised from the dead and exalted the same Jesus
who had been crucified.
1. Acts 2:32
2. Acts 2:36
Conclusion: What shall we do with this Jesus whom God raised from the dead? What shall be our relationship to this same Jesus whom God exalted? It is the part of wisdom to accept Him whom God approved. Around three thousand manifested such wisdom and obeyed the gospel. They were thus saved from their sins and became loyal subjects of Him who is both Lord and Christ. We should be wise and not foolish. This sermon is based on a chapter in the book "The Hub of the Bible" by James D. Bales Top of the Page |
