Acts (Part 13) - Acts 2:28-30 - Depression and the Ups and Downs of Life

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Acts (Part 13) - Acts 2:28-30 1. Acts 2:28 – Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance. A. Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; i. This clause is rendered “thou wilt shew me the path of life” in Psa 16:11. ii. Jesus trusted that the Father would show and make known to Him the path and ways of life. iii. God does this by giving us His word as our light and guide (Psa 119:9, 105; Pro 6:23; Pro 10:17). iv. Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life (Joh 14:6). v. If we follow Jesus, we will be in the way of life. B. thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance. i. This clause is rendered “in thy presence is fulness of joy; at thy right hand there are pleasures for evermore” in Psa 16:11. ii. Jesus endured the cross for the joy that was set before Him at the right hand of God (Heb 12:2). a. During Jesus’ life on earth, He was a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief (Isa 53:3). b. Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning (Psa 30:5). c. So it is with us―in this life we will have tribulation (Joh 16:33) and at times be in heaviness because of manifold temptations (1Pe 1:6). d. But when we get to heaven and are in the presence of God, there will be no more tears, sorrow, or pain, but only joy (Rev 21:3-4). e. God’s countenance will make us full of joy (Rev 22:3-4; Psa 21:6). iii. God makes His face to shine upon us when He teaches us His statutes (Psa 119:135). iv. When God lifts up the light of His countenance upon us, He puts gladness in our hearts (Psa 4:6-7). v. When God makes Christ’s face to shine upon us, He makes His way known upon the earth (Psa 67:1-2). 2. Acts 2:29 – Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. A. In verses 25-28, Peter quoted David’s prophecy in Psa 16:8-11 as proof that God raised Jesus from dead (v.24). B. Peter then reasoned that David was not speaking of himself in Psa 16:8-11. C. It is a fact that David had been dead and buried for hundreds of years at the time that Peter was speaking. D. The Jews he was speaking to knew where David’s sepulchre was which contained his body. E. David’s body saw corruption (Act 13:36-37). F. Therefore, David could not have been speaking of himself when he wrote that God would not suffer His Holy One to see corruption (Psa 16:10). 3. Acts 2:30 – Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; A. Peter continues to reason with the people. B. Therefore being a prophet, i. David wrote under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit (2Sa 23:2; Mar 12:36). ii. This makes him a prophet by definition (2Pe 1:21). C. and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; i. God swore to David that He would sit the fruit of his body on his throne (Psa 132:11; Psa 89:3-4, 34-37). ii. God promised David that after his death He would raise up his seed to reign on his throne forever (2Sa 7:12-16). iii. God’s promise of raising up David’s son to sit on his throne was as sure as His promise that day and night will never cease (Jer 33:20-21 c/w Gen 8:22). iv. Jesus Christ is the promised seed and son of David (Rom 1:3; 2Ti 2:8; Mat 1:1; Mat 12:23; Mat 21:9). v. The resurrection of Christ was the fulfillment of the Davidic covenant (Act 13:32-37), which was God’s everlasting covenant (Act 13:34 c/w Isa 55:3).