O Dearly Has He Loved: Holy Week 2025

By / Apr 8

Cecil Frances Alexander (1818-1895) spent her whole life in Ireland. She married an Anglican pastor in 1850, William Alexander, who later became Bishop of Derry in 1867. She was very interested in children’s education throughout her life, and many of her almost 400 hymns were written especially with young people in mind. In 1848 she published Hymns for Little Children. One of her goals was to present the Apostles’ Creed in an interesting way which children would understand. She wrote three hymns which expressed certain parts of the Creed in simple language. “All Things Bright and Beautiful” reflects on “Maker of heaven and earth.” The hymn “Once in Royal David’s City” explains Christ’s being “born of the Virgin Mary.” Finally, “There Is a Green Hill Far Away” tells how Christ “Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried.” The opening verse of “There Is a Green Hill Far Away” is a good example of how her hymns relate the gospel in story-like fashion:

There is a green hill far away,
Without (outside) a city wall,
Where the dear Lord was crucified
Who died to save us all.

These lines outline a significant truth: the gospel is the good news about what God has done to save us.

The Apostle Paul provides for us the content of the gospel witness:

“Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.”

1 Corinthians 15:1-5

Paul highlights for us the absolute centrality of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Without these historic facts in place, there is no good news to preach. It is not surprising, therefore, that the Church has historically placed a great deal of emphasis on commemorating these events in its yearly worship cycle. The traditional nomenclature of “Holy Week” helps bring out the significance to us.

The immeasurable significance of Holy Week is perhaps best attested by the amount of space given to recording its events in the gospels. From the total of 89 chapters in the four gospel accounts, 29 chapters are devoted to describing what Jesus said and did from Palm Sunday to Easter. Not only this, but each gospel is composed so the reader can clearly understand that there is an inexorable movement in Jesus’ life towards the cross and the empty tomb. For example, Matthew’s gospel reads this way, “From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised” (Matthew 16:21). Luke 9:51 says Jesus “set his face to go to Jerusalem.” John’s gospel refers repeatedly to Jesus’ “hour,” pointing ahead to his death and the glory which would be manifested.

Holy Week gives extraordinary insight into the heart of God himself. It is where we see preeminently his great saving love for his people through the death and resurrection of Jesus. The names and places listed in the gospel accounts each bring to mind an amazing weight of significance: upper room, Gethsemane, Judas Iscariot, Pontius Pilate, crown of thorns, Barrabas, Golgotha, cross, thieves, mother, son, stone, tomb. The Gospel of John makes it clear that Christ’s saving work is the manifestation of the love of God towards sinners. John 3:16 says, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” We also learn that Christ’s death and resurrection is at the heart of the Father’s love for the Son and the Son’s love for the Father: “For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again” (John 10:17).

These great truths about our God and Savior ought to bring out of us our deepest devotion. Can we hear of Christ’s love for the Father in laying down his life for sinners and not stand in awe? Cecil Frances Alexander recognized this, so she included in her hymns verses which call the Christian to a life of commitment to Christ. The last verse of “There Is a Green Hill Far Away” reads:

O dearly, dearly has He loved,
And we must love Him too,
And trust in His redeeming blood,
And try His works to do.

Tenth’s Good Friday and Easter services and concert are intended to give all who attend an opportunity to be reminded of these great realities and to give God the worship he so richly deserves.

I want to give a brief word about the Good Friday Choral concert which will be held Friday evening, April 18. This year the Tenth Choir will present St. John Passion by Bob Chilcott. A musical “Passion” is quite simply the words of one of the Gospels set to music and intended to be sung in the context of a worship service.  St. John Passion contains almost the entirety of John 18 and 19, beginning in the Garden of Gethsemane through the death of Jesus on the cross. As with the well-known Passion settings by J.S. Bach, Mr. Chilcott’s St. John Passion includes not only the scriptural narrative, but also musical meditations intended to personalize the significance of the events. It also contains several beautiful new settings of familiar hymn texts which offer an opportunity for the congregation to participate. Among those hymns are “When I Survey the Wondrous Cross” and “There Is a Green Hill Far Away.” There is perhaps no greater time of year to invite friends and family members to come and hear for themselves the glorious gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ!



Renewing Hope

By / Mar 5

Every year, the Global Outreach Commission seeks projects for the Easter Sacrificial Offering (ESO) at Tenth. This long-standing tradition is a humble attempt to echo the great renewal we celebrate at Easter, as Jesus defeated death and began the process of making all things new. By giving sacrificially to these projects, we hope to continue the renewal of God’s people around the world. Each project is connected to Tenth global partners and ministers to people currently experiencing great need. Allow me to introduce you to the ministries we are supporting this year.

The Aftermath – Pastors in the Middle East

A man stood, his hand intertwined with his wife’s, looking out at the fallen buildings, broken shop windows, and smashed cars. In the distance, he could see the tents of the people displaced by the earthquake which shook the country a week before. It was time to reach out; time to bring these hurting people the everlasting hope that surpasses earthly needs. Pushing back his tears, brought on by personal loss, he began speaking to the people passing on the street. He heard their stories: missing children, spouses, parents, friends, nowhere to live, nowhere to get water. Where he could, he helped with practical needs; when he could, he offered prayer and the hope of salvation. This work continued for weeks, which turned into months. This pastor, who never had any formal pastoral training, found himself faced with theological questions that delved deeper than he was prepared. He began reaching out to other pastors in his area who were going through the same issues. They found a Tenth global partner willing to find a way to get them the education they need, while continuing ministry, to better love the people they serve. The Global Outreach Commission hopes that your donations to the Easter Sacrificial Offering will help grow this little seminary into a ten-course program that will provide immediate encouragement and guidance to these pastors ministering among the many earthquake victims in the Middle East.

A Refuge – War Refugees in Northern Africa

Zahra let the heavy burden fall from her shoulders and plopped on the ground. For weeks her family had been running from the war spreading through their country. They had barely slept, eaten little, and walked farther than she imagined possible. But today they were safe. They had crossed the border out of their country, and they were finally out of harm’s way. Or so she thought. It turned out that there was a new challenge ahead of her. The few things she and her family had carried with them out of Sudan were not enough to sustain them. They asked the people around them for places to sleep, food to eat, clothing to wear, and occasionally medicine for the illnesses that ravaged their bodies after the long journey. But repeatedly they were turned away by the neighbors in the predominately Muslim community.

Zahra’s story is not unique. Many Sudanese refugees tell the same story. But there is hope for them! This year we will be sending a portion of the Easter Sacrificial Offering to provide for the medical, nutritional, housing, and educational needs of these refugees. Christian brothers and sisters in the area will deliver this practical help. Historically, this practical help opens a way for the gospel to take root in hearts, especially when the Muslim community has not been as compassionate.

A Final Step – Los Olivos Church in Colombia

Over the past few years, Tenth has been supporting a church plant in a poor neighborhood in Colombia. They are building a new sanctuary so that the congregation can comfortably gather for worship and for their mission to become more evident and inviting to those who pass by their doors. This year, the sanctuary is in its final stages, and we hope to use the Easter Sacrificial Offering to help them complete the work they started years ago.

Thank you for prayerfully considering giving to the ESO. Please stay tuned next week to hear about our other two projects. You can give online here.



Europe, Africa & South America

By / Mar 28

A couple of weeks ago we started to share regarding Tenth’s Global Partners who will be receiving funds from our Easter Sacrificial Offering this year.

In Europe, our partner, Gethin Jones and his wife Katie, will be planting a new church in Lille, France.  Gethin has been serving as a pastor in France for many years, and with the support of their denomination, the International Presbyterian Church, they are launching out to a new city to plant a new church to reach one of the most secular societies on earth.  Funds are needed to cover start-up costs such as venue fees and furniture. Gethin will be joining us at Tenth for a Global Partner lunch on April 16 to provide us with an in-person update on this exciting new opportunity in Lille.

Dr. Kempen with a patient

Going south from Europe, we have two projects in Africa.  First, our global partners, Dr. John and his wife, Lori Kempen, serve in Ethiopia where John serves as an ophthalmologist.  His medical ministry has proven very fruitful among the poor and needy who cannot afford to pay for medical care.  The ESO will help fund surgeries and medicine so that the poor in Ethiopia will receive quality care in addition to the preaching of the gospel as the Kempens partner with local churches and missionaries. Below is an update from John Kempen introducing us to one such patient:

“Hiwot” (not her real name) was sent to the MCM Eye Unit for free surgery from a government hospital, where I, [John Kempen], am teaching residents. (She consented to let us use the picture.) A retina specialist working under our clinic, Dr. Tsedeke Asaminew, performed the eye surgery without pay and the Eye Unit used donated funds to pay for the marginal costs of the surgery, leveraging the infrastructure we have built over the years with many contributions. Our staff assisted as part of their regular job. Hiwot showed her appreciation by trying to kiss my feet when she told me she that she can now see her children for the first time in nine months. MCM Eye Unit is the only place in Ethiopia (a nation of 120M people) where a person with retinal detachments or other conditions requiring vitreoretinal surgery can receive surgery without paying about $1,000 out of pocket, which is close to the cost-of-living wage for one year. Paying patients can have difficulty to access such surgery, because fewer than ten doctors perform this surgery in Ethiopia, two of whom are affiliated with our clinic. Those who cannot afford to will lose their vision irreversibly and permanently. We aspire to grow our ability to perform these services over time. We (the Kempens] thank Tenth Presbyterian Church (through your Easter Sacrificial Offering) for supporting this kind of service to poor Ethiopians. We also thank our dear Savior Jesus Christ for giving us the opportunity and the skills to help patients like Hiwot.

In another area of Africa, our global partner, A., (who has had an outreach to Muslims for decades here in the States) has expanded his ministry to Kenya, where pastors and their families have been greatly hurt by COVID-19 and severe droughts that have devastated the economy.  ESO funds will go to relieve some of the suffering of these pastors and their families.  Funds will be used to buy food and medicine.

Finally, we move west again to the coastal city of Barranquilla in Colombia, South America, where our pastor Enrique Leal comes from originally.  Tenth has had a long relationship with churches in Barranquilla.  Last year, ESO funds were used to build the exterior of a new sanctuary building for the Los Olivos Church.  This year, ESO funds will help complete the interior of this new building.  Los Olivos Church is in a low-income, neglected neighborhood of Barranquilla and serves hundreds of underserved children in the community.  The sanctuary will be a huge boost to the church’s presence, visibility, and effectiveness to reach its community for Christ.

You can give to the Easter Sacrificial Offering online.



Easter Sacrificial Offering

By / Mar 14
Tibetan Buddhist prayer flags in the foothills of the Himalayas

The cluster of villages in the shadows of the Himalayas are an anthropologist’s dream: the exquisite wooden courtyard homes and the fertile lands at eight thousand feet elevation provide shelter and work for the P. peoples, one of the last matriarchal societies in the world. Property rights are handed down through the woman’s lineage and “walking marriage” is practiced widely, where the man visits the woman at night but then returns to his sister’s house the next morning to help her care for her children, often having no meaningful relationship with his own children. Their houses are adorned with colorful Tibetan Buddhist prayer flags flapping in the breeze as the aroma of incense wafts by, emanating from the snow-white stupas (mound-like places for meditation) nestled into every P. home. But this idyllic scene belies the rough edges and the dysfunctional social and family dynamics that are more suitable to the local name given to the P. peoples which translates as “Barbarians from the West.”

“Derma” and “Joshie” (not their real names) grew up in this context as neighbors and friends. When Derma was sick during her teen years and no local doctor, nor even the chanting of the best-paid lamas could accurately diagnose her, much less cure her, her family wrote her off as already gone. And yet, our merciful Father led an American physician across her path who accurately diagnosed her with acute tuberculosis, found medicine for her, and rescued her from the grave. It was then that Derma heard the good news about the Great Physician, and she believed in Him. Around the same time, Joshie was hearing parts of the same story and seeing it lived out in a teacher’s life, and he, too, came to believe. When Derma and Joshie married each other a few years ago, not only was it a rare example of true marriage for their culture, but it was also the first known marriage of two P. Christians in the history of the world!

A funeral rite in Asia.

“SEED” (not its real name) is partnering with Joshie and Derma in 2023 to grow three thousand cherry saplings and five thousand apple saplings for two years that SEED will then buy back to sell to future customers. This arrangement gives this young couple the promise of a living wage from their land, allowing them to stay and serve in their community, while also giving SEED a new source-nursery, after maxing out our own nursery space in our current city. Our consulting visits and nursery management training for this couple will also give a context for regular mutual encouragement and accountability in an environment where temptations for young believers are overwhelming.

With support from the Easter Sacrificial Offering (ESO), SEED will be able to make a difference in this couple’s life, and by God’s grace, bearing fruit in their family, their village, and the wider P. region, including fruit that will last.

This is just one example of how, through our Tenth global partners, this year’s Easter Sacrificial Offering will help accomplish God’s global mission to bring all nations to Himself, especially those who are unreached and hidden.

You can give to the Easter Sacrificial Offering online, or by check.



Eternal Rest

By / Apr 5

Requiem aeternam, dona eis Domine, “Rest eternal grant them, O Lord.” These words are probably familiar, especially if you have attended a funeral at a Roman Catholic or Episcopal church. As Reformed Christians, quotations from the Requiem Mass can raise our spiritual hackles a bit, and rightly so. We do not believe that praying for the dead is something we should do. But taken on its own as a prayer, “Rest eternal grant them, O Lord” is quite appropriate. It all depends on who the “them” is!

St. Augustine highlights the universal need for rest in his Confessions, “You move us to delight in praising you; for you have made us for yourself, and our hearts are restless until they rest in you.” We need little convincing that we live in a restless world. Wars, pandemics, inflation, injustice, information overload, familial strife, job stress, emotional stress, or simply the dog barking next door, all contribute to the turmoil within most of us.

Rest is a very significant concept in the Bible. From the beginning God established rest as part of the regular rhythm of our existence in the Sabbath ordinance. God himself rested on the seventh day from his work of creation, blessed it, and made it a holy day.

The people of Israel were instructed to keep the Sabbath day as a holy convocation, a holy gathering, both because God had worked six days and rested one day (Exodus 20:11), but also because he had rescued them out of slavery in Egypt (Deuteronomy 5:15). God promised that when they inherited the land, they would have rest from their enemies (Deuteronomy 25:19). The point of this was to provide his people with a place to worship him which was unencumbered by the nations’ armies and gods. They would be distraction free.

God promises David rest from his enemies, and that he will build a house for him and establish his throne forever (2 Samuel 7:11-13).

Jesus, the Son of David, came offering rest: “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:28-29).

The author of Hebrews points to the fact that the “rest” offered in the book of Joshua pointed ahead to a greater rest, “For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his” (Hebrews 4:8-10).

The book of Revelation says, “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. ‘Blessed indeed,’ says the Spirit, ‘that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!’” (Revelation 14:13).

Finally, Revelation speaks more fully of the joy and blessedness of the redeemed: “And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, ‘Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.’ And he who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’ He also said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true’” (Revelation 21:3-5).

This year, the Good Friday Choral Concert features a work entitled “Requiem for the Living” by Dan Forrest. This five-movement work combines words from the traditional Requiem text with words from Scripture. Movement one is a prayer that God would grant eternal rest to all the living. Movement two sets words from Ecclesiastes emphasizing the vanity and hopelessness of those outside of Christ. Movement three sets the traditional “Agnus Dei” text, looking to Christ, the Lamb of God as the one who takes away the sin of the world. Movement four is a setting of the Sanctus, extolling the holiness of God and praising him for the salvation offered through Jesus Christ. Movement five concludes the work with Jesus’ invitation from Matthew 11 to come to him for rest and points forward to the eternal blessedness of those who die in the Lord.

The second work to be presented is the Te Deum by Herbert Howells. This is a stunning twentieth century choral setting of the ancient hymn extolling the Holy Trinity.

This is a wonderful opportunity to introduce a friend to Tenth and share with them the rest which can only be found in Christ. Join us as we praise our risen Savior together!



Easter Sacrificial Offering

By / Mar 5

Each year as we celebrate the Lord’s resurrection at Easter, the Global Outreach Commission seeks out beneficiaries for our annual Easter Sacrificial Offering (ESO). This offering is collected and distributed to those who are working to meet the physical and spiritual needs of the global church in some of the harshest parts of the world.

This year we’re excited to announce that after much deliberation and prayer, the Commission and Session have decided to support five ministries that are working in areas of mercy ministry while also faithfully proclaiming the gospel around the world.

Our ESO ministries are operating in the following parts of the world:

Colombia

In connection with our long standing partner, Rafael Leal of La Roca Church, we’ll provide structural, aesthetic, and material improvements to three facilities providing care for at risk, homeless, and underserved children in Barranquilla and Santa Martha.

Egypt

Working to build up the local church, this ministry’s goal is to see Christians grow in their faith and have their physical needs met, all while being trained to faithfully proclaim the gospel in their towns. Our contribution will enable their ministry to develop new training centers, raise up new leaders, and meet the physical and medical needs of many Egyptians.

Lebanon

In connection with a long-standing Tenth partner, this ministry’s goal is to bring the gospel of Jesus Christ to Lebanon. They provide holistic care while also sharing the gospel. They’re also working to build up the church by training pastors, leaders, and laymen in sound theology.

Nigeria

In connection with a long-standing Tenth partner, this ministry is providing physical and spiritual care for widows and orphans that have suffered as a result of recent unrest. This ministry is helping the women and children re-establish themselves, offering schooling, job training, food, and spiritual care.

Sudan

Caring for the hearts, bodies, and souls, this ministry is providing food, education, and gospel ministry to the thousands of Koboko refugees that have recently been displaced.

We encourage you to pray for the work taking place around the world and invite you to give as you feel so led.  You can learn about ways to give here. 



What Are You Suffering For?

By / Apr 21


Rising Doubts

By / Apr 20


Why Did Jesus Come?

By / Mar 31


The Promise Kept

By / Apr 24

Introduction

The resurrection was the topic of the first Christian sermon ever given.  Our text is taken from that sermon. It takes place on the Day of Pentecost, a Jewish feast which celebrates God’s faithfulness in providing the yearly harvest.  It was a time to remember the promises that God had kept. I would have loved to have been there to hear Peter speak in the power of the Holy Spirit. Maybe he is standing on a wall or even the roof of a house. He raises his voice and says “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and give ear to my words” (14). And here is what he says: the promise of God has been kept! Let’s consider the promise.

Promise to Joel          16-21

God had promised to Joel that he would pour out his Spirit on all people. Peter says, “Look, the promise is being fulfilled before your very eyes and ears. The Spirit has come and we now are prophesying to you the wonders of God.” God has kept his promise.

Promise to the Messiah, David, and God’s People

But this is only Peter’s introduction to what he really wants to say.  He wants to proclaim the promise of God that is fulfilled by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  He makes clear that God is a keeper of promises, and he brings out how God has kept his promise to Jesus the Messiah, to King David, and to God’s people.

The Messiah

How did God fulfill his promise to Jesus?  First, he anointed him with power to do wonders.  By this power Jesus was able to demonstrate his credentials as a man sent by God.  As Peter says, “22 Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know.”

And God had promised this.  When John the Baptist had been thrown in jail, and he heard about Jesus’ ministry, he sent his disciples to ask him:

“Are you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?" 4And Jesus answered them, "Go and tell John what you hear and see: 5 the blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to them” (Matthew 11:3-5).

Isaiah had prophesied that such works would be done when he did his great work of redemption (cf 35:5-6).  And because God kept his promise, Jesus was able to show that he was accredited by God through the miracles that he did.

But the great promise kept is the promise that Jesus would be raised from the dead.  Peter quotes from David’s Psalm 16:8-11 to demonstrate the promise made:

For David says concerning him,
    "'I saw the Lord always before me,
   for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken;
26therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced;
   my flesh also will dwell in hope.
27For you will not abandon my soul to Hades,
    or let your Holy One see corruption.
28You have made known to me the paths of life;
   you will make me full of gladness with your presence.'

This passage would not seem at first to be a prophecy that would be applied to the Messiah.  David uses the first person pronoun:   

 my flesh also will dwell in hope.
27For you will not abandon my soul to Hades,
    or let your Holy One see corruption.

On the other hand, to refer to himself as “your Holy One” is strange.  I am not aware of anyone referring to himself as the Holy One of God.

But Peter’s point is that if David were referring to himself, then his hope was futile.  God did abandon his body; his body did decay:  “Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day” (29).

But David was not referring to himself.  We may not have thought of David as a prophet, but the Jews did, and they would have not thought that Peter’s next remarks were necessarily wrong or strange.

Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, he foresaw and spoke about the resurr of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption (30-31).

This would be an acceptable interpretation of the passage.  Many such interpretations were made about the Messiah who was expected to come, and many Jews believed in the resurrection of the dead that would take place when the Messiah came. 

Peter’s remarkable claim is that Jesus is that Messiah and the great evidence that he is the Messiah is his resurrection: This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses (32).

God kept his promise to his Messiah.  Peter could have also quoted from Isaiah 53.

when his soul makes an offering for guilt,
   he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days;
the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.

Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied (10-11).

The Messiah’s story does not end with death, but with life.  Nor does it end with him simply being restored to life; he is restored to glory.

Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. 34For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says,
    "'The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand,
 35until I make your enemies your footstool.'

 36Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified."

This Jesus is not merely an earthly Messiah.  He is not merely a human deliverer.  He is Lord above all.  Therefore, God has kept his promise to his Servant, his Son, that if he carried out the redeeming sacrifice for God’s people, then God would raise him from the dead and exalt him as both Savior and Lord.

To David

God also kept his promise to David for whom, as Peter says, he “had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendents on his throne” (30).  This was David’s hope.  David never believed that he would not die.  The promise that filled him with real hope and joy was that his descendants would remain on the throne of Israel, and particularly that the final king to reign – the Holy One, the Messiah – would come from his line.  And it would be in that final king, that his own hope for eternal life would be fulfilled.

And every Jew knew this.  Everyone looked for the Son of David who was to come and reign forever.  John the Baptist’s father, Zechariah, expressed the expectations of the Jewish people well:

67And his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying,
 68 "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
   for he has visited and redeemed his people
69and has raised up a horn of salvation for us
    in the house of his servant David,
70 as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old (Luke 1:67-70).

God kept his promise to David that the Messiah would come from his line, but there is another sense in which he did keep the very words David spoke about the grave.

26therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced;
   my flesh also will dwell in hope.
27For you will not abandon my soul to Hades,
    or let your Holy One see corruption.
28You have made known to me the paths of life;
   you will make me full of gladness with your presence.'

It is true that David’s body decayed, but it is also true the God made known to him the paths of life, and that even now David is filled with joy in the presence of God.  God did not abandon David to the grave.  And even the hope of his body will come true, because some day his body will be resurrected.  As God has kept his promise to David, so he will keep his complete promise.

To God’s People

God also kept his promise to his people of Israel.  The Messiah was sent by God for the salvation of his people.  The Messiah’s resurrection was not for mere show.  The promise of a Messiah was made to Israel, that Israel might have hope.  Peter makes clear to his listeners that the Messiah, for whom they had been waiting, had come and had done his saving work not only for them but also through them.

22Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— 23this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men…

“Through you,” Peter says, “the Messiah became the sacrificial lamb to save you from your sins.”  “Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified” (36).  “Be assured, be confident that the Messiah for whom you have awaited has come.”  God has kept his promise.”

And he has kept his promise for salvation.  When Peter finishes his sermon, he receives this response: Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?” (37) God fulfilled the promise of sending the Messiah and vindicating him by his resurrection.  But now the people are worried.  Have they now lost out on the salvation that he brought?

No!  38And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39For the promise is for you and for your children"

God’s purpose was for them was to receive the promise – both the Holy Spirit and the forgiveness of sins.  That promise to Joel of the Spirit being poured out on all people was for them.  That promise that the Servant of God would bear the iniquities of others was for them.  God has kept his promise, and he calls upon them to receive it now.

To God

And then there is someone else to whom God has kept his promise – that is to himself, or more appropriately to say, to the Triune God.  Peter says, “ this J, delivered up accordg to t definite plan & foreknowledge of God” (23).  The death of Jesus was not a mistake.  Jesus did not get caught; he was handed over, and not by Judas, but by God himself. 

As the believers affirmed in prayer to God in Acts 4:27-28:

 for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, 28 to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.

Before there was an Israel; before Adam and Eve had fallen, God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit had determined in the secret councils the price that would be paid for the salvation of his people and made the promise of the Son’s resurrection and the Spirit’s coming in power.  And he has kept his promise.  The Son has wrought his work of atonement and has been raised in victory; he has been exalted on high and the Spirit has been poured on his people.  What God promised himself he would do, he has done.

To Us

But also understand that God has kept his promise for us.  I cut Peter off in mid-sentence in his reply to how salvation may be obtained.  His full statement was this: “For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself” (39). 

God’s promise is for us, the Gentiles who live in a far away place in a far away time.  This is not an afterthought, but part of God’s original plan.

He had promised Abraham that through him, not only would his physical descendants be blessed, but that all peoples (i.e. people groups) would be blessed.  The Holy Spirit moved in the psalmists to include all the nations in the worship of God.  Here is one example from Psalm 67:

3 Let the peoples praise you, O God;
   let all the peoples praise you!

 4Let the nations be glad and sing for joy,
   for you judge the peoples with equity
   and guide the nations upon earth.

Through Isaiah God promised the Messiah that he would bring salvation to all peoples:

It is too light a thing that you should be my servant
   to raise up the tribes of Jacob
   and to bring back the preserved of Israel;
I will make you as a light for the nations,
   that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth (49:6).

When God raised Jesus Christ from the dead, it was to us that he was keeping his promise.

Conclusion

Let us celebrate the glorious promise that our God kept for us.  But remember, that the promise has not ended with Christ’s resurrection.  The resurrection, indeed, is but evidence on the ongoing promise to be fulfilled in every generation.  For every person who calls on the name of the Lord for salvation fulfills the promise made that God’s salvation will come to “everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” He will not lose any of his flock.  He will not fail to bring any who are his into his kingdom and keep them safe.  We know that he will not fail, because he did not fail to raise his Son to life as he promised.

And do not forget that our Lord’s resurrection is the sign that our own resurrection will come.  As 1 Corinthians 15:20 says: “But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.” We also shall be raised.  Our hope is not in the immortality of the soul, but in the resurrection of the body.

When will our resurrection take place?  When our Lord Jesus returns.  And we know that he will return.  He came the first time as God promised.  He overcame death as God promised.  Surely, God will keep his promise once more.

Now I need to ask, Have you claimed the promise of God for yourself?  After Peter spoke of the promise of God that had been kept, he further added that the people must act to receive the promise.  They must repent; they must be baptized, i.e. they must identify themselves with Christ and become his followers.  What better time than today to call upon God for salvation.  Do you wonder if he will respond?  Does God forget his promises?

All who have come to know God through Jesus Christ will attest that God never forgets.  We affirm with the Apostle Paul: For all the promises of God find their Yes in X. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory (2 Corinthians 1:20).



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