Acts 2:22-41

22 "People of Israel, listen! God publicly endorsed Jesus the Nazarene by doing powerful miracles, wonders, and signs through him, as you well know. 23 But God knew what would happen, and his prearranged plan was carried out when Jesus was betrayed. With the help of lawless Gentiles, you nailed him to a cross and killed him. 24 But God released him from the horrors of death and raised him back to life, for death could not keep him in its grip. 25King David said this about him: ‘I see that the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me. 26 No wonder my heart is glad, and my tongue shouts his praises! My body rests in hope. 27 For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your Holy One to rot in the grave. 28 You have shown me the way of life, and you will fill me with the joy of your presence.’ 29 "Dear brothers, think about this! You can be sure that the patriarch David wasn’t referring to himself, for he died and was buried, and his tomb is still here among us. 30 But he was a prophet, and he knew God had promised with an oath that one of David’s own descendants would sit on his throne. 31 David was looking into the future and speaking of the Messiah’s resurrection. He was saying that God would not leave him among the dead or allow his body to rot in the grave. 32 "God raised Jesus from the dead, and we are all witnesses of this. 33 Now he is exalted to the place of highest honor in heaven, at God’s right hand. And the Father, as he had promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today. 34 For David himself never ascended into heaven, yet he said, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, "Sit in the place of honor at my right hand 35 until I humble your enemies, making them a footstool under your feet."’ 36 "So let everyone in Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Messiah!"
37 Peter’s words pierced their hearts, and they said to him and to the other apostles, "Brothers, what should we do?" 38 Peter replied, "Each of you must repent of your sins and turn to God, and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. Then you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39 This promise is to you, and to your children, and even to the Gentiles—all who have been called by the Lord our God." 40 Then Peter continued preaching for a long time, strongly urging all his listeners, "Save yourselves from this crooked generation!" 41 Those who believed what Peter said were baptized and added to the church that day—about 3,000 in all.
Devotion (by Mikey Skoglund):
Wow, isn’t Jesus’ life story an amazing one? I love this passage because it sums up the story very well. Peter is speaking to a crowd here and was trying to get them to understand just what Jesus had done for all of them, and that Jesus was actually who He said He was. It’s amazing to me how Peter uses King David in this passage because Peter knows that this crowd still has a lot of respect for the kings of their past. Even though he was alive long before their time, they still believed the things that were said about him. Jesus was on earth right before this speech was given; Peter walked with Jesus, but its harder for his audience to believe His amazing story.
I just think about how we can do that in our world today. Think about the things we’re taught in school out of textbooks about the history of our world and our country. Did you know that different countries have different accounts of what happened in different eras? I’m sure that the account of the world wars are very different depending on who’s side you’re reading it from. But yet growing up we just believe the things we read and are taught because of the authority teaching us. And yet who’s authority gives the story of Jesus its truth? Its God! That’s authority right there! That’s the authority I want to put my trust in.

Prayer: Lord, please help me to keep my trust in You and not in this world. Help to see Your face and feel Your presence today. Thank You for Your love that You showed us when You sent Jesus here to die for our sins. Thank You that You brought Him out of death and into life, that we may be forgiven. Be with me today as I seek to follow You. Amen.