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Today's Little Lift
by Jim Bullington
God Approves; Man Disapproves
“The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go.” (Acts 3:14). Simplifying the sentence structure, this verse reads, “God glorified Jesus; you delivered Him up and denied (Him).” Let’s examine this statement.
“God glorified Jesus!” This statement is the zenith of all approvals. Men glorify other men. Sometimes men are glorified undeservedly. Sometimes they are glorified for less than honorable reasons. But, to state that God glorified Jesus is the highest affirmation of approval that can exist. God glorified Jesus at His birth. He did this through angelic visitations to Mary, Joseph and the shepherds. He glorified Jesus by guiding the wise men to the place where they could find the New King. He glorified Jesus when He was baptized by audibly saying, “This is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.” (Matthew 3:17). He glorified Jesus through every miracle and mighty work that He performed. God glorified Jesus at the Mount of transfiguration when once again His mighty voice spoke form heaven. This time he added to the words spoken at the baptism, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!” (Matthew 17.5) He glorified Jesus by raising Him from the dead after 3 days in the tomb. He glorified Jesus by receiving Him back into the Heavenly Realm and granting Him His seat by His own right hand. (John 17:1). Truly, God glorified Jesus!
“You delivered Him up and denied Him!” As a child, Herod sought to have Jesus killed. During His ministry, the religious experts attributed His power and work to Satan and attempted to entirely discredit His work. Others scoffed at His simple teachings and embraced ever more tightly the hellish doctrines of the scribes and Pharisees. At times, members of His own family considered Him demented or possessed. His closest friends blamed Him for the personal hurts that they suffered, placing their own selfish desires ahead of the overall redemptive objective that He relentlessly pursued. Some of His own disciples wondered as to His mission from time to time, advising Him to act in ways that violated His own stated intentions. Judas betrayed Him; Peter denied Him. As the end upon the cross drew near, only a handful stood nearby; one of those who refused to leave Him was his devoted and loyal mother. All the rest - the strongest and most vocal - deserted Him in moments of fear and cowardice.
“God glorified Jesus! You delivered and denied Him!” How could God bestow upon someone the grandest of all approvals and yet, man declare Him worse than useless? And who was this One about whom there was such a chasm of misunderstanding? None other than the Son of God’s own bosom - Jesus Christ! Thank God that the story didn’t end there! This, the widest chasm in human experiences, is about to be spanned by the greatest remedy that man can or will ever know!
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