June 6, 2023

Today’s Reading: Acts 2:14a, 22-36

Daily Lectionary: Song of Solomon 2:8-3:11, John 5:19-29 

He foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption.  (Acts 2:31)

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. When Jesus met two of His disciples on the Emmaus road after His resurrection, He taught them how to read the Old Testament, to read it with eyes, hearts, and minds fixed on Christ’s death and resurrection. “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.”

When Peter delivered his sermon in Acts 2 on the day of Pentecost, he was preaching what he had heard Jesus teaching, that all of God’s promises and prophets’ words of the Old Testament are found and fulfilled in Jesus.

In today’s reading from Acts 2, Peter quotes two psalms of David. First, is Psalm 16. What’s Psalm 16 about? David and Peter tell us. It’s about the Messiah, the Holy One, Jesus. In Psalm 16, David foretells what Jesus, the Son of David will do; He will die and be buried but He will not see corruption. Jesus was not abandoned in the grave. Jesus rose again from the dead, and in doing so, Jesus, the Son of David, fulfills David’s words. 

Psalm 110 is the next psalm quoted by Peter. “The Lord says to my Lord: Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool.” Psalm 110 is another messianic psalm, pointing to the work of Jesus the Messiah. Peter moves us from Jesus’ death and resurrection to His glorious ascension and His reign on the throne of heaven. In Psalm 110 David proclaims the victory and triumph over the enemies of the Lord. Which enemies are those? Sin, death, and the devil. By His dying and rising, Jesus stomped and crushed the serpent’s head underfoot as Moses recorded in Genesis 3:15. And in His ascension, Jesus reigns as our victorious crucified and risen King forever.

Peter’s sermon reminds us that when we go into the Old Testament, we see the work of Jesus already foretold, so that when we come to the New Testament, as in Peter’s own sermon here in Acts 2, we see the work of Jesus fulfilling the Scriptures for you. David points us to Jesus, the Son of David. Peter points us to Jesus, who is both Lord and Christ and who was crucified, rose from the dead, and ascended where He rules and reigns for you. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.

Blessed Lord, You have caused all Holy Scriptures to be written for our learning. Grant that we may so hear them, read, mark, learn, and inwardly digest them, that by patience and comfort of Your holy Word, we may embrace and every hold fast the blessed hope of eternal life; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

-Pastor Samuel Schuldheisz is Pastor at Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church in Milton, WA

Audio Reflections Speaker: Jonathan Lackey is an LCMS seminarian.

Study Christ’s words on the cross to see how you can show more Christlike grace in your life. Perfect for group or individual study, each chapter has a Q&A at the end, and the back of the book includes a leader guide. Available now from Concordia Publishing House.