Looking to Jesus

The New Testament defines and interprets the Old Testament. We must start with the new or the old has no place and makes no sense. Jesus is the deliberate substance and fulfillment and focus of all Scripture, in and through His work of redemption. Therefore, biblical theology informs systematic theology. Faith, therefore, is informed and defined by redemption.

The believer will endure to the end by faith, and in no other way. Christ purchases and grants redemption to us through the Cross, giving us the Holy Spirit. The Spirit seals us and is our Guarantee that we will obtain redemption on the last day. Believers are called to endure by faith in light of this work of grace. The wonderful news is that, while faith is required, it is also a gift of grace. We have a great Savior who is all that we need and has done all that we must. All He is and all He has done has been granted to us through the Cross. This includes His perseverance through Calvary to the empty tomb and onto the ascension of the Son of Man back to His Father. In Acts 2, Peter does two things for us that are indispensable to our faith: 1) He helps us understand how to read the Psalms in light of Christ. 2) He shows us that Psalm 16 was actually about the resurrection of Jesus. Therefore, we are not being irresponsible to read Psalm 16 as a means to understanding how we can endure today, even in light of all that living in this fallen world is.

Acts 2:22-36 - 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— 23 this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. 24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it. 25 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; 26 therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope. 27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption. 28 You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’ 29 “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. 30 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, 31 he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. 33 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. 34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, “‘The Lord said to my Lord, Sit at my right hand, 35 until I make your enemies your footstool.’ 36 Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

Now, notice what Peter says in v.25. "For David says concering him...!" Psalm 16 was written by David in the first person. Yet Peter, whose eyes have been opened by Jesus to understand the Scriptures (Luke 24) sees that David was for Christ. Psalm 16 was about Jesus; it was written "concering Him." This is how we are to read it; this is how we can understand it. And it is a beautiful light for our faith: the glory of the Risen Christ. Notice how Peter proves David was not talking about himself..."you can go to David's tomb right now...he's rotting inside!" But not Jesus. No, not Jesus. Know for certain, therefore, says Peter...Jesus is alive.

1 Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge. 2 I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;I have no good apart from you.” 3 As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones,in whom is all my delight. 4 The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply; their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out or take their names on my lips. 5 The Lord is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot. 6 The lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance. 7 I bless the Lord who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me. 8 I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken. 9 Therefore my heart is glad, and my whole being rejoices; my flesh also dwells secure. 10 For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol, or let your holy one see corruption. 11 You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore. - Psalm 16

Imagine Jesus praying these words. Imagine him, if you will, in the Garden just before He died. "Preserve me, God. I have no good but you. You are my all. I won't fall away, I won't relent, no matter what is promised to my flesh by doing so. You give me counsel. You teach me." Look where Jesus had His Father...set at His right hand. And because of this, He would not be shaken, not even from Calvary. This was the source of His enduring joy (v.9). And the reason He had a fortifying security, even in His flesh, was the fact that He knew...He knew...God would raise Him from the dead. He would not be abandoned. He would not waste His life. He would not be crucified and left in the ground. No. God would raise Him from the dead. And when He did, He would ascend. He would dwell at God's right hand. There, and only there, is the fullness of joy. There, and only there, are pleasures forevermore. Notice what Jesus did. He did not count any fleeting pleasure better than what was to come at His Father's side. By looking to the future, He was sustained in a horrendous present. And we are not above our Master. We will endure, if we endure, in precisely the same way.

Note these amazing words that solidify this for us in Hebrews 12:1-2. Note the language and how it creates a beautiful chain for our assurance in light of Psalm 16.

Hebrews 12:1-2 - 1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, 2 looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.

Who is this cloud of witnesses? It is the cloud of all who came before, who did so by faith...by looking to what they could not see and seeing it. We lay aside the weights and the burdens. We live a life of repentance. And we run with all our grace-given might. But where do you look so that you don't go off the track? You look where Jesus did. To the fullness of joy and pleasure at God's right hand. And I ask you...what is at God's right hand? What is there? Jesus Christ Himself. Jesus is the fullness of joy. Jesus is pleasures forevermore. You bank on indestructible, everlasting joy, just like He did. And you run. Do you see that in verse 2, do you see how it connects with Psalm 16? Beloved, how do you endure? Exactly how Jesus did. Where do you look as you run this race? Exactly where Jesus did.

And what will you see when you, a redeemed believer, look to God's right hand? You will see Jesus, the founder and the perfecter of your faith. You will see all the assurance you need and its guarantee. Because Jesus is there. He is all you need. He gave you the faith...He started the work...He led the way and bought all the tickets. And then, on the other side of Calvary when the stone was rolled away...He perfected it...He won it...He finished it. And then He gave it to you. Therefore, you will endure. And you will get home with your weak, struggling, shaky faith. Your faith has been perfected in the One whom God raised from the dead. God looks at Jesus for you. And He need only look to His right. Bank on Him, beloved. Believe the Gospel. Bank on the One God vindicated by raising Him from the dead...which is precisely what He will do to you. You will not be abandoned to the grave, no matter how you go out. You will not be left to rot. And you will not be condemnded. All because...all because of Jesus. Rest in Christ. Live looking to Jesus.