5/20/11

Two


There is a unique idea, a swing and a house rolled into one!!!  But, does it actually swing?  Not sure one that one, but its a nice idea all the same.  To me, this reminds me of double discovery check, where you move one piece (or hopefully capture something of importance) and by doing so two pieces place the opponents' king in jeapoardy. Always loved that move, its really neat to do several things at one time and do them well.  Here is a passage from the New Testament where God does two things at once and checkmates sin.

Acts 2:22-36 (WEB)


22) “Men of Israel, hear these words! Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved by God to you by mighty works and wonders and signs which God did by him in the midst of you, even as you yourselves know,

23) him, being delivered up by the determined counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by the hand of lawless men, crucified and killed;

24) whom God raised up, having freed him from the agony of death, because it was not possible that he should be held by it.

25) For David says concerning him, ‘I saw the Lord always before my face, For he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved.

26) Therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced. Moreover my flesh also will dwell in hope;

27) because you will not leave my soul in Hades, neither will you allow your Holy One to see decay.

28) You made known to me the ways of life. You will make me full of gladness with your presence.’

29) “Brothers, I may tell you freely of the patriarch David, that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day.

30) Therefore, being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his body, according to the flesh, he would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne,

31) he foreseeing this spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that neither was his soul left in Hades, nor did his flesh see decay.

32) This Jesus God raised up, to which we all are witnesses.

33) Being therefore exalted by the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this, which you now see and hear.

34) For David didn’t ascend into the heavens, but he says himself, ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit by my right hand,

35) until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”’

36) “Let all the house of Israel therefore know certainly that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.”

By allowing Jesus to die and raising him up, God made him both Lord and Christ. This powerfully overcame sin and put those still in its grasp to react as follows: 
 
Acts 2:37 (WEB)

37) 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?”

What indeed?  Its no small wonder why so many were baptized that day; for all could see the power of God.  All this is pretty straight forward but one question does remain:  I wonder if God plays chess? Let's put a chessboard in this little house and see what happens...