“But God has protected me right up to this present time so I can testify to everyone, from the least to the greatest. I teach nothing except what the prophets and Moses said would happen—”
Acts 26:22 (NLT)
Paul stands before King Agrippa, Governor Festus, and a room full of important people because he refused to be disobedient to the vision Jesus gave him. His preaching got him arrested, beaten, persecuted, and nearly killed. But the good Lord protected Paul so he could keep telling the story to those that would listen, from the least to the greatest. His message did not contradict Moses and the prophets. It continued the story God had already been telling.
The gospel did not begin with Jesus’s birth. Jesus came to fulfill what the Old Testament said would happen and provide a new covenant, a new way to be in God’s presence, have a relationship with Him, and be part of His family. Peter explained this on the day of Pentecost. Paul explains it here. Even Jesus used Moses, the prophets, and the Psalms to show how they were fulfilled through His life in Luke 24.
Isaiah 53 shows how the Messiah would suffer. Isaiah 42 shows Jesus’ mission to heal and bring justice, truth, and righteousness. Psalms 22, 69, and 110 give us more of the picture. When we see the whole story, we better understand who Jesus is, why He needed to come, and how important His coming was. It changes us. Like the men on the road to Emmaus, our hearts light up and living hope consumes us as Jesus explains the Scriptures.
Maybe we need to go back to the basics and understand the foundation of the gospel through the Old Testament. We can seek answers in God’s Word, by the Holy Spirit, for the things that confuse us about God’s story. But the answer is not just for us. It makes us better communicators of the gospel, better members of God’s family, and better witnesses to the world. Understand how Jesus fulfilled the story of God, and then tell what He’s done in your life.