Acts 26:22–23

No greater love exists. Jesus willingly gave up His deity and His life in place of ours. 

The One who knew no sin took on the sins of the world. In Him is life, eternal, a gift born out of the love of God for His creation. 

Revelation 1:5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth.To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,

This is a good day to push the pause button. First things first. Let us Stop… It’s about where we tether our wellbeing. And hear this: Grace is the opposite of fear.

On the seventh day, God rested.  God savored.

Savoring is rooted...In Sabbath. In Enough. In Grace. Sabbath Moments 

“You are accepted by that which is greater than you, and the name of which you do not know. Do not seek for anything. Do not perform anything, do not intend anything. Simply accept the fact that you are accepted." If that happens to us, we experience grace.” Paul Tillich

Acts 26:22–23

21 For these reasons the Jews seized me in the temple and tried to kill me. 22 Therefore, having obtained help from God, to this day I stand, witnessing both to small and great, saying no other things than those which the prophets and Moses said would come—23 that the Christ would suffer, that He would be the first to rise from the dead, and would proclaim light to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.” The New King James Version

Throughout Acts, the good news about Jesus is presented as the fulfillment of promises made by God in the old testament Scriptures. 

Jesus was not raised from the dead temporarily, as other people were. He was the first who absolutely conquered death and was the guarantee that others would as well. Faithlife Study Bible

All who are turned from sin to God, are not only pardoned, but have a grant of a rich inheritance. The forgiveness of sins makes way for this. None can be happy who are not holy; and to be saints in heaven we must be first saints on earth. We are made holy, and saved by faith in Christ; by which we rely upon Christ as the Lord our Righteousness, and give up ourselves to him as the Lord our Ruler; by this we receive the remission of sins, the gift of the Holy Ghost, and eternal life. 

The cross of Christ was a stumbling-block to the Jews, and they were in a rage at Paul’s preaching the fulfilling of the Old Testament predictions. Christ should be the first that should rise from the dead; the Head or principal One. Also, it was foretold by the prophets, that the Gentiles should be brought to the knowledge of God by the Messiah; and what in this could the Jews justly be displeased at? Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary

Luke 24:26 Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?”

1 Corinthians 15:20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.

Colossians 1:18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.