(emphasis mine)
Before the coming of Jesus, John preached repentance and baptism to all the people of Israel. As John was completing his work, he said: ‘Who do you suppose I am? I am not the one you are looking for. But there is one coming after me whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.’
Fellow children of Abraham and you God-fearing Gentiles, IT IS TO US THAT THIS MESSAGE OF SALVATION HAS BEEN SENT. The people of Jerusalem and their rulers did not recognize Jesus, yet in condemning him they fulfilled the words of the prophets that are read every Sabbath. Though they found no proper ground for a death sentence, they asked Pilate to have him executed. When they had carried out all that was written about him, they took him down from the cross and laid him in a tomb. But God raised him from the dead, and for many days he was seen by those who had traveled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem. They are now his witnesses to our people.

First Paul focused on common ground and their history together in seeking after God. In this second part of his gospel message, he moves through the past and into the present. And after claiming that Jesus is the Messiah, God’s Son, he now reminds them of someone they recognized as a messenger sent by God, John the Baptist. John said clearly, though his preaching had uncommon power, that one greater than he was coming, one whose sandals he was not worthy to untie. In essence, he is stating that he is not worthy to be Jesus’s slave. That is how holy and perfect in character and love Jesus was.

And he now introduces some excellent news, something to really celebrate! We are the people that salvation has come to; we are the ones who have been chosen to receive the Messiah! For so long — for more than a thousand years — the Jews and God-fearing Gentiles were searching for the coming Messiah. They memorized the Torah (the first five books of the Bible) and studied the writings of their leaders and the prophets (their scriptures back then). They knew they were chosen to follow God. They heard the stories of deliverance passed down from their ancestors. But when Jesus came full of God’s Spirit and in power, preaching the truth and committing no sin, their leaders (and many of them) rejected him.

But the life they tried to snuff out because of jealousy and pride, God intended for greater things! Jesus became the perfect sacrifice to pay the sentence of death sin had caused us all to fall under, in justice to a holy God. And God raised him from the dead to grant him all dominion and power and authority to rule in his eternal kingdom.

As God invariably does, he granted the Jews a greater gift than they had ever hoped for, and an incredible gift they surely did not deserve. The irony of this story is that Jesus died for those who chanted, “Crucify him! Crucify him!”, knowing they were sending an innocent man to his death.
And it is a historically accurate fact that he rose again, because he appeared to over 300 witnesses in the weeks after his burial and resurrection.

When we seek the truth and find it, or hear that it has been found, the search stops and the embracing of the truth begins. So just like the people of Pisidian Antioch were challenged back then, instead of staying in a comfortable and defeated state of living, we are called to embrace the truth.

How will I further my implementation of the truth into my life — into my daily activities? If the Savior of the World came to offer me eternal salvation (which he did), would I not be foolish to reject his offer of help?

Lord, I accept and receive your salvation today. I am a sinner saved by grace! And I live a life full of your Spirit in my heart, not because I am worthy or elevated above others, but because I am chosen and considered a masterpiece that you created. (Ephesians 2:10) I choose to follow and devote my life and all my passion and skills and resources to you and your work!