You would remain standing and now turn to a copy of the scriptures. If you didn't bring your Bible, that's okay. There are Bibles in front of you. You can turn with me to Luke chapter 24 we are almost at the very end. We are Luke 24 we're going to be looking at verses 36 through 49 this morning. Luke, 24, 36 through 49. Let us pray that the Lord will open up our eyes and our hearts. Now before we read it, let's pray Our Father, we come to you this morning, and Lord, we pray that you will open up our minds to understand your word. Open up our eyes to behold Jesus Christ and His glory. Open up our ears to hear of him, crucified, risen and reigning for sinners like us, open up our hearts to receive it. Bless your people.
Please grant us your spirit.
Now, in Jesus's name, Amen, people of God, hear God's word for us this morning. Luke, chapter 24 beginning in verse 36 and they were talking about these things. Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, Peace to you. But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit and said to them, Why are you troubled and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet that it is I myself, touch me and see for a spirit does not have flesh and bones, as you see, that I have. And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, have you anything to eat? They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it before them. Then he said to them, these are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about Me in the Law of Moses and the prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled. Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures and said to them, thus it is written that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations. Beginning from Jerusalem, You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I am sending the Promise of My Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high, He who has ears, let him hear the Word of God.
Please be seated. If you remember, it's been a long day for the disciples of Jesus, and they are probably not only tired, but a little bit confused at this point in the day. The day started very early for them, when these women come back, who said they have just been at the tomb and the stone has been rolled away, there is no longer a body of Jesus in the tomb. In fact, there were angels that showed up and said, He is not here. He is risen. Why do you look for the living among the dead? But if you remember, they did not believe the women. They thought it was an idle tale that these women were sharing with them. And then, as we looked last week, we have this follower of Christ, Cleopas, and he has a companion with him that isn't named, and they were traveling to Emmaus, and they have traveled all the way back from Emmaus to Jerusalem, because they have declared that Jesus met them on the road, and he interpreted the scriptures all the things concerning Himself, and that they saw Jesus. And they then share this news, and they have learned separately that Jesus has also shown himself to Peter and the disciples, sadness, their depression, their misery, is starting to turn to joy, to excitement and even exhilaration, As they declare together, the Lord has risen indeed, and that's where our text begins. And what I want us to see really in the text that's before us is really grace upon grace upon grace of our risen Savior. There are so many amazing things here that our Lord does, and it is gracious of him to do these things time and time and time again. It is amazing grace really. First, I want us to look at this amazing peace that Jesus actually declares to His disciples in verse 36 as they were talking about these things, remember, they're in the Upper Room A.
They were hiding, and they're talking about these things, and Jesus Himself that said, stood among them and said to them, and I just want to just pause and just take a moment to reflect here about what has happened. If you remember Jesus before his death and now resurrection just right before, remember, he's in the garden, and he asked his disciples to watch and pray. Do you remember and did the disciples Watch and pray? They did not. In fact, they slept.
And when Jesus is arrested to be taken to the cross, where do the disciples go? Do they follow him and make sure that Jesus is going to have someone to speak on his behalf? They're going to make sure that Jesus is going to be taken care of if he's in prison, we're going to help Jesus. Where did the disciples go? They flee. They run away.
They're scared. When Peter is asked, not once, but twice or three times, aren't you one of the followers of Jesus, he curses at God and said, No, I do not know the man. I don't know him. I'm not with him. When Jesus is going to the cross and he needs help carrying it, where are the apostles to be found when Jesus is hung on the cross and even then breathes his last and gives up his spirit, where are the apostles to take down his body and honor their master.
They're not there. They're fled.
They're hiding. They're cowardly, and now they're locked up in this upper room, and Jesus has just shown up. What could have Jesus justly and fairly said to these apostles, I know what I would have said, and I know what I would have done. I would have kicked down the door, and I would have said, What happened to you guys? Where'd you go? This was like the most important thing to ever happen in the existence of the world.
And you don't even come with me.
You leave me to load to die alone. I ask you to pray. You don't pray and you sleep.
Where'd you go? What happened to you after everything I've done for you guys? This is how you repay me at the end. You know, I knew I should have picked some disciples who weren't so weak and so foolish. In fact, I'm going to go get new disciples. I just wanted to let you know. But what does Jesus say to them?
This is amazing. He quietly and calmly appears in their midst and says, Peace, peace to you.
And it's amazing, there is not one hint of a reprimand or a rebuke here. There is not one sharp word or passive aggressive comment, oh, here you guys are no peace.
Why does Jesus speak peace to them? Well, one verse 37 says that they are scared. Verse 37 they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a ghost. And that's an understatement. They're terrified to be in the presence of Jesus, and they have every right to be afraid, because Jesus is risen, indeed he is glorified. And they have forsaken him, they've disappointed him, and they've sinned against him, but Jesus is able to speak peace to them, because he has just died for all of their sins and wash them away. And this is what Jesus has come to do. If you remember, even back when Jesus was being born, Zechariah prophesies that Jesus will guide our feet in the way of peace. Remember even Isaiah is prophecy before Jesus is even born, hundreds of years, Isaiah is calling him. This guy is going to be the Prince of Peace. And the angels declare at his birth Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace among those with whom he is pleased. Jesus gives peace to sinners because he takes their sin upon himself. Now think about the week that you have had. Think about even last Sunday to this Sunday, what's happened in between. And think about maybe angry words or lustful thoughts, covetous hearts, a time of being unloving, a time of. Being uncaring, slothful in prayer, not fervent in the spirit. We're seeking the Word of God.
Remember, last week, Jesus told us not to be foolish or or slow to heart, but to fix our eyes on Him. And how was your week? How did it go? You know what Jesus could have shown up to us this morning and said, You know, I'm very disappointed in you, Bay Haven, and I I just want you to go away and come back next week and try harder. But you know, as we gathered together, Jesus is here in our presence, by His Spirit. And I don't know if you remember, but when we started the service, God declared something to you. Do you remember? And it wasn't try harder. It wasn't, I'm really disappointed in the week that you just had. It wasn't. I should go find other people. He declared to you, Grace and peace. That's not from me, that's from God the Father, and from Jesus Christ Himself, and from the Holy Spirit, declaring to you, even after all you've done the last week and and me, grace and peace that Jesus speaks to us peace, though our sins, like the apostles, are like Scarlet. Jesus makes us as white as wool. He blots out our sin. He He casts them away. He buries them in the depths, and he remembers them no more. Our sins are in the tomb and they will not rise. But Christ has risen, and so that he speaks peace and we receive it. We receive peace not condemnation that we deserve, not wrath that we deserve, not justice like we deserve. We receive peace from Christ. Isn't that amazing?
Amazing peace that Jesus gives to his apostles and he gives to us? There's something else amazing here. There's such amazing patience with Jesus next, even after Jesus has spoke peace to his disciples, they're still troubled. They're still having a hard time believing what's going on and what's happening before them. And Jesus has a real glorified body, and he's standing right in front of them with these wonderful abilities. It seems like glorified bodies can do amazing things like appear and discipline, peer and even move through walls and doors.
Glorified bodies aren't constrained like our bodies are.
And Jesus has a glorified body.
He has a real body. And Jesus is still man. When he's risen, he remains man and will forever be man, and that's important, because he will forever be our high priest. And here we have the God man, who's standing right before these apostles, and he said to them in verse 38 Why are you troubled and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet that it is I myself, touch me and see for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.
And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet, and I just want to point out again to you the amazing patience of Jesus. He could have simply shown up and said, Believe. Here I am. Why don't you believe I'm standing right in front of you? Can't you see?
Why don't you listen to the Scriptures? Get a hold of yourself, guys, I'm right here.
Believe Jesus is exalted and glorified, but in his disciples weakness, he lowers himself and says, come see my hands. See my feet. It's me. Go ahead. Come touch my hands and see my feet.
I'm not a ghost. I'm I'm real.
I'm a real body. I'm a real person. Right in front of you.
No, Jesus's hands and feet would display the marks of his crucifixion as an eternal testimony of His glory of saving and redeeming us. You know, when we go to heaven and we sing glory, glory and holy, holy, it's because Christ has redeemed us, and those marks we will forever see as an eternal reminder that he has finished our salvation. And so he is there, and he shows him His hands and His feet, and Luke then uses this expression that, I admit, when I first read it, I didn't understand what it was talking about. It says why they still disbelieved for joy. And I thought, Well, shouldn't that be disbelieving for sadness? But it says they're marveling. It. It's this, this phrase. It's almost like it's almost too good. Good to be true. What's happening that Jesus is indeed risen and right before us. They're believing it now, but it's almost too good to be true.
Their joy almost overwhelmed their faith. One commentator said it's almost like saying, I can't believe that commanders beat the Detroit Lions. It's almost too good to be true. I can't believe it. You know, how did that happen? So that's what's happening. It's too good to be true. They're disbelieving for joy and an additional proof of his bodily resurrection, Jesus says, Do you have anything to eat? And they give him a piece, not only a fish, but it's boiled fish. And then Jesus says, I'm a vegetarian, and I don't do that. No, he eats it, right? He eats the fish. And not because glorified bodies need fish for nourishment to sustain themselves, but it's another confirmation that he as a real body and can enjoy food and eat it and drink it with his disciples. You know, just another show of Jesus's patience and kindness to His disciples, to show them these things, the disciples are still having a difficult time understanding what's happening. So what does Jesus do. Oh, he does what Jesus always does. He goes again to the Scripture. He says, gentlemen, it's all right here.
Forget the food, forget the fish, forget I'm right in front of you. Let's go back to the Word. Let's go to the Scriptures. And then he said to them, these are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me and the Law of Moses and the prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled. Then he opened up their minds to understand the scriptures and said to them, thus it is written that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, Jesus graciously opens up their minds to understand their own experience better, their their own emotions better.
What does he help them understand the Scriptures, the Scriptures, the scriptures.
Jesus doesn't want their belief in the resurrection to rest in their own experience. And unless you were there and you experienced it too, then you can't really know no again, just like last week with Cleopas, Jesus uses the scriptures as the proof of his bodily resurrection. The Scriptures are the proof that he is risen.
Because, as we talked about again last week, everything in the scriptures is about Jesus, and pointing to Jesus. In fact, Jesus begins to preach a sermon here from the Scriptures. And do you know what Jesus's sermon is about?
Jesus? That's right, good.
Jesus' own sermon is about himself, because all of scriptures is about Jesus. He says, suffering, I had to suffer. Why? For sin. The wages of sin is death. That is what you and I deserve, suffering and death. And Jesus does it himself. Now, when he talks about his suffering here, does he talk about it as some misfortune, as some unfortunate event that occurred that we're gonna have to figure this out, guys, I wasn't anticipating this when I came to Earth. I didn't know this was gonna happen, and I'm just here. We are no. Does he talk about it as some disappointment? No, he says it is necessary. It was decreed from eternity that this was going to happen. Why? For our salvation, it's the only way God could ever show grace and peace to us. Is that the Christ would suffer and take our sins and then rise. Why? Because death can't hold him. God's justice is satisfied. The Atonement is paid. It is finished. He must rise in repentance and that saving grace whereby a sinner out of a true sense of his sin and apprehension of the mercy of God in Christ, doth with grief and hatred of his sin, turn from it unto God with full purpose of an endeavor after new obedience.
It's not enough to just know that Christ is dead and now risen. Christ talks about the importance of repenting, turning from your sin and turning towards Christ, and when you do that, what happens? Jesus tells us forgiveness, that your sins are washed away and peace to you. You see Jesus gives just a few words, but what a great sermon Jesus gives. Again, Jesus always, Jesus always gives the best sermons, the perfect sermons, always you. God, and we need God to open up our minds to understand this. They needed the spirit. And this is what this is the great need of all of mankind for God to open up our minds to understand and to see Jesus and to understand the Scriptures.
And people can read the scriptures and look at the scriptures all day long, but unless God opens up their minds to understand it. They will see it in vain, and they will not understand so this is what we need, the spirit to open up our eyes to see. As that theologian, Pastor John Calvin, said that the Holy Spirit is like spectacles that we wear to see and understand the word of God.
And then Jesus ends his sermon, and as I'll end it, here is, what were Jesus's disciples supposed to do with this message of that the Christ must suffer and rise and repentance and forgiveness. What were they supposed to do with it? What tells you there they're to proclaim it. They're to be witnesses of these things. Verse 47 Well, we're to proclaim this.
And where are we going to start?
Jerusalem. And this is another act of grace. Jerusalem. You want to start in Jerusalem. You want to share this good message, the best message in Jerusalem.
Why would you want to do that?
Jesus, don't you remember what just happened in Jerusalem?
Jerusalem is a place that you have sent prophet after prophet after prophet to declare to them to repent and turn from their sins. And what did they do with those prophets? They killed him and Jesus, what did they just do to you? They killed you. And you want to start there? Why? This is the wickedest city in the world, a city that rather releases a criminal than to release the Son of Man, Son of God, JC Ryle said none are deemed too wicked for salvation to be offered to them, and that no degree of spiritual disease is beyond the reach of the gospel remedy, and that's why we're going to start In Jerusalem again, though your sins may be as scarlet, Jesus will make them as white as snow, and we're going to start with the worst of the worst here at behaven and share the gospel to one another. Jesus does this in Jerusalem. The plan really never was for things to remain in Jerusalem, the promise of Abraham had to come true, that the gospel would be shared to all the nations. And there's kind of an opposite effect happening here. Before the cross, everything is pointing and concluding in Jerusalem and at the cross, but what happens at the resurrection and after the cross, everything goes out from Jerusalem. The gospel is going forth now into all the nations. And that's really Luke's Volume Two in Acts of the disciples doing just this. And we'll get there. We'll do a little stint in Jonah, then we'll hop in the Acts. And Jesus says, You are witnesses of these things. And let me ask just you.
Do you know these things to be true? Do you know that Jesus has suffered and died for your sins, not in part, but the whole that the were nailed to the cross and that you bear them no more? Do you know that Jesus is risen and reigning, who is your great high priest and your Prophet and your king. Do you know these things to be true? Are you seeking to repent of your sins, to turn from them and turn to the Lord Jesus Christ, and be saved and you have the forgiveness of sins, and then God declares Peace to you, do you know this as a fact? Well, if you do, you too are witnesses of these things. He has given you his promised spirit to understand you might understand these things and to embrace them, and is calling you as his disciple, and we must now bear witness to the world of these things. And who will go and let us respond by saying, Here I am. Lord send us. Let us be witnesses of these things. And if you don't know these things, today is the day of salvation. Pray that the Lord will open up your eyes to understand and embrace Jesus by faith, to receive him, though your sins be a scarlet, though you're the vilest offender, though you're the chief of sinners, Jesus Christ comes to save. Yes, you and me, us believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and be saved. Let's pray, Father, we thank you for the.
Giving us your word, we thank you for the grace upon grace upon grace of Jesus. He's so patient and kind. Lord. You've given us your spirit. You speak peace to us, you open up our understanding of the Scriptures that we might see and understand. Or do you even graciously allow us to to come into the work of sharing the gospel broken vessels, sharing with other broken vessels where water might be found, that we might not thirst, where we might not hunger ever again. Lord we thank you for giving us the gift of your Son, and it's in His name, we pray. Amen.