77: Proclaim His Name (Luke 24:36-53)

Jackie Watts

The Gospel of Luke: The Greatest Story Ever Told • Sermon • Submitted 2 years ago

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Today we finish our 77-week journey through the Gospel of Luke. And just as Dr. Luke had hoped to persuade Theophilus, I pray you are persuaded that…

BIG TRUTH: The Story of Jesus is Worthy of Our LivesBIG TRUTH: The Story of Jesus is Worthy of Our LivesBIG TRUTH: The Story of Jesus is Worthy of Our LivesBIG TRUTH: The Story of Jesus is Worthy of Our Lives

BIG TRUTH: The Story of Jesus is Worthy of Our Lives

And 2000 years later, the mission is still the same - to Proclaim His Name to all nations.

As we left off last week, Jesus had appeared to Mary Magdalene, the 2 disciples on the headed toward Emmaus, a town 7 miles from Jerusalem. Jesus revealed Himself to them and disappeared. They immediately made the 7 mile journey BACK to Jerusalem - AT NIGHT - to tell the others about seeing Him. But when they got there, Jesus had already appeared to Simon Peter and they were excited and still a little confused - as we will see in a moment. Cleopas & the other disciple telling their story about having Jesus over for dinner when …

Luke 24:36–38 (NIV)

36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 37 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. 38 He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds?

Their King had been brutally killed and they WANTED Him to be alive…but could they trust their senses? Could their eyes & ears be deceiving them?

Years ago, little Jackie lost a tooth and I was CONVINCED that I saw a light blue cloud float into my bathroom. Since the ‘toothfairy’ was so supposed to show up with some money that night…I figured…regardless who you are, when you gotta go, you gotta go! I was SCARED, but excited all at the same time.

I WANTED to see the tooth fairy…well, really, I wanted what she owed me. So even though the tooth fairy isn’t real, I was convinced I saw her blue-blob self…because I wanted it to be true.

The followers of Jesus wanted Jesus to be ALIVE, but they weren’t about to be duped by delusion - or worse - a GHOST. So they were startled & frightened - excited & scared all at the same time. The resurrection of Jesus wasn’t simply a vision. As we clearly saw last week, the disciples had seen that the BODY of Jesus was GONE. But they needed some assurance that this was a physical resurrection from the dead. That’s exactly what Jesus offered.

39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” 40 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet.

He OFFERED for them to TOUCH Him.

41 And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?”

Could this be REAL? Mary saw Jesus at the tomb. Simon Peter said he saw Jesus. The 2 disciples going to Emmaus had seen Him…now the others were looking at Him…with joy & amazement…yet still with some unbelief.

42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate it in their presence.

Why does this matter? Jesus is demonstrating that He is more than a vision. He has PHYSICALLY resurrected from the dead! Jehovah’s Witnesses are taught that Jesus had a ‘spiritual’ resurrection, but not a physical resurrection. Of course, that is NOT what the Scripture teaches.

The same body that had been in the tomb…was now STANDING, SPEAKING, & EATING…in their presence!

This is a foreshadowing of what will happen when the ‘dead in Christ raise’ - a PHYSICAL RESURRECTION - the dead are raised & transformed - with no more sin nature & never to die again!

After these convincing proofs - to see Him, touch Him, and watch Him eat - Jesus reminds them of what He had taught them BEFORE His death.

44 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” 45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day,

Just as He had explained to Cleopas & the other disciple - who were now present - He explains the Scriptures to them. Once again, we MUST be people of the Book! Jesus believed in the authority of the Scriptures. His early disciples did as well. We cannot abandon the authority of the Scriptures as Jesus did not. Instead, we are to read & apply them. They are more than promises from God to us. The Scriptures are how God reveals WHO HE IS to us!

After Jesus showed them the Messiah had to suffer, die, & rise from the dead He gives the REASON why it had to happen in the first place.

47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things.

The POWERFUL truth that Jesus can forgive sins is highlighted twice in Luke's Gospel (Luke 5:20–26; 7:47–50). There the people had asked, "But who can forgive sins but God alone?" What’s the answer to that? Only God can forgive sins. So it is clear that Jesus is God in skin, since "repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations..."

THIS is why Jesus died & rose again - people would REPENT & be forgiven of their SIN!

Think about that for a moment.

If people refuse to recognize their sin, they won’t REPENT of their sin.

If they won’t REPENT of their SIN, they won’t experience the forgiveness of sins.

If they don’t experience forgiveness of sins, they will be held accountable for their sins.

The 1st century followers of Jesus had been EYEWITNESSES of His teaching, miracles, life, death, & resurrection. And now they were going to tell others that…

BIG TRUTH: The Story of Jesus is Worthy of Our Lives

They weren’t to leave Jerusalem just yet though.

49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

They were to wait to be clothed with power from on high. In Luke’s sequel, we call ‘Acts’ - this occurs, as the Holy Spirit indwells the believers & empowers them to share the message of Jesus with boldness & clarity.

He still empowers His servants for the task. We are not alone - when we talk to ears, He deals with hearts.

But before the Spirit was to come, Jesus had to go, just as Jesus had told His disciples during the last Passover the night before His crucifixion. And Luke skips many other stories of Jesus appearing over the next few days and fast forwards to the day Jesus had spoken of.

50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them.

Jesus prays a blessing over them, probably much like He had prayed over them in John 17 where He prayed these tender words:

John 17:11–26 (NIV)

11 I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe by that name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed to destruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. 13 “I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still in the world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy within them. 14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them, for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15 My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19 For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified. 20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one—23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. 24 “Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am, and to see my glory, the glory you have given me because you loved me before the creation of the world. 25 “Righteous Father, though the world does not know you, I know you, and they know that you have sent me. 26 I have made you known to them, and will continue to make you known in order that the love you have for me may be in them and that I myself may be in them.”

51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven.

What a GLORIOUS DAY! I agree with…

Darrell Bock

Many people wish that they had lived in the Old Testament times of great miracles. To see Moses or Elijah at work would have been inspiring. But Luke’s perspective is that these Old Testament saints would have seen our era as the blessed one. What they had worked toward met its realization in Jesus.

And now they watch Him ascend into heaven.

52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.

Is it any wonder why they responded by WORSHIPING HIM? He is their Messiah, their King, their Sacrifice, their Shepherd, their GOD…and their FRIEND. And THAT’S the message they would demonstrate & declare to their culture…It’s the same message we are to take to our culture…that…

BIG TRUTH: The Story of Jesus is Worthy of Our Lives

FEET2FAITH

We haven’t been told to wait for the Spirit. He has already come to empower & indwell our lives. Now we have to carry out the mission - to be witnesses as to what Jesus has done in our lives.

Bow your knee. The Story of Jesus is worthy of YOUR life! Why won’t you trust Him with it!?

Read the Scripture. Stop taking everybody else’s view of Jesus & reading a verse here or there. READ the Scripture & bend your beliefs to what JESUS says instead of what your culture says!

Share your story. Don’t keep the good news to yourself. Share how Jesus has changed and IS changing you! Live like Jesus is alive and coming back! If there is EVER a time for us to be SALT & LIGHT - a time to warn of God’s wrath & offer God’s grace…it’s NOW! This week, this month, this year, may we Demonstrate & declare that…