The Promise Fulfilled

Intro

Getting a new bike for Christmas

I saw the bike come out and got excited, but I had learned not to get too excited, it was probably Jeremy’s.

I was disbelieving for joy

This was after resurrection morning, this was resurrection evening

Word had spread through the disciples that Jesus was alive, but that’s a hard thing to believe

This moment occurred after the walk to Emmaus

We know those disciples had already heard about Jesus being alive

Those two ran back to Jerusalem and telling the other disciples what happened

Here, Jesus appeared to the disciples, but it was a hard thing to believe

They were troubled and still had some disbelief

Luke 24:36–49 ESV

As 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 he 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 here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate 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 for the 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.”

Reemphasizing Jesus’ Resurrection

“Peace to you!”

What an amazing statement

Here again we see that Jesus physically rose from the dead

Jesus made a point to emphasize His physical resurrection, they touched Him, He ate food

Again we see these scars of the crucifixion

Identification

Jesus was the promise fulfilled

“Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.”

There is a difference between knowing and understanding

I know tools, Danny understands them

I know paint, Dorenda understands it

God opens the Scripture to us so we can understand it

“Everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.”

This is all of Scripture

It’s about Jesus

Jesus fulfilled the promise, He fulfilled the Law

Remembering the authority of Scripture

How did Jesus view Scripture?

From God

Authoritative

It was Scripture that He fulfilled, Scripture was the measuring line

What was the promise?

Luke 24:46-49 “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 for the 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.””

The Christ

Christ is the Greek word for Messiah

Scripture talked about the coming Messiah and that was Jesus

The Christ would suffer and on the third day rise from the dead

They saw the suffering of Jesus

They saw the death of Jesus

Now they saw that He did in fact rise from the dead

Repentance for the for give news of sins should be proclaimed in His name to all nations beginning from Jerusalem

From the beginning Jesus preached, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Repentance is grace

The bad news is that we need to repent

The good news is that when we do we are forgiven

Jesus did preach to the nations

Israel, Rome, Samaria, even the wise men from a far off country

You are witnesses of these things

These things were the promise from Scripture and they have witnessed the fulfillment

Not only did they witness the fulfillment of God’s promises but they have also been witnesses of God’s promises

Now What?

We are benefactors of God’s promises

Through repentance we are forgiven of our sins, because of Jesus

We too have witnessed God’s amazing work

Therefore, we are to be His witnesses

Know God and make Him known

“I am sending the promise of my Father upon you.”

The promise of the Holy Spirit, God’s Spirit, the Spirit of Truth, Counselor, Helper

Clothed with power from on high

It is the Holy Spirit that equips us to be God’s witnesses