The Exalted One

Intro

Have you ever had something happen that was so exciting that you could hardly believe it. I remember just a few months ago when I came home and Liz told me some incredible news. My first reaction was no way, you’re pregnant?! I was excited, overjoyed, baffled, scared, all at once. I couldn’t believe the news that I was hearing. I was a dad. My wife was pregnant with our child. After the news sunk in, all I wanted to do was tell everyone this incredible news. As we look at Scripture today, we will see that the disciples of Jesus have a very similar experience. Let’s read.

Luke 24:36–53 ESV

36 As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” 37 But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. 38 And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 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.” 40 And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41 And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate before them. 44 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.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 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.” 50 And he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. 51 While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53 and were continually in the temple blessing God.

Luke 24:36–37 “36 As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” 37 But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit.”

If we remember what was happening last week, the two who went to Emmaus had realized Jesus was with them at dinner and immediately they returned to Jerusalem. By the time they got there it must have been very late, but they and the eleven disciples stayed up swapping stories about the resurrected Lord.

As they were sharing with one another what had happened, Jesus appears in their midst. If we look to the account of John, we learn that they were in a house with the doors locked. No one had opened the door, in fact Jesus didn’t use a door. They were talking one minute and the next Jesus was standing before them. Put yourself in their shoes, some of them had encountered Jesus earlier in the day, others hadn’t seem Him risen yet. Either way, He just appeared before them, so understandably they are startled. One of their first thoughts is that the man they see is only a spirit, not a person with a body. That would explain how he just appeared in the room with them.

The first thing Jesus says is “peace to you”. This is an appropriate greeting as they are clearly rattled by his entrance, as well as seeing Him in general. Just three days ago they had seen Him die on a cross. And only hours before that they had deserted him for fear of losing their own lives. Jesus comes into their locked home and speaks peace to them. He isn’t holding a grudge or coming in vengeance because they turned from Him. Their hearts are filled with confusion, fear, and doubts. He comes bringing peace and clarity.

Luke 24:38–40 “38 And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 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.” 40 And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet.”

Jesus asks them why they are doubting and troubled. As we just discussed, it is because of the events of the passed three days and His sudden appearance in the room. The news that He is alive is much like the news that I got from Liz about our son. It’s exciting. In the disciples case it is the best news they could ever get, there teacher who they thought was going to redeem the nation had overcome death. Yet, the news seems improbable. It is unlikely that a man would come back to life. So while they are excited about what they are hearing and seeing, they doubt it can be real, it must be too good to be true. Maybe they were imagining it, maybe Jesus was really just a spirit and wasn’t really back from the dead.

Physical Proof

Jesus knows these doubts and fears they are having and He offers them proof. He shows them the scars on His hands and His feet. He tells them to come and touch His body, to feel that He is really there and not just a figment of their imagination or a spirit. He is body and spirit, a man who was dead but is now alive and in the room with them.

Luke 24:41–43 “41 And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate before them.”

The disciples are still in that too good to be true daze. They are seeing Jesus, they are touching His hands and feet. They are talking with Him. The emotions and thoughts are going wild in their hearts as they encounter the risen Lord. And as they marvel, Jesus asks for food. They give Him a fish to eat and He eats it. Now there is no explaining away this encounter with Christ. They may have imagined seeing Him and touching Him, but a real fish that was in the room was just eaten by Him. Imaginations and spirits cannot eat fish, but Jesus did! He offers them conclusive physical proof that He is back from the dead.

Scriptural proof

Luke 24:44 “44 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.””

Jesus then explains the Scriptures to them. The Torah, the Prophets, and the Psalms must be fulfilled. Jesus explains to them that all of the Scriptures were pointing to the events of the last three days. The resurrection is not a new revelation, but was revealed years ago in the Old Testament Scriptures. Not only did the Scriptures reveal this, but Jesus had been telling the disciples for some time what was going to happen. Luke 9:22 “22 saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”” Luke 9:44 “44 “Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of men.”” Luke 18:31–33 “31 And taking the twelve, he said to them, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished. 32 For he will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon. 33 And after flogging him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise.””

Repeatedly Jesus told the disciples that this was going to take place. Throughout the Old Testament it was prophesied that the Messiah would die and rise again. The Scripture attests that Jesus rose from the grave. God said it would happen and Jesus fulfilled it all.

Spiritual proof

Luke 24:45 “45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,”

This verse keys us in on why the disciples had not been able to understand what the Scriptures said about Jesus or what Jesus had been telling them was going to happen to Him. On their own, as human beings who had a sin nature, they could not perceive and understand the truth about Jesus by His words or the words of Scripture. This understanding is supernatural, it is the work of God to open the minds of sinners to understand and believe. We see this also in the previous passage where Jesus meets Cleopas and his friend on the road to Emmaus. Jesus holds them both responsible for their lack of understanding of the events that had occurred. They are responsible for their sin which keeps them from knowing God. But we also see that they and the disciples have their minds opened to understand and perceive who Jesus is. They did not open up their minds, but the text tells us that Jesus opened up their minds to understand the Scriptures. Another important detail is given here, it is Jesus who opens their minds to understand. The power of salvation is in God’s hands alone, so if Jesus has the power to open the minds of the disciples then this is yet another proof that He is God. Jesus Christ, the man who lived and died, who is now risen from the dead, is God.

Luke 24:46–49 “46 and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 47 and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things. 49 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.””

Jesus then continues His explanation of the Scripture, that the Christ would die and rise. The reason that the Christ must die is for repentance for the forgiveness of sins. God is holy and just. Every person who has lived on the earth since Adam has sinned because they are a sinner like their father Adam. This sin as we have seen in this passage separates us from God, both in keeping us from being able to understand spiritual things and because God cannot be in the presence of sin. The Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, died so that all who repent of their sin and believe in Him would be saved. Jesus death was substitutionary, meaning He took the punishment, that was rightfully sinners, upon Himself so that they could be brought back to God. So that they could know God. So that they could be in relationship with God. Repentance means agree with God about our sin. God sees our sin as wicked, an abomination to all that is good and holy. Repentance also means that we turn to Him for help, because we know that our sin is so wicked that there is no amount of good that we could ever do to make up for the wrong we’ve done. The Scripture tells us that Jesus died to save those who believe, that those who believe in Jesus will be saved from their sin and have eternal life with God forever.

Jesus then tells His disciples that this repentance for forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed and preached to all nations, starting in Jerusalem. Jesus opened the minds of the disciples and gives them this Bible lesson so that they can tell others about Him. But He doesn’t just open their minds and tell them to go preach, He gives them a promise. He says that the promise of the Father is going to be sent, that they will be clothed with power from on high. Jesus is talking about the Holy Spirit. The disciples cannot understand on their own, nor can they have effective ministry apart from the work and power of the Holy Spirit. Once again Jesus shows us that salvation is the work of God alone. Apart from God working to save sinful people, no one can be saved. Is this not miraculous?! Think about it. Marvel at it. For those of us who believe, we have nothing to boast in except the grace, mercy, love, and power of God. God is sovereign. God saves sinners for His glory. We have been included in that. Looking at this passage should cause us to marvel that He would save us. We did nothing to earn our salvation. We were not good enough to get it. We were not smart enough to get it. We were not strong enough to get it. God was gracious enough to include us in His salvation. Praise God! And just as the disciples minds were opened and they recieved power from on high, so we have been given understanding and power to proclaim the truth about Jesus to all nations, starting with our communities that we live in. Just as God had them in Jerusalem, so God has you at your current job, school, and neighborhood. We are being called and empowered to be His witnesses right here and right now.

Luke 24:50–53 “50 And he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. 51 While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. 52 And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53 and were continually in the temple blessing God.”

Jesus then leads the disciples to the Mount of Olives as the exalted one, the promised king from the line of David. He pronounces a blessing over them as High Priest and then ascends to heaven where He is seated at the right hand of God. He is king. He is priest interceding on our behalf.

The disciples respond to this by worshipping Him. They worship the Lord Jesus Christ, God who became man. They return to Jerusalem as Jesus had commanded them to where they praise God in the temple continually. There is no contradiction between their worshiping Jesus and praising God, as Jesus is God Himself.

If we continued reading in Luke’s second volume we would read that the Holy Spirit did come and empower the disciples to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to Jerusalem and then all nations. Us being gathered here is a result of this. Our gathering here together is another part of the spiritual proof that Jesus is God. That He lived and died and rose again. Our lives are a testimony as we have had our minds opened by the Spirit and have been filled and empowered by the Spirit. May we worship Jesus God the Son, God the Father, and God the Spirit as the disciples did in response to this truth. As Terry said last week, it is all about Jesus Christ. It is all about His glory, His renown, His worship. Look to Jesus and marvel at what He has done and who He is!

Let’s pray.