Part 5: Jesus' Completion of His Journey Luke 24 Introduction In one of the villages of Northern India a missionary was preaching in a bazaar. As he closed, a Muslim gentleman came up and said, "You must admit we have one thing you have not, and it is better than anything you have." The missionary smiled and said, "I should be pleased to hear what it is." The Muslim said, "You know when we go to Mecca we at least find a coffin. But when you Christians go to Jerusalem, which is your Mecca, you find nothing but an empty grave." But the missionary just smiled and said, "That is just the difference. Mohammed is dead; Mohammed is in the coffin. And false systems of religion and philosophy are in their coffins, but Jesus Christ, whose kingdom is to include all nations and kindreds and tribes, is not here; He is risen. And all power in heaven and on earth is given unto Him. That is our hope." A living Christ! That is our hope. He is not dead, but alive forevermore. --A Treasury of Bible Illustrations, AMG International, 1995 This is the marvelous message to which our study leads us. The tomb where they laid the body of Jesus Christ is empty. It has been ever since the Sunday after the Friday He was executed on a Roman cross. This last chapter of Luke, then, will lift us from the sorrow we experienced observing the passion and crucifixion of Christ to the joy of reading about is exultant ascension to His heavenly home. In John's gospel we read that He went to prepare a place for us so that when He returns He can take us back with Him to be with Him forever. Let us, then, finish our journey with Christ by rejoicing in this gospel's story of the Resurrection. XIX. The Resurrection, Luke 24:1-49
1. Several women saw it, Luke 24:1-11. a. They went expecting to find the tomb occupied, Luke 24:1.
b. They found instead that it was empty, Luke 24:2-3. Luke 24:2-3 (NIV) (2) They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, (3) but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. c. They were frightened by the appearance of two angels, Luke 24:4-6a. Luke 24:4-6a (NIV) (4) While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. (5) In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead? (6a) He is not here; he has risen! d. They were prompted by the angels to recall the words of Jesus about His promised resurrection, Luke 24:6b-8.
B. Peter saw it, Luke 24:9-12. See John 20:3-8 to note that another disciple (the one Jesus loved, probably John) and Mary are present at the same time. 1. The Eleven were informed by Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary (the mother of James and the other women who were with them, Luke 24:9-10.
2. He (and John) were the only ones who responded to the women's report by going to the tomb, Luke 24:11-12.
3. He could only wonder what had happened—which is not the same as believing. Peter may have been thinking about another explanation for the absence of Jesus' body from the tomb. With all the importance of the cross, without the empty tomb Jesus Christ would be just another person who was brutally crucified by the Romans. The empty tomb is our hope, promise, and proof of life eternal either spent in heaven or hell. We must continue to tell the whole story and proclaim the good news that Jesus Christ our Lord is the only one who has risen from the dead, and left the tomb empty. --Randy and Beth McDonald, Christian artists C. Confirmation of the Resurrection by Several Witnesses, Luke 24:13-49 1. The Emmaus disciples, Luke 24:13-32 a. They were downcast over the death of Jesus, Luke 24:13-17. Luke 24:13-17 (NIV) (13) Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. (14) They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. (15) As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; (16) but they were kept from recognizing him. (17) He asked them, "What are you discussing together as you walk along?" They stood still, their faces downcast. b. They were joined by a curious Stranger, Luke 24:15-19a.
(17) He asked them, "What are you discussing together as you walk along?" They stood still, their faces downcast. (18) One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, "Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?" (19a) "What things?" he asked. c. They explained their depressed state, Luke 24:19b-24.
d. They were chided for their ignorance of the Scriptures, Luke 24:25-26.
e. They were instructed in Messianic prophecy from all the Scriptures by the Messiah Himself, Luke 24:27.
f. They were given opened eyes to see the Savior who had caused their hearts to burn within them, Luke 24:28-32.
(30) When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. (31) Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. (32) They asked each other, "Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?" When we lack understanding concerning our deepest griefs and disappointments, we would do well to open the Scriptures and let God speak His comfort and understanding to us from them. 2. The Eleven disciples with the Emmaus disciples, Luke 24:33-49 a. The testimony of the Emmaus disciples, Luke 24:33-35
(35) Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread. b. The appearance and greeting of the Lord, Luke 24:36
c. The shock to the Eleven, Luke 24:37
d. The invitation to touch, Luke 24:38-40
(40) When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. e. The joy of disbelief (this is too good to be true!), Luke 24:41
f. The proof is in the fish, Luke 24:42-43.
g. The prophecy was in the Scriptures, Luke 24:44-47
(45) Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. (46) He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, (47) and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. The bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is the crowning proof of Christianity. Everything else that was said or done by Christ and the Apostles, no matter how great or marvelous, is secondary to the Resurrection in importance. If the Resurrection did not take place, then Christianity is a false religion. If it did take place, then Christ is God and the Christian faith is absolute truth. --Dr. Henry M. Morris, Many Infallible Proofs, published by Institute for Creation Research, 1974 Dr. Morris merely states what Paul had already written in the 1st century of the church. 1 Corinthians 15:15-17 ( NIV ) (15) We have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. (16) For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. (17) And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. h. The promise is given of their enablement as witnesses, Luke 24:48-49
XX. The Ascension, Luke 24:50-53 A. The Ascension Location: Bethany, Luke 24:50a
B. The Ascension Event, Luke 24:51
C. The Ascension Reaction, Luke 24:52-53 Luke 24:52-53 (NIV) (52) Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. (53) And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God. To be like Jesus . . . 1. We must understand and use the empty tomb and the Resurrection as an apologetic for our faith. 2. We must dare to believe and proclaim the incredible claims of the Bible to the world. We must not be intimidated by the world who ridicules our beliefs in Creation, the miracles of the Bible, and in particular the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Know that science has not found anything to disprove Creation nor has secular historical history discovered anything to classify any biblical claims to fact as being untrue. 3. We must depend upon the enablement of the Father to be busy about our Father's business, revealing God's plan of redemption to the world. __________________________________________________________________ |