The Great Transition

Luke 24:36–53 (ESV)

We come to the final sermon in the final chapter in this journey through the Gospel According to Luke. 71 sermons total. Many of you have been here through most of them. Some of you have heard all 71. I trust it has been a worthwhile journey. It has made an impact on me personally, and I trust you as well. 

Verse 36 finds the disciples still in a state of confusion and bewilderment, cowering down behind locked doors trying to figure out exactly what happened to the body of Jesus. 

When suddenly, Jesus gives them…

1. A Great Confirmation

TEXT: 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!” 

John’s account tells us that this happened on the evening of the first day of the week. So keep in mind it is still Easter - Jesus rose early that same morning. John also tells us the doors were locked for fear of the Jews. So there in this safe place, alone, confused, fearful - Jesus appears. 

In spite of all the evidence, in spite of all the testimony of seeing Jesus alive, they still had a very difficult time believing it was true. 

Thomas was the fact checker of the group. - John 20:24–25 (ESV)

24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”

Now we can be very hard on Thomas - making him the Debbie downer of the Disciples, the Eor of the group, but the fact is, we should be very thankful that someone is in the group that hadn’t drunk the Koolaid. Because, you see, the skepticism of Thomas stands one of the greatest evidences that the story actually happened. You will see why in a moment. 

When it comes to Disbelief, there are Two Types of Disbelief: 

Passive Disbelief - The passive unbeliever leaves a vacuum in the place of God or Christ. They don’t seek to fill the vacuum. 

Active Disbelief - This is the person who is aggressive, certain, even hostile toward a claim that Jesus is alive. That was Thomas. 

Thomas may be the Apostle of our Generation. You see, more and more I’m meeting people who have more question marks about the resurrection than exclamation points. 

Two generations back, the Gospel was assumed and taken for granted. 

In the Previous Generation, The Gospel was neglected. 

In this Generation, the Gospel is vehemently denied. 

Perhaps in the future, it will be aggressively attacked.

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?

Never forget that from the perspective of Heaven, doubt is ridiculous and unbelief ludicrous - in other words, disbelief is unbelievable. 

 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.” 

Now, in the years to come, the Gnostics would assert that Jesus’s physical body perished on the cross - but the spirit that inhabited that body was what had been raised. But notice that Christ himself goes to great lengths to prove to them that his physical body had been raised incorruptible. 

40 And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 

This is evidence not only that the same physical body had been raised but also that Jesus in his risen state was perfectly aware of the conversation that had been having just moments earlier. Thus, he answers the specific objection raised by Thomas. Seeing the scars, Thomas declares in John 20:28 “My Lord and my God!”

I’ve often asked my Mormon and Jehovah’s witness friends what they do with that verse - They deny the deity of Christ, you see. The answer they are taught to give is that this phrase is akin to someone saying, “OMG”. So you are telling me that this Orthodox Jewish man sees Jesus Christ and immediately blasphemes, breaking one of the 10 commandments? And Luke records that in Holy Scripture? That’s more unbelievable than God raising Jesus from the dead. 

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. 

Luke has destroyed Gnositcism and Mormonism, may as well attack Veganism while we are at it. Let’s just acknowledge that the risen Son of God, about to ascend into Heaven, ate meat. That deserves an “amen”. 

Jesus gave them a Great Confirmation that he was indeed risen from the dead. He also gave them…

2. A Great Clarification

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.” 

The Jews divided the OT Canon into three parts: the Law, the Prophets, and the Writings. Jesus accepted and affirmed the entirety of the OT as Divine Scripture - and he saw them as distinctly Christian in nature. 

He declares that they were fulfilled in him. This is why several things changed after the resurrection. The OT law can be divided into at least three components: Civil Law, Ceremonial Law, and Moral Law. 

Has anyone ever said to you - you Christians contradict yourselves, you declare that the BIBLE says homosexuality is wrong, but doesn’t that same bible say you shouldn’t wear mixed fabric? Gotcha - didn’t think of that did you Christian. But understand - the law forbids sexual sin in the Moral section of the law, and mixed fabric in the Ceremonial section of the law. 

The moral section is not obsolete - but rather is now seen through the lens of Christ. 

The ceremonial section is obsolete and was rescinded in the NT. 

Christ declares here in verse 44 - he had FULFILLED the demands of the Law, meaning, not only had he kept the law perfectly, but also that they found their ultimate purpose fulfilled in him. 

The Sacrificial System and Temple Worship was now Obsolete - This was the point of Stephen’s sermon in the book of Acts, which caused him to be the first Martyr. 

Dietary Laws were no longer enforced. - Remember the sheet coming down from Heaven and Peter being told to rise and eat? 

The Day of Worship Shifted - Judaism had practiced Sabbath worship from the dawn of time - but from this point forward, the Church worships on the Lord’s Day.

Circumcision had been replaced by Baptism - as the sign of the Covenant. In my previous church, we led a Nigerian man to Christ. he began to read the Bible starting in Genesis. He came to me after Church one day and said, “Pastor, I have scheduled my surgery”. “What surgery?” I asked. He answered, “I have arranged for my circumcision”. You can imagine his relief when I explained that was not necessary. But that brother certainly meant business!  

Paul writes in Colossians 2:16–17 (ESV)

16 Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink, or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath. 17 These are a shadow of the things to come, but the substance belongs to Christ.

45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 

Spiritual truth is spiritually discerned. You should pray that, by the way - ask God to open your mind to understand the scriptures. 

Jesus gave them a Great Confirmation, a Great Clarification…

3. A Great Commission

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. 

Just as the OT foretold that Jesus would suffer, die, and be raised, it also foretold that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed to the whole world. 

The Lord said to the Prophet Isaiah in Isaiah 49:5–6 (ESV)

6 he says: “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.”

Isaiah 66:18–19 (ESV)

18 “For I know their works and their thoughts, and the time is coming to gather all nations and tongues. And they shall come and shall see my glory, 19 and I will set a sign among them. And from them I will send survivors to the nations, to Tarshish, Pul, and Lud, who draw the bow, to Tubal and Javan, to the coastlands far away, that have not heard my fame or seen my glory. And they shall declare my glory among the nations.

Do you see it there? The coastlands far away... that’s you! Even in the OT, God promised that people on far away coasts will declare His glory among the nations. 

How will this happen? How will this group of frightened disciples hiding behind locked doors, be capable of taking the Gospel into all the world? 

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.” 

The power of the Holy Spirit is indispensable to the fulfillment of the Great Commission. You are not smart enough, you are not wealthy enough, you are not clever enough - to even change one heart, much less the eternal destiny of people all over the world. 

ILLUSTRATION: Do you think that our church would be a better church if every single member was able to travel to Israel and walk where Jesus walked? Hypothetically, I would think so - that’s why we take those trips. 

What about this? Suppose we could all travel back in time and see all these things happen? Would we be more effective for the Gospel? 

What about this? Suppose Jesus physically came to church with us every single Sunday? Would you sing louder? I think I would preach better! 

But in John 16 - Jesus said, 

John 16:7 (ESV)

7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.

Jesus is God with us, and the Holy Spirit is God IN us.  

Jesus said to them - don’t go out into the world without Him! Tarry ye in Jerusalem till you are endowed with power from on high! 

LISTEN - if you are a believer the Holy Spirit is in your life. The question is not if he is resident, but if He is president. Is your life yielded and submitted to the authority of the Holy Spirit? 

Understand, He is sent to empower you for ministry… don’t expect His power to enable you to play Xbox. Holy Spirit is sent to empower service for the Kingdom. 

Our staff is emphasizing the importance of serving and volunteering this month. But please understand, it’s not that we are trying to get something FROM you (time); we are seeking to get something FOR you. 

As you serve Christ, you discover your particular spiritual gift, as you discover it, you will experience the Holy Spirit’s empowerment, and it is a glorious thing to experience. There is nothing like it. But it starts with you being willing to leave your comfort zone and serve.  

50 And he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. 

Acts 1 indicates that this happened on the Mount of Olives. Bethany was located on the Mount of Olives. Incidentally, this is the same place he will return - Zechariah 14:4 (ESV)

4 On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives that lies before Jerusalem on the east, and the Mount of Olives shall be split in two from east to west by a very wide valley, so that one half of the Mount shall move northward, and the other half southward.

The temple faced east and was aligned with the peak of the Mount of Olives. We are told that prior to Jesus’s return, the Temple would be rebuilt - and he will descend, and that mountain would literally spit, creating a valley for him to enter into his Father’s house. 

If you go there today, the muslims have concreted the Gate of the city closed to prevent him from entering. The Jews have covered the Kidron Valley with a graveyard, thinking that Jesus as Priest would not come near death. But understand - that mountain will literally move those graves out of the way and decimate that wall, allowing nothing to prohibit the Son of God from taking His rightful place. 

51 While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. 

We are told in Acts 1:9–11 (ESV)

9 And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, 11 and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

Luke concludes with verse 52 - 

52 And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, 53 and were continually in the temple blessing God.

Notice the massive shift in their attitude. From hiding in fear and confusion to returning to Jerusalem with GREAT JOY! 

Incidentally, the book of Acts concludes in a similar manner, after all that Paul suffered because of obediently preaching the Gospel - Acts 28:30–31 (ESV)

30 He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, 31 proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance.

That is how I want my story to end - faithfully declaring the truth of the Gospel, with great joy, unhindered. 

That can be your story as well - but it begins with knowing the risen Christ by faith, receiving the person of the Holy Spirit, and faithfully setting out to make the Gospel known. 

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