God's Mission

Well, good morning everyone. Are we well? Excellent. Here we are, finishing Luke's Gospel this morning.

Cannot wait to see what God has to teach us if we finish this Gospel together.

So why don't you turn to Luke chapter 24 and those verses that Alice just read for us a moment ago.

Luke 24 · chapter mention

And just before we get stuck in, why don't we just still our hearts and let's commit this time that we have studying God's precious Word to Him.

Why don't we pray?

Heavenly Father, we want to take time and still ourselves now and just take stock of the fact that there is simply none like you.

That you have no equal.

Father, that you are the unparalleled one.

And we ask this morning, Father, that you would help us by your Spirit grasp something more of your incomparable greatness.

Father, would you blow our minds this morning as we turn to your Word?

We pray through Jesus' precious name. Amen.

So to begin, I thought we'd play a little game called Guess the Flag.

In fact, there's only one flag, so it's not much of a game.

What's the flag?

India.

Put your hands up. Have you ever been to India?

India.

Wow, we're a well-traveled congregation. Excellent.

How did we get to India?

He says there's number one rule of public speaking.

You've got to be pretty confident what the answer is coming back.

So how did you get to India? Anybody?

In a plane.

Yeah? In a plane.

Let me tell you the story of a man who travelled to India from England in 1871 and he took the boat.

Okay?

This is what he writes in his diary.

The seasickness and the smell of the ship made me feel very miserable.

Added to that the prospect of leaving all the comforts and communion of the saints in England

to go forth to an unknown land to endure such illness and misery with ungodly men

for so many months weighed heavy on my spirits.

My heart was almost ready to break.

So those are the words of a man called Henry Martin.

Henry Martin brought up in a well-to-do family,

sent to one of the finest grammar schools that England has to offer.

However, so well does he do at school that at the age of 16,

he's offered a place at Cambridge to study maths.

And so well did he do at Cambridge while he studied maths

that he graduated top of his year with the highest honours.

So here's a guy in his early 20s and the world is at his feet.

He can do anything he wants.

The world is at his feet.

But while he was at university, Henry Martin became a Christian.

And he set his heart on being a missionary

because in his heart was a fire for the people of India.

So he sets about dedicating himself to the task of translating the New Testament

into Arabic, into Persian and into Hindustani,

the three major languages of the Muslim world of India that he was about to step into.

He embraces a life of no thrills, opposition, rejection, sickness, and at times loneliness.

Now you can imagine that is miles away from the life he has left behind in England.

Now here's the question I hope you're asking, I think you're asking at this point.

It's the question that's been on my mind ever since I read about this man, Henry Martin, this week.

Why would anyone do that?

Yeah?

What would possess a person to give it all up and travel to a foreign land

not knowing what's going to happen to him?

What possesses a person to do that?

Especially Henry Martin, he dies at the age of 31.

Presumably that's the question that Theophilus, remember the man that Luke is writing for,

he is asking himself as he looks out and he observes the early church in action.

So he looks out and he sees men and women who have been with Jesus

living radically different lives, giving themselves for the cause of telling others about Jesus

and very much counting the cost for doing so.

Why would anyone want to do that?

To be honest, I say it's the question that as I see some of you guys in action,

that I ask myself.

So as I see teens, as I hear about teens standing tall for Jesus at school,

of students saying no to temptation and yes to sexual purity,

speaking for Jesus at great cost to their reputation and popularity,

of workers giving up some of their income,

giving up some of that precious free time to come and serve the church,

of people approaching retirement age and while the rest of the watching world thinks

holiday home south of France, kick it back, it's my time,

you think, how can I best serve God with this spare time that I have

in this new season of my life?

Why would anybody want to do that?

Well, these verses in Luke give us the answer.

People do it because they have bought into God's mission.

They bought into God's mission.

The three words at verse 47,

to all nations.

To all nations.

That God through his people is intent on getting the whole gospel to the whole world.

The people in our country, the people in our city,

the people on our streets,

the people in our stairwells,

the people in our families,

the people in our workplaces,

the people in our social circles.

God's heart, his desire,

is that they would repent of their sin through Jesus come to know him.

That's his heart.

So here's the question I want to ask us as a church this morning,

all of us here together as one body.

It's have we synced ourselves with God's mission?

Are we synced?

It's a question this morning that we want to think about as we travel through these verses.

Perhaps you're sitting there and you're thinking to yourself,

why should I sync myself with God's mission?

Why should I do that?

Why should I give up things,

die to myself and live for Jesus?

Why should I do that?

Well, as we zoom in on these first disciples,

and as Luke shows us in these verses,

the truths,

the convictions that have captured their hearts,

let's let Luke give us three reasons

why we should buy into God's mission.

Three reasons.

Are you ready for these?

Something, anything.

Give me something.

Yeah?

Ready for these?

Here's reason number one,

verses 36 to 43 if you've got it there.

The son is living.

The son is living.

We pick it up at verse 36.

Disciples, what are they doing?

They're talking.

Talking.

What are they talking about?

The news of verse 34.

That it's true.

Jesus is risen.

And all of a sudden,

in an instant,

Jesus is standing with them.

How do they feel?

Look at some of the adjectives

that Luke uses here.

How are they using?

How are they feeling?

Frightened.

How are they feeling?

Startled.

What do they think they've seen?

A ghost, a spirit.

This is what they think they've seen.

Are they hallucinating?

Has the hysteria of the moment,

has it taken over their senses?

But they've no need to panic.

Jesus speaks.

And here's what Luke wants us to see

about Jesus.

That he is no ghost.

They have not clasped eyes on Casper.

This is no spirit that they're seeing.

This is the physically risen Jesus.

And I love here how Luke,

remember the good doctor?

He slips into doctor mode.

Follow with me.

Look how he appeals to the senses here.

As he shows us how Jesus spoke to the disciples.

To the sight.

Look at the words.

Look.

See.

He showed them.

They watched him eat.

To the hearing.

He said.

They clearly heard.

To the touch.

Touch my hands and my feet.

They gave him.

To the smell.

Broiled fish.

Now that sounds like something Gollum out of Lord of the Rings would eat,

doesn't it?

But,

it is actually cooked and seasoned fish.

Sight.

Hearing.

Touch.

Smell.

The senses confirm

what they thought was true.

Now what is it we always say

when something seems too good to be true?

What's that phrase?

Pinch me.

Pinch me.

Because we want our senses

to tell us

that what we think is happening

is really happening.

It pains me to say

if you're a Liverpool or Manchester United fan

you've probably uttered those words this week.

And if you're a Manchester City fan

you've probably uttered them as well

but for very different reasons.

Pinch me.

Am I making this up?

Is it really happening?

That's what Luke is doing here.

The disciples weren't dreaming.

This is no old wife's tale.

This is no Chinese whisper

that's gone out of hand.

Jesus is physically risen.

And that really matters.

I remember a friend once asking me

is there anything

that would cause you

to stop being a Christian?

That's a great question.

Think about it for a minute.

Is there anything that would happen

that would stop you being a Christian?

Because

if it was decisively proven to me

that Jesus hadn't risen from the dead

if somebody could positively

identify his bones

in a grave in the Middle East somewhere

friends

I would call this a day.

I would call it a day.

Because Paul would say doesn't he

if he is not risen

then we are to be pitied

amongst

higher than all men.

Because if Jesus said

he would physically rise

from the dead

and he didn't

then he's not even worth

following on Twitter

let alone with my life.

Some of you may remember

the Watergate scandal

that happened in America

during the 1970s

when Richard Nixon was president.

Well one of the men

at the heart of it

was called

Charles Coulson.

He was a member

of the president's cabinet.

And amazingly

it's amazing how God works

isn't it?

That in the midst of this scandal

Charles Coulson became a Christian.

And here's why he became a Christian.

He said this

I know the resurrection

to be a fact

and Watergate proved it to me

because twelve men testified

that they had seen Jesus

raised from the dead

and they proclaimed that message

for forty years.

Never once did they deny it.

Everyone was beaten

tortured

stoned

and put in prison

they would not have endured

that if it were not true.

Watergate embroiled

twelve of the most powerful men

in the world

and they couldn't keep alive

for three weeks.

You're telling me

twelve apostles

could keep alive

for forty years?

Absolutely

impossible.

Now what is Charles Coulson

saying there?

He's saying that you would not die

for a lie.

Friends

the Christian faith

is not built

on a foundation

of feelings.

The Christian faith

is built

on a foundation

of facts.

That Jesus

is risen.

That he

physically

rose

from the grave.

The son

is living.

Now maybe you're here

and you wouldn't

call yourself

a Christian.

I just say

love that you're here.

But let me challenge you

as you hear

God's appeal

through his word

this morning

is it time

that you've faced up

to the facts?

Because in

typical doctor style

as Luke presents this

to us

the resurrection

is good news

and it's bad news.

It's good news

because for those

who trust in Jesus

just as death

wasn't the end

for him

death won't be

the end for us.

It's glorious news.

But here's the bad news.

Jesus will return

to judge the world.

God has installed him

and exalted him

as heaven's king

and he will judge it

according to how

people of the world

have responded

to him.

So let me ask you

how do you respond

to the facts

of the

risen Jesus

this morning?

Incredible to see

as well

that Jesus

doesn't just

want them

to know the fact

he wants them

to know

what the fact

means.

Now look there

what is the first

word that he

says to the

disciples?

Peace.

To a Jew

it's this idea

of shalom

wholeness

harmony

in other words

things are back

to the way

that they were

meant to be.

Is it not

interesting

that's the

first word

that Jesus

wants to

bring to

his disciples

peace?

The sin

barrier

that separated

them from

God

Jesus

smashed it.

The wrath

of God

that was on

them

because of

their sin

Jesus

dealt with

it.

The sting

of death

that was

ahead of

them

Jesus

conquered

it.

Jesus

has made

a way

for peace

to be

true for

the disciples

for things

to go

back

to the

way

that

they

were

always

meant

to be

with

us

living

in

relationship

with

the

God

who

made

us.

Do you

know that

peace?

the

son

is

living

says

Luke.

Have

we

synced

our

lives

friends

with

God's

mission?

Reason

number

two

verses

44

to

49

the

son

is

living

second

reason

the

spirit

is

helping

verse

44

Jesus

takes

his

disciples

on

the

shortest

but

the

most

mind

blowing

Bible

study

ever.

Two

aspects

to this

Bible

study

firstly

he

takes

them

back.

What

does

he

say?

This

is

what

I

told

you

would

happen.

And

you

can

give

him

that

because

we've

seen

it

repeatedly

through

this

gospel

that

Jesus

has

said

time

and

time

again

that

this

would

happen

that

he

would

be

handed

over

that

he

would

die

that

he

would

rise.

But

you

see

what's

happened

over the

past

few

days

is

much

bigger

than

that.

The

roots

of

this

plan

don't

just

extend

to

the

last

three

years

actually

the

plot

line

of

God's

redemptive

story

is a

plan

that

was

conceived

in

eternity

past.

The

plan

God's

plan

and

this

is

awesome

that

all

nations

on the

earth

would

be

blessed.

And

how

would

God

accomplish

that?

Well

see

Jesus

say

that

everything

in

the

Old

Testament

the

law

of

Moses

the

prophets

the

Psalms

they

were

all

speaking

about

who?

Him.

They

were

all

speaking

about

and

pointing

to

Christ.

Now

our

little

girl

Chloe's

favourite

film

in the

moment

is

Paddington

2.

Anyone

seen

Paddington

2?

No?

A few

hands.

Gordon

has seen

it.

Gordon

has seen

it.

A few

hands

here.

Now

I'm

just

glad

that

Frozen

seems

to

have

been

frozen

for

the

time

being

but

she's

really

into

Paddington

2.

watched

it so

many

times.

Now

it's

a

kid's

film

so

the

plot

line

is

not

massively

complicated

but

it's

one

of

those

ones

that

the

first

time

you

watch

it

and

you

see

how

it

ends

you're

left

thinking

to

yourself

oh

that's

why

and

that's

how

the

bad

guy

managed

to

do

it.

Every

time

I've

subsequently

rewatched

it

with

her

because

I

know

the

ending

part

of

the

that's

why

that

connection

mattered

that's

why

that

line

mattered

that's

why

that

friend

speaking

to

that

friend

mattered

even

more

the

third

time

even

more

the

fourth

time

and

believe

you

me

even

more

the

tenth

time

that

happened

it's

like that

with

the

Bible

because

I

know

how

it

ends

as

it

were

because

I

know

God's

good

promises

find

their

fulfillment

in

Jesus

see

when I

go

back

and

read

my

Old

Testament

I

see

the

clues

that

were

there

all

along

that's

why

that

mattered

I

get

it

now

that

Jesus

is

the

promised

serpent

crusher

of

Genesis

3

I

get it

I'd

never

seen

it

before

I

see

now

that

Jesus

is

the

suffering

servant

that

Isaiah

was

speaking

about

in

Isaiah

53

that's

right

Jesus

is

God's

exalted

and

installed

king

that

David

speaks

about

in

Psalm

2

I'd

never

seen

that

before

we've

got a

children's

bible

by

Sally

Lloyd

Jones

called

the

Jesus

storybook

bible

that we

read

sometimes

with the

girls

the

strap

line

that's

on

that

front

cover

every

story

whispers

his

name

every

story

whispers

his

name

it's

exactly

what

Jesus

is

saying

and

he

opens

their

minds

to

understand

it

they

get

it

they

see

it

they

love

it

that

Jesus

was

no

random

carpenter

who

kicked

up

in the

Middle

East

and did

some

neat

tricks

taught

some

moral

lessons

he

is

God's

Messiah

he

is

God's

son

he

is

the

one

in

whom

God's

plan

to

unite

all

things

in

heaven

and

earth

centres

Jesus

takes

them

back

it

was

all

pointed

to

me

it

was

all

pointed

to

this

moment

and

Jesus

takes

them

forward

and

gives

them

a big

vision

for a

big

mission

that

God

beginning

with

them

as

they

witness

to

the

risen

Jesus

is

going

to

declare

his

glory

to

all

the

nations

now

remember

that

there's

only

something

like

120

of

them

at

this

point

probably

something

like

the

size

of

this

room

here

this

morning

and

they

have

got

to

go

to

the

world

120

of

them

have

got

to

go

to

the

nations

talk

about

feeling

out

your

depth

talk

about

feeling

outnumbered

and

talk

about

feeling

unqualified

fishermen

tax

collectors

I

mean

case

in

point

Peter

he's

just

denied

Jesus

three

times

if I

were to

pick my

dream team

of

disciples

to go

on this

mission

he would

not even

make

the

bench

but

Jesus

says

this

gospel

the news

about me

that I

am

risen

what the

father

has

done

is

going

to

all

nations

starting

with you

as you

witness

for me

through

these

ordinary

people

God

is going

to

accomplish

extraordinary

things

and I'll

be honest

and say

that massively

comforts

me

because

there

are

very rarely

moments

that go

by that I

do not

feel

ordinary

and God

is going

to accomplish

extraordinary

things

I feel

very

ordinary

I feel

very

unqualified

but God

uses

unqualified

unspectacular

people

to accomplish

extraordinary

things

but how

does he

do that

verse 49

because he

will provide

the power

God will

give his

people

his

promised

spirit

who will

empower

them for

this mission

of making

Jesus

known

throughout

the whole

world

and it's

incredible

because it's

with the

spirit's

power

that as

we turn

to Luke

sequel

as we

turn to

the book

of Acts

we see

Peter

filled with

the spirit

and he's

a different

man

he is a

different

man

whereas before

he didn't

want anyone

to know

that he was

associated

with Jesus

now he

wants the

world to

know

whereas before

he was

scared of a

little

servant

girl

now he's

standing in

front of

councils

tons of

people

and he's

telling them

about Jesus

there is no

explanation for

that

other than

the spirit

remember when

I was young

and people

had this song

search for the

hero inside

themselves

Peter has

not done

that

because there

was no

hero inside

Peter

and there's

no hero

inside me

there is no

explanation for

this other

than God's

spirit

God's spirit

the third

person of the

Godhead sent

to live in

the hearts

of every

single one

of God's

people

with the

job

of helping

us glorify

Jesus

putting him

in the

spotlight

and living

lives that

display and

proclaim his

greatness to

the watching

world

as through

his spirit

God transforms

his people

God equips

his people

God empowers

his people

to carry out

his mission

of making

his name

known to

the nations

God

you know

Alex and

I went

out for

dinner

last night

and just

before we

were ready

to go

we had

our coach

the waitress

turns around

to us

and says

that classic

line

any other

plans for the

weekend

and I'm

thinking to

myself

in the back

of my head

it's 10

o'clock

and it's

late

it's 10

o'clock

we've got a

babysitter at

home we

need to get

back for

maybe I

could just

dodge this

one

but then I

remembered what

I've been

studying all

week

that God

has given

me his

spirit

to carry

out his

mission

and the

truth is

that this

girl needs

to know

I didn't

get out a

chart

I didn't

get the

iPhone out

and show her

two ways to

live

I didn't do

anything like

that I just

probably said

something like

we'll be at

church tomorrow

I can't wait

but it was

this truth

that made a

difference to

me

that the

spirit is

helping

the spirit

is living

inside of

me

and it's

for

proclamation

friends have

we synced

our lives

with God's

mission

the son

is living

the spirit

is helping

finally reason

number three

verses 50

to 53

the father

is moving

verse 50

Jesus leads

them out to

the vicinity

of Bethany

while he was

blessing them

he leaves

them he

ascends into

heaven where

he takes

his place

in God's

throne room

as heaven's

victorious

king

he is

ascended

he is

risen

he is

reigning

he is

ruling

and notice

the two

reactions

of the

disciples

they return

to Jerusalem

just as

Jesus told

them to

do you see

even at this

early stage

the infancy

stage here

these followers

of Jesus

are marked

by a

radical

obedience

to his

words

and they

are also

marked by a

radical

worship of

his name

do you see

how Luke

gives us

those three

parallel words

that capture

the mood

of the hearts

and minds

of the

disciples

they worshipped

with great

joy

continually

praising

God

they worshipped

with great

joy

continually

praising

God

this is a

transformed

people

I love

it as you

turn to

Acts chapter

Acts 4 · chapter mention

4

what the

rulers

the elders

and the

scribes

as they

look at

Peter and

John

in action

as they

watch them

witness for

Jesus

what is it

they say

about them

that they

were uneducated

common men

they were

country bumpkins

as far as the

religious leaders

were concerned

but what else

did they say

what else

did they

notice

that these

men had

been with

Jesus

so there

was something

of the

Jesus

aroma

that was

carried by

the

disciples

as they

went

they had

been with

Jesus

it's funny

there was a

survey carried

out in

2012 by

Marie Curie

Cancer Care

and they

asked living

celebrities

what it is

that they

would like

written

about them

on their

gravestone

here's my

favourite

Louis Theroux

he said

so now

do you

finally believe

that I've

got man

flu

like that

but here's

my question

for you

what is it

that you

would like

written about

you in

your

gravestone

I was

thinking on

it this

week

what would

people say

about me

minister

husband

father

Airdrie

fan

some of

them more

important than

others but

probably something

like that

but here's the

thing I really

hope people

write at the

end of my

life when

it's all

said and

done

Graham

Shanks

we saw

that he

had been

with

Jesus

we saw

that he

had been

with

Jesus

it's what

they say

of the early

disciples

is it

not

these

disciples

who were

marked by

radical

obedience

and who

were marked

by radical

worship

it was

Winston

Churchill

who famously

said

now this

is not

the end

it is not

even the

beginning

of the

end

but it

is perhaps

the end

of the

beginning

I think

that captures

well the

mood

at the end

of Luke's

gospel

do you notice

incidentally that

we're back at

the temple

where we

started at

chapter 1

and you have

to say that

there's such

a sense of

anticipation as

we finish this

gospel there's

such a sense of

expectation at

verse 53

that God

is moving

that God

is fulfilling

his desire

to see the

nations come

to worship

him

this is God's

plan

the anticipation

do you feel it

that this is

going forward

this is what's

going to happen

these 120

people taking

on the world

and it is

his mission

he is the

one who

raised Jesus

from the dead

he is the

one who sent

his spirit

to live inside

the hearts

of his people

he is the

one who is

longing for

his name

to be glorified

the world

over as God

transforms men

and women

from being his

enemies into

being his

worshippers

this is God's

mission

and let's be

quite honest

he does not

need me for

that

he does not

need you

for that

but is it

not mind

blowing

that God

in his

grace

as he

transforms us

more into

the image

of Christ

that he

would use

us

to glorify

his name

throughout

the world

somebody once

asked Henry

Martin

why he did

what he did

why would

anything do

something like

that

why would

somebody leave

behind the

comforts of

England

those green

green pastures

and why would

they sail for

India for a

life of hardship

here's what he

said

the spirit

of Christ

is the

spirit of

missions

the nearer

we get to

him

the more

intensely

missionary

we become

I see no

business in

life but

the work

of Christ

the missionary

heart of

Henry Martin

and ask

those at the

beginning

of those who

had been to

India to

raise their

hands

let's slightly

change the

angle

as we

finish

put your

hands up

if you're

from

Europe

a few

of us

here this

morning

put your

hands up

if you're

from

Africa

you look

around here

we're in

church

it's okay

put your

hands up

if you're

from

North

America

okay

put your

hands up

if you're

from

South

America

I didn't

see any

polar bears

coming in

this morning

so I

was going

to go

Antarctica

as well

but I

think

not

put your

hands up

lastly

if you're

from

Asia

you see

it

what God

is doing

everything

so we

didn't do

we did

not do

Australasia

anybody here

from Australia

New Zealand

anywhere like

that

okay we

didn't quite

get the

full suite

but you

see what

God is

doing

do you

see what

God

has done

this tiny

little

microcosm

of people

in Edinburgh

who have

gathered here

this morning

here we are

representing

the world

do you

see how

God

is committed

to his

plan

of the

whole

gospel

going to

the whole

world

do you

see how

God

is committed

to his

plan

of blessing

the nations

through his

people

how incredible

is that

that what

started here

with 120

people

in a city

in the Middle

East and here

is God

today

moving the

world over