He IS Risen Indeed!

Well, good morning.

It's good to be back with you.

!

Amen.

My name's Tom Zentz.

My wife, Carrie, and I have been at Maranatha for 41 years.

And I look out here and there's people I don't know.

And we talk and just marvel at the things that God's doing and the fruitfulness that

He's brought to our church.

And we're very grateful.

It's our joy.

And to Christ be the glory, right?

Right?

This morning we have the privilege of maybe peeking into the Word of God to see how that happens.

And it's not because we've figured out something unique.

So I hope that you can pick that out a little bit later.

I have the privilege of wrapping up our study in the Gospel of Luke.

It's been very good, hasn't it?

You know, Pastor started this January of 2022.

So it's been a while.

Some of you weren't even attending our church then.

But it's been a blessing.

And this morning as we look at the final verses of chapter 24, we're going to be looking at

one of the most powerful texts in the Scriptures.

The record of the resurrected Christ appearing to His fearful followers, convincing them of

the Scriptures, not just the Scriptures, but of God at work.

He's going to commission them to global action, to be His witnesses.

Witnessing the victory that Christ secured at the cross and over the grave.

And then we'll conclude with His celebratory ascension.

Let me begin by praying.

Our Father, You are so kind.

Who has shown more love than You?

No one.

And there is no God like You.

In Your sovereign plan, You had in store for Your Son to suffer and die on our behalf.

We don't understand it.

And we don't deserve it.

But we are grateful for Your mercy.

We're grateful for the transformation that You bring into our lives.

Thank You for Your Word.

Thank You for Your Spirit.

This morning as we look into Your Word, we ask that You would open our eyes.

Help us to see the areas that You want us to be transformed in.

The areas that You want to empower us.

Lord, as we've been challenged by the music and as we will be by Your Word,

help us to be Your witnesses.

To tell others who are hurting and broken,

how they can be made whole because of what You, Jesus, have done on the cross.

And because of Your victory over the grave.

Lord, thank You for the way that You have blessed.

We appreciate our pastors.

We pray for Pastor Andrew as he continues to heal.

Give him a swift and complete healing.

Lord, this morning there may be someone here who does not know Jesus.

Whose life is just turned upside down.

And I pray, Father, that Your Spirit would show them from Your Word

the need for repentance and the offer of forgiveness of sins.

We're so grateful how You restore lives.

It's for Your glory, Jesus.

And we praise You in Your name.

Amen.

Amen.

In a moment, we're going to be looking at Luke chapter 24,

Luke 24 · chapter mention

but I want to invite you to open your Bibles first to Luke chapter 1

Luke 1 · chapter mention

to give you a little bit of background.

You recall that as we're in the Gospel of Luke,

it might not be so obvious, but the author is Luke,

under the guidance of the Holy Spirit.

And the Gospel of Luke is really just book 1 of a lengthier version

of what he was writing to a man named Theopolis.

Book 2 is the Acts of the Apostles.

And so this morning, we are finishing up the end of book 1 or part 1 of this lengthy book.

And there in chapter 1, if you'd follow along with me in verses 3 and 4, we read this.

It seemed good to me also, that's to Luke, having followed all things closely for some time past,

to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,

that you may have certainty regarding the things that you have been taught.

This morning, let me just share with you what I've been looking at this text about.

We don't know who really Theophilus was.

We can guess.

He was called most excellent Theophilus, probably somebody of importance,

probably in the Roman political system.

We don't know if he was a new believer,

and if Luke's trying to encourage him in his faith.

We don't know if he was somebody seeking to know more about Jesus,

and Luke's trying to show him who Jesus is.

But what I think that Luke is trying to accomplish from books 1 and book 2

is to help Theophilus understand what's happening in his world today.

Because see, when Luke is writing the scripture,

this is decades after the ascension of Jesus Christ.

And what's happening in his world at this time is,

there's a group of these uneducated, untrained, average people

and they're turning the world upside down.

And so I would submit to you that Dr. Luke is writing to give an accurate,

fact-checked, orderly, unique, and persuasive explanation to Theophilus

and to all who read part 1 and part 2 of this lengthier book,

how this uneducated, ordinary group of people are doing this.

How are they so effective at transforming lives?

How are they turning the world upside down?

And I would submit to you that what he says in the book of Luke,

the gospel of Luke,

is that this explanation is not that they just figured out something.

It rests solely on the foundation of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Christ.

Would you imagine for a moment that you are Theophilus there in chapter 1?

You received this part 1 of this letter from Luke.

And this is the very first time you're reading through this.

You can imagine as you're following the events of the birth of Christ,

and it's like, wow, just as the scriptures foretold.

The prophets said this is going to happen.

And it is.

It's amazing.

And then you read about how Jesus is doing all these wonderful miracles.

And you hear about the words that he spoke with such authority.

You see the stories of lives changed.

And then all of a sudden you get to this unfair,

this treasonous treatment of Jesus Christ,

even from his own followers.

And you see that it leads to his suffering,

and it leads to the cross.

The very first time you're reading this, just imagine that.

I could see Theophilus just kind of looking up to heaven going,

what are you doing?

This isn't fair.

This isn't right.

But he continues to read.

And then he reads of the resurrection in Luke 24.

And he reads about the accounts of those that encountered the living Jesus Christ,

the one who is risen indeed.

And he says, oh, I think I'm beginning to get it.

Jesus Christ is no longer dead.

He's alive.

He's risen indeed.

And he's actively building his church.

One of those occasions that we heard about last week

was when Jesus approached those two on the road to Emmaus.

Remember that?

And Jesus comes alongside of them and begins talking with them,

asking about what's happened.

And what does he do?

Jesus begins to open their minds

to understand that from the very beginning of Scripture

to the very point there that they have of Scripture,

it all focused on Jesus the Christ.

And their hearts burned within them.

And remember what happened when they got back to their home in Emmaus?

Jesus is like, can we eat?

He liked to ask that question.

Can we eat?

And they started eating.

And as soon as he broke bread,

they recognized him.

And then what?

He just disappeared.

He just disappeared.

And immediately, they're excited.

Immediately, they just said, we got to go back.

And so they make the seven-mile trip back to Jerusalem

as fast as they can.

And they come to the place where the disciples are at

and they have to knock on the door.

John tells us they have to knock on the door

because those doors are locked.

So, the disciples, they were terrified.

Well, let me read it for you.

On the evening of that day, this is John 20,

the first day of the week, the doors being locked,

where the disciples were for fear of the Jews,

Jesus came and stood among them.

Now, friends, I mean, one moment,

they're there talking.

The doors are locked.

And in another moment, the Lord Jesus Christ is there.

That had to be terrifying.

And you and I could be like, oh, come on.

You know, guys, you should know better.

But if that were you and me,

we would be terrified as well.

And so the disciples were thinking that they saw a spirit.

Their lives had been shattered just three days earlier.

The one for whom they've given up everything.

He was taken, he was tortured, and he was killed.

Their dreams, their hopes were crushed.

And then that very morning, earlier,

they heard these reports trickle in.

Somebody has seen Jesus.

They've seen Jesus.

And more and more reports were coming in.

They saw Jesus alive.

Even Peter saw the resurrected Christ.

In fact, when the two from Emmaus

made their way back to the house,

and they were allowed to come into that locked room,

they wanted to share,

we've seen the Christ.

Before they could even say anything,

the rest of the group was saying,

we got news for you.

Peter saw him.

He's really alive.

And they're going like, yeah, yeah, we know.

We saw him too.

And right then,

that's where we come into verse 36 of Luke chapter 24.

Luke 24 · chapter mention

Would you follow along as we talk about the appearance

of the resurrected Christ?

As they were talking about these things,

Jesus himself stood among them.

And then in verse 36, I would say this.

He's going to comfort them.

He gives them his comforting words.

As they were talking about these things,

Jesus himself stood among them and said to them,

peace to you.

And they were startled and frightened and thought they were seeing a spirit.

The words, peace to you,

you're familiar with these words, I believe.

It's a familiar Hebrew greeting, shalom.

But here it signifies something more.

This word signifies wholeness, a completeness, a unity, and a harmony.

I had in some previous notes,

Pastor Andrew one time saying,

when you know Jesus, K-N-O-W, you know peace.

When there is no Jesus, there is no peace.

You see, when life becomes fractured,

when life just doesn't make sense,

the peace of God invites us to have the whole,

the complete, the unified perspective

with our good and loving Lord.

We don't see it.

But by faith, we trust that he is good.

And he is in control.

By faith, we trust that God

is ruling over all the circumstances.

And this is the peace.

This is the wholeness.

This is the wellness

that he brings into the lives of broken people.

Jesus is the prince of peace himself.

We read in Romans 5.1,

Therefore, since we have been justified by faith,

we have what?

Peace.

We have this wholeness.

We have this completeness.

We have peace with God

through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus not only offers the disciples his peace,

he invites them to use all of their senses

to recognize who he is.

He wants them to believe that he is indeed

the risen living Lord standing before them.

We're going to look briefly

at some of these convincing proofs.

We could spend a whole hour on these.

And it would be tempting

because it's really cool.

But I just want to go through them quickly.

His convincing proofs, verse 38.

Jesus says this in verse 38.

He said to them,

Why are you troubled?

And why do doubts arise in your hearts?

He's inviting them to use their ability to hear.

Hear me.

I want you to hear me.

Why are you troubled?

Why do doubts arise in your hearts?

This is not like some Jacob Marley ghost

from Christmas past

that's moaning and wailing.

This is Jesus in his resurrected body

speaking normally

just like we would talk to one another.

He's addressing them

about their troubled and doubting hearts.

He's calling them to faith

just as he does us when we're troubled.

When life is turned upside down.

And then he adds this.

He says,

See and touch me.

Look at the marks on my hands and my feet.

He invites them to use their senses.

Jesus says,

See my hands and my feet.

That it is I myself.

And I don't want you to miss this.

When Jesus says,

It is I myself.

These are powerful words.

In fact,

He's inviting them to hear

that He is calling Himself

the I am that I am.

And they had heard this before.

Following Jesus,

they heard Him say,

I am the bread of life.

I am the light of the world.

I am the door of the sheep.

I am the good shepherd.

I am the resurrection and the life.

I am the way,

the truth,

and the life.

And now once again,

He says to them,

It is I myself.

It's me.

I am the Lord.

I am the Lord.

I am your living Lord

right here in person.

Touch me and see.

For a spirit does not have

flesh and bones.

What was Luke's profession?

He was a doctor.

Dr. Luke wants his reader to know

by what Jesus said

that this new resurrected body

is still flesh and bones.

How can flesh and bones

enter a locked room?

I don't know.

I don't.

Apparently this resurrected body

is not limited like ours is.

John MacArthur calls this feature

of the resurrected body

adaptability.

Jesus wanted to be in a locked room.

So He was.

I imagine that if I want to be

in Cincinnati

and I have a resurrected body,

I would be.

It's not limited

like our current bodies.

This may be a stretch,

but in your next two blanks,

I put taste and smell.

We eat fish once or twice a week

in our home.

I think that's no exaggeration.

Right, dear?

We lived in Japan for a decade.

We love fish.

And so when Carrie makes fish

in our kitchen,

I can smell it.

And I like it.

Some of you don't.

But fish smell.

And I think what Jesus is doing

when He says,

do you got something to eat?

And they offer Him broiled fish.

He's inviting them

to use more senses.

Taste and smell.

Verse 41.

And while they still disbelieved for joy.

I think that means

they just couldn't believe

this was happening.

It's like, wow.

And they were marveling.

And He said to them,

have you got anything to eat?

And they gave Him a piece

of broiled fish

and He took it

and He ate before Him.

And we were laughing,

my wife and I,

when we read that passage.

I mean, you can imagine

all the disciples

in that locked room,

Jesus says,

you got anything to eat?

And so they gave Him fish

and they're all just

watching Him eat.

Yeah.

In the same way

that Jesus revealed Himself

to the two in Emmaus

at that house,

when was it that they understood

who He was?

It was after He ate.

It's like,

oh, it is.

It's Him.

It's Him.

I would submit to you

that the appearance

of the resurrected Christ

gave them peace within.

Peace within.

And now we come

to verses 44 and 48.

I have entitled this

The Assignment

of the Resurrected Christ.

In almost the same manner

that Jesus revealed Himself

to the two on the road

to Emmaus,

He does this for those

that are in that locked room.

follow along in verse 44

as Jesus,

He calls them

to understand the Scriptures.

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.

And then He opened their minds

to understand the Scriptures.

And can't you just hear

Cleopas and that other disciple,

the two on the road to Emmaus,

remember,

it was at the house

and on the way there

that they heard Jesus

do this same thing

and they're going like,

oh, here it comes.

Here it comes.

He's going to talk about

who He is

from the whole beginning to end.

I'm sure they were really excited.

And Jesus does.

He reveals.

The Scriptures focus on the Christ

and He is the Christ.

Everything is unfolding

according to God's plan.

Just as it had been written out.

Aren't you glad you have the Scriptures?

Do you know the perspective we have

is divine?

And I don't mean that

in any bad way.

When we read the Word of God,

God has allowed us

to see events

from His perspective.

We get to see

because if we're in that situation,

if you're Jonah,

you're Jonah

and it's dark

and it's smelly

and you're in a fish.

When you read the Word of God,

you see God's perspective

on the situation.

Some of you here

are in desperate situations.

Some of you are in needs

and your life is fractured

and broken.

Can I tell you,

you need God's perspective.

You need God's peace.

You need the wholeness

that He gives and offers.

You need to understand

the Scriptures.

It's all about Jesus.

He causes them,

He desires for them also,

secondly,

to believe the Scriptures.

Verse 46.

Verse 46 says,

And He said to them,

Thus it is written

that the Christ should suffer

and on the third day

rise from the dead.

Jesus is calling them

to believe,

to believe even the difficult parts

of the Word of God.

I'm reading through Leviticus.

Oh, it's hard.

It's hard to understand some.

But I believe it.

And I believe it points

to the Lord Jesus Christ.

And friends,

the Scriptures are there for you

to believe and to obey.

Verse 47.

Verse 47.

Let me back up one thing.

The Word clearly states

that Christ would suffer and die.

And how many times

did Jesus tell His disciples that?

We're going to Jerusalem.

There I'm going to suffer

and I'm going to be killed.

And three days later

I'm going to rise from the dead.

You can read and hear

the Word of God

and it just passes over your head.

You and I are called

to read the Word of God

and to believe it

and to trust in it.

Even when life doesn't make sense.

Even when the words are difficult.

Jesus says,

I'm here.

I'm standing before you

just as I told you.

So believe.

believe.

And then He does something

quite subtly.

Jesus is going to command them

in a way that

we're not used to commanding.

There in verse 47,

He's going to command them

to proclaim the Scriptures.

Let me read it for you

and explain what I mean.

Verse 47.

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.

Having lived in Japan

for a decade or so,

one of the cultural differences

is that over here,

we're fairly direct.

Not fairly.

We're direct.

If you need something,

you just need it,

you say it.

Not in a lot of Eastern cultures.

They get the point across,

but they say it indirectly.

And here we read,

forgiveness of sins

should be proclaimed.

We have six kids.

They're older now.

But imagine that

when they were teenagers

and we were having guests,

they're going to stay the weekend

and we're going to have those guests

stay in one of my kids' rooms

and Carrie and I,

we go up to the room

and it's a horrible mess.

And I turn to my teenager

and I say,

this room should be clean.

Is that a suggestion?

No, it's not, guys.

I'm saying,

clean the room.

Now, as pressing as it might be

that company's coming

in that illustration,

what Jesus tells his disciples here

is it has eternal ramifications.

The forgiveness of sins

based on the completed work

of Jesus Christ.

He is the only remedy for sin.

Lost, sinful mankind

needs to hear about Jesus Christ.

We know family members

and co-workers

and you do too.

Neighbors

and they're still chained by sin.

Sin still dominates their lives.

What they need

and the only one who can free them

is Jesus Christ, right?

The assignment

of the resurrected Christ

gave them purpose.

We not only have the peace of God

that makes us whole,

we now know what we're to do

and we are to be about

the business of telling people

about Jesus Christ

and sharing the good news

of the gospel.

Next we turn to verses 49 and 50

and we see the authorization

of the resurrected Christ.

Follow along as I read

verse 49 please.

And behold,

I am sending the promise

of my Father unto you.

But stay in the city

until you're clothed

with power from on high.

And he led them out

as far as Bethany

and lifting up his hands

he blessed them.

This phrase,

I'm sending,

points to the authority

of Jesus.

The authority to bestow

the Father's promise

of the Holy Spirit.

And this is the Holy Spirit

that gives us power

from on high.

Matthew says the same thing.

Little different words.

And you're very familiar

with Matthew's account of this

in chapter 28.

This is verses 18 through 20.

And Jesus came

and he said to them,

All authority in heaven

and on earth

has been given to me.

Go therefore

and make disciples

of all nations

baptizing them

in the name of the Father

and of the Son

and of the Holy Spirit.

There's the authorization.

Teaching them to observe

all that I've commanded you

and behold

I am with you always

to the end of the age.

What right do you

and I have

to talk to somebody

whose life is just

burdened by sin

and their life is ruined?

What right do we have

to say to them

to say to them

friend

there's another way

and his name is Jesus

and the path

you're walking on right now

it's not the right way.

In fact

if you keep following

that path

it'll lead to more

more harm

and eventually death.

What right

do we have

to tell somebody that?

God of all creation

who took upon

human flesh

who's called

the word of God

is standing before them

right now

and he's saying

I'm giving you

that right.

You have that authority

because any other way

it leads to

destruction.

destruction.

Paul

writes it this way

in Romans 1 16

for I am not ashamed

of the gospel

for it is

the what?

The power of God

unto salvation

to everyone

who believes

to the Jew first

and also to the Greek.

and then

Dr. Luke

in part 2

of his book

Acts chapter 1

Acts 1 · chapter mention

he puts it this way

these are very familiar

verses

he reveals this promise

of the spirit

at Pentecost

as one of power

in chapter 1

verse 8

but you will receive

power

when the Holy Spirit

has come upon you

and you will be

my witnesses

in Jerusalem

and in all Judea

and Samaria

and to the end

of the earth.

You see

for the disciples

in that locked room

frightened

fearful

the authorization

now of

of the resurrected

Christ

gave them

power within

they had peace

within

they had purpose

within

now they have

power

within

and then we come

to this concluding

scene of Luke's

gospel

the ascension

of the resurrected

Christ

guys this is one

of the most

overlooked events

in the life

of Jesus Christ

its impact

however

is significant

please follow along

as I read

verses 51

to 53

this is the

ascension

of the resurrected

Christ

while he blessed

them

he parted from

them

and was carried

up into heaven

and they

worshipped him

and returned

to Jerusalem

with great joy

and were

continually

in the temple

blessing God

Luke

here concludes

his gospel

and what he's

going to do

is

chronologically

truncate

over a month

into a few

verses

in Acts chapter

one

he gives a little

bit more

explanation

so I want us

to see that

so in Acts

chapter one

what we read

is this

in the first

book

O Theophilus

and here he is

addressing Theophilus

again

in the first

book

that's the

gospel of Luke

O Theophilus

I have dealt

with all that

Jesus began to

do and teach

until the day

he was taken

up

that is the

ascension

that's where we're

at at the very

end of Luke

24

after he had

given commands

see I told you

it wasn't

suggestions

it was

commands

after he had

given commands

through the

Holy Spirit

to the apostles

whom he had

chosen

he presented

himself alive

to them

after his

suffering

by many

proofs

appearing to

them during

40 days

and speaking

excuse me

and speaking

about the

kingdom of

God

and while

staying with

them he

ordered them

not to

depart from

Jerusalem

but to

wait for

the promise

of the

father

which he

said you

heard from

me

for John

baptized with

water

but you

will be

baptized with

the Holy

Spirit

not many

days from

now

but you

will receive

power

when the

Holy Spirit

has come

upon you

and you

will be

my

witnesses

in

Jerusalem

and in

all Judea

and Samaria

to the end

of the earth

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

so what's so

significant about

the ascension

it was much

more than the

disciples just

looking up into

the sky watching

Jesus in a cloud

going up and up

and up until he

disappeared

you see Jesus

was returning

as king of kings

and lord of lords

what we

couldn't see

what the

disciples

couldn't see

on earth

was that in

heaven

oh there was

a celebration

there was a

victory

I'll call it a

dance

there was a

party

Jesus Christ

appeared to

them in that

locked room

and they didn't

realize

what he had

just done

he had just

rose from the

dead

he had

defeated

Satan

he defeated

death

he defeated

hell

the power

of sin

he is the

victorious one

standing right

there in front

of them

he's God

in the flesh

and now he's

going back

and it's a

celebration

it's a

coronation

and it's

going to be

an amazing

event that he

was going to

all they saw

was sky

Paul put it

this way in

Philippians 2

Philippians 2:9–11

verses 9

through 11

therefore God

has not just

exalted

but God

has highly

exalted

him and

bestowed on

him the name

that is above

every name

so that at

the name of

Jesus every

knee should

bow in

heaven and

on earth and

under the

earth and

that every

tongue should

confess that

Jesus Christ

is Lord to

the glory of

God

and not

only is

Jesus

returning to

a coronation

to that

celebration

he's returning

to the holy

of holies

as our

great high

priest

Hebrews 4

14 says

this

since we

have a

great high

priest who

has passed

through the

heavens

Jesus the

son of God

let us hold

fast our

confession

Hebrews chapter

Hebrews 8:1

8 verses 1

and 2 says

now the point

and what we're

saying is this

we have such

a high priest

one who is

seated at the

right hand of

the throne of

the majesty in

heaven a

minister in the

holy places in

the true tent

that God the

Lord has set

up not man

friends aren't

you glad that

Jesus Christ is

actively praying

for you as

your high

priest

that's 1

1 John 2 · chapter mention

John chapter

2

he intercedes

on your behalf

and my behalf

when the

accuser says

Tom

look

he's at it

again

Lord Jesus

is saying

I've already

paid for that

I've completely

covered that

isn't that

amazing

that is the

repentance of

sins

repentance and

forgiveness of

sins that we

are witnesses

of

and not only

is Jesus

return at this

point returning

as king of

kings to his

coronation not

only is he

returning as a

great high priest

to the holy of

holies guys he's

just returning

home he's going

home remember

what the father

said at his

bad Jesus

baptism this is

my beloved son

hear him

the father and

the son love

each other

Jesus had just

gone through

a terrible

separation from

his father

at the cross

and now in

victory he

stands and

now in victory

he returns

home

in fact

Peter puts it

this way in

1 Peter 3

there in verse

21

through the

resurrection of

Jesus Christ

who has gone

into heaven and

is at the right

hand of God

with angels and

authorities and

powers having been

subjected to him

Jesus is with his

father

it's a

home going

now I want

you to note the

response of the

disciples as they're

hearing all of

this they're still in

the locked room

they were taken

out later

40 days later

to the

ascension

and look what it

says in verse

52 and 53

after Jesus

rose up in the

clouds they

worshipped him

and returned to

Jerusalem with

great joy

and were

continually in the

temple blessing

God

for those

confused and

broken disciples

angels the

ascension of the

resurrected Christ

40 days later

would give them

hearts filled with

praise within

praise within

they celebrated the

victory of Christ

over death and

sin

Jesus their Lord and

Savior is risen

indeed

amen

I think what Luke is

saying to Theophilus

and to all the

readers of Luke and

Acts is this

the appearance of the

resurrected Christ to

his disciples it gave

them peace within

life was

torn apart

but the peace of God

brings it back and

makes it whole

the assignment of the

resurrected Christ gave

them purpose within

we now know what

we're here to do

you know what you're

here to do

it's a matter of

obedience isn't it

the authorization of

the resurrected Christ

gave them power

within

you and I

if you believe in the

Lord Jesus Christ as

your Savior have the

Holy Spirit within

there is no more

power that you need

you have the power of

the word of God

the power of the

spirit of God

proclaim the good

news and let God

work

and the ascension of

the resurrected Christ

it gave them hearts

of praise within

well I had to ask

myself as I was

reading this

how did the disciples

really respond to

receiving this peace

this purpose this

power and this heart

of praise

did it really make a

difference in their

lives

there's a lot of

passages we could go

to we could go to

Acts chapter 2

Acts 2 · chapter mention

you could look at

1st John chapter 1

John 1 · chapter mention

but I want us just to

take a moment to see

something and Dr. Luke

is going to be also

recording this in

chapter 10 of his

second book of Acts

in Acts chapter 10

Acts 10 · chapter mention

follow along as I just

go through verses 34

to 36 this is the

background is where

Cornelius and his

family are going to

come to trust by faith

in the Lord Jesus

Christ and in that

context it says this

verse 34 so Peter

and guys this is the

same Peter that

denied the Lord Jesus

Christ that said I

don't know him

I swear I don't know

him now it's the same

Peter what a what a

remarkable story of

God's grace and mercy

so Peter opened his

mouth and he said

truly I understand

that God shows no

partiality but in

every nation anyone

who fears him and

does what is right is

acceptable to him and

as for the word that

he sent to Israel

that's the scriptures

preaching good news of

peace through Jesus

Christ he is Lord of

all you yourselves know

what happened throughout

all Judea beginning from

Galilee after the

baptism that John

proclaimed how God

anointed Jesus of

Nazareth with the Holy

Spirit and with power

he went about doing good

and healing all who were

oppressed by the devil for

God was with him and we

are what we are his

witnesses of all that he

did both in the country of

the Jews and in Jerusalem

they put him to death by

hanging him on a tree but

God raised him on the

third day and he made him

to appear not to all the

people but to us who had

been chosen by God as

witnesses who ate and

drank with him after he

rose from the dead and he

commanded us to preach to

the people and to testify

that he is the one appointed

by God to be the judge and

the living and the dead and

to him all the prophets bear

witness that everyone who

believes in him receives

forgiveness of sins through

his name I think they

understood I think the

Theophilus was starting to

see oh it's not about the

disciples it's about Jesus

Christ and what he does

through ordinary people who

obey the word of God and

proclaim the name of Jesus

guys that's that's a

challenge for us there are

people that you know whose

lives are shattered they need

to be made whole and you

can't do it but you know

somebody who can and that is

the Lord Jesus Christ and

that's our calling isn't it

to tell people about Jesus

may the Lord help us do that

this week let's pray

father we have the incredible

privilege first of all of

being called your children

thank you for the wholeness and

the oneness that we have with

you through Jesus Christ with

humility we just say thank you

Lord that you we pray that you

would give us opportunity and

boldness even this week to

testify of the good things that

Jesus has done but not just the

good what he has done at the

cross and through the

resurrection the forgiveness of

sins that's available Lord

perhaps there's someone right now

whose life is just all messed up

everything's falling apart I

pray that the good news of

Jesus Christ that through that

word you would make them whole

through their repentance and

trust in you Lord that you would

bring salvation

thank you for your work here at

Maranatha

thank you for the commitment to

the word of God and the

preaching of the word of God

and we ask that you would

continue to glorify yourself

Lord be pleased to use us we

pray this in Jesus name amen

thank you you're dismissed