Luke 24:36-49 "Witnesses"

You are listening to a message from Southwood Presbyterian Church in Huntsville, Alabama.

Our passion is to experience and express grace.

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Turn with me, if you will, to Luke 24.

Luke 24 is page 885 of the Bible in the pew in front of you.

Don't forget what we've been doing up in the service this long.

This is merely a continuation of this conversation.

God sends us into the world with good news.

We're nearing the end here of the account that Luke gives us of Jesus' life.

And we get this morning one more encounter of the risen Jesus.

Probably still the night of Easter Sunday.

And he shows up with his disciples.

He says some things that they've heard before.

But listen as I read for some new things.

Especially toward the end of this interaction.

It's powerful stuff for who they are and who we are to be.

Remember, this is God's holy word.

The reliable way to know who God is.

The definitive authority on who you and I are designed to be.

The only thing that will always direct you and your life to be shaped in the right direction.

Luke 24 at verse 36.

As they, the disciples, were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them,

Peace to you.

But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit.

And he said to them, Why are you troubled?

And why do doubts arise in your hearts?

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.

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

And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them,

Have you had anything here to eat?

They gave him a piece of broiled fish and he took it and ate it before them.

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.

Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures and said to them,

Thus it is written that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead.

And that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations beginning from Jerusalem.

You are witnesses of these things.

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.

Pray with me.

Father, thank you for your word.

And we ask now that that promised Holy Spirit,

that Jesus told us he's sending upon us,

would meet with us and so work in our hearts this morning

that we would be different people,

that we would be those that you call us to be,

that we would share your heart.

Father, do that work in us by your spirit through your word.

You love to do that.

And that's why we've come this morning to your word

expectantly and needy of you to speak and you to work and act in and through us.

So we ask it and we look forward to what you'll do in Jesus' name.

Amen.

When you are introducing yourself to someone for the first time,

you might say,

Hey, I'm a pastor.

I'm an engineer.

I'm a dental hygienist.

I'm an auto mechanic.

Whatever it is that you spend much of your time doing,

you know, chauffeur for busy young people,

whatever it is that you're doing all the time.

But sometimes when we say that,

we forget that that's not the primary part of our identity.

What we do is not supposed to be the same as who we are.

Child of God, image bearer of the King, follower of Christ.

Those things are more fundamental to our identity, right?

Perhaps this passage would suggest that we could accurately introduce ourselves and say,

I'm a witness.

Anybody want to start doing that?

Just practice over the next few weeks with me just to introduce yourself.

Nobody wants to do that.

But you could theoretically begin to say,

Hey, I'm a witness.

Jesus says here and elsewhere,

that's the identity,

the calling of his followers.

A witness.

Someone, you know,

with a story to tell.

Something he has seen.

Something she has experienced.

Something he or she needs to share.

The word in the Bible, witness,

speaks to someone with a truth to testify to.

A reality to recount.

And Jesus in this passage shows how vital it is for his followers to be witnesses.

I mean, think about it.

We've got just a very small window of time between Jesus rising from the dead on Easter

and then ascending into heaven.

There's only a little bit of time he has with his followers to say,

here's what you're to be about.

Here's what's most important.

And what is it that's most important to Jesus?

Well, we've read on Easter afternoon,

he's found these followers on the road to Emmaus.

They're discouraged.

And he teaches them about himself, about the Bible,

revealing to them as they break bread who he is.

He's committed to our knowing him, right?

That's what we learned a couple weeks ago.

Jesus is committed to our knowing him.

And this passage shows us that in addition to that,

he is committed.

What's important to him is our making him known.

That's why the witnesses part comes in.

Jesus' plan for his kingdom involves witnesses.

And he makes sure here that he's prepared them with the right story,

the right experience that needs to be shared.

Watch how this unfolds as Jesus appears to his followers.

As they were talking about these things,

Jesus himself stood among them.

Jesus does it again.

He just shows up, right?

He keeps doing this now since he's risen,

just showing up with his followers.

And now here it's with the fuller group of disciples

for the first time since his resurrection.

And what's he going to say to them?

You know, what do you think?

I mean, after all,

they've all in one way or another just abandoned him.

Haven't they?

Some of them physically left the premises.

Some denied him multiple times.

No one's been there for him.

They didn't even understand what he was talking about,

that he was going to do.

They have failed him at the key moment.

Kids, have you ever had your mom say to you,

just wait till your father comes home?

I heard that a lot when I was a kid.

And it's not an exciting thing,

like he might bring you a present or something.

You hear those words and you think,

uh-oh, right?

Just wait till your father comes home.

What it means is that he's coming home

to give you at least a part of what you deserve, right?

Now, not that your mom couldn't do it.

She could, but what she's saying is

that I've done everything.

I'm through with you for now.

And maybe she needed to cool off a bit too, possibly.

But here comes Jesus,

the very one they've abandoned coming home, right?

Standing right there with them.

And he could give them the talking to they deserve, right?

It should have started with,

with how could you?

Or why did you not?

Or do you have any idea?

But Jesus' first word is different.

What's Jesus' first word?

Peace.

Peace to you.

It's a word that to Luke is a microcosm

of all of salvation.

Jesus shows up bringing salvation in himself.

Peace between God and man here

because of what he has done on the cross

and in the empty tomb.

And a witness for Jesus

has to know that that's who he is.

In addition, a witness will need to know

that he is the physically resurrected Lord.

That this is Jesus himself.

Jesus lets them do several things here, doesn't he?

He lets them touch his hands

and touch his feet.

He eats a fish

right there in front of them.

What's all that about?

Apparently it's really important

that they experience his physical reality.

A new, glorious body.

For sure there's things different.

They struggle to recognize him.

Yet nonetheless he shows them

it is I myself.

It is Jesus himself who's with them.

The Bible does not teach the idea

of a figurative resurrection

but rather the reality

of a bodily resurrection.

This is not some Gnostic Christianity

where the goal of our lives

is now escaping this world

and these bodies

to something immaterial

and floating on clouds forever.

No.

The direction this is headed

is a renewed, glorified,

fully human existence

made perfect in God's image.

Jesus is committed

to their knowing him.

who he really is.

What he has really done.

So he's now taught for hours.

He's patiently lingered

with slow disciples

who didn't recognize him.

He's shown up among them.

He's let them touch him.

He's eaten with them.

All so that they can know him

and then make known

who he is.

If you've been at Southwood

you should hear echoes

of experience and express grace.

know him

and make him known.

That's what this is about.

And I'll admit here

that there are differences

between what it means

for these first disciples

to be witnesses

and for us today

to be witnesses.

We all have a story to share.

They have a first-hand experience,

don't they,

of the risen Jesus

appearing over and over

in those weeks

to over 500 of them

at one time.

Eyewitness accounts

that they have

and that they then witness

to us about

in the Bible

for the rest of the New Testament

so that we too

can know the reality,

the truth of Jesus

and therefore have a story

to share.

I love how they invite us

into that.

That's the design

of God's word here

and they're inviting us

into that story

with all of our emotions

that we might have

about this risen Jesus.

Just see if your feelings

about Jesus

aren't represented

here in this room

where the disciples

are startled,

frightened,

anybody,

troubled,

doubting,

and Jesus comes

in the midst

of all those emotions

and says,

experience me,

know me.

And then even

as they touch him

and his hands

and his feet

and they can't deny

who he is,

they know it's Jesus

but actually says

they disbelieve

with joy.

We would say

it's too good

to be true.

I know it's true

but I just can't wrap

my mind around it.

Some of you have felt

that way about Jesus,

haven't you?

You know those emotions

and the disciples here

feel all of those things

that we feel

in different ways

in our own hearts

about the story,

this incredible story.

It's crazy

of a man rising

from the dead

and they say,

come with us.

We're going to tell you

about it

and they're going to invite you

to come with them

as Jesus shows up

in real time

and soothes their fears

with his presence.

He calms their anxieties

with his words.

He shatters their doubts

with his reality

and truth.

Jesus wants us

to know him like that too.

And so,

again,

for the third time now

on Easter Sunday,

someone wanting

to know Jesus

is pointed where?

To the Old Testament

scriptures.

To the Bible.

Verse 44.

Then Jesus 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,

that's the whole thing

by the way,

Old Testament,

must be fulfilled.

Then he opened their minds

to understand

the scriptures.

What's Jesus opening

their minds to

in God's word?

There's a lot of stuff

in here, right?

It's the same things

he's been telling us

are so vitally important

over and over.

He's been saying it

through this last half

of Luke.

Keep reading.

He said to them,

thus it is written

that the Christ

should suffer

and on the third day

rise from the dead.

We've heard this, right?

God's story,

the one Jesus' witnesses

must tell

features the death

and the resurrection

of Jesus.

Jesus.

Again,

he's showing them

how this is exactly

why he came.

Why God has been

telling his people

from the beginning

that it must be this way.

Remember we talked

a couple of weeks ago

how this whole

Old Testament story

points to Jesus.

Over and over

it points to a promised king

who would die

to rescue God's people

and restore their relationship

with him.

Jesus opens

their Bibles

with them again.

We suspect

they were already open

when he showed up

because they were talking

to each other

about Jesus that night.

And now he opens

their minds

even more

to understand.

They understand

those really

vital things

but this time

there's actually

something new.

Y'all listen to me

for a second.

Jesus never

adds anything

to his core focus.

You've heard it

enough times

by now

to recognize it, right?

I am going

to Jerusalem.

I must go.

I must suffer.

I must die

and on the third day

be raised from the dead

and that is how

it goes every time.

End of story.

That's the good news, right?

The Savior

coming.

But there's more?

This time

Jesus actually

goes on

and adds something

we haven't heard

in this context before

that he's teaching them

from the Bible

verse 47

and that repentance

and forgiveness

of sins

should be proclaimed

in his name

to all nations

beginning

from Jerusalem.

What's going on here?

What's going on

is that now

it's time to move

the mission forward.

The good news

is meant for everyone, right?

All these important things

have happened

now people need

to know about it.

Remember back

from the angels

to the shepherds

before Jesus even

enters into the world

Jesus has been promised

he's been promised

to be good news

of great joy

for all people.

There's news

to proclaim

in the name of Jesus

repent and believe

come back

to your father

be forgiven

and cleansed forever.

Jesus says

hey

I got a secret

for you

I'm not making

this stuff up

this is not new

this has always

been God's mission

it's just

you could only

handle a piece

at a time

for me

and even those things

you didn't understand.

It's like what we heard

Rob Futo say

in the video earlier

the church

is a

mission

not a club

it's not about

us

but about

those who

aren't here

yet

right?

That's true

for the church

in Hungary

it's true

for the church

in Huntsville

why?

Because it's

always been

true

of God's

people

the church

must be

on mission

to everyone

all nations

or it's not

the church

church

Jesus tells

them how

making his

name known

to the nations

has always

been crucial

to the story

man this must

have been

another great

sermon

like the one

on the road

to Emmaus

that I wanted

to be there

for

and as I

said then

I'm not sure

all Jesus

says as he

opens the

Bible for

them

but from

the rest

of the

New Testament

he told

at least

some

of this

story

a story

that God

who from

the first

time that

mankind

fell out

of that

intimate

relationship

that he

created them

for was

set on

rescuing

him

and he

started with

a special

relationship

with one

nation

one group

of people

right

but even

when he

blessed

Abraham

and Israel

it was

for the

sake of

all the

nations

for the

ends

of the

earth

and so

God

says to

Abraham

in your

offspring

singular

particular

offspring

by the

way

shall

all

the

nations

of the

earth

be

blessed

and

Isaiah

prophesies

of this

promised

Messiah

it's

too light

a thing

it's

too small

it's not

enough

that you

should be

my servant

to raise

up the

tribes

of Jacob

and bring

back the

preserved

of Israel

millions

of them

though they

be

that's

not

enough

I've

got a

bigger

vision

God

says

I

will

make

you

as a

light

for the

nations

that

my

salvation

may

reach

where

to

the

end

of

the

earth

that's

that's

the

Messiah

who's

coming

Micah

talks

about him

that way

another

prophet

who says

this

Messiah

is going

to be

born

in

Bethlehem

right after

that

what does

he say

he'll

stand

and shepherd

his flock

in the

strength

of the

Lord

and the

majesty

of the

name

of the

Lord

his

God

and

they'll

all

dwell

secure

for now

he

shall

be

great

to

the

ends

of

the

earth

not

just

in

Bethlehem

to

the

ends

of

the

earth

and

he

shall

be

their

peace

the

prophet

Zechariah

tells us

about a

king

who's

going to

come

and enter

on a

donkey

and

Jesus

has

just

done

that

just

a week

ago

right

and

then he

says

this

this

king

that

comes

in

on

a

donkey

shall

speak

peace

where

to

the

nations

his

rule

shall

be

from

sea

to

sea

from

the

river

to

the

ends

of

the

earth

do

you

hear

what

God's

been

saying

all

along

peace

to

the

nations

to

the

end

of

the

earth

if

you

had

a

King

James

Bible

you

could

read

it

the

right

way

which

is

to

the

uttermost

parts

of

the

earth

is

the

best

way

to

say

it

you

see

that's

God's

mission

through

the

whole

Bible

that's

his

heart

yes

the

Messiah

would

come

to

rescue

and

restore

God's

people

yes

he

would

die

and

rise

so

that

when

you

repent

and

trust

in

him

your

sins

are

forgiven

yes

but

that's

only

one

piece

that

good

news

was

always

for

all

people

in

all

nations

they

were

all

supposed

to

hear

about

it

they

were

all

to

know

him

and

now

Jesus

comes

and he

adds

that

on

to

what's

happening

for

the

disciples

can

you

imagine

their

excitement

I

mean

just

think

about

it

the

risen

Jesus

is

there

this

is

going

to

be

great

this

is

the

guy

who

always

heals

anybody

who's

sick

this

is

the

guy

who

whenever

any

of

us

is

hungry

he's

got

us

covered

right

more

food

for

everybody

this

is

the

one

who

always

knows

what

to

say

in

every

from

the

dead

and

now

the

Christ

will

proclaim

repentance

and

forgiveness

of

sins

to

all

the

nations

and

they're

like

let's

go

except

that's

not

exactly

what

Jesus

said

the

Christ

should

suffer

the

Christ

should

rise

from

the

dead

but

then

repentance

and

forgiveness

of

sins

should

be

proclaimed

in

his

name

Jesus

says

I've

scheduled

the

world

tour

now

see

ya

I'm

out

it's

a little

bit

disconcerting

actually

verse 48

he says

you

are

witnesses

witnesses

of

these

things

I

just

imagine

the

disciples

who've

gotten

so

excited

hearing

that

and

saying

oh

I

think

he

meant

road

crew

like

you

know

plan

some

potlucks

hang

around

with

Jesus

organize

some

conferences

for him

to speak

at

and

that's

that's

what he

meant

Jesus

says

no

no

witnesses

you're

witnesses

you're

the ones

with the

story

to share

you're

the ones

to proclaim

repentance

and forgiveness

of sins

in my name

where

to all

nations

everybody

needs to

know

so

so

Jesus

you mean

you mean

we

11

you know

confused

followers

am I

hearing you

right

I mean

maybe

if you

helped

us

we could

gather

a few

hundred

back

around

probably

but

but

all

the

nations

Jesus

come

on

now

but

what

happens

well

if

Jesus

being

made

known

to

the

nations

was

the

goal

I

I'd

say

God

knew

what

he

was

doing

2,000

years

from

this

conversation

in a

little

room

in

Jerusalem

billions

of

people

have

repented

and

received

forgiveness

of

sins

from

nearly

every

people

tribe

language

and

nation

nearly

the

mission

is

still

underway

but

listen

if

you're

like

me

and

you

you

hear

that

and

you

think

most

days

that

God

would

be

crazy

to

make

you

a

witness

pick

somebody

else

all I

can say

is it

looks like

he knows

what he's

doing

see

Jesus

never

calls

us

to

something

without

empowering

us

for

it

does

he

verse

49

behold

I'm

sending

the

promise

of

my

father

upon

you

but

stay

in

the

city

until

you

are

clothed

with

power

from

on

high

Jesus

says

I've

got

a

gift

for

you

because

sometimes

witnesses

can be

intimidated

can't

they

I mean

they've

got

someone

to

talk

about

they've

got

a

story

to

share

but

sometimes

they just

can't

get up

the

nerve

to

do

it

because

there's

people

who

won't

like

hearing

their

testimony

yeah

there

are a lot

of other

things

that I

could fill

my

schedule

with

besides

that

so

Jesus

empowers

witnesses

with the

gift

of his

spirit

there's

no other

way for

this

mission

to be

accomplished

is

there

I

mean

when

Jesus

said

he

was

leaving

they

knew

immediately

they

couldn't

do it

alone

they

weren't

wrong

Jesus

says

yeah

you're

right

don't

go

anywhere

alone

it's

not

safe

you're

not

strong

enough

you're

not

faithful

enough

witnesses

don't

leave

the

city

you

can't

be

trusted

on

your

own

wait

for

the

spirit

listen

this is

really

important

witnesses

we

must

rely

on

his

power

there's

there's

no other

way

to do

this

the

disciples

experience

it at

Pentecost

when the

Holy Spirit

comes in

power

and if

you know

Jesus

you have

a new

identity

as a

witness

yes

but also

a new

empowerment

for your

mission

as a

witness

see

it's

actually

even a

little bit

more

exciting

for you

than

for the

disciples

Jesus

is not

telling you

this morning

to go

somewhere

and wait

that was

for them

they had

to wait

until Jesus

left

and sent

the spirit

guess what

already

happened

that

part's

over

so

you have

if you

know

Jesus

his spirit

living

and active

in you

already

and in

others

and in

this

world

he's

at work

so yes

wait

independence

upon him

absolutely

but you

don't have

to wait

for

Pentecost

you're

2000 years

beyond that

your body

is a temple

of the Holy

Spirit

who lives

in you

your church

is a part

of the people

from every

tribe

tongue

language

and nation

who are

together

a temple

where the

spirit

lives

you have

the power

that raised

Jesus

from the

dead

in you

and among

us

to be

witnesses

that's

where

boldness

comes

from

y'all

boldness

that most

of us

are pretty

unfamiliar

with

right

boldness

especially

for weak

people

like

me

you

will be

clothed

with

power

from on

high

now that's

that's

witness

where we

can be

proud

of

I

couldn't

resist

that

joke

I

knew

it

wasn't

very

good

but

but

but

but

really

I

want

you

actually

I

say it

because I

want you

to remember

it

clothed

clothed

with

power

covered

in what

you need

to be

a witness

clothed

with power

not of

yourself

but

but words

to speak

when you

don't have

answers

think

through

church

history

confidence

to speak

the name

of Jesus

while the

flames

are starting

to rise

up at

your feet

when the

sword

is

close

to your

neck

strength

to endure

rejection

and being

left out

by those

who hate

your testimony

the power

to be a

witness

y'all

the power

is his

and he

uses weak

vessels

for his

glory

God

reminded me

of this

reality

several times

on my

recent

trip

to India

one of

those in

particular

was as we

were preparing

to come

back

and the

first leg

of my

journey

home

was about

to start

so I

prayed

the night

before

for gospel

opportunities

on the

way home

and I'm

picturing

these long

plane rides

where somebody

has to listen

to me

talking

but the

first leg

was actually

a three

hour car

ride

and at the

last minute

we stopped

to pick up

a young

man in

his late

20s

we met

seemed like

a nice

guy

we get

back in

the car

the driver

turns to

me and

says

oh hey

he's not

a Christian

why don't

you share

the gospel

with him

oh okay

so having

just met

him and

being an

expert in

evangelism

I turned

and said

hey

I'm in

India to

share with

people about

Jesus

do you know

who Jesus

is

y'all

that's not

in any

of the

evangelism

books to

start that

way

and he

says back

through my

translator

this

he says

he knows

Jesus is

a God

and that

Jesus died

on a cross

but he

doesn't know

why Jesus

died on a

cross

could you

explain that

to him

let me

think

I mean

I suppose

if I had

to start

somewhere

I could

possibly

start by

talking about

why Jesus

died on the

cross

y'all

my six

year old

could have

finished the

story from

there

right

like

she could

have

handled

answering

that

question

and here

God

God is

doing

something

unmistakable

in that

moment I

felt so

clearly

the presence

of the

Holy Spirit

answering my

prayers

he was

working in

this man's

heart

and then he

was at the

same time

making it

painfully

but gloriously

obvious

that his

confidence

was not

in my

evangelistic

abilities

let me

take care

of this

one

okay

but that

he was

at work

I was

weak in

witnessing

I know

that

but he's

strong

and that

was all

that mattered

he had

everything

teed up

he was

the powerful

one

I just

said

Bunty

you have

a son

do you

love him

would you

do anything

to get him

back if you

lost him

that's what

God did

on the cross

he loves

many of

us

many sons

he has

that he

loves

and they

needed to be

rescued and

brought back

to him

so Jesus

had to die

on the cross

for us

and I got to

share my

story

my experience

with Jesus

I got to

share from the

Bible's story

because he had

three hours

so even I could

get through it

in three hours

he even invited

me to share

with his family

when we got

to his home

at the end

of the ride

I tell you

that so that

you know

that the

Holy Spirit

is working

in India

and the

Holy Spirit

is working

in Hungary

in these places

to see repentance

and forgiveness

of sins

proclaimed to

all the nations

he's working

there to make

the name of

Jesus known

and if he's

working there

you can know

confidently

he's working

in Huntsville

Jesus is equally

alive here

equally committed

here to many

people hearing

the good news

and finding

life in him

who needs to

hear from you

where has God

called you to