Luke 24:36–49 Resurrection Hope Is Certain Through the Word

1. A Story That Seems Too Good to Be True
2. A True Story Verified by the Triune God
3. A Truth We Are Called to Share

³⁶As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

³⁷But they were terrified and frightened and thought they were looking at a ghost.

³⁸He said to them, “Why are you troubled? Why do doubts arise in your hearts? ³⁹Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself. Touch me and see, because a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” ⁴⁰When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. ⁴¹While they still did not believe it (because of their joy), and while they were still wondering, he said to them, “Do you have anything here to eat?”

⁴²They gave him a piece of broiled fish and some honeycomb. ⁴³He took it and ate in front of them. ⁴⁴He said to them, “These are my words, which I spoke to you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms.”

⁴⁵Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. ⁴⁶He said to them, “This is what is written and so it must be: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, ⁴⁷and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. ⁴⁸You are witnesses of these things. ⁴⁹Look, I am sending you what my Father promised. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

In the name of Christ Jesus, our Risen Savior, fellow rejoicers,

Sometimes words can be difficult. Some are hard to understand. Some may not be too difficult but can make you wonder. I remembered a story that I heard about a zookeeper. He wanted to get some extra animals for his zoo, so he decided to compose a letter. He decided that a mongoose would be one of the desired animals. But he ran into a problem. He didn’t know the plural of “mongoose.” He started his request: To whom it may concern, I need two mongeese. That didn’t look right to him, so he tried again: To whom it may concern, I need two mongooses. This story obviously predates spell checkers on computers, because then it would have told him that this was correct. But it didn’t look right to him either. Finally he got an idea: To whom it may concern, I need a mongoose, and while you’re at it, send me another one.

At times the words aren’t to difficult to understand, but the problem is in us. We just can’t believe it. We may not have the nickname of “the Twin” like doubting Thomas did. Most likely Thomas is not directly an ancestor in our family tree. If we are honest, there is a good bit of Thomas in all of us. We all are prone to question and doubt. In fact when our Gospel lesson begins today all the people assembled had doubted the story. But the Gospel relates this reminder: Resurrection Hope Is Certain Through the Word.

1. A Story That Seems Too Good To Be True

The Gospel reading begins relating what was happening to the disciples as they were locked up in the upper room. The Emmaus disciples had just returned. They were telling them about the day they had spent with Jesus. Peter had also seen the Lord. But this was just too good to be true.

They were sure that all was lost. Who wouldn’t? They had just spent three years with the most amazing man that ever walked the earth. There wasn’t any situation that he couldn’t handle. No matter what disease. No matter how severely someone was demon possessed. Not even death stopped him. Whenever those who opposed Jesus tried to take him and kill him, he didn’t allow it. He was a man with all that power, yet he did not do anything that earthly men of power did. They had hoped he would. He kept talking about the kingdom of God. They knew he was the Son of David that had been prophesied. But then it happened.

Their confidence was shattered when Jesus didn’t resist those who came to arrest him. When Peter tried, Jesus stopped him and even healed the man that Peter had wounded. Malchus was there to capture Jesus. How could Jesus allow this. He didn’t object. He didn’t fight. He went willingly. They couldn’t figure out what was happening. Actually they should not have been surprised. It was happening, just as he said.

Now another aspect of what Jesus had promised had taken place. Jesus rose from the dead. He had appeared to the women, to Peter, and the Emmaus disciples. They had just returned from Emmaus and the group was discussing these events. Then Jesus appears and says, “Peace be with you.”

Look at the disciple’s response. ³⁷But they were terrified and frightened and thought they were looking at a ghost. We have the benefit of 20/20 hindsight. Jesus encouraged them to touch him and see. He was physically present. Yes, he rose, not only as the Son of God but also as the Son of Man. He has both natures. The Creator as well as the created. To assure his doubting disciples that he was alive he also ate some fish and honeycomb. Yes, Jesus lives! It is a story too good to be true.

2. A True Story Verified By the Triune God

Look how Jesus continues: ⁴⁴He said to them, “These are my words, which I spoke to you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms.” Here the Word made flesh again as always leads his disciples to the Word of God. Was Moses such an astute thinker that he could come up with a system of laws for a nation? Were the prophets just guys with some ideas, maybe even great ones? Are the songs of the Psalms, just some comforting words to think about to sing? There was a reason the Bible was written.

Luke continues: ⁴⁵Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. ⁴⁶He said to them, “This is what is written and so it must be: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, ⁴⁷and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.

The Bible has the authority because it presents the truth. Adam chose to disobey God. The devil succeeded in deceiving Eve. When the choice was made, the result was just as God had said, “For on the day that you eat from it [the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil], you will certainly die.” The first promise indicated it. The Seed of the woman would crush the serpent’s head, and in the process his heal would be struck. When you look at the Bible from that unifying theme, we see how the Triune God has verified this true story. The Law of Moses pointed out the need for a Savior. The Prophets and the Psalms gave descriptions and promises of what would happen. God the Father revealed his Word. As promised, he sent his Son. Jesus fulfilled it. Just as the Holy Spirit led God’s people to believe that Promise in the Old Testament, now the Holy Spirit still works through that Word. That is how the resurrection hope becomes ours. The capstone that the builders rejected has become the source of our salvation. So repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be preached to all nations.

3. A Truth We Are Called to Share

Jesus also revealed the plan that the Triune God had for the disciples. ⁴⁸You are witnesses of these things. Jesus goes on to assure the disciples that they would be given the ability to carry this out. He makes that promise of the Holy Spirit that would be poured out in a special way on Pentecost. History tells us that this also was accomplished. Despite the odds, that resurrection hope was proclaimed. Look how the Holy Spirit transformed these fearful disciples. As we look at their history, we see how they were driven by the love of Jesus. They saw and personally experienced the life and ministry of the Greatest Person that was ever born. They realized and firmly believed that what Jesus accomplished had eternal benefit for all the world. That by faith in Jesus a saving connection is made. They literally risked all for that mission. All but one of them died a martyr, and even John died in exile. Despite was happening to them physically they remained filled with optimism. They believed that the message they proclaimed was the only hope for this world. They believed what Jesus taught. When he began his ministry, the Gospel tells us that Jesus preached the gospel of the kingdom of God. (See Mark 1:14,15) Now here he says again that repentance and forgiveness of sins needs to be proclaimed.

Friends, we need to listen to this command. God had these words recorded because he has called us as witnesses to this truth. But to be honest, the devil has raised up some very effective temptations. They aren’t new, but they are still effective. Jesus spoke of one of the devil’s favorites in his letter the church in Ephesus in Revelation 2:4. He warned them, “But I have this against you: You have forsaken your first love.” Losing sight of what is truly important, we get complacent. The take for granted the amazing love of Jesus. Look at the depth that Jesus went through to make us children of God. Honestly look at your life. Yes, because we are largely law abiding citizens, we get to think that we kind of deserve God’s blessings. Jesus also warned, “Remember, therefore, the state  from which you have fallen! Repent and do the works you did at first.” (verse 5) That is why Bible study is so vitally important. We need to keep studying that Word in order to stay in that vital relationship with the Lord.

The devil has also raised up another great temptation. It is called “progressive Christianity.” Just like the progressives in the political world are involved “deconstruction” of our country’s history, so in the religious world “deconstruction” of the Bible is also taking place. The popular opinion is that objective truth is relative. That it can’t really be known. The Bible is not the final authority, it is instead, what you think that God would have you do. You need to be involved in “Doing the work!” That work is establishing social justice. You might ask, what is wrong with social justice? With the words, nothing. But the application is something else. The social justice that many strive for today is not based on the Scriptural principles of right and wrong. But they are secularly defined. Racism is wrong. Yes, it is an injustice. The Bible points out that all mankind, no matter what race or color, is of one blood. Social justice today is based on race and color. They attempt to “decolonize” the Bible. Many of the social justice advocates accuse the Bible of racism. Some even accuse Jesus of being a racist. So to establish social justice one needs to fight. But to respond to injustice with another injustice doesn’t make it right. They make the claim that all society is interested in “property over people.” This needs to be corrected, so it is okay to riot and destroy property, this they claim liberates. But actually all it is stabbing each. Jesus didn’t teach us to seek retribution. Think about the cross of Jesus. Just think of the lawsuit that Mary and the disciples could have brought against the Jewish leaders for false arrest. Look how guilty Pilate is of condemning an absolutely innocent man. You might be thinking, hey pastor, that’s ridiculous. Yes, it is. It totally misses the point of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection. There can be no social justice when our relationship with God is ignored. If our idea of being a Christian is only making this world a better place by condemning everyone else, we are no longer in accord with what the Bible teaches.

Our resurrection hope is made certain through the word, God’s Word. Progressive Christians dismiss the Bible’s teaching by saying those Bible authors are just as clueless as we are about how a relationship with God is established. It elevates the human feelings and emotions to the place of God. We are seeing the tragic result of this very vividly by what is happening in cities not that far north of us.

Could Jesus have sent his disciples on the mission to reform the Roman Empire? Oh, sure he could have. There were all types of injustices present. But what were they to proclaim? What are we to proclaim? Jesus said repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be preached in his name to all nations. No one is excluded. Jesus died for all. Jesus resurrection proves the victory. It is only God’s Word that gives us our resurrection hope. Yes, we are given a story that is too good to be true, but it is true! Jesus has won! The victory is ours through his life, death and resurrection. Our risen Lord also then gives us his body and blood in, with, and under the bread and wine in communion. Find strength in his Word and continue proclaiming that resurrection hope. Amen.

P.S. I recently saw this quote: Seems like there’s more negativity in the world than ever. What a great opportunity for you to be a positive influence!  Remember, Jesus is much more than a positive influence. He’s the world’s Savior.