[Matt's Messages] "Certain of Jesus" ~ Matt Mitchell

“Certain of Jesus”
Certain of Jesus: The Gospel of Luke
May 15, 2011
Luke 24:36-53

Today, we’re going to finish our study of the gospel of Luke which we’ve called “Certain of Jesus.”

This is the 66th message in this series, started way back in September of 2009.

Sixty six messages! Now, you might be wondering, after all of that, what’s next? Well, pray about that. Starting next Sunday, Lord-willing, I’m going to start a short series on Resisting Gossip. So the next several weeks–I promise not to go 66 weeks on gossip! More like 8 weeks–I’ll be teaching what I’ve been learning in my study for my doctoral project. So, if you’re interested in gossip [especially resisting it!], then come next week for the first sermon in that series.

But today, the last sermon in this series. “Certain of Jesus.”

That’s been the title of the whole series. It’s the title of today’s message.

And it was the title of the first message in the gospel of Luke.

That’s because Luke told us in chapter 1, verses 3&4 WHY he wrote the book. He said, “Since I myself have carefully investigated everything [about Jesus] from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you ... so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.”

And that’s exactly what we have been receiving as we’ve studied Luke’s gospel account together–the certainty of what we’ve been taught about Jesus.

How He lived.
What He did.
What His message was.
What He taught.
What miracles He did.
What kind of people He loved.
What He wants for His followers.
What He wants from His followers.

What happened to Him that crucial last week.
How He died.
And How He came back to life.

Certain of Jesus.

Now, in one last message, we want to solidify our certainty even more.

Our story for today happens right on the heels of the last story. I think it takes place on that first Resurrection Sunday. The same day as the first 35 verses of chapter 24.

The first day of the week. The Sunday that Jesus came back from the dead.

Remember what learned in the first 12 verses of chapter 24?

The women returned to the tomb and it was empty!
Two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning told them, “he is not here; he has risen!”

And so they ran to the disciples with the story, but the apostles didn’t believe them.

Peter and John ran to the tomb but was empty, and Peter, especially, didn’t know what to make of that.

But then two disciples encountered Jesus on the road to Emmaus (verses 13-35).

Jesus wasn’t recognizable at first.

But He explained to these two (Mr. and Mrs. Cleopas?) from the Old Testament how the Christ had to suffer and then enter His glory.

And they recognized Him in the breaking of the bread.

Then Jesus disappeared and those two headed back to the disciples again.

And look at verse 33.

“They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together and saying, ‘It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.’ Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.”

Now, our story for today starts right there at that moment! V.36

“While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’ They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, ‘Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.’ When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, ‘Do you have anything here to eat?’ They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence.”

Certain of Jesus.

#1. CERTAIN THAT JESUS IS ALIVE AGAIN.

This is a great passage!

“While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’ They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. [Well, yeah! I would too!] He said to them, ‘Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! [Be certain.] Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.’ [He’s real. Be certain.] When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. And while they still did not believe it [now] because of joy and amazement [I love that!], he asked them, ‘Do you have anything here to eat?’ [Ghosts don’t eat, either, I guess.] They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence.”

Certain that Jesus is Alive Again.

Notice how Jesus is concerned to prove that He is alive to convince His disciples, to assure them, to reassure that He is actually and in fact alive again.

Jesus wants us to be certain of His resurrection.

Are you certain of Jesus’ resurrection?

It makes all of the difference.

I remember two different times in my life when I became convinced of the resurrection and it totally changed my life.

One time was in High School. And the other was in college.

That second time was part of a crisis of faith for me. Did I really believe all of this Jesus stuff that I’m learning at Bible College?

And I came back again and again to the evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ as a historical factual genuine objective actual reality.

Jesus is alive. Luke 24 really happened. These disciples could hear Him, see Him and even touch Him. And He ate with them in their presence.

It’s real.

It’s not a metaphor. It’s real.

Are you certain of Jesus’ resurrection?

A few weeks ago on Resurrection Sunday, Kelly Beck talked about two books that she and Tim read as they grew in their certainty about Jesus.

One was the Reason for God by Tim Keller. A very good book.

The other was this one, The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel.

If you have questions about the resurrection of Jesus, this is a good place to get answers.

Chapters 11-14 are “Researching the Resurrection.”

The Medical Evidence, “Was Jesus’ Death a Sham and His Resurrection a Hoax?”
The Evidence of the Missing Body, “Was Jesus’ Body Really Absent from His Tomb?”
The Evidence of the Appearances, “Was Jesus Seen Alive After His Death on the Cross?”
The Circumstantial Evidence, “Are There Any Supporting Facts that Point to the Resurrection?”

Conclusion, “The Verdict of History”

Jesus wants you to be certain that He is alive again.

And He didn’t just give physical proofs. He gave scriptural proofs. Verse 44.

“He said to them, ‘This is what I told 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.’ Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, ‘This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.”

Jesus is saying that His resurrection isn’t just a physical fact, it was a prophesied event.

God promised it and kept His promise. V.44 again.

“This is what I told 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.”

That’s shorthand for the whole Old Testament.

Last time, we were in Luke together, we turned to the table of contents and thought out loud about how all of the Old Testament pointed to Jesus and His death and resurrection.

That’s what Jesus is saying again. V.45

“Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.”

It’s all in there.

Jesus wants His disciples (you and me) to be certain that He is alive again.

Because it makes all of the difference.

Last week, we sang the Gaither song, “Because He Lives.”

Because He Lives I Can Face Tomorrow.
Because He Lives All Fear Is Gone.
Because I Know He Holds the Future.
And Life Is Worth the Living
Just Because He Lives.

But if you aren’t certain, then it’s hard to sing that song.

Maybe the song of your life says,

Because I’m Not Certain, I Can’t Face Tomorrow.
Because I’m Not Certain, I’m Consumed with Fear.
Because I Don’t Know Who Holds the Future,
Life Isn’t Worth the Living, Just Because I’m Not Sure.

Is that you?

It’s okay if that’s you right now. But I don’t want to see you stay there.

And more importantly, God doesn’t want you to stay there.

God wants you to be certain that Jesus is alive again.

So you can face tomorrow without fear.

And so that you can testify about Him to others!

#2. CERTAIN THAT JESUS HAS SENT US ON A MISSION.

Look at verse 46 again.

“He told them, ‘This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. [And extending even to Pennsylvania!]”

That Pennsylvania part isn’t in there. I added that.

But it is part of “all nations.”

Jesus’ death and resurrection and the repentance (the turning away from sin) and forgiveness of sins that come from that death and resurrection must be preached in Jesus’ name to all nations–and that includes right here.

And we’re supposed to do it. V.48

“You are witnesses of these things.”

You disciples are supposed to serve as witnesses, telling others what you have seen and experienced with Jesus. It’s your job.

It’s your mission.

“You are witnesses of these things.”

Luke wants us to be certain that Jesus has sent us on a mission.

“You are witnesses of these things.”

But we don’t have to do it alone. V.49

“I am going to send you what my Father has promised [What’s that?]; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

What’s that?

That the coming of the Holy Spirit, the promise of the Father, being clothed with power from on high.

And you know what? That’s exactly what happened.

They waited and then the Spirit came and they got bold as witnesses and the church was born and the gospel got preached beginning in Jerusalem and going to all the nations including this nation!

He’s talking about the book of Acts and beyond.

The book of Acts was also written by Dr. Luke.

You might call it, “Volume 2" in Luke’s account.

Volume 1 was the Acts of Jesus.
Volume 2 is the Acts of Jesus’ Apostles, or more accurately, the Acts of the Holy Spirit in and through Jesus’ Apostles.

I think that we’re going to study the book of Acts starting in the Fall of this year. I’m not sure on that yet, but that’s my tentative plan right now.

So think of Luke 24 as a trailer of coming attractions. Coming soon to a pulpit near you! The Book of Acts when the disciples got clothed with power and began to live out their great mission.

“You are witnesses of these things.”

Here’s why I see us doing Acts starting in the Fall.

Because of this reason.

I’m certain that Jesus has sent us on a mission.

We are missionaries.

Not all of us are cross-cultural missionaries like the ones we support back there on the wall, but all of us are sent-ones–missionaries, people on a mission for Jesus.

Are you certain of that?

Well, if you are, here’s a great thing to know.

We don’t have to wait.

In verse 49 Jesus tells the disciples to wait for the Holy Spirit before they get busy with their witnessing.

But you and I don’t have to wait.

The Spirit is already here!

We can’t do it without Him.
But we have Him!

We don’t have to wait.

We just need to get busy.

How many here, raise your hands, spend most of your time with unbelievers or people whom you are not sure whether or not they are followers of Christ?

I don’t.

I spend most of my time with you–followers of Jesus.

Sometimes, I’m sure, you think of me as a missionary, your missionary to the West Branch Area.

And I’m supposed to be one as all Christians are. And I try to be faithful to that calling.

But I think of YOU as being the missionaries here in this church.

I’m your shepherd. You are the missionaries!

“You are witnesses of these things.”

You need to tell others about what Jesus has done for you.
You need to tell others that Jesus is alive again.

You need to be His witness here in our community for Christ.

Certain that Jesus has sent you and me on a mission!

Let’s get busy sharing Jesus with others.

What opportunities do you have this coming week to share Jesus with someone?

I’m certain that Jesus is sending us out there this week be His witnesses.

And here’s why.

#3. CERTAIN THAT JESUS IS WORTHY OF OUR WORSHIP.

In verse 50, Luke fast-forwards us about 40 days.

He takes us to the end of the period of Jesus’ resurrection appearances and tells us about what happened next. V.50

“When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.”
You know, when I think about the ascension of Jesus, I tend to think that I would be depressed that Jesus was leaving.

“There He goes leaving us behind.

What a colossal bummer!”

But that’s not what happened.

Jesus was blessing them and as He blessed them.

And He was speaking words of blessing on them, He left them and was taken up into heaven.

It’s not just a departure. It’s an arrival.

And it’s a fulfillment of what He said at His trial. Luke 22:69. “But from now on, the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the mighty God.”

And it didn’t depress His disciples.

It energized them. V.52

“Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.”

The book ends where it started.

In Luke chapter 1, it starts in the temple with Zechariah finding out that his son, John, would be the forerunner of the Messiah.

And now, the Messiah has come, died, come back to live, and gone to heaven to be worshipped forever with great joy.

Certain that Jesus is worthy of all of our worship.

Are you certain of that?

Then let’s do it.

With our lives and now with our voices.

Let’s sing together!

Our God Reigns.

Let’s do all of the verses.

And let’s pretend that we just saw Jesus ascend to heaven.

And we are filled with joy and worship Him and praise God.

Certain that Jesus is Alive Again.
Certain that Jesus has sent us on a mission to be His witnesses right here.
And Certain that Jesus Is Worthy of All of Our Worship.