“Really!” [Matt's Messages]

“Really!”

Resurrection Sunday

Lanse Evangelical Free Church

April 5, 2026 :: Luke 24:34

Christ is risen!

He is risen indeed!

Indeed. Today, I want us to focus in on that last word of the “Easter Acclamation.” The word, “indeed.”

I almost entitled this message, “Indeed,” but I didn’t want you to think it was an ad for a job search company.

“Indeed.”  That’s a word we all know, and we all know what it means, though we don’t tend to use it all the time. I wonder how many of us used the word, “indeed” this week outside of worship and outside of searching for a job.

It almost sounds like a “Lord of the Rings” kind of fantasy word, “Indeed.” You have to say it with a Shakespearean accent.

“Indeed, we had pizza for supper last night. Indeed.”

“Indeed, we hid 1,000 eggs for the egg hunt yesterday at the Ark Park, and the Challenge teens hid almost another 2,000 eggs at people’s houses. Indeed!”

“Indeed” means that it’s true. That’s it’s not just a story. It’s not just fiction. It’s fact. “Indeed.”

In a word, it means “Really!” This is reality. This is the way it really is. And in Luke 24:34, a bunch of followers of Jesus came to the same conclusion: That Jesus had really come back from the dead.

Look with me at Luke 24:34. There’s a group of Jesus’ followers who gathered in Jerusalem on or just after that amazing Sunday which we’ve been celebrating all morning. They had had the most bewildering day, and they were comparing notes.

In the room were the Eleven Apostles (minus Judas, of course, who had betrayed Jesus and left Him). And there were others with them who were also followers of Jesus, and there were these two disciples, one of them was named Cleopas (we don’t know the second one’s name perhaps Mrs. Cleopas?, these two disciples), who had just had the most amazing experience of their life! And they all got together back in Jerusalem and compared notes. 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.’”

(Simon is another name for the Apostle Peter.)

Do you see the word, “indeed” there in verse 34? It’s in there. It’s in the Greek original of Luke 24:34. The Greek word is “ontoes.” “Really.” 

The NIV translates it, “It is true!” 

The CSB, the Christian Standard Bible says, “The Lord has truly been raised and has appeared to Simon!”

The KJV and ESV both say, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!”

The NASB and the NLT both say, “The Lord has really risen, and has appeared to Simon.”

“Ontoes.” Really. This is a fact. 

That’s so important! We have all gathered here today to make a big deal of the resurrection. And that’s because it’s true. This isn’t a myth or a fairy tale. It’s not just a story that we tell the kids or ourselves to make us feel good. It's not just a song. It's not just a season. It's not just a Sunday. The resurrection of Jesus is a fact! It’s real!

Do you believe that?

It is increasingly difficult these days to separate fact from fiction. There are a lot of scams out there. So many people are lying to us. And now we have robots to lie to us, too. Artificial Intelligence. A.I. Great tool, perhaps, in the right hands. Terrible tool in the wrong.

Sometimes, it’s hard to tell what is true and what is fake. I have a pastor friend who has begun gathering information about the common scams that target church members, and he’s been teaching his congregation how to keep from getting scammed these days, especially online. And one of the best ways is to check and make sure that the stories line up. Call the bank to make sure. Call your credit card company. Check with a different family member to see if what you are supposedly hearing from someone who needs money is true. Check with others to make sure the stories line up. And if they don’t line up, be very very wary.

These people in Luke 24 were checking with each other to make sure that the stories all lined up. And they concluded that they did!

It was all true. It was all real. Christ is risen indeed.

Do you remember when you first came to believe that Jesus had risen from the dead? 

Maybe you’ve always been told it’s true. And maybe you believed it when you were little, and then you started to doubt and question. Do you remember when you were finally convinced?

Maybe you aren’t so sure. Maybe you have been dragged here by someone today. You’re not convinced yet that this is all true. 

Can I encourage you to make it your life’s mission to find out? Because everything hangs on this.

If Jesus has come back from the dead, it makes all the difference in the world.

It means that that God is real.

It means that miracles are real.

It means that Jesus is trustworthy.

It means that there is life after death.

It means that forgiveness is real.

It means that resurrection is real.

If Jesus can be raised from the dead, then so can you and I.

If Jesus is raised from the dead, then His kingdom will come.

And all bad things must come to an end.

Really!

It means all of that and so much more if this is all real.

It gives us something to build our lives upon. I don’t know about you, but I want to build my life on fact, not on fiction and certainly not just on feelings. Feelings come and go. They lie to us. But I want to know what is really real and build my life on that.

Whenever I struggle in my faith (And I do. Pastors struggle, too.), I start back at this foundation. Did Jesus rise from the dead? Yes! And then I build everything on that bedrock fact once again.

If you are trying to figure this out right now, there are many books I could recommend that examine the evidence and help you make up your own mind.

This week, I read this little book, “Did the Resurrection Really Happen?” by Timothy Paul Jones. I’d be glad to loan you my copy.

Whatever you do, don’t put this off. There’s too much at stake.

The group said (v.34), “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon [v.35]. Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.”

That’s amazing story, too, that you can read in verses 13 through 32. These two disciples, one of them named Cleopas were walking on the road to a village named Emmaus about seven miles from Jerusalem. And they were bewildered by everything that had happened that week.

What a week! Starting on Sunday with the triumphal entry of Jesus on that little donkey’s back, “Your king comes to you!”  And everybody thought they knew what was happening. The King had come! “It’s happening!” And then it all went sideways.

Well, these two are talking and a third person joins them on the road. And it’s Jesus. But for some supernatural reason, they can’t tell that it’s Him.

And He asks them, “What are you guys talking about? What’s going on?”

And Cleopas is like, “What rock have you been hiding under?! We’ve been talking about Jesus.”

“He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 

In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn't find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see” (Luke 24:19-24.).

Cleopas there is talking about the first part of Luke 24. You might want to read that yourself this afternoon. We studied it in-depth a few years ago as a church.

These women had gone to the tomb where Jesus was buried. Yes, He was buried! That’s what you do with a corpse. You bury it. But these women had gone to visit the tomb, and they found that the stone was rolled away and the tomb was empty!

#1. HIS TOMB WAS REALLY EMPTY.

There was nobody there. No body there.

There were a couple of angels...whose clothes gleamed like lightning. I can’t imagine what that was like. They did had not yet harnessed electricity. There were no LED lights. Aside from the sun, lightning was the brightest thing you can imagine. These two angels were like made of lightning. Ever close your eyes after seeing lightning, and you can still see the outline behind your eyelids? 

And these electric angels had a message, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you...The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.” (Luke 24:5-7).

And the ladies ran back and told the Eleven, and Peter (and John) ran to the tomb, and they saw that it was empty. Really!

Peter saw the strips of linen that Jesus had been wrapped in. But no Jesus. And he wondered what was going on.

Cleopas and his friend are telling Jesus this story as they walk to Emmaus together. They were having the hardest time putting it all together.

And Jesus is right there with them, and He actually rebukes them and explains to them how all of this was predicted in the Old Testament. He said, “‘How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?' And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.” (Luke 24:25-27).

There’s part of me that would have loved to be a fly on the wall for that Bible study! 

But I’m also not too sure I’d want to be rebuked like that by Jesus or to not know that it was Jesus who was explaining the whole sweep of the Bible from Moses and all the Prophets how the whole Old Testament is about Jesus Himself.

#2. THE SCRIPTURES ARE REALLY FULFILLED.

In the suffering and death and resurrection of Jesus the Scriptures are really fulfilled.

The Christ had to suffer these things and then enter His glory. The Bible says so.

I want to invite you all to come back next Sunday as we continue our study of the Letter to the Hebrews. Because we have been learning this very thing–that everything in the Old Testament pointed towards Jesus. Right now, we’re in chapters 3 and 4 where we’re learning that the Promised Land pointed to Jesus.

The whole Bible is about Jesus. According to Jesus! And it’s all coming true in Jesus. And these two disciples are learning this from Jesus, as they approach Emmaus. And Jesus acts like He’s going to continue on the road, but they ask him to stay with them, and they stop somewhere to eat.

And that’s when they recognize Who He is! He took bread, gave thanks, broke it with His nail-scarred hands, and gave it to them. And then He was gone!

But it was Him! They knew it was Him. And they were saying to each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

And aren’t all of these Scriptures really fulfilled in Him?! That’s the kind of heart-burn that I want to have! 

And they can’t sleep. They are so excited by what has happened, that they turn around and go back the seven miles to Jerusalem and find the others. Verse 33 again.

“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! [“ontoes,” really!] The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.'”

And we don’t even know when Jesus appeared to Simon Peter. None of the gospels recount that part of the story. It’s clear that it happened, we just don’t have the details. Paul talks about it again in 1 Corinthians 15. Peter got his resurrection appearance. What a moment that must have been!

It was real. This wasn’t a hoax. It wasn’t a scam. It wasn’t a hallucination. It was real.

And then Jesus showed up again! Look at verse 35.

“Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread. 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.” (Luke 24:35-43).

#3. JESUS IS REALLY ALIVE!

He’s not a ghost. He may have abilities to come and go in ways that mortals do not.But He is flesh and bones.

He showed them His hands and feet. He said, “Touch me.” “Really! This is Me.” And He eats a piece of fish. “Watch me. Here I go.” He’s not a ghost.

And He’s not a zombie. A dozen years ago, I preached a sermon on Resurrection Sunday, “Jesus Is Not a Zombie.” He is not the un-dead that can be killed again. He is alive and now has the power of an indestructible life (Hebrews 7:16)!

Really! Really! Indeed!

This is worth singing about.

This is worth building your life upon.

This is worth staking everything on.

We have all gathered here today to make a big deal of the resurrection.

And that is totally right as long as this is true.

But what fools we are if it is not! If Jesus has not come back from the dead:

that means that God is NOT real.

that means that miracles are NOT real.

that means that Jesus is NOT trustworthy.

that means that there is NO life after death.

that means that forgiveness is impossible.

that means that resurrection is a fake.

If Jesus has not been raised, then we are still in our sins and won’t rise again (see 1 Corinthians 15:13-17 for more on this). If Jesus has not been raised, then you are I certainly won’t be.

And Jesus’ kingdom will never come. And all good things will come to an end.

What do you think? We all need to decide. And we need to be honest about it. There’s too much at stake to play games here.

For me, I believe Cleopas and Simon Peter and Mary Magdalene. I believe His tomb was and is really empty. I believe the Scriptures were and are and will really fulfilled in Jesus. I believe that Jesus is really alive.

And because I believe, I rejoice. I love verse 41 where it says that they were struggling to believe because of the joy and amazement!  This seems too good to be true. Jesus was dead. He was a corpse. All of our hopes and dreams had died with Him. And yet here He is! 

Hallelujah! Praise the Lord! Here He is. Showing us His nail-scarred hands and feet. And sending us on a mission to proclaim the good news.

The chapter ends with the risen Jesus giving His disciples one last reminder of the gospel and a mission to share it the whole world. Look at verse 46.

“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. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised [the Holy Spirit]; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.’ [And then 50 days later.] 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.”

And then (the book of Acts says) they proclaimed that gospel from Jerusalem to the ends of the earth–even to Central Pennsylvania.

Really! And we’ve all gathered here today to make a big deal of it. And that is absolutely right. 

Who can you tell today that all of this is true? That you have become convinced that His tomb was open and really empty. That the Scriptures were really fulfilled. And that Jesus is really alive.

And that means that repentance and forgiveness of sins can be preached in Jesus’ name. We can turn from our sins and be forgiven because Jesus has paid for our sins and was raised for our justification. We get the gift of His righteousness because Jesus is really alive.

And one day all bad things must come to end.

Really!

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“The Son of the Most High” [Matt's Messages]

“The Son of the Most High”

Lanse Evangelical Free Church

December 21, 2025 :: Luke 1:26-55

There is a theological word that we all need to know and understand to properly respond to this passage of holy Scripture.

You ready?

Here’s the word. It’s three letters: W-O-W. 

Wow!

Are you familiar with that word? Wow! Go ahead and practice it. We’re going to be using it a lot this morning. Wow! Wow! Wow!

Because this story is sort of familiar, we can lost sight of how WOW it really is.

This story is the announcement by an angel (wow!) to that humble young Jewish woman named Mary that the first Christmas was coming, that the Christ was coming, not just someday but now, and not just to her house, but to her very womb. Wow!

In this story, Mary is going to find out that she is going to be pregnant with a very special child. In fact, she’s going to be told that her son is going to be called “The Son of the Most High.” Wow!

Let’s see it for ourselves in the Bible. Luke chapter 1.

Luke has already told the story of another angelic visit to a man named Zechariah to announce the coming birth of his special son, John the Baptist. Zechariah was doing temple duty at the altar of incense when the angel appeared and told him that his very old wife Elizabeth was going to bear him a son. Zech didn't really believe the angel and was made unable to speak until John was born. But Elizabeth then did become pregnant as predicted and lived in seclusion for five months. And then our story for today begins. V.26

“In the sixth month [of Elizabeth’s pregnancy], God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary.” 

God is up to something special. And He announces it to this precious young woman. Probably 12 or 13 years old?  Her name is Mary. She’s pledged to be married. That’s more than an engagement and less than a marriage. She and Joseph are betrothed–exclusively promised to one another–but have not yet come together physically as husband and wife. She is a virgin. 

And she lives in a little backwoods dot on the map called Nazareth. It’s Nowheresville. 

And it’s to that young virgin in that tiny place that God sends an angel named Gabriel.

Now we’ve already met Gabriel in our studies this year. Where did we meet Gabriel earlier this year? Anybody remember? Only two angels are named in the Bible. Michael and Gabriel. And where did meet Gabriel?

Back in the book of Daniel! Chapter 8 and chapter 9 and perhaps chapter 10.

In Daniel chapter 8, Daniel had a vision that he was not in Babylon but in Susa where Esther and Mordecai were to live, and he had this vision of a ram and a goat. Remember that? And then God sent Gabriel to explain the vision to Daniel. And when Daniel (who saw so many amazing things in his life) saw the angel Gabriel, he was terrified and fell flat on his face! Wow! He hit the dirt. Gabriel had to pick him up. 

Imagine if one of the two angels named in the Bible showed up at your house, what would you think? What would you do? Verse 28.

“The angel went to her and said, ‘Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.’”

Wow! This angelic being shows up and says, “Hi there!” And He says, “You are highly favored.” The Greek word there is “charitoo” which comes from the word for grace, which is a gift.

Gabriel is basically saying, “God has such a gift for you, Mary!”

In fact, the word translated “Greetings” is also derived from that same word for grace, and it’s often translated “rejoice” because you’ve been so graced, so gifted by God.

“Grace to you, O graced one!”

Here’s how gifted you are, “The Lord is with you.”

And Gabriel means that in a special way for Mary that has never been true for another person and never will be again. “The Lord is with you.” Wow!

Can you imagine what Mary must have felt?

I think she was wigged out. Look at verse 29.

“Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. [What is going on here?!] But the angel said to her, ‘Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God [God has a gift for you. Here’s what it is...]. You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end’” (30-33).

Say it with me, now! Wow! Just wow. If you don’t think that is WOW then there’s something wrong with you.

An angel has shown up and told this young woman that she’s going to have a baby. And she’s supposed to name him, “Jesus,” which means “Yahweh saves,” “The LORD saves.” And He’s going to be great. In fact, He’s going to be a king! He’s going to inherit the throne of his ancestor King David.

In chapter 3, the gospelwriter Luke is going to lay out Jesus’ genealogical claim to the throne.

This is the throne that was promised a thousand years before this moment by God to King David in 2 Samuel 7. The throne of Jacob, also known as Israel.

He’s going to be king over Israel even though his mother is from Nazareth?

And not just any king, but a forever king! Gabriel says (v.33), “his kingdom will never end.”

And that’s not hyperbole. That’s not an exaggeration! Gabriel expects this son of Mary’s to rule forever and ever and ever and ever and ever. Wow!

This Son is going to be the fulfillment Daniel 7:14. Our memory verse from earlier this year. Joe just led us in reciting it once more.

Remember Daniel had this frightening vision of all of these terrible beasts attacking the people of God. But then He saw the Ancient of Days seated on His throne, untroubled by any beast. Sovereignly ruling over everything.

And then Daniel saw somebody else enter his vision. He said, “In my vision at night I looked, and there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed” (Dan. 7:13-14).

Gabriel says, “That Son of Man is going to be in your womb, Mary.”

And “His kingdom will never end.”

In fact, He’s not just the Son of Man. He’s the (v.32) “Son of the Most High.” In other words, He’s the Son of God!

That name, “The Most High,” is one that Luke uses several times to refer to God. And it shows up several places in the Old Testament, as well, including one of those names for God...in the Book of Daniel, especially Daniel chapter 7.

It’s a great name for God because it places God where He belong, where He truly is. He is the Most High! He is above all other beings in the universe.

Think about Who God is! What do we mean when we say, “God?” We mean the ultimate Being who is above and beyond all things! “Holy, infinitely perfect...limitless knowledge and sovereign power” (see the EFCA SOF Article #1).

That is Most High! Worthy of all of our worship forever and ever.

And He has a Son? And His Son is going to come and be born from the body of this young woman, Mary. Mary sees a possible problem with this. A potential snag. Look at verse 34.

“‘How will this be,’ Mary asked the angel, ‘since I am a virgin?’ [I know how this works. This is not how this normally works. Gabriel says, “I know. No problem. It’s going to be a miracle.” Verse 35.] The angel answered, ‘The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be barren is in her sixth month. For nothing is impossible with God’” (vv.34-37).

That’s mysterious. Gabriel doesn’t really explain how it’s going to happen except that God’s power is going to do it.

“The power of the Most High.”

A virgin will conceive! That’s just WOW. Right?!  Wow!

And God can do that, right?! He’s all powerful. He’s the Most High. He made the world. He made the rules for how babies are made. He can break those rules if He wants to.

Want proof? If He can open the womb of ancient Elizabeth who is 6 months pregnant even though she’s a member of the AARP, He can also put a baby inside of you Mary through His mysterious power from on high. 

A baby that is like any other because He’s fully human. He comes from Mary. He will be everything that it means to be a human. But at the same time He is holy. He is unlike every other human being because He is also (v.35) the Son of God. “The Son of the Most High.”

We call that the mystery of the incarnation. God in flesh. And theologians call it the hypostatic union. Two natures in One Person. Wow!

This year we’ve been celebrating the 1700 anniversary of the Nicene Creed. First written in 325 AD and improved in 381, it’s been 1700 years since the church produced it. We’ve been saying it together every Sunday this month because it so beautifully captures the biblical truth that Jesus is fully human and fully divine at the same time.

Let’s say it together now. I’ll ask whom we believe in, and we’ll all answer with all three of the Persons of the Trinity, but the Nicene Creed says the most about the Son of the Most High.

LEADER:

Christians, in Whom do we believe?

CHURCH:

WE BELIEVE in one God– 

the Father Who rules over all,

the Maker of heaven and earth, 

of all things seen and unseen.

AND WE BELIEVE in one Lord, Jesus Christ,

the only begotten Son of God,

eternally begotten from the Father,

God from God, Light from Light,

true God from true God,

begotten, not made,

of one essence with the Father.

Through Him all things were made.

[And this next part is what our story is all about...]

For us humans and for our salvation

He came down from heaven and became incarnate 

by the Holy Spirit and through the Virgin Mary

and became human.

For our sake He was crucified under Pontius Pilate;

He suffered death and was buried,

and on the third day He rose again

in accordance with the Scriptures;

He ascended into heaven

and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again in glory 

to judge the living and the dead,

and his kingdom will have no end.

AND WE BELIEVE in the Holy Spirit, 

the Lord and giver of Life,

who proceeds from the Father and the Son.

With the Father and the Son He is worshiped and glorified.

He has spoken through the Prophets.

AND WE BELIEVE in one holy, whole, and apostolic Church.

We recognize one baptism symbolizing the forgiveness of sins.

We look forward to the resurrection of the dead

and the life of the age to come.

Amen.        

We believe in the Son of the Most High!

“Wow” just doesn’t do it, does it?

Mary has just been told the most fabulous news that anyone has ever heard. And look at how she responds. Look at verse 38.

“‘I am the Lord's servant,’ Mary answered. ‘May it be to me as you have said.’”

What do you say to that? Except, “Wow.”

What a response of humble faith! What an example for all of us today!

Some Christians have made too much of Mary over the years. They have  treated Mary almost like a fourth member of the Trinity. That’s a mistake. She was just a human like you and me.

But we can make the opposite mistake of missing how great her faith was and what we can learn from Mary’s example. “May it be to me as you have said.”

“I’m not sure how this can be. But it sounds wonderful. All of that grace. All of that promise. All of that power. Count me in. I will be the mother of the Son of the Most High.”

And then she went go see her relative Elizabeth. Verse 39.

“Then the angel left her. At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah's home and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. In a loud voice she exclaimed: ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored [graced], that the mother of my Lord should come to me? As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!’” (vv.38b-45).

Wow! What a moment that must have been. These two women. And baby John the Baptist leaps for joy in his mother’s womb. And Elizabeth can see just how blessed Mary. Not just because she’s carrying the special baby but because she believes. 

The blessing is tied to the believing.

“Blessed is she who has believed that what the Lord has said to her will be accomplished!”

The blessing is tied to the believing.

And Mary is showing us how. Mary is teaching a masterclass for all who want to be blessed by believing and receiving what God has said.

Do you believe all of this? Do you believe that Jesus was born of a virgin? Do you believe that Jesus is the Son of Mary and the Son of the Most High? Do you believe that an angel named Gabriel came to Mary and told her that all of this was going to happen?

I do. I believe that this is one of the greatest miracles of all of time, and it’s all true.

I’ve staked my happiness on it.

I’ve staked my life on it. 

I’ve staked my eternal life on it.

I have my moments. I have my doubts. I have my questions.

But I believe. And I want to be like Mary, believing and receiving and trusting and hoping and being blessed.

How did Mary do it? How did she get to where she could receive this incredible announcement like this? 

I think that her song tells us a lot. Verses 46 through 55 are Mary’s song. It has often been called “The Magnificat” from the Latin for “Magnify,” because some translations say, “My soul magnifies the Lord.” 

I just call it, “Mary’s Song.”

And it’s a wonderful song full of rich theology. 

Mary was one of the greatest theologians of the ancient world. She had read her Bible again and again and meditated on it day and night. So that she knew God. She was steeped in Holy Scripture and Who God was and what God was all about. Mary knew the Most High! 

So that when the Most High sent His messenger to tell her something almost impossible to believe, she believed it anyway. And she wrote this song. 

I don’t think this like a musical theater sort of thing where she just broke out in song right there. Maybe? What I think is that she meditated on everything she had heard and learned and was told and then crafted this song to capture how she felt and what she believed for those who came after.

I think she probably sang it as a lullaby to the baby Jesus. Contrary to “Away in a Manger,” I think the baby Jesus cried a lot. It’s not sinful to cry. It’s just human, especially for baby humans. And I can see her singing this song to Jesus as she rocked him back to sleep. Verse 46.

“And Mary said: ‘My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me–holy is his name. 

His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.

He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers’” (vv.46-55).

Wow! What a beautiful expression of worship and theology that is!

This time of year there is often a debate online about the song “Mary Did You Know?” about whether it’s a good one or not. Do you know which song I mean? Some of you are rolling your eyes and some are like, “Yeah!” Some people like it. It’s pretty and poetical. And focused on the Person of Jesus. Other people don’t like it so much because they think the songwriter assumes Mary’s ignorance. Or it’s just not their kind of music.

I don’t have a problem with the song because I know it’s poetry. But I think it is obvious from Mary’s own song that she knew an awful lot about what Her Son was going to be. And she definitely knew the Most High.

Here are three things she knew about the Most High:

#1. THE MOST HIGH IS MIGHTY OVER ALL.

Look at verse 46.

“And Mary said: ‘My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant. From now on all generations will call me blessed, for the Mighty One has done great things for me–holy is his name.”

She sings from her heart. And Her heart is full of joy and gratitude. She glorifies, magnifies, the Lord. Not making Him bigger than He is but elevating Him in her heart and song to His right place above all! He is Most High! And He does great things. She calls Him, “The Mighty One.”

This God does miracles! "Nothing is impossible with this God!" He is omnipotent. He is all-powerful. He is all-mighty. 

WE BELIEVE in one God– 

the Father [Almighty] Who rules over all,

the Maker of heaven and earth, 

of all things seen and unseen.

Mary would say, “Yes, yes, yes,” to the first line of the Nicene Creed.

And He has blessed me. In fact, He has saved me. Notice that she calls him, “God my Savior.” She needed saving. Don’t believe anyone who tells you that Mary was sinless. There has only been one sinless human, and He was her son. But He was also her Savior. And He has done great things for Mary. Great things! He has gifted her with a child even though she is a virgin.

And what a child?! This God is WOW! And Mary knows it. And she knows that God has been gracious to her not because she is great but because He is great. Mary knows that she is not great. She is humble. But God is great and He loves to grace those people who know that they are not great but needy. That’s point number two. Mary knows...

#2. THE MOST HIGH IS MERCIFUL TO THE HUMBLE.

You hear it in verse 50.

“His mercy extends to those who fear him, from generation to generation. He has performed mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who are proud in their inmost thoughts. He has brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty” (vv.50-53).

God has reversed the order of the world. The world normally gives great things to great people. If you have wealth, power, or prestige then you get more wealth, more power, and more prestige. If you are great you get great things. Our celebrity culture is built on that principle. But this says that God has turned it all upside down. God gives great things to not-so-great people who recognize their bankruptcy and fear Him alone.

James puts it this way, “God opposes the proud but give grace to the humble” (James 4:6).

You know what story Mary might have been thinking about? I know that her song is a lot like Hannah’s song in 1 Samuel chapter 2. But as I was reading Mary’s song this week, I kept thinking about the Tale of Queen Esther that we’ve been reading the last two months.

Put Esther’s story in there. Wicked old Haman with all of his pride and power, and wealth? And what did it get him? Reversal! 

The Most High has “brought down rulers from their thrones but has lifted up the humble. He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty.” The Lord has turned everything right-side-up.

Mary’s Son would soon say, “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 5:3).

The Most High is merciful to the humble.

Are you humble? Or is everything all about you? We must humble ourselves to receive the grace of God. Mary knew that! And she exulted in it.

You know, that’s how we are saved. We are not saved by being good or doing good or being strong! 

We need rescued from trying to be strong. We need rescued from our sins. We need the Most High to be strong and to rescue us from ourselves.

We need Mary’s Son to take our place on the Cross and to come back to life by the Power of the High to give us live forevermore.

For our sake He was crucified under Pontius Pilate;

He suffered death and was buried,

and on the third day He rose again

in accordance with the Scriptures;

He ascended into heaven

and is seated at the right hand of the Father.

He will come again in glory 

to judge the living and the dead,

and his kingdom will have no end.

Just as He promised. That’s the last thing that Mary knew about God. He always keeps His promises. 

#3. THE MOST HIGH IS MINDFUL OF HIS PROMISES.

Look at verse 54 of Mary’s song:

“He has helped his servant Israel, remembering to be merciful to Abraham and his descendants forever, even as he said to our fathers’” (vv.54-55).

God has made some big promises. He made them to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (also called Israel), the patriarchs, the fathers. And He has not forgotten any of these promises. And He has not failed at keeping any of them either.

We still have to wait for some of them. Like the promise of His Son’s return.

But Mary knew, and we know, that God is faithful always keeps His promises.

So we can trust in Him and sing. Like Mary did! We can glorify the Lord and rejoice in God our Savior. We can say, “Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow!”

And we can humbly say, “I am the Lord’s servant. May it be to me as you have said.”

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“What the Women Found” [Matt's Messages]

“What the Women Found”

Resurrection Sunday: April 9, 2023

Lanse Evangelical Free Church

Luke 24:1-12

I’m telling you. These women were taken by surprise! They ran up against something they certainly never ever expected to experience.

Luke chapter 24 gives us the story of the first people on the scene after Jesus’ resurrection. The first witnesses to say what had happened.

And their names were Mary, Mary, and Joanna (v.10). And there may have been more. Mark mentions a woman named Salome. Verse 10 says that there were others in the group like Salome. But they were all women. 

And they were the first on the scene. And they were the first to share this crazy story!

I would have never come up with this story in a million years. And I would never have told it this way. As I was reading it and re-reading it this week for this message, I kept thinking that, “I would never tell this story like this.” 

And, to me, that means that it has the ring of truth! I mean, for one thing, the miracle of the resurrection that we’ve been singing so loudly about this morning is never described. There are no witnesses to the actual moment of Jesus coming back from the dead.

We’re going to see the effects of it.

We’re going to hear that it has happened.

There will be plenty of evidence for this miracle.

But if this was a movie, we’d the see the body sit up. We’d see His legs twitch. It’d be a jump scare. Or we’d see the color return to His flesh. His chest go up and down again. We’d see Him swing around and stand up. We’d see the action of Him coming back from the dead, walking out of the tomb.

But God doesn’t tell His story that way. That all happened in the secrecy of the tomb. No witnesses but the Father, the Spirit, and the Son Himself. 

And then these first people on the scene are women. And I love that! I would have never come up with it. But I love it. I love it because women were, in that day, not trusted as reliable witnesses for public matters. Women often had second-class status in ancient near eastern cultures.

We’ll see in a few moments that they were not initially believed even by their brother disciples!

But in how God tells His story, these women were the first on the scene and the first with the good news. And that does at least two things at the same time:

First, it elevates the status of women. Which Jesus does at every turn. The Gospel of Luke is chock-ful of Jesus’ interactions with women, and they are overwhelming positive. Everywhere Jesus goes He lifts up and improves the lives of women. He treats women with dignity and respect. He often points out where His female disciples have been more faithful and more faith-filled than their male counterparts. Jesus cherishes women and lifts them up at every turn.

Ladies, if you have been taught that Christianity denigrates you, you have been taught wrong. Certainly, Christians have often done that, but Christ has not.

If you want to read more about that, I would recommend this book by Rebecca McLaughlin, Jesus Through the Eyes of Women: How the First Female Disciples Help Us to Know and Love the Lord. It’s a really good introduction to Jesus from the perspective of the women in His life. And, again, their status improves here as women are the first on the scene and the first with the good news.

But at the very same time, that lends credibility to the whole story, because, at the time, nobody would have come up with this!

In her book, McLaughlin says, “The fact that all four Gospels make the women central to their resurrection claim appeals to us as 21st-century readers. But it would have had the opposite effect on literate men in the Greco-Roman world...[quoting Richard Bauckham] ‘[W]omen were thought by educated men to be gullible in religious matters and especially prone to superstitious fantasy and excessive religious practices’...from [their] perspective, Mary Magdalene and the other weeping women who witnesses Jesus’ so-called resurrection were a joke. If the Gospel authors had been making up their stories, they could have made Joseph of Arimathea [the owner of the tomb] and Nicodemus the first resurrection witnesses: two well-respected men involved in Jesus’ burial. The only possible reason for the emphasis on the testimony of women–and weeping women at that–is if they really were the witnesses” (pg. 166-167).

I think that’s exactly right! This way of the telling this crazy story gives it the unmistakable ring of truth.

But we’ve gotten ahead of the story itself. Let’s look and see what Luke actually says actually happened. What these women actually found. Look with me at Luke chapter 24, verse 1.

“On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus” (vv.1-3).

I have four things I want to point out that these women surprisingly found on that fateful Sunday morning. And here’s number one:

#1. AN OPEN AND EMPTY TOMB.

According to Luke chapter 23, Jesus died on a Friday, and these women who had been following Him for a long time were there at His crucifixion (23:49). They stood at a distance and watched the awful thing happen to Him.

And then Jesus was buried in a tomb, and those same women saw the tomb and how His body was laid in it (23:55). And they had gone home and prepared spices to anoint His body after the Sabbath. They loved Him and wanted Jesus to be honored in His death. And, as obedient Jewish believers, they rested quietly on the Sabbath and waited for Sunday morning to come.

Luke says that it was very early the morning. The sun had just begun to send out beams over the horizon, and they set off for the tomb. They knew where it was. They didn’t know how they were going to get in. They thought they would have to come up with come of plan.

But they were surprised. They were greeted by an open tomb. That was the first clue that something big had happened. And the second clue was the biggest. There was no body there! V.2 again.

“They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus” (vv.2-3).

What’s even more amazing than what they found was what they did NOT find. They didn’t find any corpse! The tomb was not only open but empty.

That never happens, by the way. On Memorial day, you never go down to the cemetery to put flowers on your loved one’s grave, and there’s this great big gaping hole where they had been laid to rest. “Oh, they’re gone. I wonder where they went this weekend.”  The local funeral service has never had one get away from them!

The next verse says that “they were wondering about this,” and no wonder. This just doesn’t happen.

Unless there are grave robbers. That’s what Mary Magdalene thought at first. The Gospel of John says that she told the other disciples that theory that Jesus’ body had been stolen. We looked at that last year on Resurrection Sunday in John chapter 20. But it wasn’t grave robbers. Jesus’ body was not stolen.

And God sent two amazing messengers to make that clear. Verse 4.

“While they were wondering about this [while they were “perplexed”], suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them.”

It’s angels! Can you imagine? Their clothes gleamed like lightning. Just think. That’s all the electricity these folks knew. They didn’t have electric lights. They didn’t have stadium lights. They didn’t have LED’s. All they knew was lightning, and these two men’s clothes gleamed like lightning!

How bright?! Ever looked at lightning and then closed your eyes and still see the silhouette, the outline of the lightning on your eyeballs? They were standing next to these two “men” with clothes like lightning! And that’s not the most amazing thing they’re going to see in their lifetimes!

These women hit the dirt. Verse 5.

“In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, ‘Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.'’ Then they remembered his words.” (Vv.5-8).

 

Here’s the second big thing they found:

#2. A POWERFUL PROMISE KEPT.

The angels tell the women that they shouldn’t be so surprised that Jesus is not there. Because He told them in advance that He was going to do this. He said that again and again. They just didn’t understand what He was saying. They just didn’t get it. But that’s why the angel rebukes them. He’s gentle, but the message is clear, “Why do you look for the living [Jesus] among the dead [the tomb]? Don’t you remember what He promised?

He told you that He was going to be betrayed. He knew about Judas. He told you that He was going to be crucified. On Thursday night, He had taken bread and said, “This is my body which is given for you.” He had taken the cup and said, “This is my blood which is poured out for you.” He told you that He was going to be executed by sinful men.

But He also said that He would eat that meal again. He said that He was going to be raised from the dead on the third day. 

And if He can keep that promise? There is no promise that He cannot keep!

There is unbelievable power at work here. The power to raise the dead! And the power to keep every one of His precious promises. 

This is such good news!  It’s good news because it means our salvation. Jesus’ crucifixion paid for the sins of His people, and His resurrection cements the deal. The Apostle Paul said, Jesus “was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification” (Rom. 4:25-5:1 NIVO). He came back to life to give us life. Like the choir sang, “Just as He promised. Just as He said.”

And it’s good news because it means that God’s plan is not derailed. Do you feel sometimes like God’s plan is off track?  You might have come to church this morning after a really rough week. May this week your life was like a country-western song. You lost your girl, you lost your job, you lost your truck, you lost your dog.

And I’m being funny, but maybe you didn’t have anything to laugh about this week. And you’re feeling like God’s plan must be off track. Have you seen the state of the world? Have you read the headlines?

Well, when these precious ladies got up that Sunday morning, they believed that the Lord Jesus Christ was a cadaver. And He had told them that He was going to die but not stay dead. And when these angels reminded them (v.8), “They remembered his words.”

“Oh yeah! Maybe we shouldn’t be surprised. Maybe all is not lost. Maybe God’s plan is still on track. Maybe Jesus is alive.”

And we say: Christ is Risen! 

Indeed He is. But not everyone believes. Look at verse 9.

“When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense” (vv.9-11).

Here’s the third thing the women found:

#3. A HEFTY DOSE OF SKEPTICISM.

The apostles “did not believe the women.” It doesn’t say that they didn’t believe them because they were women, but, sadly, that probably didn’t help. 

But it was because “their words seemed to them like nonsense.” Like “idle tales.” Like foolishness.

“What are you saying? What do you mean the tomb is empty? What do you mean there were men shining like lightning? What do you mean that Jesus is alive? That’s crazy! Ladies, what are you talking about?"

Some of you may think that all of this stuff we’re talking about today is crazy. Some of you may be skeptics yourself and have been drug to church by someone you love.  I’m glad you’re here today. Thank you for coming.

I hope this is a chance for you to re-think the evidence and consider the case for the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It’s not a slam-dunk because these women said these things, but I sure think it has the ring of truth. 

We have a class right now called “Cold-Case Christianity” that is being taught by Keith Hurley here on Sunday mornings at 8:30. The guy who wrote the curriculum was a homicide detective that uses his knowledge of sifting through evidence to examine the claims of Christianity. Next week, they are talking about the standard of proof and debunking conspiracy theories.

Christianity is not something where you check your brain at the door and believe illogical things with no evidence. No, instead, Christianity is something where you engage your brain in weighing the evidence and then believing in amazing things because of it.

Yes, this is an amazing claim. We believe that Jesus Christ came back from the dead. And one of the reasons is because of these women who many people knew. Some of them are named here, Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and the some others who are not named but were there–gave evidence. They gave testimony.

They went to the tomb and found the stone rolled away and they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus (vv.2-3).

What do YOU think? If you are not sure, I challenge you to check it out yourself. I believe these women, and it makes all of the difference in everything.

The fourth thing that these women found:

#4. THE CHAIN REACTION THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING.

At first the apostles didn’t believe, but then Peter said, “I’ve got to see for myself.” v.12 

“Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.” He wasn’t sure yet either. He walks away scratching his head. Peter could see that the strips of linen were there. If someone stole the body, why would they leave His graveclothes? That just makes it seem like there was a resurrection.

Maybe there is a resurrection!

The Gospel of John tells us that the Apostle John ran with Peter to the tomb, and when John saw the empty tomb and the strips of linen that had been covering Jesus just lying there, John “got it” and believed!

First the women disciples.

Then the men disciples.

More and more people check it out.

And then Jesus starts appearing to them, too.

There are several accounts as this chapter closes. And then Paul documents even more. More than 500 people see Jesus alive over the next forty days! More than 500 people, at different times, will swear upon cross examination that Jesus Christ was alive again. Many of those people were not only willing to swear that Jesus was alive, they were willing to stake their entire life on it. They were willing to die for what they saw.

Peter was one of them. Historical tradition says that he was crucified upside down for saying that Jesus Christ had risen from the dead. First the women, then the men, then the church in Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and to the outer most parts of the Earth.

Even to Central Pennsylvania! The good news has reached our ears. Jesus is alive, and it makes all of the difference in the world.

It means hope.

It means peace.

It means joy.

It means salvation.

It means eternal life.

I would have never come up with this crazy story, and I would have never told it this way.

But I wouldn’t change a thing.

Because what the women found truly changes everything.

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“For You” [Matt's Messages]

“For You”

Lanse Evangelical Free Church

Palm Sunday :: April 2, 2023 :: Luke 22:14-20

Jesus wants us to take His death personally.

In fact, He tells us to eat it. Our Lord Jesus told His disciples to eat and drink symbols of His death. 

Up in the upper room, our Lord Jesus told His followers to eat and drink, to ingest, deeply symbolic emblems of His sacrificial death which was going to occur in just a few short hours.

These words are very familiar, aren’t they? Perhaps too familiar? We get used to hearing them, and we stop thinking about them. Today, we want to stop and think about them more deeply. What was Jesus trying to do when He gave us His Supper? What was He trying to teach? What was He trying to leave with His disciples, and therefore you and me, when He gave them this bread and this cup?

Well, really a lot of things. There is a lot packed in here, and the rest of the Bible unpacks it. 

There’s Passover.

And there’s the Kingdom of God.

And there’s the New Covenant. That means more to us now that we’ve studied Jeremiah together, doesn’t it?

And there is substitution. Jesus explains that both the bread and the cup are symbols of substitution.

He uses two little words that say so much, the last two words of verse 20, and the title of this message.

“For You.”

[VIDEO WILL BE EMBEDDED HERE.]

Jesus wants His disciples to take His death personally because He personally died for us. 

He told them that just a few hours before He did it. Jesus had gathered His disciples together for a Passover meal in a large guest room. Probably a holiday rental room for those pilgrims that had swarmed into Jerusalem for the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. 

Earlier in this chapter, we learn that the leaders of the Jews have conspired and struck a deal with His disciple Judas to betray Jesus to them. They are going to get Him arrested and executed before the week is out.

But Jesus has plans of His own. He has arranged for a clandestine meeting place with His disciples to eat the Passover feast together without being interrupted by the authorities. And the time has now come. Look at verse 14 again.

“When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table.”

It’s not Leonardo’s famous painting where they are all on one side of the table and sitting upright. They are much more comfortable than that. They are laying on low benches like spokes of a wheel coming out from the hub where the food is laid out in the middle.

And Jesus is so happy to be with them that night. He’s sad for Himself but overjoyed to be with these people He loves so so much. Verse 15.

“And he said to them, ‘I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer.”

He’s been wanting this for a very long time. He loves these men and wants to be with them. Wants to share this meal. Wants to share this time. It’s especially precious because He knows what is going to happen next. Did you see that? “Before I suffer.”

He knows! And, in fact, He’s choosing it. Judas, and the Jews, and Herod, and Pilate, and the Romans are all at fault with their terrible plans. But Jesus is in control! He is choosing this. And He’s choosing to eat this Passover meal with them. One last special dinner together before He suffers. Before He dies.

But notice this! He does not expect this to be His last supper with them. We call it the “Last Supper,” but He actually expects to eat it again. Look at verse 16.

“...I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”

Isn’t that interesting?! Jesus expects to suffer. And, boy, will He ever! He expects to die. But He doesn’t expect that to be the end for Him. He expects to eat and drink a Passover meal or the “fulfillment” of the Passover meal in the kingdom of God!

Isn’t it interesting how Jesus is invoking both the past and the future at this Table?

The Lord’s Supper looks back on the Passover. What is the Passover? It’s the amazing rescue of the people of God in the Old Testament. We’ve been studying the Book of Exodus on Wednesday nights at Prayer Meeting, and we’ve read about the LORD’s dramatic rescue of His people from slavery in Egypt through the 10 plagues. And the last plague of the 10 plagues was the Death of the Firstborn. All of the firstborn sons of Egypt died, but the firstborn sons of Israel did not die if their parents had placed the blood of the lamb on the doorposts of their homes.  On those homes with the blood on the doorposts, the Angel of Death passed over those homes and saved the firstborn sons. And so Israel escaped from Egypt!

Because of the Passover, they were saved. The Passover meal celebrated the Passover rescue. And that Passover Rescue pointed towards a greater Rescue. A greater Passover. That’s what Jesus was doing on the Cross, and what He was symbolizing with His new twist on this meal.  

But it doesn’t stop with this meal. See what He says in verse 16? “...when it [the Passover] finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”

Has the kingdom come? That’s a trick question, right? 

Here’s the full answer: The kingdom of God has already come because the King has come, but the kingdom of God has not yet come fully, and the kingdom of God will come fully one day when the King returns.

Jesus says that He won’t eat this meal again until that day. In that day, there will be an even greater feast! One that commemorates not just the rescue from Egypt and not just the rescue from the penalty and power of sin but our complete and total rescue from even the presence of sin!

The Messianic Banquet in the age to come.

The Wedding Supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:9).

This meal points to that meal!

And Jesus could hardly wait!

He so wanted to eat this meal with them as a foretaste of the glory to come.

So He passes around the cup. V.17

“After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, ‘Take this and divide it among you. For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes’ (vv.17-19).

 

This was one special cup! This was the last drink of wine that Jesus would enjoy until kingdom come.

Traditionally, there were four cups of wine at a Passover meal. This is probably the first of those of those four. Jesus drinks from it, and He has His disciples pass it around and drink from it, too. 

He gave thanks for it. The Greek word there is “eucharistaysas.” It’s where we get the word “Eucharist” from.  Jesus was so thankful to get to drink this with His beloved followers that night. 

Looking back on the Passover and looking forward to the Kingdom and looking squarely at the Cross.

He knows what’s going to happen. He knows the forces that are amassing against Him as He eats. He knows who has been sitting at His table ready to betray Him. He knows that crucifixion is at hand. And so He passes around this bread and this cup. He tells His disciples what is going to happen and what it’s going to mean when it does.

Look at verse 19. “And he took bread, gave thanks [eucharistaysas] and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.’”

“For you.” Jesus wants us to take His death personally because He died personally for His disciples.

The idea there is substitution. He took our place. His death was for us. Instead of us. Done for us. Just like the lamb who was slain to save the firstborn sons Jesus would be slain to save you and me. 

His body would be broken. That’s why He broke the bread. He knew what He was symbolizing.  In just a few short hours from this moment, Jesus’s body will be broken.

He will be mocked and beaten to a pulp.

He will be whipped. He will wear a crown of thorns.

In His weakened state, He will be forced to carry His own cross to His execution.

He will be crucified–and we can’t understand what that means. If we did, we would throw up. It’s the ugliest thing in the world.

And Jesus said that like this broken bread, his body will be broken “for you.”

In Luke, the verb is “given” for you. It’s a gift. Jesus offers it up at no charge. His followers do not earn it, do not deserve it, and never will. “This my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” Jesus tells them to eat it. To ingest this symbol of His death. Jesus wants them to take His death personally unto and into themselves.

This is something new, by the way. This is different from the Passover. This is Jesus’ own special new thing. It’s built off of the Passover and what the Passover was foreshadowing, but this is bigger and deeper. Jesus says that He is like this piece of bread. It’s a metaphor, by the way. He doesn’t mean that the bread literally becomes His body. His literal body is right there holding the bread! This is symbolism. But it is incredibly powerful symbolism. Because His followers are supposed to take that symbol of His broken body, that symbol of His death and put it inside of them. Making it a part of them. Taking that death into themselves.

And the cup, too. V.20

“In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you’” (v.20).

“For you.”

That is substitution. Like we just said from our EFCA Statement of Faith, “We believe that Jesus Christ, as our representative and substitute, shed His blood on the cross as the perfect, all-sufficient sacrifice for our sins” (Article 5).

Jesus was telling His disciples what all the blood they were soon going to see meant. “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”

And now, all of a sudden, we’re not talking about Passover or the Kingdom of God, we’re talking about the New Covenant. And we know what that is, right? Because we’ve recently studied Jeremiah 31 which says:

“‘The time is coming,’ declares the LORD, ‘when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them, ‘ declares the LORD. [Sound familiar?] ‘This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time,’ declares the LORD. ‘I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, 'Know the LORD,' because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,’ declares the LORD. ‘For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more’” (Jer. 31:31-34 NIVO).

New days.

New hearts.

New closeness.

New slates.

New Jerusalem.

Do you remember what we learned in Jeremiah 31? It is so amazing what God has promised His people in the New Covenant! And Jesus says that the New Covenant is now here. It is now ratified. It is now enacted in His blood. And He wants His disciples to drink it down. He wants them make it a part of themselves. Jesus wants them to take His death personally.

He says it’s because it was “for you.”

“Poured out for you.” That language comes from the Prophet Isaiah. Chapter 53. Where the LORD promises to give the blessings of victory to the Suffering Servant. He says, “...I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors [sinners, like you and me]. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors” (Isa. 53:12 NIVO).

Later in this very chapter, Jesus is going to come right out and say that that verse is directly talking about Him (v.37)! And it’s directly talking about us.

“...he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors...”

“This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.”

Take it personally.

How should we apply this to our lives today?

Let me suggest three ways as we begin to head toward the Table.

#1. REST IN HIS SUBSTITUTION.

Put your trust in what Jesus did on the Cross for you. Take His death personally and put your personal faith in it. That’s one of the reasons why Jesus wants us to eat and drink the elements at this Table–because it symbolizes our own personal faith in His death. His death is efficacious for those who take it to themselves and put their personal faith in Him. We are not saved by eating and drinking from this table, but we are are saved by receiving in our hearts what this table symbolizes. Personal faith in a personal Savior who died for persons like you and me. 

Not because we deserved it! It is a gift. But like all gifts, it must be received to be enjoyed. Receive the gift and rest in His substitution. You don’t have to save yourself. You don’t have to make this happen. Jesus has done it FOR YOU. The Apostle Peter said it this way, “...Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God” (1 Pet. 3:18 NIVO). So come to God!!

And when you do, then you will experience the New Birth because of the New Covenant. You will have a new heart, a new slate, a new future. “...if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!” (2 Cor. 5:17 NIVO). And He did all the work! We just put our trust in Him. We rest in His substitution. We trust in His broken body and poured out blood.

Friends, take Jesus’ death personally because it was for you.

#2. REMEMBER HIS SACRIFICE.

That’s actually the only command here in this passage. In verse 19, Jesus tells the disciples, “Do this in remembrance of me.”

That’s why we worship at the Lord’s Table. That’s why we “take communion.” Because Jesus left this memorial meal for us to regularly partake of to remember what He did FOR US.

We’re supposed to come back to it again and again and again. Yes, familiarity can breed contempt. But repetition can also be the mother of education. Repetition is the mother of learning. As we come back to the Table month after month. Many churches do it Sunday after Sunday. As we come back to the Table again and again and again we are reminded what Jesus did for us. How He died for us. What He went through for us. This was not just like any other death. We all die. This death was special. And it was substitutionary. Jesus was doing it FOR US. Remember that!

And not just on Communion Sundays. Or on Sundays. But every single day. What love this is!  “Love so amazing, so divine.” Take it personally. 

Think, today, about your sin. Think about your sin on the whole. And think about the last time you sinned. Whatever it might have been. And thank Jesus personally for how His body was broken for you and how His blood was poured out for you. And remember His sacrifice.

I think that kind of remembering helps when the next temptation hits, doesn’t it? When we are living in gratefulness, we are much less prone to wander and sin, aren’t we? And we are more prone to give our soul, our life, our all.

Jesus loved us to death. Not because we were so lovable. He didn’t say, “Oh, they are so cute! I just love them to death.” No, He said, “They are transgressors who deserve death, and in spite of that, I love them and will take that death for them.” And we need to remind ourselves of that every single day.

Take Jesus’ death personally. Because it was “for you.” Remember His sacrifice.

#3. REJOICE IN HIS KINGDOM.

Because this was not His “last supper.” Remember, Jesus expects to eat this meal once again! The Lord’s Supper looks back on the Passover, looks squarely at the Cross, and also looks forward to the Kingdom of God! This meal points to that meal. When all will be made right. 

Jesus knows what we are going to celebrate next Sunday. His broken body will stand up again. His heart will beat and His blood will flow once more.

Jesus is coming back to life on Sunday and coming back one day soon to bring His kingdom. He’s going to eat the meal when it finds fulfillment in the kingdom God. He’s going to drink the fruit of the vine when the kingdom of God comes in all of its fullness.

That’s why the Apostle Paul says, “...whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until he comes” (1 Cor. 11:26 NIVO).

In verse 29, Jesus tells His disciples something wonderful that comes out of His sacrificial death, “I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel” (Lk. 22:29-30 NIVO). And just as they will eat and drink at His kingdom table, so one day, will we!

That’s something to look forward to!

Not because we deserve it. Far from it. But because He did this for you and for me.

Let us take Jesus’ death personally.

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“Today!” [Matt's Messages]

“Today!”

December 25, 2022 :: Luke 2:11

This is my 25th Christmas as the pastor of Lanse Free Church. It’s really neat that Christmas falls on a Sunday this year so that we worship together on Christmas morning itself.

But I confess that I struggled greatly with knowing what to say this year. I feel like it’s all been said by so many so many times. And even by myself so many times. 25 Christmases. Same story.

The story doesn’t get old. The story is not stale or boring. But preachers can get stale and boring. It’s sometimes hard to get out of the way and help others to hear it with fresh ears.

So, today, I thought we would just go back and read over it one more time, just trying to see some of what’s there and marvel at it one more time.

And I wanted to focus our attention this year on one particular word in chapter 2, verse 11. It’s a word that we use all of the time, so it can be missed in all the glory of the other words. It’s the word, “Today.” In the Greek it’s “saymeron.” Luke loves this word. I counted 20 times, at least, that Luke uses this particular word in his two books.

And we all love this word, too, don’t we?

Today!

Kids, what is today? It’s Christmas! We’ve been looking forward to this for a long time. 365 days since the last Christmas. A lot of waiting.

How many are waiting until after church to open presents? I was guessing not very many. Church wasn’t until 10. Kids wake their parents up one day a year.

Today!

There was a lot of waiting for this day.

The phrase that we’ve been hearing again and again the last month and last night from the Prophet Jeremiah is, “The days are coming...” Right? 600 years before Jesus was born. Jeremiah was saying.

“The days are coming...”

The days of hope are coming.

The days of peace are coming.

The days of wisdom are coming.

The days of righteousness are coming.

The days of the Messiah are coming.

Guess what? TODAY! Today’s the day!

We sang about it last night in “It Came Upon The Midnight Clear.”

“For lo! the days are hastening on,

by prophet seen of old [Like Jeremiah!],

when with the ever-circling years

shall come the time foretold

when peace shall over all the earth

its ancient splendors fling,

and the whole world send back the song

which now the angels sing.”

Edmund H. Sears

The days are coming...

Finally the day had come!

Today!

Let’s see what happened on that day. Luke chapter 2, verse 1. Which begins with another reference to time:

“In those days Caesar Augustus issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world. (This was the first census that took place while Quirinius was governor of Syria.) And everyone went to his own town to register.”

One of things I love about those two verses is that it places this story in human history.

This is not a myth. This is not just a nice little fable that we tell our kids.

This is history. Caesar Augustus. His given name was Octavian. Look him up in the history books. This other guy, Quirinius, look him up in the history books. He was a real guy and really the governor of Syria.

And “in those days,” they said everybody had to get counted so that they assess the correct taxes. Every government loves its taxes, and Augustus was no different. And that meant that this man Joseph and his betrothed Mary (legally they were just as good as married but not yet fully married in every since including intimacy, Mary who was pledged to be his wife) had to travel from their home in the North, in Nazareth to his ancestral city, the city of David, the Bethlehem (not too far from Jeremiah’s hometown of Anathoth.) Look at verse 4.

“So Joseph also went up from the town of Nazareth in Galilee to Judea, to Bethlehem the town of David, because he belonged to the house and line of David. [That’s important, isn’t it? Even though he was a common man. Just a working man, he belonged to the lineage of David. He was in line for the throne if the throne would be restored. And his son, including an adopted one, would be in line for the crown. V.5]  He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child...” (vv.4-5).

Shocker! She was a virgin. But she was pregnant! What a scandal. And that means that Mary had been waiting too. Ladies what are those 9 months like? Lots of waiting right? And how would you like to travel on foot 90 miles from Nazareth to Bethlehem while being 9 months pregnant?

And all of the pictures we see show a donkey, and maybe there was one, but you won’t find a donkey listed in Luke 2 or Matthew 1! She probably walked on foot.

She was ready for TODAY! V.6 

“While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born [the time came! There’s another time marker. I’ll bet she was past ready!], and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn” (vv.6-8).

They were poor. There was no guest room where they were staying. Perhaps Bethlehem was overcrowded because of the census. We don’t know. We just know that they were stuck out with the animals. Maybe in a stable. Maybe in a cave used to shelter the animals from the elements.

Jesus was placed in the feeding trough, not to be all cute. But because they were at the very bottom of human society.

But! The time had come. The Apostle Paul said, “But when the time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons” (Gal. 4:4-5 NIVO). The fullness of time.

Today!

Look what happened this day. Verse 8. Talk about humble circumstances! These hardy hardscrabble men are sleeping out in the open with the sheep. V.8

“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. [And we would be too!! And frightful angel out of nowhere!] But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today[!] in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.”

 

Today. No more waiting.  No more waiting for Mary. She has delivered Him. No more waiting for humanity.  Jesus Christ is born!

The angel said it was good news of great joy that will be for all the people.

What is that great news?

Three things:

1. TODAY A SAVIOR HAS BEEN BORN.

And that’s good news because that’s exactly what we needed! 

We didn’t just need a good teacher (though of course we sure needed that).

We didn’t just need a good leader (though of course we sure needed that).

We didn’t just need a good example (though of course we sure needed that, too).

But we really needed rescuing from our own sin.

And the angel said that TODAY we got one!

I love how the angel says that the Savior has been born “TO YOU.”

Not just a generic savior, but a Savior who has been born to save a people for Himself.

If you have never done it before, put your name in verse 11 where it says, “you.”

“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to _________.”

Because He didn’t just come to show us the way. He can be the way.

I invite you to put your faith and trust in Jesus as your Savior.

#2. TODAY THE MESSIAH HAS COME.

That’s what the word “Christ” means in verse 11. “Christos” is the Greek word for “Messiah.”

The angel is saying that all of those promises that Jeremiah and the other prophets have been talking about nonstop for thousands of years are finally coming true TODAY!

Today! The Christ is born.

Everything that God has promised is bound up in that little baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger. The waiting is over. Everything we’ve been learning about in Jeremiah.

The days of hope are here.

The days of peace are here.

The days of wisdom are here.

The days of righteousness are here.

Today!

Today the Messiah has come. Isn’t that wonderful?!

Every promise that God has ever made is being kept by that little baby born TODAY.

One more.

#3. TODAY THE LORD OF GLORY HAS ARRIVED.

Listen to verse 11 once again. 

“Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.”

He’s the King of Kings.

He is what all of those thumbs-down kings in the Old Testament were supposed to point to. When they were at their best, they pointed to Him. When they were at their worst they showed us why we needed Him the most.

He is Christ THE LORD.

He is the LORD of LORDS.

He is not just any LORD.

He is THE LORD.

He is God come to us. Look at verse 12.

The angel said, “This will be a sign to you [shepherds]: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.’ Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.’” (vv.12-14).

We can’t begin to imagine what that was like. An army of angels lighting up the sky. No CGI. This is the real thing. And singing together, “Glory to God in the highest!”

 “Glory to God in the highest!”

 “Glory to God in the highest!”

 “Glory to God in the highest!”

Because the Lord of Glory has arrived. 

Today!

And that means for you and me, “Peace to [men and women and boys and girls] on whom his favor [His grace] rests.”

Today.

He gets the glory, and we get the peace!

What wonderful deal that is!

“Glory to God in the highest!”

Because the Lord of Glory has arrived.

And just as quickly as they appeared, they were gone. And the shepherds were left looking at one another and saying, “What just happened? What is today?

Let’s go see if it’s all true.” Verse 15.

“When the angels had left them and gone into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, ‘Let's go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has happened, which the Lord has told us about.’ So they hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them. But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, which were just as they had been told” (vv.15-20).

Today.

I love the different responses to all of these things, don’t you?

The shepherds run out and tell everybody. And we should do that, too.

And shepherds worship and praise God, and we should do that, too.

And the people are amazed and marvel at the story. And we should do that, too.

And Mary treasured up all of these things and pondered them in heart. And we should do that, as well.

Turning these things over and over again in our hearts.

As we wait once again.

Because that first Advent was only a foretaste of the kingdom to come.

There is another day we are waiting for once again.

A Savior has been born, yes. And all who put their faith in Him are saved and are being saved. But one day will be saved to the uttermost! We are still waiting for that day.

The Messiah has come, yes. And all that God has promised has been kept in Him and is being kept in Him. But one day all of those promises will come in full. We are still waiting for that day.

Because except for a few brief moments like this one Luke chapter 2, that glory was shielded from us. Jesus continued to live a fairly obscure life. Certainly a humble one. And then after He died and came back to life, He ascended to heaven where He sits the right hand of God the Father.

And one day, the Lord of Glory will arrive a second time.

Not, this time, to bear our sins but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him (Hebrews 9:27).

The days are still coming.

The days are still coming.

The days are still coming.

And one day, we don’t know when, the Father will say once agan, “TODAY!”

And the whole world will rejoice.

Heaven and nature will sing.

Merry Christmas!

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