Jesus same yesterday and forever
36 As they were talking about these things, cJesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” 37 But they were dstartled and efrightened and fthought they saw a spirit. 38 And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. gTouch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” 40 And when he had said this, hhe showed them his hands and his feet. 41 And while they still disbelieved ifor joy and were marveling, jhe said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish,2 43 and he took it and ate before them.
44 Then he said to them, k“These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, lthat everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then mhe opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, 46 and said to them, “Thus nit is written, othat the Christ should suffer and on the third day prise from the dead, 47 and that qrepentance for3 the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed rin his name sto all nations, tbeginning from Jerusalem. 48 uYou are witnesses of these things. 49 And behold, I am sending vthe promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you ware clothed with xpower yfrom on high.” The word of the Lord
In Jerusalem where the disciples were talking about Jesus appearing on the way to Emmaus amongst themselves Jesus stood among them. Jesus is never bounded by time nor space.
Rev. before you proceed… people have many questions concerning the person of Jesus.
You are right Mr. Kyei: there and then: Jesus addressed their troubled hearts and spoke to their doubts by inviting them to look at his hands and feet. Dear listeners and friends Jesus the one who died on the cross stood right there before their very eyes inviting them to touch him and see that he had flesh and bones. Jesus, then wanted to remove all their doubts and all their fears.
Jesus recognizes their joy and amazement…. Whilst with them, joy and amazement caused some confusion at a point in time over which food to eat and not to eat.
To prove to them that He was the same Jesus who was born at Bethlehem in a manger, is the same one who died on the cross and rose according to the Scriptures and wanted them to be sure by using the same proof that you; my dear listeners together with friends have to search, to study and to trust…. Mystery of God we need to hold on to for our salvation in Jesus Christ.
What is that mystery Rev?
Jesus plainly said to them and by extension to all true believers, I quote “Everything written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms must come to pass.” unquote
Emphasizing Luke 24 verse 45ff: Jesus opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. That is the mystery!
Waow, Repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. How relevant is this mystery of Repentance and forgiveness of sins to the church today, in other words the body of Christ?
Good question, I will answer you in the cause of the discussion please. The highlight of Luke’s account points that Jesus, the same person who ate and drank with his disciples during his earthly ministry; is the same person in spirit, flesh and blood and his message is the same. Jesus; same yesterday and forever
Thanks be to God, Jesus is just and faithful, He never changes! He is the same Jesus yesterday, today and forever….may His name be praised!
Amen to that: Jesus reminds the world how his entire ministry is a fulfillment of the Old Testament Scriptures. (With reference to Luke 4:21) The first sermon preached by Jesus began with the statement: I quote “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing” unquote. Jesus moves through the various books of the Old Testament, opening the minds of his disciples to show how all prophesies have been satisfactorily fulfilled in Himself. To that extent, the true church teaches that: The Old Testament is promise whilst the New Testament is the fulfillment. Mr. Kyei, dear listeners and friends, Jesus’ message is the same: it’s about repentance and the forgiveness of sins. Jesus at this point took time to reassure His believers with his presence backed with the Scriptures.
Jesus uses the testimony of those same disciples along with the Old Testament Scriptures to give us a firm footing in our faith in the slippery doubts and confusion of life that cause us to be fearful, anxious, worried, uncertain, and slowed down in sharing the certainty, confidence and sure hope of salvation Jesus wants us to share. Jesus before appearing to His 12 disciples had opened the Scriptures to the Emmaus disciples….Luke 24:13-35. Their hearts burned within them whilst He spoke to them. Jesus here again opened the Scriptures to His disciples who were hiding behind locked doors because of real fears as a results of troubled hearts and minds.
A relevant story: The rich man in hell requested that someone from the dead should go and speak to his five brothers, Abraham replied that “if they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead” (16:31).
In our Text: When Jesus appears to his disciples, He did not simply show himself to be a living person; Jesus went beyond to opens their minds to an understanding of the Scriptures.
Shall we take a break
Dear cherished listeners and friends: Today unlike Thomas, we do not have the privilege of seeing the body of our risen Lord face-to-face, but we have the Old and New Testament Scriptures, which bear witness to him. These are sufficient for our faith and our witness.
The Powerful Word of the Scriptures Makes Everything Clear. Even in the presence of fear and amazement. John 20:30, 31 stated, they are recorded for our faith, so that we will have life in Jesus’ name!
Amen!
At this juncture, let us individually think of things that can possibly overwhelm us in our Christian walk with our Lord and God. It is so easy to be entangled in sinful thoughts of words and actions. When we are it is to lock the door of forgiveness by hiding behind our guilt. Jesus wants today to be the day that those doors of fear and guilt are unlocked. Jesus is near and ready by grace to set us free with the message of His death and resurrection through faith.
Listeners, in my ministry, I have seen and come across people holding on to the misunderstandings of their past and their own desire to make themselves right with God.
As a sinner saved by grace, I have personally seen and experience locked doors opened many times in my life, I confidently bear witness to my Lord and Savior Jesus.
I have experienced the door of fear and guilt unlocked and the certainty of salvation I embrace with the certainty of forgiveness and the certain expectation of eternal life with Jesus. …to God be the glory!
Hallelujah
I have seen many elderly persons troubled by the failing body and the pain of disease overcoming their confidence and being set free from the locked doors of worry and fear by the trusting promises in Jesus our Lord and Savior.
In our Text: Jesus wanted His disciples to be sure of who He was and what he had done and how it was all a fulfillment of the Scriptures so that they could use that same message to set free the people in Jerusalem and Samaria and all parts of the world.
Jesus concludes by giving to His followers a command and a promise. Their task will be to preach to all nations, witnessing to all they had seen and heard. It is an awesome assignment that Jesus gives, but along with it comes the promise that the disciples will be “clothed with power from on high.” The book of Acts (also written by Luke) tells the story of how the Holy Spirit empowered the disciples to go with the gospel.
Mr. Kyei again referring to your question…. The relevant is that: Jesus ended in Jerusalem; the mission of the church will begin in that same city and finally reach to the ends of the earth, preaching repentance and forgiveness of sins in His name alone!
Dear listeners and Friends: In the same way Jesus wants us to absolutely be sure of our relationship with him that we might not spend all our time worrying about our uncertainty but be able to be instruments of God in bringing that message to people who have been deceived by those who have rejected the message that Jesus is the Son of God who really died on the cross at a time in history.
Rev. There are people who are being lied to that Jesus did not rise from the dead.
There are really people who believe that Jesus if he did live still has a body lying in a tomb in Jerusalem. Not true. Why? The Law of Moses, the prophets and the psalms proclaimed that Jesus had to suffer and die and rise again so that this message of repentance and forgiveness would be preached to all nations in His name.
The Powerful Word Makes Everything Clear. Even in the presence of fear and amazement. So that we see clearly our Risen Lord. Even though we find fear filled disciples behind those locked doors. We also find a Risen living Lord who removes doubts and fears by opening up the Scriptures to the truth of who He is and what he had to do to suffer, die and rise again for us and all people.
Today even if we go to Church as a congregation of believers we can go to the Scriptures: Jesus; same yesterday and forever. There in the Scriptures we return to Jerusalem to find certainty and confidence for our daily lives in the comforting words and direction of our living Lord and Savior. In this times of lockdown and Covid 19 fears we can go directly to our Lord for prayers of healing and wisdom. Why? Because Jesus suffered for our sins, died on the cross and rose from the dead on Easter just as the Old Testament and New Testament Scriptures declare. Confident Jesus is with us every day let us use these challenging times to witness to Jesus’ death and resurrection.
Jesus same yesterday and forever :
Many the Risen Lord increase your faith to understand that Jesus is the Lord of Lords
May your joy and amazement increase from day to day because your sins are forgiven!
May you live and be empowered as a living testimony to declare the works of the Lord!
May the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ be praised amongst us now and forever Amen!
Amen! Amen and Amen!
Benediction
The Lord bless you and keep you
The Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious unto you
The Lord lift up His countenance upon you and give you peace
Which surpasses all human understanding… in the name of the Father, son and Holy Spirit
Amen!