Unit: Luke
Theme: The Messiah Comes
Lesson Text: Luke 24:36-53
Supplemental Texts: Isaiah 46:9-13; Luke 18:31-34; Matthew 16:20-21; Luke 9:20-22
Aim: Remember why the Son of the Most High came.
—–
Download a PDF of this month’s lesson material (the studies by Mark Scott, the Applications by David Faust, and Discovery Questions): LOOKOUT December 2024.
Send an email to [email protected] to receive PDFs of the lesson material each month.
—–
By Mark Scott
Will you “thrive” in ’25 or “strive” in ’25? Perhaps that depends on your purpose in this New Year. One thing about the Messiah who came is that his life was filled to overflowing with purpose. In Jesus’ message to his largest crowd ever he said, “I came to cast fire on the earth, and would that it were already kindled. I have a baptism to be baptized with, and how great is my distress until it is accomplished” (Luke 12:49-50). Jesus was so constrained to accomplish the mission his Father had given him that he described it in terms of the destructive power of fire and the violence of baptism. You could never fault Jesus for not living with purpose.
Luke’s account of the resurrection indicated that the first day of the week was very full. The women came to the tomb only to find angels (1-12). Cleopas and his traveling companion were en route to Emmaus and encountered the resurrected Christ. Jesus interpreted Moses and the Prophets to them and was made known to them in the breaking of the bread (13-32). These two ran back and told the disciples what they had seen and heard (33-35). While they were giving their testimony, Jesus suddenly appeared.
Addressing Our Doubts (36-43)
Evidently resurrected bodies are not constrained by the physical limitations of bodies in this world. The disciples were talking and Jesus just suddenly appeared. The text said that the disciples were startled and frightened. No wonder Jesus said, “Peace be with you,” which is what he said more than once during his Upper Room Discourse (John 14-16). That helped. The disciples thought they had seen a ghost (spirit).
The resurrection addresses our doubts about Jesus. He asked his disciples why they were troubled (torn about) and why they had doubt (disputations of the mind). He then proceeded to give evidence to three of their five senses that he was really alive (i.e., sight, touch, and taste). He challenged them to look at his hands and feet, which must mean that even though he was resurrected, his hands and feet still bore the scars from the nails. He challenged them to touch him to know he was not a ghost. He even asked them if they had any food. They gave him a piece of broiled fish. He ate it slowly in front of them as if to say, “Ta Da!” When doubts are overcome there is joy and amazement.
Opening Our Minds (44-49)
Faith goes beyond reason and understanding, but genuine biblical faith should always be an informed faith. The book by John R.W. Stott, Your Mind Matters, gets at this. Jesus spoke to the Emmaus travelers and disciples (minus Judas) from all three parts of the Old Testament (The Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms). Seeing Jesus in all of the Scriptures is evidently the proper way to read the Bible. Christ is the interpretative key to Scripture.
In a fallen world a veil often hinders good spiritual eyesight. Therefore, Jesus had to open their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. Hardest to understand was that the Messiah would have to suffer as he did. And they had very little context to understand resurrection. What they did have to embrace was that since Jesus was alive, they had a mission to accomplish. It was preaching to all the nations (a theme that lived large in Luke). The content of this preaching consisted of urging people to repent and experience the forgiveness of sins. This would start in Jerusalem and spread out like the ripple effect in water. They would not have to do this in their own power. They would have the Holy Spirit’s help. They just had to hunker down and wait for that empowerment.
Worshiping Our King (50-53)
The book of Luke ends where volume two (Acts) begins—with the ascension of Jesus. His ascension is a very significant doctrine in the New Testament. Jesus cannot reign with the Father at his right hand or intercede for the saints if he is on earth. In the ancient world when you sat down, it meant your work was done. The ascension meant Jesus had accomplished the work of redemption.
So, Luke ends his Gospel with the disciples worshiping Jesus as he ascended back to God. Bethany was just south and east of the Mount of Olives. From here Jesus would give the disciples their final charge. Jesus went up, and the disciples went back to the city to wait for the Holy Spirit. Jesus’ purpose was to fill the earth with his glory as the waters cover the sea. Not a bad goal for all of us in this New Year.
0 Comments