Ihope you've enjoyed going through the Gospel of Luke as much as I have. I'velearned so much, and it's been a great joy sharing this book with you overthese past months. As we finish the book of Luke over the next few days, I getso excited looking at these final verses because God didn't just save us to sitand soak. He saved us and redeemed us that we might go and speak and share thatwhich we've heard, that which we've seen, and that which we have handled withour own hands of the Word of life.
Aswe read these final verses, Jesus is revealing Himself to His disciples andassuring them that He indeed is risen from the dead, because everything hingeson that. These eleven men, who were uneducated and came from places nobody knewabout except as fishermen, were called to change the world. God has given usthat commission also. Jesus said in verse 44, "These are the wordswhich I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must befulfilled, which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and thePsalms concerning Me.”
Bythe way, just before He spoke these words, it says that He ate with them. Ibelieve we're going to eat in heaven. I'm not sure we're going to eat animals,but we possibly will eat fish from the river of life and eat fruit that isgrowing from the fruit trees growing on the sides of the river coming out fromunderneath the throne of God (Revelation 22:1-2).
Jesusthen “opened their understanding that they might understand the Scriptures”.It's important, if we're going to be the witnesses He wants us to be, that wehave an understanding of the Scriptures by the Holy Spirit. In verse 46, Hesays, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for Christ tosuffer and to rise from the dead the third day." That's the essence ofthe gospel: Christ suffered for our sins and He rose the third day.
Verse47 continues, "and that repentance and remission of sins should bepreached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem." Thegospel being shared starts at home, in our own family, our neighborhood, theneighborhood around our church, our community, and then goes throughout thewhole world. Jesus said in verse 48, "And you are witnesses of thesethings." The word "witness" comes from the Greek wordfrom which we get our word "martyr." You're going to be someone whois willing to die, someone who has died to self, as a living testimony of thesethings.
Jesuscontinues, "Behold, I send the promise of My Father upon you, but tarryin the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high."We cannot do this task of taking the gospel to the ends of the earth withoutthe enduing of the power of the Holy Spirit upon our lives, as the Gospelsteach. I love what we read in 1 John 1:1-3, because John, this wonderfuldisciple, would later write, "That which was from the beginning, whichwe have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon andour hands have handled concerning the Word of life." My friend, wehave the Word of life in our hands, called the 66 books of the Bible. As wehandle them, we handle Jesus. We love Him, we see Him, we hear Him, He speaksto us.
Johngoes on to write, "The life was manifested, and we have seen and bearwitness and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and wasmanifested to us. That which we have seen and heard, we declare to you."My friend, that's what you and I have been called to do as followers of JesusChrist. These powerful verses remind us that it is God who works in us andthrough us to do His perfect will and to manifest the wonderful works of God.
Augustinesaid, "Preach the gospel, and if necessary, use words”. Because itwill show up in our lives as those who are crucified followers of Jesus Christourselves (Galatians 2:20). And by theway, it will be necessary to use words.
Godbless!
