Introduction: Grace be to you and peace, from God our Father, and from our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ. Our text is the Gospel Lesson just read, from Luke 24. We begin with prayer.
Dear fellow disciples of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ:
- From time to time companies that have grown and been successful have to take stock of the full range of their business and activities. Often this is required because of some dysfunction or difficulty. What is called for is “CLARIFYING THE MISSION,” making sure that everyone is one the same page in terms of what the company is actually trying to accomplish.
- In our text we see Jesus fulfilling a similar function with His disciples. They were understandably disorganized following the crucifixion of their Lord and Teacher, their Savior. And they were uncertain as to what the resurrection of Jesus would mean. In fact, they were uncertain as to what Jesus’ resurrection actually entailed!
- Jesus clarifies this for them – so that there would be no confusion about His resurrection. Then He takes them back to the bigger picture – what He had previously taught them, what the Scriptures said about Him, what had in fact taken place, and for what purpose they had been called in the first place.
- Finally, He clarifies the “MISSION,” God’s mission, Christ’s mission, and the mission of the church. In so doing, He makes clear to the church through the ages, and also to us, what our purpose and mission is as a Christian congregation.
- To be sure, this continues to be God’s mission – so that if we clearly understand it, and participate in it, we too are commissioned by Jesus and are participating in and moving forward God’s mission in the world. Understood correctly, there is nothing more important and more blessed for human beings to be doing! So, let us see that:
I. Jesus Truly Did Rise From The Dead – And That Flesh And Bones Matter, They Are Part Of Eternal Life For Human Beings
Text: “They were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. And He said to them, ‘Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Touch Me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.’ And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet.”
Statement: Sometimes we are tempted to think that our bodies do not matter that much, and that our eternal happiness will be as “spirits” or “souls” in heaven. Nothing could be further from the truth! God created us magnificently and marvelously – with bodies, as physical and material beings! Jesus became one of us – with a physical and material being, a real body! And that body not only suffered death, it was also raised again – for our justification and blessedness!
Application: So Jesus forcefully emphasized His physical “being” to the disciples, and hence, also to us! He even subsequently ate a piece of broiled fish! All of this is fantastic and marvelous! This is what is promised also to us – resurrected bodies on the Last Day, made glorious by Jesus Himself, Who is Almighty, so that they will be like His glorious body! No more aches and pains, no more disabilities or vision loss or hearing loss, or weakness, disease, or injury! Ah, it will be fabulous!
Transition: And this is important – for this is the “end” goal of “THE MISSION,” this blessedness for human beings! But:
II. The Key To Understanding All Things Is The Written Word Of God – The Old Testament And The New Testament Scriptures, The Bible
Text: “Then He said to them, ‘These are My Words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.’ Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.”
A. To Understand The Necessity Of Christ’s Suffering, Death, And Resurrection For Our Redemption
Text: “Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, ‘Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead.”
B. Also, To Clearly Understand That The Call To Repentance, God’s Forgiveness In Christ, And Faith In Christ Should Be Proclaimed To All People
Text: “and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His Name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.”
C. And For this Message To Be Proclaimed With Power From On High, The Holy Spirit
Text: “Behold, I am sending the promise of My Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”
Statement: Jesus “breathed” His Holy Spirit upon the disciples. He promised a fuller outpouring of the Spirit on the Day of Pentecost, and we are well aware that this occurred. It is described in Acts 2. It is the earnest endeavor of God to fulfill and accomplish His mission of bringing people back to Himself, begun with Adam and Eve after the fall in the garden, carried on throughout Israel’s Old Testament history, and brought to fulfillment in Jesus, His suffering, death, and resurrection!
Application: Now the full import of this ancient mission and will of God is to be carried out till the end of time, the Last Day. It is accomplished in the same way that it always has been, only now with the accompanying power of the Holy Spirit. It is the preaching of repentance and forgiveness in Christ’s Name, because of what the Christ has accomplished for us – forgiveness, reconciliation with God, a renewed inner life and being, and eternal life in heaven, body and soul!
Conclusion: With the task of “CLARIFYING THE MISSION” completed, Christ ascended – and the apostles commenced with the building of Christ’s Church, and it has reached nearly 2 billion strong in the world today. And it is still growing.
We may also, within the church, at times become confused about what is truly important, and what our mission really ought to be. Well, Jesus sets the mission for His church, and He has clarified it quite well for us: the message of repentance, forgiveness, and faith are still being proclaimed with power from above – that all people may be reclaimed for God, to be His children, His beloved family!
May we remain clear about the mission, and eager participants in this great and glorious work for the good and benefit of mankind, indeed for eternal life and salvation for all people.
And remember – it is all about the renovation of our whole existence, body, soul, and spirit. What has been lost under the consequence of sin is not permanent; our bodies will also be renewed and reclaimed by God for our great benefit and blessedness. It will be beautiful and fabulous! Amen!
Votum: And the peace of God, which surpasses all human understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds in the true faith, which is in Christ Jesus, even unto life everlasting, Amen.