The Coming Day Of The Lord- 1

Isaiah 24:1-6.  This sermon was preached by Pastor Marty Bonner on June 26, 2016.

Over the next month we are going to look at the Day of Judgment that God has decreed for all the nations of the earth.  Isaiah and the other prophets were unified in their declarations that not only would God judge Israel and the nations surrounding it, but that God had a day in which all the nations would be judged together.  It would be the culmination of this world and the beginning of a new heavens and a new earth.  This same theme is laid out in the book of Revelation.

In the book of Isaiah this chapter begins a conclusion that sits like a capstone upon the judgments that would come upon each of the nations listed in chapters 13-23.  It serves to sober all who would put their trust in any nation, leader, or false god of this world.  All of these nations that we have to pick from will be helplessly caught up in the judgment of God.  The trap will spring shut and they will be unable to extricate themselves, much less protect others.

Today, believers are tempted, just as Israel was, to give lip service to God’s Word while trusting in the things of this world.  Israel was surrounded by false religions whose sole purpose was to obtain what the people wanted: reliable rain, fruitful crops, fruitful women, and power over their neighbors.  Though the means have changed over the years, people are still clamoring for ways to increase themselves, which generally leads to an abandonment of the way of the Lord.

The Judgment of the Lord is Coming

Isaiah begins with the word “behold.”  He wants us to see something that he has either seen or has been told.  The descriptions that follow employ God as the subject and several verbs of destruction.  Basically Isaiah has seen the future and thus warns all who will listen in a way that sounds like it has already happened.  This is to solidify the reality that these things are going to happen and to give a sense of urgency or immediacy to those hearing it.  Since those days many judgments have come and gone upon individual nations and large empires alike.  It could be easy for us to dismiss this as a prophecy that has already been fulfilled.  But if we take the revelation seriously, there is no way this has happened yet.  Thus all the other judgments of individual nations that Isaiah has mentioned are templates for the ultimate Day of Judgment that awaits the whole world.  Each time a nation rises up and then falls, God is trying to get our attention and warning us of this coming judgment.

So what has the prophet seen?  He sees the Lord emptying the earth and making it a wasteland.  The harsh imagery of these statements is actually a description which is only leading up to the later main verbs.  It could be translated, “Behold, the Lord, emptying the earth and making it a wasteland, distorts its surface...”  What seems to be a big deal for man is merely descriptive of God.  These two verbal adjectives go hand in hand.  Emptying the earth is not just about humans, but about all that is living.  What comes first the wasteland or the lack of that which lives?  They are both the result of the judgment of God.  This verse ties in with the incredible descriptions given in the book of Revelation (scorching of the sun, defiling of the waters, wars, famine, and massive loss of life).

Isaiah also sees the Lord devastate the surface of the earth and scatter those who dwell upon it.  The word for devastate has the sense of twisting or distorting.  This general description is given clarity in Revelation by great earthquakes and impacts from space (whether comets, asteroids, or meteors we cannot know).  Also, the word “inhabitants” is also picked up as a theme in Revelation.  There we see an emphasis placed upon those who dwell (inhabit) on the earth and those who dwell in heaven.  The judgments of God fall upon those whose sole frame of reference is the material world.  They are “earth dwellers” because they have no mind for God or spiritual things.

In verse 2 we see that this judgment will come upon everyone alike.  It does so by listing relationship terms that go together in the sense that one is lowly and the other mighty, one is abhorred and the other desired.  The point is that those distinctions that make such an importance in this age will have no distinction then.  The rich creditors were used to avoiding tragedy while the slaves and lowly bear the brunt of it.  But in that day all will suffer alike.  No one will be able to escape.

Verse 3 restates the matter in definite form.  Thus this judgment is unavoidable by God’s decree.  God does not merely speak things like a man might.  Isaiah has stood in the High Council of Heaven and there he has heard the decrees of God from Himself.  It has become popular lately to put forward the idea that somehow these Words of the Lord are just a test.  If we will heed the warning, make peace on earth, and clean up the planet then the Apocalypse will be avoided.  Jesus will merely come back saying, “Thanks,” as he takes over.  This is not some cosmic threat to get us to conform.  This is the decree of God that all people would do well to heed.  Yes, change your life so that you can avoid this.  But do not twist the Word of God to mean that the Judgment can be avoided.  Just as the cross could not be avoided, so judgment day cannot be avoided by the nations.  However, individuals can avoid it by putting their trust in Jesus.

The Judgment is Described Further

In verse 4 we see the earth withering (“fade away” is not the best translation).  Droughts were a big issue in Israel and the surrounding Near East.  The main thrust of the Canaanite religions was to avoid droughts and to be fruitful.  We will not look at verse 7 today, but I mention it because it further supports that massive droughts are in mind.  The ability of the earth to bring forth life and sustain it will shrivel up from the judgments that occur.  Revelation refers to great heat, and corruption of the waters.  Both would create devastating droughts.

The last part of verse 4 mentions the “haughty people of the earth.”  Though they are indeed haughty or proud, it is better to understand this as referring to the people who are high and mighty upon the earth.  They are high in station or position, not just in heart.  These will find themselves becoming weak and feeble in the face of these judgments.  They are not used to being in a helpless position.  Just as they have avoided the normal difficulties of life, so they will assume they can escape these.  But all their power and preparation will be impotent in the face of the wrath of God.

Next Isaiah describes the earth as being defiled by its inhabitants.  The word could also be translated as “polluted.”  This would have a rather modern ring to it.  In the modern world we are concerned with the pollution of nature through material means.  However the pollution in this verse is not natural, but spiritual.  I am not saying that the natural pollution is good.  However, natural pollution is only a warning to us of the greater pollution of spiritual things.  In fact, spiritual pollution leads to natural pollution.  Before we explain what spiritual pollution is, let me say this to this generation.  There are many who pride themselves in their great efforts to fight polluting the earth.  Yet, they do not see that they are spiritually polluting the earth worse than any factory that spews black smoke into the air, or any industrial site that dumps toxic waste into the water.  This is not a either or situation.  It really should be a “both and” situation.  Yet, many gain their sense of righteousness from what they do or don’t do to the earth, all the while ignoring spiritual matters.

So what is this spiritual pollution?  Isaiah lists three things: transgressed the Law, changed the ordinances, and broken the covenant.  I do not believe Isaiah is thinking of the Law of Moses, although this would be true in Israel’s case.  Much like Paul does in Romans 1-3, he refers to the Law as a far more general thing.  It is the Law of God that is generally recognized by mankind, and that which is specially revealed by God.  Thus all mankind has had the revelation of God’s existence, commands, and ability to judge.  Yet, on top of this the Church of Christ has spent 2,000 years filling the earth with the law of God (His decrees and judgments).  All of these are connected.  The nations of the earth have received much revelation, both general and special, from God.  Yet, many transgress these laws.  This is a blatant and willful disregard for the boundaries placed by God.  Such hearts pump pollution into the atmosphere around them.  The second group change or exchange the ordinances of God.  This group is religious enough to not disregard God’s Word.  However, they distort God’s Word and use rationalizations to avoid parts they do not like.  This corruption of God’s ordinances is also a polluting influence on the earth.  Lastly is those who have broken the covenant.  Whether it is Adam or Noah, Abraham or Moses, David or Jesus, God has often called man into covenant with Him.  Ultimately we make a decision in this life whether or not we will enter into that covenant or break covenant with God.  We see this spiritual pollution everywhere in the world, but especially here in our own country.

Verse 6 ends with a curse devouring the earth.  Those who reject God’s Word come under a curse of judgment.  I do not believe this is talking about the curse of the Fall in Genesis 3.  Rather, it is a curse much like Cain received after he willfully transgressed the Law of God and killed his brother.  This curse went on to affect his offspring and the whole world.  Man’s guilt is the source of this curse.  Guilt here is not just the internal response that a person can have (i.e. they feel guilty).  It is ultimately the external reality that we are lawbreakers and therefore must be judged (i.e. I am guilty whether I feel so or not).  Christianity is not about how to fix your life.  It is about admitting your own guilt and surrendering to the grace of God that is in Jesus Christ.  This “switching of loyalties” puts us in a place where we become a recipient of the mercy of God.  God’s judgment is always for those who refuse His mercy and persist in wickedness.

Next week we will pick up this theme further.  Let us end with the very real warning that this world will not continue rejecting God for forever.  There is a judgment day that is coming upon the whole world and only the proud and arrogant refuse to hear the warning of the Isaiah and the Spirit of God, “Why will you die?  Choose life!”

Day of the Lord audio

Marching to the Drum

Genesis 6:9-14, 22.  This sermon was preached by Pastor Marty Bonner on June 19, 2016 for Father’s Day.

Throughout history the drum has been a valuable tool in marshalling large groups of men.  Today there are many different drummers that are drumming out different beats and marching in different directions across our land.  In this confused environment the wisdom of our culture is simply this: follow your own heart.  It was David Thoreau who wrote, “If a man loses pace with his companions, perhaps it is because he hears a different drummer.  Let him step to the music which he hears, however measured, or far away.”  As encouraging as such words can sound to an individual both statements overlook an important issue: Just who is drumming this drum and just where are they leading me?  Yes, it is good to be true to your inner self as far as that should go.  But it is even better to be true to our Creator, Savior, and Lord, Jesus, who alone knows what makes for our good.  He alone can lead us to a destination that is good and along a way that is good.  All others are really just the variety of ways that the devil seeks to entice us from the path of the victory that God has for us.  God has a plan to make any man a victorious father and husband.  If he will listen to Him, he will find all the grace that he needs.

Today we are going to look at what the Bible had to say about Noah.  He was a man who did not follow the drummers of his day.  Instead he risked looking foolish in the eyes of man in order to be led by God.  His bravery and obedience provided salvation for his family when all others were lost.  May his life be a template to all Christian fathers today.

A Godly Father

Noah was a godly man and it is important for believers to pursue godliness.  This is elementary.  God is our heavenly Father.  If we want to be a good father then we should seek to be like Him.  So what does it mean to be like God?

We are told that Noah was a just man.  This can also be translated as righteous.  This is a person who is upright and straight as opposed to bent over and crooked.  This imagery describes whether their life lines up with the straight and upright Law of God.  Later prophets would describe the Word of God as a plumb line.  The Word of God reveals to us the character and ways of God.  God Himself has always been the measurement by which we analyze our own character and actions.  Noah demonstrated an ability to act toward others in a way that was in alignment with the character of God.  Yes, this is a tall order.  However, kids need more than a father with a pulse.  Rather, they need a father with a spiritual pulse, who seeks to be like God.

Noah is next described as a perfect (blameless) man.  The word translated as “perfect” or “blameless” is the idea of that which is complete, and sound.  It refers to that which has come to maturity and has integrity.  Thus it would be better described today as a man of mature integrity.  Such a person is not pretending to be one thing in public and yet privately filled with evil intentions.  This person is not an incomplete work, but rather is growing into the likeness of God Himself.

We are also told that Noah “walked with God.”  This is an important word picture in the Bible.  In the Old Testament the phrase is used of those who were exceptionally close to God and received visions or appearances of God.  These godly men did so at the expense of sticking out from the people around them.  In the New Testament the phrase is used of those who have been born again by the Spirit of God.  The Holy Spirit leads them to believe on Jesus, fills their life with the power to follow Him, and strengthens their hearts to endure whatever they may incur on the path.  We walk with God through reading the Word, spending time in prayer, both speaking and listening, and then obeying God.  You may wonder even now if you are walking with God.  Romans 8:3-4 describes it this way, “He [God] condemned sin in the flesh, so that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit.”  Thus the godly man is not a man who is following what his flesh desires (aka following your heart).  Rather, he is a man who is following God.  Do we fall short?  Yes, we do.  However, a godly man is not perfect in the sense that he makes no mistakes.  He is perfect in the sense that he is where he should be for the work that Lord has done in his life.  For example, a new born may be perfect even though it cannot walk and talk yet.  However, we recognize that something is wrong if that baby does not learn to walk and talk.  A godly man wants to be like his heavenly Father.  It is not about the measurement at any given time, but about our response to God’s directing.

A Father Who Resists The Surrounding Culture

The culture around Noah had deteriorated from having a clear knowledge of God’s way and walking in them to everyone everywhere doing what was right in their own eyes.  This is how it has always been.  No culture from the beginning of man has done anything but cast off the knowledge it has of God’s ways, and then creates its own ways. Eventually they become so darkened that any knowledge of God’s ways becomes completely lost.  Thus it is not so much the culture we resist, but the tendency of culture to disintegrate from any truth of God within it.  Without an intervention from the Spirit of God such culture will eventually destroy itself.

The culture around us today is corrupt.  It is ruined and losing any usefulness to a godly person.  The society around Noah had no redeeming qualities either to God or His people.  It was examined and found wanting by God.  Thus judgment was coming.  This whole dynamic has been exampled in the modern era by the United States of America.  We have been tossing aside the Word of God for generations, and replacing it with our own wisdom.  The impact of culture has become spiritually toxic.  It influences people into paths that destroy the godly work that the Spirit is doing with in them.  Men, we must take our stand against this in our own life!

Their culture became incredibly violent.  Violence is the idea of wronging people without concern, being cruel, and also oppressing them.  When God’s ways are tossed aside, man is left with only himself.  The competing, selfish ways give rise to Tyrants and Oppressors.  These are those who have the power to force things in society to conform to what they see as good.  Most people are crushed in such a world, with only the “Olympians” rising to the top of the mountain (Olympus).  God despises such pride and arrogance, not just because of its rejection of Him, but because of how it crushes the souls of men.  He will flatten such a mountain no matter how big it becomes.  We must not take shelter in such arrogance and make ourselves an enemy of God.  Come out from such people and walk with the Lord.

Although this next point is not mentioned in the text, such cultures become a confused culture.  Like little kids trying to chart their own course into the unknown, such societies wage war against those things that are their strength and strengthen those things that will destroy them.  Thus in our culture there is a tendency to pit men against women, and to diminish the influence parents have on their kids.  Fathers, go to war against such influences in your heart.  Lay your life down for your wife, and show respect and appreciation in an appropriate fashion to the women around you.  This amazing design of God (male and female) is a part of our strength.  Strong families in which parents raise their children while sacrificially loving each other will build up a nation.  But fractured homes in which we are all following our hearts breaks apart any firm foundation.  We end up doing the enemy’s work for him by destroying our own strengths.  In the name of freedom and power, our society undermines the very institution that can truly give both to men and women, and that is a godly marriage.

A Father Who Leads His Family Into Grace

God gives grace to the humble, but takes His stand against the proud.  Thus we are told that Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord.  If we too want the grace of God upon ourselves and our families, we must learn humility.  All the things that we have talked about (seeking to be godly, and resisting the culture) require a man to humble himself and listen to God.  Father’s we must ask ourselves, “To where am I leading?”  What lies at the destination of the path that I am plotting and modeling to my children and the world around me?  It is not just me who experiences the destination of my life.  All those who are with me and in relationship with me experience it to.  In fact this is the reason of many fractured homes.  Instead of harmonizing around the goal of walking with God, we all pull in our own separate ways eventually straining the bonds to the point of breaking.  Men, do not let the enemy of your soul plunder what God has for you, and not just for your sake.  Do it for the sake of your family, and for the sake of other families that know you, perhaps even for the sake of our nation.  May God intervene and turn our hearts around as a nation.

Marching audio

The Ascension of Jesus

Luke 24:44-53.  This sermon was preached by Pastor Marty Bonner on June 12, 2016.

Today we will finish our study through the Gospel of Luke.  When I started this series, I wanted us to focus upon discovering the real Jesus as opposed to the cultural idea of Jesus that has little to do with who he is in actuality.  This fictitious Jesus that is created by the culture and our own personal whims becomes a false god or idol in the lives of many people.  Only the truth can set us free.  If we are going to follow Jesus it is imperative that we not follow a caricature that we have created, but rather that we follow the real Jesus.

The disciples were slow to believe all that Jesus had told them would happen.  When the resurrection occurred they were still in shock that he had been crucified.  When a person is in shock they tend to shut down.  We see Jesus after his resurrection letting them know that this is not a time to be debilitated.  He has work for them to do.  In fact the Church that he would raise up through them would continue this work to the ends of the earth.  The disciples were in shock because it seemed like all that God was doing was stopped or destroyed.  Yet, Jesus basically explains that everything is going just as the Father planned.  The death and resurrection of Jesus were not a problem, they were the plan.

We can be the same way today.  Many who claim to be followers of Jesus have no clue what His way really is.  Neither do they have a clue of the prophecies in both the Old Testament and the New Testament that point to a Second Coming of Jesus in order to judge the nations of the world.  Just as many in Israel were caught unawares at the first coming of Messiah; so, many Christians today will be caught off guard because they have not taken time to pursue Jesus in truth.  As we finish this gospel, let us not be finished with seeking Jesus in spirit and in truth.

Jesus Points Them To The Scriptures

Luke does not give us every appearance of Jesus to His disciples.  In fact he skips over the “meet me in Galilee” appearance of Jesus.  The Galilee meeting seems to be the much larger group of over 500 people that Paul refers to in 1 Corinthians 15:6.  The Gospel of Luke is actually a first volume of which the second volume is the book of the Acts of the Apostles.  In the Gospel the emphasis is upon the slowness of the early believers to catch on with what was happening.  Thus we see in these opening verses that Jesus points them back to the Scriptures.  Much as he had done earlier with Cleopas on the road to Emmaus, Jesus points them back to the Scriptures.  The prophecies required a death and resurrection of the Messiah.  Jesus himself had even told them these things before the crucifixion.  Think of it.  A faithful reading of the Old Testament would have lead one to expect these things to happen because they contain the prophecies that point to this time.  The Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms all pointed to the Messiah and what he would do.  People tended to only focus on the “good” things that the Messiah would do and would ignore the “bad” things that would also happen.  The same thing is true today.  Many who claim to follow Jesus only follow what they think is good, all the while blocking out that which they think is bad.  Yet, in verse 44 Jesus says “all things must be fulfilled.”  God does not speak anything that will not come to past.  We only fool ourselves when we disregard things that He says in His Word.  God will accomplish everything that His Word says because He cannot be a liar.  It must come to pass.

Verse 45 says that he “opened their understanding.”  He does this first by teaching and explaining many passages in the Old Testament.  Compare this with the explanation in Luke 24:27, “He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.”  However, there is more than explanation going on here because he had spoke with them often on these things before.  Thus there is a spiritual opening of their minds that is happening as well.  The Spirit’s touch upon their minds enables them to understand.  Before the resurrection their minds were closed to the truth, but now the Spirit opens their minds and Jesus pours in truth.  This same thing must be recognized today.  When we see Christians calling for things that are contrary to the Word of God, are we not a generation whose minds have become closed to understanding God’s Word?  Do not be caught up in the same folly.  Pray for the Spirit of God to touch your mind and open it up to the truth that God is trying to reveal to us about what Jesus was doing in the first century and what he will do in the future.  We must also spend time in God’s Word so that the Holy Spirit has something to work with.  Both go hand in hand.  The Spirit opens our minds and the Word pours in the truth.

In verse 48, Jesus tells them that they are witnesses of God’s unfolding plan.  God ensures that there are witnesses who can give a faithful account to others, so that they will be able to believe and be saved.  This faithful witness has been handed down from generation to generation.  The following is what they witnessed.  They witnessed that the Christ suffered to death and yet rose again on the third day, just as the Scriptures prophesied.  They witnessed that the message of Messiah was that all nations must repent of their sins and believe on Jesus for the remission of their sins.  Today, many want to down play the exclusive nature of such a witness.  “There can’t be one way to be saved,” many say.  Yet this is the true witness of those who knew Messiah.

There is also a second type of witness that we receive.  As we believe those first witnesses and follow the Word of God, we have our own experience with Jesus by the Holy Spirit.  We develop our own testimony of how Jesus has spoken truth to us and worked in our lives to redeem us.  Thus we today can testify on behalf of those who were the original witnesses and we testify of the present reality of God’s work in our own lives.

In verse 49, Jesus then promises them power from God for the work ahead of being his witnesses.  This will be picked up more fully in Acts chapters one and two.  Jesus tells his disciples to wait in Jerusalem until they receive the Promise of the Father.  This alludes to the many places in the Old Testament in which God promised to pour out His Spirit on all His people.  We see this especially in Joel 2:28, “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions.”  It was important that the initial outpouring of the Holy Spirit happen at Jerusalem.  Yet, the influence of the Holy Spirit would enable the Gospel to reach the ends of the earth.  The Holy Spirit would accompany the witnesses that would go to those places and similar outpourings would happen in Gentile lands that happened back in the first century.  This is the experience and testimony of the Church through the ages.  We are at a time in which the Gospel has reached the ends of the earth.  We have also seen that the Spirit of God has come upon His people throughout the world.  How much longer will this continue?  We do not know the times and the seasons.  It is our job to keep focused on the task until the Father says it is complete.  We must remain faithful up to the point that He comes back.  We no longer need to go to Jerusalem to wait for the Holy Spirit, but it does teach us a valuable lesson.  This work is not going to be accomplished by our natural abilities.  We cannot run ahead to do the work of God without first waiting for the help of His Spirit.  This is a spiritual work and cannot be accomplished by the natural alone.  Believers today need to learn to seek and wait upon God for His empowering and direction in their lives.

Jesus Ascends Into Heaven

In verse 50 we transition to the ascension of Jesus into heaven.  This can be the part that is perplexing to people.  Why must he leave?  The answer that we are given is this: so that he can send the Holy Spirit, so that he can minister on our behalf before God and so that he can wait until God puts all his enemies under his feet.  Although we will still have questions about those three things, they are a full explanation nonetheless.  Luke finishes his account rather quickly.  His description of the ascension is only a quick summary compared to the fuller account he gives in Acts 1:9-11.

Thus we see that they had gone out to the outskirts of Bethany, which was a small community on the southeast slopes of the Mount of Olives.  Bethany itself means “house of sorrows.”  So we see Jesus leaving Jerusalem (the city of peace) and going to Bethany (the house of sorrows) in order to ascend to the Father.  This sets a sort of template for all that will follow Jesus.  We must let go of that which makes for comfort and peace in this life and follow Jesus into the house of sorrows.  All those who want to live godly in this world will suffer persecution.  However, God promises to raise us up out of the house of sorrow into His presence.  This is the only path to the Father.  All others are pretensions.  Of course when Jesus returns He will be going the opposite way.  He will come down from the Father, as the world is cast into a bed of suffering, and he will lead his people into the New Jerusalem, the city of peace.

After some instructions, Jesus blesses them all.  As he is blessing them he was, “parted from them and carried up into heaven.”  This is similar to Elijah and Elisha.  They are parted as Elijah is taken into heaven.  However, in this case no chariot is needed here because Jesus has the power to ascend and knows the way to the Father.  Yet, the same event is happening.  As Jesus ascends, so his mantle will fall upon the disciples and enable them to minister in the spirit and power of Jesus.  In the book of acts we are told that Jesus rose up into the air until a cloud “received him out of their sight.” 

They continue gawking at the sky until an angel explains to them, “This same Jesus who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”  So if he is to come back in the same manner, then let’s focus on how he went.  First, this was a physical event.  Yes, Jesus is in a glorified body, but he physically ascends into the skies.  At some point he will transition into the spirit realm of God’s throne.  Thus his Second Coming will also have Jesus appearing in the skies physically.  His return is not a metaphor.  It is an actual physical event that will one day happen.  Related to this is the second point.  His leaving was also visible.  So too, the Second Coming will be visible to people on the earth.  In fact the Scriptures saying that all eyes will see him.  Lastly, the mention of going into the clouds is important.  It is mentioned in several places that the Son of Man will return on the clouds of glory.  This is important because throughout the Old Testament God is spoken of as the one who truly rides on the clouds, as opposed to the false god Baal.  Thus this physical, visible appearance upon the clouds becomes a declaration of the power of God in Jesus Christ as opposed to the false gods that this world worships.

The last things we see is that the disciples worship Jesus.  He has proven his divinity in very powerful ways.  He is lord over death and life.  He is Lord of the earthly and spiritual planes.  The early Church’s worship of Jesus was a loud declaration of His divinity.  Their joy is great because their Lord had overcome the world and the fallen angels that ruled over it.  The Messiah’s reign had not come to an abrupt end.  It was only just getting started.

Christian, you are a part of a great company of people who are participating in the Messiah’s reign over His people.  However, Scriptures must be fulfilled.  He is coming back to physically reign over the whole earth.  The early Church met often to praise and to bless God together.  So too may the Lord fill us with the same joy, praise, and blessing that they had.  May we continue to gather together and bless the name of the Lord until He comes again!

Ascension audio

The Resurrection Confirmed

Luke 24:33-43.  This sermon was preached by Pastor Marty Bonner on June 5, 2016.

The early confusion of the resurrection will be put to rest by the end of that first day, at least for the close disciples of Jesus.  When you sift through the gospel accounts it is clear that there are at least 5 separate appearances on Sunday that start with appearances to individuals and smaller groups, and then culminates in an appearance to the larger group of His closest disciples.  These can be listed as an appearance to the women, an appearance to Mary Magdalene, an appearance to Peter, an appearance to Cleopas and another on the road to Emmaus, and lastly an appearance to the whole group.  Although we might wonder why Jesus is operating in such fashion, the flow of the day is one that helps them to process their doubts and come to grips with the shocking truth: Jesus is alive!

Throughout history there have been many attempts to discount these many appearances.  Several things stick out in contradiction to such attempts.  First, these are not mere sightings.  They are extensive and interactive dialogues.  Secondly, it is not a single time that can be chalked up to “group hypnosis.”  They happen to many different sizes of groups at different times.  We have at least 12 such interactions within 40 days recorded in the gospels.  Lastly, the disciples went from hiding in fear of their lives to boldly proclaiming that Jesus was alive.  Many of them did so to the point of death, and all without recanting.  It is important for the believer to recognize that God has given us many facts in order that we might put our full trust in Jesus.  He is the Lord of Life and the Conqueror of Death.

Sharing The Good News

We pick the story up again in verse 33.  Here Cleopas and his friend realize that Jesus is alive.  This news is too good and amazing to keep to themselves or let go to the next day.  Thus they go back to Jerusalem to tell The Eleven.  It is important to point out that the term “The Eleven” (as opposed to The Twelve) is a reference to this time between the death of Judas and the replacement of him with Matthias 50 days later.  It is more a statement of which disciples are being talked about then it is the exact number that were present.  Thus Luke here speaks of The Eleven, but we know from John 20 that Thomas is not present.  It is a simple way to avoid the whole discussion of “which disciples are we talking about?”

Though they have news to share, it is the Jerusalem disciples that we hear from first.  They make a statement of fact to Cleopas and his friend, “The Lord is risen indeed!”  They have become convinced by all the evidence they had received that Jesus was alive.  The word “indeed” in verse 34 is used to emphasize the reality of something as opposed to that which is only a conjecture, or worse a pretense.  To them it was no longer a crazy idea, or far-fetched possibility, it was a reality that had been proven to them.

This is then followed up by the disciples from Emmaus sharing their story of meeting Jesus.  Thus we have a kind of sharing of notes and mutual fellowship of those who have witnessed an unbelievable thing.  This sharing of what we have witnessed is a time honored tradition within the Church.  Historically it has been called “to testify” or giving a “testimony.”  You are basically giving witness to what you have experienced in Jesus.  Of course these disciples are sharing a physical appearance of Jesus.  We only share our spiritual experiences that we have had in the Lord.  But the function is just as important nonetheless.  This should never be a situation of one-upmanship, so that we can feel superior to one another.  This only leads to fabrication and pretense.  Rather, this is intended to validate the experiences of one another.  We must not allow ourselves to be separated to the point that we quit comparing notes and sharing our testimony with one another.  It is a powerful benefit that God has given us.

Jesus Provides Proofs To The Larger Group

This situation has led to a much larger group being all in one place.  Ten of The Eleven, plus the two from Emmaus, plus at least 5 other women would give us at least 17 disciples and possibly more.  This is to be the core group that gives witness to the Resurrection.

At this point Jesus suddenly stands up within the group and reveals himself to them all.

Notice his first words, “Peace to You.”  Though they had deserted him in fear, Jesus desires for them and for us to have peace.  He doesn’t just want them to “Fear not!”  But in a positive way he has peace for them.  No matter how you feel, you need to understand this about God.  He wants you to have peace, tranquility, and rest in your spirit.  His death was not a matter to separate us from him, but to connect us to him in a living and loving relationship.  Yes, my sins were the reason he went to the cross.  But he is not holding that over us.  In fact, it is clear from the account that Jesus had told them to meet him in Galilee. The appearances of this day, no doubt, serve to help them confidently know that he is alive and to help them have the faith to travel to Galilee.

Although he had appeared to many of them by now, the overall group is surprised and terrified at his new appearance.  The issue is not about his resurrection, but about the state that he is in.  Is he a spirit or ghost?  Or does he have a real body?  The momentary responses of our flesh to events that happen in our life can catch us by surprise and even fill our hearts with terror.  But the Lord Jesus wants to help our troubled hearts to come to a place of peace.  Jesus describes their inner turmoil as “doubts” in their hearts.  These doubts are surfacing in the well of their hearts, like a boiling pot.  There is a war between belief and doubt regarding what exactly is going on.  Yet, the end of this process is to bring peace to the doubts and strength to the faith.

Knowing their doubts and fears, Jesus begins to allay them.  His presence is itself a proof.  But here Jesus adds a further proof.  He has them look at his hands and feet, as well as touch them.  Although Luke does not explain what they saw, it is clear that it has to do with the wounds of the crucifixion.  Remember that in John 20, Jesus has Thomas also touch his side (the place that the spear entered and pierced his heart).  It seems unlikely that the wounds are still dry and bloody.  Most likely there are scars that give clear evidence to his crucifixion.  This gives rise to the nature of the resurrection body.  Why would he have scars?  Clearly they could have been completely healed.  Yet, the glorified body of Christ still bears the marks of his victory at the cross.  Jesus has them do this so that they can be assured that it really is the same guy who was nailed to the cross and killed.  Also, so that they can know that he is not just a spirit.  Rather, he has a physical body (though as a glorified body it has some differences, 1 Cor. 15).  John would later write in 1 John 1:1-2, That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of Life, the life was manifested, and we have seen and bear witness and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us—.”  To John it was important that people understand that they were not telling fables or hearsay.  They had seen Jesus, heard Jesus, and touched Jesus.  They gave clear witness of a very real event.

It is not that the disciples don’t believe, but that they do not believe to the point of joy, verse 41.  There is a restrained and shocked sobriety over them at this point.  So Jesus continues to prove himself to them by eating food.  The disciples doubt his physicality because they saw him die.  It was too hard to wrap their heads around it all.  This leads to one of the first heresies to crop up in the early Church.  Later groups would deny the physicality of Jesus, not just after the resurrection, but also during his life.  To them the material world was evil, and the spiritual holy.  How could a holy being take on evil flesh?  Of course these preconceived ideas were wrong.  This is typically called “Docetism” from a Greek word that means “to seem.”  They believe that Jesus only seemed to have a body during his ministry and only appeared to be crucified.  The truth is that there are holy and evil spirit beings and there are holy and evil material beings.  Christ is that one perfect and holy spirit that took on a human body and nature, yet without sin.  Thus John also wrote in 1 John 4:2-3, “By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God.  And this is the spirit of Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world.”  Luke and the apostles went to great lengths to establish the reality and physicality of the resurrected Jesus.

Of course, today our problem is not with a physical Jesus.  In the modern world we are more likely to embrace his humanity, but deny his divinity.  Jesus did not rise from the dead as a most powerful spirit that was putting on a show for humans, nor did the disciples make up the story in order to cover the death of Jesus, the man.  Though we too may have our doubts and fears about exactly what the Apostles witnessed, we must deal with the evidence laid out before us.  Jesus is bodily alive.  He has the ability to go between the spirit realm and the material world.  He is coming back at a future date to judge the world, and elevate his followers.  Which side will you be on?  That is the question.

Resurrection Confirmed audio