The Profession that is Fueled by Faith

So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?” He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” And when he had said these things, as they were looking on, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. And while they were gazing into heaven as he went, behold, two men stood by them in white robes, and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven” (Acts 1:6-11).

There was much that the apostles did not know about the immediate future. After witnessing the crucifixion and resurrection, they were wondering what’s next? Surely if the risen Christ strode dramatically into Jerusalem, visibly proving that He is indeed the Son of God, He would be immediately acknowledged as the rightful King of Israel, by both Jew and Roman alike! Little did they know that He would soon commission them to be the ambassadors of His kingdom through their witness in word and deed to their generation, and then He would leave them. The real question they should have been asking was, what would life be like without the comforting, compelling concrete presence of their Master and Teacher? The timing of God’s kingdom was not their business, it is God’s business. Their business was to be Christ’s persistent, persevering, and patient “witnesses” in word and deed, and for many of them, to the death. They would change the world with the profession that is fueled by faith.

Persistent witnesses trust the power of Christ’s Spirit. Jesus promised the disciples would “receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you” because He knew that persistence in discerning and using every possible opportunity to be a reflection of the risen Christ in a dark and rebellious world would require supernatural power. We remember that salvation is God’s work… “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Ephesians 2:8-9). We also believe His Holy Spirit is always at work convicting and compelling hearts to see and receive Christ… “But when the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness about me” (John 15:26). When we are filled with and led by the Holy Spirit, we are empowered to be part of the glorious ministry of reconciling lost souls with their Creator through Christ… “All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Corinthians 5:18).

Persevering witnesses know the passion of Christ’s suffering. The word translated “witnesses’' here (martys in Greek), also means martyrs. It is estimated that by 325 A.D. as many as 2 million Christians died as witnesses, following the example and imitating the passion of Jesus Christ… “that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death” (Philippians 3:10). The Spirit exhorts us to witness with the same passion today… “But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed” (1 Peter 4:13).

Patient witnesses anticipate the promise of Christ’s return. When we remember that we are a small part of God’s big work, we are able to wait patiently for the manifestation of the fruit of our labor. It sometimes takes years of powerful and persevering witness to prepare the heart to receive Christ, but our hearts are compelled to help others get ready to join us in welcoming Him at His sure return… “For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command, with the voice of an archangel, and with the sound of the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive, who are left, will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we will always be with the Lord” (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17).

As we grow up into Christ, we are more earnest and effective witnesses as our testimony becomes…

The Profession that is Fueled by Faith.

The Promise that is Worth Waiting For

In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now” (Acts 1:1-5).

In this Holy Spirit inspired letter from Luke to Theophilus, there are twenty-two sermons of the apostles. Yet this book is not called the Preaching but the Practice of the Apostles, not the Words but the Acts of the Apostles. It is the Acts of the Apostles that proclaim the power and presence of Jesus Christ and His transforming gospel to a desperate and needy world. Jesus knew the apostles would need help to answer the call to be His witnesses in word and deed to their generation, so He promised them all the power they would need would be coming upon them if they would faithfully and obediently wait… “You are witnesses of these things. And 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” (Luke 24:48-49). Paul reports there may have been 500 followers that received Christ’s command to wait for the promise… “Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time” (1 Corinthians 15:6). Before long, the number of faithful disciples still waiting for the promise had dwindled to 120… “In those days Peter stood up among the brothers (the company of persons was in all about 120)” (Acts 1:15). Christ’s promise of the Holy Spirit’s anointing on our words and deeds is still… the promise that is worth waiting for.

The Holy Spirit gives us commanding direction. As Christ’s disciples, according to Jesus’ word, we are chosen… “You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you” (John 15:16). In today’s text we see that before He returned to His Father in heaven, Jesus gave commands to His chosen messengers, and His commands were delivered through the Holy Spirit. We are not apostles, but we are Christ’s ambassadors… “Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us” (2 Corinthians 5:20). It’s a tall order He has given us to be His witnesses to those around us, but we can be confident and successful if we wait for and follow the Holy Spirit’s leading and instructions every day… “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God” (Romans 8:14).

The Holy Spirit gives us convicting words. The Holy Spirit gives us the words to speak into the heart of someone that needs to hear the gospel… “And when they bring you before the synagogues and the rulers and the authorities, do not be anxious about how you should defend yourself or what you should say, for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say” (Luke 12:11-12). The Holy Spirit empowers our words to defeat the empty words of our adversaries… “This will be your opportunity to bear witness. Settle it therefore in your minds not to meditate beforehand how to answer, for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict” (Luke 21:13-15). The Holy Spirit adds soul convicting power to the words He gives us to share. “And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment” (John 16:8).

The Holy Spirit gives us compelling actions. He grants willing witnesses supernatural gifts that compliment the natural abilities and talents that God gave us at birth. These gifts are given to empower us to be His witnesses individually and corporately as His Church, through Christ-like service… “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit; and there are varieties of service, but the same Lord; and there are varieties of activities, but it is the same God who empowers them all in everyone” (1 Corinthians 12:4-6). How might God use your Spirit-empowered words and deeds to show Christ to someone today?

As we grow up into Christ, our witnessing words and actions are empowered by Christ’s fulfillment of…

The Promise that is Worth Waiting For.

Preaching and Practice

"In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach" (Acts 1:1)

The early church developed and circulated two collections of New Testament writings: the four Gospels and the letters of the Apostle Paul. However, with the appearance of early Christological heresies in the second century, the value of this second letter from Luke to his beloved friend Theophilus became obvious. This sequel to Luke’s Gospel reveals the content and purpose of the Apostles’ preaching and the amazing results of the gospel. This widely circulated letter originally had no title (like Luke's Gospel), but the Greek words praxeis, praxis, used in titles assigned to early copies of the letter mean acts, ways, behavior, deeds, and/or practice, and reflect an ancient Mediterranean literary genre which describes the lives and actions of famous or influential people.

So, what we have here in what we call the Acts of the Apostles is a Holy Spirit inspired record of the actions and message of the Apostles. Luke introduces the letter by highlighting an important principle… “In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach,” (Acts 1:1). We note that Luke’s emphasis on the indispensable bond between preaching and practice reflects the pattern of our Lord Jesus Christ, who taught us to love our enemies and then demonstrated this lesson on the cross, when he prayed for those who were crucifying him… “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). The message and actions of the Apostles recorded for us here in the Book of Acts challenge us to share our faith in both words and deeds and inspire us to grow up into Christ by imitating them as they imitated Christ.

As a fellow disciple of Jesus Christ, I am blessed to share this journey of growth in Christ with you. As a pastor, I pray that the truth God has revealed here through His Word will help you to be built up and equipped as part of His body, the Church. And as a schoolmaster, I pray that the truth shared here will help you come to know and become more like Jesus Christ, “in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3).

The Benediction that Blesses Us

Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple blessing God (Luke 24:50-53).

The Holy Spirit had Luke conclude this gospel with a very brief yet powerful benediction. Luke presented the same scene in much greater detail at the beginning of his letter to Theophilus that is included in the scriptures as the Book of Acts. Here we learn that Jesus simply, yet profoundly led them out, lifted His hands in a blessing, and left them for heaven. Our Teacher, the Holy Spirit, leads us into some vital everyday truth for disciples in every age that are living for Christ and awaiting His return. With the Spirit’s help, we can join the first disciples and receive the benediction that blesses us.

Jesus led the disciples. Sometimes we read the scriptures too fast. When we slow down and listen for key words we become more sensitive to the Holy Spirit’s leading us into God’s truth. Today we notice that Jesus led His disciples to the place of His choosing, where He planned to leave them and return to His Father’s side in heaven. We are always better off when we follow Jesus’ leading and keep ourselves in the center of His will, protection, and power. If we follow Jesus in the midst of our ever-changing and directionless world, we will discover and enjoy the abundant life He wants us to know now as we prepare for eternal life in heaven… “To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice” (John 10:3-4). Enjoy the abundance of a Christ-led life today!

Jesus lifted His hands and blessed the disciples. When we pause to reflect on this moment, the Spirit points out that this was God, bowing down to touch the disciples with a blessing. In the midst of being preoccupied with the details of the ascension and anticipation of the joyful return to heaven, Jesus paused and humbly touched His disciples with a blessing. We are reminded of the way Jesus lifted and blessed the five loaves and two fishes, multiplying them into food for thousands… “Taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds… And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children” (Matthew 14:19-21). The Greek word for blessing means to speak or invoke prosperity and thanks into someone’s life. Let’s face it, living for Christ in an un-Christian world does not yield many blessings from other people, but every time we pause and spend some devoted time with Jesus and His Word, we position ourselves to receive His blessing.

Jesus left the disciples to return to heaven. The blessing here is a bit more mysterious. We don’t usually feel very blessed when a loved one departs from us to go to heaven. Of course, we rejoice because we know the truth and beauty of heaven, but we miss their physical presence here. With Jesus, it’s different. We rejoice that He has returned to the Father where He now intercedes continuously for the completion of our salvation… “He is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them” (Hebrews 7:25), and we have the additional blessing of His spiritual presence in our heart every day… “Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you” (John 16:7). As we grow in the faith, we become more sensitive to Christ’s presence and influence in our hearts and we anticipate His work in the people and circumstances that surround us.

As we grow up into Christ, just like the first disciples, we are encouraged and strengthened by…

The Benediction that Blesses Us.

The Commission that Compels Us

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, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, 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. And 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” (Luke 24:44-49).

Jesus was about to return to His Father in heaven. He wanted to prepare His disciples to launch into the ministry that was going to establish and grow His kingdom and change the world. Time was short, the task was great, and they needed so much. He had to choose His words carefully. As disciples, we too need to hear the final instructions of our Master. The responsibility to follow Christ and to share His gospel today is no less compelling for true disciples than it was on that long-ago day of His ascension. Can you sense the Holy Spirit stirring your spirit with the same exhortation and instruction that Jesus shared with the first disciples? We can grow in the faith and become more effective witnesses whenever we trust and obey the three admonitions revealed here as Jesus commissioned His disciples. Through His words, our spirits are excited and energized to share Christ today by the commission that compels us.

Persevering disciples are persuaded by the promise of the Word that encourages us. The commission Jesus spoke over His disciples was founded on the truth revealed in God’s Word. He spoke of two great promises revealed in God’s Word. First, He told the disciples that God’s promise about the suffering, death, and resurrection of the Messiah was about to be fulfilled… “He was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed... they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death... when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. (Isaiah 53:5, 9-10). Then Jesus added the promise that willing witnesses in every age will be participating in the fulfillment of His promise that “repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations”. Be encouraged to share His gospel with someone today!

Productive disciples are provoked by the promise of the witness that engages us. The commission of all true disciples is a call to witness. Jesus reminded the disciples that would soon be witnesses of the fulfillment of every promise required for salvation. What they experienced would propel the disciples out into the world with a driving compulsion to share the gospel that had transformed them with a world that desperately needed transforming. Because we are born again, we have had the same transforming experience and therefore, we have the same call… “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation” (Mark 16:15). Let your salvation experience provoke you to engage your world with the transforming power of the gospel today!

Potent disciples are propelled by the promise of the wait that empowers us. The commissioning words of Jesus were accompanied by an admonition to wait for the promise of power. Jesus promised an anointing directly from the throne of His Father that would clothe true witnesses in every age with supernatural power for the task of sharing His gospel with the world. Jesus affirmed this promise after His resurrection… “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8). Don’t start your day without seeking the fullness of the Holy Spirit that empowers us to share the gospel!

As we grow up into Christ, we are encouraged to engage our world with His gospel by…

The Commission that Compels Us.

The Appearances that Assure Us

As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” But 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. And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate before them (Luke 24:36-43).

The disciples were gathered together and digesting the amazing report of a Jesus sighting by two brothers. Luke does not give us a clear glimpse into their hearts, but we might imagine this room was filled with a wide range of emotions. Suddenly, Jesus showed up, and His greeting shows us that He knew their hearts were filled with trouble and doubts. He set about immediately to address the dreadful condition of their hearts with both words and actions that were intended to give them peace, increase their faith, and show them His love. Here and down through the ages, Jesus Christ has always blessed troubled disciples with the appearances that assure us.

Our peace manifests when we sense Jesus in the midst of our struggle. Jesus’ first response was to restore His disciples’ peace. Let’s face it, when we’re going through a difficult trial, our primary need is peace. Troubles capture our attention and force us to focus on temporary and terrible things. They make us forget the final promise of Jesus to His disciples… “Behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20). I like that He said “behold” because it reminds me to readjust my focus from temporary trouble to the permanent presence of the Lord whenever I am tested, and when I do, I remember His assuring words… “I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

Our love magnifies when we share with Jesus in His suffering. Jesus showed His disciples the marks of His suffering. There is nothing we can experience in this life that Jesus is not aware of and acquainted with… “He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief… Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows” (Isaiah 53:3-4). Maturing love is growing beyond a desire to know the power of Christ. It is a hunger to know and identify with the suffering of Christ as expressed by the Holy Spirit inspired words of Paul… “that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death” (Philippians 3:10). The compelling reminder of Christ’s suffering is reflected to every age to at the Lord’s Table, and will forever be revealed in heaven… “And between the throne and the four living creatures and among the elders I saw a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain” (Revelation 5:6). True disciples are assured and compelled by Christ’s love to share His suffering and reflect His compassion to our hurting world today… “For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised” (2 Corinthians 5:14-15).

Our faith matures when we see that Jesus is acquainted with our sorrow. Jesus’ final action was to eat some broiled fish to confirm that He was truly raised from the dead in body as well as spirit. I believe this was to confirm His humanity to the disciples, to remind them that in every way, He was just like us… “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15), and to assure us that we have the certainty of being raised just as Christ was… “in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep… For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive” (1 Corinthians 15:20-22).

As we grow up into Christ, our faith matures and our witness is empowered by…

The Appearances that Assure Us.

The Heart that Sees Jesus

So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?” And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread” (Luke 24:28-35).

Have you seen Him? Have you seen Him lately? I’ve seen Him often since I’ve been born again, but I must confess that I often miss Him in the moment. I look back and notice that He was there. I want to become more aware of Christ’s presence in the present. I believe today’s Scripture reveals that discerning and enjoying the presence of Christ is a matter of the heart. When Jesus met the two traveling disciples on the road to Emmaus, He prepared their hearts for a precious revelation of Himself. Today the Spirit leads us to important truth about the heart that sees Jesus.

Desire for His presence helps us see Jesus. They did not recognize Him but their hearts burned with desire to linger with Him a bit longer. I know how easy it is to fall into the routine of reading the Bible every day without really seeing Jesus. That’s why I need God’s grace to make my time in His Word a sacred place, a time and place set apart to meet with Jesus. Beyond reading His Word, I want to hear His voice, feel His touch, and know a bit more of His heart. I know it’s the born-again spirit in me that longs desperately for this intimate encounter with Christ because… “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” (Matthew 4:4). As we satisfy our spirit’s craving for fellowship with Him daily, we will begin to see more of Jesus’ presence everywhere.

Dependence on His providence helps us see Jesus. In staying with the disciples, in sharing conversation, and in breaking bread with them, Jesus was demonstrating the divine providence of His Father. Just as the continuing provision of the Creator sustains every part of His creation, so too, the continuing grace and care of the Son sustains the abundant life of every new creature that has been born-again by grace through faith in Him… “Therefore do not be anxious, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the Gentiles seek after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:31-33). As we increasingly trust in Him to meet our needs, we will begin to see more of Jesus’ providence every day.

Devotion to His precepts helps us see Jesus. The disciples’ eyes were blind to Jesus because their hearts were slow to believe what the Scriptures said about Him… “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!” (Luke 24:25). But as He conversed with them on the road and opened the precepts of the Scriptures to them, the tiny spark of faith that remained in their hearts caught fire and their understanding was ignited. The busyness and trials of this temporal life can distract us from the study of God’s Word, but the Spirit within us exhorts us to imitate the appreciation Peter had for the precepts of Jesus… “After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. So Jesus said to the Twelve, ‘Do you want to go away as well?’ Simon Peter answered him, ‘Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God’” (John 6:66-69). As we devote ourselves to the precepts of God’s Word, we become more sensitive to His presence and we see more of Jesus in this busy life.

As we grow up into Christ, our anticipation and awareness of His presence grows as He develops in us…

The Heart that Sees Jesus.

The Savior that is Always with Us

That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself (Luke 24:13-27).

Two disciples were leaving Jerusalem for Emmaus in the evening of that tumultuous Sunday. The Spirit inspired Luke to let us in on their conversation. They were discussing the events of the day so loudly that their conversation could be heard by passersby. They were disappointed and frustrated because their hoped-for Redeemer of Israel had been crucified. The depth of their disappointment had disabled their ability to believe the report of the women that said Jesus was alive. Worse, overwhelming discouragement crippled and made them “slow of heart” and blinded them to the very presence of Christ Himself, with them there on the road. But the fact that Christ was the topic of their conversation revealed an unconquered longing that still lingered in their hearts. “Jesus himself drew near and went with them” and the Spirit of truth gives us a glimpse of the Savior that is Always with Us.

Christ is present in our brotherhood. The perfect plan for making everything right had gone terribly wrong at the crucifixion of Christ in Jerusalem. For at least two disciples, there was no reason to hang around. They left town, but they left together. Perhaps it was because misery loves company, or maybe because there was safety for nighttime travel in pairs. God has made us to need and be connected with each other, especially in the trials of this temporal life… “Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up!” (Ecclesiastes 4:9-10).

Christ is present in our backsliding. They temporarily lost sight of Christ’s promises, but together, these two disciples shared their grief, focused their conversation, and Jesus showed up! Let’s follow their example and the Spirit’s exhortation to encourage one another… “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (Hebrews 10:24-25).

Christ is present in our Bible. His first action during this impromptu meeting with the two disciples was to redirect their focus to the sure promises of the Scriptures because they testify about Him... “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me” (John 5:39). When we obey this exhortation to fellowship together around God’s Word, we experience the fulfillment of one of Christ’s most precious promises… “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them” (Matthew 18:20).

As we grow up into Christ, in our fellowship together around His Word, we are encouraged by…

The Savior that is Always with Us.

The Resurrection that Inspires Us

And returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened (Luke 24:9-12).

The women that so humbly loved and served the Lord by seeking to care for His body returned from the tomb with an astonishing report. They shared the words of the angels that met them at the empty tomb… “He is not here, but has risen” (Luke 24:6). The Spirit inspired Luke to record three different reactions to the report of Christ’s resurrection, and each response is filled with encouraging truth for disciples in every age about the resurrection that inspires us.

To some, the resurrection is impossible. Even the apostles, who witnessed His miracles and heard His promise considered the report of Christ’s resurrection to be an idle tale. For most, death is the end of life, but God’s Word is very clear about the certainty of life after physical death… “And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment” (Hebrews 9:27). Jesus gave His disciples a clear prediction of His resurrection… “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised” (Luke 9:22). The Holy Spirit inspired Paul to encourage us with the promise that true believers will follow Christ, and we all will die and be raised just like He was… “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:22-23). True disciples see life and death differently than others. We anticipate following our Lord and Savior through the door of death that opens to a glorious resurrection and eternal life with Him in heaven.

To some, the resurrection is inviting. While others stood still in unbelief, Peter was compelled by the report of the resurrection to get up and run to the tomb. There he saw the evidence that confirmed the women’s testimony. God’s grace was at work in Peter’s life, stirring up his interest and giving him eyes to see what others could not. The Holy Spirit inspired Isaiah to prophesy about this eye-opening grace… “In that day the deaf shall hear the words of a book, and out of their gloom and darkness the eyes of the blind shall see” (Isaiah 29:18). God’s grace has given all true disciples eyes to see Christ and His kingdom clearly, and this is encouraging evidence that we are truly born again…  “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). As we share His gospel, we encounter those in whom God’s grace is at work, inviting them to see and know the resurrected Christ.

To some, the resurrection is impressive. Peter examined the evidence that confirmed the women’s’ report and he “went home marveling at what had happened”. The Greek word for marveling here means to admire or to hold in wonder. Have you ever beheld something that was beyond your understanding, yet compelled your admiration and wonder? That’s how we should behold the truth that God humbled Himself to death and rose again that we might live… “And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:8). One day, every living creature will be overwhelmed with wonder and admiration, and all will be compelled to verbally marvel at Jesus Christ the risen and reigning Lord… “At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10-11). As our faith grows, the resurrection is more marvelous, and we become a stronger reflection of the resurrected Savior that we love and serve.

As we grow up into Christ, we are empowered and prepared for our transition to eternity by…

The Resurrection that Inspires Us.

The Resurrection We Remember

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” And they remembered his words (Luke 24:1-8).

Life is not easy. Everyone experiences broken promises, dashed expectations, circumstances and people that defy reason and challenge our understanding. But there should be a difference in the reaction of maturing disciples of Jesus Christ to the challenges of this temporal life. We have a hope that empowers us to live above and beyond temporary trials because of the resurrection we remember.

We can remember the resurrection in morning’s first light. The precious servant-hearted women began the first day of the week seeking to serve Jesus. How do we start each day? Where is our focus? The weather, our agenda, a review of yesterday’s failures? There is a plaque in the center of our bedroom wall that invites my wife and I to begin each day by setting our focus on our resurrected Lord. It says in the morning when I rise, give me Jesus! Consider starting each day with a reminder that Jesus lives in you… “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20). Because He defeated death and rose above anything and everything that might come against us, each new day can be another day of victorious living for born again, growing disciples… “For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his” (Romans 6:5). Let’s remember the resurrection at the start of each victorious day!

We can remember the resurrection in moments of death. The ladies’ search for Jesus began in a tomb, a place of death. There are many places of death in this temporal world. Have you been there? The end of a relationship or friendship, death of a dream, failure of a business or ministry, termination of employment? Death comes in many forms, but our Good Shepherd, the risen Lord Jesus Christ promises to be present and walk with us through the valleys of death… “Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me” (Psalm 23:4). Even more, because of the resurrection we have the assurance that in Christ, we shall overcome all the consequences and effects of the many deaths we face here, on our way to eternal life in heaven… “’Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ” (1 Corinthians 15:54-57). Let’s remember the resurrection as we walk with Christ all the way through whatever temporal trial we are facing today!

We can remember the resurrection in matters of perplexity. Because their focus was on the physical facts that confronted them in the tomb, the women were perplexed. Unexpected events and surprising people tend to capture our attention and consume our hearts. The first evidence of Christ’s resurrection was the angels He dispatched to resolve the women’s perplexity with the announcement of His resurrection and exhortation to “remember” His words. Truth-seeking disciples have the Holy Spirit to remind us of the written and spoken words of Christ whenever we are distracted and perplexed… “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (John 14:26). Let’s remember the resurrection when we need help to understand and rise above life’s perplexing circumstances and people.

As we grow up into Christ, we live above and beyond life’s temporary trials because of…

The Resurrection We Remember.

The Grace that Gives us Rest

Then he took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud and laid him in a tomb cut in stone, where no one had ever yet been laid. It was the day of Preparation, and the Sabbath was beginning. The women who had come with him from Galilee followed and saw the tomb and how his body was laid. Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments. On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment (Luke 23:53-56).

Life can become very busy. There are too many seasons where it seems there are not enough hours in the day. We sometimes begin each day with a long to-do list and end the day feeling frustrated or defeated because of how much we did not accomplish. There are infrequent seasons of rest that are cut short by catching up activity. During His ministry here on earth, Jesus was not immune to the pressure of busy-ness, as there were times when He and the disciples were so busy they could not even stop to eat. But our Teacher made a point of providing rest for His disciples… “And he said to them, ‘Come away by yourselves to a desolate place and rest a while.’ For many were coming and going, and they had no leisure even to eat” (Mark 6:31). At the climax of His ministry, the time between the cross and the resurrection, Jesus maintained the proper balance between busy-ness and obedience as He provided a vivid illustration of the grace that gives us rest.

Jesus left this world in the same way that He entered it. The body of Christ was wrapped in cloth just as He had been at His birth… “And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger” (Luke 2:12). The body of Christ was laid in an unused tomb, just as the body of the Christ child was conceived and nurtured in a womb that had never been occupied… “All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet: ‘Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel’ (which means, God with us)” (Matthew 1:22-23). In between, Jesus lived a life of faith and trust in the sovereignty of His Father that is worthy of imitation by all true disciples… “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing?” (Matthew 6:25). Jesus rested because He trusted God’s sovereign grace that never rests.

We leave this world in the same way that we enter it. We enter the world naked and emptyhanded, and we leave the same way… “As he came from his mother’s womb he shall go again, naked as he came, and shall take nothing for his toil that he may carry away in his hand” (Ecclesiastes 5:15). God does not want His children consumed with worry and toil that produces no lasting fruit… “And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?” (Matthew 6:27). As we rest in God’s grace to work on temporal things, we are freed to invest in eternal, kingdom-centered things, like growing our faith, sharing His gospel, and fulfilling the great commission.

Through it all, we are to rest in the grace of God. Following Christ’s example, we increasingly rest in His grace working in and through us as we stay focused on His kingdom and pursue His righteousness… “But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). Because we are His children, we are blessed to enter and experience true rest in His grace today as we prepare to enter His eternal rest in the near future… “So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience” (Hebrews 4:9-11). We get a taste of eternal rest as we trust His grace to work in and through us each day.

As we grow up into Christ, we live above and beyond whatever we face today when we trust…

The Grace that Gives Us Rest.