Old Testament Reading: Psalm 24

“A PSALM OF DAVID. The earth is the LORD’s and the fullness thereof, the world and those who dwell therein, for he has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers. Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place? He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully. He will receive blessing from the LORD and righteousness from the God of his salvation. Such is the generation of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of Jacob. Selah Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle! Lift up your heads, O gates! And lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory! Selah” (Psalm 24, ESV)

New Testament Reading: Luke 24:50-53

“And 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, ESV)

*****

Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church, but without the benefit of proofreading.

Introduction

As you can see, this will be the last sermon in our series through the Gospel of Luke. I began preaching through the Gospel of Luke in March 2023. We took a couple of short breaks along the way, but for the most part, we have been in Luke’s Gospel for over two and a half years (33 months). I’ve thoroughly enjoyed preaching through this portion of Holy Scripture, and hope and pray you have been edified by the sermons. 

What have we learned from Luke? There are different ways to express it. In brief, we have learned about the inauguration of the eternal Kingdom of God (see Luke 1:32-33). We have considered the beginning of the  New Covenant (see Luke 22:20) and the passing away of the Old (see Luke 21:20-24). We have observed the accomplishment of our redemption (see Luke 4:18), the defeat of Satan (see Luke 10:18), sin (see Luke 24:47), and death (see Luke 24:34), and the beginning of a new creation (see Luke 24:36-39).  Luke tells us that all of this was accomplished through the humiliation and exaltation of the eternally begotten Son of God incarnate (see Luke 1:32). Stated differently, this marvelous work was accomplished through the life, death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

We speak often of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus (and rightly so). But there is actually more to say about the exultation of Jesus. When did the humiliation (or descent) of Jesus end and the exaltation (or ascent) of Jesus begin? Answer: When Christ the Lord was raised from the dead to life in glory on the third day after his crucifixion. But was that the end of Jesus’ exultation? No, Jesus would be exulted higher. He would ascend into heaven, bodily. He would be enthroned at God the Father’s right hand, bodily. And one day, he will return, bodily, to judge and to make all things new.     

This is what our catechism teaches: Q. 26. What offices doth Christ execute as our Redeemer?

A. Christ, as our Redeemer, executeth the offices of a prophet, of a priest, and of a king, both in His state of humiliation and exaltation. Q. 30. Wherein did Christ’s humiliation consist?

A. Christ’s humiliation consisted in His being born, and that in a low condition, made under the law, undergoing the miseries of this life, the wrath of God, and the cursed death of the cross, in being buried, and continuing under the power of death for a time. Q. 31. Wherein consisteth Christ’s exaltation? A. Christ’s exaltation consisteth in His rising again from the dead on the third day, in ascending up into heaven, in sitting at the right hand of God the Father, and in coming to judge the world at the last day.

Notice this: Luke does not conclude his Gospel with an account of Christ’s resurrection, but mentions also his ascension into heaven (we find the same thing in Mark 16:19). And so, today, we will be considering Christ’s ascension, a doctrine that is sometimes overlooked or forgotten, I’m afraid.

First, we will consider our text. After that, we conclude with a few exhortations or suggestions for application. 

Luke 24:50-53

Our text is quite brief. In Luke 24:50, we read, “And he led them out as far as Bethany…” The NIV translates the Greek this way: “When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany…” (Luke 24:50, NIV84). I think I prefer this translation, for not only is it a valid translation of the Greek text, but it also clarified that Christ did not ascend from within the town of Bethany, but from a tract of land near Bethany, which could also be called by that name. In Acts 1:12, Luke tells us that, after Christ’s ascension into heaven, the disciples “returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away” (Acts 1:12, ESV). 

Where exactly did Christ ascend to heaven from? He ascended to heaven, not from within the town of Bethany, which was two miles to the east of Jerusalem, but from the Mount of Olives, which was a mile to the east of Jerusalem. The Mount of Olives was on the way to, and in the vicinity of, the town of Bethany, and so that tract of land was sometimes called by the name of that nearby town.  As you may remember, the Mount of Olives was one of Jesus’ favorite places. It overlooked the city of Jerusalem and the Temple to the West. It was a place of rest for Jesus and his disciples. Jesus oftentimes communed with the Father there in prayer. How fitting that this would be the place on earth from which Christ would ascend into heaven.

When did Jesus make this journey with his disciples? Luke is not specific about the timing in his Gospel. But he is specific about the timing in his second volume, the book of Acts. Listen to how the book Acts begins: “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” (Acts 1:1–3, ESV). When did Christ go to the Mount of Olives with his disciples and ascend into heaven? Forty days after his resurrection. For forty days, Christ appeared to his disciples many times, “presented himself alive to them…  by many proofs… speaking about the kingdom of God” (Acts 1:1–3, ESV). After this, he ascended.

Who was there when Christ ascended? If we look back to Luke 24:33 and forward to Acts 1:13-14, we learn that it was at least the eleven remaining disciples whio saw him ascend. Most likely, others were present too. In Acts 1:13, Luke mentions that a slightly larger group was together immediately after the ascension: “Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers” (Acts 1:13–14, ESV). In 1 Corinthians 15:6, Paul says that Jesus appeared in his resurrection to a group of over 500 people at one time. Some think that all of these were present at the ascension, but I’m not so sure. 

Where did the ascension of Christ take place? On the Mount of Olives near Bethany. When did it take place? Forty days after Christ’s resurrection. Who was there to witness it? The eleven were certainly there. Most likely, other eyewitnesses to his resurrection were there too (see Luke 24:33; Acts 1:13-14; 1 Corinthians 15:6). 

Now, what did Christ say and do before he ascended? If we go to the book of Acts, we learn that Christ gave his disciples one more lesson about the kingdom of God and reminded them of their mission immediately before he ascended.  Here is what Acts 1:6 says: “So when they had come together, they asked him, ‘Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?’” (Acts 1:6, ESV). As you can see, they still didn’t get it. Even after Christ’s resurrection, and even after he appeared to them many times over he course of forty days, “speaking [with them] about the kingdom of God” (Acts 1:3, ESV), they still couldn’t comprehend that Christ’s kingdom is not of this world, nor is it centered on ethnic Israel, but is heavenly, consisting of people from evey tongue, tribe, and nation on earth. It would still take some time for the disciples to get it (read Acts 1-11:18 for that story). “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” (Acts 1:6–9, ESV).

What did Christ say and do before he ascended? In Acts, Luke tells us that Christ instructed his disciples and reminded them of their mission. But in Luke 24:50, we read, “and lifting up his hands he blessed them” (Luke 24:50, ESV, emphasis added). 

Under the Old Covenant, Aaron and the priests who descended from him were called by God to pronounce God’s blessing upon the people of Israel. In Numbers 6:23, the LORD speaks to Moses, saying, “Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, Thus you shall bless the people of Israel: you shall say to them, The LORD bless you and keep you; the LORD make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace. ‘So shall they put my name upon the people of Israel, and I will bless them’” (Numbers 6:23–27, ESV). When Jesus lifted up his hands to bless his disciples before his departure, it was to pronounce a priestly blessing upon them, for indeed, Christ is our great High Priest, and he is superior to Arron and his sons (see Hebrews 4:14ff.).

Here is what John Gill says about that: 

“Christ, as the great high-priest, having offered himself a sacrifice for the sins of his people, lift up his hands towards his apostles, and blessed them in an authoritative way, by bestowing blessings upon them: he blessed them with a larger measure of the spirit; for though they were to wait some few days longer for the extraordinary effusion of the spirit, yet, in the mean while, they received from him more of it than they had formerly had… He blessed them with larger measures of grace, and with more spiritual light, and understanding into the Scriptures of truth, and with much inward peace of mind, and with the fresh discoveries of pardoning love; and which seemed necessary, since by their conduct towards him, one by denying him, and the rest by forsaking him, the peace of their minds was broken, and they needed a fresh application of forgiving grace. The form of blessing the people used by Aaron, and his sons, the priests, who were types of Christ, is recorded in Num. vi. 23-27. and though our Lord might not use the same form in blessing his disciples, yet it seems he used the same gesture, lifting up his hands as they did.” (Gill’s commentary on Luke 24:50)

Finally, how did Christ ascend? Verse 51 says, “While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven” (Luke 24:51, ESV). Pay careful attention to the way in which Christ departed. 

One, he did not turn his back on his disciples as if he were running away from them or abandoning them on earth. The text says, “While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven.” Christ blessed his disciples as he departed from them, and this was to show his abiding love and concern for them. This was to show that his gracious presence would remain with them. Though he would be away from them bodily, his heart was with them still. And is this not what he had promised? After he commissioned his disciples, he said, “And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:20, ESV). Before this, he spoke to them, saying, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you… “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him” (John 14:18–24, ESV). And not long before Christ’s ascension, he spoke to his disciples, saying, “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 24:49, ESV). When Jesus blessed his disciples as he departed, it sent a powerful message to them. I’m not running away from you. I’m not abandoning you. I am for you, and I am with you, to keep you and to bless you always. 

Two, Jesus did not vanish when he ascended; rather, he parted from them. And this was to show that he ascended bodily. Acts 1:9-10 tells the same story, but with more detail: “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 1:9–11, ESV). Just as Jesus was raised bodily (see Luke 24:38-39), he ascended bodily, and he will also return bodily. This is what Paul says in Colossians 2:9. He wrote these words after Christ’s ascension, and yet he wrote in the present tense, saying, “For in [Christ] the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily…” (Colossians 2:9, ESV). 

Perhaps you know that within the Lutheran tradition, you will find some who teach that the body of Christ is now ubiquitous and omnipresent. This agrees with their teaching that the body of Christ is really present with the communion elements, a doctrine known as consubstantiation. We deny this teaching. We affirm that Jesus Christ was raised from the dead bodily and that he ascended bodily. His body, though now glorified, is not capable of being in more than one place at a time. Furthermore, we affirm that Jesus Christ is omnipresent, but not according to his human nature. No, he is omnipresent according to his divine nature only. He is especially with us to bless us through the Helper, the Holy Spirit of promise that he has sent poured out from on high. 

When Jesus ascended, he did not vanish into thin air, but parted from the disciples. The disciples watched his body go up into the clouds of the first heaven. This brings us to our third observation about the way in which Jesus ascended: the text tells us that Jesus Christ was received, bodily, into heaven, that is to say, into the third heaven, where the glory of God is manifest before the holy angels and the spirits of the righteous made perfect. Jesus ascended bodily and was received by a cloud residing within the first heaven (that is to say, our sky) to show that he was received by God bodily into the third heaven (not the heaven where the sun, moon, and stars reside (that is the second heaven), but the heaven that is presently invisible to us, where the angels dwell, and where the glory of God shines forth radiantly.

It’s not so difficult for me to imagine the souls of men being received into heaven, for heaven is a spiritual place, invisible to us. But how can it be that heaven has received the man Jesus Christ, soul and body? That, dear friends, is a mystery to me. Clearly, there is something about the glorified body of Jesus that makes it fit for life in heaven, but I will confess, I cannot comprehend this. And it seems that God has determined to leave this as a mystery to us. As 1 John 3:2 says, “Beloved, we are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is” (1 John 3:2, ESV; see also Romans 8:29; 1 Corinthians 13:12; 2 Corinthains 3:18; 4:11; Philippians 3:21; 2 Peter 1:4). 

What was the manner in which Jesus ascended into heaven? Luke 24:51 says, “While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven.” And we know that when Luke used the word heaven, he meant the third heaven, for in Acts 7, he reports that, immediately before Steven, the first martyr of the church was stoned to death by the Jews, “he, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God” (Acts 7:55, ESV).

This brings us to our next question about the ascension of Christ. What did Jesus do after ascending to heaven? Answer: He sat upon the throne of his everlasting kingdom. Steven saw him standing (see Acts 7:55), for Jesus was standing for him to support him through the trial of death. But when Christ ascended to heaven, he sat down upon his eternal throne. 

This is called the session of Christ. After the Lord Jesus Christ finished the work of redemption, defeated sin, Satan, and death, and was raised to life in glory, he ascended into heaven to sit down upon the throne of the kingdom that was promised to David long before, in these words: “When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever” (2 Samuel 7:12–13, ESV). This is the moment that King David spoke of when he wrote Psalm 110: “The LORD says to my Lord: ‘Sit at my right hand, until I make your enemies your footstool’” (Psalm 110:1, ESV).

We know that, properly speaking, God does not have a right hand. What does it mean, therefore, that Christ is seated at God’s right hand? Clearly, the language is anthropomorphic. Human attributes are being attributed to God, who is without body, parts, or passions, to communicate something true to us. And what is the truth? The truth is this: The man Jesus Christ, the Son of God incarnate, has been exalted to the highest possible place. He sits now in the very presence of God in a place of unimaginable power and glory, with all authority in heaven and on earth given by God to him (see Matthew 28:18). God has placed everything under his feet. At the end of time, this man, Jesus, who has been received into heaven and is seated at God’s right hand, will, quoting now the Apostle, [deliver] the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For [Jesus] must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For [the Apostle then cites Psalm 8:6], ‘God has put all things in subjection under his feet.’ But when it says, ‘all things are put in subjection,’ it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all”. This passage that I have just read is found in 1 Corinthians 15:24-28, and I think it helps us to understand what it means for the Lord Jesus Christ to be seated at God’s right hand in heaven. 

Now for the final question about our text: What did the Apostles (and those with them) do when Jesus ascended into heaven? Verse 52: “And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy, and were continually in the temple blessing God” (Luke 24:52–53, ESV). 

Notice, briefly, three things:

One, the disciples worshiped Jesus. Let that sink in for a moment. They worshiped Jesus. Tell me, brothers and sisters, according to God’s law, who alone is to be worshipped? Only God is to be worshipped. Remeber the first two of the Ten Commandments: “You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the LORD your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments” (Exodus 20:3–6, ESV). If Jesus were merely a man, and not God with us (see Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23; Luke 1:32), then this would have been pure idolatry! If Jesus were a mere man, to worship him would be to worship a creature rather than the Creator (see Romans 1:25). But Jesus is no mere man. He is the eternally begotten Son from the Father, incarnate. He is the eternally begotten Word, the one through whom all things were made and through whom they are sustained. The disciples of Jesus knew it. This is why Thomas, after being convinced his resurrection, spoke to Jesus, saying, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28, ESV). The disciples of Jesus worshipped him when he ascended because, although he was Imanuel—God with us—from the moment he was conceived in the womb of the virgin Mary by the power of the Holy Spirit, the disciples could finally comprehend it. “And they worshipped him”, Luke says. 

Two, they returned to Jerusalem with great joy. This shows us that they worshipped Jesus by obeying his commands. Humanly speaking, Jerusalem was the last place these disciples wanted to be. This was the city that crucified the Christ. But what did Christ tell them to do? Luke 24:49: “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 24:49, ESV). They did not run home to Galilee, but returned to the city, in obedience to Christ. 

Three, they were continually in the temple blessing God. In other words, they did not hide behind locked doors for fear of the Jews, as they had done before, but they took their commissioning seriously and sought to fulfill it with boldness. According to Luke 24:47, repentance for the forgiveness of sins would have to be proclaimed in Jesus’ name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem, and these disciples were called by God to testify concerning all they had seen and heard. They were “continually in the temple blessing God” (Luke 24:53, ESV), for all that he had accomplished through Jesus Christ the Lord. 

Application

Please allow me to conclude with a few suggestions for application. Firstly, I would encourage you to ask the question, how could it be that Jesus Christ could ascend to heaven, and what does this mean for us? To help you do this, I would encourage you to go back and meditate on our Old Testament reading for today, Psalm 24. It asks an interesting question: “Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place?” (Psalm 24:3, ESV). Most assume this about ascending up into the city of Jerusalem and coming into the presence of the Lord to worship in his temple. And it is about that… kind of. But once you realize that, corresponding to the earthly city of Jerusalem is the heavenly Jerusalem, and corresponding to the earthly holy of holies is the heavenly holy of holies (see Hebrews 9), then you begin to see that this Psalm and the question it asks is really about ascending to heaven! Here the question again:  “Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place?” (Psalm 24:3, ESV). And now for the answer: “He who has clean hands and a pure heart, who does not lift up his soul to what is false and does not swear deceitfully” (Psalm 24:4, ESV). Does this describe you? Are your hands perfectly clean? Is your heart perfectly pure? Mine is not. And neither is yours. So what is the answer? “Who shall ascend the hill of the LORD? And who shall stand in his holy place?” (Psalm 24:3, ESV). The answer is, there is only one! His name is Jesus! He has truly ascended the hill of the Lord. He has been received by God into his holy place. How then can we, who are sinful and impure, stand before the Lord? Only through faith in Christ the King. Go back to the 24th Psalm and read it with the ascension of Christ in view, for that is what it is really about. Consider the end of the Psalm and see that King Jesus is the only one qualified to ascend the holy mountain. Psalm 24:7 says, “Lift up your heads, O gates! And be lifted up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in” (Psalm 24:7, ESV). Verse 8: “Who is this King of glory?” Answer: “The LORD, strong and mighty, the LORD, mighty in battle!” (Psalm 24:8, ESV). Verse 9: “Lift up your heads, O gates! And lift them up, O ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in.” (Psalm 24:9, ESV). Verse 10: “Who is this King of glory?” Answer: “The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory! Selah” (Psalm 24:10, ESV). When Jesus Christ ascended, he fulfilled this Psalm. When Jesus Christ ascended, he did what King David could only do on earth in a prototypical way. When Jesus Christ ascended, he did what King Adam failed to do. Adam sinned and fell short of the glory of God. And all born Adam ​​“have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…” (Romans 3:23, ESV). Thankfully, Jesus Christ was not born from Adam, but from above. He is the King of Glory. To him, the ancient gates of heaven have been opened, for his are clean and his heart is pure. 

Secondly, I would exhort you, brothers and sisters, as you contemplate Christ’s exaltation, to not stop with his resurrection or even his ascension, but to remember his session at God’s right hand and his eventual return. But contemplating Christ’s exultation thoroughly, it will help us to think of Jesus, not only as Savior, but also as Lord and King, for that is what he is—our Lord and King. Friends, you must think of him as such, and you must bow the knee before him to love and revere him as King. He is a wonderful King. In love, he subdues us to Himself, he rules and defends us, and he restrains and conquers all of his and our enemies (Baptist Catechism 29). Don’t you love our King? “Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory! Selah” (Psalm 24:10, ESV).

Thirdly, and finally, contemplate the fact that when Christ ascended to heaven, he was blessing his disciples. I’m not sure what exactly he said to his disciples in that moment, but we would do well to consider the many blessings that are found in the pages of Holy Scripture, many of which we use as benedictions at the end of our corporate worship each Lord’s Day. Listen to those blessings and take them to heart. Receive them as from Christ, for indeed, they are his words to his people. Friends, if you are united to Christ by faith, God and Christ are for you, and not against you. And “If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?… No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:31–39, ESV).

Posted in Sermons Joe Anady
Comments Off on Sermon: The Risen Christ Has Ascended, Luke 24:50-53 Posted by Joe

1. What is the Gospel of Luke mainly about? What have you gleaned most from this sermon series through Luke?
2. Rehearse the steps of the Son of God’s humiliation and exultation. Why did the Son of God descend (become incarnate)? Why did the Son of God ascend (as incarnate)? Did the Triune God experience any change when the Son assumed a human nature?   
3. Why was Jesus Christ, the God-man, able to ascend God’s holy hill (see Psalm 24)? What does this mean for us? 
4. Discuss the way in which Christ ascended. Three observations were drawn from Luke 24:51 concerning the way he ascended. What were they, and what do they communicate?  
5. Why is Jesus to be worshipped?

Posted in Sermons Joe Anady
Comments Off on Discussion Questions: Luke 24:50-53 Posted by Joe

Baptist Catechism 3

Q. 3. How may we know there is a God?

A. The light of nature in man and the works of God plainly declare that there is a God; but His Word and Spirit only do it fully and effectually for the salvation of sinners.  (Rom. 1:18-20; Psalm 19:1,2; 2 Tim. 3:15; 1 Cor. 1:21-24; 1 Cor. 2:9,10)

Scripture Reading: Psalm 19

“TO THE CHOIRMASTER. A PSALM OF DAVID. The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge. There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard. Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them he has set a tent for the sun, which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber, and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy. Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them, and there is nothing hidden from its heat. The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward. Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults. Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins; let them not have dominion over me! Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression. Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.” (Psalm 19, ESV)

*****

Introduction

The first three questions of the catechism are very foundational.

If you remember, question one asked, “Who is the first and chiefest being?” Answer: “God is the first and chiefest being.” Truly, there is no question more foundational than this. Here we confess that there is a being who is above all other beings and is the source of all other beings, both in nature and in grace. 

Question two then asked, “Ought everyone to believe there is a God?” Answer: “Everyone ought to believe there is a God, and it is their great sin and folly who do not.” Soon we will learn that belief in the existence of God is not the only important thing for us to believe. No, we must believe the right things about God, ourselves, and the Savior that God has provided for us now that we are fallen into sin. But belief in the existence of God is most foundational. It is impossible to please God if we do not first believe that he exists. And to deny his existence, either in the mind and heart or in practice, is the root of all foolishness. 

Question three is also very foundational. It addresses, in brief, the question, how do we know? Have you ever thought about the question, how do we know? Epistemology is the branch of philosophy that deals with questions about knowledge. How do we know things? This is a most fundamental question. In particular, our catechism is asking, “how may we know there is a God?” The answer that is given is brief but very profound. “The light of nature in man and the works of God plainly declare that there is a God; but His Word and Spirit only do it fully and effectively for the salvation of sinners.“

*****

Revelation

If I had to choose one word to sum up what is said in response to the question, “how may we know there is a God?”, it would be the word “revelation”. We may know that there is a God (along with many other true things about God, ourselves, and this world that God has made) because of revelation. 

To reveal is to uncover or disclose. And how has God revealed the truth of his existence to us? Two things are mentioned in this short little answer. One, God reveals the truth of his existence to us through the light of nature that is in man. Two, God reveals the truth of his existence to us through his works. And then we find this little word of clarification: “but His Word and Spirit only do it fully and effectively for the salvation of sinners.”   

*****

The Light Of Nature In Man

When our catechism speaks of the “light of nature in man,” it refers to the fact that God has made man in such a way that man knows there is God who is to be worshiped. Have you noticed that all men have this impulse to worship? It has been this way throughout the history of the world. Men and women everywhere feel compelled to honor a god. They pray, they observe holy days, they seek to order their lives in a way that honors their god. Humans have been made in such a way that they know inwardly that God exists. 

You say, well what about the atheists? Two things: One, it is my observation that there are very few true and consistent atheists in the world. In my experience, you will often find even those who claim to be atheists praying to a god in times of trouble. Two, those who are true and consistent atheists must work very hard to suppress the truth about the existence of God that is in them. This is what is described in Romans 1, where Paul writes, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” (Romans 1:18–20, ESV). If someone is an atheist, either intellectually or practically, they must “suppress the truth” regarding the existence of God continuously. 

So what is it about the makeup of man that testifies to the existence of God? Well, we know that men and women are made in the image of God. God created man in such a way that men and women relate to God. Man is able to reason. We have a conscience. We know right from wrong intuitively. All of this has been distorted by the fall, of course. And as I have said, men do suppress this truth that is within them. But there it remains nonetheless.

So God reveals the truth regarding his existence in man. 

*****

The Works Of God

Secondly, the truth regarding the existence of God is also revealed in the works of God. Hear or catechism again: “The light of nature in man and the works of God plainly declare that there is a God.” So then, man inwardly knows that God exists. And he also knows that God exists as he observes the works of God in creation, providence, and for some, in redemption.

God reveals himself in his work of creation. Psalm 19 says, “The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork. Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.” (Psalm 19:1–2, ESV)

God also reveals himself in his works of providence. When we speak of God’s providence, we are referring to his governing and upholding of the world that he has made. God created the heavens and the earth, and he also maintains them. This is providence.  

Years ago, my son was telling me about a childhood friend of his who said, I don’t believe in God. I believe in science. That sounds so silly to me. What is science except for the observation of the natural world? And if men were honest about their observations, I think they would confess that the created world screams that God exists. There is so much evidence for design. Where did this universe come from? How is it so orderly? How is it sustained? So much can be said about this, but I think you get the point. God’s works of creation and providence testify to his existence. 

So too his work of redemption. All men may observe God’s works of creation and providence. Not all have observed God’s redemptive works. In fact, very few have. Think of the Exodus. Many Hebrews and Egyptians saw God’s mighty deeds. But their number was very few in comparison to the whole of the human race. Think also of the life of Christ, his death, and resurrection. Those who beheld his glory were relatively few. Nevertheless, God’s works of redemption do testify to his existence. 

But notice the limitations of these forms of revelation. What do “the light of nature in man and the works of God plainly declare”? They reveal that God exists. Again, “The light of nature in man and the works of God plainly declare that there is a God”. This is why “the light of nature in man and the works of God” are called general revelation. They come to all men generally, and they reveal general truths, namely that God exists, that he is powerful, and worthy to be praised. But that is as far as general revelation can take us.

*****

Word And Spirit

Therefore, lastly, our catechism tells us where full and saving knowledge of God may be found: ‘but His Word and Spirit only do it fully and effectively for the salvation of sinners.”

How may we come to know God truly unto the salvation of our souls?

One, we must listen to God’s Word. God has not only revealed himself in nature, but he has also spoken. Hebrews 1:1 says, “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world” (Hebrews 1:1–2, ESV). So then, God has spoken through the prophets. He has spoken supremely through his Son. And we have a record of these words in the Holy Scriptures, which are the written, inspired, and inerrant Word of God. It is here in the Scriptures that the gospel of Jesus Christ is found. And it is through this gospel that salvation comes to sinful men and women. 

Two, now that we are fallen in sin, dead, blind, and deaf, spiritually speaking, the Spirit of God must make us alive. He must open our blind eyes and unstop our deaf ears, spiritually speaking, to enable us to place our faith in Jesus Christ as he is offered to us in the word of the gospel. Question 34 of our catechism will teach us more about the work of the Spirit in bringing us to faith in Christ. It asks, “What is effectual calling?” It answers, “Effectual calling is the work of God’s Spirit, whereby, convincing us of our sin and misery, enlightening our minds in the knowledge of Christ, and renewing our wills, He doth persuade and enable us to embrace Jesus Christ, freely offered to us in the Gospel.” Question 3 prepares us for that teaching. 

*****

Conclusion

I hope you can see that the question, How may we know?, is truly foundational to all of life’s questions. And it is clearly foundational to a document whose purpose is to teach us what to believe about God, man, and what it is that God requires of us. Q. 3. How may we know there is a God? A. The light of nature in man and the works of God plainly declare that there is a God; but His Word and Spirit only do it fully and effectively for the salvation of sinners.  (Rom. 1:18-20; Psalm 19:1,2; 2 Tim. 3:15; 1 Cor. 1:21-24; 1 Cor. 2:9,10)

Posted in Sermons Joe Anady
Comments Off on Catechetical Sermon: How May We Know There Is A God?, Baptist Catechism 3 Posted by Joe

1. Why is Baptist Catechism 3 such an important, foundational question?
2. What is meant by “light of nature”?
3. What is meant by “the works of God”?
4. To know God truly and savingly, we must hear his word. Why?
5. To know God truly and savingly, God’s Spirit must work upon our hearts. Why?

Posted in Study Guides Joe Anady
Comments Off on Discussion Questions: Baptist Catechism 3 Posted by Joe

Old Testament Reading: Psalm 86

“A PRAYER OF DAVID. Incline your ear, O LORD, and answer me, for I am poor and needy. Preserve my life, for I am godly; save your servant, who trusts in you—you are my God. Be gracious to me, O Lord, for to you do I cry all the day. Gladden the soul of your servant, for to you, O Lord, do I lift up my soul. For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you. Give ear, O LORD, to my prayer; listen to my plea for grace. In the day of my trouble I call upon you, for you answer me. There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours. All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name. For you are great and do wondrous things; you alone are God. Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth; unite my heart to fear your name. I give thanks to you, O Lord my God, with my whole heart, and I will glorify your name forever. For great is your steadfast love toward me; you have delivered my soul from the depths of Sheol. O God, insolent men have risen up against me; a band of ruthless men seeks my life, and they do not set you before them. But you, O Lord, are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. Turn to me and be gracious to me; give your strength to your servant, and save the son of your maidservant. Show me a sign of your favor, that those who hate me may see and be put to shame because you, LORD, have helped me and comforted me.” (Psalm 86, ESV, emphasis added)

New Testament Reading: Luke 24:36-49

“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. 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 for the 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 24:36–49, ESV)

*****

Please excuse any typos and misspellings within this manuscript. It has been published online for the benefit of the saints of Emmaus Reformed Baptist Church, but without the benefit of proofreading.

Introduction

As I have said in previous sermons, the main point of the 24th chapter of Luke’s gospel is that Jesus Christ is risen, he is risen indeed. If you don’t hear anything else in this sermon, I hope you hear that. As we begin, it should be noted that the text we are considering today is similar to the previous one. In the previous text, Jesus appeared to two disciples who were on the road to Emmaus to prove to them that he was alive. He took them to the Old Testament Scriptures to demonstrate that it was necessary for the Christ to enter into glory through suffering. And here in Luke 24:36-49, something similar is described. The risen Christ appears to the eleven and to the others who were with them in Jerusalem. After proving to them that he was raised from the dead bodily, he takes them to the Old Testament Scriptures to show that these things were foretold. Though these two passages are similar, they are not the same. There are certain truths emphasized in this text that were not emphasized in the previous one, and so we will pay special attention to these details. My hope is that our understanding of and appreciation for all that was accomplished when Christ died and rose again would increase, and that our gratitude and love for God and Christ would deepen as a result. 

Our text can be divided into three sections: One, in verses 36-43, we see that Jesus appeared to the eleven disciples (and to those with them) to prove he was raised bodily to life in glory. Two, in verses 44-47, we see that Jesus appeared to these disciples to show them that these things were foretold in the Old Testament Scriptures. Three, in verses 48 and 49, we see that Jesus appeared to these disciples to prepare them for the future. These are the broad contours of the text. We will notice details along the way.   

Jesus Appeared To His Disciples To Prove He Was Raised Bodily To Life In Glory

First, in verses 36-43, we see that Jesus appeared to the eleven disciples (and to those with them) to prove he was raised bodily to life in glory.

In verse 36, we read, “As they were talking about these things…” “They” refers back to the eleven apostles and those who were with them in Jerusalem, including the two who returned to Jerusalem from Emmaus after communing with the risen Christ there. “As they were talking about these things” — that is, the news that Simon Peter had seen the risen Christ, and also the report from the two who had traveled to Emmaus and back— “As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, ‘Peace to you!’” (Luke 24:36, ESV). The Apostle John clarifies in his gospel that one of the eleven, named Thomas, had left before Jesus appeared (see John 20:24), but he tells the same story. In John 20:19, we read,  “On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you’” (John 20:19, ESV).

“Peace to you”. What a wonderful greeting.  This was not a common greeting among the Jews, but it was the greeting that Jesus delivered to his disciples after he was raised from the dead. Notice the love and grace of Jesus. These disciples had not behaved well over the past few days. They abandoned their Lord in the time of his great trial. They were fearful and unbelieving. And yet the first words that Jesus spoke to them were kind and comforting: “peace to you”, he said. 

These disciples were to be at peace inwardly because Christ was raised from the dead. Through Christ, they had victory over Satan, sin, and death. Through Christ, their sins were washed away. Through Christ, they were accounted righteous before God. Through Christ, they were made to be at peace with God, being reconciled to him through the cross. This greeting was not haphazardly spoken. No, it was a carefully selected greeting— a fitting greeting given the circumstances. Christ had just made peace between God and man through his work on the cross, and so, when he appeared to his disciples, he said, “Peace to you”. As fearful and disbelieving as they were, this gracious greeting must have been a great comfort to the disciples. “Peace to you”, Christ said. 

Brothers and sisters, you must know that Christ greets you in the same way even to this present day. If you are united to Jesus by faith—if you have confessed him as Lord and have him as Savior—if you are a disciple of his, he greets you with this same greeting: “peace to you.” There is a reason why the Apostle Paul began each one of his letters to the churches with this greeting, or one very much like it: “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.” (Romans 1:7, ESV; see also 1 Corinthians 1:3, 2 Corinthians 1:2, Galatians 1:3, Ephesians 1:2, Philippians 1:2, Colossians 1:2. 1 Thessalonians 1:1, 2 Thessalonians 1:2, and, though not to a church, Philemon 3). This is also the greeting that the Apostle John delivered to the churches in Asia at the head of the book of Revelation: “John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come…” (Revelation 1:4, ESV). And there is a good reason why an elder of this church delivers this same greeting to you at the beginning of corporate worship each Lord’s Day: “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 1:7, ESV). 

Dear brothers and sisters, by God’s grace, Christ has brought us peace. We have peace with God and, therefore, we ought to have peace within our souls, through the victorious life, death, burial, and resurrection of King Jesus. If you are a disciple of Jesus and you are not at peace inwardly, you must go to Jesus to lay hold of this peace that is yours. You must go to Jesus to contemplate the victory he has won for you, the peace with God that he has secured for you, and the precious and very great promises he has delivered to you. Run to Jesus to contemplate these truths and to lay hold of the peace that is yours in Christ Jesus the Lord. Here is the objective truth for the believer: “since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1, ESV). That is the objective and unshakable truth. Hear it again: “we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” And the believer must let this peace rule within their heart subjectively, as the Apostle says in Colossians 3:15: “And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful” (Colossians 3:15, ESV).

When Christ appeared to the eleven and those with them in Jerusalem on that first Lord’s Day, he greeted them with these words: “Peace to you!” In verse 37, we read, “But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit” (Luke 24:37, ESV).

Here we have yet another indication that Jesus looked somewhat different after his resurrection from the dead than before. Question: Was it the same body that was laid in the grave that was raised to life on the third day? Answer: Yes, indeed, as we will soon see. But we must not forget that the body of Jesus was raised to glory. In other words, the body of Jesus was not raised to the same quality or condition of life that it had prior to death, but to a new and higher quality or condition. It was the same body, but it was raised to a different quality, condition, or we might say, state of being. 

Dear brothers and sisters, now that mankind has fallen into sin, our natural bodies are weak and prone to corruption and decay. The Son of God assumed a body like this in his incarnation. In humility, he assumed a body like ours. He grew in wisdom and stature, remember? He experienced hunger, thirst, pain, and eventually, death. Think of that for a moment—the human body that the person of the eternally begotten Son from the Father assumed was capable of suffering and of death. But when the body of Jesus was raised, it was raised to glory. This means that the body he had after his resurrection, though truly related to the body he had prior to it, was transformed into a different state of being. 

In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul speaks very clearly about the relationship between the physical bodies we have now and the physical bodies we will have in the resurrection on the last day. In that passage, he uses the analogy of a seed, and what a helpful analogy that is. Seeds and the plants that spring from them are, on the one hand, intimately connected. The plant springs from the seed. Without the seed, there is no plant. The plant and the seed are substantially the same, therefore. But the plant that springs from the seed is also different. It is greater. It rises higher. In verse 42 of 1 Corinthians 15, Paul says,  “So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. Thus it is written, ‘The first man Adam became a living being’; the last Adam [Jesus] became a life-giving spirit. But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven” (1 Corinthians 15:42–49, ESV). 

There is much that could be said about that glorious text. But here is what I want you to see today. In the resurrection, we will have bodies. There will be a substantial connection between the bodies we now have and the bodies that will be ours for eternity. Although how this works is a mystery, your natural body will be like a seed from which your glorified body springs forth, maintaining a substantial connection between the two. If you are a male, you will be raised male. If you are a female, you will be raised female. You will be recognizable, having a similar stature and form. But in the resurrection, the Spirit of God will glorify and empower the bodies of those in Christ so that what was sown into the earth perishable will be raised imperishable. What was sown in dishonor will be raised in glory. What was sown in weakness will be raised in power. In short, what was sown a natural body will be raised a spiritual body, that is to say, a body glorified, animated, and empowered by the Spirit of God. What, then, will be the qualities of our resurrected bodies? Francis Turriten lists four qualities: Incorruption, brightness and glory, power, and spirituality (see Turriten, Institutes Of Elenctic Theology, vol 3, page 618). Again, when the Scriptures say that our bodies will be spiritual in the resurrection, it does not mean non-material. Instead, it means that our bodies will be glorified, empowered, and animated by the Spirit of God in us, and that we will be free from all corruptions and dependence upon earthly things for life.  

This is the metamorphosis that the believer will experience on the last day, and it is precisely the metamorphosis that the physical body of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ underwent when he died and rose again on the third day. In his humiliation, the eternally begotten Son of God assumed a human nature just like ours, body and soul. His humiliation culminated in his death—his soul descended to Sheol, and his body was laid in the grave. But did not allow his body to see corruption (see Psalm 16:10). On the third day, he was raised bodily to life in glory, and so his humiliation had ended and his exultation had begun (see Philippians 2:1-11). As it pertains to his body, what was sown perishable was raised imperishable. What was sown in dishonor was raised in glory. What was sown in weakness was raised in power. Those united to Christ by faith will be raised bodily to glory only because Christ was raised bodily to glory. This is why he is called the firstfruits in 1 Corinthians 15:20, which means he is the first of a kind. When we are raised, our bodies will be like his resurrection body. This is what Paul says in Philippians 3:20-21: “But our citizenship is in heaven, and from it we await a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself” (Philippians 3:20–21, ESV). 

That Jesus appeared somewhat different after his resurrection than before it is made clear by the reaction of the disciples. “But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit.” (Luke 24:37, ESV). The NKJV say, “they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit” (Luke 24:37, NKJV). In this instance, Christ likely appeared bright and glorious, and so they were “terrified”. 

It must be remembered that the eternally begotten Son of God shares in the brightness of the Father’s glory eternally. Never has, and never will that, change. But when the Son of God assumed a human nature, that glory, which belongs to the person of the Son eternally and unchangeably, was, for a time, veiled in the man Jesus. Nothing changed in God, mind you. The triune God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. In him there is no shadow or variation due to change. But the glory of the Son did not radiate through the man Jesus Christ in the days of his earthly ministry. The glory of the eternally begotten Son was veiled in the man Jesus. There is one exception. On the mount of transfiguration, the glory of the Son did, for a brief moment, shine forth. Peter, James, and John saw it. Luke 9:29 says, “And as [Jesus] was praying, the appearance of his face was altered, and his clothing became dazzling white” (Luke 9:29, ESV). For a moment, the glory that belongs eternally to the Son was permitted to shine forth. It was also a preview of what was to come. After the man, Jesus Christ, finished his work, he would enter into glory. Or to use the language of Jesus’ high priestly prayer, after finishing his work, the Father would “glorify [the man Jesus, or great High Priest and King] in [his] own presence with the glory that [the Son] had with [the Father] before the world existed” (John 17:5, ESV). Again, I say, when the Son assumed a human nature, nothing changed within God. The Son, the second person of the Triune God, was as glorious as ever when Christ walked upon the earth. But the glory of the person of the Son was veiled in Christ in the days of his humiliation. But after the man Jesus was raised from the dead, Jesus Christ entered into glory. It seems to me that in this instance, the glory of the risen Christ did shine forth, for, when the disciples saw him, “they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit” (Luke 24:37, NKJV). Jesus was raised to life in glory.

As we continue in our text, notice how much emphasis is placed on Jesus being raised from the dead bodily. Verse 38: “And [Jesus] 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 24:38–43, ESV).

This proves what has already been said. Jesus was raised bodily. And it is only because Jesus was raised bodily that we shall be raised bodily too. The disciples could see the marks from the nails on his hands and feet. They could see that it was he himself. In other words, they could see that the same body that was crucified and buried had also been raised. They could touch him. They could perceive that he was flesh and bone. He even ate fish in front of them to prove he was raised bodily.

The little phrase, “And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling,” is interesting. I like the way the NIV translates the Greek: “And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, ‘Do you have anything here to eat?” (Luke 24:41, NIV84). Have you ever been so overjoyed about some news that, at first, you could hardly believe it was true? That was the state of mind of the disciples when Jesus appeared to them. Our Lord has been raised from the dead bodily! And look at the body he now has! He has clearly been raised to a new and higher state of being! He has been raised in glory! This is far more than we ever expected! Their minds could not at first comprehend it, and who are we to judge them? I’m sure I would have struggled more. 

So, the disciples were at first disbelieving. Luke does not tell the story about doubting Thomas. John does, though. I’ll read it to you now because it complements Luke’s account so well. John 20:24 says, “Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord.’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.’ Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.’ Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed’” (John 20:24–29, ESV). All of the disciples were at first disbelieving. Thomas was doubting severely. But when he saw the risen Christ, and touched his hands and feet, he believed. And when he believed, he made a wonderful confession. He spoke to Jesus, saying, “My Lord and my God!”.

Jesus Appeared To His Disciples To Show Them That These Were Foretold In The Scriptures 

This brings us to the second portion of the text. Not only did Jesus appear to the disciples to prove that he was raised bodily, in verses 44-47, but we see that Jesus took them to the Old Testament Scriptures to show them that these things were foretold. 

Remember, this is precisely what Jesus did with the two on the road to Emmaus. They were disbelieving, and so Jesus spoke to them, saying, “‘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 24:25–27, ESV). When Jesus appeared to the eleven and those who were with them in Jerusalem, “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” (Luke 24:44, ESV). 

Notice three differences: 

One, Jesus took the disciples on the road to Emmaus to the Scriptures before revealing his true identity to them, whereas in Jerusalem, the order was reversed. He revealed his true identity, and then he took them to the Scriptures. These two approaches taken by the risen Christ agree with what we experience in the Christian life. On the one hand, our eyes had to be opened to the truths revealed in Scripture before we could see Jesus, perceive our need for him, and come to him by faith. But on the other hand, after we believe, Jesus constantly takes us back to the Scriptures to deepen our understanding of who he is and what he has accomplished to strengthen our faith in him and deepen our love and devotion (this is what Paul prays for in Ephesians 1:15-23).

Two, in Jerusalem, Jesus not only took the disciples to the Scriptures, he also reminded them of the things he had said to them before his death. “Then he said to them, ‘These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you…’” (Luke 24:44, ESV). It is very interesting to consider that Jesus taught his disciples many things in the three years they walked with him in the days of his earthly ministry, but that they remained largely ignorant concerning his mission. They continued to expect Christ to establish an earthly kingdom. Those Christ was very clear with them about his future sufferings, death, and resurrection, they could not comprehend what he was saying. This was because they did not have a place in their minds and hearts for a suffering Savior.  These disciples of Jesus—even the twelve—would have to recall all that Jesus had taught them and interpret his words a new and afresh in light of the fact of his resurrection from the dead. For this reason, Jesus promised that the Father would send them “the Helper, the Holy Spirit… in [his] name” and said, “he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (John 14:26, ESV).

Three, when Jesus took the two on the road to Emmaus to the Old Testament Scriptures, he especially showed them that it was “necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” The two on the road to Emmaus were especially perplexed by the sufferings and death of Christ, and so Jesus demonstrated to them from the Scriptures that it was necessary for Christ to first suffer and die, and then to enter glory. The Old Testament Scriptures predicted the sufferings, death, and resurrection of Christ, and Jesus fulfilled the Scriptures when he suffered, died, and rose again. We considered some of those passages that prophesy concerning the sufferings and subsequent glories of the Messiah last Sunday (see Genesis 3:16; Psalm 22, Psalm 16:10-11; Psalm 40; Isaiah 53; Zechariah 12:10). Notice that Christ emphasized slightly different things when he appeared to his disciples in Jerusalem. 

Verse 44: “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 for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem” (Luke 24:44–47, ESV).

I see two differences when compared to the teaching delivered to the two on the road to Emmaus. 

One, Jesus not only taught these disciples that his resurrection was predicted in the Scriptures, but that his resurrection on the third day was prophesied. It is worth noting that Paul says the same thing in 1 Corinthains 15:4 in the words, “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve,” etc. (1 Corinthians 15:3–5, ESV). 

Where does the Old Testament teach that Christ would be raised specifically on the third day? Listen to what John Gill says in his commentary on 1 Corinthians 15:4:

“And that [the Christ] should rise again the third day, is not only suggested in Hos. vi. 2. but was prefigured by the deliverance of Isaac on the third day after Abraham had given him up for dead, from whence he received him, in a figure of Christ’s resurrection; and by Jonah’s deliverance out of the whale’s belly, after he had been in it three days.”

If Isaiah and Jonah typified or prefigured Christ (which they did), then it is not difficult to see how the third-day resurrection of Christ was predicted in a typological way through their experiences. The Hosah 6:2 passage that Gill cites is really remarkable. It says, “Come, let us return to the LORD; for he has torn us, that he may heal us; he has struck us down, and he will bind us up. After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him” (Hosea 6:1–2, ESV).

Two, when Jesus met with his disciples in Jerusalem, he also drew attention to the fact that the Old Testament Scriptures predicted the proclamation of the gospel and the expansion of the kingdom of God amongst the Gentile nations. He said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem” (Luke 24:46–47, ESV, emphasis added).

Here is yet another truth that the disciples struggled to comprehend before Christ’s resurrection from the dead—that Christ came to save, not only Jews, but people from every tongue, tribe, and nation on earth. In fact, when you read Luke’s second volume, the book of Acts, you can see that the disciples continued to struggle with this truth for a time. It’s not hard to understand why. From the days of Abraham (who lived 2,000 years before the birth of Christ) up until the day of Pentecost, God’s eternal kingdom was prefigured on earth only in the nation of Isarel. It was to the Israelites that God gave “the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the worship, and the promises” (Romans 9:4, ESV). But all of that changed when the Messiah came, and especially when he rose from the grave, ascended to the Father, and poured out his Spirit on all flesh. The Messiah, you see, is the Savior of the world. This does not mean that he saved every human who has ever lived (we are not universalists, for that is heresy), but that he came to save his elect from every tongue, tribe, and nation on earth. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16, ESV).

Soon, Jesus would commission these disciples of his, saying, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age” (Matthew 28:18–20, ESV). But first, he taught them that these things were foretold in the Old Testament Scriptures. In other words, it is not just the New Testament that teaches that “repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in [Jesus] name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem” (Luke 24:47, ESV)—the Old Testament Scriptures prophesied concerning this development. 

Frankly, you’d have to be blind not to see it. But we are by nature blind to these things, aren’t we? And even after we are regenerated, we sometimes learn slowly. Where does the Old Testament teach that God planned to bring salvation to the nations through the Messiah? Everywhere. 

It is implied in the first promise of the gospel spoken by God in the curse he pronounced upon the Serpent in the hearing of Adam and Eve: “I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” (Genesis 3:15, ESV). Satan brought sin and death upon the entire human race, and the promise was that a Savior would come from Eve to reverse all of that. In other words, the good news of salvation through the Messiah was not delivered first to Abraham, but to Abam. Therefore, the gospel was not for the Hebrews only, but for humanity. 

And when God did set the Hebrews apart as holy, the “LORD said to Abram, ‘Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed’” (Genesis 12:1–3, ESV). From the start, the plan was to bless the nations through Abraham’s seed. 

Psalm 72 is about the Messiah. Verse 7 says, “In his days may the righteous flourish, and peace abound, till the moon be no more! May he have dominion from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth!” (Psalm 72:7–8, ESV).

Psalm 86:9 says, “All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name” (Psalm 86:9, ESV).

Isaiah 42:6 is about the Messiah. It says, “I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness” (Isaiah 42:6–7, ESV).

Isaiah 49 is also about the Messiah. It says, “It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” (Isaiah 49:6, ESV)

Isaiah 9 is about the Messiah. Zechariah quoted this passage when his son John the Baptist, the forerunner of the Messiah, was born. “But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light; those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone” (Isaiah 9:1–2, ESV).

Dear friends, Jesus is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29). As John says, “And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world” (1 John 4:14, ESV). Again, this was not a new idea that Christains came up with. No, the Old Testament Scriptures teach that “repentance for the forgiveness of sins [would] be proclaimed in [Jesus] name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem” (Luke 24:47, ESV). The teaching has always been there. After Jesus was raised, he opened the minds of his disciples so they could finally see it.

Jesus Appeared To His Disciples To Prepare Them For The Future

This brings us to the final section of our text. My comments about this section will be very brief. In verses 48 and 49, we see that Jesus appeared to these disciples to prepare them for the future. “You are witnesses of these things” (Luke 24:48, ESV), Christ said. What is a witness? A witness testifies to others concerning what they have experienced, seen, or heard. What would these disciples testify about? They would testify about Jesus’ life, teachings, miracles, death, burial, resurrection, and ascension, all as the fulfillment of the Old Testament Scriptures. And who would they testify to? All who would hear them from every tongue, tribe, and nation. As witnesses, many of these disciples would become martyrs. And so, with the passing of time, the Greek word for witness (μάρτυς) became associated with death. A “martyr” is one who is killed for their testimony concerning Jesus Christ. “You are witnesses of these things” (Luke 24:48, ESV), Christ said. These words were meant to prepare the disciples for the formal commission they would soon receive from Jesus: “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, ESV). 

Lastly, Jesus warned his disciples not to proceed in their own strength but to wait for the promised Holy Spirit. Verse 49:  “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 24:49, ESV). The Holy Spirit is referred to as the “promise of my Father” because this outpouring of the Spirit on all flesh was promised and foretold in the Old Testament Scriptures. Joel 2:28 says, “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions” (Joel 2:28, ESV). Isaiah 44:3 says, “For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants” (Isaiah 44:3, ESV). In Ezekiel 39:29, the LORD promised, “And I will not hide my face anymore from them, when I pour out my Spirit upon the house of Israel, declares the Lord GOD” (Ezekiel 39:29, ESV). Dear friends, those days have come. These last days, the days of the New Covenant, the days between Christ’s first coming and his eventual return, are the days of the Spirit, for Christ, having been raised to glory and having ascended to the Father’s right hand, has the authority to send forth the Spirit as our Helper. Jesus instructed his disciples to wait for the Spirit, and he warned them against proceeding before being “clothed with power from on high.” 

In this way, Christ prepared his disciples for the future. 

Posted in Sermons Joe Anady Luke 24:36-49
Comments Off on Sermon: Peace To You, Luke 24:36-49 Posted by Joe

1. When Christ appeared to his disciples, he greeted them with these words: “Peace to you”. Why? How does Christ greet his disciples today? Why?
2. Christ was raised bodily. What was his body like after his resurrection? Compare and contrast it with his body before his resurrection.
3. What does Christ’s resurrected body have to do with you and me? 
4. What will we be like after Christ returns to raise the dead, judge, and make all things new?  
5. When Jesus met with his disciples in Jerusalem, he did the same thing as he did with two on the road to Emmaus—he took them to the Old Testament Scriptures. What did he focus on with his disciples in Jerusalem? 
6. Was the gospel going to the nations and the kingdom of God spreading amongst the nations, a new idea cooked up by Jesus and his disciples? Discuss.
7. What Old Testament texts would you go to to demonstrate that God planned to redeem people from every tongue, tribe, and nation from the start? 
8. Was the Holy Spirit active before Jesus’ resurrection and ascension? Hint: Yes! Why then is there such an emphasis on the outpouring of the Spirit under the New Covenant? What is different about the Spirit’s activities? 
9. How do you plan to apply this text to your life?

Posted in Study Guides Joe Anady
Comments Off on Discussion Questions: Luke 24:36-49 Posted by Joe

Baptist Catechism 1 & 2

Q. 1. Who is the first and chiefest being?

A. God is the first and chiefest being. (Isaiah 44:6; Psalm 8:1; 97:9)

Q. 2. Ought everyone to believe there is a God?

A. Everyone ought to believe there is a God; and it is their great sin and folly who do not. (Hebrews 11:6, Psalm 14:1)

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 44:6–8

“Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts: ‘I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god. Who is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and set it before me, since I appointed an ancient people. Let them declare what is to come, and what will happen. Fear not, nor be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? And you are my witnesses! Is there a God besides me? There is no Rock; I know not any.’” (Isaiah 44:6–8, ESV)

*****

Introduction

You notice that we have now come full circle back to the beginning of our catechism. Our catechism provides us with a faithful summary of the core tenets of the Christian faith as they are found in the pages of Holy Scripture. It should be no surprise to find that our catechism begins with the most foundational tenets of the Christian faith.  When learning to read one must start with the A-B-C’s. When learning math one must learn how to count and how to add. And when learning the great doctrines of the Christian faith one must begin with the most foundational principles of religion. And that is where our catechism begins – questions 1 through 6 deal with the first principles of the Christian religion. 

*****

Who Is The First And Chiefest Being?

(This manuscript draws heavily on Benjamin Beddome’s A Scriptural Exposition Of The Baptist Catechism) 

Question 1 asks, who is the first and chiefest being? The answer is brief: God is the first and chiefest being. 

This is a great place to start when talking about theology. All good theology starts with God.

When we say that God is the first being, what do we mean? Many things!

God is the first of all beings because he was before all others. “Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: “I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god.” (Isaiah 44:6, ESV)

God is also the first cause of all other beings. All other beings were brought into existence by him and for him. “Yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist.” (1 Corinthians 8:6, ESV)

God is the first in providence. By this, we mean, he is the one who upholds the world. “In him we live and move and have our being… For we are indeed his offspring.” (Acts 17:28, ESV)

God is first in the world of grace. He is the source of every blessing that is ours in Christ Jesus. “All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself…” (2 Corinthians 5:18, ESV)

God is the first to love. “We love because he first loved us.” (1 John 4:19, ESV)

God is the first to give. “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” (Romans 11:35, ESV)

So this little statement that God is the first being is very profound. When we think of the world and all that has been made, we must remember that there is a being who is first. He is before all others. He is the first cause of all things. He is the creator, sustainer, and redeemer of all things. He is our source. 

And what about the statement that God is the chiefest being? What do we mean by that? 

When we say that God is chiefest, we mean that no one outranks God. “Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?” (Exodus 15:11, ESV)

God is above all so-called gods. “For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods.” (Psalm 95:3, ESV)

God is chief in heaven. “For who in the skies can be compared to the Lord? Who among the heavenly beings is like the Lord, a God greatly to be feared in the council of the holy ones, and awesome above all who are around him? O Lord God of hosts, who is mighty as you are, O Lord, with your faithfulness all around you?” (Psalm 89:6–8, ESV)

God is chief on earth. “For you, O Lord, are most high over all the earth…” (Psalm 97:9, ESV)

God alone is chief – he shares his supremacy with no one. “I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me.” (Psalm 57:2, ESV)

God will forever maintain his supremacy. “The stupid man cannot know; the fool cannot understand this: that though the wicked sprout like grass and all evildoers flourish, they are doomed to destruction forever; but you, O Lord, are on high forever.” (Psalm 92:6–8, ESV)

Hear Baptist Catechism question 1 again. Who is the first and chiefest being? A. God is the first and chiefest being. (Isaiah 44:6; Psalm 8:1; 97:9) Those who get this simple answer correct will find themselves off to a very good start in their pursuit of true doctrine. Those who get this answer wrong will find themselves on a very dark path. 

*****

Ought Everyone To Believe There Is A God?

Question two of our catechism then asks, Ought everyone to believe there is a God? A: Everyone ought to believe there is a God; and it is their great sin and folly who do not. 

Of course, our catechism, just like the Scriptures, will have a lot more to say regarding what men should believe about God. Also, our catechism will teach that men must put their faith in Jesus if they wish to know God truly, now that we have fallen into sin. But it is right that we start here with this declaration that men ought to believe that God exists. In fact, our catechism adds, “it is their great sin and folly who do not.”  It is a great sin not to believe that God exists, and it is great folly.

The scriptures teach this very thing. “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God…’” (Psalm 14:1a, ESV)

To please God, it is first required to believe that he exists. “And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.” (Hebrews 11:6, ESV)

Disbelief in the existence of God opens the door to all manner of immorality and sin. “They…” the fool who says in his heart, “There is no God…” “are corrupt, they do abominable deeds; there is none who does good.” (Psalm 14:1b, ESV)

Belief in the existence of God is foundational to all practical religion. “How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? (Romans 10:14, ESV)

*****

Conclusion

It should be clear to all that these questions and answers are the most foundational questions that one can ask. What we say in response to these questions will have a tremendous impact on the trajectory of our lives here on earth. And what we say in response to these questions will have a tremendous impact on our eternal destiny.  

These fundamental questions might seem like they are below those who have been in the faith for a while, but I would challenge you to think otherwise. It is good even for the seasoned believer to ask, Am I living as if there is a God? Am I honoring him as the first and chiefest being? 

Brothers and sisters, is the Lord first in your thoughts and first in your esteem? Have you given yourself first unto him? Is the Lord chiefly loved by you and chiefly feared? 

Let us conclude with Deuteronomy 10:12: “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul.” 

Happy are those who worship God supremely, for he is worthy to receive all praise, and we were made for this purpose, to worship and glorify his most holy name.

Posted in Sermons Joe Anady
Comments Off on Catechetical Sermon: Who Is The First And Chiefest Being, And Ought Everyone To Believe He Exists?, Baptist Catechism 1 & 2 Posted by Joe

1. Why does our catechism start with such basic questions about God?
2. What does it mean that God is the first of beings?
3. What does it mean that God is the chiefest of beings?
4. Believing this sets a person on a very good path. Not believing this sets a person on a very bad path. Discuss.
5. Why is it a sin to deny God’s existence?
6. Why is it folly to deny God’s existence?

Posted in Study Guides Joe Anady
Comments Off on Discussion Questions: Baptist Catechism 1 & 2 Posted by Joe