The Gospel is the ultimate story of transformation, where victory comes out of defeat, strength coming out of weakness, and life coming out of death. Through Jesus, rescue comes out of abandonment, rejection of one leads to acceptance of many, the brokenness of one leads to the healing of many, the separation of one brings restoration for many. One becomes sin, so many can become righteous, one becomes lost so many can be found, one leaves home so many can come home, a Son leaves the Father so many sons can be restored to the Father, the Father rejects one Son so that the Father can accept many sons.
Because of this, death has no sting, the grave has lost its hold, pain, suffering and evil have all lost their power. No more pain, no more crying, no more weeping - but peace forevermore and joy everlasting. Eternity forever secure!
Luke 24 NIV
On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them.In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” Then they remembered his words. When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense.Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened. While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. ‘IT IS ME’ Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence. He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day,and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what my Father has promised, but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven.Then they worshipped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.
The disciples had spent so much time with Jesus, and now he was taken, beaten, killed and buried. All their dreams took a hit. All the things they expected were all gone. We sometimes have these same experiences too. Instead of the disciples heading out with the good news, they were hiding. They needed the risen saviour, the risen Jesus.
THREE THINGS JESUS GAVE TO THE DISCIPLES
1. HE GAVE THEM A REASON TO BELIEVE
The suffering, death and resurrection of Jesus were real. Sometimes, we find it hard to believe. Thomas doubted Jesus was who he is, but Jesus gave him a reason to believe.
2. HE GAVE THEM REVELATION
Jesus was believable. Jesus shared his story with them, the scars, the pain, the realness of his suffering. That made him believable. The same applies to us today. When we are beaten down, disappointed, and have experienced hardship, we can always get back because of Jesus.
3. HE GAVE THEM SPIRIT
Jesus showed them who He is in the Scriptures. We can see Jesus in every book of the Bible:
WHO IS JESUS?
GENESIS - The Seed of a woman
EXODUS - The Passover Lamb
LEVITICUS - Our High Priest
NUMBERS - The Pillar of cloud by day \& fire by night
DEUTERONOMY - The Prophet likened unto Moses
JOSHUA - The Captain of our Salvation
JUDGES - Our Judge and Lawgiver
RUTH - Our Kinsman and Redeemer
1 \& 2 SAMUEL - The Trusted Prophet
1 \& 2 KINGS \& 1 \& 2 CHRONICLES - Our Reigning King
EZRA - The Faithful Scribe
NEHEMIAH - Builder of broken walls of human life
ESTHER - Our Mordecai
JOB - Our everlasting Redeemer
PSALMS \& PROVERBS - Our Shepherd through life
ECCLESIASTES - Our Wisdom
SONG OF SOLOMON - His is our Lover \& Bridegroom
ISAIAH - He is the Prince of Peace
JEREMIAH - The Righteous Branch
LAMENTATIONS - The Weeping Prophet
EZEKIEL - The Wonderful Four-Faced Man
DANIEL - He is the Fourth Man in the fiery furnace
HOSEA - The Faithful Husband
JOEL - The Baptism in the Holy Ghost
AMOS - Our Burden Carrier
OBADIAH - The Mighty One to save
JONAH - He is the Foreign Missionary
MICAH - The Messenger with beautiful feet
NAHUM - The Avenger of God’s elect
HABAKKUK - He is God’s Evangelist
ZEPHANIAH - He is our Saviour
HAGGAI - The Restorer of God’s lost heritage
ZECHARIAH - The Fountain opened in the House of David
MALACHI - Son of Righteousness with healing in His wings
MATTHEW - The Messiah
MARK - Wonder Worker
LUKE - Son of Man
JOHN - Son of God
ACTS - Leads the church
1 \& 2 CORINTHIANS - Our Sanctifier
GALATIANS - He is our Redeemer from the curse of the Law
EPHESIANS - He is the armour of God
PHILIPPIANS - The God who supplies all our needs
COLOSSIANS - The visible image of the invisible God
1 \& 2 THESSALONIANS - He is our soon-coming King
1 \& 2 TIMOTHY - He is our mediator between God \& man
TITUS - He is our faithful Pastor
PHILEMON - The friend that sticks closer than a brother
HEBREWS - Our high priest forevermore
JAMES - Our Great Physician
1 \& 2 PETER - The Chief Shepherd
1\&2\&3 JOHN - He is Love
JUDE - He is the Lord coming with 10,000 angels
REVELATION - He is the KING OF KINGS \& LORD OF LORDS!
WHO IS THIS JESUS? HE IS…
Able’s sacrifice
Noah’s rainbow
Abraham’s ram
Isaac’s wells
Jacob’s sceptre
Moses’ rod
Joshua’s sun and moon that stood still
Elijah’s mantle
Elisha’s staff
Gideons’ fleece
Samuel’s horn of oil
David’s slingshot
Hezekiah’s sun dial
Daniel’s visions
Amos’ burden
Peter’s shadow
Stephen’s signs \& wonders
Paul’s handkerchiefs
John’s pearly white city
Father to the fatherless
Husband to the widow
The Bright and Morning Star
The Lily of the Valley
The Rose of Sharon
The honey and the rock
The brightness of God’s glory
The express image of the person of God
The Prince of Peace
The King of Glory
The oil and the wine
The Fairest of Ten Thousand
The rock in the storms of life
The pearl of great price
The cup that runneth over
The rod and staff that comforts and guides
The Good and Faithful Shepherd
The abundant life,
the everlasting truth,
He’s the one and only way
He is Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of the Living God!
PERSONAL REFLECTION
- Write down the “One Thing” that stood out to you from today’s message. How can you see this in your day-to-day life and apply it this week? Who can you share it with?
- Take a moment this week to reflect: who in your life needs to hear about the hope, freedom, and restoration found in Jesus, who can you share the Good News with!
- Jesus is revealed in every book of the Bible - let His faithfulness, His goodness strengthen your faith this week as you keep looking to Jesus in everything.
Heavenly Father, thank You for the Gospel—the greatest story of love, redemption, and victory. Thank You that what looked like defeat on the cross became our greatest victory through Jesus. Help us to truly understand and live in the fullness of what You have done for us and to share the Good News with those around us, Amen