Christ’s RESURRECTION DEMANDS a RESPONSE from US!

 

October 29 Bible Reading: Luke Chapters 22-24

Christ’s RESURRECTION DEMANDS a RESPONSE from US!

Then He said to them, "These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me." And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures. Then He said to them, "Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things." (Luke 24:44-48)

This is a summary of the teachings of Jesus between His resurrection and His ascension. Jesus explained to His disciples that His resurrection was the fulfillment of His own words to them. Had He not told them that all the Old Testament prophecies concerning Him had to be fulfilled? The Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms were the three major divisions of the Old Testament and comprise the entire Old Testament. What was the burden of the Old Testament prophecies concerning Christ? They were:

1. That He must suffer (Psalm 22:1–21; Isa. 53:1–9)
2. That He must rise again from the dead the third day (Ps. 16:10; Jonah 1:17; Hosea 6:2)
3. That repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

Then, Jesus summarized the mission of the disciples as preaching repentance, calling people to turn from their own selfish ways to Christ, the One who had died for them. From the start, a relationship to Christ carries with it the privilege and responsibility to proclaim the gospel.

In His perfect holiness of life, Jesus reflects compassion for sin-stained and suffering mankind—brokenhearted, sick, mistreated, and bereaved.  Our fulfillment of the Great Commission requires such a worldwide scope in ministering compassion and human concern.  Jesus’ style—sensitive and touchable—is a summons to His followers to speedily answer His command and to answer with His compassion.  No geographic boundary, no sin barrier, no ethnic, political, or economic partisan interest is ever to restrict our reach or penetration with the gospel. 

God opens our eyes (v. 31) and opens our understanding (v. 45) so that when He opens the Scriptures to us (vv. 27, 32), we may open our mouths and tell others about Him (v. 48). Jesus gives us the commission, the power, and the message. There is no reason to be silent! Jesus gives us the privilege and responsibility of telling the good news about His provision of forgiveness and eternal life to all who will listen. Will we respond to the resurrection of Jesus and share the wonderful gospel with others in our lives!