You are witnesses

We believe that Jesus Christ died for our sin and was raised to life 2000 years ago and today we celebrate His rising from the dead. In doing so we are being witnesses, we’re telling the world that He is alive, but are we doing what He told us to do? Is gathering on Easter and celebrating with food and drink fulfilling His commandment to us? This Easter we look at how Jesus first appeared to His disciples and what He took them through before sending them out as witnesses. If we are witnesses, then we must learn from them and do what they did.

Scripture

Luke 24:36-49 ESV  As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!”  [37]  But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit.  [38]  And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?  [39]  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.”  [40]  And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet.  [41]  And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?”  [42]  They gave him a piece of broiled fish,  [43]  and he took it and ate before them.  [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.”  [45]  Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,  [46]  and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead,  [47]  and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.  [48]  You are witnesses of these things.  [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.”

Bible Study Questions

Jesus comes in Peace

Two disciples had met with Jesus on the road to a village outside Jerusalem. Their experience sent them rushing back to tell the others. First they testified to Jesus explaining the Scripture and then His making Himself known as the resurrected Messiah. As soon as they shared this Jesus appeared once again, this time to all of them. Why do you think that Jesus’ first words to them “Peace to you”?

Luke 24:13, 32-36 ESV  That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem… [32] They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?”  [33]  And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together,  [34]  saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!”  [35]  Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.  [36]  As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!”

John 20:19-20 ESV  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.”  [20]  When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.

Shocked, frightened and confused by Jesus appearance

The disciples and those with them were afraid of the authorities, grief stricken and confused by the day’s reports. Jesus sudden supernatural appearance sent them into shock. Their response was to think they were seeing and hearing a spirit. They were afraid because of their lack of faith, otherwise they would have been immediately overjoyed, since they had just been told that He was alive.

Luke 24:37 ESV But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit.  

Troubled hearts need to repent and believe

Jesus rebukes them for their lack of faith and then assures them of His identity by offering them His touch and showing them His wounds. Not believing Jesus’ words is a sin. Jesus rebukes the disciples for this sin, but then comforts them with the truth. How are our troubled hearts revealing our sinful lack of faith?

Luke 24:38-40 ESV  And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?  [39]  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.”  [40]  And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet.  

Mark 16:14 ESV  Afterward he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were reclining at table, and he rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen.

Luke 24:21,25 ESV  But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened… [25] And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!

Disbelieving for joy at Who they saw, heard and touched

Jesus proved His resurrection to the disciples by appearing to them, speaking with them and allowing them to touch Him and His healed wounds. He then gives them further proof by eating with them. What does Jesus’ patient and gentle provision of increasing evidence of His identity tell us about Him and His love for sinners? What does the disciples lack of faith tell us about human beings like you and I?

Luke 24:41-43 ESV And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?”  [42]  They gave him a piece of broiled fish,  [43]  and he took it and ate before them.  

The Spoken and Written Word must be fulfilled

The two disciples that rushed back from Emmaus said that their hearts burned when Jesus opened up the Scripture to them. Here Jesus does the same for the eleven, He shows them how the whole history of humankind revealed God’s plan to save human beings from their separation from Him. Why is this so important for them, and for us to know?

Luke 24:44 ESV  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.”

Luke 24:26-27 ESV  Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?”  [27]  And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

1 Corinthians 15:3-6 ESV  For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,  [4]  that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,  [5]  and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.  [6]  Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.

Proclaiming repentance and forgiveness of sins

Knowing that God has always and is always in control and that He uses all things together to attain His goals, and knowing that Jesus Christ had defeated death and paid the price for all of our sin, the disciples were ready to understand what their response should be. What are believers told to do when they have repented of their sin and believed in Jesus Christ and His resurrection?

Luke 24:45-47 ESV Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,  [46]  and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead,  [47]  and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem.  

Witnesses need power

The experience of meeting the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ is profoundly humbling, and completely life changing. Those who meet with Him will, like the disciples, want to rush out and tell everyone. What, or Who, does God promise to give to believers to empower them before we do this?

Luke 24:49 ESV  You are witnesses of these things.  [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.”

Acts 2:32-33 ESV  This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses.  [33]  Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing.