Book of Luke

Chapters 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24

Luke Chapter 24

Luke 24:1 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.
2 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.

These were very heavy stones and not easy to move.

Luke 24:3 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.
4 And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:

Notice how God cared about their confusion and sent His angels to remind them of the words of Jesus when He was with them.

God uses His own words. The angels could have explained everything from scratch but they didn't. They reminded the seekers here of the very words of Jesus in which He foretold all the things that would happen.

We are given the word of God in one volume. I believe divine inspiration led to the translations of the bible and placing it all in one volume in book form. Let us not take it lightly. No modern day revelation knowledge is going to be contrary to what He already gave us.

Luke 24:5 And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?

The angels acted as if the women should have known not to seek Jesus here because He was not dead. They may have sounded rude but I imagine that being blunt was the way talking was done back then and the angels spoke in a way they would have been familiar with.

Luke 24:6 He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,
7 Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.
8 And they remembered his words,

God uses the bible, preachers, and teachers today to remind us of all that has already been given us. I believe though if his holy angels were needed in desperate situations, He would send them.

Luke 24:9 And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest.
10 It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles.
11 And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.

Even though Jesus spoke to them on many occasions of these things they did not believe. We suffer the same unbelief if we do not continue in the word and prayer constantly. The more of the word we study, the better our faith will be.

Luke 24:12 Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.
13 And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.
14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened.
15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.
16 But their eyes were holden that they should not know him.
17 And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?
18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?
19 And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:
20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.
21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.

I really love this story. We see again that the main cause of unbelief was that they had their eyes on external things and not on internal. They hoped that Israel would be redeemed as a nation and freed from Roman oppression.

They did not see the need for individual redemption from sin. This is why so many of us miss the message of the gospel and faith in Jesus Christ. We tend to seek what we can see instead of seeking for the salvation of the soul. I don't hear much about repenting of sin and becoming "born again" by the spirit of God as much as we use to, yet being "born again" is the only way to have eternal life and enter heaven.

The 1st coming of Jesus was to save us from sin. The 2nd coming of Jesus will be to save us from oppression of evil nations. The sin question has to be dealt with before we can live in a heavenly kingdom that has no death, sorrow or suffering. If Jesus would have set up His kingdom at that time and delivered Israel from their enemies, then all of us would not have had salvation. Our ancestors would have been part of the evil nations that would have been destroyed by the judgment of God and we would not have been saved by His grace.

Jesus will return after the gospel has been preached to the whole world and they have a chance to hear about the message of salvation. If they reject the message of the gospel and persecute believers, then will judgment come upon them. Jesus came first to save. The second time it will be for judgment.

Luke 24:22 Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre;
23 And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive.
24 And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.
25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:

We are all slow to believe the greatest message that was ever given to mankind. He rose from the dead ushering in a plan of salvation that would cause all who believe in Him to also be resurrected from the death and enter into eternal life.

Luke 24:26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?
27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

I would have loved to hear that message preached by Jesus Himself. The Old Testament actually points to the coming of Christ but we have to diligently study it to see it. It has to be revealed to us by the Holy Spirit which God gives to those who seek Him.

Luke 24:28 And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further.
29 But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.
30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.
31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.
32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?

If you ever start seeking the Lord through the study of the word, you may experience this burning desire keep learning more of Him.

Luke 24:33 And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,
34 Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.
35 And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.
36 And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.
38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?

God is so good and patient. They should not have been afraid but they were.

Luke 24:39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.

Our resurrected bodies will be the same. We are not going to be spirits only but have a body that will not suffer death. This was the type of body that we originally was supposed to have. God created us to live forever and have that kind of body. Death of the body entered into the human race when Adam sinned. Jesus actually came to reverse the curse that Adam brought upon us. That is why Jesus is sometimes called the second Adam.

Luke 24:40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.
41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?
42 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and of an honeycomb.
43 And he took it, and did eat before them.
44 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me.
45 Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures,

We can also ask the Lord for understanding.

Luke 24:46 And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.

Repentance and remission of sin in the name of Jesus is what we should be preaching to the whole world.

Luke 24:48 And ye are witnesses of these things.
49 And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high.

God did not leave us without a helper or witness to reveal the words of truth. We have eye witnesses of the resurrection that wrote these things down for future generations to read and understand.

The Holy Spirit also is our witness of all things Jesus taught. The coming of the Holy Spirit to abide within believers in Jesus Christ was this promise that they were to tarry in Jerusalem for. This event was recorded in the book of Acts chapter 2. Why some try to skip this part amazes me but it is there. Before we do any ministry for the Lord, we need to be baptized in the Holy Spirit.
It was not just for the apostles or for the ones that lived in those days.

Acts 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

Here is where the power is. We must not leave this out. The power to do the works of Christ, confirm the word, and preach the gospel that will save the lost.

Luke 24:50 And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them.
51 And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven.
52 And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy:
53 And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen.

The suffering of Christ was over, the price for our sins was paid. Salvation is provided for all who receive it. This is something to leap, shout, jump and praise God for.