Jesus - risen from the dead

 

The words of Jesus Christ, after He rose from the dead:

The words of the Lord Jesus we must accept or reject.

Luke 24:25  Jesus said "wasn't it clearly predicted by the prophets that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering His time of glory"

This statement makes the Old Testament part of the Bible so important. Previously I asked you to read Isaiah 53. Let me add to that Psalm 22, Zechariah 12:10. The Lord Jesus insisted that the sufferings were predicted, necessary and sufficient.

Luke 24:39  Jesus appears to the perplexed and frightened followers saying:

"Look at My hands, look at My feet, you can see that its really Me. Touch Me and make sure that I am not a ghost."

Sure He was acting with super spiritual power, but He insisted that He was the same person that they had know before and the same person that was  crucified on a Roman execution stake.

Luke 24:44 The Lord again reminds the disciples of the importance of His former predictions, and the prophecies of the Old Testament.

Luke 24: 46-49  These words of the Lord Jesus turn the events of the past into the purposes of the future. Please read them carefully:

"that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, that repentance  and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in His Name to all Nations"

This forgiveness, needed by all humanity, is not now in law keeping or prayer or good deeds, but rather forgiveness for all who turn to God , believing in Jesus Christ the Lord.

Luke 24:49  Now He says something that only God can say:

"I will send the Holy Spirit, just as My Father promised."

Only God can put the Holy Spirit on a person, or in a person. And that is just what happened after Jesus returned to heaven. Acts chapter 2 records the special event that changed frightened fishermen into bold witnesses of Jesus Christ as Lord. They were so certain that they had see the Lord Jesus alive from the dead, that they were willing to die for it. And die for it they did.

This section gives the answer to the original question – was His death a mistake or a deliberate sacrifice – it was a deliberate sacrifice to enable repentance and the forgiveness of sins in His Name.