Sunday Sermon Summary – April 14 2024

Proof of Christ’s Resurrection 

Luke 24: 36-48

Our Lord Jesus Christ rose from the dead and showed himself alive to His disciples multiple times.  He showed His hands and feet to them as proof of His resurrection.  Nevertheless, He gave them other proofs that the early church preached as proof of His resurrection. 

1. Jesus opened Scripture – The Law of Moses, The Prophets, The Psalms  – Explain

    Luke 24: 44

The Holy Bible teaches us that Jesus opened scripture to the disciples and explained to them that the Messiah should be crucified and then rise again from the dead.  We need to spend time in the Holy Word of God.  The Word of God will convince us of the resurrection of Jesus. It is spirit and life to us. John 6:63. Sometimes studying the Bible may seem boring and we may not fully comprehend the truth; but we should commit to reading scripture.  We must teach our children to read the Bible.  When we meditate on the Bible, we will be like a tree planted by the riverside that yields its fruit in its season, whose leaves will always be green and whatever he does will prosper. 

2.  Jesus opened their understanding  – Expose 

   Luke 24: 45

As we read the Word of God, our Lord will enlighten us to understand the truth and that will be proof of the resurrection.  When Jesus exposed scripture to the two disciples on their way to Emmaus their hearts were set ablaze.  The natural person will not understand the spiritual things of God, they will sound foolish to him because they are spiritually discerned. 1 Corinthians 2:14   The early church did not preach that the open tomb is proof of Christ’s resurrection, the apostles used scripture only as proof and thousands of people repented and joined the church.  In Acts chapter 4 the church had about four thousand members. 

3.  Jesus opened the promise of the Father – the Holy Spirit  – Experience 

   Luke 24: 49

Jesus instructed the disciples not to go out of Jerusalem until they received the promise of the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit sent by the Father on the day of Pentecost will be proof of Christ’s resurrection because when we are filled by the Holy Spirit we will be filled by the fruit of the spirit.  The only proof of the filling of the Holy Spirit is the fruit of the spirit.  In the early church people lived in harmony with one another.  When people see the fruit of the spirit in our lives, that will be proof of the resurrection of Christ.  We must excel in the nine segments of the fruit of the spirit. Love, Joy, Peace, Long suffering, Gentleness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Meekness and Self control.  Galatians 5: 22 & 23

May we be living proof of the resurrection of our Lord that those who see us will know that Jesus Christ lives forever and forever.  Amen