Welcome to An Orderly Account with Pastor John Stoos, as he continues a journey through Luke's orderly account of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Church of the King strives for biblical worship, which views the Lord's Day as the time when God meets His people to renew His covenant with them. Covenant renewal is characterized by God's calling us to worship, a time for the confession of our sins, the hearing of God's forgiveness based on the finished work of Christ on the cross, the new life and His resurrection, presenting our offerings, approaching the throne of grace and prayer, and His teaching us from the Word of God. Now, here's Pastor Stoos. We'll continue this morning in the 24th chapter of the Gospel of Luke. My reading will begin at verse 31. Hear now the word of the Lord. Then their eyes were opened, and they knew Jesus, and He vanished from their sight. And they said to one another, Did not our heart burn within us when He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us? So they arose that very hour and returned to Jerusalem and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together, saying, The Lord is risen indeed and has appeared to Peter. And they told about the things that happened to them on the road and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread. Now as they said these things, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them and said, Peace to you. And they were terrified and frightened and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And He said to them, Why are you troubled? Why do doubts arise in your hearts? Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have. And when He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. But while they still did not believe for joy and marvel, He said to them, Have you any food here? And so they gave Him a piece of broiled fish and some honeycomb. And Jesus took it and ate it in their presence." This is the Word of the Lord. Let's pray. Our gracious Heavenly Father, we come before You this morning as Your humble servants. We are dependent wholly upon You for Your gracious salvation. We are dependent wholly upon you for the gift of your Holy Spirit. May He be with us this morning, guiding and directing the words of my mouth, giving us ears to hear that which you would teach us this day. And all of God's people said, Amen. You may be seated. The disciples are troubled. From the sound of the title, some might be thinking that this is not going to be a very uplifting sermon. But actually, I hope that just the opposite will be true. You see, it is at the very time that the disciples are troubled that our Savior comes to ask them, why are you troubled? And gives them great comfort. Comfort that should be ours today as well. For those of you that have been with us from the beginning of our journey through Luke's orderly account for his friend Theophilus, we are almost to the end of the gospel portion. In fact, if my counting is correct, this would be the 100th sermon that we've done in this series. And I could have combined it with next week and managed to get to the end and just had an even hundred, but this portion is so rich. and timely for where many of us are at today, that we're going to take our time and, Lord willing, next week we will reach the final message in Luke's Gospel and with the coming of September begin our journey through the book of Acts. Now, as Jesus comes to meet his gathered disciples, I think it's important, again, that we review what Luke is explaining to his friend in this orderly account. He's giving it for a reason. He wants Theophilus to understand certain things. And we've focused on three things that are very clear in the Gospel of Luke and the book of Acts. First and foremost, Jesus has come to save His people from their sins. He has left His throne in heaven to become a man and to submit Himself to the shame and suffering of the cross, being the one great sacrifice for sin. Secondly, Jesus has come to establish His church with those chosen people who will be His body, His very bride. Jesus has promised to be their shepherd, to send them the Comforter, as we will see in the early chapters of Acts, giving them everything they need to be His church. And finally, we will see as we move through the book of Acts, that the Kingdom of Jesus is to fill the whole earth as He reigns from His Father's right hand. It is the church that will carry out this mission as they obey the great commission that Jesus gives them before ascending to His Father. These are words that we find in Matthew chapter 28. They're words that we read often here at Church of the King so that we remember our marching orders. It says there that Jesus came and spoke to them saying, All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you. And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Now, it's important that we review these concepts or thoughts or points that Luke is teaching. And remember it this time, because it sets the context for this first of the post-resurrection meetings of Jesus with His gathered disciples. He's met with individuals, or the two, but now He's gathered with the eleven, and all those that He'd gathered with them. Jesus has now accomplished the first task. Jesus cried, it is finished from the cross, and He confirmed His victory in the power of His resurrection. There is no doubt that that mission has been accomplished. And now, and this is the part that's a little bit shocking for us, now He gathers His church. That group in that upper room was not the group we would have picked. But He gathers them, teaching them the lesson that Peter and the other two disciples have experienced earlier in the day. Jesus has won the victory. All is forgiven. You see, the disciples were rebuked by Jesus for the unbelief regarding the witnesses that had come, those who had brought the good news. But not a word is said. about all of their failings from the past few days. That's important for us to remember. R.C. Reilly put it well in his commentary on Luke's Gospel. He said, Jesus delighteth in mercy. He is far more willing to forgive than men are to be forgiven. And far more ready to pardon than men are to be pardoned. Jesus comes to them and says, peace to you. Now, I chuckled at some of the commentaries because a lot of people take this to just be the normal greeting of the day. You know, Jesus entered the room and said, good morning, or how are you doing? Like we would give a greeting. I don't think they could be more wrong. It is much, much more that Jesus is saying and bestowing on these disciples. This is Jesus greeting His new church with peace, peace from God, as we will see the saints greeted over and over again in the New Testament. You know, we chuckle about how important an Old Testament verse is if it gets repeated a couple of times in the New Testament. But here's a concept that you can't miss in the New Testament, but we think very little of. In Romans, Paul sends this greetings as he begins that epistle. To all who are in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints, grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul gives exactly the same greeting in both letters to the Corinthians. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. The brothers at Corinth had more than their share of problems, and the saints at Galatia were toying with heresy, and yet in all three books, In all three letters that Paul wrote to these churches, to the saints there, he says, grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ. In Ephesians, we read again, surprise, surprise, grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. To the Philippians, Paul writes, grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. The letter to the church at Colossae begins with these words, to the saints and faithful brethren in Christ who are at Colossae, grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ." It is here in the first chapter of Colossians that Paul more fully explains why this peace from God is much more than just, peace brother, that we would say today. In Colossians 1.19 we read this, For it pleased the Father." Boy, we should pay attention when something pleases God. For it pleased the Father that in Him, Jesus, all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. And you, who were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled." Jesus is going to calm the troubled hearts of these disciples by showing them that they have forgiveness and reconciliation in Him. Paul continues the pattern with his letter to the Thessalonians. Paul, Silvanus, and Timothy to the church of the Thessalonians in God, the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Repeating these words in the second epistle. Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Paul begins his letter to young Timothy. Timothy, a true son in the faith, grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and Jesus Christ our Lord. In the second letter he says to Timothy, a beloved son. Grace, mercy and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord. Titus is addressed as a true son in the common faith. Grace, mercy and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. And it's not just Paul who has this habit of who sees or who sees the importance of peace that we receive from God. Peter begins his lesson to the pilgrims. by addressing them as the elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ, grace to you and peace be multiplied." We find similar words in his greeting of the second letter, grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord. John's second letter begins, Grace, mercy, and peace will be with you from God the Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love. In John's third letter, we find the greeting at the end where we would more normally put it, where we read, But I hope to see you shortly, and we shall speak face to face. Peace to you. Our friends greet you. Greet the friends by name. Jude begins his epistle, mercy, peace and love be multiplied to you. And finally, even in the book of Revelation, we read John to the seven churches which are in Asia, grace to you and peace from Him who is and was and who is to come and from the seven spirits before the throne of God. Now, 1 John and Hebrews have no greeting, but even Hebrews ends with what we often use as a benediction. Now, may the God of peace, who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you that which is well-pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. It is in Paul's fourth chapter to the Philippians where he fully sums up the importance of these greetings, things that we can easily pass over in our reading. It includes the reference to peace that Jesus gave to his disciples in the midst of what had been a very hectic and confusing day. Remember, it's now late in the evening. All of the things that we've been studying for the past few weeks have taken place on that day. And that first Easter followed a very hectic, confusing, and certainly very disappointing week for the disciples. And these are the words that Paul gives. Familiar, but perhaps not in this context. Be anxious. for nothing. But in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving, let your requests be known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, Whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy, meditate on these things. The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in Me, these do. And the God of peace will be with you." So, I think you can see that Jesus saying, peace to you, was much more than just Jesus saying, hi, How are you doing?" as he entered the room. Jesus was giving His new church the greeting that would continue throughout the New Testament and all of church history down to us today. Jesus gives His disciples and us a pronouncement of peace. We have. Peace with God because of what Jesus has done. This is a pronouncement that is included in almost all of the benedictions that are given here at Church of the King as we prepare to be commissioned and to go out to serve the risen Savior. It is a peace that we must know that we have if we are to serve Him faithfully. and well. We should not see this greeting of the disciples as odd, but encouraging. You know, I mentioned earlier, and I think it's something we should reflect on, that here Jesus comes to the gathered disciples. They're referred to as the eleven, referred to as the disciples. We tend to think that probably all of those that have been around that Passover week have now gathered, all of these rumors throughout the day, and they've come together as a group. We'd say today that it's a pretty ragtag band of deserting and denying disciples who are pretty hopeless. It's certainly not, certainly not what we would choose to establish a church that is going to take the kingdom of Jesus to the four corners of the world. If we were watching this in a movie, we'd be going, what is he thinking? But Paul tells us, specifically, that God delights to use the weak things of this world. And he teaches the church at Corinth about this in the context of the resurrection power that Jesus now greets His disciples with. Listen to these words from 1 Corinthians chapter 1, beginning at verse 22. For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom. But we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness. But to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For you see your calling, brethren, that not many wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble are called. But God has chosen the foolish things of this world to put to shame the wise. And God has chosen the weak things of this world to put to shame that which is mighty. And the base things of this world, and the things which are despised, God has chosen. And the things which are not, to bring to nothing things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. To God be the glory. Jesus knows that He has chosen those who are weak by the world's standards. I mean, there wasn't a university degree in the group anywhere. There was certainly no vast store of wealth. I mean, maybe Matthew the tax collector had a little money, but the rest of them had to have the women giving money out of their purses so they could survive. There was no wealth. to build a kingdom, surely. But you see, God has chosen these disciples. He chose them and all who have followed to bring to nothing the things that are, that no flesh should glory in His presence. These weary disciples. have been subjected to much confusion and disappointment. And now Jesus comes among them, understanding where they're at. That's such an important concept for us to grasp. Jesus asks them, why are you troubled? Why do doubts arise in your hearts? Just as we saw last week on the road to Damascus, where Jesus knew what the disciples were talking about when He asked them, so here in this case, Jesus knows what's troubling them. Jesus understands their hearts. He understands where they're at, and He wants them to grow in the peace that He has spoken to them. As we see how Jesus deals with these troubled disciples, we must remember that He often does the same with us when we allow ourselves to become troubled or to allow doubts to arise in our hearts. And let me tell you, brothers and sisters, in the Christian life, it is not a question of if. these things will happen to us. But when? But we need not remain troubled or in doubt if we are willing to accept the Lord's help as these disciples did. Jesus did not just leave them as weak men in their weak state. Over the next few weeks, we're going to see that Jesus gives them evidence to support their faith. We're going to see that Jesus gives them instruction from the Word of God. And most importantly, we're going to see that Jesus gives them power to serve. These are all things that we have available to us week after week. Paul says that we are to follow His example. What He learned, what He received and heard, and the things that we see in His life, the things that we'll study at great length in the book of Acts. He says, then, the God of peace will be with us, and we will know His comfort. That's the comfort that can be ours. May we be faithful in our calling. Thank you for listening to Pastor John Stewes of Church of the King. Join us next week at the same time as the journey through Luke's orderly account of the gospel of Jesus Christ continues. You're invited to join us for Sunday worship at 11 o'clock, where biblical worship is characterized by the active and vigorous participation of the entire congregation. Church of the King is a pro-life, pro-family church, where all baptized children participate in worship, including the Lord's Table, on a weekly basis. To learn more, or to hear this message in its entirety, visit orderlyaccount.com or call 916-451-5660. ♪ Come in all in your spirit's power Conquer, still let them sing.