We'll be back in Luke 24 this evening. So I would invite you to open there to Luke 24. We'll be at the end of that chapter, looking at verses 44 to 49 today, this evening. But I do wanna remind you, and I know there's a few who are visiting, so I thought it might be helpful just to remind us what we're doing, why I'm preaching a short series on the post-resurrection appearances of Christ. I'm doing that because when we were looking at Mark 16, we got to what's called the long ending, verses 9 to 20 of Mark 16, which I believe are not original. But part of what I wanted to do in doing this, because I didn't open up those verses in Mark 16, 9 to 20, I wanted to show that These things that we find in the so-called long ending of Mark, we find elsewhere in the Gospels, we find in the Book of Acts. So we're using this long ending of Mark, something like a map. So we've already seen how Mary Magdalene saw the risen Lord and that's what Mark 9 and 10 deal with and so we turned elsewhere and looked at that and then we see in Mark 16, you don't have to turn there, but in Mark 16 it simply mentions how Jesus appears in a different form to two as they're traveling on the road and that's the road to Emmaus account in Luke 24. And then it goes on to talk about how he later appeared to the 11 and rebuked them. We looked at that last time, also Luke 24. And what immediately follows in Mark 16 is really the great commission or part of it, go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. But before we get there and go to Matthew 28, I wanted to camp out a little further on material in Luke 24, which we'll be looking at tonight. And that would fit somewhere between verses 14 and 15 of Mark. 16. So hopefully that's helpful to remind you why I'm doing this little series why we're turning now to Luke 24. So let's do that. Luke 24. I'll begin reading at verse 44 and read on down to verse 49. Remember that Jesus has just appeared to the 11 and to other disciples in Jerusalem. It's the day of his resurrection. It's the evening though. He's appeared to them and we read continuing that account. Then he said to them, these are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses and the prophets and the Psalms concerning me. And he opened their understanding that they might comprehend the scriptures. Then he said to them, thus it is written and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day. And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name to all nations beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things. Behold, I send the promise of my father upon you. but tarry in the city, wait in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high. Let's again ask for God's help and blessing. Father, we ask that tonight that you would Send your help from on high. Send your spirit and help us as we open up your word. We ask that this would be a profitable time as we open the scriptures that you would also open our minds to understand and that you would open every heart to receive Christ and that we would rejoice in him this night. In Jesus' name we pray, amen. It was a remarkable period of time. between the resurrection of Christ and his ascension. It was 40 days as we read in Acts chapter 1. So a 40-day span between the resurrection and the ascension of Christ into heaven. And the record that we have of that in the Gospels and also in the book of Acts is relatively short for this amazing period of time. So it does leave us with questions like, where was Jesus during all of these 40 days? Where was he staying? What all happened? And we also ask, at least I did, why was it necessary for such a long period of time between his resurrection and ascension? Now, while we can't answer a lot of those questions that we might be curious about, I believe we can answer with pretty good confidence why it was necessary, or at least one main reason it was necessary for this 40-day period. And that was for Jesus to prepare his apostles, who would be his witnesses to the ends of the earth. So they were not yet ready. when Jesus was raised there was preparation still before they would be sent out as Jesus apostles and as his witnesses and heralds to the ends of the earth. So we see Jesus preparing his witnesses in this text. That's the title of my message. I believe it captures the essence of what Jesus is doing here in Luke 24 44 to 49. This leads up to the Great Commission. It's preparing his witnesses. Now, as we look at our text, we can break it into three things that Jesus is doing here. The first thing we find in verses 44 to 45, that he's opening up their understanding. He's giving them a right understanding of the Old Testament scriptures, or just the scriptures they had at that time, And then the next thing is in verses 46 and 47, after opening up their minds, Jesus is going to highlight certain truths from the scriptures. So he's going to say it was written this, this, and this. And they need to understand these things in particular. And then he concludes in verses, the final verses here, 48 and 49, he begins to speak to them about the great future task that would not just define a period of their lives but really the rest of their lives until many of them would be witnesses unto death. They would be martyrs. So I want us to begin by looking at the first thing here and we don't need to dwell on it long. The first thing is how Jesus gave them a right understanding of the scriptures. And we're not gonna dwell on it long because what we find Jesus doing here for the 11 is essentially the same thing that he did for those two travelers on the road. As he's walking with them, he was opening up the scriptures and they only realized it later that it was Jesus. So look again at verses 44 and 45. Jesus says to them, these are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you. that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law of Moses and the prophets and the Psalms concerning me. And he opened their understanding that they might comprehend the scriptures. This was primary, of course. If they are going to be Jesus' witnesses and heralds, they have to understand the scriptures. And they knew the scriptures well. but there were things that they did not yet understand completely. And when we look at the apostolic preaching and teaching in the New Testament, we see that they did understand, come to understand the things that Jesus wanted them to understand about the Old Testament scriptures, especially those things concerning Christ in all of the Old Testament. Now what we see Jesus doing is basically two things. He's going to refresh their minds and then open their minds. So he refreshes their minds, he reminds them of things he's taught them, and then he opens their minds so that they can understand. So he reminds them of words that he had previously spoken. And I would even say repeatedly spoken to them. So, as it says here, verse 44, he reminds them that all things must be fulfilled that were written in the scriptures about him. And that's the key word, fulfilled. All things must be fulfilled which were written. He had spoken about fulfillment often in his teaching, even from the beginning of his ministry. In Mark 1 we see how as he began to preach he said, the time is fulfilled. It's filled up and the kingdom of God is at hand. That's Mark 1 15. And then you know well the words of Matthew 5 verse 17 where Jesus says, it's in the Sermon on the Mount, Do not think that I came to destroy the law or the prophets. I did not come to destroy, but to fulfill. So Jesus is reminding them of this, that he came to fulfill what had been written. But what he's especially reminding them of, it seems, is his later instruction to them as he got closer and closer to Jerusalem and to his suffering and to his death. We know from the other Gospels that he began to teach them openly what would happen, that it was necessary that he would suffer in all of these things. So we read these words in Mark 8 31. that the son of man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and so on and be killed and after three days rise again. So this was a new sort of instruction that Jesus began to have with them toward the end of his ministry. again and again, opening up the scriptures, showing them that the son of man, speaking of himself, he must suffer, he must be rejected, he must be killed, and even he must rise again the third day. So he's reminding them of this instruction. So, when we look at this, and see the words that Jesus uses, that these things must happen. We ask the question, why? And it's encouraging to answer, why must it happen that all of these things that are written must happen? It's because the word of God is true. And it's because God, whose word it is, is faithful. So this is basic but if you want to increase your faith and strengthen your faith study the fulfillments of scripture. The types of things that Jesus would have been pointing to his disciples and saying it's written here here and here and because it was written that these things must happen to the Christ to the Messiah then they must take place. And in fact they did take place. So that's something you're struggling here tonight and you're struggling with maybe is God faithful? Is the word of God true? Maybe focus on the fulfillments, many, many, many fulfillments. in the Word of God to strengthen your faith. You have promises in the Old Testament. You have prophecies in the Old Testament that are fulfilled by Christ. You have types and shadows. You have the whole Levitical system of sacrifices. All of it is fulfilled in Christ. He said, I didn't come to destroy, but to fulfill. So he reminds them of these things, but not just this that I want to highlight tonight, that he's reminding them about all that must be fulfilled, but notice how he's patient in doing this. Jesus often taught them these things, and they need to hear them again, and he's dealing patiently with them. He had again and again and again said it, and now once again, he needs to instruct them and open up their minds. And I found that encouraging, and maybe this is a word for parents, teachers of all kinds, preachers certainly, but if Christ had to repeat himself to his disciples about things that he had clearly taught, then we too should be prepared for that. and be patient. So we're teaching our kids, you're catechizing, whatever it might be, you're dealing with a brother or sister and you say, didn't I tell you this already? Haven't we gone over this? Don't you know that God is faithful and true, et cetera, et cetera. We need reminders. We need to be patient with ourselves and with one another, especially. So I thought that was encouraging. But notice that all of this wonderful instruction, apart from the working of the spirit. Even this instruction by Jesus himself will fall on the wayside, stony ground. It will fall in hearts and minds that are not ready to receive it unless the spirit of God works. And I believe that's what we have here when it says that Jesus opened up their understanding. In verse 45, he opened up their understanding that they might comprehend the scriptures. There's something more implied, I believe, than just Jesus laying out so thoroughly the scriptures, which I believe he did. I think we have here the Spirit's work implied in this statement that Jesus opened up their minds. So he taught them and then opened their minds so that they could understand the things that Jesus was teaching. So it's by his word and it's by his spirit that he opens their minds and that they actually have an understanding of these things. That was true of them and it's true of us. It's always by the word and by the spirit that anybody gets understanding. So even though God's Word is a bright light, it's a lamp unto our feet, it's a light for our path, it's a very bright light, but it's been said that it shines in darkness and it shines amidst the blind until the inward light is given by the Lord. So it's like light shining brightly in the midst of somebody who's blind and can't see light. until God does something to open their eyes. Haven't you been frustrated before? You're speaking to an unbeliever and you're saying, I'm bringing all of this light to you and you can't understand. It's because it's like shining light for a blind person. Unless their eyes are open, unless their understanding is opened up by the spirit of God, then they will not understand. And that's why we pray. That's why we plead for God to do what only he can do. That's why we're not just diligent in preparing to teach and preach, but we ought to also be diligent to cry out to God, to open minds, and to implant the truth deep into our hearts. Parents, we're diligent to teach, and we ought to be. Catechize, to give them the same truths over and over and over. But are we pleading with God? Open my son's heart. Open my daughter's understanding. I know they've memorized this scripture. I know they know that God has made them for his own glory. All of these things, but help them to really understand that we have to be doing that. So Jesus opens their understanding. That's the first thing that he's doing. as he's preparing them. He wants them to have an understanding of the Old Testament scriptures. And notice, what's the key? It's that they would understand how all of the things written about Christ are fulfilled. So if you read the Old Testament, but don't understand how they point to Christ, you don't really have understanding. That's what Jesus is trying to do in preparing his witnesses here. He opens their minds. That's the first thing. But the second thing is that he's going to highlight specific truths, specific things that had been written in the Old Testament scriptures, and he wants to bring these things out and set them before them, that they keep these things especially in mind. This is verses 46 and 47. Three things we find here that he highlights. It's been written that Christ must suffer. It's been written that Christ must rise again from the dead on the third day. And it's been written that they would proclaim repentance and remission of sins to the ends of the earth, to all the nations beginning at Jerusalem. He's saying all of these things have been written. So look at that. Look at verse 46. Thus it is written and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer. When it says it was written, it's all of these things. So he's saying, here's some things that have been written that I especially want you to remember. That the Christ must suffer. He must suffer. It was necessary for the Christ to suffer. Even on the road to Emmaus, you remember, ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter his glory. You know how the Old Testament is full of prophecies of the suffering of Christ. Probably Psalm 22 comes to your mind right away, Isaiah 53, and many others tell us about how the Christ would suffer, and he must suffer. And we may be so familiar with these things that it doesn't strike us the way that it ought to. But tonight, let's try to think about this The Christ, the Son of God had to suffer and not just because it was written. That's true. It was written. Therefore, he had to suffer, but also because there was no other way for sinners to be saved. He had to suffer. There had to be a sacrifice for sins and a perfect sacrifice. So the Son of God came to suffer and to die for us. And I have to confess that truth, I've become so familiar with it, that often it doesn't amaze me. But I think we need to Meditate on these kinds of things and ask for God to help us until we feel something of that amazement that we should. The Son of God came into this world to die for us, to suffer for us, so that we could be saved. So that's the first thing, the Christ must suffer. It was written, and he wanted to highlight that truth, but also he wanted to highlight that the Christ must rise again on the third day. So you see that in the second part of verse 46. He had to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day. Now, when you look at the Old Testament, you say, where does it say that the Christ had to rise again from the dead and even on the third day. Well, it's repeatedly implied in the Old Testament. So you have all of these prophecies, as we just considered, how he would suffer. But what else do you find in the Old Testament? Not just that he would suffer, and then that's the end of it. He suffers, he dies, and then all hope is lost. But no, that there's victory, that there's an eternal kingdom, that he will reign forever. So what is implied? He must suffer and die and he must reign forever. Clearly there is implied a resurrection. So that's one thing we would point to and there's many cases of that in the Old Testament. But also we find that it's explicitly predicted in the Old Testament that the Christ would rise again. In Psalm 16 verse 10 is the key text here and Peter quoted this. When he was preaching he realized David had spoken this but he said no this was actually about the Christ. David was speaking as a prophet by the Holy Spirit about the resurrection of Christ. So here's what we find in Psalm 16 10. You will not leave my soul and she'll. Nor will you allow your holy one to see corruption. That was spoken of Christ and how he would rise again. So Jesus would have told them remember it was written the Christ must rise again. But what about the third day. Jesus isn't just saying it's written that Christ would rise again but he's saying it's written that he would rise again on the third day. Even Paul says that. in 1 Corinthians 15. So where do we find in the Bible that Christ would rise on the third day? Well at least in one place and we don't find it explicitly openly and clearly but we find it what we could say typologically and that just means by means of a type or by means of a pattern that prefigures or that foreshadows the resurrection of Christ. Now where do we find this? Matthew 12. Matthew 12, Jesus himself is giving us this interpretation. And perhaps we would have wondered if Jesus did not speak these words, we would have wondered what about this example? Is this a type? And here's the example. Matthew 12, beginning at verse 38. There were those who were there who were questioning him. They wanted to see a sign and Jesus says this, this is verse 39 now. An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign, and no sign will be given to it except the sign of the prophet Jonah. Now only Matthew explains that, and we're thankful for that. The sign of the prophet Jonah, or explains this part at least, for as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, So will the Son of Man, speaking of himself, be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth." So we know for sure that this is one place we can turn. Jonah, three days, three nights in the belly of the fish, and so Christ will be three days and three nights in the grave and then rise again. So it's written, not just that he would rise, but even on the third day. Now, do we have other examples of this sort of typological thing going on that shows that Christ would rise a third day? Some people believe so. And maybe so because this opens up the possibility. Jesus interpreting Jonah's experience in this way opens up that possibility. I'll just mention one. Often people turn to Hosea 6.2, which refers to Israel's restoration. And it says, after two days, he will revive us. On the third day, he will raise us up. Could that also be something like Jonah, three days and three nights in the belly of the fish, so the son of man? Perhaps. But Jesus says it's been written that the Christ would rise again on the third day. So that was the second thing he highlights. There's a third truth that he wants to highlight for them. And it's that it has been written concerning the heralding of the gospel to all the nations. So look again at Luke 24 verse 47. It's been written that repentance and remission of sin should be preached in his name to all nations beginning at Jerusalem. When we look at the Old Testament, we find hope there, hope of salvation. But it's not just confined to one nation, the chosen nation of Israel. The promises are focused upon Israel, but we find that it's more expensive. It's to all the nations. It is a hope, even we could say a missionary vision that we find in the Old Testament. That the Lord would be known and worshiped not just by the nation of Israel but by all the nations. because he's worthy of that. So we find texts like this, Psalm 67, verses one and two, God be merciful to us and bless us. Who's the us? It's Israel. Be merciful to us, bless us, cause his face to shine upon us so that your way may be known on earth. your salvation among all nations. You see the missionary vision even there in Psalm 67. God bless us, your chosen nation, not just for our sakes. but that all the nations would know you and be blessed." Paul even speaks of the gospel preached beforehand to Abraham and he points all the way back to Genesis chapter 12 to those words, in you all the nations shall be blessed. That was spoken to Abraham. In you Abraham and your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed. Now you might just read that, and if you didn't have Galatians 3, would you say that's the gospel preached beforehand? We might not jump to that, but there you have it, the gospel preached beforehand, that all the nations would be blessed in Abraham and in his seed who would come. Let me give you another example. Isaiah 49 is speaking of the servant of the Lord. And it says, it is too small a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, to restore the preserved ones of Israel." That's too small. But he says, I will also give you as a light to the Gentiles that you should be my servant that you should be my salvation to the ends of the earth. That's Isaiah 49, 6. I could go on and on and on with texts that show that in the Old Testament, the gospel was always for the nations, that there was this missionary vision. It wasn't just that Israel would be blessed, that Israel would be redeemed, but that God would be gathering a people from every tribe, tongue and nation. So we heard this morning in Luke 2, those words that are announced. Here's glad tidings. Here's good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Again, you have that announced. It's for the nations, for everybody. So praise God that tonight we're not sitting on the outside. With the message being delivered to us that there's a Redeemer and there's hope and salvation, but only if you're a Jew, only if you're a descendant of Abraham. But that God so loved the world, he gave his only son that whoever would believe in him from any nation would have salvation, would not perish, but have everlasting life. They needed to understand this. You think maybe there would be a little prejudice that they would have to deal with as they're sent out on mission and maybe struggling with that mission? So Jesus wanted them to understand that it's been written that the gospel would be preached to the nations. They needed to know this. Now look at that language a little bit more closely. We can't unpack it all, but it's so rich as he's saying here that repentance and remission of sin should be preached in his name to all nations. This isn't yet a commission. This isn't yet go and make disciples of all nations. This is leading up to that. It's preparation for that. But notice he says the gospel must be preached. The word there is proclaimed as a herald would proclaim. A herald's given a message. It's not their right to tamper with it. They're given an authoritative message and they are to be the herald proclaiming it. So he's saying the gospel should be heralded, proclaimed publicly. And then he says it should be done so in Christ's name. So the gospel must be proclaimed in the name of Christ. And I believe there what is emphasized is not so much in the authority of Christ, although that's true, but on the basis of the name of Christ or on the basis of the revelation of Christ. So that this proclamation will have at its core who Christ is and what he has done to redeem sinners. Christ in him crucified. So that if these witnesses, or if us as witnesses, if we're proclaiming a message that doesn't have the name of Christ, the person and work of Christ at its center, then it's not the gospel. So it's to be proclaimed in Christ's name. And then he goes on to say that what is proclaimed in the name of Christ is two things, repentance, and remission or forgiveness of sins. So repentance we know is simply a turning from sin. So he's saying it should be preached to all the nations that everybody should turn from their sins, should turn from their idolatry, their love of self, their worship of created things. All of these things turn from these idols to the living and true God. They should turn, they should repent. And implied in that is a turning from something to something. That is faith. Repent and believe. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ. Repentance and forgiveness of sins. That was the message for all the nations. That is the good news in a nutshell. That a savior has come for all the nations and whoever repents and believes on him will have their sins forgiven. And we know that there are many other blessings, but this was the core of that message, repentance and remission of sins. That's the message the world needs to hear. That's the message some of you still need to hear tonight. And here I am, weak as I am, I am the one appointed in this hour to be the herald for Christ. So I'm speaking not for myself, but I'm speaking here in the name of Christ based on his revelation of his person and his work. And I get to say to you all tonight, I get to remind those of us who believe of the most wonderful thing in the world, the news that sinners can be right with God. And then I get to say to some of you here who may not know Christ yet again, that there is a savior. So repent tonight. Turn from your sins. What is it that you're clinging to? What sin? Maybe it's just simply this idea, I want to do it my way. Or I can be good enough and somehow be right with God, but you can't do that because you need your sins forgiven. What are you going to do with your sins? You can't just go bury them. They need to be paid for. Christ has paid. for sins upon the cross. So repent and believe. That is at the core of the gospel. Now, at this time of year, when we hear such messages as we heard this morning, people are singing hymns, all of these kinds of things. We remember this and perhaps have opportunity, even as we prayed, to speak to others and to be heralds in a sense. Most of us aren't preachers. but we can be heralds in a sense, we can be witnesses in a sense, and this is the message of hope for all people, for every sinner. I wanna highlight something here though that should be a great encouragement to some here who maybe don't know Christ, but also those of us who are seeking to share this good news and have been praying for people perhaps for years who haven't come to know the Lord. Look what Jesus says when he says, you're going to, Be my witnesses, he says, but he says, beginning at Jerusalem. So there's this message of hope, this message of salvation, and he says, beginning at Jerusalem. And what is the significance of that? Think about Jerusalem. Jerusalem is where Jesus just went and suffered many things and was arrested and put on trial and falsely condemned and whipped and mocked and spit upon and crucified. This was Jerusalem. So there's immense grace and mercy that he would add that repentance and remission of sin should be preached to all of the nations beginning at Jerusalem. Bunyan, who wrote Pilgrim's Progress, most of us know that, also wrote a little book called The Jerusalem Sinner Saved. and it was meditating on this fact. And he puts it this way, that when Jesus says, beginning at Jerusalem, what he is saying is that he would have mercy offered in the first place to the biggest sinners, to the Jerusalem sinners. So this reminds us, for one, that there's no sinner too far from Christ. If you're here and you think, my thoughts are too impure, If you knew the things I've done, whatever it might be, there's no sinner, I feel very safe in saying, who is too far for the mercy of Christ to reach. Because Jesus says, begin at Jerusalem, begin at Jerusalem. And I imagine they might've been a little bit fearful. You want us to begin in Jerusalem? You know what just happened in Jerusalem? You know how hard they are and they wouldn't listen to you and they reviled you? He says, begin at Jerusalem, begin with the worst sinners. So don't lose heart. You've got hardened family members, hardened friends, hardened co-workers. Jesus says, begin at Jerusalem, take the gospel there, and pray that God would do what only he can do. So he's given them a right understanding of the scriptures. He's highlighted three things that have been written. The Christ must suffer, rise, and also this message must be heralded to all the nations beginning at Jerusalem. But thirdly, and more quickly, I wanna show how he begins to speak of their great future task. He begins to speak of their great future task. There's a huge task ahead of them. We know this. They're his apostles, they're gonna be sent out. It's a huge task and they're not yet ready for it. They're not ready. Have you ever felt like that? Maybe you feel like that now. You've got some task before you. Maybe it's off in the future. Maybe you're younger here and you're thinking, I'm not ready to be an adult. I'm not ready to go to college and have a family and do this and that. Or maybe you have a family. Now you've got kids and you say, well, I wasn't ready to be a parent. Or I'm not ready for this, whatever it might be. I'm not ready to be a witness in this world for Christ. That's how they were at this time. They're ordinary men, even weak men as we saw last time two weeks ago, weak men with an extraordinary mission. Jesus says to them, verse 48, you are witnesses of these things. These things, I believe, refers to what Jesus is showing them has been written in the scriptures. You're witnesses of these things. Not only that it was written in the word of God that the Christ would suffer, but you are eyewitnesses of his suffering. They saw his suffering and his death. They saw him after he's been raised up. They were eyewitnesses. You are my witnesses to the ends of the earth and beginning at Jerusalem. where they were sure to face intense opposition. I don't know if you remember it but we mentioned last time in John chapter 20 that it gives us a little detail that they had basically locked themselves in a room in Jerusalem because they were afraid of the Jews. The Jews who were in Jerusalem who had crucified Christ they were afraid and Jesus is saying you've got a task and you're going to go to Jerusalem first. So as they're thinking about that and realizing that means we are probably going to face significant opposition. And maybe what just happened to Christ will happen to us. That's what's involved in what Jesus is saying. They had a big task ahead of them. It was daunting. We might even say it would have been terrifying to them. So they're not ready. And Jesus knows this. They're not ready. So he encourages them, he comforts them, he says this, look at verse 49. Behold, I send the promise of my father upon you. But Terry, wait in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued or clothed with power from on high. So Jesus is saying, I'm gonna send you out. You're going to be my heralds, you're going to be my witnesses, but not yet. You've got a task, you've got a mission, but I want you to wait. You're going to take the gospel to the nations, to the ends of the earth, but he wants them to know it won't be in their power. It won't be in their power. Maybe he wanted them this period of time to feel their weakness even. To have this period of time where he's saying, you need to wait for the spirit. So not yet, he says, stay seated for now. He wants them to stay on the bench, we might say. Wait, there's a big task, but just wait. Tarry in the city until it's time. And they would know it's time when they would be clothed with the promise of the Father. They would be endued with the power from on high or from the height of heaven. So there's going to be this power from on high that means from God and even from Christ himself because he's going to ascend on high and then he too will be pouring out this power. upon them, the Father and the Son, both sending this promise. And what is that promise? It's the Holy Spirit. That's the promise of the Father. It is that the Holy Spirit would be poured out upon them in greater measure, just as was spoken by the prophet Joel. And it shall come to pass afterward, we read in Joel 2. that I will pour out my spirit on all flesh. This was fulfilled at the day of Pentecost. Maybe some of you were here this morning with the Pentecost study. This was fulfilled at the day of Pentecost, this pouring out of the spirit. That was 10 days after Jesus' ascension. So 40 days between his resurrection and ascension, and then he's ascended and they're still waiting for 10 days. for this power to come from on high to clothe them and that's exactly what happened. And it reminds us that even the apostles and we think of them often as these mighty men who did great things for God and they were and they did. But they were also weak men whose faith at times was weak, who needed this outpouring of the Spirit or else their mission would have failed. They would not have been equipped to do what God had called them to do. They could not have faced the opposition that they faced. Remember last time, they all ran away. Jesus is arrested and they run away. So where are they going to get the boldness? Where are they going to be equipped? Is it from within themselves? No, he says, wait until you're clothed from on high with the promise of the Father, with the Holy Spirit. Now, Jesus had spoken similar words in the upper room the night of his betrayal. We have that whole upper room discourse in John, but you remember how Jesus promised him another helper. They're troubled that he's going to leave them. bodily that is. He says, I'm going to send you another helper. That's the Holy Spirit. He says he's going to be with you. He's going to dwell with you. He's going to abide in you and he will be your constant helper, your comforter, your companion to strengthen you and to be with you. That's John 16. Well, it's several places, but John 16 is where he says that he will send the Spirit who will be a witness, convicting the world of sin, of righteousness, of judgment. So this is what they need. And Jesus says, you need to wait for it. Wait for it patiently. You're not ready until I pour out the Spirit, until the Father pours out the Spirit. We can say both. The Spirit is sent by the Father, the Spirit is sent by the Son. Both of those statements are verified in John's Gospel in the Upper Room Discourse. Now, as we wrap this up, and we're gonna wrap it up quickly, I want us to just think about how is this a word for us? We're not apostles. We don't have this great task that they had. And many of us aren't even going into this kind of And they're going to go into Jerusalem and their lives are really going to be at risk. Many of us might not face that. We might. You certainly face opposition. But what's here for us? Because I do believe that as we read about how Jesus is preparing his witnesses, his special witnesses, that he's also got a word for us. who are his witnesses in this world today. Not in the same way, we're not eyewitnesses, we're not apostles, but there's encouragement here for us. And three things I wanna say quickly. The first thing is that whatever God calls us to do, he equips us to do. So he's calling these apostles, these men, to do something great, and he's saying, I'm going to equip you. So whatever he's called you to do, this time in your life, maybe in the future, you can be sure that he will equip you. But what he says to his apostles, I think is important for us as well. He says, wait, now Pentecost has already happened. We have the Holy Spirit, the same spirit that filled the apostles and empowered them dwells within us. But this word to say, wait, is important for us because we often don't wait upon the Lord and tarry when we ought to tarry in prayer. We feel overwhelmed, you've got some task, you're overwhelmed, you say, I can't do it in my strength, and if you're like me, then you go on often and you don't labor in prayer about it. So we ought to wait. We need to be like them. What would we say if the apostle said, we're not gonna wait? Jesus ascends, and they say, well, you know, it's been three days now after his ascension, and I think we just need to get after it and go. We would say that's unbelief, it's foolish, what are you doing? But we often do that when we don't pray, even when we acknowledge how weak we are. But if we really believe that God will equip us for whatever he calls us to do, then we ought to give ourselves more to prayer, waiting upon God and calling out to him to send the blessing of his spirit upon our labors, whether they're in the home, outside of the home, whether they're in a pulpit, whatever it might be. Whatever God calls us to do, he equips us to do. Secondly, in ourselves, we are weak and utterly insufficient. We are weak. We're insufficient. in and of ourselves, just like these disciples, weak men who needed to rely upon the power of the Holy Spirit. Some people have no problem with this. I have no problem. I feel my weakness. But some of you might need to hear this. You are weak in and of yourselves, but in the Lord, we're strong, all of us. In the Lord, we are strong. Be strong in the Lord. and in the strength of His might. So in ourselves, we're weak and utterly insufficient. And thirdly and finally, we too are witnesses in the world. We are witnesses in the world. So in this world, with all of its darkness, we are to be witnesses. And that's gonna look different for all of us. But we are to shine brightly by our lives and also to speak the truth to speak of Christ as we have opportunity, to be looking out for those opportunities. We are the witnesses of Christ in this dark world. And we know that that will mean at times that we will be rejected and ridiculed. I think we all can confess that there's been times we've kept silent because we've been afraid of how somebody will respond. They might think we're extreme or crazy or ridiculous, whatever it is, and we at the moment cannot endure it. But we are the witnesses of Christ in this world. We have the testimony here of God's word, a lamp, and we have the Holy Spirit. And this can be daunting. This was a word of encouragement for me. So we prayed for our witness in this season. We think about this and you might be saying, I don't know if I feel up for this. Me, I'm to be Christ's witness in this world, in this world with all of this hostility. But we should be encouraged because what's our authority? It's not us. We're not saying, this is my opinion and you need to listen. No, our authority is from God. It's his word. But what about our message? It's not our message. We're not coming up with good ideas. It's the gospel of Jesus Christ. And what about our hope and strength? It's Christ who dwells in us. So I want to end with that. Just as Jesus was preparing his witnesses, his apostles, who were going to be heralds to the ends of the earth, He also by his word and spirit is preparing us to be his witnesses and also to do whatever he calls us to do in this world for his glory. Let's pray. God, we thank you for your perfect and holy word. And we ask that you would shed light upon it help us in the weakness of our minds to understand it better, and not just to understand the facts, but that we would understand the application of your word. And so tonight, we pray that you would take these things and apply them to every heart. For some, that it would be salvation, that they would repent, believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and be saved. And for others of us, that we would be encouraged, that we would be strengthened, that you would give us help to be witnesses, to bear testimony to the truth, to bear testimony of Christ, to speak the gospel in this day and age, in this wicked and perverse generation in which we find ourselves. Give us grace. Give us help and strength by your Holy Spirit, we ask in Jesus' name.