1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:04,890 Okay, well here we are the final lesson, lesson number 13 in our series on "The" 2 00:00:04,890 --> 00:00:11,910 "Life of Jesus." The last lesson in this series. Tonight we're going to cover 3 00:00:11,910 --> 00:00:16,470 the events of the seventh and final period of Jesus' life that include the 4 00:00:16,470 --> 00:00:23,760 resurrection, the appearances and the final ascension. Now last time we met we 5 00:00:23,760 --> 00:00:30,029 ended with the Jews who were demanding and obtaining permission to post a guard 6 00:00:30,029 --> 00:00:36,719 at Jesus' tomb in order to guarantee against any tampering by His 7 00:00:36,719 --> 00:00:41,910 followers. We also learned of the women disciples whose intention was to 8 00:00:41,910 --> 00:00:48,690 return to the grave after the Sabbath in order to properly prepare Jesus' body 9 00:00:48,690 --> 00:00:55,590 for final rest. So that's where we left off last week. Now there are three 10 00:00:55,590 --> 00:01:00,090 main events that took place after the death and a burial of Jesus. Each of 11 00:01:00,090 --> 00:01:06,630 these are described in a series of scenes described by the gospel writer. So 12 00:01:06,630 --> 00:01:12,869 we'll start... First of all, I just want to show you the slide about the seven 13 00:01:12,869 --> 00:01:16,979 periods of Jesus' life that we have covered. This is the last time you're 14 00:01:16,979 --> 00:01:20,670 going to see this slide. The boyhood period, the beginning of His public 15 00:01:20,670 --> 00:01:25,890 ministry, the first Passover to the second, the second to the third Passover, 16 00:01:25,890 --> 00:01:30,930 the third Passover to the final week. Then last week we talked about the last 17 00:01:30,930 --> 00:01:36,450 Passover to the crucifixion. Today we're talking about the resurrection, the 18 00:01:36,450 --> 00:01:40,979 appearances, and the ascension. So those seven periods have been covered by these 19 00:01:40,979 --> 00:01:46,020 hundred and fifty four different events that we've looked at. Okay so we're at 20 00:01:46,020 --> 00:01:53,970 event number 140 which is the resurrection of Jesus in Matthew 21 00:01:53,970 --> 00:02:00,030 28:2-4. It's interesting. Only Matthew describes what actually took 22 00:02:00,030 --> 00:02:06,719 place before the women arrived that morning to find the empty grave. 23 00:02:06,719 --> 00:02:12,060 Basically he says there was a severe earthquake and this coincided with the 24 00:02:12,060 --> 00:02:15,780 descent of an angel. He rolled the stone away 25 00:02:15,780 --> 00:02:21,709 from the entrance and sat upon it. The soldiers guarding the tomb fainted and 26 00:02:21,709 --> 00:02:29,130 the angels appearance was like lightning and his clothing was white. Now we're not 27 00:02:29,130 --> 00:02:34,709 told how Jesus left the tomb or if He said anything, only the angel's appearance 28 00:02:34,709 --> 00:02:40,410 and the guards reaction. They fainted. They did not see the Lord because He 29 00:02:40,410 --> 00:02:49,380 showed Himself only to believers after His resurrection. Event number 141, the 30 00:02:49,380 --> 00:02:55,470 women find the empty tomb and that is recorded in Matthew 28, Mark 16:1-4 31 00:02:55,470 --> 00:03:03,510 Luke 24:1-3; John 20:1-2. All four writers described this scene. Mary 32 00:03:03,510 --> 00:03:11,310 Magdalene and Jesus' Aunt Mary and Joanna and others come to the tomb to finish 33 00:03:11,310 --> 00:03:17,250 the burial process. Again, isn't this a natural thing? No mystical there. 34 00:03:17,250 --> 00:03:22,019 His relatives come to take to take care of Him but they find the tomb 35 00:03:22,019 --> 00:03:27,870 empty and open. By now the soldiers have run back to the chief officials with 36 00:03:27,870 --> 00:03:33,600 their story. Mary Magdalene immediately returns to tell the Apostles leaving the 37 00:03:33,600 --> 00:03:42,420 other women alone at the graveside. Event number 142, the angels speak to the women, 38 00:03:42,420 --> 00:03:52,650 Matthew 28:5-7, Mark 16:5-8, and Luke 24:4-8. So the women who remain see the two 39 00:03:52,650 --> 00:04:01,049 angels and also become afraid. They invite the women to inspect 40 00:04:01,049 --> 00:04:05,130 the tomb. They tell them to go and tell the disciples what has taken place 41 00:04:05,130 --> 00:04:10,980 all according to what was promised. They also tell the women, the angels that is, 42 00:04:10,980 --> 00:04:15,359 tell the women that Jesus has gone to Galilee. Now we know our geography by now. 43 00:04:15,359 --> 00:04:18,900 He's gone where? He died in the south. Where does He go? He goes back to the 44 00:04:18,900 --> 00:04:23,370 north. Why? That's His home. That's the home of all these other disciples or 45 00:04:23,370 --> 00:04:26,470 most of them. He goes back there to meet His 46 00:04:26,470 --> 00:04:30,160 disciples. Why does He go back there to meet His disciples? Well, you can be sure 47 00:04:30,160 --> 00:04:35,259 that the disciples didn't stay in Jerusalem. They went back home. So the 48 00:04:35,259 --> 00:04:39,220 women also leave with the intention of telling the disciples that the Lord has 49 00:04:39,220 --> 00:04:46,690 risen from the dead. Event number 143, Peter and John arrive at the tomb, Luke 50 00:04:46,690 --> 00:04:53,319 24:12, Mark 16:1. {correction: should be Mark 16:11} I've got them in reverse order. Mark first, then Luke, then John 20:3 51 00:04:53,319 --> 00:04:59,080 to 10. So the other women have left the scene to tell the Apostles and the 52 00:04:59,080 --> 00:05:04,900 disciples. So Peter and John arrive at the tomb. They've been told by Mary 53 00:05:04,900 --> 00:05:09,639 Magdalene and while the others were skeptical Peter and John have raced to 54 00:05:09,639 --> 00:05:15,970 the scene ahead of Mary who is trailing behind. John arrives first but he waits 55 00:05:15,970 --> 00:05:20,259 for Peter to go inside and once inside they see the linen wrappings on the 56 00:05:20,259 --> 00:05:25,479 ground and the towel used to cover His face that is rolled up in a 57 00:05:25,479 --> 00:05:31,180 corner. John says that once they saw the empty tomb they believed and they 58 00:05:31,180 --> 00:05:35,440 understood what Jesus had been telling them concerning the resurrection. It's 59 00:05:35,440 --> 00:05:40,539 amazing. We say, well, I would have believed. I 60 00:05:40,539 --> 00:05:44,320 would have done it because we have a frame of reference. Right? All of our 61 00:05:44,320 --> 00:05:49,210 lives we've been taught Jesus rose from the dead. So rising from the 62 00:05:49,210 --> 00:05:53,620 dead, we've been taught these things as Christians from an early age but for 63 00:05:53,620 --> 00:06:02,740 them this concept was so unbelievable, so not within their mind frame that only 64 00:06:02,740 --> 00:06:07,810 after the resurrection took place were they starting to grasp what Jesus had 65 00:06:07,810 --> 00:06:13,030 said and even then they doubted. There's another passage that says that. Now, we're 66 00:06:13,030 --> 00:06:17,400 going to talk about the different appearances next. That's the 67 00:06:17,400 --> 00:06:22,000 information that we have. It's hard to put the appearances in order because 68 00:06:22,000 --> 00:06:26,979 there's a small time-frame and there's not a lot of background appearances. So 69 00:06:26,979 --> 00:06:31,479 we'll do the best we can here. Event number 144, the first appearance and 70 00:06:31,479 --> 00:06:37,449 that's to Mary Magdalene, Mark 16:9 and John 20:11-18. 71 00:06:37,449 --> 00:06:43,120 So after Peter and John have seen the empty tomb and they leave, Mary 72 00:06:43,120 --> 00:06:46,990 Magdalene arrives once again at the scene. Remember, she was the first one 73 00:06:46,990 --> 00:06:52,449 there to notice that no one was there, among the other women, 74 00:06:52,449 --> 00:06:55,839 and then she ran to tell the Apostles. They run back to the tomb ahead of her. 75 00:06:55,839 --> 00:07:01,599 Now she shows up and the Bible says that she does see two angels sitting in the 76 00:07:01,599 --> 00:07:07,479 tomb who asked her why she is weeping. When she goes outside she sees Jesus 77 00:07:07,479 --> 00:07:11,979 whom she mistakes for the gardener at first and she asks where they've taken 78 00:07:11,979 --> 00:07:17,080 the Lord's body. When Jesus speaks she recognizes Him and tries to cling to 79 00:07:17,080 --> 00:07:21,610 Him but Jesus does not permit it but rather sends her to tell the Apostles of 80 00:07:21,610 --> 00:07:27,610 His resurrection and imminent ascension. Of course, she does this thing. So 81 00:07:27,610 --> 00:07:34,120 that's the first appearance. Appearance number two is to the other women, Matthew 82 00:07:34,120 --> 00:07:39,729 28:8-10. Only Matthew talks about this. The other women who had seen the angels 83 00:07:39,729 --> 00:07:44,710 and were enroute to the city are now visited by the resurrected Christ while 84 00:07:44,710 --> 00:07:49,479 they're on their way. Matthew reports that the women took hold of His feet and 85 00:07:49,479 --> 00:07:54,189 worshiped Him and He told them what the angels had said, to go tell the disciples 86 00:07:54,189 --> 00:07:59,439 that He would meet them in Galilee. Isn't it interesting that Jesus appears to the 87 00:07:59,439 --> 00:08:05,709 women first not to the Apostles, to the women first. Remember these women had 88 00:08:05,709 --> 00:08:10,569 followed Him as well and these women had supported Him financially in His 89 00:08:10,569 --> 00:08:15,669 ministry and had supported Him in many other ways as well. Martha and Mary 90 00:08:15,669 --> 00:08:21,699 welcoming Him into their home. Alright. Now 91 00:08:21,699 --> 00:08:27,520 we move away from the appearances and we we get another scene that opens up. 92 00:08:27,520 --> 00:08:32,199 This is the priests with the guards. Remember the guards have woken 93 00:08:32,199 --> 00:08:38,380 up and have fled and gone to see the priests, Matthew 28:11-15. So while all 94 00:08:38,380 --> 00:08:43,060 this is going on with Jesus' disciples Matthew reports that the guards who had 95 00:08:43,060 --> 00:08:46,959 fainted at the appearance of the angels have now gone to their superiors to tell 96 00:08:46,959 --> 00:08:50,829 them what has happened. Let's face it, they're in trouble. They're supposed to 97 00:08:50,829 --> 00:08:52,880 guard this thing. So they're in 98 00:08:52,880 --> 00:08:57,380 trouble since it was their duty to guard the tomb. So the Jewish leaders arranged 99 00:08:57,380 --> 00:09:02,360 to pay them a bribe to claim that the body was stolen while they slept. Not a 100 00:09:02,360 --> 00:09:07,760 good thing. Why were you sleeping? So they agree in exchange for the promise that 101 00:09:07,760 --> 00:09:13,220 if this came to the attention of Pilate the priests would vouch for them. So 102 00:09:13,220 --> 00:09:17,209 Matthew claimed that this was the "official story" given out at the time 103 00:09:17,209 --> 00:09:22,370 that he wrote his gospel some 30 or 40 years after the fact. So 30 or 40 years 104 00:09:22,370 --> 00:09:27,350 later between 60 and 70 AD Matthew writes his gospel and he's saying the 105 00:09:27,350 --> 00:09:33,290 story that circulated from the leaders was that somebody came and stole 106 00:09:33,290 --> 00:09:39,110 the body. Now isn't that interesting? I'm just amazed that the 107 00:09:39,110 --> 00:09:43,399 political leaders would lie to the people. That doesn't happen does it? Even 108 00:09:43,399 --> 00:09:47,959 in the modern day, do the politicians lie about bad things that happen, maybe 109 00:09:47,959 --> 00:09:54,230 try to cover it up with a story? Again, so natural, so human. Isn't it? Matthew is 110 00:09:54,230 --> 00:09:59,680 saying this is the official "story", the official cover up, that has been 111 00:09:59,680 --> 00:10:04,190 circulating since the resurrection of Jesus. Okay, so we go back to the 112 00:10:04,190 --> 00:10:11,230 appearances now. Event number 147, this is the third appearance to Peter, Luke 24:34. 113 00:10:11,230 --> 00:10:17,060 Now, Peter doesn't even mention it in his own writings but it is left to one of 114 00:10:17,060 --> 00:10:22,250 the unnamed Apostles to mention it in passing by one of the men who had seen 115 00:10:22,250 --> 00:10:27,050 the Lord on the road to Emmaus, the Lord telling them that Jesus had indeed 116 00:10:27,050 --> 00:10:34,040 appeared to Simon Peter. Paul confirms this fact in I Corinthians 15:5 with 117 00:10:34,040 --> 00:10:41,390 a similar reference. Again, I suppose a credit to Peter and his humility. The 118 00:10:41,390 --> 00:10:46,190 fact that he was the one that denied Jesus and received such mercy afterwards 119 00:10:46,190 --> 00:10:51,430 that he doesn't even mention that the Lord appeared to him by himself. 120 00:10:51,430 --> 00:10:59,750 Appearance number 4, two disciples on the road to Emmaus, Mark 16:12-13 and Luke 24: 121 00:10:59,750 --> 00:11:04,700 13. Now, we no longer know where Emmaus was located 122 00:11:04,700 --> 00:11:08,810 but it was near Jerusalem. We don't know where that little village was perhaps 123 00:11:08,810 --> 00:11:14,000 five, six, seven miles from Jerusalem. The two disciples were on their way after 124 00:11:14,000 --> 00:11:17,810 being witnesses of what had happened to Jesus in Jerusalem. So they knew about 125 00:11:17,810 --> 00:11:22,400 the crucifixion they didn't know about the resurrection. So while they're 126 00:11:22,400 --> 00:11:27,110 discussing this Jesus comes along and begins to travel with them sharing their 127 00:11:27,110 --> 00:11:32,570 conversation. They're prevented from recognizing Him as He questions them 128 00:11:32,570 --> 00:11:35,780 regarding their discussions. They tell Him that they were hoping that 129 00:11:35,780 --> 00:11:39,620 Jesus would have been the Messiah but now He's been tortured and killed and 130 00:11:39,620 --> 00:11:45,920 they're not so sure. Now, like most Jews they hope the Messiah would be a 131 00:11:45,920 --> 00:11:51,580 glorious figure like David, some sort of warrior king. In the Old Testament Isaiah 132 00:11:51,580 --> 00:11:57,890 presented a figure of suffering and servanthood in the 53rd chapter that the 133 00:11:57,890 --> 00:12:03,140 Jews saw as a personification of themselves. Even to this day if you asked 134 00:12:03,140 --> 00:12:10,100 modern Jews, Orthodox Jews, if you ask them who is the Messiah and many of 135 00:12:10,100 --> 00:12:13,910 them will say we're the Messiah, the collective nation of Israel is the 136 00:12:13,910 --> 00:12:17,180 Messiah, the suffering that they've gone through throughout history is the 137 00:12:17,180 --> 00:12:22,700 suffering that Isaiah talks about in 53. Of course, Isaiah talks about a single 138 00:12:22,700 --> 00:12:30,860 person, a single person, but that's information for another 139 00:12:30,860 --> 00:12:36,560 lesson. Getting back to this appearance number 4, the two men on the road to 140 00:12:36,560 --> 00:12:41,210 Emmaus. Jesus comes to these two disciples and He explains to them that 141 00:12:41,210 --> 00:12:47,420 the Messiah would be of two profiles, to two different images of the Messiah. 142 00:12:47,420 --> 00:12:54,950 Number one, He would be a suffering servant. It wasn't the Jews who were 143 00:12:54,950 --> 00:13:00,950 Isaiah's model for his suffering servant, it was the Messiah that he was 144 00:13:00,950 --> 00:13:07,220 talking about. Jesus' suffering was not a repudiation of His claim as Messiah it 145 00:13:07,220 --> 00:13:11,480 was a confirmation that He truly was fulfilling all that was written about 146 00:13:11,480 --> 00:13:15,080 Him in the Old Testament. Some Jews thought He couldn't be the Messiah 147 00:13:15,080 --> 00:13:21,910 He suffered. But Isaiah is saying the true Messiah will suffer, 148 00:13:21,910 --> 00:13:27,500 exactly the opposite. This was a stumbling block for Jews. Jesus 149 00:13:27,500 --> 00:13:31,370 explains this to these two disciples because they're thinking we thought He 150 00:13:31,370 --> 00:13:35,540 was the Messiah. We believed in the miracles. We accepted the messages 151 00:13:35,540 --> 00:13:39,830 but then He suffered and He died and that doesn't jive with what we think the 152 00:13:39,830 --> 00:13:45,260 Messiah should be. Jesus clarifies this for them saying, no you're wrong. 153 00:13:45,260 --> 00:13:49,670 The Messiah needed to suffer. That's what the Prophet said. That was the 154 00:13:49,670 --> 00:13:56,030 fulfillment of that prophecy. So the first image of the Messiah, the suffering 155 00:13:56,030 --> 00:14:01,460 servant, and then the second image, the glorious Savior. Like David, who saved his 156 00:14:01,460 --> 00:14:08,480 people, Jesus in His resurrection defeats man's greatest enemy and that is death. 157 00:14:08,480 --> 00:14:12,290 That's what the resurrection is about. It's the proof positive that He has 158 00:14:12,290 --> 00:14:17,090 defeated the enemy of death. David defeated the enemies of the nation but 159 00:14:17,090 --> 00:14:24,500 Jesus defeats the enemy of humanity which is death caused by sin. So this was 160 00:14:24,500 --> 00:14:29,360 the nature of what Jesus taught these two disciples along the road. The clarity 161 00:14:29,360 --> 00:14:33,410 that they get, it says that their hearts beat inside of them. Why? Because He was 162 00:14:33,410 --> 00:14:36,590 telling them the truth. He was opening the Scriptures. He was explaining in 163 00:14:36,590 --> 00:14:42,740 context what the Scriptures really meant. So as darkness approaches they invite 164 00:14:42,740 --> 00:14:47,210 Him to spend the night with them and as they ate and Jesus blesses the meal then 165 00:14:47,210 --> 00:14:51,290 they recognized Him and then He disappears from their sight. So they 166 00:14:51,290 --> 00:14:57,500 returned to Jerusalem to report this to the Apostles. Alright, event number 149, 167 00:14:57,500 --> 00:15:04,100 appearance number 149, and that is excuse me, event number 149, that's appearance 168 00:15:04,100 --> 00:15:09,680 number 5. Appearance number 5, Jesus appears to the Apostles and the 169 00:15:09,680 --> 00:15:21,050 disciples together, Luke 24:36-49 and John 20:19-23. Now with the two 170 00:15:21,050 --> 00:15:25,190 disciples or rather when the two disciples find the Apostles and begin 171 00:15:25,190 --> 00:15:31,220 telling them of their experience, in the middle of this, Jesus appears among them. 172 00:15:31,220 --> 00:15:33,560 I think about these two disciples 173 00:15:33,560 --> 00:15:38,060 on the road to Emmaus, they get to see Him, with them in their home. 174 00:15:38,060 --> 00:15:41,899 Then they get to see Him again because they're with the Apostles, a double 175 00:15:41,899 --> 00:15:47,899 blessing for them. So at this first appearance among them the Apostles were 176 00:15:47,899 --> 00:15:52,820 frightened and He reassures them by showing His hands and feet and 177 00:15:52,820 --> 00:15:57,160 and asking them for something to eat. Is He hungry? I mean, does He need the food? 178 00:15:57,160 --> 00:16:04,519 It's for them, it's not for Him, to dispel the idea that He was a "ghost" or 179 00:16:04,519 --> 00:16:10,630 a vision or an appearance not only for them but when they report it later. 180 00:16:10,630 --> 00:16:16,730 They can say we saw the hands, we saw the feet, we saw him eat food, 181 00:16:16,730 --> 00:16:19,820 which would dispel this idea that it was only a vision. If it's only a 182 00:16:19,820 --> 00:16:25,190 vision, that vision isn't eating your fish and your bread and drinking the 183 00:16:25,190 --> 00:16:31,820 wine. So after this He teaches them what He had taught 184 00:16:31,820 --> 00:16:36,110 the two disciples along the road, that according to the scriptures the Messiah 185 00:16:36,110 --> 00:16:40,819 had to suffer, had to die, had to resurrect, and what they were seeing was 186 00:16:40,819 --> 00:16:46,519 the true fulfillment of Scripture. So John tells us that it's at this point 187 00:16:46,519 --> 00:16:51,889 that Jesus breathes on them and gives them the gift of the Holy Spirit. Now, 188 00:16:51,889 --> 00:16:56,839 they received John's baptism and they were justified at that point. Their sins 189 00:16:56,839 --> 00:17:01,610 were forgiven. Now they received the indwelling of the Holy Spirit to permit 190 00:17:01,610 --> 00:17:07,850 their growth in Christ. In other words, they're justified when they're baptized, 191 00:17:07,850 --> 00:17:12,439 when they obey John's order to be baptized for the remission 192 00:17:12,439 --> 00:17:17,270 of their sins and they received the gift of the Holy Spirit when Jesus breathes 193 00:17:17,270 --> 00:17:21,410 on them. Now the process of sanctification is really going to begin 194 00:17:21,410 --> 00:17:27,620 in earnest with the receiving of the spirit. Of course, today, I mean from 195 00:17:27,620 --> 00:17:32,720 Pentecost until today we receive both of these gifts at the point of Baptist. 196 00:17:32,720 --> 00:17:38,090 That's what Peter's talking about in Acts 2:38 when he says, "Repent let every" 197 00:17:38,090 --> 00:17:42,110 "one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus for the forgiveness of your sins" 198 00:17:42,110 --> 00:17:45,450 "and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." Those 199 00:17:45,450 --> 00:17:49,620 two things take place at the same time for the Apostles. One took place and then 200 00:17:49,620 --> 00:17:54,659 the other took place after the resurrection of Jesus. So after this He 201 00:17:54,659 --> 00:17:59,340 gives them the charge to be His witnesses in preaching the gospel but 202 00:17:59,340 --> 00:18:03,539 to wait in Jerusalem until they received the empowering from the Holy Spirit. 203 00:18:03,539 --> 00:18:08,730 Different thing, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is about sanctification. What 204 00:18:08,730 --> 00:18:14,159 Paul talks about in Romans 8 through the power of the Spirit we overcome sin, our 205 00:18:14,159 --> 00:18:19,860 prayer life is enhanced. The empowering of the Spirit comes 206 00:18:19,860 --> 00:18:25,860 on Pentecost Sunday, gives them the ability to do miracles, not 207 00:18:25,860 --> 00:18:31,889 the same thing. Alright, event number 150, appearance number six, Thomas, Mark 16 208 00:18:31,889 --> 00:18:37,860 John 20. So in the previous appearance to the Apostles Thomas was not among them, 209 00:18:37,860 --> 00:18:43,470 but this time he is. Now Mark says that Jesus rebuked them for being hard 210 00:18:43,470 --> 00:18:47,190 hearted and unbelieving. I wonder if that's why He appeared to the women 211 00:18:47,190 --> 00:18:52,769 first, because it didn't seem that they were hard hearted. He appeared to the 212 00:18:52,769 --> 00:18:58,049 two men on the road to Emmaus and who His own Apostles, who were sometimes the 213 00:18:58,049 --> 00:19:01,470 ones who were closest were the most skeptical. I don't understand why that is 214 00:19:01,470 --> 00:19:06,690 but it was in this case. John gives a fuller description of the scene where 215 00:19:06,690 --> 00:19:12,570 Jesus appears with the greeting, "Peace be with you", and He takes special care in 216 00:19:12,570 --> 00:19:19,500 convincing Thomas of His true person. So Thomas acknowledges Jesus as Lord and 217 00:19:19,500 --> 00:19:27,179 God and Jesus. This may be the rebuke that Mark refers to. Says that, 218 00:19:27,179 --> 00:19:31,260 "They have believed because they have seen but blessed are they who will" 219 00:19:31,260 --> 00:19:37,529 "believe without seeing." So John comments that these things have been recorded for 220 00:19:37,529 --> 00:19:44,370 the express purpose of helping those who haven't seen to believe. That of course, is 221 00:19:44,370 --> 00:19:52,590 ourselves. Appearance number 151, again event number 151, appearance number 7, 222 00:19:52,590 --> 00:19:58,119 the Great Commission, Matthew 28:16-20, Mark 16:15-18. 223 00:19:58,119 --> 00:20:02,379 So Jesus sends the Apostles north into Galilee where the majority of His 224 00:20:02,379 --> 00:20:06,999 ministry had taken place. He sends them to a certain mountain and it is 225 00:20:06,999 --> 00:20:10,959 here that He gives them the charge to go into all the world to preach, to baptize, 226 00:20:10,959 --> 00:20:17,049 and to teach all disciples the things that He has commanded. Actually to teach 227 00:20:17,049 --> 00:20:22,539 all disciples to obey all the things that He has commanded. So His time for 228 00:20:22,539 --> 00:20:27,279 departure is drawing near. So He comforts them with the promise that He will 229 00:20:27,279 --> 00:20:31,059 always be with them. Again He's been with them for three years. They've gone 230 00:20:31,059 --> 00:20:36,549 through tremendous emotional upheaval with Him, fear and joy and ecstasy, in the 231 00:20:36,549 --> 00:20:42,129 sense of seeing Him in His exalted state, now His death, 232 00:20:42,129 --> 00:20:46,809 now His resurrection, His appearances. I mean they've really gone through a lot. 233 00:20:46,809 --> 00:20:51,509 Now He says I'm leaving again. So obviously they're going to be 234 00:20:51,509 --> 00:20:56,619 upset. They're going to be frightened. So He reassures that He will always be 235 00:20:56,619 --> 00:21:02,469 with them. Event number 152 would be appearance number 8 at the Sea of 236 00:21:02,469 --> 00:21:09,699 Galilee. John talks about this, John 21:1-25. So John gives another 237 00:21:09,699 --> 00:21:14,139 long description of a time when Jesus appears to Peter and the other Apostles 238 00:21:14,139 --> 00:21:19,359 as they're fishing. It's here that Peter is reconciled with the Lord in 239 00:21:19,359 --> 00:21:26,609 front of the others over his denial. Jesus asks for his love three times. 240 00:21:26,609 --> 00:21:33,719 Here is where Jesus gives him back his apostolic ministry, "Feed my sheep", He says. 241 00:21:33,719 --> 00:21:39,579 Now, there's an explanation by John as to why some in the first 242 00:21:39,579 --> 00:21:44,979 century believed that he would not die until Jesus returned, but John says that 243 00:21:44,979 --> 00:21:50,439 Jesus merely stated that if He wanted him to remain alive until that time that 244 00:21:50,439 --> 00:21:54,909 was His decision to make and no one else's. What I find interesting is the 245 00:21:54,909 --> 00:22:02,349 little historical notes that are put in here about the cover story that was 246 00:22:02,349 --> 00:22:06,639 circulating in Jerusalem about Jesus' resurrection that had been 247 00:22:06,639 --> 00:22:10,720 developed by the priests and the and the guards. 248 00:22:10,720 --> 00:22:15,070 This here, this little background story as to why there was confusion in 249 00:22:15,070 --> 00:22:19,090 the early church about John, that he would live forever, that he 250 00:22:19,090 --> 00:22:24,160 would be alive when Jesus returned and how John is correcting this 251 00:22:24,160 --> 00:22:29,200 misinformation. You don't see this type of thing in fantasy stories 252 00:22:29,200 --> 00:22:35,290 and mystic stories. This is very historical, very personal in nature. 253 00:22:35,290 --> 00:22:38,740 Basically he's saying it didn't mean that he would die or he would live, 254 00:22:38,740 --> 00:22:43,990 excuse me, until Jesus returned only that Jesus could do what He wanted, it was up 255 00:22:43,990 --> 00:22:49,360 to Him. So he completes this chapter with the same kind of editorial comment that 256 00:22:49,360 --> 00:22:54,430 the record he kept only contained part of the things that Jesus did. That's 257 00:22:54,430 --> 00:22:57,850 where he says it. "I'm only giving you a part of what happened. If I wrote" 258 00:22:57,850 --> 00:23:01,660 "everything that took place there would be no books on earth" 259 00:23:01,660 --> 00:23:06,280 "that could contain it all." We know because look at, if you go 260 00:23:06,280 --> 00:23:10,930 online and just type in "Jesus" the millions and millions of references 261 00:23:10,930 --> 00:23:16,180 and books that are simply written based on the 262 00:23:16,180 --> 00:23:20,590 little information that we have. Can you imagine if they wrote down everything 263 00:23:20,590 --> 00:23:24,070 that he did in three years? How much information we would have? That's the 264 00:23:24,070 --> 00:23:29,620 point he's making here,. Event number 153 appearance number 9, to the 500. We have 265 00:23:29,620 --> 00:23:34,930 to go out of the gospels to check out this particular appearance, 266 00:23:34,930 --> 00:23:42,220 I Corinthians 15:6-8. Not all of Jesus' appearances were recorded in the gospels. 267 00:23:42,220 --> 00:23:46,120 They happen during the time of the gospels that's why we included in our 268 00:23:46,120 --> 00:23:51,280 event schedule here, but they were written about later on. Paul describes 269 00:23:51,280 --> 00:23:55,780 some of Jesus' appearance that fit into the gospel narrative but are not 270 00:23:55,780 --> 00:24:00,970 included by the writers. So simply for sequence sake we note that Jesus 271 00:24:00,970 --> 00:24:05,350 appeared to over 500 people in Galilee perhaps when he gave the Great 272 00:24:05,350 --> 00:24:11,470 Commission. He also appears to James, His earthly brother and Paul the Apostle but 273 00:24:11,470 --> 00:24:18,250 this was much later after His ascension. So approximately 549 people recorded as 274 00:24:18,250 --> 00:24:21,280 seeing Him in different situations, different 275 00:24:21,280 --> 00:24:26,410 days, men, women, young, old, all kinds of... in different places, night and 276 00:24:26,410 --> 00:24:31,720 day, indoors and outdoors. That type of verification is never ever given for 277 00:24:31,720 --> 00:24:35,830 other people, other religions, who say that God has spoke to them. When they 278 00:24:35,830 --> 00:24:39,670 talk about it in other religions, they talk about they were in a cave by 279 00:24:39,670 --> 00:24:45,310 themselves, they discovered something at night, usually there by themselves. So 280 00:24:45,310 --> 00:24:48,730 you have to believe them because you have only their word to confirm what 281 00:24:48,730 --> 00:24:54,730 they've seen. But Jesus provides over 500 living witnesses at the time who could 282 00:24:54,730 --> 00:25:01,300 corroborate each others story. Then we have the Ascension. That's the 283 00:25:01,300 --> 00:25:08,890 154th event and that would be also the 10th appearance, the 284 00:25:08,890 --> 00:25:13,240 final great act recorded by the gospel writers is the Ascension of Jesus back 285 00:25:13,240 --> 00:25:18,700 into heaven. For us it's the 154th and last event recorded, 286 00:25:18,700 --> 00:25:27,220 Mark 16:19-20, Luke 24:50-53. Luke says that this took place where? In Bethany of 287 00:25:27,220 --> 00:25:33,940 all... not in Jerusalem at the temple. It took place in Bethany, a place of happy 288 00:25:33,940 --> 00:25:38,230 memories with the Apostles and disciples and friends. Bethany is the place where 289 00:25:38,230 --> 00:25:42,790 He spent time with Mary and Martha and Lazarus His friend. Bethany is the place 290 00:25:42,790 --> 00:25:47,050 where He resurrected Lazarus. Bethany is the place where He had that dinner with 291 00:25:47,050 --> 00:25:52,660 Lazarus and that celebration of the resurrection of Lazarus. So they 292 00:25:52,660 --> 00:25:57,790 watched Him ascend into heaven as He blessed them. Now together Mark and Luke 293 00:25:57,790 --> 00:26:02,020 record that the Apostles felt great joy. They returned to Jerusalem and later on 294 00:26:02,020 --> 00:26:07,240 preach the good news on the Sunday of Pentecost. Luke gives a 295 00:26:07,240 --> 00:26:10,990 more complete version of this event in the first chapter of the book 296 00:26:10,990 --> 00:26:15,400 of Acts where he explains that the Lord instructed them to remain in Jerusalem 297 00:26:15,400 --> 00:26:19,900 to await the baptism with the Holy Spirit which would empower them to do 298 00:26:19,900 --> 00:26:26,140 miracles and preach. Why? Because their natural inclination was to go home. 299 00:26:26,140 --> 00:26:31,240 Home wasn't Jerusalem. Home was north. But Jesus said, "No, you stay in Jerusalem", 300 00:26:31,240 --> 00:26:34,829 because He knew the preaching of the gospel would begin 301 00:26:34,829 --> 00:26:40,439 in Jerusalem and would spread out from Jerusalem to all parts of the world. So 302 00:26:40,439 --> 00:26:44,429 in His final words to them He repeated the charge to be His witnesses to the 303 00:26:44,429 --> 00:26:49,139 world. Luke says that two angels encourage them to stop looking into the 304 00:26:49,139 --> 00:26:54,989 sky, noting that He would return someday in the very same way. 305 00:26:54,989 --> 00:27:00,839 Okay, so there you go. 154 events that we've gone 306 00:27:00,839 --> 00:27:04,949 through, event by event, all the Scriptures. If you followed this series 307 00:27:04,949 --> 00:27:09,119 it means that you've read all the passages. It means that you've read all 308 00:27:09,119 --> 00:27:16,229 four gospels in the last 13 weeks. Well, since this is the last 309 00:27:16,229 --> 00:27:20,429 class I want to share just one lesson. Usually I give you two or three lessons. 310 00:27:20,429 --> 00:27:30,479 Just one lesson or thought about this series and it's this, we, you and me, we 311 00:27:30,479 --> 00:27:35,939 are mentioned. Even though Jesus' words were mostly directed toward the Apostles 312 00:27:35,939 --> 00:27:41,219 and their situation and the work that was ahead of them Jesus also referred to 313 00:27:41,219 --> 00:27:47,249 us directly as well. In John chapter 20 when He tells Thomas and the others that 314 00:27:47,249 --> 00:27:52,409 their faith was based on what they had seen but blessed would be those whose 315 00:27:52,409 --> 00:27:57,869 faith would come even though they had not actually seen. I'm telling you, He is 316 00:27:57,869 --> 00:28:05,129 talking to you and He's talking to me, that's us He's talking about. I 317 00:28:05,129 --> 00:28:10,679 always envied those people whose names were actually mentioned in the Bible. I 318 00:28:10,679 --> 00:28:18,059 envied them, David and Peter and Lydia and Mary and John. You know their names 319 00:28:18,059 --> 00:28:23,309 are there. They can see the book of life and their names are mentioned. I 320 00:28:23,309 --> 00:28:29,609 always envied in a way, in a good way I suppose, their names mentioned in the 321 00:28:29,609 --> 00:28:36,869 Bible. How secure they must have felt that their place was so secure that it 322 00:28:36,869 --> 00:28:44,609 was actually recorded in their inspired text. Luke and Timothy and Titus, 323 00:28:44,609 --> 00:28:51,140 they saw their names in the letters. Well, in His kindness 324 00:28:51,140 --> 00:28:58,020 Jesus has made room for all of us in the phrase "blessed are they who did not see 325 00:28:58,020 --> 00:29:04,950 and yet believed". Every time you read that passage realize that your name is 326 00:29:04,950 --> 00:29:12,270 included there from Jesus' own lips. Take heart for He will return one day to 327 00:29:12,270 --> 00:29:17,670 call your name one last time to be with Him in heaven forever because even 328 00:29:17,670 --> 00:29:24,950 though you have not seen through His word you have belief. Well, that's the end. 329 00:29:24,950 --> 00:29:28,710 Solomon says the end of a matter is always better than the beginning of a 330 00:29:28,710 --> 00:29:33,780 matter. So I'm thanking all of you who have stayed with us for this course. I 331 00:29:33,780 --> 00:29:39,000 thank all those who may be watching this lesson on DVD later on. I hope that it's 332 00:29:39,000 --> 00:29:43,890 been a blessing to you. We look forward to our future classes. Thank you very 333 00:29:43,890 --> 00:29:46,880 much and God bless you.