A. As you know from experience, in our day and time, there is a lot of misinformation the flows through the internet, in news headlines, and from public figures.
1. There are at least two internet sites that are satirical “newspapers,” but unfortunately, some people don’t realize they are “fake news” outlets.
a. One is called “The Onion” and one is called “The Babylon Bee.”
2. “The Onion” has been around since 1988, and was originally a weekly newspaper publication, but stopped publishing its print version in 2013.
a. The Onion promotes a liberal perspective on current events.
3. Here are a few of their “fake headlines” from their present online issue:
a. “Mayonnaise Label Warns Product For External Use Only” (And here you’ve been using it on your sandwiches!)
b. “73% of America’s Food Waste Traced to Really Messy Toddler” (Who would have thought!)
c. “Health Insurance Plan Only Covers Random Hippopotamus Attacks” (Better read the fine print!)
4. “The Babylon Bee” was launched 2016 and is only available on the internet.
a. It has been called a Christian, or conservative version of The Onion.
5. Here are some “fake headlines” from their present online issue:
a. “Progressive Christians Waiting Until Marriage to Remove Each Other’s Masks” (That could be shocking!)
b. “Man Shows Wife How to Close the 8,537 Tabs She Has Open” (No wonder her browser was running so slowly!)
c. “Celebrities Spell Out “We’re All in This Together” with Their Yachts” (Isn’t that thoughtful!)
B. If you are wondering why I am introducing this sermon with these humorous “fake news” publications, is because it is so important for all of us to be sure about what we know and believe.
1. Last week we discussed the resurrection of Jesus and the impact it had on those disciples who saw the risen Christ.
2. But last week, we also read about the false report the Jewish Leaders created and bribed the Roman soldiers to circulate that said that the disciples of Jesus came during the night and stole the body of Jesus while the soldiers were asleep – you talk about “fake news!”
3. But Thomas, one of the apostles, was not present that resurrection Sunday when Jesus appeared to the other apostles.
a. Thomas didn’t know what to believe when his fellow apostles claimed Jesus was alive.
b. How could it be that Jesus was alive? Thomas’ memory was fresh with the crucified Jesus being buried in the tomb.
c. The image of the nails in Jesus’ hands and feet, and the side of Jesus pierced by the spear could not be dismissed.
d. Jesus had died and had been buried, and that was the indisputable truth, but what about this news of a resurrection?
4. Thomas doubted it and declared, “If I don’t see the mark of the nails in his hands, put my finger into the mark of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will never believe.” (Jn. 20:25)
a. For Thomas, seeing was believing and who could fault him for that?
b. The good news for Thomas was that Jesus is a patient and compassionate Savior who is willing to meet people where they are.
C. The Gospel of John tells us what happened one week after the resurrection on the next Sunday.
1. John reports: 26 A week later his disciples were indoors again, and Thomas was with them. Even though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and look at my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Don’t be faithless, but believe.” 28 Thomas responded to him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said, “Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.” (Jn. 20:26-29)
2. So one week later the apostles were still in Jerusalem.
a. Fear was still a controlling force as once again we find the apostles behind locked doors in what was probably the same location they were at the week before.
b. Jesus appeared to them again and this time it was for the specific benefit of Thomas.
3. Don’t you love the fact that Jesus knew exactly what was going on with Thomas?
a. And don’t you love the fact that He wasted no time and immediately addressed Thomas?
b. Jesus offered for Thomas to touch His hands, feet and side, but it doesn’t look like Thomas needed to do that in order to believe.
c. Can you imagine how relieved and joy-filled Thomas must have been to see Jesus alive?
d. He declared, “My Lord and my God!” and he probably did it on his knees and through tear-filled eyes.
e. When the apostle John began his first letter, he started with these words: We proclaim to you the one who existed from the beginning, whom we have heard and seen. We saw him with our own eyes and touched him with our own hands. He is the Word of life. (1 Jn. 1:1)
f. Those apostles, including Thomas, had witnessed Jesus, with their sight and touch, during His ministry and after His resurrection – we can trust their testimony!
4. I love Jesus’ reaction to Thomas: “Because You have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.” – Brothers and sisters, Jesus was talking about us!!
a. Thomas had seen and perhaps touched the risen Jesus and He believed, but we believe in Jesus even though we don’t have the opportunity to see Him and touch Him like they did.
D. That encounter with the 11 apostles took place seven days after the resurrection, but we are not sure exactly when the next encounters with the risen Jesus took place.
1. Acts 1:3 tells us that Jesus remained on earth for forty days following His resurrection, but we are told very little about what took place on those days.
2. Did Jesus make more appearances than we are privy to? Probably.
3. The apostle John concluded his Gospel with these words: 24 This is the disciple who testifies to these things and who wrote them down. We know that his testimony is true. 25 And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which, if every one of them were written down, I suppose not even the world itself could contain the books that would be written. (Jn. 21:24-25)
4. So, were there more post-resurrection appearances of Jesus than are recorded in Scripture? Probably.
5. How many post-resurrection appearances of Jesus are recorded in Scripture? Glad you asked!
6. In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul shared this information with us: 3 For I passed on to you as most important what I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the Twelve. 6 Then he appeared to over five hundred brothers and sisters at one time; most of them are still alive, but some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one born at the wrong time, he also appeared to me. (1 Cor. 15:3-8)
7. When we piece together the post-resurrection appearances of Jesus in the Gospels and in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians, we come up with at least 10 appearances and an 11th later with Paul.
a. First, He appeared to Mary and the women (Mk. 16:9-11; Jn. 20:11-18; Mt. 28:9-10).
b. Second, He appeared to Peter (Lk. 24:34; 1 Cor. 15:5).
c. Third, He appeared to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Lk. 24:13-32).
d. Fourth, He appeared to the apostles without Thomas (Lk. 24:36-43; Jn. 20:19-25).
e. Fifth, a week later, He appeared to the apostles with Thomas (Jn. 20:26-29).
f. Sixth, He appeared to seven of the disciples at the Sea of Galilee (Jn. 21:1-25).
g. Seventh, He appeared to His brother James, we don’t know where or when this took place (1 Cor. 15:7).
h. Eighth, He appeared to over 500 brethren, not sure when or where (1 Cor. 15:6).
i. Nineth, He appeared to the apostles on a mountain in Galilee (Mt. 28:16-20; Mk. 16:15-18).
j. Tenth, He appeared at the time of His ascension (Acts 1:9-12; Mk. 16:19-20; Lk. 24:50-53).
m. Eleventh, He appeared to Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-6; 1 Cor. 15:8).
E. Let’s talk about a few of these post-resurrection appearances that we have more information about.
1. In John 21, we are told about a time when Jesus appeared to seven of His disciples beside the Sea of Galilee.
2. Those present were Peter, Thomas, Nathaniel, the two sons of Zebedee, and two others.
3. Many of them were fisherman, and Peter announced to the group: “I’m going fishing,” and they decided to join him.
a. I think this is an indication that the apostles weren’t quite sure what they were supposed to be doing at the time.
b. Jesus had told them that He would meet them in Galilee, so they went to Galilee.
c. But what should they do while they waited in Galilee? Why not go fishing?
4. Like many of our own fishing experiences, they fished all night and didn’t catch anything – been there done that! How about you?
5. The next morning Jesus appeared on the shore, but they didn’t recognize that it was Him.
a. Jesus hollered to them asking them if they had caught anything, and when they answered “no,” He told them to cast the net on the right side of the boat and they would catch some.
b. Can you imagine their initial thoughts, “Right, buddy! Don’t you think we already tried the right side of the boat? We’ve tried everything!”
c. Nevertheless, they followed Jesus’ direction and suddenly the net was so full they couldn’t haul it in.
6. The apostle John then said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” and Peter was so excited to see Him that he jumped out of the boat and swam to shore to meet Him – that’s the Peter we know!
7. When they all got to shore, Jesus said, “Come and have breakfast.”
a. The apostle John tells us: None of the disciples dared ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. 13 Jesus came, took the bread, and gave it to them. He did the same with the fish. 14 This was now the third time Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead. (Jn. 21:12-14)
8. It was while they were having breakfast that Jesus decided to give Peter the opportunity to affirm Jesus three times, just as Peter had denied Jesus three times.
a. That must have been a very emotionally powerful moment as Jesus asked Peter: “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said to him, “you know that I love you.”
b. Silence must have hung in the air between each time when Jesus asked the question, which he did three times in total.
c. Each time Jesus asked Peter if he loved Him, Peter replied, “Lord, you know I love you.”
d. And after each of Peter’s affirmative responses, Jesus said, “Feed and shepherd My sheep.”
9. I’m sure that Peter had felt like his denials of Jesus had excluded him from future service in Jesus’ kingdom, but Jesus was trying to make it clear to Peter that his service was still wanted.
10. History reveals that Peter never again denied His Lord and that all those apostles who had deserted Jesus that night in Gethsemane, would never abandon Jesus again.
11. How wonderful it is for us to know that our personal or ministry failures do not exclude us from future service to our Lord.
a. After appropriate repentance any person can be recommissioned in God’s service.
b. The issue is never God’s willingness to forgive, rather the issue is our ability to swallow our pride and seek reconciliation and reinstatement.
c. Peter took a bad fall, but with God’s help, he got up and started over again, and we can too.
F. The next post-resurrection appearance of Jesus took place on a mountain in Galilee.
1. This appearance was not unexpected like the others.
2. This appearance was a pre-arranged meeting, and a very important one.
3. This was the meeting that likely was spoken about by the angels on the very first day of His resurrection when the angel said to the women: “Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has risen from the dead and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; you will see him there.’ ” (Mt. 28:7)
a. And then a few minutes later when Jesus first appeared to Mary and the women and said to them: “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there.” (Mt. 28:10)
4. There on the mountain in Galilee, overlooking miles of countryside, Jesus commissioned them to go out into all nations and make disciples.
5. Matthew wrote: 16 The eleven disciples traveled to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had directed them. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped, but some doubted. 18 Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Mt. 28:16-20).
a. When Matthew says, “When they saw him, they worshiped, but some doubted,” I don’t believe he was saying that any of the apostles doubted.
b. I think the group present on that mountain consisted of more than the apostles, and perhaps the group was the 500 that Jesus appeared to that Paul mentioned in 1 Corinthians 15.
c. The apostles had already seen Jesus at least twice, and some of them 3 times.
d. But this would have been the first time that the 500 had seen the risen Jesus, so there is a good chance that some of them doubted.
6. During this appearance of Jesus, He gave them what we call “The Great Commission.”
a. Jesus declared His authority.
b. Jesus gave them their marching orders to make disciples, which included baptizing them and teaching them to obey all of Jesus’ commands (including the great commission).
c. Then Jesus promised to be with them.
d. How was it that Jesus would be with them even though He was returning to heaven? The answer is through the Holy Spirit.
7. We know that the apostles had a particular function in establishing the church and that their function had a limited duration, and that’s why we don’t have apostles today.
a. But the commission to make disciples who make disciples wasn’t a mission only for the apostles, rather it is the mission of all disciples of Jesus.
b. The great commission applies to every Christian at every time and in every place.
c. We must make sure that the great commission doesn’t become the great omission.
G. At some point, after this special rendezvous in Galilee, Jesus commanded His disciples to return to Jerusalem.
1. Luke tells us that Jesus led them out to the vicinity of Bethany (about 2 miles from Jerusalem) and the ascension took place there on a mountain near Bethany (Lk. 24:50).
2. In Acts 1, Luke reports: 4 While he was with them, he commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father’s promise. “Which,” he said, “you have heard me speak about; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit in a few days.”
6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, are you restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?” 7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”
9 After he had said this, he was taken up as they were watching, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 While he was going, they were gazing into heaven, and suddenly two men in white clothes stood by them. 11 They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you have seen him going into heaven.” (Acts 1:4-11)
3. Since Jesus was on the earth for 40 days after His resurrection and since the Holy Spirit came on the day of Pentecost, which is 50 days after the Passover, then we know that it was 8 days between the departure of Jesus and the arrival of the promised Holy Spirit.
4. But the humorous side of me wonders how long the apostles stood there looking up at the clouds that had hidden Jesus before the angels showed up and said, “Why are you staring at the sky looking for Jesus? He is going to come back the same way you saw Him go into heaven, but not today. Move along, nothing to see here!”
5. Mark concluded his account of the ascension with these words: 19 So the Lord Jesus, after speaking to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. 20 And they went out and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the word by the accompanying signs. (Mk. 16:19-20)
6. Praise God that…
a. Jesus returned to heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.
b. Jesus sent the promised Holy Spirit, who confirmed the word those apostles preached.
c. The apostles and the early disciples were faithful to fulfill the great commission, and if they hadn’t been, none of us would be here today!
H. So, as I bring this sermon and this sermon series “Final Week, Eternal Lessons” to a close, I hope that our faith in Jesus has been strengthened.
1. Jesus is indeed the way and the truth and the life, and no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6).
2. There is no doubt that Jesus died on the cross that Friday, and arose from the dead that Sunday.
3. There is no doubt that He made all of those post-resurrection appearances to Mary, to Peter, to James, to the two disciples on the road to Emmaus, to the apostles, to the 500, and later to Paul.
4. There is no doubt that Jesus ascended into the clouds before their very eyes and that He is coming again – Jesus is indeed coming soon!
I. So let’s be sure to hold on to our faith, and live our faith every day.
1. And most importantly, let’s be sure to share our faith with others, to do our part to fulfill the great commission.
2. I like the legend that recounts the return of Jesus to heaven after His time on earth.
a. Jesus returned to heaven bearing the marks of His earthly pilgrimage with its cruel cross and shameful death.
b. Legend has it that the angel Gabriel approached Him and said, “Master, You must have suffered terribly for people down there.” “I did,” said Jesus.
c. Gabriel continued, “And do they now know all about how You loved them and what You did for them?”
d. “Oh, no,” said Jesus, “Not yet. Right now, only a handful of people in Palestine know.”
e. Gabriel was perplexed. “Then what have you done to let all people know about Your love for them?” he asked.
f. Jesus said, “Well, I’ve asked Peter, James, John and a few others to tell people about Me. Those who are told will in turn tell others, and the Gospel will be spread to the farthest reaches of the globe. Ultimately, all of humankind will hear about Me and what I have done on their behalf.”
g. Gabriel frowned and looked skeptical. He knew that people weren’t very dependable.
h. Gabriel said, “But what if Peter and James and John grow weary? What if the people who come after them forget? And what if, way down in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, people get too busy to bother telling others about You? Haven’t You made any other plans?”
i. Jesus answered, “No, I’ve made no other plans, Gabriel. I’m counting on them.”
3. Jesus is counting on you and He is counting on me, let’s be sure we don’t let Him down! Amen!?
4. Jesus is coming soon! Are you ready? Are you helping others get ready?
5. Let’s make sure we are ready and are busy faithfully serving the Lord when He returns.
6. If we can help you be ready for the Lord’s return, then we would be happy to do so!
a. We would be happy to help anyone become a disciple of Jesus by helping you profess your faith, repent and be baptized into Christ.
b. We would also be happy to help anyone who is already a disciple of Jesus to repent of sin or to recommit their life in service to the Lord if they have wandered away.
c. So if you need to respond to the invitation today, then come forward while we stand and sing…
Resources:
• Prelude to Glory, by Wayne Leeper, Christian Communications, 1987.
