The Resurrection Crowd: Witnesses to the Whole Gospel

We must be witnesses of these things. We must share the whole story, the whole gospel. Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, and he was buried, and he rose from the dead on the third day according to the scriptures. And repentance and forgiveness of sins are available by grace through faith in him, in the lord Jesus Christ himself. Isn't it wonderful that you and I get to be witnesses of these things? Amen. Let's pray together. [00:50:10] (43 seconds)  #WitnessTheGospel

Sharing the gospel. As Jesus said, to proclaim repentance and forgiveness of sins in his name to all nations. We must share the good news that Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty of our sins, that he was raised from the dead on the third day. And in him, for those who believe and trust in him, there is forgiveness of their sins and eternal life for all of eternity. Amen? Amen. That's the good news of Jesus Christ. [00:47:36] (34 seconds)  #ShareTheGoodNews

But is it limited to that first century group? No. No. Because every person in this room who's trusted in Jesus Christ as lord and savior is a part of the resurrection crowd. Over in the gospel of John the twentieth chapter, there is this wonderful experience with the disciples, and Thomas bless his heart. Thomas has been called doubting Thomas. I I, for one thing, Thomas got a bad rap. He just asked to see what the other disciples had already seen, and Jesus appeared to them. [00:48:26] (40 seconds)  #ResurrectionCrowd

Then he said to them, see my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have. And when he had said them, he showed them his hands and his feet. And while they still disbelieved for joy and remarbling, he said to them, have you anything here to eat? They gave him a piece of ground fish, and he took it and ate before them, proving to them that he truly was alive, that this was really Jesus himself standing in their midst. [00:43:47] (39 seconds)  #ProofHeIsAlive

And he said to them, that is Jesus said to them, oh foolish ones and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken. Now watch this. In verse 26, watch what Jesus says. Watch what's reiterated again to them. Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory? Again, they're being reminded of what Jesus had told them in Galilee and several other times that he must suffer and die on the cross. That's the whole story. [00:41:25] (39 seconds)  #SufferedAndGlorified

Now why do I call that the fourth element to the gospel? Because people don't know the gospel. People don't can't believe in the gospel unless they hear the gospel from someone who is witnessing the gospel to them. Amen? Amen. And there's a there's a statement or a phrase that a lot of people like to use. I don't if you you you've ever heard of this. And it's attributed to Saint Francis of Assisi. Preach the gospel at all times, and if necessary, use words. [00:45:57] (43 seconds)  #HearToBelieve

Now that's a strange thing to happen. Jesus was invited into their home as a guest. He was invited to join them in the meal, but he took the role of the host. Normally, the host of the house, the head of the household, would have taken the bread and given thanks for the bread and broken it and fed his guests. But Jesus took the bread, and it doesn't say this. But I've always wondered at the moment that he gave them the bread, I've always wondered if that was the time when he handed them the bread that they saw the imprints of the nails in his hands. [00:42:42] (39 seconds)  #BreakingBreadWithJesus

The first clear fact is how he was resurrected is not described for us. We're just told that Jesus was resurrected, that he came to life. But how that happened is not laid out for us in detail. The second clear fact that it comes through in the various gospel accounts is the disciples did not expect it. Though they had traveled with him for three years, though he had prophesied to them several times that he would die and be resurrected, they still were not expecting it. Hence, the sadness that they demonstrated that weekend after he was crucified on the cross. [00:27:20] (46 seconds)  #UnexpectedResurrection