The Plan and Purpose of God

Luke's Gospel explains that after Jesus appeared to the disciples and offer proof of his resurrection, he led them in a study of the Bible today on Truth for Life. Alastair beg explains that understanding the Bible is the only way for us to make sense of all that's going on in the world around us in Luke chapter 24 and looking the section that begins in verse 44 left to our own conclusions. Simply viewing material are reading material without explanation and without clarification is actually dangerous and the great need of the hour is the need that was marked in the lives of the disciples.

Here in this little section they where you will remember a jumble of emotions they were vacillating between faith and fear. They were essentially reflecting on the resurrection, and of course on the sufferings of Christ and they were asking, what is this and Jesus very graciously tells him what it is, in fact he says in verse 44 this is what I told you while I was still with you, and then he says in verse 45. This is what is written.

Now of course he is simply offering to this larger group. The same approach that he offered to the two disciples on the Emmaus Road. The story of which is chronicled for us. Further up the page. Note it was very gracious of God to do that for them because it's a big help to us as well because we didn't meet Jesus walking down Euclid Avenue. We haven't had a face-to-face encounter with the Lord Jesus, we can meet them in the street it income up to us in Starbucks and say I am Jesus. Who are you, we have met Jesus where we have met him in the Scriptures we have been pointed to him in the lives of those who know him, but ultimately our verifiable data is in this book. So here on this particular occasion with the opportunity to simply say I am he.

He seizes the chance to give them a study of the Bible and thereby establishes a pattern that is going to follow and he's following it right here when in the evening of the following week with a crowd gathered with the doors locked for fear of the Jews.

He appears among them. He speaks peace to them. He responds to their panic. He provides them with proofs and into their bewilderment. He says this is what I told you and this is what is written.

You see what they needed is what we need.

Verse 45. He opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures unless he opens our minds we can understand the Scripture, we can understand the language in the syntax with a knowledge of English.

We know the difference between nouns and prepositions. We know what is history and poetry and things like that but it does not come home in a life changing way, except by the power of the spirit of God, and many are here this morning. Can testify to that. I read the Bible as a child I went to a study and I came to church I was attending this event. I really wasn't making much of it at all.

And somehow or another the Scriptures opened up to me and I saw myself I saw Christ in my life was changed.

While that peculiar dimension of God's revelation is not something that simply brings us to faith is something which sustains us in the faith and the great need this morning for many us is simply that our minds would be open so that we could understand the Scriptures you seek. We need constantly to have our minds recalibrated by the Bible.

If our emotions are not two leaders stray. Jesus takes these emotional disturbed, vacillating followers of his and turns them to the safeguard of Scripture is that not right you got the text in front of you is that what he's doing. This is what I told you this is what is written. What is he say he essentially gives to them for things I want to tell you what they are before I get to them so that you can know or at least making progress. First of all, he says let me enunciate for you. The plan of God. Let me tell you secondly about the purpose that I have for you. Let me make clear to you that you are the personnel involved in the purpose I let me finally tell you that there's no point in even making a stab at this idea. Unless you have the power of the Holy Spirit clothing you from on high. So there you have it. First of all, the plan look at it with me. Jesus is essentially giving to them the big picture, the whole scheme of things. Remember how I told you while I was still with you is not an interesting little phrase. This is what I told you while I was still with you. Please let them is what is and isn't he is no longer with them as he was with them.

Now he is just visiting them.

He is about to be completely gone, were coming to the ascension in just a moment, but what he's saying is, things of radically alter.

I was with you. We were together for all that time I no longer with you like that but you will remember when we were together for all that time. This is what I told you, and we have gone time and again back to chapter 9 my Bible almost opens the verse I turned to it immediately there and there's no marker in it. 944. Listen carefully said what I'm about to tell you the Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They didn't understand what this meant. It was hidden from them so they didn't grasp it, and they were actually afraid to ask him about and now he says this is that I may just pause there and make the point that if we don't know that we can understand this is so if you take that this of a dramatic piece without that that of the unfolding drama of redemption. You say, what is this and until we understand that this is what I see.

That's actually where a few of his are this my suffering. My resurrection are all part of God's great mural of salvation the past and the present and the future are all fitting into God's drama.

The scheme of things, the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ was not supplied by God to correct the defect in the system as if somehow or another really good gone wrong, and garlic from heaven is that all this thing is totally out of control, and when I can come up with a plan know what we discover is that it was God's plan from all of eternity. Taking into account the drama which he knew would unfold, and God the father and God the son and God the Spirit determined within the framework of eternity. If I may say so reverently, who would do what they came to the conclusion that the plan of salvation would emerge from God the father, the procuring of salvation would be as a result of the work of the son and the applying of salvation to the lives of those who repent and believe would be the work of God the Holy Spirit lesson upon the plan. Let's go to the purpose Jesus is essentially saying, allow me to summarize all of this for you. All of Scripture can be understood in terms of essentially this threefold die mention nurturing comes out particularly clearly in any of the English translations, but each of the verbs that he uses are in the infinitive in the Greek there are three parallel verbs are all infinitives, which of course you will remember from English in school at least four of you will, but what it's what eat what he says here is this. He told them this is what is written.

Now he says here the Christ will suffer and rise and repentance will be preached but there all infinitives in the Greek this is what he say this is how this is how it is. It is for the Messiah to suffer to Morales and for repentance and forgiveness to be proclaimed. He says I want you to understand this, I give you the spiritual capacity by opening your minds and I'm giving you a helpful summary you need to get a hold of this essay. Repentance turning from sin and are turning to God forgiveness the ads, the dimensions of his mercy are made available through the gospel and this is the ultimate purpose. The evangelistic purpose of the church.

Certainly the overarching purpose of mankind for all time is that we might glorify God and enjoy him forever, but it is the express purpose of the church while here on earth to see unbelieving people become the committed followers of Jesus Christ and he said if you think about what I told you if you remember what is written, then you will recognize that this is the ultimate purpose. Now will you notice from verse 47 that repentance and forgiveness of sins is going to be preached in the name of Jesus to all nations, and the evangelistic program is about to begin in Jerusalem. I pause for a moment unto all nations. The Bible is committed to the United Nations and no true follower of Jesus in the continental United States has come to terms with the vastness of the purpose of God unto we need to are committed to the United Nations, and if you take your concordance and work your way through it. You will see this is reinforced all the whale you go to the Psalm Psalm two verse eight God says ask of me and I will make the nations your inheritance, the nations your inheritance, not America. Your inheritance on the British Isles. Your inheritance now the British Empire, your inheritance, the nations your inheritance. Isaiah 49 the same emphasis, the servant of the Lord stands up and says listen to me, all you islands and pay attention to me you distant nations and is not long into his little tail when he starts to falter a little bit and he looks around, and how things are going really starts to doubt himself.

In any soliloquy rises and and and he says I have labored to no purpose. I have spent my strength in vain and for nothing. This is a waste of time what I'm doing and feeling suddenly Isaiah 49 sounds so right. I'm labored to no purpose.

I've spent my strength in vain. I've done it all for nothing in the word of God comes to the servant of the Lord system here.

Listen Isaiah Chin up, chin up, don't get so focused here. Stanback I've got big news for you. I will make you a light for the Gentiles, that you may bring my salvation to the ends of the earth to see the stories not finished yet you come into the gospel of Luke chapter 2 of Luke, so you may even recall that when we study the bringing of Jesus into the temple to do for them. As to the custom of the law he's taken into the arms of this old chap called Sammy and you know I always tell you look in the Bible and see what you find interesting. I mean look at it and say this is weird or strange or since this and I have you ever had anybody take a baby in her arms and see what simians when people take babies.

What a lovely baby, nice color. One I blew one eye green is interesting combination.

I kind of think looks like his dad but Simeon takes the child in his arms and he says you can dismiss your servant now Lord, why because my eyes have seen your salvation, and what is that mean what is a salvation that you have prepared in the sight of all people, and it is a light for revelation to the Gentiles, and it is the glory of your people Israel. We say here we are today and it looks as though the tides are weighed against us doesn't and I can become very dispiriting until we remind ourselves of God's plan and of his purpose, and the fact that the stories not finished and the way it finishes is wonderful and after this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count from the United Nations as is from every nation, trying people language and they were standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb and they were singing. Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne and to the left. That's how the story ends the book of Revelation, which I'm about ready to begin actually to tell you the truth are now brave enough to tackle just about anything. After all this time or I should say foolish enough to tackle just about anything I want to tell you the whole story of Revelation into words. Jesus wins.

That's the book of Revelation.

So he says them. This is what I told you, you need to understand this is what is written in the purpose of my suffering and my resurrection is in order that repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached to all the nations in the evangelistic program will begin in Jerusalem. That's the purpose. While who's involved. Verse 48.

Here we are introduced to the personnel you are witnesses of these things and is looking at the people that are in the room when you go to the second volume for Luke. When you went to the acts of the apostles you find out you said yourself well if they are witnesses.

How well did they do is witnesses and it's a fun read.

I started at myself. I stopped after well but I began to do it and then I get I had enough and and quit. But you could go further than me another to tell you to look these up, but Jesus says you are my witnesses in years and here's the plan. Here's the here's the purpose and you're the personnel you are my witnesses, so now Peter stands up on the day of Pentecost, and he begins his sermon and he says in verse 32 God has raised this Jesus to life and we are all witnesses of the fact that the seller see I knew I knew it I was forced to say that is look across one of the other apostles told you we are witnesses. Chapter 5 find exact same thing.

32. He said that the story of Ananias and Sapphire has ushered in persecution and so on. And we are witnesses of these things and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him. Chapter 13 I'm sure you picked it up. Now verse 50 verse 30 God raised him from the dead, and for many days he was seen by those who had traveled with him from Galilee to Jerusalem and they are now his witnesses to our people.

Now, I believe that for this very reason, because most home Bible study groups as soon as you get diverse 48 you are my witnesses of these things will immediately launch into a thing about how were going to reach our neighborhood for Christ or we are the witnesses of these things. No were not. He says you are the witnesses to mishear if the disciple been the people who were witnesses does not mean we have nothing to say no. We have plenty to say well then what are we allowed to say how are we to witness what are we supposed to believe and proclaim multi-answer to that is very clear. We may believe and we may proclaim only the truths that we are authorized to believe and proclaim by the teaching of the 12, and where do we have the teaching of the 12 and the friends of the 12 in the New Testament right so what is it that we are authorized to teach and proclaim the Bible Jesus as I want you to understand how this fits with the Old Testament.

Then he sends them out in the power of the Holy Spirit and they give is the New Testament and we then are guarded and guided once again by the safeguard of the Scriptures. The safeguard of the Scriptures does solar script to remain anything only the Bible, not the Bible and the Roman magisterium, not the Bible and ex cathedra statements of the pole, not the Bible in our own little fundamentalist predilections that we like to stick and they are not. The Bible in our own little legalistic tags, not the Bible and anything at all, just the Bible and the Bible is a self interpreting book, the Bible is not interpreted by the church. The church then write the Bible to church doesn't tell us what the Bible means.

The Bible tells us what the Bible means. So I script to Sola grassy, not an infusion of God's enabling power so that we may then work our own way towards a final redemptive conclusion, but the imputation of the righteousness of Christ.

A forensic thing so that it is all outside of me all of my salvation is outside of me in the ultimate sense it is because what another has done for me. Then Sola the day solus Christos do you realize my dear friends, how far we are, how bizarre my words sound in the ears of vast segments of evangelical America.

You are sensible people, you must examine the Scriptures and you must come to your own conclusions.

Here I stand.

Finally, you're the personnel. He says you are the folks are taking on the assignment, it begs the question, how we supposed to do this, look at us with one minute were believing the next minute were unbelieving, so I'm going to send you what my father has promised way back in chapter 11 he said of you being able not to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him. He says I don't want you to be afraid, little flock, it is the father's good purpose to give you the kingdom. He gives his spirit to us in order that we might be involved in kingdom business. And with this phrase, we have the end of this statements of Jesus as recorded by Luke, thus leaving the reader wondering wanting to jump forward into the acts two volume to find out how it finished. I wonder if you know if you could only read through Luke and you didn't know anything else. He says I want you to stay in the city until he been clothed with power from on high and then as the story of the ascension of the people, what happened next business day to the spirit come. Did they believe what I just think about is this morning. Something must've come to the shores of this good news in the and the people came to these shores were the good news must've come from some other source and summit must've come to those shores with the good news you take it all away back and you come to acts chapter 1 and they're all gathered in the upper room just as Jesus said in the waiting for the power of the Holy Spirit to descend upon them so that they might be is witnesses to the nations and to the ends of the overdone. What's our great need to have our eyes open, eyes open to see that God's great plan of redemption is vast, we need to get involved with the purpose of God to see repentance and forgiveness of sins proclaimed we are not the witnesses to which you refer, but we are witnesses and we witness to the truth of Scripture, we need to take our place and we need to rest in God's power and we need to do so in light of the fact that one day we will be gathered around the throne of God and have with the United Nations and will sing of the line friendly. That's the only thing one of the only things that keep your chin up on the average Monday Jesus wins resting in the knowledge that Jesus is Victoria Encouraging Word from Luke 24 from today's message on Truth for Life with Alistair Begg in our study of Luke's gospel. Alister has pointed out how Scripture honestly portrays the disciples. The Bible describes their emotional ups and downs, their lack of understanding regarding the resurrection when we closely consider these real-life accounts, it becomes clear that the stories were not invented they happened to real people in real time in a real place. The book alive that we been mentioning throughout this week supports the credibility of the gospel record. Particularly, it shows how the events of the resurrection really happened. This book evaluates all the affirming evidence proving that Jesus did indeed rise from the dead. The author explores Scripture to show how the resurrection was foreshadowed in the Old Testament, and then fulfilled in the New Testament sure to request your copy today.

This thoroughly convincing defense of the gospel. The book alive can be yours when you donate by supporting the Bible teaching on this program you can give online at truthforlife.org/donate Bob Lapine hope you have a relaxing and refreshing weekend drivel to join us Monday, as will learn about one of the most overlooked events in the Bible.

The Bible teaching of Alistair Begg is furnished by Truth for Life earning is for living