“You Ain’t Seen Nothing Yet!”

Scripture: Luke 24:44-53

For the past 5 weeks, we have been looking at the Church – what it is, how it impacts us, and how we are to live as members of the Body of Christ. Our involvement with Jesus Christ, as his “chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, his special possession” (1 Peter 2:9), can never be taken lightly. It is an obligation, a blessing of God, an opportunity to be in ministry with the Lord, and we must never shirk this responsibility.
At the Memorial service at annual Conference this week, the preacher told a story about one of the pastors we were memorializing. On numerous occasions, he would look a candidate for ministry square in the eye and ask “What would it take to talk you out of this?” He wanted to see just how dedicated the future pastor was to this calling. So I ask each of you today – what would it take to talk you out of being a member of the Body of Christ? I want you to consider the question very seriously, because it is a very serious question. How dedicated, how committed, how focused are you on the Lord Jesus Christ? I’m not going to give you your answer, and I’m not going to give you my answer, unless you really want to talk about the issue. Let me know when you’re ready.

The bottom line is that Jesus has a plan for you, and you have to decide just how eager you are to follow him, regardless of where it may take you, regardless of what it may require of you. The early Church had to consider that question every day of their lives, and as we read through the gospel accounts of Jesus’ ministry and the apostles’ “schooling”, we may very well have some doubts as to just how much they were learning! But for the next two weeks, we will see the extent of God’s commitment to them, as well as all that would come of the love and trust that they would return.

Read Luke 24:44-48

It had been about 3 ½ years since Jesus called the 12 to set the things of earth aside in favor of follow him, and 6 more weeks since Easter morning. For 3 ½ years, he had been teaching the world all about the glory of God and how to live the kind of life that would bring even more glory to the Father. He had explained the detail and meaning of much of his new teaching to the 12, and they still struggled with what it all meant for them. After all, they had been immersed in Jewish culture and tradition all their lives, and while they were amazed at all that Jesus told them, they seldom understood what he was trying to teach them.
But the Easter Resurrection had begun to change everything. The teachings were beginning to become clear, or at least less murky, and the amazement that was within them continued to grow. And even though he had been appearing to these and others for weeks, his arrival at this moment still startled them. And to relieve their fears, he gives them the same opportunity that he did for Thomas. “See my wounds, see my flesh, touch me, and let your doubts vanish!”
And it’s no different for us, you know. Have you ever experienced the Spirit at work in your life? Have you ever seen the results of that work and were blown away? Of course you have, and you were just as amazed and astounded as the 12 were. And Jesus is constantly telling us that a little faith goes a very long way (Luke 16:10) – “Believe in me, put your trust in me, and our life together will just take your breath way!” And he gives us the proof of his promise – it exists throughout his word. He gives us that word, just as he gave it to the 12 and all who will believe in him.
Remember Jesus’ encounter with the two men on the road to Emmaus? (Luke 24:13-35) Scripture tells us that “beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.” (verse 27) And now we read that he reminded the 12 of the same thing – that all that he had taught had first been revealed in the Hebrew Scriptures. In essence, he was saying that nothing in all of creation was new – that it was just newly discovered, newly understood.
And in verse 47, he tells them what they are going to do about all this – “repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.” Our knowledge, our understanding of who Jesus is and what he is all about can never be ours to keep. It must be shared with “all nations” – the entire world. After all, how can something so amazing, so wonderful, so perfect, so all consuming, be kept quiet? We have seen the truth of Christ, and we have to tell others about him!
But is this all that there is? Are we on our own to try to do his will? Do we have to share Jesus without any further direction? Hardly! There are many wonders and signs and incredible powers awaiting us. The Holy Spirit is waiting for us.

Read Luke 24:49

There are times in scripture when Jesus’ teaching is understated. It’s not that the meaning or significance was changed – it’s just that we have to look closely for the fullness of the message, for the power and wonder that is contained within his words. “I will send what my Father has already promised you .. and you will be clothed with power from on high..” In John’s Gospel (John 14:25-26, 15:26-27), Jesus tells his followers that the Advocate, the Holy Spirit will come in his name. But did the apostles remember that? Did they make the connection?
The truth is that even if they did remember Jesus’ words, I doubt that they would have grasped the full significance of the Spirit’s coming to fill them. The power that the Father would be sending to them would be nearly overwhelming, and would enable them to do the unbelievable. In John 14:12, the Lord tells them that all who believe in him will do all that he had done, and that they would do even greater things. Notice that he didn’t say “would be able to do them” – he said that all believers would do them.
A couple of weeks ago, you were less than enthused about claiming that you are “God’s chosen, a royal priesthood, a holy people” (1 Peter 2:9-10) How do you like the fact that, by the power of the Holy Spirit, you can do things that are even greater than the things that Jesus did? Are you starting to get a handle on what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ? What it means to be filled with the Holy Spirit? What claiming redemption and salvation in the name of Jesus means for your life? It’s certainly not for the faint hearted, but it is for you and me!
The Church, from the 1st century until today, has seen what God can do, and we are to share our experiences, our witness, with the rest of the world. The early believers didn’t understand that yet, but very soon they would, and they did, and they went, and they rejoiced!

Dr. Tony Evans writes:
What is the problem with the church as the body of Christ? Dr. Evans suggests that there's obviously nothing wrong with the head of the church. Jesus is alive and well .... Our central nervous system, the Holy Spirit, is also fine. The Spirit is taking the Word and sending it through the body so the body knows what to do and has the power to do it.
The problem lies in the body. The hands get the word from the Spirit, but they don't feel like moving. The feet don't feel like walking. The mouth doesn't feel like talking. As a result, the church stumbles around like a diseased body. Think of the message a sick church gives to the world.
--Anthony T. Evans, America's Only Hope, (Chicago: Moody Press, 1990), 90.

And I want to ask you to think of the message that a hesitant or reluctant church sends out! Let me tell you that we just don’t want to go there! We want to live to the fullest in the Spirit of Almighty God! And just as the disciples were pondering this concept of the Spirit coming to enable them to do all that God would have them do, there was one more thing that they had to experience that day.

Read Luke 24:50-53

Now, before we go on, I need to point out that Luke was giving us a couple of different messages. We’ve seen the almost “vanilla” version in his gospel, but if we look at the same account in Acts, we see a little more passion and promise in his words. First, in the coming of the Holy Spirit, he adds that the believers would “be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” That’s a little more definitive regarding the Power that would come. (Acts 1:4-5). And second, as these men stood watching Jesus ascend toward heaven, Acts tells us that they were staring intently toward the sky, when 2 angels came to them and asked them “What are you looking at? He’ll be back – don’t worry!” (Acts 1:9-11)

So here is where the Church was at. First, they had been witnessing the resurrected, the flesh and blood, the living Jesus over and over during the past 40 days, and every time, they were blown away. Second, he reminds them that the Holy Spirit, a Person of God that they hadn’t really met yet, would come soon and would baptize them in a power unlike anything they had ever known. And third, while they stood and gawked at the physical ascension of their Lord, they were visited by 2 angels who told them that Jesus would return to earth one day, and that while they waited for him, they were to get on with ministry in his name.
Think about it – in a month and a half, their emotions had run the gamut. From the elation of the Palm Sunday entry into Jerusalem, to their confusion over Jesus actions and teachings during Holy Week, to the breaking of tradition that turned their Passover meal upside down, to the anger that wrenched their hearts and lives on Thursday night and the fear that would cause them to abandon their rabbi and deny that they even knew him, to the agony and loss that flooded them at his crucifixion, to the amazement and disbelief at his resurrection, and to their panic at his physical appearance within the locked room and many other places.
And now, Jesus was leaving them, and yet he promised that not only would they never be alone, but they would have a power and anointing to continue the ministry that he had begun, that they would be lead to the far corners of the known world to be his witnesses.

Whew! Almost makes you dizzy, doesn’t it? But if you think that this series of events was powerful, wait until the Spirit goes to work in your life! Yes, I said in your life. You know what will come next for the first believers in Jesus, but that is also the Spirit’s promise for each and every one of us, IF we will just let him get to work. The Holy Spirit didn’t just belong to Peter, James, John and the rest – the Spirit is for ALL BEIEVERS, both then and now. Let me read to you about the Spiritual Gifts that come to those who believe in Jesus - 1 Corinthians 12:1-7. And then there is that incredible list of gifts that can only come from God.
This is God’s promise and offering to you, to all in the Church, to all who believe, to all who will surrender their lives to him. And if you think that the work of the Spirit in the lives of the 12 was amazing, just wait until you see what the Lord has in store for you.
Praise the Lord! May you be blown away!