Where: Norris Student Center- Chicago Room

When: Wednesday

Time: 7:00-8:30pm

Have you ever had questions about the Bible?  Who God is? Why we are here? How about your purose in this life? As a student led small group, we will seek to explore similar burning questions you may have. Come and bring your friends.

Snacks provided

What: Easter Bible Conference 2010

When: April 2, 2010 – April 4, 2010

Where: Dickson Valley Camp & Retreat Center

Newark, IL

Join us for the 2010 Easter Retreat titled “Arise”. At this year’s retreat, we want to focus on Jesus’ death and resurrection. His life and death helps us rise from our life of sin and experience a new life that is full of hope, love, and promise. There will be messages, Bible studies, testimonies, and time to get to know God and your fellow Christians friends as well. There will also be a skit, dance, campfire, and much more.

For more information: Contact northwesternubf@gmail.com

We can’t wait to hear from you.

Praise and Worship, short message, student testimonies, Bible Study, and Fellowship.

Dinner is provided

For time and location visit the contact us page

Feel free to email us with any questions

Not only that but there will be a Treasure Hunt (for candy of course) and a magnificent prize. You won’t even have to go outside. Come and bring your inner child as well.

Where: 2043 Sherman Ave. Evanston, IL

When: October 30, 2009

Time: 6:30pm

Food provided

Rides are provided to and from the Church

Potluck: Food is served after the service on the Northwestern campus

Other service times if you can’t make it at 11am are: 7am, 3pm and 6pm

“Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, ‘Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.”

In the previous Bible passage, Jesus healed a demon-possessed man by his power and his love. In today’s Bible passage, there are two miracles of Jesus–the restoration of life to a dead 12-year old girl and the healing of a woman with a chronic bleeding problem. In many ways these miracles are different. In some ways they are similar. Especially, both are done by Jesus, revealing again his power and his love. Let’s learn more about Jesus and what it means to “just believe.”

First, a man and a woman came to Jesus. Look at verse 40. “Now when Jesus returned, a crowd welcomed him, for they were all expecting him.” Recall that Jesus had gone by boat with his disciples across the Sea of Galilee. On the way, he calmed the stormy sea and then healed a demon-possessed man at the cost of a large herd of pigs. Now Jesus and his disciples returned to the western side of the Sea, in Galilee. A crowd was there, waiting for him. Some of them had heard Jesus preach. Some saw him perform a miracle of healing someone or commanding evil spirits out of people. Some of the crowd came out of curiosity to see or hear Jesus for themselves. Others came with personal problems to Jesus for help.

Luke mentions one specific man with an urgent problem in verses 41-42a: “Then a man named Jairus, a ruler of the synagogue, came and fell at Jesus’ feet, pleading with him to come to his house because his only daughter, a girl of about twelve, was dying.” Who was this man? His name was Jairus. He was a ruler of the synagogue. Obviously, he was a man of respect in the community, for to become a ruler does not happen lightly or randomly. Jairus was a man of prestige and influence. But he did not come to Jesus with a formal, polite request. He came with a desperate plea. He fell at Jesus’ feet, in public. He also pleaded with Jesus to come to his house and heal his dying daughter. She was his only daughter. This could mean that she was an only daughter among brothers like Annie Lee Jr., or that she was an only child, like Danielle Hull, except that she was 12 years old. Certainly, Jairus’ daughter was his joy and comfort of life. After a long day’s work, dealing with many complaints and synagogue business matters, he came home. As soon as he walked through the door, his daughter would shout, “Daddy!” She would run to him, swing her arms around his neck, and kiss him. He would say something like, “How’s my sweetheart? Are you helping your mother in the kitchen?” Then he would think to himself, “What a blessed man I am to receive butterfly kisses from my daughter every day!”

But one day, she did not greet him when he walked in the door. His wife greeted him with a pale and worried look on her face, saying, “Come quickly. Our daughter is ill. She won’t eat or get out of bed. I didn’t want to bother you at work, so I called for the doctor. He hasn’t been able to help her. What are we going to do?” Jairus may have replied, “Calm down, honey. We mustn’t let her know we are worried. We have to keep showing her love and hope.” Jairus knew he had to be strong, as a father and as a husband. But he began to wonder what he could do. Then he heard the news, “Jesus, the preacher-healer from Nazareth is in town.” In desperation, Jairus went to Jesus, believing that Jesus could make her well. Jairus came to Jesus. He came humbly, putting aside all his prestige and all the negative opinions he heard from his elite peers.

As Jesus was on his way to Jairus’ house, the crowds almost crushed him. Jesus’ disciples must have tried hard to be bodyguards for Jesus. Many people were crowding and pressing against Jesus. Suddenly Jesus stopped and asked, “Who touched me?” All the people denied it, “Uh, not me, man.” “Master,” Peter said, “the people are crowding and pressing against you.” It meant, “What do you mean, ‘Who touched me?’ A lot of people have nearly crushed you!”

Jesus knew already what Luke tells us in verses 43-44: “And a woman was there who had been subject to bleeding for 12 years, but no one could heal her. She came up behind him and touched the edge of cloak, and immediately her bleeding stopped.” This woman was in many ways different from Jairus. For starters she was a nameless woman; Jairus was a well-known, prominent man in the community. Jairus came with an urgent, emergency life-and-death situation for his daughter; this woman came with her own chronic, 12-year medical problem. Jairus was a man of wealth; this woman was poor, having spent all she had on doctors who couldn’t heal her. Jairus came openly with a bold plea in public; this woman came secretly, too embarrassed to reveal her unclean, bleeding problem. In a way, her coming to Jesus was a bit superstitious, for she thought that by touching Jesus she could be healed. Still, in spite of the differences, there was one important similarity with Jairus and the woman: they both came to Jesus with their serious problem, believing Jesus could help them. And they were right. Jesus helped them. Jesus accepted their faith in him. Jesus accepts all who come to him in faith. John 6:37 says, “All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away.” We learn here to come to Jesus with our problem. Perhaps the problem is urgent. Perhaps it is chronic, and you’ve nearly lost hope. Whether our problem is urgent or chronic, we can come to Jesus. No one should wait until they get sicker. Our sickness is bad enough already. The hymn song says, “Turn from your sin, let the Savior come in, and come just as you are.” And as another hymn assures us, “Still he is mighty to save.”

Second, “Daughter, your faith has healed you.” Jesus did not allow the woman to make a secret getaway. He repeated, “Someone touched me; I know that power has gone out from me.” The power was not in the woman’s touch. The power came from Jesus and was transmitted to her. The power flowed from Jesus to her. It’s like she got plugged in to the power source. Are you plugged in to Jesus? He is the vine; we are the branches. Apart from him, we can do nothing. Without Jesus, our battery is running out.

The woman could see that she couldn’t escape Jesus’ all-seeing eye and all-knowing mind. Instead of waiting for Jesus to call her out, she came trembling and fell at his feet. In the presence of all the people, she told why she had touched him and how she had been instantly healed. In this way, Jesus helped her to not be a secret, closet believer. Jesus helped her to share her testimony before others. Through her testimony, she confirmed Jesus’ healing in her life. At the same time, she gave credit and glory to Jesus for what he had done. Jesus was not embarrassed to show the crowd that he blessed a bleeding, unclean woman. Jesus took her uncleanness gladly upon himself. Actually, the holiness in Jesus overtook all her uncleanness and healed her. Jesus’ cleansing and healing power healed her.

Can you testify to his saving, healing grace in your life? Jesus wants us to share our testimony of his power and love in our lives. When we share what the Lord has done for us, we bring him thanks and praise and glory. Not only this, our faith in him is also strengthened. Romans 10:9-10 says, “That if you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.” I want to share briefly with you what the Lord has done for me. I grew up in a church-going home. Sometimes I was humble and kind. Other times I was controlled by my sins of lust, pride, anger, rebellion, despair, vanity, and materialism. I wanted to be superior to others in sports and academics. Death stung me hard one month away from high school graduation when my father died by heart attack. I was frustrated by the meaninglessness and emptiness of my life. I thought I believed in God since I went to church. But at the end of my first few months in college I cried out, “I don’t really believe in God, I don’t know what I believe.” Soon I prayed, “God, if you exist, give me a sign. Just let me know the truth, and I’ll give my life to make it known.” Within the next 4 months, through a Christmas worship service, a Genesis Bible School and an Easter Bible conference, Jesus answered my prayer. The hope and promise of eternal life in Jesus took away the sting of death and gave me meaning, joy and peace. My foul mouth was cleansed and my interest in rock music, disco dancing and even sports faded away. The words of a hymn rang true to me: “Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face, and the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of his glory and grace.” Jesus has been healing me. I’m not yet fully healed. I still struggle to die to sin every day. So I keep coming to Jesus for his cleansing, healing and grace. Please consider his grace to you and I urge you to share it with at least one person this week.

What happened after the woman shared her testimony? The Bible says, “Then Jesus said to her, ‘Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace.’” Jesus called her “daughter.” Did you know that she is the only recorded individual that Jesus called “daughter” in the gospels? Jesus loved her like his own child. He loved her as much as Jairus loved his own dying daughter. Jesus recognized her faith in him and pronounced her healing: “your faith has healed you.” Probably she thought Jesus was going to rebuke her for touching him in her uncleanness. But Jesus commended her faith and sent her away in peace. We learn that Jesus gives peace to trembling hearts and troubled souls who come to him and who reach out to him in faith.

Note the distinction that Luke makes between this woman and the crowd of people. Many people bumped into Jesus. They were hanging out with Jesus. But Luke does not mention any of them being healed except this woman with a chronic bleeding problem. Luke is telling us not to be those who just hang around Jesus as curious spectators, but to come to Jesus with faith and a pure desire to be healed and cleansed of our sins. Hebrews 11:6 says, “And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” May each one of us reach out and touch Jesus in sincere and earnest prayer and be healed. May we each have a testimony of his grace to keep sharing with others.

Third, Jesus said, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.” While this woman was sharing her testimony with the crowd, we can only imagine that Jairus was getting more and more nervous, anxious and impatient to get to his house a.s.a.p. (”Hurry up and finish your testimony, woman!” Come on, I know you think that sometimes in a testimony sharing meeting.) To Jesus, this woman was a precious daughter who needed to share her testimony for others to hear. But to Jairus, he could only think about his daughter’s urgent situation. Then some very unfortunate news came.

Look at verse 49. “While Jesus was still speaking, someone came from the house of Jairus, the synagogue ruler. ‘Your daughter is dead,’ he said. ‘Don’t bother the teacher any more.’” Surely the words were solemn, but they hit Jairus hard: “Your daughter is dead.” Then the messenger gave his own recommendation: “Don’t bother the teacher any more.” It meant, “It’s too late. I’m so sorry. It’s over.” Maybe even the messenger added some good Hallmark card words like, “She’s in better hands now,” or, “Sometimes God takes the best flowers for his garden.” In any case, the messenger told Jairus to leave Jesus alone and just come and make funeral arrangements. The messenger was destroying hope and faith in Jairus’ heart. He was not speaking for God, but planting fear in Jairus. This is how the devil usually speaks to people, planting doubt and causing one to lose heart.

Jesus heard the same news. But his words to Jairus were quite different. Let’s read verse 50. “Hearing this, Jesus said to Jairus, ‘Don’t be afraid; just believe, and she will be healed.” First, Jesus said, “Don’t be afraid.” Jesus knew that fear was threatening to invade Jairus’ heart. Fear of what? Perhaps it was fear of his own loss, or fear that he couldn’t cope with this tragedy. Maybe he was afraid of his daughter’s eternal destiny. Especially, he was afraid of death itself. One of the devil’s most effective strategies is to plant this kind of fear in people. Hebrews 2:15 says that the devil holds people in slavery by their fear of death. Fear is the enemy of faith and trust in God. Jesus said to Jairus, “Don’t be afraid.” It meant, “Don’t lose hope. Don’t give up. Don’t listen to that message. Listen to me.” Jesus also said, “Just believe.” To “just believe” means to keep on trusting Jesus. Jesus wants us to keep our hope and faith in him. Hebrews 11:1 includes hope in the definition of faith. It reads, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for, and certain of what we do not see.” Jesus also said to Jairus, “and she will be healed.” This is Jesus’ specific promise to Jairus. Jesus promised Jairus, “she will be healed.” It meant, “Don’t worry. I’m in control.” Two Bible translations paraphrase Jesus’ words to Jairus like this; “Just trust in me, and everything will be all right.” (NLT, Message)

Please put yourself in Jairus’ place for a moment. How could Jairus listen to Jesus and accept Jesus’ words when he had just heard the tragic news that his daughter had died? Actually, Jairus had a choice whom he would listen to. Jairus chose to listen to Jesus and accept Jesus’ words, rather than the factual words of reality which came through the bad news messenger. This may seem like he was denying reality and holding an unrealistic hope or expectation. But consider faith in God. We cannot see God with our eyes. Faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. Who hopes for what he already has? We each exercise choices every day. For example, we choose who or what we decide to listen to or to look at. Take the internet: we choose the news articles we want to read and we look at the photos we want to look at. Well, most of the time. So the question to ask myself is: who am I going to listen to–pop psychology? the latest movie or novel? a college professor? a neighbor? or Jesus? Jairus decided to listen to Jesus and to keep trusting him. The one who trusts in Jesus will never be put to shame and will never be disappointed. There are many very great and precious promises in the Bible. Are you believing any promise or word of Jesus? I’m not talking about your own wishful thinking or dream or idea. I mean a promise from Jesus in the Bible for you. Faith is not merely wishful thinking. Faith is believing God’s promises that he has given us in the Bible.

There are so many examples in the Bible of those who kept their hope and faith in a seemingly hopeless situation: Joseph in prison, Daniel in a lion’s den, Daniel’s friends in a fiery furnace, Paul in a shipwreck, on trial and later in prison. These people all overcame with faith in God very real fears. We all face fears of all kinds, even daily: fear of failure, fear of rejection, fear of getting a job or losing a job, fear of our health or our children’s health or spiritual destiny, fear of keeping up with daily obligations, fear of unfruitful ministry, fear of unchanging hearts, even our own, etc, etc, etc. Then what are we going to do? We can either give in to fear or believe God’s word. For example, Matthew 6:33 is a great promise in the Bible that deals with daily provision. There is a promise from God to overcome any fear that threatens or plagues us.

I want to share one example about an Irish missionary named Amy Carmichael. As a missionary in India, she worked to save children from being sold as temple prostitutes. She confronted great opposition, threats of physical danger and criminal charges of kidnapping to rescue the children. But she persisted in her faith and mission and after 12 years had 130 children under her care. She also wrestled with remaining single all her life. She shared her struggle with one of her rescued children: “I had feelings of fear about the future. The devil kept on whispering, ‘It’s all right now, but what about afterwards? You are going to be very lonely.’ And I turned to my God in a kind of desperation and said, ‘Lord, what can I do? How can I go on to the end?’ And He said, ‘None of them that trust in Me shall be desolate.’ That word has been with me ever since. It has been fulfilled to me. It will be fulfilled to you.” [In "From Jerusalem To Irian Jaya," by Ruth Tucker, p.241]

So what happened next after Jesus’ words to Jairus? Jairus led Jesus to his house. Obviously, he took Jesus’ word rather than the messenger’s advice. Jesus went in to the house with Peter, John and James, and the child’s parents. There were also many people wailing and mourning for the dead girl. “Stop wailing,” Jesus said. “She is not dead but asleep.” This is not the only time in the Bible that death is called sleep. Death is not the end as unbelievers think. Just as morning comes after a night’s sleep, we all must appear before God after death for judgment. Hebrews 9:27 says, “man is destined to die once and after that to face judgment…” Jesus said in John 5:28-29, “a time is coming when all who in their graves will hear his voice and come out–those who have done good will rise to live, and those who have done evil will rise to be condemned.”

The mourners and wailers in Jairus’ house laughed when they heard Jesus’ words. One moment they were crying and the next they were laughing. They laughed because they knew she was dead. But Jesus was not trying to make a joke. Look at verse 54. “But he took her by the hand and said, “My child, get up!” Jesus called the healed bleeding woman, “daughter.” Jesus called this young girl, “My child.” She too was precious to Jesus. Jesus commanded her, “Get up!” When Jesus said, “Get up!” her spirit returned, and at once she stood up. With one command of Jesus, the girl’s spirit returned to her body and she was alive again! Then Jesus told them to give her something to eat. Jesus was mindful of her physical condition, for she must have been weak and hungry. Her parents were astonished, but he ordered them not to tell anyone what had happened. This girl owed her life to Jesus. Jairus owed Jesus a lifetime of thanks. Jesus is the Lord of life and the God of hope. Jesus is the Great Physician, our Healer and Savior. In today’s passage we learned to come to Jesus as we are. Let’s hold on to Jesus’ promise and experience his power and love. Let’s give thanks and glory to Jesus and share with others his grace to us–what he has done for us personally. Let’s overcome all attacks of fear with his promises. Jesus says to us, “Don’t be afraid; just believe.”

“I hated this place. I hated Northwestern.”

Not what you’d expect to hear from someone who, over a span of 30 years, has been student, faculty and staff at Northwestern.

But when Northwestern graduate Alan Wolff says he hated NU, it’s more than a passing remark. He’s not talking about a midterm he missed or the foul Chicago weather; he’s talking about a lifetime of failures that he’s finally made good.

Wolff dropped out during his junior year almost three decades ago, but used the time off to learn about himself and why he was pursuing his education. Now he’s a proud graduate, having received his Ph.D. in computer science and electrical engineering in December.

Wolff started out at NU as an undergrad in the fall of 1978. A self-proclaimed punk rocker, he felt he didn’t fit into the Northwestern social scene. His GPA hovered around 1.4, and after being placed on academic probation, he realized he couldn’t make the grades to stay at NU.

“I was here because my parents wanted me to be here,” Wolff says. “I had no clue what I should be doing.”

Wolff returned to his home in Maryland and graduated from the University of Maryland in the mid-’80s with a degree in history. After graduating, Wolff applied for a job as an air traffic controller, thinking the job might be like playing video games. However, when he moved to Oklahoma City for training, he failed it.

“It was almost like déjà vu,” Wolff says. “I was put in a new situation, it was my chance for a career and I failed it. I was in my mid-20s and I had no career, nothing, and no way to support myself. It was despair again.”

Finding acceptance

Wolff could have moved back to Maryland. Instead, he went to the one place he had ever felt accepted: the University Bible Fellowship in Evanston.

When Wolff first met the University Bible Fellowship, he was a jaded atheist who had once organized a petition at his high school to ban clergy from graduation. He mocked the Fellowship and their beliefs, and pushed them as far as he could to see how they’d react.

They accepted him. After NU kicked Wolff out, he joined the Bible Fellowship in Maryland and decided to become a Christian in his first year with the Maryland group. When he was down on his luck in Oklahoma, Evanston’s Bible Fellowship seemed like the right place to go.

Sarah Barry, the retired general director of the Evanston fellowship, has known Wolff since his freshman year at NU. She says she respects Wolff for overcoming so many obstacles, and is encouraged to know a person who doesn’t give up.

“Alan sets goals and goes after them,” Barry says. “I never doubted he’d get that PhD. Maybe someday he’ll be president of Northwestern.”

Wolff moved back to Evanston and spent time transcribing Bible materials until the pastor told him to get a job. He went to NU’s Career Services and saw a listing for a computer programmer, a job he’d never done. Wolff was hired based on a NU connection and the assumption that if he had been president of his high school chess club, he’d be able to do programming.

Around this time, Wolff met his wife, Vivian. After about a year, he started working for Northwestern’s Controller’s Office and University Enrollment. Wolff’s professional life was blossoming, but he still wanted to get an education.

Third time’s the charm

He applied for the professional masters program in electrical engineering at NU, earned his masters, and did so well that he decided to apply for regular graduate school. Over ten years, he took a couple of classes each term toward a Ph.D. while working full time for NU. Taking graduate classes with a full time job and a family wasn’t easy. The age gap didn’t help.

“Again I felt like a misfit,” Wolff said. “I was an older guy with people who were almost half my age. It was weird, but I made friends,” Wolff said.

Wolff was cramming for midterms when his kids were learning to walk. He was thinking about papers he had to write when he got off work. He finished his coursework and took the Ph.D. qualifying exam for electrical engineering.

Wolff failed it. Twice.

Because he had taken his classes over such a long period of time, many courses had changed entirely. Professors and textbooks had changed, and the material wasn’t the same.

Over the next two years, Wolff tried to think of a way to overcome this new failure. He tried changing his Ph.D. to computer science, which had a simpler qualifying exam. Finally, Wolff passed. Last September he defended his thesis, and three months later he graduated from Northwestern University with a Ph.D. in computer science and electrical engineering.

“People always asked me, ‘Alan, why are you trying to get a Ph.D.? You have a career already and seem to be making money, why are you putting yourself through that?’” Wolff said.

“I’m doing it for my wife. I’m giving my kids something to shoot for, and I’m showing that no matter how many times you fail, you can overcome it.”

Times have changed since Alan Wolff first aspired to earn a NU degree. He has dedicated more than ten years of his life to Northwestern University. Now, according to Wolff, he’s “one of the biggest fans of this place.”

http://www.northbynorthwestern.com/2008/01/5287/grad-student-finds-redemption-after-dropping-out-decades-ago/

Luke 24:36-53, Key Verse: 24:46-47

“He told them, ‘This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his names to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.’”

Last weekend we delved more deeply into the events and meaning of Jesus’ death and resurrection. The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ are the two pillars of the New Testament and Christian faith. Jesus Christ died on a cross for our sins. Jesus was laid in a tomb. Then Jesus rose again from the dead on the third day. This is the gospel–the good news that has been preached from then until now. It is the gospel that will be preached until Jesus comes again. This is the good news that saves all who receive and believe it. May we all live every day with this good news in our hearts, in our feet and on our lips.

First, the empty tomb of Jesus (1-12). Although we will not study these verses in detail, it is good to review the events at Jesus’ tomb. Jesus’ dead body was taken down from the cross and buried in a tomb by Joseph of Arimathea. Mary Magdalene and several other women saw where his tomb was and how his dead body was laid in it. Then they went home for a day since it was Saturday, the Jewish Sabbath. Early on Sunday morning, they went to the tomb to anoint Jesus’ dead body. When they arrived, they found the tombstone rolled away from the tomb entrance and the body of the Lord Jesus was gone. Two men in gleaming clothes (actually angels) said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’” The women went back to the Eleven apostles with this great news. But the apostles did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense.

Today too, the resurrection of Jesus Christ sounds to many people like nonsense. Many skeptics have tried to explain away Jesus’ empty tomb. Some say that Jesus never died in the first place. But Jesus died on the cross. This was witnessed by Roman soldiers, by Jewish opponents, and by followers of Jesus. Others try to argue that someone stole the body. But the Romans and the Jews had nothing to gain by stealing the body and then concealing it, and Jesus’ disciples would not have proclaimed it with joy to their deaths. So stealing the body makes no sense and still would not explain the resurrection appearances of Jesus. Some propose they looked in the wrong tomb. That also would have been easily corrected by both friends and enemies of Jesus. There really remains only one logical conclusion to the empty tomb: Jesus Christ rose physically from the dead. Among all great men in history, only Jesus Christ rose from the dead. All the others were buried and decayed. The resurrection of Christ, the Holy One, was foretold by David in Psalm 16:10b. It reads, “…nor will you let your Holy One see decay.” Peter quoted this in his Pentecost sermon (Ac 2:31). Jesus’ tomb was empty, because Jesus rose from the dead, never to die again. Jesus is alive today, seated at the right hand of God the Father. From there, he will come again to judge the living and the dead. All who believe in Jesus, love and obey a living Lord, who is King of all kings and Lord of all lords. Christians do not worship a dead leader, but the Savior and Judge who is alive and who is coming again. Jesus will bring salvation to all who are waiting for him.

Second, risen Jesus teaches the Bible on the road (13-35). Luke’s gospel has one of the most interesting and surprising appearances of the risen Christ, who appears to two men as they are walking away from Jerusalem. Again, I don’t want to study this section in detail, but just note a few things. Luke records these two men, even though we only know one of their names–Cleopas–as the first ones to encounter the risen Christ. And they didn’t even recognize him for an hour’s walk! Why did Jesus appear to these two men? It’s not clear why risen Jesus chose to appear to these two men, but we can see a few things from his time with them. We see that Jesus turned their sorrow into joy and their lost hopes into new hope. They left Jerusalem sad, but after meeting the risen Christ, they became joyful, bold witnesses of Christ. Also, though their hopes in Jesus were dashed when Jesus died, the risen Jesus gave them new and living hope in the kingdom of God. Here I have to ask an important question. In what is your hope? If your hope is in something in the world, it is a dead or dying hope, because everything in this world dies some day: whether it’s wealth, or position, or pleasure, or another person–all of these perish, spoil and fade away some day.

Gary Habermas is a top scholar in defending the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He rarely loses a debate regarding the plausibility of the resurrection. But what really put his faith to the test was not academic but personal: his wife died of stomach cancer, leaving their four children for him to raise alone. His students asked him, “Believing the resurrection really makes a difference doesn’t it?” In the midst of his human sorrow, he wanted to ask God, “Why?” But he kept imagining God’s reply, “Did I raise my Son from the dead?” The powerful certainty and truth of the resurrection has comforted and cheered him continually in the realization that he will see his wife again, along with Jesus.

There is one more thing I want to note about the risen Jesus’ talk along the road with these two little-known disciples: Jesus did not try to convince them with physical evidence. Jesus tried to convince them with the word of God in the Hebrew Scriptures, which Christians now call the Old Testament. Jesus had a Genesis to Malachi Bible study on the road with these two men. Can you find Christ throughout the Old Testament? Try it some time. Jesus Christ is the offspring of woman in Genesis 3:15 who would crush the serpent’s head. He is alluded to in Abraham’s sacrifice of his one and only son, Isaac, and receiving him back on the third day. He is the Passover lamb, sacrificed for us. Listen to this prophecy of Daniel 7:13-14, “…there before me was one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient of Days and was led into his presence. He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.”

Finally, while Jesus was breaking bread with the two in Emmaus, their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” Here we see that burning-heart Bible study leads us to believe in Jesus, the Son of God, who died for our sins and rose again from the dead.

Third, the risen Christ appears to his disciples (36-49). We will look at this section more carefully. The two from Emmaus had just come back to Jerusalem and were talking with the Eleven apostles and some others. The Lord had also appeared to Simon, which Luke mentions but does not expound. Why did the risen Jesus delay appearing to the apostles, rather than going to them right away? Consider this: the women received the angels’ message: “He has risen!” and went and told the Eleven. Then the two on the road to Emmaus recognized Jesus and ran back to tell the Eleven. It seems then that Jesus was preparing the Eleven apostles with the testimony of others first. Look at verse 36. “While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, ‘Peace be with you.’” Jesus gave them peace for their fearful and restless hearts. Sometimes I feel a distance from my children, perhaps because they might see me as a legalistic trainer with high expectations. Jesus is not legalistic like I am. Jesus blesses his people with peace–peace with God and peace with others. Remember the angel’s words at his birth: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” All people really want peace. Many people pray for world peace. I have heard that many Jewish people believe that the Messiah will bring world peace. I also heard of a recent peace conference with people excited about peace, although they weren’t quite sure how to bring it about. How can we experience this peace? Romans 5:1 says, “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” Jesus is the Prince of Peace. Where Jesus is Lord, in one’s heart, in one’s family, there is peace. Jesus gives grace and peace to his people: peace with God, and peace with people.

How did this gathering of disciples respond to the risen Christ’s greeting of peace? Did they receive it? Verse 37 says they were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. Once when Jesus walked on water they had a similar response, thinking they saw a ghost. When people can’t explain some supernatural phenomenon, they often conclude it is a ghost or a spirit. But the risen Jesus was not a ghost. How did the risen Jesus try to convince them? He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” Risen Jesus showed them the nail scars in his hands and feet. Jesus gave them permission to touch him. Risen Jesus had a physical body, although it was glorified and immortal. Still, the disciples did not believe it because of joy and amazement. They were really slow to believe, even though they had seen so many miracles of Jesus, even the raising of 3 dead people by Jesus. So, to further demonstrate his bodily resurrection, risen Jesus asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence. Risen Jesus did not need the fish to survive. But he ate it to prove the physical reality of his resurrection. This, together with the fact of the empty tomb, destroys any notion that Jesus only rose spiritually from the dead. Jesus rose bodily from the grave.

So we have seen two evidences of Jesus’ resurrection thus far: the empty tomb and the physical evidence of Jesus’ bodily resurrection. There is another major evidence of Jesus’ resurrection: the Scriptures. The Scriptures foretold both his death and resurrection. Let’s read verse 44 together. “He said to them, ‘This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.’” Actually, Jesus had directly predicted his death and resurrection to his disciples at least three times before it happened. The first time was immediately after Peter confessed Jesus as “The Christ of God.” Jesus said in Luke 9:22, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.” Again, before it happened, Jesus took the Twelve aside and told them in Luke 18:31-32, “We are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written by the prophets about the Son of Man will be fulfilled. He will be handed over to the Gentiles. They will mock him, insult him, spit on him, flog him and kill him. On the third day he will rise again.” But his disciples were quick to forget his words.

Not only Jesus’ own words, but the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms also foretold his death and resurrection. For example, Psalm 22 is perhaps the most amazing prophecy of Jesus’ suffering and death. This psalm, written by David 1000 years before Christ, begins with words that Jesus echoed from the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Mk 15:34; Mt 27:46) Psalm 22:7-8 speaks of his mockery and verse 18 to the casting of lots for his clothes. Isaiah 53, written around 700 B.C., is perhaps the greatest prophecy of the meaning of Jesus’ death. Isaiah 53:5-6 says, “But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed. We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.”

Verse 45 says, “Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.” Paul spoke of a veil over the hearts of unbelievers, that is only taken away in Christ, whenever anyone turns to the Lord (2Co 3:14). In a similar way, the disciples’ minds were opened when they saw the risen Christ and believed the resurrection. For example, before his death Jesus had publicly said, “Destroy this temple and I will raise it in three days.” After the resurrection, the disciples understood that Jesus was not talking about the temple building, but Jesus’ own body as the temple which would be resurrected on the third day.

The risen Jesus had more to say to his disciples. He told them, “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.” The risen Christ told them that they would be his witnesses. They were the ones who were to carry the gospel message to all nations. If not them, then who? What were they to preach in his name to all nations, that is, to all peoples and cultures on earth? Luke says, “repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations.” What is repentance? Repentance is turning away from sin and self to God for salvation. For example, for one who trusts in his own goodness, effort, determination or relative righteousness, he must admit that he cannot save himself and rather trust Jesus for his salvation. One sinning sexually must repent and resolve to live a pure life by God’s grace and help. One young woman testified that she once believed her own plan would lead to happiness. But she repented and accepted Jesus’ way and command ahead of her own idea. Then she experienced the freedom of forgiveness–freedom from her shame, guilt and condemnation. The forgiveness of sins comes to those who repent and believe the gospel of Jesus Christ and who commit themselves to Jesus as the Lord of their lives. Acts 10:43 says, “All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” So many people are trusting in their own goodness to get to heaven, but their own goodness will not be enough. It is pride that hinders them. 1 Peter 5:5 says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” And Romans 10:13 reads, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” Psalm 14:1 says, “The fool says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’” But, according to Luke 18:13-14, God will forgive one who prays, “God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” 1 Corinthians 15:3-4 summarizes the gospel excellently: “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures…he was buried…he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.” This is the gospel of salvation for all who believe. This is the good news that we must hold firmly to and that we are to proclaim faithfully and with love to a perishing and hopeless world.

The disciples were to proclaim this gospel “beginning at Jerusalem,” which is right where they were. If they did not spread the gospel, then who would proclaim the gospel? All who have hope and faith in Jesus Christ are privileged and obligated to proclaim the good news to those around them, right where they are. We are now among the students of Chicago, especially the students of Northwestern, UIC, Northeastern, Loyola, Oakton, Truman, and downtown campuses. If you do not share the gospel with them, who will? Let us each share the gospel with the people around us, beginning right where we are each day.

Risen Jesus had one more thing to say to his disciples. Look at verse 49. “I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” Here, Jesus was telling them to wait in Jerusalem for the gift of the Holy Spirit. They needed the presence and power of the Holy Spirit to live as witnesses of Jesus in a hostile and unbelieving world. We also each need the presence and power of the Holy Spirit to believe in Jesus, to love him and to live as his disciples. How can we receive the Holy Spirit? We must repent of our sins, believe and obey Jesus, and ask our Father in heaven for the gift of his Holy Spirit (Ac 2:38; 5:32; Lk 11:13).

Fourth, Jesus ascended into heaven. Luke records the departure of the risen Christ. If Jesus had not ascended into heaven, he would still be walking on earth today, for he could never die in his resurrection body. While blessing them, Jesus left them and was taken up into heaven. It sounds other-worldly that Jesus went up into the skies. But recall that the prophet Elijah was also taken up to heaven in a whirlwind and a chariot of fire. Jesus now sits at the right hand of God the Father in heaven. There are many promises in the Bible that Jesus will come again in power and glory to judge the living and the dead, and he will bring salvation to all who are waiting for him. This is our hope. This is our faith.

So what are the proofs of Jesus’ resurrection? The empty tomb, the physical evidence of eyewitnesses, and the prophecies in the Scriptures. There is one more: the changed lives of those who believe. Through faith and hope in Christ, the women’s sorrow was turned to joy and the men’s fear was turned to courage, peace and love. Through faith in Christ, Paul was changed from a murderous hater of Christians to a sacrificial, father-like shepherd for the church of God. I grew up in a Christian home. But when my dad died of a heart attack, I confessed 8 months later, “I don’t really believe in God. I don’t know what I believe.” A few days later, the joy of Jesus’ birth came to me. A few months after that, the truth of the resurrection came into my mind and heart. I understood for the first time personally: “There is no hope in this world, because everything in the world dies some day. The only living hope is Jesus Christ, because he rose from the dead.” Jesus became my hope. Since then I have shared the gospel with others, especially with Northwestern students as a Bible teacher and prayer servant. From time to time, I depend on my own strength or wisdom. At such times, I fall under some element of death, like laziness, lust, pride, indifference, anger, etc. Who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God–through Jesus Christ my Lord and Savior! (Ro 7:25) I still believe this is the message of salvation that must be believed and preached: Christ died for our sins and rose from the dead. For those who have faith and hope in Jesus, it is our privilege and obligation to share it with all the people around us, beginning right where we are. And this gospel will be preached in his name to all nations, until Jesus comes again. Amen. Come, Lord Jesus.

Luke 22:1-23, Key Verse: 22:20

by kevin Albright

“In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.’”

This coming weekend we will gather in groups at our Easter Bible conferences to learn more deeply the core of the Christian faith: Jesus’ death and resurrection. This is the gospel, the good news of God–through our Lord Jesus Christ our sins are forgiven and we have eternal life in God’s kingdom. Today, we want to think about Jesus’ words to his disciples at his Last Supper. We will also celebrate the Lord’s Supper since Jesus commanded his disciples, “do this in remembrance of me.” If you believe in Jesus Christ and confess him as your Lord and Savior you are invited to celebrate the Lord’s Supper.

1. The Passover was approaching (1-6)

First, remembering the Passover. Look at verse 1. “Now the Feast of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching…” In verses 1-16, the Passover is mentioned or alluded to 8 times. Jesus’ last meal was a Passover meal. Jesus gave his life during an annual Passover season.

What is the Passover? It is an important annual feast for the Jewish people. The Passover recalls an event in Moses’ time when the Israelites were slaves in Egypt. God gave a message through Moses to the king of Egypt, “Let my people go.” When he refused, God sent 10 plagues on Egypt as judgment on the ‘gods of Egypt.’ The final plague was on the firstborn. Every firstborn throughout Egypt would die. But God gave the Israelite slaves directions how to save their firstborn: they had to smear the blood of a lamb on the doorframes of their homes. As the LORD executed judgment throughout Egypt, he ‘passed over’ the homes that had the lamb’s blood. This was such a devastating plague that the king of Egypt finally let the Israelites go. They were freed after 400 years–many generations–of slavery. Thus, the Passover commemorated two things: the salvation of their firstborn from death, and their freedom from slavery. The Passover marked the birth of a free nation, Israel, like their independence day. Since that time, the Jews have celebrated the Passover annually as a time of thanks and praise to God for his great deliverance and salvation.

Second, the devil’s work in several people. Understanding the importance of the Passover, in Jesus’ time the leaders of Israel should have led the people in this holy commemoration. But what were they doing? Verse 2 tells us, “…and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people.” It is shocking that the leaders of God’s chosen people were plotting how to get rid of Jesus. They wanted to arrest Jesus away from the public eye, since people thronged to Jesus. Jesus was loved and respected by the crowds because he went around doing good–healing the sick, driving out demons and proclaiming the message of God’s kingdom. The leaders acted out of fear of men and envy of Jesus. They were spiritually blind and gave the devil an open door to come in and use them for evil.

Even one of Jesus’ own disciples was used by the devil. Look at verses 3-6. “Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. They were delighted and agreed to give him money. He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present.” How could one so close to Jesus, one of his own Twelve chosen disciples, do this? Luke explains that Satan entered Judas Iscariot. It was the devil’s work in Judas. Our enemy, the devil, prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour and use for evil. How can we overcome the devil? The Bible says, “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (Jas 4:7) It also says, “…do not give the devil a foothold.” (Eph 4:27) No one can defeat the devil with his own strength or wisdom. So Jesus taught us to pray, “lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” When Jesus faced the devil’s temptations, he showed us how to resist the devil by holding on to God’s word and by loving God.

2. Jesus’ Last Supper (7-20)

First, Jesus is our Passover lamb. Look at verse 7. The day of Unleavened Bread came. The unleavened bread (matzah) reminded them of their hasty departure from Egypt. Luke says that this was the day ‘on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed.’ This alludes to the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God. In 1 Corinthians 5:7 Paul wrote, “For Christ our Passover lamb has been sacrificed.” During the original Passover, the firstborn children of Israel were saved by the lamb’s blood. But Jesus’ blood saves everyone who trusts in him from their sins. John the Baptist understood this and testified of Jesus, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” Peter also called Jesus a sacrificial lamb saying, “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect.” (1Pe 1:18) By faith in Jesus’ blood, we sinners can be saved from God’s righteous judgment, delivered from our slavery to sin, and healed from our sinsicknesses. By faith in Jesus’ blood, we are Jesus’ sheep, and no one can snatch us out of his hand. We are saved from our sins by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ. Eternal praise and thanks be to Jesus Christ, our Passover lamb!

Second, make preparations by obeying Jesus. Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.” They asked him where they were to prepare for it. Jesus told them in verses 10-12. “As you enter the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him to the house that he enters, and say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ He will show you a large upper room, all furnished. Make preparations there.” Bible scholars say this was likely the home of John Mark, who wrote Mark’s gospel.

What is significant of Jesus’ directions here? For one thing, it shows Jesus’ omniscience. Jesus knew in great detail all that was going to transpire in the next 24 hours. Though things would soon look out of control with Jesus’ arrest and trial, God was in complete control. Notice that Jesus seemed to intentionally keep the Passover place secret. Perhaps this was to avoid informing Judas who might lead his enemies there. Jesus still wanted time to prepare himself for his death in a night of prayer. Jesus also wanted time to teach his disciples the new meaning of the Passover meal.

Look at verse 13. “They left and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover.” One thing we learn here is that for those who follow Jesus’ instructions, things work out. On the other hand, when we follow our own plans, desires or ideas, things often get messed up. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 14:12 warns, “There is a way that seems right to a man, but in the end it leads to death.” To grow as a disciple of Jesus, one must learn to listen to Jesus and put Jesus’ word ahead of his own plan, idea or desire. Blessed and wise are those who put Jesus’ words into practice.

Third, the meaning of Jesus’ body given for us. Look at verses 14-18. “When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. And he said to them, ‘I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.’ After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, ‘Take this and divide it among you. For I tell you I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.’” Jesus eagerly wanted to teach his disciples the meaning of his suffering and death before it happened. Jesus would soon suffer and die. But he knew his death would not be the end. His death would open the way to the feast in the kingdom of God.

Let’s read verse 19 together. “And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.” Jesus took the bread and gave thanks to God. How could Jesus thank God when he knew that he would suffer and die a brutal death? Jesus gave thanks knowing that God is good. “Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever.” (Ps 136:1) Life is hard. But God is good. God is our Protector, our Provider, and our loving Father in heaven. The Lord will rescue us from every evil attack and bring us safely to his heavenly kingdom (2Ti 4:18). We can give thanks in all circumstances when we believe firmly that God is good and God’s will is good, pleasing and perfect.

Jesus broke the bread and gave it to his disciples. Soon Jesus would allow his own body to be broken, wounded, torn, and bruised for our salvation. Peter later wrote, “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; by his wounds you have been healed.” (1Pe 2:24) Jesus gave the bread to his disciples and said, “This is my body given for you…” Jesus gave his body to be beaten, whipped and crucified on their behalf and ours too. 1 Peter 3:18 says, “For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God.” Is there any greater love than this? Jesus said, “Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends. You are my friends if you do what I command.” (Jn 15:13-14)

What does it mean that Jesus’ body is our bread? Jesus once declared to a hungry, demanding crowd in John 6, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.” (Jn 6:35) Again, Jesus said to the same people, “Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me.” (Jn 6:56-57) What does it mean to ‘feed on Jesus’? To feed on Jesus is to have a living personal relationship with him through faith and prayer. To feed on Jesus is to come to him in faith every day and throughout the day for strength, sustenance, guidance and fulfillment. To feed on Jesus is to find joy, hope and meaning by relying on him.

Jesus also said, “…do this in remembrance of me.” Just as the Jews commemorate the Passover every year, Jesus wants his followers to commemorate his sacrifice and commune with him and with other believers in Christ. We can remember Jesus and thank him every time we see a cross, every time we worship, every time we pray. This coming weekend we will gather at our Easter conferences to more deeply commune with Jesus and with others in his name. May the grace and love of his death and the glory and hope of his resurrection be real and move us each personally. Today we also celebrate communion as a church to remember and thank Jesus and to be newly united with him and with other believers in his name.

Fourth, the meaning of Jesus’ blood poured out for us. Let’s read verse 20. “In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.’” Jesus said the cup is a ‘new covenant.’ What is a covenant? Biblically, a covenant is a binding relationship between two parties. In this case, the new covenant is a binding relationship between Jesus and his followers. Then what was the old covenant? We call the Hebrew Scriptures the Old Testament, or Old Covenant. In the Old Testament, God made several covenants with people and their descendants, including Noah (Gen 9:11ff) and Abraham (Gen 17:7ff). In Moses’ time, God made a covenant with his people Israel, saying, “Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” (Ex 19:5-6) Then God gave them his laws, including the Ten Commandments, for them to obey. The people responded, “We will do everything the LORD has said; we will obey.” Then Moses took the blood of offerings, sprinkled it on the people and said, “This is the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words.” (Ex 24:8) This was the old covenant, but it was conditional, based on the peoples’ obedience.

Jeremiah prophesied of a new covenant in Jeremiah 31:31-34, which the New Testament quotes in Hebrews 8:8-12. It says: “The time is coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. It will not be like the covenant I made with their forefathers when I took them by the hand to lead them out of Egypt, because they broke my covenant, though I was a husband to them,” declares the LORD. “This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after that time,” declares the LORD. “I will put my law in their minds and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. No longer will a man teach his neighbor, or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’ because they will all know me, from the least of them to the greatest,” declares the LORD. “For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.”

Jesus established this new covenant ‘in his blood.’ His blood refers to his blood shed on the cross. Matthew 26:28 says more directly, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” The blood of Jesus has power to save and cleanse sinners from their sins. Romans 3:25 says of Jesus, “God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood.” Hebrews 9:14-15 compares the blood of goats and bulls with the blood of Jesus: “How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God! For this reason Christ is the mediator of a new covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance–now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins committed under the first covenant.” Jesus’ blood was poured out for us, to purify us from all sin.

The forgiveness of sins is not the final objective. It is the means to an end. The end objective is a new covenant–a new and right relationship with God as children of God and heirs of his kingdom. Romans 8:16 says, “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children.” The Holy Spirit gives us confidence to call God, “Father.” Jesus died to open a new way of relationship between God and all people through the forgiveness of sins. The Holy Spirit at work in every believer makes this new relationship with God possible. For example, sin can make a person cold and rude toward God and others. But the new covenant in Jesus’ blood can make this same person warm and friendly to God and others. Sin makes people wild and rebellious. But the new covenant in Jesus’ blood and the work of the Holy Spirit changes people to be humble and joyful. I know so many people who have been changed by the power and grace of Jesus through faith in him. I will share just one example. One young man had no living relationship with Christ, though he attended church regularly. I think he would say he attended church to feel good about himself and to look down on others. He used to listen to dark and rebellious music. He had a foul mouth and delighted in lewd thoughts with no reason or power to resist. Then he studied the Bible, cautiously at first. Gradually he found joy, hope, meaning and new life in Jesus, which he did not have before. Many can testify to the changing power of a relationship with Jesus Christ. Can you? This change is possible and real through faith in Jesus’ death and resurrection.

As Jesus offered the cup to his disciples, he offers salvation to all sinners. There is power in the blood of Jesus Christ. Only his blood to can take away our sins. Have you taken Jesus’ body and blood in faith? Are you in a covenant relationship with Jesus? Some are hindered by fear, fear of losing something in order to follow Jesus. But Jesus promised a hundred times more than anything we sacrifice to follow him (Mt 19:29). Some are obstructed by pride, thinking they are good enough. The Bible says “there is no one righteous, not even one.” (Ro 3:10) Some are hindered by guilt: How could God forgive my sin?” The Bible says, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.” (1Jn 1:9) Some are hindered by unbelief: “I tried to change myself, but it didn’t work. I don’t think I can be changed.” 2Co 5:17 disagrees with this pessimism saying, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!”

For those who have received Jesus’ grace, don’t be complacent or depend on your own goodness or effort. You still need his grace. It is only his grace that has saved you and that will continue to save and sanctify you. Keep on trusting in him alone, not in a righteousness of your own. Also, if you know his saving grace, don’t keep it to yourself. Proclaim it to others with love and joy, that they too may hear his promise and enter into a relationship with Jesus through the new covenant in his blood.

“Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken your first love. Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.”

Click here to watch the video of this message

Revelation chapters 2 and 3 are Christ’s letter to the seven churches in Asia through Apostle John. At that time, the author of this book, the Apostle John was preaching the gospel when he was arrested by Roman Emperor Domitian. He was sent to the island of Patmos and forced to do hard labor. He went to a cave and prayed. There he saw a vision and wrote the Book of Revelation. So this book is the prison Epistle of the Apostle John. Here the seven churches were actual churches. However, these seven churches represent the Church of the entire world. We want to think about this passage in Revelation 2 in two parts: First, (2:1-7), The Lord’s letter to the church in Ephesus. Second (8-17), the Lord’s letters to the churches in Smyrna and Pergamum. As we study this passage, I pray that we may restore our first love for our Lord.
I. Christ’s letter to the church in Ephesus (1-7)

What kind of city was Ephesus? Ephesus was the largest port city of Asia Minor. It was the trading and business center of Asia Minor. The temple of Artemis, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, (Acts 19:35) was there. The people practiced Emperor worship and magic. So, Ephesus was a city of idol worship, hedonism and corruption. What did Christ look to the church in Ephesus? Look at verse 1. “These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands.” Jesus is “he who holds the seven stars in his right hand” (1b). Jesus appeared to the churches as the Sovereign Lord. Christ rules over his church and the saints with love and power. How did he commend the church in Ephesus?

Verse 2a says, “I know your deeds, your hard work.” Christ acknowledged their deeds of faith. In the church of Ephesus, there were many acts of faith done by first generation Christians. He also commended their perseverance (2c). In 1 Thessalonians 1:3, Apostle Paul said that we persevere because of hope. The reason we can persevere in spite of many temptations and hardships is because of our hope in Jesus’ second coming. This postmodern atmosphere is like that of Sodom and Gomorrah. The secret of overcoming this atmosphere is to hold on to the hope of Jesus’ second coming. Jesus commended the church in Ephesus for not tolerating false apostles (2d, 3, 6). Our community must be a community of love. At the same time, we must guard against bad influence from false apostles who hinder and destroy the Christian community. We should not follow evil trends of the time. At that time, false apostles (Nicolaitans) spread gnosticism and hedonism.This hindered gospel faith. However, the church in Ephesus exposed them and warned against their false teachings.

How did Christ rebuke the church in Ephesus? Look at verse 4. “Yet I hold this against you: you have forsaken your first love.” Then, what does it mean that they have forsaken their first love?

First, they have forsaken their first love for God. They say the first love is pure and sincere. This is not the humanistic “eros” love. The Ephesian Christian community’s love for Jesus was greater than that of today Christian community. Although they were gentiles, they experienced greater love of Christ through the Apostle Paul’s sincere Bible study and they became men and women of God. They had kept this great love of Jesus in their hearts. It was their first love. How did we experience our first love? 1 John 3:16 says, “This is how we know what love is: Jesus Christ laid down his life for us. And we ought to lay down our lives for our brothers.” When we know and experience Jesus Christ who laid down his life for us on the cross, we can have his burning love in us. How can we express our first love to Jesus? We also should lay down our lives for our brothers. (1 Jn 3:16b). Because of their fervent love for Jesus, they took care of God’s flock. Because of their fervent love for Jesus, they endured hardships.

In Mark 12:29-31, a teacher of the law came to Jesus and asked about the greatest commandment. Jesus answered, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.” At that time, Pharisees kept all the laws meticulously. Even though they said that they loved God and prayed regularly and praised God, the temperature of their love toward God was cold, and their hearts were far from God. Jesus said, “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me” (Mark 7:6). In the West, people love others and sometimes even their spouses with their lips only. Their hearts are far from true love. So they divorce easily. We should love God not only with our lips, but with our hearts. When we sin, we must repent with contrite hearts and tears like King David. Then we can restore our love relationship with God. Jesus told us to love God with all our soul and with all our strength. When we love our 1:1 Bible students or coworkers, we can sacrifice time, money and pride for them. Moreover, when we love God, we should not spare our soul and our strength, not even our lives. Maybe we can love God once, but it is not easy for us to love God with all our soul continually for our lifetime. We have to make a daily decision to do so.

Second, to forsake one’s first love means to forsake God’s commandments. To love God is the first commandment. To love one’s neighbor as one’s self is the second commandment. (Mark 12:31). Jesus taught us that the first commandment demands a love relationship with God and the second demands a love relationship with our neighbors “Love your neighbor as yourself”. We think we work hard for God, sacrificing our bodies and our time. However, we love ourselves more than anything else. Even when we make some sacrifices, it is our instinct to ultimately desire to keep our bodies whole and improve them. Jesus taught us to love others genuinely and secretly, and as consistently as we love ourselves. Jesus acknowledged that we love ourselves. In reality, those who mistreat themselves cannot love their neighbors. Only those who love and appreciate themselves are able to love others in the right way. How did Jesus teach us to love our neighbors? “So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets” (Matthew 7:12). As Jesus says in this verse, we must do to others what we would have them do to us. Jesus said to Peter, “Do you truly love me more than these?” Then Jesus said, “Feed my lambs.” (Jn 21:15) When I experienced Jesus’ love at first, Jesus told me to feed God’s flock of sheep with this love. In my early medical school days, because of my first love for Jesus, I invited all of my classmates to group Bible study. I divided them into 4 groups and taught them the word of God. Why do we have to love God with all our heart and soul?

First, because God is our Creator, and we are His creation. (Gen. 1:1) God is the origin of all things. He is our Creator. As children obey and love their parents, we must love our God with all our hearts because He is our Maker.

Second, because God is our Savior. (Jn 3:16). God sent his one and only Son Jesus to us when we were doomed to perish because of our sins. Jesus died on the cross to save us from sin and destruction. Moreover, He freed us from the power of death, which makes our lives miserable. Therefore, it is natural for saved sinners to love God with all their hearts and minds.

Third, because we live a happy and fruitful life when we love God with all our hearts. When God created man, he was very happy. God blessed man and gave him a mission to be fruitful, increase in number and fill the earth. (Gen. 1:28). God gave man a mission to bear abundant fruit. When we love God with all our hearts and make a deep love relationship with God, we become happy and bear abundant fruit (John 15:5).

What life direction did God give the Ephesus Christians? Look at verse 5, “Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.” In order to recover one’s first love, one should realize how and why one has fallen from it. So, Jesus says, “Repent and do the things you did at first!” (5a). He means that they should restore their first love. This means they should restore their first love for their neighbors. What was the reason the Ephesus church lost her first burning love?

First, because the love between brothers grew cold in the course of exposing and punishing false teachers in the church. In the beginning, the church in Ephesus had a burning love toward God. (Acts 20:36-37). However, this love grew cold when arguments and division grew among Christians.

Second, because they did not renew it everyday. 5a says, “Remember the height from which you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first.” It is not easy to remember continually. We should renew everyday to remember always. It is just like the saying: “Out of sight, out of mind.” As we feed a fire charcoal in order to maintain the fire, our love can cool down unless we fan it into fire everyday. Likewise, we should renew our burning love for Jesus everyday through God’s word. Otherwise, our love for him will gradually cool down and become cold. Jesus said, “If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place” (5c). This means that Jesus, who is the head of the church, will leave the church. I experienced the burning love of Jesus on the cross when I first studied the Bible. I was willing to give my life for Jesus. When I gave up my career as a physician in order to be a UBF staff, my love for Jesus was strongest. But as time passed by, my love for Jesus grew cold. Whenever I repented and newly meditated on the love of Jesus on the cross, the temperature of my love again rose–sometimes from 70 degrees to 140 degrees

When I see myself, I am like the church in Ephesus. I too have forsaken my first love. I must repent and meditate on the love of Jesus and accept his love and restore my love again up to 212 degrees F. The Lord rebuked the church in Laodicea, “I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other. So, because you are lukewarm–neither hot nor old–I am about to spit you out of my mouth.” (Rev. 3:15,16) There is a movie titled, “Hot is Better.” Our Lord also likes “hot”. Is your faith lukewarm? If so, the Lord will spit you out of his mouth. Even if you are so hot to burn his tongue, he would like it. What was the conclusion of Jesus’ letter to the Ephesian church? Look at verse 7. “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.” Jesus promised to give the tree of life which is in paradise to those who overcome by faith.

II. Letters to the churches in Smyrna and Pergamum (8-17)

Verses 8-11 are the letter to the church in Smyrna. Smyrna was a port city located in the north of Ephesus. It was protected by the Roman Empire because of a pledge of loyalty to Rome. So the place became the central location of emperor worship. Jesus did not rebuke this church, but only encouraged and commended them. Jesus appeared in a resurrection body to the church in Smyrna. They had struggled to keep their faith in the midst of afflictions and poverty(8). Jesus comforted them saying, “I know your afflictions and your poverty” (9a). Jesus told them that they were rich even though they were financially poor (9b). Jesus acknowledged their faithfulness and blessed their future. In Smyrna, there were many Jewish immigrants. So the place had very strong Jewish traditions and ideas. Many Jewish people persecuted Christians. In the midst of persecution, what direction did Jesus give to the Christians? Look at verse 10c. “Be faithful, even to the point of death, and I will give you the crown of life.” What does it mean to be faithful to the point of death?

First, it means to be faithful even with a few things. In Jesus’ parable of the talents (Mt 25:14-30), the master recognized the two servants who doubled their talents from five and two talents to ten and four talents. “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things.” If the servant who had received one talent worked and brought one more talent, he would have received the same recognition. In order to be a good and faithful servant, we have to be faithful even with a few things.

Second, it means to be faithful to the end. Even Judas Iscariot was faithful for the first two years. He faithfully served Jesus as the treasurer. But in his third year, he was not faithful and he betrayed Jesus.

Third, it means to be faithful even in adverse circumstances. Polycarp, the disciple of Apostle John, the Overseer of the Smyrna church was arrested because he didn’t worship the Roman Emperor as God. He was about to be burned in the Smyrna amphitheater in AD 155. An executor asked him. “I will let you free if you confess the Emperor as God and deny Christ now.” But Polycarp answered, “I served Christ as my king for 86 years. Christ never disowned me once. How can I disown him now?” He thanked God that he could become a martyr, and sang hymns while he was burning to death. He is a good example of being faithful to the point of death. Some of us have faithfully served God for the last 30 years or 50 years or for a lifetime. I pray that we can be faithful to the point of death.

Verses 12-17 are the letter to the church in Pergamum. What kind of place was Pergamum? It was located 60 miles north of Smyrna. It was the capital city of the Seleucid Dynasty right after the fall of Greece. In 133 BC as Syria merged with the Roman Empire, Pergamum played the role of the capital city of Asia. So, Pergamum was a center of religion and culture. There were Caesar’s temple, Serapeum temple, the temple of Zeus and Dionysius and it was famous for hospitals and medical libraries. It was the city of idol worship. What did Jesus look like to the church in Pergamum? “These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword (12)” Jesus came as a judge to the Pergamum church where there was immense confusion. The city of Pergamum was a city of confusion, idol worship, corruption and pleasure seeking. Christ encouraged his servants who kept their faith in that atmosphere. Look at verse 13. “I know where you live–where Satan has his throne. Yet you remain true to my name. You did not renounce your faith in me, even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city–where Satan lives.” Antipas was martyred in Pergamum. Because of his good influence, Pergamum Christians kept their faith in the midst of extreme persecution. How did Christ rebuke the church in Pergamum? Look at verse 14.”Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: you have people there who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin by eating food sacrificed to idols and by committing sexual immorality.”

Though most Pergamum Christians were sincere in their faith, some followed Balaam’s teaching. Balaam tempted the Israelites to worship idols and indulge in immorality in the desert of Siddim. Even though he couldn’t directly curse the Israelites, because of his love of money, he tempted the Israelites to worship idols and practice adultery with Moabite women (Numbers 22-25, 31:8, 16). As a result, 24,000 Israelites were killed by God.

According to verse 15, Nicolaitan teaching was same as that of Balaam. Nicolaitan means ’swallowing the people’. This means that they swallowed the people with corrupted and immoral teaching. They claimed that the time of law was over, and people should live without the law. So they promoted lawlessness. They taught that believers could indulge in unlimited physical pleasure since they were already forgiven. Such teaching is comparable to hedonism in our time. Our times are badly influenced by hedonism, materialism and idol worship like Sodom and Gomorrah. As described in the later part of Romans 1 (Ro1:26-31), the world has become full of shameful homo-sexuality, every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity, envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. Love grew cold and people became lawless (Matthew 24:12).

We also live in a flood of bad influences. Even in America, which is known as a Christian country, in 2 states including Massachusetts, which is known as a most intellectual state, gay marriage is legally approved. In America, the divorce rate has reached 60%. Ironically, the divorce rate among American Christians is almost the same. This shows that Christians are being influenced by the world; they are not positively influencing the society. The bad influence of the world corrupts the church. The church in America must expose evil and keep genuine gospel faith like the church in Ephesus. How then may we not be tempted by Balaam’s teaching? First, we have to repent everyday and keep gospel faith (16). Second, we must study God’s word with an absolute attitude and live according to its teaching.

In conclusion, We have to repent and restore our first love everyday. We have to meditate on the love of Jesus on the cross and restore our burning love for Jesus. And we must love our neighbors as ourselves.