Resurrection Sunday
5 april, AD 33
Luke 24

In Luke 24 we read the account of Jesus’ resurrection. It opens with a loving scene: a group of women that was to honor their Lord and friend. Luke is concise and simply provides the facts of what happened, which is why many of the details that the other gospel writers provide are not included here. There were women that went to the grave and they were the first to find the stone rolled away and the grave empty.

Surprise
The response of the women is surprise. In fact verse 4 explains that this empty tomb was raising a bit of doubt. And right at that moment of doubt, two angels appear with an unexpected question: “Why do you seek the living among the dead?” I love this question.
The angels then simply declare that He is risen - just like he said that he would! “Don’t you remember?” And verse 8 tells us they did.
Unfortunately, the apostles don’t remember, because they chalk these ladies’ response up to wishful thinking. Luke does tell us that Peter ran to the grave to investigate, but he didn’t encounter any angels.

Appearance
Luke continues in this vein of doubt and unbelief and shifts gears to the longest story that he tells in his gospel account. And it is the story of two disciples that have decided there is no point in hanging around Jerusalem any longer. They start their trek home to Emmaus - about 11 km from Jerusalem. They are still talking about everything that has happened Jesus comes alongside them. The text emphasizes it is Jesus Himself. Luke informs the reader that their eyes were closed to his identity. They see him as a stranger, which is not uncommon in those days and would have been welcomed, since one preferred to travel in larger groups for safety.
And such a simple question: “Whatcha talkin’ about?” and “What’s up? You look sad.” Jesus meets them in the most common of ways. And they share their experiences of this past week. Their summary of events is interesting… He was a prophet, He was defeated, We had hoped, but He’s been dead three days… Some of our women say they saw him and something about angels, but none of the men have corroborated this.
And they’re done.
Jesus has listened to their whole story without interruption and when they’re done, He calls them foolish and slow of heart… and what does He do? He takes them to Scripture. Here’s the point… Jesus explains that they could have known… if they had known their Bibles. How did you all miss Isaiah 53?
Starting with Mozes - the law and the sacrifices and the picturing of a sacrifice to come. The Prophets, heralding destruction for breaking the law and the coming of One, who would be the anointed Savior.
And Jesus expounds the Scripture for them. Verse 32 explains that Jesus opened their eyes to the Scriptures. And when you do this, your heart will burn within you… that thrilling joy of understanding what God has revealed.
They arrive at their home and when they sit down to eat together and Jesus breaks the bread, their eyes are open to see that they’ve spent the entire afternoon and evening with Jesus! And they high-tail it back to Jerusalem. Faith restored.

Fulfillment
When Jesus appears to His disciples, he again takes them to Scripture, which I think it the point that Luke makes at the end of His gospel. The reader is encouraged to do the Berean thing… to go back to Scripture and seek to understand it. Start with Moses, walk through the Prophets and end up with Jesus.
Jesus had to live and He had to die. All of the Old Testament had prepared us for this. He was the perfect sacrifice - He had to die to satisfy sin’s penalty. But He didn’t have to stay dead and He wouldn’t, because he was the King and He will rule. And every knee will bow in heaven and earth and under the earth. Jesus rose again to prove that God accepted the sacrifice. His death was merely a bruised heel and Satan’s head is crushed.

From bad to worse
Genesis 5-6:9
In Genesis 6:9 we read that the preceding has been the history/genealogy of Noah. Again, this is not referencing a family tree per sé, but the stories/history told by… When Moses compiled his material to include in Genesis, he would have drawn from eye-witness accounts of the antediluvian world and perhaps stone tablets or even printed matter were brought along on the Arc. The first nine chapters of Genesis are the only record we have of life before the flood. Considering that Shem - Noah’s son - lived well into Abraham’s life and that Isaac could have even met him, these histories may have been passed on to Israel’s forefathers. This line - which appears in Genesis 11 times - gives us the footnote or origin of the histories. Adam gave us the first four chapters and Noah gives us our section this morning.

Ten Generations (chapter 5)
Adam tells us that Cain’s descendants build a city and develop a thriving culture, complete with the bling of music, fashion, jewelry and debauchery. It really doesn’t sound terribly different from a modern metropolis. Lamech is put forth as the product of this city and he sounds like any number of icons of the hip hop industry. Chapter four leaves us spiritually bankrupt - all that God has designed has been undone in two chapters.
Noah beings with a genealogy, which always lowers our interest level to almost zero. Most of us - though we may not say it - would equate reading such passages with reading the phonebook… there are some names that make you giggle, but other than that, there is very little spiritual value to these passages. Yet, Paul tells us in his letter to Timothy that all Scripture is God-breathed and profitable. This passage is no exception.
There is a pattern to these verses - a cadans - that you develop as you read it, which drives the careful reader to a few observations. First of all, where Adam describes a thriving culture full of life (full of evil too!), Noah paints a cemetary… they all live, have children and die. That’s the pattern through verse 21, when Enoch is introduced and he surprisingly breaks the pattern… he has a son, Methuselah, and in the 300 years that follow his son’s birth, he walked with God and God raptured him. He didn’t die! Hebrews 11 gives us just a little bit more information about Him: he walked by faith. He believed God and according to Jude he preached about God’s judgment over the unrighteous. But he didn’t die and that is astonishing and here is the difference that Adam mentions in 4:26… calling upon the name of the Lord.
Methuselah picks us the familiar cadans, but then his son, Lamech - haven’t we heard that name before? Yes we have in chapter four in the line of Cain! - is born and he gives us a reason for why he names his son Noah. Noah means rest and Lamech hopes that he will “deliver us from man’s toil on planet earth, which God cursed.” Here’s the reality of the situation: man builds a city, develops a culture and enjoys the good life… but it doesn’t satisfy, it remains hard (toil) and it ends in death. And Lamech dies.
This is what a boring chapter teaches us: life is hard and God’s curse is true and final: “dying you will die.” (Genesis 3:19)

Two Consequences (chapter 6:1-8)
The first four verses of chapter six are perhaps the most confusing of Scripture - mostly because it sounds all too fanciful and more like an episode of the X-files than the Bible. These verses are here for us to understand a very important fact, but we cannot make more of what happened than what the text permits us.
Two basic interpretations are offered with variations and they center on the identity of the “sons of God”. One interpretation is that these refer to angels; the other interprets these in reference to humans. The human would be rulers upon the earth or the godly line of Seth. Up until Augustine in the fourth century AD, there was one interpretation by Jewish historians, Jewish theologians and the early Church fathers: sons of God always refers to angels. The only other place in Scripture where this exact phrasing is found is in Job - the oldest book of the Bible - where it clearly refers to God angelic host. And Job references the angelic host three times.
If these sons of God were men and they married women willy-nilly and for their outward beauty, the harsh and immediate judgment of God seems out of place. God wipes out humanity because of their violence and the progeny of rulers that married women for their beauty? That doesn’t seem to fit the text.
Even though it is more fanciful and it is hard for us to imagine how, the text leads us to conclude that there was some kind of intermarriage between fallen angels and daughters of men. 2 Peter confirms this conclusion, as he references angels that were put in prison (literally: Tartarus) for their disobedience as an example of God’s swift judgment. When did these angels disobey? According to Peter this was in the days of Noah. Jude strengthens this when he writes in verse six - in a similar context of judgment over false teaching - these angels are being kept in darkness for their sin of “overstepping their design”. This is compared to Sodom and Gomorrah… theirs was a sexual sin of lusting after strange flesh (contrary to God’s design). And Sodom and Gomorrah even features two angels that visit and are lusted after by the men of the city.
So can angels procreate? No - Jesus told us that angels do not marry, which leads most theologians to believe that they cannot procreate. That means that there was a demonic invasion and that they took on human form or possessed men’s bodies and then had sexual relations with women. In some way the progeny was a cursed people and an abomination to God. And he had to destroy all mankind. This is why this is a human sin and God judges humanity for it. Today there are still mystery religions that teach that you can have sex with gods or celestial beings. It is wrong and scary stuff and the pre-flood world was stooped in it.

What was the point?
> Man was trying to undo the curse… create a super-race. Be more like God.
> Satan was trying to pollute the seed of woman, so that the Savior could not be born of a woman.

Man’s sin was terrible and violent and the entirety of humanity rebelled against God.
God’s heart breaks (literal meaning) and he pronounces judgment.
He still grants 120 years of mercy and grace.
And Noah finds grace in God’s eyes.

In the middle of this perverted society… Enoch walked with God and he was raptured. He passed on his faith to his children and children’s children. And that is the same job we are given today… and our hope is that Christ is coming back to reward our faith and rapture us!
And then... well Jesus said it would be like the days of Noah... Revelation gives us a frightening picture of the demonic invasion that will come and the rebellion against God that culminates in the battle of Armageddon.
Right now, however, our's is to walk just like Enoch walked: together with God and pass your faith on to your children en children's children.

Life without God
Genesis 4

I called chapter 3 the saddest chapter in the Bible, but this chapter gives us the natural development of chapter 2. Chapter 3 gives us the cause and chapter 4 its effect.

Hopeful Birth (3:16; 4:1-2)
Remember the promise in 3:16? “A promised seed would crush the serpent.” When Even gets pregnant she can’t help but get her hopes up. Imagine it… God had promised, right? And when she delivers a man-child, she is thrilled. Here he is… and honors God. She names him Cain, which means “spear” or perhaps “pierced”, maybe to indicate her hope that he would be the deliverer. Compare this to Abel’s name: “breath”or “vanity”, which might be an allusion to Eve’s growing understanding that man is going to have to toil before God’s salvation comes.
But Cain brought hope to Eve’s heart. God helped me to create a man - the seed - to deliver us.

Half-hearted Religion (4:3-5)
Why are they offering sacrifices? Clearly the have been taught by Adam what is necessary to maintain a relationship with God. Hebrews 9:22 teaches us that “without the shedding of blood there will be no forgiveness.” And man has learned that they are in need of God’s forgiveness - or at least Adam, Eve, and Abel do.
Cain’s sacrifice gives us a peek into his heart. And isn’t this true? The offerings we bring - the worship we offer - reveals our heart. And God does not accept Cain’s offering.
Some suggest there may be more going on here than meets the eye. Does Cain have a sinful preoccupation with his parents’ rebellion? He surely must have understood the reason for sacrifice. Adam would have taught him and modeled his faith. Cain’s sacrifice is all wrong, but that might be the point: perhaps he is saying: “I don’t need this… I choose fruit too.” And when God accepts his brother’s sacrifice and not his, something snaps.

Hopelessly Godless (4:6-24)
God speaks to Cain. God is personally evangelizing this man, warning against sin, offering forgiveness, pleading for him to repent. But Cain will have nothing of it. Sin is crouching at the door (like a predator approaches its prey) and Cain goes headlong into sin.
He connives to get his brother where he wants him and he brings a blood-sacrifice. Could that be the attitude of his heart? “You wanted a blood sacrifice? I’ll give you a blood sacrifice!”
Do you notice what’s missing in the next verses as God confronts Cain? A complete lack of contrition. There is no sorrow, no regret, no repentance. Cain’s heart is far from God and wants nothing to do with God.
God metes out judgment and a curse. And still no repentance. In fact Cain attitude seems to be: “You’re being a little harsh, God, don’t you think?”
And then Cain embraces his chosen path and wanders away from the face of God. And a godless society emerges from Cain. Who does he marry? Well, one of his sisters, obviously. Everything changes after Babel, but we’ll cover that when we get to chapter 11. My question is bigger than biology, though. What girl would marry her brother’s killer? A girl that has the same heart problem. And so in one afternoon Adam and Eve lose three kids.
God’s name is absent from verses 16-25. There is tremendous human, urban, and cultural development, but it is all apart from God and it is morally reprehensible.

Renewed Faith (4:25-26)
The last two verses that Adam testifies of is the birth of Seth, which means “appointed” or “substitute”. These verses indicate that man understands his lost estate and the effects of sin and they call upon the Name of the Lord. Adam ends with these words, but can you imagine the despair these first parents felt? Their oldest killed their second son; one of their daughters betrayed the family and left for the bad boy. But consider also, that this is the very first death - we lose sight of this, since death is so part of life for us… Adam and Eve had not yet tasted the sting of death. In that moment they were back in the garden, horrified, scared, and listening to the decree of God that man would now be subject to death. And death was worse than they could ever have imagined.
And they call upon the Name of the Lord… they need His salvation.

This is what life apart from God looks like… and we still see it today. And we still desperately need to call upon the Name of the Lord.

Uncomfortable Heroes

Hebrews 11
This is perhaps the best-known chapter in Scripture. The repeated conclusion through all of Hebrews is “Jesus is better.” He is better than the angels. He’s better than the prophets. He’s better than Moses. His priesthood is better than Aaron’s. His new covenant is better than the old covenant. His blood is better than the blood of bulls and goats. And His job is finished, done, accomplished… he sat down!
Some have suggested that Hebrews is a sermon, preached by - well, we don’t actually know that. But the sermon is so good, it was included in the canon of the New Testament. And then we get an Old Testament historical fly-by in chapter 11.

Explanation, Expectation, Extra Endurance
My outline hangs on these words. In verses 1-3 the author gives us an explanation of faith… it is being certain of truth - even though we weren’t there; and it is evidence of that which cannot be seen. Evidence, that we feel - conviction that we know, even though we do not see. Peter declares that “Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.” (1Pe. 1:8)

Their expectation in vss 13: promises that were never seen in life. They hoped for a country. A place that is better. This world was not their home. Exiles.

Their Endurance. They kept on believing - even though they never received what we have received and promise that we hold dear: Christ.

So run… hold fast… fight… endure. (12:1)
Four questions:
Am I spending enough time in God’s Word? Psalm 1
Do I spend enough time praying for others? Matthew 6:9-13
Do I invest enough time in the ministries of the Church? 1 Corinthians 9
Am I involved in the lives of others? Hebrews 6:10
Do I show God’s grace in my life to the unsaved? Colossians 4:5-6

Psalm 103
1 Call to praise
David is probably an old man and is looking back at life (verse 5 is an old man’s statement). There are interesting parallels with Psalm 42 & 43. Speaking to yourself and instructing your soul rather than listening to it. “The main problem in the whole matter of “spiritual depression” in a sense is this – we allow our “self” to talk to us instead of “talking to ourself.”” (Martin Lloyd-Jones)
2-5 Do the math
There are six bullet-points. David remembers, first of all, forgiveness. Imagine this adulterer-murderer contemplating all he has been forgiven. God forgives, heals, redeems, crowns, satisfies and renews. That last statement brings into focus the thinking and feeling of an old man. When I do the math on God’s benefits to me, my strength is renewed.
6-10 Think back
David broadens His thinking here to acknowledge that God’s goodness is not merely personal, but that this is the experience of the nation. I tend to thinking of “complaining and murmuring” when I think of Israel in connection with Moses… and yet God has not dealt with the nation according to their sins… and that is true of me.
11-13 How much? That much!
This is perhaps the heart of the Psalm, which God’s might, forgiveness and lovingkindness are expressed in childlike terms… How high… the highest I can think of… how far? As far as they could possibly go. How much? A motherly father… “this much” (spreading arms as wide as they go).
14-19 My dad is bigger
Man’s frailty and short life-span is contrasted with God’s might and eternality. God knows who we are and what our weaknesses are. He is altogether different from us and with all His eternal goodness, He looks after us.
20-22 Call to praise
David entreats all of creation to join his soul in praising God

The One who created me part 2
Genesis 2

We are continuing our search for answers in the book of Genesis. Chapter 2:4 introduces a phrase that is repeated 10 times in Genesis and indicates the end of a section. It perhaps also functions as a source for the information. Chapter 2 reveals details about the creation and care of man and sets the stage for chapter 3 - the fall of man.
The questions needs to asked again: what questions does this chapter answer… it does not answer every question. This chapter answers the Who? and Why? Questions.

We’re going to follow the outline of 1:27 and look for details in chapter 2. So God created man in his own image,
in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

God created man
Everything in chapter 2 speaks of loving, tender, intimate, compassionate care. Man is created personally by God. This is something you also ought to notice as a change in the narrative. Genesis chapter 1 featured Elohim… the highest God to be feared. Chapter 2 features Yahweh Elohim - starting in verse 4 this name is mentioned 11 times. More than in the rest of the Bible! Mozes is making a point. Yahweh is the personal name of God; the Name he used to introduce Himself to His covenant people. It speaks of His unchangeable character: the eternal faithful one. So, yes He is to be feared as the highest of all and creator, but He is intimate, compassionate and longs to relate to mankind - His highest creation.

In His own image
There are a lot of explanations for what it means that man is created in God’s image: some say it speaks of personhood (intelligence, emotion and will) and that nothing else in creation is created like Him in this way. That could be true, but I don’t think that is the whole picture. Some say it speaks of our dominion - ruling over the earth and subdueing it. Managing requires choices and we are commanded to fill the earth as God filled in chapter 1. This probably has something to do with it, but again, it’s not the whole of it. Some say it is God’s breath in us - we are the only creature to receive the breath of God in our nostrils - thus becoming a living soul. I agree that is a big part of what it means to bear the image of God, but it’s still not the whole of it. I would suggest that all of the above is true and correct and that because of those true things, which God uniquely accomplished in man we are able to reflect God’s moral character as no other created being is able to. Even in our fallen state man is able to bear the image of God to a lesser degree. John helps us understand this when he states that we love, because He first loved us. God’s love is perfect and our love is a reflection of His love. This is true of God’s righteousness, holiness, wisdom, goodness and faithfulness. We have all those attributes, to a lesser degree. He created us in His image.

Male and female
The passage in chapter 2 describes how God took from Adam’s side and made a woman. Rib is insufficient of a translation. God takes from man’s side - flesh, bone and blood. He heals Adam’s wound and fashions a woman from the flesh. He brings her to Adam - as if to say: “Adam, there is one more creature for you to name!”
Much can be said about the creation of woman. But one question that begs answer is why did God not create them simultaneously? The point of the passage is not to indicate inequality - that is settled in chapter 1 (male and female in the image of God). Man and woman are created equal image-bearers before God. What chapter 2 teaches us is the difference in role. Adam is the responsible one. It’s the reason he is addressed first in chapter 3, after they have sinned. Even though Eve was the one deceived. Adam is given the authority to rule and subdue the earth - which is why His work on the earth is cursed. The woman is created to be a fitted helper. And without companionship, God calls man’s situation “not good.”

The design communicated in Genesis chapter 2 is God’s ideal for man. And it is under attack from all sides today.
Genesis 2 teaches us much about what God desires and designed for mankind.
Human sexuality, gender equality and responsibility, human identity - all very modern hot topics are addressed in this fundamental chapter. And yet this is completely under attack:
I refuse to listen to God’s design. I’ll determine my own sexuality - with whomever and whenever I want. I’ll determine my own role - and I want the role that God assigned to someone else. I’ll determine my own identity -God made me male, but I’ve decided that I will be female.
Society has rebelled against this second chapter of Genesis and we are paying the consequences… the nuclear family is being redefined today, because it’s old-fashioned, but we are worse off because of it. Now 22% of children in Holland grow up in a single-parent household.

God gave us a design for life, and we ought to follow the the manufacturer’s instructions.