Tiananmen Square is a city square in the heart of Beijing, China. To the north of Tiananmen Square is the Tiananmen Gate, which is the “Gate of Heavenly Peace.” Tiananmen Square is a museum to the Communist Revolution in China. But to Americans and others around the world, Tiananmen Square is a memorial of the fight for freedom and liberation. It was the place in June of 1989 when college students stood up to their own government and cried for democracy. That revolt ended when the government declared martial law and several thousand civilians were killed. That revolt is immortalized by a now iconic photograph of a man facing down a series of tanks.
When you look at that man in front of those tanks, you know that he is in a helpless situation. He has no hope. Paul Holland trying to tell you how to live your life is like this man standing in front of a tank – hopeless. I do not know what God expects, unless He reveals it. I do not know how you should be a better father or a better mother. I do not know how you should handle people at work who make you mad. Only God knows. But, thankfully, not only does God reveal His will for our lives but He also gives us the power we need to live our lives as God desires.
At the end of Luke’s Gospel, he gives us the last words of Jesus to His apostles. We will take a closer look at these last words and see that Jesus not only ties in the OT to His own mission and work, but He also anticipates the coming of the Holy Spirit to assist His apostles (and us) in carrying out the work He expects us to fulfill.
THINGS WRITTEN ABOUT CHRIST MUST BE FULFILLED – 24:44-46:
One purpose Christ walked with His disciples for three years was to explain to them how He would fulfill the OT prophecies about Himself.
There are other things written about Christ, in the NT, that must be fulfilled as well. For example, He will save those who call on Him – Romans 10:13. He will intercede with the Father on our behalf – Romans 8:34. He will never desert us or forsake us – Hebrews 13:5. He is coming again – Revelation 1:7.
If the things written in the Law, the Prophets, and the Psalms had to be fulfilled in Christ because God said it, then the things written in the Gospels, the Letters, and the Revelation must also be fulfilled because God said it!
REPENTANCE FOR FORGIVENESS OF SINS MUST BE PROCLAIMED – 24:47-48:
Let’s break down each part of this statement because each part falls under Jesus’ statement that “It is written” and therefore must be fulfilled:
1. Man has something to do to be saved. We must repent of our sins.
2. This repentance must be preached. Preaching and teaching are God’s chosen avenues by which His message is made known.
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4. This preaching must be done “to all the nations.” Christians are obligated to take this Gospel to other nations.
5. This preaching is to begin “from Jerusalem” (see Isaiah 2:1-4; Micah 4:1-4).
These apostles themselves were “witnesses” of all these things.
But, they needed help…
POWER FROM HEAVEN WILL HELP – 24:49:
God does not give us a command and then not give us what we need to fulfill that command – especially in something as important as sharing the Gospel message.
God calls on us to fulfill various obligations – as they radiate out from my own person, I am to make sure I am right with God. I have obligations as a husband, as a father, as a neighbor, as a Christian, as an employee. The list of obligations goes on and on and on. But God has given us the power and the help we need. Suffice it to say at this point that the Holy Spirit guides us through His word to help us fulfill all those obligations God has given to us.
In Ephesians 3:16, Paul writes to the Ephesian Christians: “He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with power through His Spirit in the inner man.”
We have power from on high to help us. Again, Paul writes in Philippians 2:13 – “it is God who is at work in you, both to will and to work for His good pleasure.”
Be patient with God. He is yet working in your life.
–Paul Holland
