| Luke 24:44-49 And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me. Then opened he their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures, And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high. After His glorious resurrection, the Lord Jesus was upon the earth for forty days-- teaching of things pertaining to the Kingdom. The Bible does not record much of what Messiah said after His resurrection but we can know what He told His disciples by what THEY said in the Book of Acts and in the Epistles. Christ taught them the Scriptures-- the Hebrew prophecies-- pertaining to Himself, beginning at Moses and on through. (For further reading of the Prophecies that Jesus fulfilled, please refer to the links at the end of this article.) Remember what Jesus said in John 5:39 to the religious leaders? "Search the Scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me." Jesus Christ was a "type" of Moses: Deuteronomy 18:18,19 says: I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren, like unto thee, and will put my words in his mouth; and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him. And it shall come to pass, that whosoever will not hearken unto my words which he shall speak in my name, I will require it of him. Notice that the Prophet would have the Father's words and would speak in the Father's name and would be obedient to all that the Father commanded Him: John 5:43 I am come in my Father's name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive. John 14:10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Deuteronomy 18:18 was fulfilled in Jesus Christ. And during those 40 days in which He instructed His disciples, He must have detailed not only the prophecies but also the Kingdom principles. We must remember that Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world..." and so it was of great importance to teach them the future of the Messianic Kingdom, which is to come. Not too many people realize that from the time of the Feast of Firstfruits, when Christ arose, to the time of the Feast of Pentecost is Fifty days. After forty days, of teaching, Christ ascended into Heaven. When He ascended, He was then seated at the Father's right hand and the Holy Spirit was sent 10 days later. The disciples did not tarry 50 days but merely 10 days until the Holy Ghost fell upon them. Let us read the following from the Book of Acts: Acts 1:1-5 The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen: To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God: And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. Acts 1:6-9 When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. What Did Christ Teach His Disciples? Now we can understand what Jesus taught them simply by reviewing the sermons of Peter, Philip, Stephen, James, John, and the Apostle Paul. Remember that in Luke 24:47, Christ Jesus said, And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. Let us examine Peter's first sermon on the Feast of Pentecost: Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it. For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance. Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulcher is with us unto this day. Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear. For David is not ascended into the heavens: but he saith himself, The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Until I make thy foes thy footstool. Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. (Acts 2:22-38) Take note, above, that Peter preached the resurrection of Christ from the Psalms. He preached in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. Now below, we read Peter preaching on Christ fulfilling Deuteronomy 18:18: Acts 3:13-26 The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go. But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses. And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all. And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers. But those things, which God before had showed by the mouth of all his prophets, that Christ should suffer, he hath so fulfilled. Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord; And he shall send Jesus Christ, which before was preached unto you: Whom the heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began. For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. And it shall come to pass, that every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people. Yea, and all the prophets from Samuel and those that follow after, as many as have spoken, have likewise foretold of these days. Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed. Unto you first God, having raised up his Son Jesus, sent him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from his iniquities. Now observe from above that Christ's literal kingdom shall not come to earth UNTIL His people repent of their sins and are converted. Notice that Peter preached "restitution of all things..." contingent upon their repentance-- and that will be fulfilled at Christ's Second Coming. Jesus, Himself, said to Jerusalem: "Ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord." (Matthew 23:39) The King came to them riding a donkey and the city cried "Hosanna," as He passed by; but just a couple of days later they would cry, "Crucify Him...We have no king but Caesar!..." They rejected their King. John the Baptist announced Christ's coming and gave the great introduction of Messiah: "Behold the Lamb of God hich taketh away the sin of the world." (John 1:29). And thus Peter preached to the Jews to receive Christ, whom God raised up, and yet 1900+ years later, Israel as a whole still does not believe in the Lord Jesus as Messiah. As Isaiah prophesied in chapter 53, "Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?" Dr. Ford C. Ottman wrote in his book, "Imperialism and Christ": "In refusing the King, the nation lost the kingdom He had come to establish: and the kingdom is yet to be given — not to the Church, surely — but to a nation, a nation of Israelites, in a day future, when, under the blessing of the new covenant, they shall become fruitful: and to this all the prophets bear witness." The Apostle Paul taught that there is a day coming when the people of Israel shall know Christ as their Messiah: For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Zion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins. (Romans 11:25-27) Paul's message in the synogogue was the Kingdom of God: Acts 19:8 And he went into the synagogue, and spake boldly for the space of three months, disputing and persuading the things concerning the kingdom of God. Paul's message to the Church: Phil 3:20-21 For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself. The summary of Paul's message: Acts 20:21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ. 1Cor 15:3-4 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures: And Stephen too preached Jesus, citing Deuteronomy 18:18, and telling the people to repent, before his public execution: Act 7:37 This is that Moses, which said unto the children of Israel, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear... James, in his epistle, speaks of the restitution that shall come: James 5:7,8 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; establish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh. Peter, in his epistle, writes the same: 2Peter 3:9-10 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up. The theme is the same, regardless of which book of the Bible you read: Repentance and remission of sins preached in Jesus' name-- the Risen Christ; The Lord shall RETURN and restore all things...fulfilling His promise, when the time is at hand. We are to remain patient until His coming [for the Church, He will come in the Rapture-- for Israel, He returns at the end of the Tribulation Period with His Saints]. We are to be good stewards of the message He has given us and to be good witnesses for His glory. It is only through the power of His Spirit that we can fulfill the Great Commission. We are imperfect human beings and the only good that we do accomplish is actually the work of the Holy Spirit-- it is Him doing the work in and through us. The Apostles taught the doctrine of Jesus. They understood that to KNOW the prophecies of the Hebrew Scriptures was to understand what has already transpired. Acts 8:12 But when they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the kingdom of God, and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women. Now let us examine Philip's conversation with the eunuch of Ethiopia: And Philip ran thither to him, and heard him read the prophet Isaiah, and said, Understandest thou what thou readest? And he said, How can I, except some man should guide me? And he desired Philip that he would come up and sit with him. The place of the Scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth. And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man? Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same Scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him. And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing. (Acts 8:30-39) How then should Christians witness to the people who do not know Christ? By showing them the ancient prophecies fulfilled in Jesus Christ. The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy in chapter 3: "And that from a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus." Which Scriptures was Paul referring to? The Hebrew Scriptures. And yet sadly, in congregations everywhere, many Christians are ignorant of the prophecies which Jesus fulfilled. The Old Testament prophecies concerning Jesus should be "required reading" among all the Saints. Why is Jesus the Messiah? Because He fulfilled the Hebrew prophecies-- He fulfilled them, is fulfilling them now, and will fulfill the rest of them in the future. This is what the Lord Jesus taught His Jewish disciples-- His commandments; He taught them the fulfillment of Scriptures, the principles of the Kingdom, the coming restoration of the Kingdom and commissioned them to go forth with His message. We know that Christ taught them about "the restoration" because the VERY LAST thing the disciples ask Jesus before His ascension concerns this. Let us read Acts 1:6-9 again: "When they therefore were come together, they asked of him, saying, Lord, wilt thou at this time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And he said unto them, It is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight." Acts 1:10-11 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel; Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. Let us consider now what the Apostle John wrote, under inspiration: Revelation 1:5-9 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. I John, who also am your brother, and companion in tribulation, and in the kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ, was in the isle that is called Patmos, for the word of God, and for the testimony of Jesus Christ. Concerning the coming Kingdom, Dr. A.C. Gaebelien wrote: His future of Glory as the Prince of the Kings of the earth, the King of kings and Lord of lords, His fathomless love leads Him to share with those for whom He died, whom He purged and fitted by His own blood. He hath made us kings and priests. It is all His work. A more correct translation is "He hath made us a Kingdom." This, however, does not mean that He has linked us with a Kingdom iu which we are to be subjects and governed by Him. We are not subjects of a Kingdom, but are a Kingdom, partakers of it in rule with Himself. We shall rule and reign with Him over the earth. And because He will be "a priest upon His throne" (Zech. vi:13) we, too, will be priests. What it all includes, what glories await us, what enjoyment with Him, what riches and blessings, power and honor, no mind can grasp and no tongue nor pen can describe. The Lord Jesus Christ shall return to earth at His Second Coming-- The Same Jesus who died for our sins-- the precious Lamb of God-- who shed His own blood for our redemmption-- was buried, rose again victorious, ascended unto the Father's right hand-- this was the message of the Apostles: There is a King and there is a Kingdom. The greatest question is: are you a citizen of Heaven? Are you born again of God's Spirit? John 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Jude gives Christians a sober reminder that Christ is returning: Jude 1:14b, 17-25 Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints... But, beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts. These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit. But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Savior, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever. Amen. ©2008 Cobblestone Road Ministries All Rights Reserved Further Reading: Dead with Christ, Risen with Christ Why Do Many Jews Reject Jesus? Messiah Jesus - Traced Through The Hebrew Scriptures A Study of Psalm 40 - The Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ Our God Shall Come - Hebrew Scriptures on the Second Coming The Resurrection Of Jesus Christ A Just God and Savior Please take a moment and sign our Guestbook with your thoughts. Thank you and God bless. |
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The Preaching Of Jesus Christ After His Resurrection Concerning the Kingdom of God |
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