A Word in Season: Beginning at Jerusalem (Luke 24:46-47)

The Risen Christ Opens the Scriptures

At the end of Luke's Gospel, our Lord Jesus, having risen from the dead, appears to his disciples to demonstrate the reality of that resurrection. He declares his peace to them, and first they're fearful, but he shows that he is real and really alive.

And then he does for them something like what he did for the disciples on the road to Emmaus. He clears their understanding so that they might comprehend the Scriptures. He makes clear to them, by his Spirit's work in their hearts, that he is indeed the beating heart of all the Old Testament Scriptures, that they all point forwards to him.

And it's necessary that they should have this understanding, because they are going to be witnesses to the things that are written in the Scriptures, and have been fulfilled in Christ Jesus, and the Holy Spirit will be poured out upon them after they have waited in Jerusalem, and endue them or endow them with power from on high.

Christ Must Suffer, Rise, and Be Preached to the Nations

But what is it that they're to witness, and where? Thus it is written, said our Lord, and thus it was necessary for the 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 to all nations beginning at Jerusalem.

That's Luke 24, 46, and 47. The facts of the Gospel, the reality of the Good News, was long predicted. All the prophets, the Old Testament writers, the law of Moses, the prophets, the Psalms, they all pointed forward to the Lord Jesus Christ, and the work that he was going to do.

It was necessary then for the Christ, the Servant of God, to suffer, and to rise from the dead on the third day. That was long predicted, and Christ fulfilled it, and that's the core of the Gospel, that Jesus Christ suffered the wrath of God in his own body on the tree at Calvary, but conquering sin and death and hell, he rose again on the third day.

Repentance, Remission of Sins, and the Call to All Nations

Now they are to preach then repentance and remission of sins in the name of Jesus Christ. They're to tell people that because of who Christ is as the Revealer of God, and the Redeemer of God's people, that men and boys and girls must turn from their sins and receive then the mercies that God has offered to them in Christ Jesus.

They should turn their backs upon all ungodliness, and they should come to God as he makes himself known in Christ, and that when they do that, God will be pleased to them his saving mercy, he will grant to them the remission of sins.

This is the consequence of repenting and believing. It's not merited by repenting and believing, but when the Gospel is preached, the Spirit of God works in the hearts of sinners, they repent of their sins, and when they do, they receive this remission or forgiveness of sins.

That is God's good news, that's the proper response to God's good news, and that is the consequence of that response, and that message with the command and the consequence is to be declared to all nations beginning at Jerusalem.

Why It Is Necessary and Marvellous That It Begins at Jerusalem

Now it's a marvellous thing that it spreads through all the globe and goes to every creature, everyone is to hear this good news and be entreated to come to God to receive pardon, but it is marvellous that it begins at Jerusalem.

Necessary but marvellous. It's necessary and marvellous because here prophecy is fulfilled. The first springs of the Gospel were intended to come out of Zion. It's marvellous because this is where the proofs were presented.

If anybody would have been able to challenge the reality of the sufferings, the death and the resurrection of Christ, it would have been the people of Jerusalem. It's marvellous because here persecution will begin, and the Gospel will be tested at its very source by the antagonism of the leaders of the Jews, but will overcome.

And it's marvellous because here pardon will be demonstrated. John Bunyan has this sweet little book, The Jerusalem Sinner Saved, in which he emphasises the wonder that in the very place where Christ was crucified, there first good news is declared, and there God works faith and repentance in the hearts of sinners and brings them to himself.

And if them, why not me, and why not you? So let us hear the Gospel, repent of our sins, and receive from a merciful God this rich forgiveness in Christ Jesus.