You Are the Witnesses of These Things (Luke 24:36-49)
1
John Chrysostom (347?-407), bishop of Constantinople, stood before the Emperor. The Emperor threatened that he would condemn him to exile unless he betrays Jesus.
Chrysostom answered: "I am okay wherever I am sent as the whole world belongs to my Father."
The Emperor tells him: "I will kill you."
Chrysostom answers: "You cannot kill me as my life is hidden in Jesus."
The Emperor tells him: "I will forfeit all your property."
Chrysostom answers: "My property is in heaven. Forfeit it if you can."
The Emperor threatens him with the final threat: "I will separate all your friends from you."
Chrysostom answers: "I am not afraid of it as I have a friend whom you cannot separate from me. That is Jesus who is risen for me."
In the early church period, those Christians who were in Rome lived together in a catacomb, which was a underground public cemetery. They lived a communal life there escaping from the lookout of the Roman government. The Roman Christians praised God and worshipped Him there. Although there were neither gracious hymns nor the holy Bible yet, they praised the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus for the salvation of human beings. They enjoyed those hours of singing and praying. Some of them were from rich families, but they gave up all things and joined other Christians in the communal life in a catacomb as they regarded the life of following and witnessing Jesus as most valuable.
Some wall paintings were found in the catacombs. The paintings were about Jesus' last supper with his disciples and the resurrected Jesus. They longed to see Jesus very much. As Christians who attend church, what are you longing for?
Chrysostom answered: "I am okay wherever I am sent as the whole world belongs to my Father."
The Emperor tells him: "I will kill you."
Chrysostom answers: "You cannot kill me as my life is hidden in Jesus."
The Emperor tells him: "I will forfeit all your property."
Chrysostom answers: "My property is in heaven. Forfeit it if you can."
The Emperor threatens him with the final threat: "I will separate all your friends from you."
Chrysostom answers: "I am not afraid of it as I have a friend whom you cannot separate from me. That is Jesus who is risen for me."
In the early church period, those Christians who were in Rome lived together in a catacomb, which was a underground public cemetery. They lived a communal life there escaping from the lookout of the Roman government. The Roman Christians praised God and worshipped Him there. Although there were neither gracious hymns nor the holy Bible yet, they praised the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus for the salvation of human beings. They enjoyed those hours of singing and praying. Some of them were from rich families, but they gave up all things and joined other Christians in the communal life in a catacomb as they regarded the life of following and witnessing Jesus as most valuable.
Some wall paintings were found in the catacombs. The paintings were about Jesus' last supper with his disciples and the resurrected Jesus. They longed to see Jesus very much. As Christians who attend church, what are you longing for?
2
On Thursday, Jesus ate his last supper with his disciples.
Thursday was the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, "Go and prepare the Passover meal for us that we may eat it."
The Passover is the day that God saved the first-born of the Israelites by killing a lamb and taking some of its blood and putting it on the door-posts and the lintel of the house.
Jesus himself is the Paschal lamb who shed his blood to save us.
They asked him, "Where do you want us to make preparations for it?"
"Listen," Jesus said to them, "when you entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him into the house he enters, and say to the owner of the house, 'The teacher asks you, "Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?"' He will show you a large room upstairs, already furnished. Make preparations for us there." So they went and found everything as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover meal.
When the hour of supper came, he took his place at the table, and the disciples with him. 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 is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God."
Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he said, "Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the Kingdom of God comes."
Then he took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me."
The bread is a symbol of his body that is broken for us on the cross. And this bread is also the symbol of manna that was come down from heaven. Jesus tells in John 6:32-35, "Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world (32-33). I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty (35)."
And he did the same with the cup after supper, saying, "This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood."
The cup is the symbol of Jesus' blood that is shed for us. By this cup we enter into the New Covenantal relationship, and the New Covenant is the gracious salvation of God for those who believe in the effect of Jesus' blood.
Thursday was the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, "Go and prepare the Passover meal for us that we may eat it."
The Passover is the day that God saved the first-born of the Israelites by killing a lamb and taking some of its blood and putting it on the door-posts and the lintel of the house.
Jesus himself is the Paschal lamb who shed his blood to save us.
They asked him, "Where do you want us to make preparations for it?"
"Listen," Jesus said to them, "when you entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him into the house he enters, and say to the owner of the house, 'The teacher asks you, "Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?"' He will show you a large room upstairs, already furnished. Make preparations for us there." So they went and found everything as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover meal.
When the hour of supper came, he took his place at the table, and the disciples with him. 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 is fulfilled in the Kingdom of God."
Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he said, "Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the Kingdom of God comes."
Then he took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me."
The bread is a symbol of his body that is broken for us on the cross. And this bread is also the symbol of manna that was come down from heaven. Jesus tells in John 6:32-35, "Very truly, I tell you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down from heaven and gives life to the world (32-33). I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty (35)."
And he did the same with the cup after supper, saying, "This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood."
The cup is the symbol of Jesus' blood that is shed for us. By this cup we enter into the New Covenantal relationship, and the New Covenant is the gracious salvation of God for those who believe in the effect of Jesus' blood.
3
Jesus tells us, "Remember me whenever we eat the bread and drink the cup." That is, he tells us to proclaim his suffering, death, and resurrection until he comes again.
Let us not only remember of Jesus' death but also proclaim his suffering, death, and resurrection until he comes to us again.
Let us not only remember of Jesus' death but also proclaim his suffering, death, and resurrection until he comes to us again.
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