Sermon: 'Being Seen of Them Forty Days'

#1708
Mark Schindler
Given 13-May-23; 67 minutes 2023-05-13

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On this 35th day of the 50-day count to Pentecost, I would like to open this sermon in the same place we opened the sermon on the morning of the Last Day of Unleavened Bread. So please turn with me to John 1.

John 1:1-5 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.

John 1:10-14 He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

We all pretty much know these scriptures by heart—memory verses as Bill Onisick would say. But we needed to read them again today because we must always see our final deliverance from the slavery of this world to be found only in Jesus Christ. But it must be an intimate and perpetual relationship that goes beyond sight and sound.

We are all on a journey with Christ. That means we must put aside all the weight and sins that so easily ensnares us, as we read in Hebrews 12.

These verses immediately follow the famous faith chapter of all who have gone before us and were led to keep their focus where it belonged with the promise to us that they were not being perfected by Christ apart from us.

We will pick it up in Hebrews 11.

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.

Hebrews 11:39-40 And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.

Hebrews 12:1-3 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners against Himself, lest you become weary and discouraged in your souls.

In Hebrews 12:2 we read that we are all running the race together with endurance, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith.

“Looking” is #872 in Strong’s Concordance: aphoraō (af-or-ah'-o), which means “to attentively consider.” But this word is the derivation of two other words: apo and horao. Apo indicates the separation of a person or an object from another person or an object with which it was formerly united but is now separated. Horao means to properly stare at; that is, (by implication) to discern clearly (physically or mentally); at its base it means: to look away steadfastly or intently toward a distant object. Metaphorically, it means to behold in the mind, to fix the mind upon (consider this in terms of Paul’s plea to the brethren at Philippi as recorded in Philippians 2:5, “Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus”).

“Unto” is #1519 in Strong’s: eis; a primary preposition: to or into (indicating the point reached or entered); metaphorically of a state or condition into which one comes, after verbs of motion, duration. One of the word studies I reviewed explained it this way, “To baptize into somebody or into the name of somebody means to baptize into the obligations incumbent on a disciple of someone or to be identified with the character and purposes of such a person.” As it pertains to this sermon, I thought it helpful to see this word in a context that is of the most significant consequence to us.

Please turn to John 5.

John 5:17 But Jesus answered them, "My Father has been working until now, and I have been working."

John 5:21-24 “For as the Father raises the dead and gives life to them, even so the Son gives life to whom He will. For the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son, that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him. Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.”

There is that word “unto” again, and what Jesus Christ alone is working out as the author and finisher of our faith, always working, as the Father works.

He said, “Most assuredly, I say [un]to you, he who hears My word, and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.”

Continuing on now in verse 25-30:

John 5:25-30 “Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. I can of Myself do nothing. As I hear, I judge; and My judgment is righteous, because I do not seek My own will but the will of the Father who sent Me.”

Jesus then goes on to give evidence of all that witnesses to Him as the only one who can and does take us from death unto life. There is the witness of John the Baptist (vss. 31-35); the witness of His own works (vs.36); the witness of the Father Himself (vss. 37-38); and finally, the witness from the Scriptures through Moses and the prophets.

Picking it up again in verses 39-47:

John 5:39-47 “You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me. But you are not willing to come to Me that you may have life. I do not receive honor from men. But I know you, that you do not have the love of God in you. I have come in My Father's name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive. How can you believe, who receive honor from one another, and do not seek the honor that comes from the only God? Do not think that I shall accuse you to the Father; there is one who accuses you—Moses, in whom you trust. For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe My words?"

With all these things in mind, the incredible work that only Jesus Christ can do as the Author and Finisher of our faith, I would like us to swing back to considering this 35th day, the 5th Sabbath of the 7 Sabbaths in the count to Pentecost.

So please turn with me now to Acts 1.

Acts 1:1-3 The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.

Within these verses are both the title and the specific purpose statement for this sermon. Here we find another significant (often overlooked) piece of the incredible work of Jesus Christ in His continuous efforts to prepare us all for the Kingdom of God.

In verse 3 we read in part, “Being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.” Also, refer back to verse 2 and Luke’s time marker, “Until the day He was taken up.”

Here then is our SPS: Jesus Christ—His conspicuous, yet underreported work—until the day He was taken up.

I hope that we all have been meticulously counting the days to Pentecost as God has commanded that we do, carefully considering the days between Christ’s resurrection and the giving of His Holy Spirit on Pentecost. But how much have you focused on this vital piece of Jesus Christ’s preparations of those He had chosen to receive the Holy Spirit and carry on His work with Him, speaking of those things pertaining to the Kingdom of God, as He Himself would?

What more can we learn if we take time to consider why seeing and being with Christ for 40 days of the count is so important?

We have had a few sermons over the years regarding Jesus Christ’s ascension, but they typically have dealt with His ascension to the Father as the Wave Sheaf, the first of His firstfruits, that took place within 24 hours of His resurrection. This, of course, is critical. We will get to that important piece in a bit.

However, I do not think we have spent enough time considering His ascension 40 days later, and what took place during those 40 days. One of the reasons is that because we have been so careful to steer clear of the false beliefs of nominal Christianity, we may have missed some vital pieces of direction that Jesus Christ has laid out right in front of us.

The chief deceptive practice of Satan is mixing the truth with lies to cloud the truth of God’s Word. It is only by the grace of God that we can see this; that we are set apart from nominal Christianity who is not really following Jesus Christ in spirit and in truth.

With this in mind consider how hard Mr. Armstrong had to work to preach the truth of grace and works, and correctly hold the line between the “once saved, always saved,” and the “salvation by works of others.”

In the process of trying to avoid the false, how many things of truth have we failed to examine more closely, which should have been used to add greater appreciation for the continuous work of Jesus Christ and the clear understanding that it is only through Him that we can do anything.

Please do not misunderstand. I am not saying that Mr. Armstrong lost sight of this. But because of his efforts to make sure that we were not left in the confused world of nominal Christianity’s misguided grace/works/salvation process, Mr. Armstrong’s emphasis, along with our own lack of study and prayer may have contributed to the lack of appreciating fully that Jesus Christ is everything constantly and consistently.

With that in mind, I want to take a short look at why we have shied away from things that Jesus Christ and the Father are doing because we do not want to get caught in the confusion of this world’s religions.

So before we go any farther into this sermon, I think it would be good to consider what Mr. Armstrong was up against and why some things may have been overlooked in the process, while he expected all of us to do a better job personally looking in to the detailed work of Jesus Christ.

I am heading in this direction because this coming Thursday is the 40th Day in the 50 Day count to Pentecost. Though not a commanded holy day, it does mark the end of the work of Jesus Christ at His first coming. It is the day the Father took Him back up into the heavens to be seated with Him where He remains to this day as our High Priest!

Again in Acts 1:1 we will continue all the way to verse 12:

Acts 1:1-12 The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.

And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which," He said, "you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now." Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, "Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" And He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven." Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey.

Brethren, this is marks the end of a very significant period of time that we need to consider more fully, because it shows us another part of the marvelous work of the Father and the Word who became flesh, so that we could believe what is unbelievable to our minds, not like they who do not have the mind of God.

We have tended to shy away from this particular day and the preceding period, while focusing on the beginning, when He ascended to the Father as the first of the firstfruits, because of Satan’s devious mix of truth with his lies, especially considering holy periods of time.

While considering this and what Mr. Armstrong was up against, I would like to read an excerpt from the Encyclopedia Britannica, regarding what the Catholic Church considers as holy days under the heading of “Holy Days of Obligation”:

Holy days of obligation, in the Roman Catholic Church, are religious feast days on which Catholics must attend mass and refrain from unnecessary work. Although all Sundays are sanctified in this way, the term holy days usually refers to other feasts that must be observed in the same manner as Sunday.

The number of such days has varied greatly, since bishops had the right to institute new feasts for their dioceses until the 17th century. Pope Urban VIII then limited the number of holy days throughout the church to 36.

In 1918, considering the difficulty of observing religious feasts that are not civil holidays, canon law designated 10 holy days: Christmas, Circumcision of Christ (now celebrated as the Solemnity of Mary), Epiphany, Ascension, Corpus Christi, Assumption, the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, All Saints’ Day, the Immaculate Conception, and St. Joseph’s Day. With papal permission the number has been reduced or other changes made in some countries.

Thus Epiphany, Corpus Christi, the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, and St. Joseph’s Day are not kept in the United States, and bishops in the United States and other countries have permission to abrogate [temporarily waive] the requirement to attend mass on certain holy days of obligation when they fall on a Saturday or a Sunday. Scotland and Ireland keep all 10 holy days, except that Ireland celebrates St. Patrick’s Day instead of St. Joseph’s.

The various Eastern churches have their own feasts of obligation, which are generally more numerous than those of the Western church. Many of the Roman Catholic feasts are also celebrated by Lutherans, Anglicans, and other Protestant denominations.

8 December: Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary

25 December: Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord [Christmas]

1 January: Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God

6 January: Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord

19 March: Solemnity of Saint Joseph, Spouse of the Blessed Virgin Mary

Thursday of the sixth week of Eastertide: Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord

Thursday after Trinity Sunday: Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ [Feast of Corpus Christi]

29 June: Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul, Apostles

15 August: Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary

1 November: Solemnity of All Saints

Brethren, I would like you to note that all of these so-called holy days of obligation point to everything else except the One who is most worthy of our focused attention and worship. They are days determined from the traditions of men; all except one, the 40th day in the count to Pentecost!

Of course, this is not a commanded holy day of God, but it is a very significant day as predominantly noted within the count to Pentecost that we may be neglecting along with the work Jesus Christ was doing during this time.

Again, from Encyclopedia Britannica, regarding the Ascension and under the heading of “Ascension (Christianity)”:

Ascension, in Christian belief (the ascent of Jesus Christ into heaven on the 40th day after his Resurrection; Easter being reckoned as the first day), the Feast of the Ascension ranks with Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost in the universality of its observance among Christians. The feast has been celebrated 40 days after Easter in both Eastern and Western Christianity since the 4th century. Prior to that time, the Ascension was commemorated as a part of the celebration of the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

We know there were quite a few significant additional corruptions of the truth in the 4th century when a skewed form of Christianity became the state religion of the Roman Empire under Constantine. We know it was in this century that the false philosophy of the Trinity became doctrine in the great false church.

We know that by the time the apostle John died just around the beginning of the second century there were few that were holding onto the truth of what Jesus Christ taught. But do you think it may have been possible that prior to the 4th century true followers of Jesus Christ still understood the significant tie-in between what Christ was doing for those 40 days and the giving of His Holy Spirit on Pentecost? Is there something there that may not be as clear to us today as it should be? Just some food for thought.

This article in the Encyclopedia then goes on to describe what nominal Christians have assigned to the days, mostly in pageantry and tradition that lack substance in God’s Word. Although it is the only day that is anywhere close to being considered of note under biblical authority, it is still awash in the confusion of the traditions of men, purposely obscuring the very important work that Jesus Christ did to prepare His church for the Day of Pentecost.

I am letting you know right up front; I cannot point out all the work that Christ was doing over those 40 days and the detailed significance in people, time, places, and events. But I hope to give us a few points to consider in the detailed work that Jesus Christ did to make sure we are where He wants us to be when He returns as King of kings. I hope we will see the single most important lesson Christ is teaching in those 40 days being seen by them.

This coming Thursday is the 40th day in our count to Pentecost, and possibly a good time to shift gears a bit. Maybe it would be a good time to do as the apostles and those who truly got the message of the 40 days to consider all that Christ was doing during those 40 days and why!

Continuing on:

Acts 1:13-14 And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas the son of James. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.

They spent ten days with one accord thinking and praying about all that had been done within the time that Jesus Christ had been in front of them. Both what He said and did, along with their responses to those things.

What do you think was going through the minds of Mary and His brothers, who physically knew Him the longest, and their responses to Him, especially when some of His siblings either mocked Him or considered Him crazy, as the Scriptures tell us they did?

Or how about the apostles whom He had elected to be His closest confidants and students, who also had abandoned Him when He needed them most?

Or how the same fellows later abandoned their posts and went back to fishing for physical food, instead of continuing to do what He had separated them for from all others around them to doing the work of the Kingdom of God in His name?

Or how about those to whom He had appeared and believed but were not really sure if this was just mass hallucination?

Or how about those whom He had healed both physically and spiritually—restoring sight and strength, and casting out demons, like Mary Magdalene who had seven demons cast out of her and was now able to live a normal life?

How about all those saints, besides Lazarus, that had been raised from the dead to once again live physical lives at His resurrection? What did they think as they continued life again and perhaps even enduring some of the same ailments that had been thorns in the flesh before they died? What were they thinking after suddenly returning alive to their families? And what about their families? What were they thinking?

What happened to all the 500 people that had been seen by Him, as the apostle Paul tells us in I Corinthians 15:6? What were they doing now? Apparently, most of them had not been convinced, even though, as the resurrected Christ, He stood before them declaring the good news of the Kingdom of God. We know from the Luke’s account in the very next verse of Acts 1:15 that there were only 120 there preparing for Pentecost.

And what about those who either very possibly witnessed the resurrection, like the guards who passed out in fear as recorded in Matthew 28:4; or those to whom they bore witness like the Pharisees, who bought them off, as recorded a bit farther down in Matthew 28:11? Even though right in front of them, how much of a lasting difference did it make to all these people?

With these things in mind, I think it is time that we began to look at what is true and vital to our unique relationship with Jesus Christ. Christ knows us all better than we know ourselves and is carefully making sure that when all is said and done, He will have prepared an absolutely faithful and perfect bride for Himself, who will be consistently and perfectly just like Him. Jesus Christ’s work, as the Author and Finisher of our faith goes beyond even the physical witness of One who was raised from the dead, “being seen by them forty days.”

Please turn with me to Luke 23 and the moments just prior to and following Christ’s death:

Luke 23:39-47 Then one of the criminals who were hanged blasphemed Him, saying, "If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us." But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, "Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we receive the due reward of our deeds; but this Man has done nothing wrong." Then he said to Jesus, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom." And Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise."

Now it was about the sixth hour, and there was darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. Then the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was torn in two. And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, "Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit." Having said this, He breathed His last. So when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, "Certainly this was a righteous Man!"

The Roman centurion’s declaration is the first upon His death of the absolute righteousness of Jesus Christ, along with his recorded declaration recorded in Matthew and Mark, “This was truly the Son of God!” This pagan Roman centurion observed mercy and hope before his eyes and was overwhelmed by what he saw and heard.

Luke 23:48-56 And the whole crowd who came together to that sight, seeing what had been done, beat their breasts and returned. But all His acquaintances, and the women who followed Him from Galilee stood at a distance, watching these things. Now behold, there was a man named Joseph, a council member, a good and just man. He had not consented to their decision and deed. He was from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who himself was also waiting for the kingdom of God. This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then he took it down, wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a tomb that was hewn out of the rock, where no one had ever lain before. That day was the Preparation, and the Sabbath drew near. And the women who had come with Him from Galilee followed after, and they observed the tomb and how His body was laid. Then they returned and prepared spices and fragrant oils. And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.

The other gospels fill in details regarding which women followed and watched His burial, along with so many other details, but suffice it to say many witnessed His death and burial.

We also know from the other accounts that verse 56 very compactly covers the time from the end of the preparation day for the high holy day, as well as the weekly Sabbath, and the preparation day in between them.

All of this is very familiar to us, but it is important to this sermon that we see that just as God compacts very important information into one verse here in Luke 23:56, He also has compacted 40 very important days in the count to Pentecost succinctly recorded in Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, and even I Corinthians.

Brethren, there is so much that transpired during these 40 days of trial and judgment. But how much time have we spent studying and meditating on these days—the various people involved, who they were and what they were doing; who they had been and what kind of relationship they had with Him to this point? Why are certain people there? What were they doing? Why are they highlighted in these brief records while others are not? Why are some numbers mentioned of people and places? What valuable lessons can we learn if we begin peeling back the layers of this tightly recorded account of the 40 days that God considered so important that He drew our attention to it as a final piece of this chapter of the work of the Christ’s “closest of physical encounters” with His creation?

Christ appeared, as Luke wrote, “. . . and presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.”

We do not have time to go into all that may be in the eleven accounts of appearances, including His ascension from the Mount of Olives on the 40th day, but I strongly encourage all of us to spend the last ten days of the count to Pentecost studying and meditating on what God has given us in them, because there is a great deal of meat here.

So now, I want to point to 3 main things we should learn from these days.

This is Jesus Christ’s Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus. After Jesus’ Parable of the Unjust Steward, He directs a warning mainly toward the Pharisees at that time, about sitting on the fence and trying to serve two masters. It blinds you to the truth!

He says to them:

Luke 16:15-17 “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God. The law and the prophets were until John. Since that time the kingdom of God has been preached, and everyone is pressing into it. And it is easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for one tittle of the law to fail.”

Luke 16:19-31 "There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day. But there was a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man's table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores. So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham's bosom. The rich man also died and was buried.

And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. [Remember that this is a parable.] "Then he cried and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame.' But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented. And besides all this, between us and you there is a great gulf fixed, so that those who want to pass from here to you cannot, nor can those from there pass to us.'

Then he said, 'I beg you therefore, father, that you would send him to my father's house, for I have five brothers, that he may testify to them, lest they also come to this place of torment.' Abraham said to him, 'They have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them.' And he said, 'No, father Abraham; but if one goes to them from the dead, they will repent.' But he said to him, 'If they do not hear Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded though one rise from the dead.'"

We read all of this because, there are two very important points here that needs to be recognized in connection with this sermon and Jesus Christ’s continuous work. (1) We have all been given gifts and a limited amount of time to use them with focus on sharing everything we have been given. (2) If the law and the prophets are not clearly within our minds and hearts, even if one should rise from the dead and stand in front of us, we will not be persuaded.

For 40 days Christ continued being seen of them, either in person or through the word of two or more eyewitnesses, speaking things of the Kingdom of God. But it was not enough to change the minds of stony hearts.

I would like to give you two examples of this. One is right from the beginning of the 40 days and one from the end of those days. First please turn with me to Luke 24 where, beginning in verse 13, we find an incident that took place on the day following the resurrection and on the first day of weeks leading to Pentecost.

Two of the disciples were walking on the road to Emmaus, discussing not only the events of the last few days but the very fact of eyewitness accounts that the resurrected Christ had been seen and heard. But when they come upon Christ, they only recognized Him as a fellow traveler to whom they explained the source of their sadness that Christ Himself noted in verse 17.

Let us now read what Christ tells them beginning in verse 25.

Luke 24:25 Then He said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!”

Right here He goes to the root of the problem that would continue for 40 days—the slow heart of unbelief.

Luke 24:26-32 “Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?" And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther. But they constrained Him, saying, "Abide with us, for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent." And He went in to stay with them. Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight. And they said to one another, "Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?"

He was right there with them, but they could not recognize Him because, as Christ said, they were foolish without Moses and the prophets being in their hearts. It was only when He sat there explaining Himself in the Scriptures did they say they were driven to understanding what was happening. But brethren, how long did that last?

Let us go to the 40th day just to see that the slow heart of unbelief continued in them all. Please turn with me back again to Acts 1 and we will pick it up again in verse 4-6.

Acts 1:4-6 And being assembled together with them, He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the Promise of the Father, "which," He said, "you have heard from Me; for John truly baptized with water, but you shall be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now." Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, "Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?"

Forty days had passed and the resurrected Christ had been right there before them proclaiming the Kingdom of God and all that He fulfilled in the law and the prophets! But they still did not get it. Their hearts may have burned when He was in front of them, but they still were not fully grasping things.

They merely saw Him as the leader of a physical revolution that fell far short of what the Father and Son actually had in mind—the real change God wanted was to turn the whole world upside down (Acts 17:6).

I had been in communication with someone while preparing the sermon, and what they said reminded me of the musical, Les Misérables.

In the middle of the play they sing a song about revolution, where they sing:

Do you hear the people sing, singing the song of angry men.

It is the music of the people who will not be slaves again!

When the beating of your heart echoes the beating of the drums,

There is a life about to start when tomorrow comes!

Will you join in our crusade? Who will be strong and stand with me?

Beyond the Barricade is there a world you long to see?

Then join in the fight that will give you the right to be free!

Do you hear the people sing? Singing the songs of angry men?

By the end of that play, which is about judgment and justice tempered with mercy, that same song was sung, but the lyrics were:

Do you hear the people sing? Lost in the valley of the night.

It is the music of a people who are climbing to the light!

For the wretched of the earth there is a flame that never dies!

Even the darkest night will end and the sun will rise!

They will live again in freedom in the Garden of the Lord!

They will walk behind the plow share they will put away the sword!

The chain will be broken and all men will have their reward!

Will you join in our crusade?

Brethren, I wanted you to see that they still saw this as a physical revolution that had to take place. And yet as we saw in Acts 17, the real revolution that had to take place under Jesus Christ turned the world upside down!

Please do not get me wrong. The Father and Son do nothing just for show. Everything Christ did throughout those 40 days was part of His work in judgment and mercy to select and prepare His Bride. But God makes it obvious that something was still missing.

Please hold your finger there in Acts, and turn with me to that singularly significant piece declared by John as he baptized thousands in the Jordan River.

Matthew 3:4-12 Now John himself was clothed in camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not think to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.'

For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

Here we see John’s declaration of the need that only Christ could provide, both baptizing with His Holy Spirit for the circumcision of the heart, and ultimately going through the judgment process for all men as pictured in winnowing of the wheat.

Winnowing was the practice of tossing the grain into the air with some kind of shovel that separated the wheat or grain from the chaff. This normally occurred in the late afternoon when the Mediterranean winds prevailed. The grain or wheat would then be bagged, and the chaff or tares burned.

Only Jesus Christ can give that missing piece in the baptism with His Holy Spirit, along with the perfect judgment of those that blaspheme His Spirit and end up in the baptism of fire. Immersion into the Lake of Fire is the second, and therefore eternal death for the incorrigibly wicked who have willingly and persistently rejected the salvation of God the Father through Jesus Christ. All who have blasphemed the Holy Spirit and committed the unpardonable sin will be destroyed.

Now with all of this in mind, what can we see primarily regarding the work of Christ over these 40 days as far as His firstfruits are concerned and the judgment that has already begun with those in the Body of Christ?

Please turn with me all the way back to the book of Ruth.

This book, as we all know, is one of those read at the Feast of Weeks. We are all aware of the significant types in this book—of the church, individuals within the church, Jesus Christ and His Bride. While others may be referring to this book in more detail in the coming weeks, I would like to pick up only a few verses that may show us not only the work of Christ with His firstfruits as pictured in the 40 days, but His consistent work among His elect.

We are only going to pick up a few scattered verses that I hope will give us pause to consider the strong metaphors that are here regarding Boaz as a type of Christ, Ruth as a type of the church, and individual members now under Christ’s mercifully tempered judgment.

I would just like to pick up a couple of verses here that may help us consider Jesus Christ’s mercy and judgment in His work and what He expects from us.

Ruth 2:8-12 Then Boaz said to Ruth, "You will listen, my daughter, will you not? Do not go to glean in another field, nor go from here, but stay close by my young women. Let your eyes be on the field which they reap, and go after them. Have I not commanded the young men not to touch you? And when you are thirsty, go to the vessels and drink from what the young men have drawn." So she fell on her face, bowed down to the ground, and said to him, "Why have I found favor in your eyes, that you should take notice of me, since I am a foreigner?" And Boaz answered and said to her, "It has been fully reported to me, all that you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husband, and how you have left your father and your mother and the land of your birth, and have come to a people whom you did not know before. The LORD repay your work, and a full reward be given you by the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings you have come for refuge."

Brethren, it is only by the grace of God that we have been given the privilege to be among those who are gleaning in His field at this time. He is very aware of what we are doing with all He has given us to serve others with.

As I said, I am only trying to pick up some important food for thought here among the metaphors, to point to Jesus Christ’s work that continues to this day for His elect, and what He expects from those now within the household of God and under judgment (I Peter 4:17). So let us pick up another point regarding Jesus Christ’s constant work that we should consider during these 40 days.

Ruth 3:1-2 Then Naomi her mother-in-law said to her, "My daughter, shall I not seek security for you, that it may be well with you? Now Boaz, whose young women you were with, is he not our relative? In fact, he is winnowing barley tonight at the threshing floor.”

Naomi indicates to Ruth that in spite of Boaz’s delegation of authority in providing for her wellbeing among his watchful stewards and reapers of the harvest, it is he that is doing the actual winnowing of the barley harvest. It is only he that is separating the grain from the chaff.

The barley harvest generally began in April and the wheat harvest extended through mid-June. But please note, even though the winnowing must take place for both, it is the barley that is the focus of attention here.

Let us move on now to verses 10 and 11. This is after Ruth has followed Naomi’s instruction and placed herself at Boaz’s feet.

Ruth 3:10-11 [Boaz, a type of Christ, is speaking] Then he said, "Blessed are you of the LORD, my daughter! For you have shown more kindness at the end than at the beginning, in that you did not go after young men, whether poor or rich. And now, my daughter, do not fear. I will do for you all that you request, for all the people of my town know that you are a virtuous woman.”

In one of the commentaries I read, it noted that the same Hebrew word is used for virtuous both here in Ruth and in Proverbs 31:10 regarding the virtuous wife. They made a point-by-point tie in which I would like to share with you without elaborating. But it may be worth thinking about as we look at Christ’s judgment regarding what He expects from His wife:

• Devoted to family

• Diligent in labor

• Dedicated to godly speech

• Dependent on God

• Dressed with care

• Discreet with men

• Delivers blessings to others

Finally let us consider one more metaphorical tie from the end of Ruth 3:

Ruth 3:17-18 And she [Ruth] said, "These six ephahs of barley he gave me; for he said to me, 'Do not go empty-handed to your mother-in-law.'" Then she [Naomi] said, "Sit still, my daughter, until you know how the matter will turn out; for the man will not rest until he has concluded the matter this day."

Keep in mind that Naomi is a type of the church; barley represents the firstfruits; and the number six is the number of man. As Boaz went to sit down at the gate to conclude his work to make Ruth his wife, he presents the barley to Ruth for Naomi and her sustenance, while Boaz went and sat at the gate to make final arrangements.

Also let us read verse 18 again and then we will immediately flip back to Acts 1.

Ruth 3:18 Then she said, "Sit still, my daughter, until you know how the matter will turn out; for the man will not rest until he has concluded the matter this day."

Acts 1:9-14 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, who also said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven." Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day's journey. And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas the son of James. These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.

Acts 2:1-4 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Brethren, as I said, all metaphors break down, but the work of Jesus Christ never does, and the missing piece for the constancy of looking to Christ as the Author and Finisher of our faith is baptism of the Spirit, with the Father and Son dwelling within those Christ has determined to serve His Body! It ensures those gifted members of His Body will serve with eyes focused on Him, constantly and consistently.

We are going to end the sermon today with Ephesians 4 and you can turn there if you like but I will be reading the chapter out of the Phillips translation. I would like us to consider these wonderful words of the high calling we have been given under the diligent work of Jesus Christ, as the Author and Finisher of our Faith.

Ephesians 4:1-24 (J. B. Phillips) As the Lord's prisoner, then, I beg you to live lives worthy of your high calling. Accept life with humility and patience, generously making allowances for each other because you love each other. Make it your aim to be one in the Spirit, and you will be bound together in peace. There is one Body and one Spirit, just as it was to one hope that you were called. There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is the one over all, the one working through all and the one living in all.

To each one of us is given his measure of grace from the richness of Christ’s gift. Thus the scripture says: When he ascended on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

Note the implication here—to say that Christ “ascended” means that he must previously have “descended,” that is to this depth of this world. The one who made this descent is the same person as he who has now ascended high above the very Heavens—that he might fill the whole universe.

His gifts unto men were varied. Some he made his messengers, some prophets, some preachers of the gospel; to some he gave the power to guide and teach his people. His gifts were made that Christians might be properly equipped for their service that the whole body might be built up until the time comes when, in the unity of common faith and common knowledge of the son of God, we arrive at the real maturity—that measure of development which is meant by “the fullness of Christ.”

We are not meant to remain as children at the mercy of every chance wind of teaching, and of the jockeying of men who are expert in the crafty presentation of lies. But we are meant to speak the truth in love, and to grow up in every way into Christ, the head. For it is from the head that the whole body, as a harmonious structure knit together by the joints with which it is provided, grows by the proper functioning of individual parts, and so builds itself up in love.

This is my instruction, then, which I give you in the Lord's name. Do not live any longer the futile lives of gentiles. For they live in a world of shadows, and are cut off from the life of God through their deliberate ignorance of mind and sheer hardness of heart. They have lost all decent feelings and abandoned themselves to sensuality, practicing any form of impurity which lost can suggest. But you have learned nothing like that from Christ, if you have really heard his voice and understood the truth that Jesus has taught you. No, what you learned was to fling off the dirty clothes of the old way of living, which were rotted through and through with lust’s illusions, and, with yourselves mentally and spiritually remade, to put on the clean fresh clothes of the new life which was made by God's design for righteousness and the holiness which is no illusion.

Ephesians 4:30-32 (J. B. Phillips) Never wound the Holy Spirit! It is, remember, the seal upon you of your eventual full redemption. Let there be no more bitter resentment or anger, no more shouting or slander, and let there be no bad feeling of any kind among you. Be kind to each other, be compassionate. Be as ready to forgive others as God for Christ’s sake has forgiven you!

Brethren, only through baptism of the Holy Spirit and the perfect winnowing process of Jesus Christ in mercy and judgment can we constantly see Him to live as He lives.

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