The Third Sunday after Epiphany (GA)

Luke 24:44-49

⁴⁴ Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” ⁴⁵ Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, ⁴⁶ and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, ⁴⁷ and that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. ⁴⁸ You are witnesses of these things. ⁴⁹ And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

Christ taught his disciples that there were things necessary to be fulfilled. The scriptures are all fulfilled in Christ Jesus, though they are not already fulfilled. There is still the second Advent of Christ. Christ will return on a day unknown to any of us. He will come to raise the living and the dead. He will raise us to new life as Christ himself is risen from the dead.

There are many passages of scripture it may be difficult to figure out how they are fulfilled. Our task is not to explain everything. The task of the church is not to provide proof for faith. It is not even to provide a so called Case for Christ. The promises of God are fulfilled. Scripture points to the various places where it can be easily and clearly seen. But this are a call to faith.

Christ has died for the forgiveness of your sins. He has died for your iniquity. As some might indicate he died for your incompetence. Christ sends his Holy Spirit to work through the Word of God to create faith. He also works to strengthen faith. This means that the more we read and hear God's word properly, the. Holy Spirit will strengthen our hearts and minds to better understand the mysteries of God.

Thus, our text is about the Witness of the Apostlesiven for us to understand Christ. These witnesses provide us with a witness and a confession of Jesus Christ. Christ has died and Christ is risen from the dead for the forgiveness of your sins.