Barnes Notes on the New Testament: Luke 24:47 Repentance--sorrow for sin and forsaking of it. It was proper that the "necessity" of repentance should be preached among all nations, for all were sinners. See Acts 17:30. Remission of sins--pardon or forgiveness of sins. It should be proclaimed that all people should repent, and that those who are penitent may be pardoned. In my name--by my command it should be proclaimed that people should repent, and by my merit that they may be pardoned. Pardon is offered by the authority of Christ to ALL nations, and this is a sufficient warrant to offer the gospel "to every person." Beginning at Jerusalem--this was the dwelling of his murderers, and it shows his readiness to forgive the vilest sinners. It was the holy place of the temple, the habitation of God, the place of the solemnities of the ancient dispensation, and it was proper that pardon should be first proclaimed there. This was done--the gospel was first preached there. See Acts 2. Paul also, in his travels, preached the gospel "first" to the Jews, the ancient people of God, offering them pardon through their own Messiah; and, when "they" rejected it, turned to the Gentiles, Acts 13:46.

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The Message for Children

Visual aid: road atlas

This is the time of year when families are planning vacations. Do you have any idea where you will be going this Summer? (Allow for answers)

In today’s Bible story, two men were on a trip from Jerusalem back to their home town, Emmaus. They had very sad faces. As far as they knew on this first Easter Evening, Jesus was still dead. They talked about all that had happened, just as families will talk on a long trip. They couldn’t take a bus or ride in a car. They got where they were going by putting one foot in front of another. They had a lot of time to talk on this six-mile trip.

Just then, a stranger caught up with them and noticed how sad they were. He asked them what they had been talking about. "Are you the only one in Jerusalem who doesn’t know what happened?" "Tell me about it," he said. Then they told him the whole story about Jesus, about his teaching, about his miracles, about the hope that they had in him. "But now he’s dead!" they said. That’s when Jesus told them that the Bible had foretold all this. Then he said that "repentance and forgiveness of sins had to be spoken in all nations," starting in Jerusalem.

Here’s why I am telling you all this. There isn’t just a roadmap for your vacation trip; there is also a roadmap for your life. You’re going out into a world where many people don’t believe they have anything to be sorry for before God. As Christians, we need to tell them about God’s Law, about how we have sinned and about how we all need Jesus as our Savior. That’s why you need to learn all you can about Jesus, because where you’re going (hold up road atlas), people will really need to know about him. You’ve traveled this road where you have learned about Jesus. Get ready to help other people find the living Jesus who has changed your life and can change their lives too.

This is the roadmap of your life. Take Jesus along!