THE MESSAGES OF RESURRECTION
LUKE 24:1-49
INTRODUCTION
ILLUSTRATION Josh McDowell entered university as a young man looking for a good time and searching for happiness and meaning in life. He tried going to church, but found religion unsatisfying. He ran for student leadership positions but was disappointed by how quickly the glamour wore off. He tried the party circuit, but he woke up Monday mornings feeling worse than ever.
He finally noticed a group of students engaged in Bible study, and he became intrigued by the radiance of one of the young ladies. He asked her a reason for it. She looked him straight in the eye, smiled, and said, “Jesus Christ.” “Oh, for heaven’s sake,” he retorted, “don’t give me that garbage about religion.” She replied, “I didn’t say religion; I said Jesus Christ.”
The students invited him to intellectually examine the claims of Christ and the evidence supporting Christianity. He accepted their challenge, and after much study and research, finally admitted that he couldn’t refute the body of proof supporting Christianity. McDowell received Christ as his Savior, and his research became the background for his book Evidence That Demands a Verdict.
One of the major factors in his conversion to Christianity was his inability to ignore the historical resurrection of Jesus Christ, a point he made later to a student at the University of Uruguay who asked him, “Professor McDowell, why can’t you intellectually refute Christianity?” “For a very simple reason,” replied McDowell. “I am not able to explain away an event in history—the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”
If no one can minimize the resurrection of Jesus Christ, then we better examine them and listen to the messages it proclaim to the world. What message does God wants us to hear because of the resurrection of Christ? (Luke 24:1-49)
EXPOSITION
1. Message about the Trustworthiness of God. ( vv. 6-8, 25-27)
“6He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7’The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’" 8Then they remembered his words.”
“25He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26Did not the Christ has to suffer these things and then enter his glory?" 27And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.”
Jesus revealed ahead of time the event of his death and resurrection. But the disciples apparently did not believe His words. What are the proofs of their unbelief? They went to the tomb and brought spices to delay the decomposition of the body (v. 1). Second, they were disappointed that He died and were surprised by the absence of Christ’s body (vv. 21-22).
Brethren, always remember that God’s Word is trustworthy. Easter Sunday is a good opportunity to celebrate God’s trustworthiness. He promised that He will rise again and He did. He promised that He is coming back and he will. Our God is not only a God of promise but of fulfillment.
• Provision
• Protection
• Guidance
2. Message about the Presence of God(vv. 36-43)
“36 And just as they were telling about it, Jesus himself was suddenly standing there among them. He said, "Peace be with you." 37But the whole group was terribly frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost! 38"Why are you frightened?" he asked. "Why do you doubt who I am? 39Look at my hands. Look at my feet. You can see that it’s really me.
Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost, because ghosts don’t have bodies, as you see that I do!" 40As he spoke, he held out his hands for them to see, and he showed them his feet. 41Still they stood there doubting, filled with joy and wonder. Then he asked them, "Do you have anything here to eat?" 42They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43and he ate it as they watched.”
When they did not find the body, they were worried that somebody might have stolen it. And when He appeared before them, they cannot believe that it is really Him that they saw. Jesus did not really left this world, the physical Jesus returned to God the Father but His Spirit stays with us and live within us. He made our bodies His temple (see Romans 8:9-11). Thus we acknowledge the fact that Jesus is both here and coming.
ILLUSTRATION There’s a beautiful old story about a Sunday school teacher who asked the children in his class to bring plastic eggs on Easter Sunday, each one filled with something that symbolized the meaning of the resurrection. The day came, and the teacher took each child’s egg in turn, opening it and making a point of amplifying and reinforcing its meaning.
One child had a tiny flower, and the teacher spoke of the new life that springs forth at Easter. Another egg contained a crayoned picture of Christ, and the teacher spoke of that. Another had a small nail, and the point was made about the nails of the cross. Another had a round pebble that represented the stone that had guarded the tomb.
But the teacher was dumbfounded when he opened the egg of seven-year-old Brian, a mentally-challenged boy, and found nothing there. But not to worry, Brian himself spoke up and announced: “It’s full of emptiness—just like the tomb of Jesus.” His was the best lesson of all.
Since Jesus is with us, let us conduct our lives in reverence and confidence. Let us not say we are alone. God is with us and will never leave us nor forsake us. In fact He is present in those people who needs our help. (See Matthew 25:34-40)
3. Message about continuing the Works of God.(vv. 44-49)
44 He said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms." 45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46And he said, "Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah must suffer and die and rise again from the dead on the third day.
47With my authority, take this message of repentance to all the nations, beginning in Jerusalem: `There is forgiveness of sins for all who turn to me.’ 48You are witnesses of all these things. 49"And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven." “
ILLUSTRATION In an underground storage site near Los Angeles, a dozen men and women lie in capsules that look like giant vacuum flasks. Their bodies are wrapped in tinfoil. Remove the foil and a thin layer of frost covers their faces. An icy mist of liquid nitrogen clings around each body.
These people have been dead for some years. But centuries from now, attempts may be made to bring them back to life again. They chose this odd method of entombment in the hope that, at some time in the future when medical science has improved far beyond today’s standards, they will be thawed from their deep-frozen state and cured of the disease that killed them.
Some of the corpses have been there since 1967. They could be there for hundreds of years because, if the person died from a particular form of cancer, it could take that long before an effective cure is found.
Jesus death on the cross completed the requirement for man’s sins and defeated the enemy by His resurrection. However, He left us some works to be done. He wanted us to be His witnesses and using His authority, we were commanded to deliver the message of repentance and forgiveness.
We have the responsibility to be ambassadors for Christ delivering the message of hope and resurrection. (See 1 Corinthians 15:42-44, 50-58) Why would I want the same body if there is a new perfect body that God would provide as put our faith in Christ.
Christians should engage to share a life-changing message to everyone. Christ has finished the major responsibilities and conflicts but He expects us to do some clean-up operations. And as we engage in ministering to others, people will see that Christ is indeed alive. In fact, we are the body of Christ.
CONCLUSION
ILLUSTRATION One of the great preachers of the Puritan era captured the real meaning of the resurrection in his sermon entitled, “The Death of Death in the Death of Christ.” The title is more than a play on words. It contains profound truth.—Gospel Herald
Since Jesus is alive, we have the messages to be preached and believed.
