Jesus shows His love for us by dying for us and being resurrected Luke 1:1-4
As we come to this time of worship, I want us to be assured that the bible is to be the book that we hear the message from. Did you know that what we have in this book is the very word of God? There is no other book like it. Paul who wrote 13 of the books in the N. T. got his information some 3-5 years after Jesus had descended up into heaven. I COR. 15:1-9, 12-15-15 “Now let me remind you, dear brothers and sisters, of the Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then and still do now, for your faith is built on this wonderful message. And it is this Good News that saves you if you firmly believe it, unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place. I passed on to you what was most important and what had been passed on to me, that Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, as the Scriptures said. He was seen by Peter and then by the twelve apostles. After that, he was seen by more than five hundred of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died by now. Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. Last of all, I saw him, too, long after the others, as though I had been born at the wrong time. For I am the least of all the apostles, and I am not worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted the church of God. But tell me this—since we preach that Christ rose from the dead, why are some of you saying there will be no resurrection of the dead? For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ was not raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your trust in God is useless. And we apostles would all be lying about God, for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave, but that can’t be true if there is no resurrection of the dead.” All of the New Testament was written by 64 AD except the books written by John. Less than thirty years from when Christ lived on the earth, that which we have about the life of Christ was already in writing. No one else in all of history has a record of that being done. We do not have the originals but there have been 25,000 manuscripts discovered.
LK 1:1-4 “Most honorable Theophilus: Many people have written accounts about the events that took place among us. They used as their source material the reports circulating among us from the early disciples and other eyewitnesses of what God has done in fulfillment of his promises. Having carefully investigated all of these accounts from the beginning, I have decided to write a careful summary for you, to reassure you of the truth of all you were taught.”
Luke in writing His Gospel wanted us to know for sure the truths about Jesus. I want to give to you the facts about what happened to Christ in His last hours and days of his resurrection. Some of the things I am going to tell you are not for the weak hearted. What He suffered for us shows how much God loves us.
Jesus’ supreme credential to confirm His claim to deity was His resurrection from the dead. Five times in the course of His life, He predicted He would die. He also predicted how He would die and that three days later; He would rise from the dead and appear to His disciples. Surely, this was the great test. It was a claim that was easy to verify. It either happened or it didn’t. I want to say as we start this message it might not agree with what you have heard in church before. I have been told that Christ was crucified on Friday and rose again on Sunday. I have always had trouble seeing that He was in the grave three days. I have learned through some study this week that the Sabbath DAY can happen more than once in the week. In the week that we call, the final week there was two Sabbaths and the first one came on Thursday. This would make more sense to me for when the women came early the first day of the week Jesus was already gone. With this, I want us to look at the time line not so much that it is the only way it could be given but to see what He went through for us as no other man has ever done. The Lord’s Supper took place on Tuesday night 9:00 pm. It was during this time that Jesus washed the disciple’s feet including Judas. Judas left and Jesus gave us teachings on His Kingdom. He also prayed for us. I am sure His mind was in much distress, as He knew what would happen in the next 24 hours. After the Lord’s Supper, Jesus prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane. We put this at Tuesday night 9:30-12:30. We see the physical passion of the Christ began in Gethsemane. Of the many aspects of this initial suffering, the one of greatest composition interest is the bloody sweat. It is interesting that St. Luke, the physician, is the only one to mention this. He says, ’And being in Agony, He prayed the longer. And His sweat became as drops of blood, trickling down upon the ground.’ Under great emotional stress of the kind our Lord suffered, tiny capillaries in the sweat glands can break, thus mixing blood with sweat. This process might well have produced marked weakness and possible shock." When He got up from praying and found his disciples sleeping His betrayal and arrest came. Wednesday morning 12:30 am. We then read that the disciples desert Jesus. After his arrest, it is late at night and they first take Jesus to the house of Annas, a former High Priest. Wednesday morning 1:00 am. Then He is taken to Caiaphas and the Sanhedrin Wednesday morning 2:00 AM. Here we read of the beating of Jesus. "After the arrest in the middle of the night, Jesus was next brought before the Sanhedrin and Caiphus, the High Priest; it is here that the first physical trauma was inflicted. A soldier struck Jesus across the face for remaining silent when questioned by Caiphus. The palace guards then blind-folded Him and mockingly taunted Him to identify them as they each passed by, spat upon Him, and struck Him in the face." Wednesday morning 3:30-4:30 am, They condemn Jesus and send him to Pilate. Wednesday morning 5:30-6:00 am Judas is remorseful over his actions and hangs himself. Wednesday morning 6:00 AM Jesus before Pilate. We read that Peter denies Jesus and Jesus looks at him as the rooster crows. Wednesday morning 7:00-8:00 am Pilate sends Jesus to King Herod where He is mocked. Pilate finds Jesus innocent of any crime. Wednesday morning 8:00 AM Pilate tries to find a way to release Jesus. "In the early morning, battered and bruised, dehydrated, and exhausted from a sleepless night, Jesus is taken to the seat of government of the Procurator of Judea, Pontius Pilate. Pilate’s took action to pass responsibility to Herod Antipas. Jesus apparently suffered no physical mistreatment at the hands of Herod and was returned to Pilate. It was in response to the cries of the mob, that Pilate ordered Barabbas released and condemned Jesus to scourging and crucifixion." Jesus was taken to six trials during this long night. Three by the Jews and three by the Romans. Why did they have to have six trials over one man? Between the times he was judged by Pilate, he was whipped. Jesus is scourged. "Preparations for the scourging were carried out when the Prisoner was stripped of His clothing and His hands tied to a post above His head. It is doubtful the Romans would have made any attempt to follow the Jewish law in this matter, but the Jews had an ancient law prohibiting more than forty lashes. "The Roman legionnaire steps forward with the whip in his hand. This is a short whip consisting of several heavy, leather thongs with two small balls of lead attached near the ends of each. The heavy whip is brought down with full force repeatedly across Jesus’ shoulders, back, and legs. At first, the thongs cut through the skin only. Then, as the blows continue, they cut deeper into the covering tissues, producing first an oozing of blood from the capillaries and veins of the skin, and finally spurting arterial bleeding from vessels in the underlying muscles. "The small balls of lead first produce large, deep bruises which are broken open by later blows. Finally, the skin of the back is hanging in long ribbons and the entire area is an unrecognizable mass of torn, bleeding tissue. When it is determined by the centurion in charge that the prisoner is near death, the beating is finally stopped. The half-fainting Jesus is then untied and allowed to slump to the stone pavement, wet with His own blood. The Roman soldiers see a great joke in this Jew claiming to be king. They throw a robe across His shoulders and place a stick in His hand for a scepter. They still need a crown to make their travesty complete. Flexible branches covered with long thorns are plaited into the shape of a crown and this is pressed into His scalp. Again, there is copious bleeding, the scalp being one of the most vascular areas of the body. “After mocking Him and striking Him across the face, the soldiers take the stick from His hand and strike Him across the head, driving the thorns deeper into His scalp. Finally, they tire of their sadistic sport and the robe is torn from His back. Already having adhered to the clots of blood and serum in the wounds, its removal causes unbearable pain just as in the careless removal of a surgical bandage, the wounds once more begin to bleed. “Pilate has doubts about crucifying Jesus. Jesus is lead away to be crucified. Wednesday morning 9:00 am. These soldiers knew how to crucify people to make sure they were dead. I read that three that were crucified were taken down from the cross and were given treatment to help them live. Two could not be helped and the one that did get some help died a week later from the
"In deference to Jewish custom, the Romans return His garments. The heavy wood of the cross (which is said to have weighed 75-100 lbs.) is tied across His shoulders, and the procession of the condemned Christ, the execution detail of Roman soldiers headed by a centurion begins its slow journey. In spite of His efforts to walk erect, the weight of the heavy wooden beam, together with the shock produced by copious blood loss, is too much. He stumbles and falls. The rough wood of the beam gouges into the gashed skin and muscles of the shoulders. He tries to rise, but human muscles have been pushed beyond their endurance. The centurion, anxious to get on with the crucifixion, selects Simon of Cyrene, to carry the cross. Jesus follows, still bleeding and sweating the cold, clammy sweat of shock, until the 650-yard journey is finally completed. Simon is ordered to place the cross on the ground and Jesus is quickly thrown backward with His shoulders against the wood. The guard feels for the depression at the front of the wrist. He drives a heavy, square, wrought-iron nail through the wrist and deep into the wood. Quickly, he moves to the other side and repeats the action being careful not to pull the arms too tightly, but to allow some flexion and movement. The cross is then lifted in place at the top it reads "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews". "The left foot is now pressed backward against the right foot, and with both feet extended, toes down, a nail is driven through the arch of each, leaving the knees moderately flexed. The Victim is now crucified. As He slowly sags down with more weight on the nails in the wrists unbearable pain shoots along the fingers and up the arms to explode in the brain, the nails in the wrists are putting pressure on the median nerves. As He pushes Himself upward to avoid this stretching torment, He places His full weight on the nail through His feet. Again, there is the searing agony of the nail tearing through the nerves between the metatarsal bones of the feet. "At this point, as the arms fatigue, great waves of cramps sweep over the muscles, knotting them in deep, relentless, throbbing pain. With these cramps comes the inability to push Himself upward. Hanging by his arms, the pectoral muscles are paralyzed and the intercostal muscles are unable to act. Air can be drawn into the lungs, but cannot be exhaled. Jesus fights to raise Himself in order to get even one short breath. Finally, carbon dioxide builds up in the lungs and in the blood stream and the cramps partially subside. Spasmodically, he is able to push Himself upward to exhale and bring in the life-giving oxygen. It was undoubtedly during these periods that He uttered the seven short sentences recorded. The soldiers cast lots for Jesus’ garments. Wednesday morning 9:00 am, The people, priests and thieves mock Jesus for some 3 hours Wednesday morning 9:00 am-12:00 pm. Jesus dies at 3:00 pm. The soldiers stick a spear in his side to prove He is dead. An earthquake opens the graves and a physical resurrection of some saints. Then Jesus is taken off the cross and placed in a tomb about Wednesday 6:00 pm. Jesus being dead, Joseph, a disciple of Jesus who was wealthy, requested that the body might be given to him. Along with another disciple, Nicodemus, he takes the body of Jesus, prepares it for burial, and lays it in his own newly carved tomb. He is wrapped in grave clothes and is laid in a tomb. A stone of the heavy weight of 1 ½ to two tons is rolled in front of the opening. They did not want the disciples to steal the body and placed a guard, which could have been composed of 16 soldiers. Four would be at the entrance awake with weapons while the others slept in a semi-circle. They would change guards every four hours. There was also placed a Roman seal across the entrance. To get to the body one would have to get past the guards roll the stone up hill with breaking the seal. When the women came the stone was rolled away and the guards were lying down as through they were dead. Jesus was no there and was gone before the stone was rolled away. When Peter entered the tomb, the grave clothes were still there and the napkin that would have been around Jesus’ head was neatly folded. If some one were to steal a body, why would they take the grave clothes off and neatly fold them? This makes sense to me for then you have three days before Sunday when he comes forth from the grave. He was very much dead but now, we know He is alive. Empty Tomb - Mary Magdalene, Simon Peter, John, found the tomb empty. The body of Jesus Christ was gone. All that remained of the burial were the linen clothes in one pile, and the napkin for his head in another. Christianity is the only major religion in the world, where the faithful do not have a grave to make pilgrimages to. We have only an empty tomb where our Lord’s grave once was. Hallelujah, Lord Jesus Christ is Risen!
There are over 500 documented accounts of people seeing Jesus alive after they saw Him dead! This might sound like a massive hoax, but it must be noted, that during that time, anyone who proclaimed that Jesus had risen from the dead was killed. 500 people willing to risk their lives by lying that Jesus had risen from the dead. The evidence speaks otherwise. These people knew the truth, and they were simply stating it: Christ rose from the dead. The enemies of Jesus Christ, which were the chief priests, assembled the elders together for a religious council, to plot a way of discrediting the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. The religious leaders did this by bribing the guards of the tomb to tell a lie and say that the disciples came by night and stole the body while they slept. We have 12-14 appearances of Christ after He arose
1. Jesus spoke to Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them to the sepulcher. 2. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary saw Jesus and he told them to not be afraid, and to tell His brethren to go to Galilee where He would see them. 3. Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene, then two others as they walked into the country. Afterward Jesus appeared to his eleven disciples as they ate. 4. Jesus appeared and spoke to Mary Magdalene at the sepulcher. Mary Magdalene told the disciples what she had seen and heard. 5. Jesus was seen by those who came up with Him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who became His witnesses to the people. 6. Jesus appeared to two men from Emmaus. One was called Cleopas who ask Jesus if He was a stranger. 7. Jesus appeared and spoke to his eleven disciples in Jerusalem.8. Jesus led his disciples from Jerusalem to Bethany, blessed them there, and was carried up into heaven. 9. Jesus appeared and spoke to the disciples while they were assembled behind closed doors. He was seen and heard by the disciples, all except Thomas. Jesus breathed on them and they received the Holy Ghost. 10. Eight days later Jesus again appeared to the disciples including Thomas. 11. Jesus appeared to Simon Peter, and Thomas, and Nathaniel of Cana in Galilee, and the sons of Zebedee, and two other of his disciples at the sea of Tiberius. 12. Jesus was seen by Cephas, then of the twelve; after that, 500 brethren saw him at once. 13. He appeared unto James, His stepbrother, who was not a believer. 14. He appeared unto Paul on the Damascus Road.
Prayer
Father, we are twenty centuries removed from Jesus’ earthly life. But we want to know him, what he was like, what he said how he lived and died and was raised
