Title: Resurrection Life
Theme: To show how the resurrection brings life to the church and to people. This is the reason we celebrate Easter (Resurrection Sunday). This is also the reason people put so much life traditions into Easter. (The egg, the bunny, dinner, games, family, etc.)
Text: Luke 24:1-12
Introduction
What a wonderful day to be alive. This is the best season to celebrate the final accomplishment of what the Lord has done. This morning my goal is to take a look at the scriptures of the resurrection and see what the Lord has to show us in this season.
I love preaching expository through scriptures because I believe that every scripture has a purpose.
2 Timothy 3:16-17 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God (God breathed), and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, (17) that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work.
1 Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they,
I think that this is an interesting verse. It was the first day of the week that Jesus was risen from the dead. This is why we have service on Sunday. It set apart from the Jewish tradition.
What intrigues me is this idea of “very early in the morning”. Other gospels tell us that it was still dark as they were coming. This tells me that as soon as the opportunity came to fulfill scripture of Jesus being in the tomb 3 days then God went and got His son and raised him from the dead.
Prophecy as restraint. To fulfill the prophetic words of scripture God the father and Holy Spirit had to restrain themselves until the morning.
and certain other women with them,
These were the women who had been by Jesus side the whole time. I saw this in the New Testament, if we don’t have a respect for women and their place in ministry then we miss the message of the whole New Testament. All throughout the gospels and then in Paul’s writing (Romans 16) we read that women played an important part in the church.
In return, these women dedicated their time and energy to providing for Jesus' needs. Some gave their money. Others provided food and prepared meals. A few had washed his feet. Each woman gave herself completely in service to Jesus, knowing that he had redeemed their life from the hands of Satan.
Not many knew of the women's service to Jesus, but God had been watching. He watched them attend to His son in acts of selfless love. God had been touched by their faithfulness, and He longed to bless them in return. So while the women hurried to the tomb, wondering how they were going to roll the stone away, God was waiting to surprise them.
Women of the Resurrection
Mary Magdalene – who had been demon possessed (Luke 8:2)
Mary the mother of James the Less a disciple
Joanna- wife of King Harod’s stewart
Salome –
Mary – the sister of Lazarus
At the Cross
Mary the mother of James and John (sons of Zebedee) the disciples
came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared.
They were coming not expecting the resurrection but to prepare his body. This was part of the tradition they would come back after three days and then put spices on the body.
This was the reason Jesus waited three days to raise Lazarus from the dead. The Jews believed that for three days the spirit dwelt in man but by the fourth day he was dead.
(2) But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb.
Why was the stone rolled away?
1) Not to let Christ out
2) So that people could see in
Angel of the Lord said, Matthew 28:6 6 He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
(3) Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.
The tomb was empty. Other religions glorify a grave that is full of a dead mans bones. Christianity glorifies a grave that is empty and a God who has risen him from the dead.
They did not find the body”. The tomb was empty. This is an important part of the resurrection
(4) And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this,
This confused them. They had come to see a dead body and the tomb that had held him. They had come to do the routine of death. The preparation and celebration per se. They had not expected this. For them Christ was a great life who lived and died for a cause. They were about to learn that he was bigger than this.
that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments.
These were not the only angels around the tomb, just the two who played this part.
(5) Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead?
This is a great question. The Bible often says more by the questions that is asked than the statements that are made. Jesus was a master at this. Why? Because it is more about what we learn than what we can be told.
Here is the question to the women, "Why do you seek the living among the dead?" Why are you in the graveyard looking for a man who has brought life.
In the graveyard you get what you expect, death. In life it is the same way. When you are looking for change why stay in the graveyard. That which leads to a "dead end"
Why not seek Jesus.
Jesus is Life
John 1:1-5 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (2) He was in the beginning with God. (3) All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. (4) In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. (5) And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it.
John 10:10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
John 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
Jesus is life. We can live because of Christ. He has also brought light to the world. Into the darkness. Into our darkness he has brought light and life.
John 8:12 Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."
Now he expects us to be light. Salt and light.
We are the Salt and Light
Matthew 5:13-16 "You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. (14) "You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. (15) "Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. (16) "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.
Pamela Dolan, St. Louis Contributor March 28, 2013
This is what I hear in the Easter message, “do not look for the living among the dead.” I hear: do not do the same thing you’ve always done and then look for different results. Why do we expect new life when we are clinging to old habits, old thoughts, old prejudices, old hatreds, old hurts, or old fears?
Way back in the time of the prophet Ezekiel, God promised all who believe in him a new heart and a new spirit. God knows we need new life, new hope, new healing. But it is hard for us to find the newness he is offering us if we are always looking back to the way things were, seeking the living among the dead.
(6) He is not here, but is risen!
The most important statement in all of history. The grave could not contain him but he has risen from the dead.
If Christ had not been risen
1 Corinthians 15:13-28 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. (14) And if Christ is not risen, then our (1) preaching is empty and (2) your faith is also empty. (15) Yes, and (3) we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up; if in fact the dead do not rise. (16) For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. (17) And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; (4) you are still in your sins! (18) (5) Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. (19) If in this life only we have hope in Christ, (6) we are of all men the most pitiable. (20) But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
(25) For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet. (26) The last enemy that will be destroyed is death. (27) For "He has put all things under His feet." But when He says "all things are put under Him," it is evident that He who put all things under Him is excepted. (28) Now when all things are made subject to Him, then the Son Himself will also be subject to Him who put all things under Him, that God may be all in all.
Victory over death
1 Corinthians 15:51-58 Behold, I tell you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed; (52) in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. (53) For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. (54) So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: "Death is swallowed up in victory." (55) "O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?" (56) The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. (57) But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. (58) Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, (7) saying, 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.' " (Mark 8:31, Luke 9:22) (8) And they remembered His words.
Lazarus
This should not have surprised them. Earlier they had seen a glimpse of the resurrection with Mary’s brother Lazarus. This was an event that Jesus purposely did at his own time. He waited 4 days after Lazarus death before he can to the town. Martha and Mary were upset. Not only at the death of their brother but at the seemingly absence of Jesus. Listen to the conversation.
Joh 11:21-45 Then Martha said to Jesus, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. (22) "But even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You." (23) Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." (24) Martha said to Him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day." (25) Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. (26) "And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?" (27) She said to Him, "Yes, Lord, I believe that You are the Christ, the Son of God, who is to come into the world." (28) And when she had said these things, she went her way and secretly called Mary her sister, saying, "The Teacher has come and is calling for you." (29) As soon as she heard that, she arose quickly and came to Him.
(37) And some of them said, "Could not this Man, who opened the eyes of the blind, also have kept this man from dying?" (38) Then Jesus, again groaning in Himself, came to the tomb. It was a cave, and a stone lay against it. (39) Jesus said, "Take away the stone." Martha, the sister of him who was dead, said to Him, "Lord, by this time there is a stench, for he has been dead four days." (40) Jesus said to her, "Did I not say to you that if you would believe you would see the glory of God?" (41) Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead man was lying. And Jesus lifted up His eyes and said, "Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. (42) "And I know that You always hear Me, but because of the people who are standing by I said this, that they may believe that You sent Me." (43) Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!" (44) And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Loose him, and let him go." (45) Then many of the Jews who had come to Mary, and had seen the things Jesus did, believed in Him.
This is life. The resurrection of Jesus shows us the fulfillment of prophecy. Jesus had come to bring life to men. Notice what he says here. 1) Lazarus, come forth – bring life back 2) Loose him, and let him go – bring freedom.
Jesus death and resurrection on means that we can have life and freedom.
9 Then they returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.
They left and told the disciples what was going on.
Mar 16:7 "But go, tell His disciples; and Peter; that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you."
I love the way this reads in Mark. The angel told them to go back now and tell the disciples and Peter. Peter who had denied Christ was not the focus of his redemption and forgiveness. God had not given up on Peter even though Peter had given up on God.
10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them, who told these things to the apostles.
These are the description of who they were.
11 And their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them.
It is interesting that they did not believe them but as we see below they had to see for themselves.
12 But Peter arose and ran to the tomb; and stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying by themselves; and he departed, marveling to himself at what had happened.
John 20:6-9 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, (7) and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. (8) Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed. (9) For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead.
After initially thinking the women had lost their minds, Joh_20:3 tells us Peter and John ran to the tomb to check out their story. Peter had sinned incredibly against Christ—yet John keeps his arm around Peter and stays close to him. That's the kind of biblical Christianity we need today—people who will say even to the one who has erred greatly, "I'm still with you. I'm still for you. I'm not going to walk away from you or turn my back on you." Oh, how the church needs more Johns.
Conclusion
Church tradition. The folded napkin. (From a circulated email - author unknown)
Why did Jesus fold the napkin?
An unusual approach to a biblical story. Why did Jesus fold the linen burial cloth after His resurrection? I never noticed
this....
The Gospel of John (20:7) tells us that the napkin, which was placed over the face of Jesus, was not just thrown aside like the grave clothes. The Bible takes an entire verse to tell us that the napkin was neatly folded, and was placed at the head of that stony coffin.
Early Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved.
She said, 'They have taken the Lord's body out of the tomb, and I don't know where they have put him? Peter and the other disciple ran to the tomb to see. The other disciple out ran Peter and got there first. He stooped and looked in and saw the linen cloth lying there, but he didn't go in. Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, while the cloth that had covered Jesus' head was folded up and lying to the side.
Is that important? Absolutely!
Is it really significant? Yes!
In order to understand the significance of the folded napkin, you have to understand a little bit about Hebrew tradition of that day. The folded napkin had to do with the Master and Servant, and every Jewish boy knew this tradition.
When the servant set the dinner table for the master, he made sure that it was exactly the way the master wanted it. The table was furnished perfectly, and then the servant would wait, just out of sight, until the master had finished eating, and the servant would not dare touch that table, until the master was finished. Now if the master was done eating, he would rise from the table, wipe his fingers, his mouth, and clean his beard, and would wad up that napkin and toss it onto the table.
The servant would then know to clear the table. For in those days, the wadded napkin meant, 'I'm done'. But if the master got up from the table, and folded his napkin, and laid it beside his plate, the servant would not dare touch the table, because..........
The folded napkin meant, 'I'm coming back!' He is Coming Back!
There is much debate about whether this story is truth or not. What is not debatable is the fact that Jesus is coming back.
Acts 1:11 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."
