Series: Through The Eyes Of Jesus [#2]
EASTER THROUGH THE EYES OF JESUS
Luke 24:1-12
Introduction:
I put something on Facebook last night that seemed to get some attention. I simply put that today has 2 Holidays: Easter and April Fools Day. I then asked, “Which one of these Holidays will get your focus”? I remember when everyone went to Church on Easter, Christmas, and Mother’s Day. Over the last 10 years, Christmas and Mother’s Day attendance has severely dropped. Over the last 5 years, Easter attendance has dropped dramatically as well.
When I became pastor in 1999, local pastors would tell me that you couldn’t count Easter Sunday’s attendance because it would give you an unrealistic average attendance for the month. With all of that said, I am so glad that you are here today. Today, (as all days) is a celebration of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Last week, we looked at Palm Sunday through the eyes of Jesus; and today, I want us to look at Easter through the eyes of Jesus.
Luke 24:1-3 (NIV)
“On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.”
Jesus saw…
1. An empty tomb.
The empty tomb is proof of Jesus’ victory over sin, death, and Satan. He had spent time in Hades because He had become the sin of the world for all of time. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, He had defeated death. The empty tomb is what Christians should celebrate every day. The empty tomb gives you victory if you will surrender your life to Jesus. Without the empty tomb, there is no victory.
Luke 24:4-7 (NIV)
“While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: `The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.'"
Jesus saw…
2. Witnessing angels.
I love how the angels remind these female followers of Jesus of what Jesus said would happen. These women were there to honor Jesus as a dead man; but what they received was the opportunity to worship Him as the risen Savior. We too, should worship Jesus as the risen Savior.
Luke 24:8 (NIV)
“Then they remembered his words.”
Jesus saw…
3. Resurrection believers.
I love this too. They remembered His Words. Whenever you are struggling, remember His Words- He is risen. That’s all they needed to remember to believe in the resurrection.
Luke 24:9-11 (NIV)
“When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense.”
Jesus saw…
4. Resurrection non-believers.
After 3 years of being with Jesus every day; and hearing Jesus talk about His resurrection from the dead, they still didn’t believe. They didn’t believe what these women were saying. How could the message of Jesus being the resurrected Messiah be believed just a few days before and then became nonsense? That’s a great question. How can people hear the message of Jesus Christ and not be saved? Unfortunately, there are many people in this world today that do not believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Luke 24:12 (NIV)
“Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.”
Jesus saw…
5. Resurrection wonderers.
Peter wasn’t sure so his reaction was to run to the tomb. The Gospel of John account says, that John outran Peter to the tomb. What this tells me, is that they weren’t sure. When he arrived to the tomb, he wondered what had happened. I will tell you, that there are many people today that are wondering about what happened. In John, it says that the guards that were guarding the tomb were told to tell everyone that the disciples stole the body of Jesus.
Conclusion:
Are you a believer, non-believer, or wonderer of Jesus’ resurrection?
