Resurrection Sunday (Luke, Part 13)
Luke 24:1-12
Introduction / Recap
- Last week, we discussed the arrest, trial, crucifixion, and burial; saw three things:
- First, a natural response (sadness, etc.) to Jesus’ suffering is not enough
- Second, the cross is the most vivid illustration of John 3:16-18
- Third, Jesus became the way, the truth, & the life – no more sacrifices needed
- It is why His final words on the cross are so definitive: “Tetelestai!”
-- This was a cry of purpose, a shout of affirmation, a declaration by God’s son
-- His Proclamation: “There is nothing else that needs to be done!”
- And today, we will celebrate the most wonderful event in history
-- It is the event that completes the Christian faith (central theme of OT / NT)
- Read Luke 24:1-12 / Pray
Point 1 – What does the resurrection teach us?
- Let’s see three key truths surrounding the resurrection: (v1)
-- First, it was very early morning – before the sun rose on Sunday
-- This would be the third day, fulfilling prophecy of scripture to rise in 3 days
-- Matthew 16:21, “From then on Jesus began to tell his disciples plainly that it was necessary for him to go to Jerusalem, and that he would suffer many terrible things at the hands of the elders, the leading priests, and the teachers of religious law. He would be killed, but on the third day he would be raised from the dead.”
- BIG FACT: His resurrection was a triumph – a victory over death
-- For the believer, even for the seeker, we must learn/remember this truth
-- The grave is empty, and He is not there!!
-- FACT: Every other religious “leader” is dead and in the grave
- Second, the spices they prepared were to complete his burial
-- Help control smell of decomp aroma; RE: They knew were Jesus was buried
-- They did not expect Him to be raised from the dead; spices showed care
- Why do this? As loved ones care for a body, these women act in same manner
-- They are devoted to ensuring Jesus is respected, even in death
-- Consider: minds are not on what He said, only what has happened
- Third, even in their grief, they would not have gone during the Sabbath (Sat.)
-- They were devout believers in the Law, strictly obedient to God
-- They would’ve observed God’s decree to respect the Sabbath (rest)
- Take note: Jesus would have been in the grave during the Sabbath
-- A person cannot be held responsible for following a law if they are dead
-- This means – due to His death – the Law no longer applied to Him
-- But for these women, they come to attend to Him when they’re allowed
- For us: When a person believes in Jesus as Lord, we accept (or we receive) His death as paid penalty for our sin
-- God sees us in Jesus’ death – it is where/how we become identified with Him
-- Jesus is no longer under the Law (RE: He made a new covenant)
-- Curtain torn; access granted directed to God
- So, in Jesus’ death – & our acceptance of Him – we become dead to the Law
-- Paul testifies to this in Romans 7:4, “So, my dear brothers and sisters, this is the point: You died to the power of the law when you died with Christ. And now you are united with the one who was raised from the dead. As a result, we can produce a harvest of good deeds for God.” (cause and effect: death brings life (a harvest))
-- Once we identify with Him, we take on His risen attribute; freed of sin’s penalty
- FREE: Early believers would have identified strongly with Resurrection Sunday
-- Traditionally, we respect this same observance – why we worship on Sunday
- So, coming to the tomb, they see the stone has been rolled away (v2)
-- Now, pay attention here: the stone was not moved for Jesus’ benefit
-- When He arose, He would have possessed His resurrected body
-- A heavenly body from the spiritual dimension; a body we ought to long for
-- This spiritual dimension is without physical boundaries (see next week; appear)
-- It’s why we can say God is omnipresent … He can be everywhere; created time
- DON’T MISS: WE needed to see the stone rolled away; WE needed the proof
-- The moved stone allowed them to see the empty tomb – where He was laid
-- RE: They were in the funeral procession; they knew where they put Him
-- So surely, they expected He would still be in the tomb!
-- FACT OF LIFE: Dead bodies don’t get up and walk around!
- TR: Puzzled, these women get a response directly from God (PTL for this)
-- APP: God knows our hearts; He knows when we struggle … and …
Point 2 – God always responds to our unbelief
- Seeing two angels, the women looked down in fear (also in reverence & worship)
-- Consider: Bible tells us the angels appeared in “dazzling robes” (v4)
-- Their appearance is majestic, probably blinding, w/ glory of God shining
-- It is the same appearance that will greet a believer in Heaven
- For us today, want to consider the enormity of the question they ask:
-- “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive?” (v5)
- Don’t miss: The question is a bit of a rebuke
-- As if to imply: “Why didn’t you believe He’d do what He said?”
- Everything the women did reflected their desire to honor a dead man
-- A man who they cared for, who they followed, but who was no longer alive
-- APP: Many have passed on, but if they knew Jesus, they are with Him too
-- 2 Corinthians 5:8, “Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord.”
-- The body may still be there, but the spirit isn’t – the person we loved isn’t
-- Naturally we grieve … but they are not there!
- God’s angels give us a perfect testimony of this hope: “He is not here!”
-- Stop looking for a dead man … look to risen Savior, where our hope is settled!
- TR: Why? Why do we look to Jesus? Because of one truth:
Point 3 – Jesus did what He said He would! He is ALIVE!
- Rushing back to the disciples, they have the same problem we do (re-read v9-11)
-- Nonsense in GR is “hos leros”; idle tales, wild imagination; ridiculous talk
- Get this though … they (the disciples) were without excuse (so are we btw)
-- Month after month Jesus spent teaching them about what’s coming
-- Ref Matthew 16:21 from earlier (page 1) … He “plainly” told them
- Jesus even specifically told them the sequence of events:
-- Luke 18:31-33, “Taking the twelve disciples aside, Jesus said, “Listen, we’re going up to Jerusalem, where all the predictions of the prophets concerning the Son of Man will come true. He will be handed over to the Romans, and he will be mocked, treated shamefully, and spit upon. They will flog him with a whip and kill him, but on the third day he will rise again.”
- I want us to see the most important truth we must come to terms with
-- Either Jesus is who He said He is – or He is a liar … He cannot be both
-- We come to church today (of all days) to celebrate where our hope comes from
- Hebrews 3:12, “Be careful then, dear brothers and sisters. Make sure that your own hearts are not evil and unbelieving, turning you away from the living God.”
-- The truth of the resurrection is what gives us hope – it’s what brings us to God
-- The disciples teetered on the edge of unbelief; b/c they did not remember
-- FACT: It is dangerous not to hear and understand God’s truth about Jesus
- We cannot look at this account and think of it as just a “good story”
-- Today, we must not dismiss it as nonsense or wild imagination … “hos leros”
-- Why? Because Jesus has always told us the truth: John 3:36, “And anyone who believes in God’s Son has eternal life. Anyone who doesn’t obey the Son will never experience eternal life but remains under God’s angry judgment.”
- Right now, need to know: Jesus did what He said He would do!
-- It is why we celebrate Easter – it’s why we rejoice (He gives hope for a future)
-- Coming to church on this day is special – but so is living for Him each day!
TODAY’S CHALLENGE:
• Invitation to accept Jesus as who He is (He is the Son of God … A, B, C)
• Invitation to confess sin – to pray – to seek God’s forgiveness
- After our team sings, we will take communion together
-- This time is for you to examine, to worship, and to prepare for communion
- 1 Corinthians 11:27-29, “So anyone who eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily is guilty of sinning against the body and blood of the Lord. That is why you should examine yourself before eating the bread and drinking the cup. For if you eat the bread or drink the cup without honoring the body of Christ, you are eating and drinking God’s judgment upon yourself.”
- Pray
