The Empty Tomb

Luke 12:1-12

(Greeting and welcome)

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The empty tomb where the body of God’s only begotten Son was laid—after atoning for man’s sins--was the greatest discovery (still is) in human history. Sadly, most people either, (1) are not aware He arose or (2) do not believe He arose.

The truth is salvation comes only through the belief and confession that, (1) Christ died in our place for our sins and (2) He arose to free us from the sting of death and give us life. To come to this point, the barren cross where once Christ hung and the empty tomb where His body once laid—must not be general awareness, rather it must be personal discovery.

Salvation in personal—a person must believe and confess that Christ (in humility and obedience) died on the cross for their sins and rose again 3 days later. It must be both

If Christ didn’t die—you are still under sin

If Christ didn’t arise—you are still under sin

1 Corinthians 15:14-17 “And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. Yes, and 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. For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!”

But thanks be To God He arose and gave those that might surrender, real—true—abundant life

1 Corinthians 15:20-22 “But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.”

In His death:

Your sins are atoned

Romans 3:25 “whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed,”

In His resurrection, we are

Given new life—born again

John 3:3 “Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.””

John 3:7-8 “Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.””

A new creation

2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

This is our focus this morning---The Resurrection of Jesus Christ

(READ LUKE 24:1-12)

I. (v.1) The first day of the week

Luke 24:1 “Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning...”

(NOTE THREE THINGS)

Luke clearly tells us “when” Christ arose

Jesus arose, “very early in the morning;” before dawn, before the sun arose on Sunday morning

This was significant for the early Christian church—so significant they broke away from the common day of worship, Saturday (the Sabbath) and began to worship on the day of the Lord’s resurrection

(Think about this when we come to worship every Sunday—it’s the day the represents His resurrection!!)

Jesus Christ arose on the first day of the week, Sunday morning

This means He was in the grave for three days just as He had said

Matt 12:40 “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great fish, so will the Son of Man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”

Matt 16:21 “From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.”

Matt 17:23 “and they will kill Him, and the third day He will be raised up.” And they were exceedingly sorrowful.”

This means His resurrection was a triumph over death—death reigns and has no power over the person repents/confesses and believes upon Jesus Christ

Again, Jesus Christ arose on the first day of the week, Sunday morning

He was in the grave on the Sabbath—unable to observe the law governing the great season of the Passover and Sabbath--

He was dead—therefore the law and it’s observances had no authority over Him

The symbolism here must not be missed: It speaks to the identification believers gain in Christ

Believers find their identity in Christ—not in the keeping of the law

God Himself—identifies the person who believes in Christ—as being with & in Christ—having their being/identity in Christ, specifically and in particular the death of Christ.

What does this mean? God counts the man as having died with Christ---in Christ’s death, we become dead to the law

Romans 7:4 “Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God.”

Matt 5:17-18 ““Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.”

II.(v.1) The first witnesses of the resurrection

Luke 24:1 “...they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared.”

(NOTE THREE THINGS)

There were actual witnesses of Jesus’ death and burial

They knew Jesus died and was dead

They knew where Jesus was buried

They had followed along with the procession to the tomb

Luke 23:55-56 “And the women who had come with Him from Galilee followed after, and they observed the tomb and how His body was laid. Then they returned and prepared spices and fragrant oils. And they rested on the Sabbath according to the commandment.”

They had purchased spices and had come to anoint Jesus’ body

It was likely those who were to tend to Christ’s body would have bought spices after 6 p.m. Saturday (when the Sabbath ended);

They also arose early in the morning (Sunday) to go and embalm Him---their very thinking was that He was dead

They saw Him killed

They saw Him buried

They were “religionists” who strictly obeyed the law.

They would have not broken the Sabbath to tend to His body—despite the love they had for Christ

These women were obedient to obey God’s commandments

That they were women speaks to the validity of His resurrection

In the fresh first moments of Christ’s resurrection, we see Him reveal Himself to a group of women, His disciples, Thomas, the disciples on the Road to Emmaus—we come away with a handful of witnesses, yet for those who might still be skeptical, I encourage you to think on this:

Contrast 1 or 2 from the perspective of a courtroom

1 Corinthians 15:3-6 “For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep.”

III.(v.2) The great stone is rolled away

Luke 24:2 “But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb.”

The rolled away stone stunned, confused, and perplexed the women (see v.4)

The rolled away stone was not rolled back for the benefit of Jesus---but for the witnesses of the resurrection

Jesus arose—not as He was as a man—but in His resurrection body—the heavenly/spiritual body with no physical bounds

IV. (v.3) The body is missing from the tomb

Luke 24:3 “Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.”

Simply stated—they went in, saw where He was supposed to be—but His body was gone

Mary thought someone took Him

Romans accused the disciples of thieving the body

Others thought it all a ruse/he was asleep/or some other “theory”

The simple, magnificent fact is that He Arose—up from the grave He arose

V. (v.4-8) The two angels and their unbelievable message

Luke 24:4-8 “And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. 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? He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’ ” And they remembered His words.”

(FOUR THINGS HERE)

The angels were radiant, dazzling figures; their garments were

Like lightning (visible, quick, startling, striking, frightening, and brilliant)

The angels asked a straight-forward question (“Why seek the living among the dead?)—there was rebuke in the question

These women were seeking to honor a dead Savior, a Savior who was as all other men are—frail and powerless

Their whole being was focused on His death—that their Savior Jesus was dead

These women needed a reminder:

The angels proclaimed the glorious news: “He is not here, but is risen.”

“He is not here”

This the women could see and attest to

This fact was indisputable—He had been there, b/c the women had seen Him put there

“He is risen”—These words were a shock and brought startling news, yet

Heaven, “witnessed that He lives.”

Hebrews 7:8 “Here mortal men receive tithes, but there he receives them, of whom it is witnessed that he lives.”

Scripture witnesses that He arose

Romans 1:4 “and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.”

Ephesians 1:19-20 “and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,”

He (Jesus Himself) foretold that He would arise

Luke 9:22 “saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.””

Luke 13:32 “And He said to them, “Go, tell that fox, ‘Behold, I cast out demons and perform cures today and tomorrow, and the third day I shall be perfected.’”

Luke 18:31-34 “Then He took the twelve aside and said to them, “Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished. For He will be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon. They will scourge Him and kill Him. And the third day He will rise again.” But they understood none of these things; this saying was hidden from them, and they did not know the things which were spoken.”

The angels reminded the women what Jesus foretold about His death and resurrection...“And they remembered His words.”

Up till now

Jesus’ followers had always been confused about the death and resurrection of Jesus

Jesus’ followers would not accept His words literally and refused to take His Words at face value

Jesus’ followers symbolized HIs statements, therefore, they never understood His death/resurrection

But now

Jesus’ followers knew they were wrong

Jesus’ followers were struck with conviction

Jesus’ followers became the very first witnesses to the resurrection

(Connection-You and Me)

For the connection let’s look at Mark 5:37-40 “And He permitted no one to follow Him except Peter, James, and John the brother of James. Then He came to the house of the ruler of the synagogue, and saw a tumult and those who wept and wailed loudly. When He came in, He said to them, “Why make this commotion and weep? The child is not dead, but sleeping.” And they ridiculed Him. But when He had put them all outside, He took the father and the mother of the child, and those who were with Him, and entered where the child was lying.”

(Story of Jarius’ daughter)

Everyone, other than Jesus, thought death was final..that nothing could be done to avoid death. And while this is true of the physical, the Bible ALWAYS POINTS and DIRECTS us to the spiritual.

Sin doesn’t have to have the last word

Strongholds don’t have to have the last word

Fear doesn’t have to have the last word

Death doesn’t have to have the final word

The greatest day in your life is the day you realize that Jesus Christ defeated death for you, when you wake up from death and wake up and walk in the marvelous light of salvation.

When you realize Jesus Christ has the last word over death, when you realize the barren cross and the empty grave have redeemed you; when you realize that in His resurrection Jesus Christ bound up and shackled death and sin and released you from it’ grip…you will not be left the same—you will forever be changed!

VI. (v.9-11) Quick responses of unbelief

Luke 24:9-11 “Then they returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them, who told these things to the apostles. And their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them.”

“Idle tales”—this translates out to mean

Nonsense or ridiculous talk

Wild imagination

“Did not believe them”—Greek for this word is in the imperfect tense, meaning they

“Kept on disbelieving”

“Kept on putting no trust or confidence” in what these women were saying

What does all this mean?

The disciples were quick to express their unbelief and continue to do so

The disciples were in a very real sense like, “yeah, ok, whatever,” from attitudes of unbelief

What makes this heartbreaking?

The disciples were without excuse

Christ had spent month after month drilling and teaching on His death and resurrection into His disciples

Mark 16:14 “Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen.”

John 3:18 ““He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

John 14:1-6 ““Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also. And where I go you know, and the way you know.” Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, and how can we know the way?” Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

VII.(v.12) Peter’s unbelief and recognition

Luke 24:12 “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.”

Despite Peter’s failure (denial of Jesus Christ 3x), his heart was still drawn to the Lord

Hearing this and because of His heart for Christ and heavy heart for what He had done, he rushed to the tomb

Note what John says at the precipice of this account, John 20: 6-8 “Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed.”

Note the significance of all of this:

1. It would be impossible to extract a body from its wrappings and leave them in such good order.

2. The wrappings would have been taken with the body if the body had been removed

3. The wrappings would have been disheveled and disarranged and scattered if thieves had ransacked the tomb.

4. The wrappings (under any circumstances that might be conceived in removing the body) could never be placed in the exact spot on the rock slab where the body lay. Yet, this is just how they were lying according to the Greek text. It was this that led John to an immediate belief.

The folded head shroud—explain this out (folded vs unfolded)

(WORSHIP TEAM)

At the cross, Jesus Christ paid for your sins, atoned for sins, and endured God’s wrath/judgment/turning His back to see you not incur one ounce of condemnation, punishment, or judgment. Why?

You are precious to God

Psalm 139:13-14 “For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb. I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.”

1 Peter 2:4-5 “Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.”

Through the empty grave, we are given new life; a life restored, redeemed, and reconciled back to God. It is through the resurrection of Jesus Christ a person, in their surrender to Jesus Christ, no longer has to fear death, where death no longer has its sting

1 Corinthians 15:55-57 ““O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The precious gift of salvation—and the promise of eternal life is not “universal” as some might believe. While Christ in fact died and while He in fact rose again—for all man’s sin, the gift has to be received, accepted, and believed

Romans 10:9-10 “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.”

Repentance involves 2 things:

Turn from sin

Turn to Jesus

Confession involves 2 things:

Admittance that you’re a sinner,

Christ is the only way