He is Not Here Luke 24:1-8

He is Not Here

Luke 24:1-8

Theme: The Bible shows what the empty tomb means about Christ

Welcome to Resurrection Sunday here at Mountain View Baptist Church. We celebrate today the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It is the greatest event in human history. If this is your first time with us, we are honored to have you and would love the opportunity to connect with you.

Please be sure to stop by the welcome center as you leave this morning so we can say a word of greeting to you. We have a gift bag for you and a warm welcome.

Let’s travel back for a few minutes as we consider the followers of Jesus in the first century. Jesus was born in Bethlehem and grew up in a carpenter’s household. There was some mystery around His birth but everything about Him was a mystery. He taught even at a young age great truths that most did not understand.

Jesus called 12 men to be His Apostles and they were asked to be willing to give up everything even their life for Him. They saw Him heal the sick, restore eyesight to the blind and hearing to the deaf.

Rome was in control that demanded 100% allegiance to them. Denial of the Roman government as their only hope was a certain death. Most of the kings thought of themselves as gods and demanded a godlike loyalty.

Jesus came as the King and His followers were to reject all other kings but Him. He was now their hope, their Savior, and their life. Surely, He would overthrow the Roman Empire and institute a new empire where He would be the king. Many of His admirers were only interested in the physical reign of Christ, but the committed followers accepted Him as the Savior.

The pressure of the ancient world was heavy. Jesus was being hated for His revolutionary ideas and claims to be deity. His followers were being branded as disloyal to Rome. Soon He would be arrested and tried for insurrection. He was brought before an unjust court and was crucified.

All hopes were destroyed. The disciples were perplexed and though He had warned them of these events, they did not take Him seriously.

With sadness, hopelessness, they rose early that morning with a deep sorrow to go to the tomb where Jesus was placed. The women had made spices for His body and their concern according to Mark was who was going to roll the stone away from the tomb.

“The stone was rolled away to let the observers in, not to let Jesus out.” (unknown)

When they arrived, strangely enough the stone was moved, and sitting there were two men, obviously angels, by the empty tomb. What? An empty tomb was not what they expected, they were taken back by the scene.

God shows us here in this passage three declarations of the empty tomb.

Declaration 1 . . .

Jesus defeated sin for us

Jesus was born in Bethlehem by a miraculous virgin birth. Jesus fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah 7:14

“Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, And shall call his name Immanuel.” (Isaiah 7:14)

The lineage and fulfillment of Christ is recorded for us in Matthew 1. Matthew writes about this birth and identifies it with prophecy.

“Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us.” (Matthew 1:22–23)

His life was truly miraculous as He taught with great authority, He fed the multitudes, healed the sick, raised the dead, and calmed the seas. His perfect life and amazing teachings were without question: perfection.

He never one time sinned even when He was tempted. It is hard to comprehend that Jesus was a perfect child, a perfect teenager, and a perfect grown man. He was perfect in every way.

“For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” (Hebrews 4:15)

His perfection is the qualification for Him to defeat sin. Jesus was able to conquer sin through His life and through His death. He bore the punishment of sin for the whole world so that we would not have to bear the punishment.

The word bore means substitution. He was man’s substitutionary sacrifice for sin.

“Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.” (Hebrews 2:14–15)

Jesus even though He died carrying the sins of the whole world on Himself, He defeated the sins on the cross.

The empty declares 2. . .

Jesus conquered death for us.

The power of death could not hold Him, the grave could not keep Him. He had promised He would rise from the dead.

The disciples had forgotten what He told them

“Then he took unto him the twelve, and said unto them, Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that are written by the prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished. For he shall be delivered unto the Gentiles, and shall be mocked, and spitefully entreated, and spitted on: And they shall scourge him, and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again. And they understood none of these things: and this saying was hid from them, neither knew they the things which were spoken.” (Luke 18:31–34)

Jesus not only tell them but fulfilled His promise of rising from the dead and it was like they did not take it seriously. This assures the promises of God will be fulfilled in Him and by Him. Here is a promise for us today:

“And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” (Acts 16:31)

Jesus had the power to overcome the death and the grave. God wants us to know there is no power greater than Jesus Christ. The Bible says Jesus is life and He has the power over the grave.

“Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.” (Acts 2:23–24)

Just as He had power over the grave for us, He offers to us life rather than death. “We can be born once (physically) and die twice (physically and spiritually0 or we can be born twice (physically and spiritually) and die once (physically).

Today we celebrate an empty tomb because He has power over the death and the grave. Jesus has the key to everlasting life

“Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?” (John 11:25–26)

Today Jesus is offering this to you. It is not offering a religion, a religious experience, a denomination, or a movement, but a personal relationship with Him. He makes it possible for everyone to become a child of God by believing on Him as your personal Savior.

Declares lastly . . .

Jesus lives today for us

This is the reason Jesus is the true Savior. All other religions of the world have dead saviors but we have a living Savior. Jesus is alive and the empty tomb points to this truth. You can trust Him completely for new life and a home eternal with Him in the heavens.

This provides comfort for us today. The Word of God assures that Jesus is a personal Savior. Some believe He was only a Savior in the first century but not in the 21st century. He is still the Savior today.

“Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.” (Hebrews 13:8)

This empty tomb provides hope for the future to all mankind. He lives so that we can have hope for the future. His resurrection guarantees a future with Him in heaven the moment we put our faith and trust in Christ.

If you hope in a church, you will be disappointed, if you hope in a religion, you will be disappointed, but if you hope in Jesus, He will NEVER disappoint you.

“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.” (Titus 2:13–14)

Here is a picture of the empty tomb. If you notice the first picture there is a stone that was placed there to secure the front of the tomb. The second picture is inside the tomb. When Janet and I entered the tomb, we were moved with emotions. This is the tomb and the place. There was so much to see and to take in. There was something missing in the tomb: Jesus. He is not here, He is risen.

The tomb is empty for you. You can have hope in Jesus because of the empty tomb. God promises new life because He lives, we can live also.

Will you trust Him today? Will accept Jesus as your Savior today?