He is Risen

Introduction

He is Risen

Pastor Jon Johnson 3/31/24

Luke 24:1-12 Series: Easter

This morning we want to focus on the resurrection of Jesus. Jesus’s birth to ascension is the greatest event in history. It had many sides to it depending on where you look. It showed the sinfulness of man that he could not only reject this visible good God, but could rise up to kill him in hate. From God’s side it was the only time that God came down to this earth in a visible form for all to see. It was also the only time that His power both to save and to heal was so clearly seen. More than just seeing God, it was the giving of a New Covenant from heaven that opened the way to heaven and gave hope to men. Join us as well look at one of the greatest events of Christ life, His resurrection.

Introduction

The broken Disciples

Their pride had been crushed as they fled from the mob.

There misguided hope of a Jewish Kingdom was over.

They feared for their lives.

There faith is so shaken that none of the disciples are quick to believe. In fact all of them are right along with doubting Thomas. Unless I see, I will not believe.

The Women are Mourning

They have followed faithfully, support Jesus from the background.

Interesting that in our text that they are told to Remember how He spoke to you… They were will Jesus in Galilee and just as accountable to have heard and understood His words.

This is a rebuke to them, not quite as strong as Jesus on the Road to Emmaus, but it is there. They had heard the word and were to have believed and hoped.

We as well are to put our Hope in the Resurrection

1 Peter 1:3–5 3. Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4. to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5. who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (NKJV)

We can believe because we have the evidence from the bible and the lives of the disciples that the Resurrection is not a story, or a fable of primitive people, but a clear undisputed fact, with many witnesses and evidence to back it up.

Paul would also tell us that it is a cornerstone of the Gospel.

1 Corinthians 15:3–8 3. For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4. and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, 5. and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. 6. 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. 7. After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. 8. Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time. (NKJV)

All of this is to point to the reality of the Resurrection. That it actually happened.

He list the witness, many who are still alive and can be questioned. He expected them to know that what He was teaching was true from the testimony of the many witnesses.

Luke for sure examined the evidence in writing the gospel of Luke and Acts and was completely convinced that it was true.

Acts 1:1–3 1. The former account I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 2. until the day in which He was taken up, after He through the Holy Spirit had given commandments to the apostles whom He had chosen, 3. to whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God. (NKJV)

Luke’s Accounting

Understanding the differences of the scene at the tomb.

The women to do all arrive together, but have several groups that arrive and leave together.

The writers of scripture are not focusing on the women and what they did when they tell us of what happened, but of what they found out. What was important was the message, not to give an exhaustive account of who woke up first, of which ones were grouped together, of who arrived when and stayed how long… The importance fact, the miracle is what they all testified to, the angel’s message.

They gather and come to the tomb.

The Wondrous Scene that they find.

They are coming to bring Spices.

Luke is sharing the truth here. No one of the followers of Jesus believed that He would rise from the dead. The women are not here to look for the Lord, to wait for His resurrection, but to anoint His body for burial.

This is one of the evidences for the truth of the bible. The bible does not lie about the extra-ordinary faith of “the saints”, but shows them in both in their times of victory when they believed against hope and were validated, and the times when their faith failed and God Himself had to keep them. Here is again one of those times.

Notice what the Angel says in verse 5.

Why do you seek the Living among the dead?

I love this word “Living”. It is the one who is continuing to be alive.

The bible is full of these references to God.

30 times God describes Himself as the “Living God” with these exact words.

It is held in comparison to the idols which are dead gods. God who cannot hear, who cannot move, who cannot help.

God is always the one who reminds us that there is nothing to hard for God.

That He is a God who is with us.

That He is a God who watches over us.

That He is living.

Revelation 1:17–18 17. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. 18. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death. (NKJV)

What did they find on arrival?

The simple statement of Luke just tells us that answer.

Luke 24:2–4 2. But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. 3. Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4. And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, …. that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. (NKJV)

Again you see their lack of understanding.

Matthew tells us some of the wonders of this even of the grave being opened.

Mary Magdalene and the other Mary arrive at the grave first, while it is still dark.

They have a separate encounter before the others arrive, but appear to be too afraid to enter the empty tomb alone.

Matthew 28:5–7 5. But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. 7. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.” (NKJV)

It might also be that the guards are not knocked down very long, but get up after the angel and gather together to consult on what to do. As they talk the other come and join them. The men check the tomb and know that the body is gone. What should they do? The agree to go to the High Priests… They have no need to guard to tomb as the seal is broken and their lives are forfeit. The angel also appears to have stayed and sat on the stone according to Mark, at least until the guards leave.

The Women arrive now as seen in Luke after they enter the tomb.

The women are perplexed? What does all of this mean? Can it be true what the two Mary saw?

The angel reappears with a companion to confirm the testimony and to again deliver the message and to rebuke them for their unbelief

They are clearly not some earthly person.

They are dressed in shining garments. (They are in a dark tomb at the first hints of light appearing in the east, with some sort of candles for lighting and here are two shining beings.)

Easy to realize why they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth.

The Angels Message

They two Mary (s) have already heard the message recorded in Matthew..

Matthew 28:5–7 5. But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. 7. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.” (NKJV)

Yet the others are wondering still about the body. Where is the body?

So we have this more direct statement given to the larger group.

Luke 24:5–7 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? 6. He is not here, but is risen! 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.’ ” (NKJV)

Notice how even God confirms the events by quoting the Word of God!

Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, 7saying ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’ ”

This is important as we do not set our faith in just the “miracles” that we can see and can’t understand, but in the fact that this is all according the foreknowledge and plan of God. This is what is the certifying factor. God has spoken, promised and then fulfilled His word. It is the proof of the validity of the Gospel that it really was from God. Here even the Angel uses the Words of Jesus to remind them and to show that Jesus died and rose in accordance with the Words of God.

Listen to Peter as he as well tells the scattered believers of this same truth, not just once but twice.

1 Peter 1:22–25 22. Since you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit in sincere love of the brethren, love one another fervently with a pure heart, 23. having been born again, not of corruptible seed but incorruptible, through the word of God which lives and abides forever, 24. because “All flesh is as grass, And all the glory of man as the flower of the grass. The grass withers, And its flower falls away, 25. But the word of the LORD endures forever.” Now this is the word which by the gospel was preached to you. (NKJV)

2 Peter 1:16–21 16. For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. 17. For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” 18. And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. 19. And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; 20. knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, 21. for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. (NKJV)

The Results of this Resurrection

Jesus and the risen saints that appeared to many supply the proof that the Gospel really works. The the judgment account against us for our sins has been cleared and we are free of God’s wrath.

Romans 4:23–25 23. Now it was not written for his sake alone that it was imputed to him, 24. but also for us. It shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead, 25. who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification. (NKJV)

So we have a Living Hope in Christ!

1 Corinthians 15:19–23 19. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, 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. 21. For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive. 23. But each one in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, afterward those who are Christ’s at His coming. (NKJV)

Here is our Living Hope that Peter talked about in 1 Peter 1:3. We are born into eternal life and have this living hope that even when our bodies die and are put in a grave, we will come out of this grave with a new body at the return of Christ.

1 Thessalonians 4:14–17 14. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who sleep in Jesus. 15. For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16. For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. (NKJV)

Application

Have you been born again? Changed be God on the inside, given new life, created as a new creation by Christ Jesus? Do you have a point in life you can look back to and see this change?

Do you have this hope in your hearts that you will be raised for the dead?

Is the certainty of eternal life in Christ drawing you and influencing your ideas and plans?

Is your hope of being with Christ?

It isn’t about a good life in the here-after, but about going to be with our Lord and Savior.

As 1 Thes. 4:17 said “And thus we shall always be with the Lord” Is that your hope.

If not…

Seek the Lord while He may be found.

He has risen and those who believe and trust in Him have partaken of the life already. Praise the Lord, He is Risen.