Jesus has Risen
Notes
Transcript
Last week when we left off we had looked at the death of Jesus. The followers of Jesus felt like it was over. They laid His body in the tomb. They saw the stone rolled in front of the tomb. There were guards placed in front of the tomb. They felt like it was completed and their wonderful master had died.
However, what they didn’t know was Sunday was coming. Sunday was just a couple of days later. They laid Him in the tomb that Friday afternoon. They would not go back to the tomb until Sunday because Saturday was the Sabbath. They would have to rest.
Luke chapter 24 gives us a look into what they found when they arrived at the tomb that Sunday morning.
1 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.
2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb,
3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.
4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them.
5 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?
6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee:
7 ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ”
8 Then they remembered his words.
9 When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others.
10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles.
11 But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense.
12 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.
I am amazed that they can’t believe all that happened. They had walked with Jesus. They had heard Him teach about these events. They knew this was happening. I think part of it is in their grief they couldn’t think of anything else. Their grief made nothing make since.
I believe that is how we get sometimes. We allow our grief and our hurt to cloud our judgment. We allow those things to distract us from what God is wanting to do in us. We can’t let those things get in the way of what God is wanting to do. It is so important that we follow the will that God has laid out for us. We have to take the steps that God has ordered for us to walk in.
13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem.
14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened.
15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them;
16 but they were kept from recognizing him.
17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” They stood still, their faces downcast.
18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”
19 “What things?” he asked. “About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people.
20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him;
21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place.
22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning
23 but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive.
24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”
25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken!
26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?”
27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther.
29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.
30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them.
31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.
32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
The Emmaus story is something of importance for each of us to understand. Of course, Cleopas and the other person walking did not know who they were talking to until Jesus opened their eyes. But these two individuals took the opportunity to tell this stranger the story of that day. What they didn’t realize they were telling was a story that each of us needs to know so that we can tell everyone that we come in contact with. The story they were telling was the Jesus story. The story they were telling was the greatest story of all time. They took a moment to tell this stranger about the life of a man that came to save the world. This story has blossomed over the years. We had more and more details, but it is the greatest story ever told.
It is important that you learn the Jesus story. If you don’t know this story, figure out a way that you can tell it. We must get this story out there. There is hope to every person that hears this story. What they do with the story is not up to you. It is up to them. It is not your responsibility to make them believe. All you can do is tell the story. We have to stop worrying about what is right and wrong and make our focus about the story of Jesus that He came to save the world.
If you will tell the story and then let the Holy Spirit bring the conviction for a life change. Just tell the story that Jesus saves. Tell the story that Jesus lives.
So, these two people get up and go to tell the disciples what happened.
33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together
34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.”
35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.
36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
37 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost.
38 He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds?
39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”
40 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet.
41 And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?”
42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish,
43 and he took it and ate it in their presence.
44 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”
45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.
46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day,
47 and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
48 You are witnesses of these things.
49 I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
So, Jesus appears to the disciples to let them know that it is okay. He wanted them to know that everything that the Scriptures had spoke about was fulfilled. He reminds them that He will send to them what the Father has promised.
This promise was the baptism of the Holy Spirit. In a couple of weeks we will go into more detail on what happened. It is a promise for all believers. God sent the Holy Spirit here to be with us. It isn’t something to be afraid of, but we must embrace the Holy Spirit and allow Him to walk with us.
50 When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them.
51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven.
52 Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.
53 And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.
They began to understand that just because Jesus had left, their mission wasn’t over. Jesus was just starting. Something new and exciting was about to take place. We would see the birth of the church. That is where we are today. We are the church and we are to continue what Jesus had started.
As the church we should be thankful to Jesus for coming and saving us. As we take communion this morning, we need to remember that Jesus came to save us. If you did not receive a cup and wafer this morning, raise your hand and an usher will bring you one.
23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread,
24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.”
26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
