The Promise of a Risen Christ

This week, we observe Holy Week, also known as Passion Week. It is not a week of mourning, nor a week limited to Easter Egg Hunts and candy; it is much more than that. No one says we shouldn’t celebrate, but we must understand the reason for our celebration. Children, Youth, Young Adults, let's examine and explore what happened on this day. Join me on this biblical journey through Luke 24:1-12.

The author of this book is Luke. Luke gives us his account of what occurred at dawn on the first day of the week. We know the first day of the week is a Holy Day (Sunday). Why is this so? I’m glad you asked. The story introduces three women. Scriptural evidence supports that these were three Galilean women who had followed Jesus during his teachings, his ministries, and up to his crucifixion.

The setting of this passage of Scripture is in Galilee at the burial site of Jesus. Go back with me to Luke 12:3-4, these women headed to the tomb to bring fragrances of oil and spices. This was where they had seen Joseph of Arimathea carry Jesus' body from the cross and place him in there. The fragrance they brought was embalming oil, used to anoint a dead body and preserve it for proper burial. When they came upon the tomb, the women noticed the stone had been rolled away. When they entered, to their surprise, Jesus’ body was not there. The scripture mentions that they were perplexed. From out of nowhere, two men in glistening garments appeared. Dazzled by it all, the women fell face down, afraid to look up. Then those angelic voices addressed them: Why do you look for the living among the dead? At this point in the text, before they bowed, these women were in a state of confusion, so we find that;

1. There was confusion at the tomb. (Luke 24:3-4)

What was so perplexing about this? What could have happened? What could they do? How could they stand the loss of his body in addition to losing him to death?

Have you ever been confused about something you were expecting to see, but something else happened? Has someone ever told you what to expect, but you never thought it would happen? Listen even more closely to the events at this time. The angels then went on to tell the women, Mary Magdalene, Mary the Mother of James, Joanna, and other women who had followed them that Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of the sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.

This scripture is evidence of another amazing event that was taking place at this tomb, When we look closely at Luke 24:6-7 you will discover that;

1. There was a promise kept from the tomb. (Luke 24:6-7)

They then remembered the things that Jesus said and knew that these were promises; the things in his ministry would be true as they faithfully followed him in Galilee in Luke chapter 8. When Jesus taught during his ministry, he conveyed everything his father spoke to him. Jesus is a man who cannot lie; everything he says is true. So, if he said he would be betrayed, be crucified by the chief priests, elders, and scribes, and then rise on the third day, God diligently keeps his promises to us. The angels told the women that He was not here but had risen.

These women were the first witnesses to the empty tomb and the first to believe in the resurrection, even though they didn’t see Christ resurrected. They were the first to believe in the promise of the Risen Christ. This is a testament to the covenantal promises that were kept from the tomb.

Remember, so far, we know that there was confusion at the tomb; now, there was a promise kept from the tomb.

Then they returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven and all the rest. To the apostles and the rest of the people, their words seemed like idle tales (folk tales, myths, or made-up stories), and they did not believe. At this point, do you feel like this? Do you think that Jesus can be a man of his word? Can you believe that Jesus ensured that women witnessed the empty tomb and were excited to go and witness to everyone that what Jesus said was true? Now, what does this tell us about Peter’s witness and other apostles who followed Christ? Because This indicates to me that for Peter,

2. There was doubt on the way to the tomb. (Luke 24:11)

Peter is the same disciple who had already denied Jesus. You will learn that many of the other disciples had their doubts about this resurrected Savior, even when he preached this to them in Luke 9:22. The disciples, like the women, had ignored Jesus’ passion predictions. They had no expectations of resurrection. The disciples had not seen or heard the “men” in the tomb. They did not even think about the resurrection and renewed fellowship with Jesus.

Have you doubted this story of the Promise of a Risen Christ? Did you find it kind of strange that someone could die one day and the whole body be missing another day? You must remember this is the miracle given to us on Christmas Day. It was already predicted that this Messiah was coming to do great things for us. So why would this resurrection be any surprise to you? God allowed his son to be beaten all night long, mocked, they nailed his hands and feet, and pierced his side to a tree. It is a tree because in ancient times, you couldn’t go to Lowe's, get a piece of wood, and make it into a cross. They cut trees down to make this cross and had Jesus to carry his own cross. It was on that cross he carried my sins and yours. Isaiah says that he was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon him. But with his stripes we are healed. That means this Risen Christ paid the price so we can wake up daily with a brand-new start. This is called salvation. He was our sacrifice. He is our savior. The Risen Savior.

Remember There was confusion in the tomb, there was a promise that Jesus kept from the tomb, now there was doubt on the way to the tomb….

Now, Peter was known to be an inquisitive person, He wanted to see for himself. So, Peter departed, marveling at himself at what had happened. The two “men” did not appear to Peter, which set him wondering about what could have happened. No one would remove the wrappings and then steal the body. Only a person needing to walk away would remove the clothes. Could the woman’s story be true? This should only give us our last point of the day, that

3. There was confirmation on the way from the tomb (Luke 24:12)

On the way from the tomb, we know that Jesus ended the confusion, kept his promise, removed all doubt, and left the clothes there as confirmation of a risen Christ. Jesus Christ paid it all on Christ and then stayed there all day Saturday and all night Saturday night, but the grave couldn’t hold him down because, just like the women and Peter found out, we have a Risen Christ just like He promised.