4-16-2017 Resurrection Sunday Luke 24:1-12
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Intro:
Everyone knows that when it comes to empty promises, politicians have a monopoly. A couple months ago, I pointed out a few from the Obama campaign like how Obama promised that he would "Allow Americans to buy their medicines from other developed countries if the drugs are safe and prices are lower outside the U.S." An empty promise. And then I mentioned a couple outlandish claims from our current president’s inaugural speech like “America will start winning again, winning like never before. ... We will bring back our wealth. And we will bring back our dreams.” Only time will tell with Trump’s promises, but we might do well to bank on it being one of many empty promises in a long standing tradition of presidential unfaithfulness.
Today, I stand here to tell you of an “empty” promise. In fact, it is the greatest “empty” promise ever made! Unlike with our presidents, this is a fulfilled promise—the empty tomb promise!
Last week and on Wednesday night, we followed the account given in the Gospel of Luke so let’s start this blessed morning with Luke 24:1-12
1 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. 5 And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” 8 And they remembered his words, 9 and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. 10 Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, 11 but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. 12 But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened.
My goal today is to celebrate with you what Christ's resurrection means to us. I want to explore with you some depth to the magnitude of the Resurrection with the result that you leave here shouting out in joy (or t least almost shouting) and in happiness over Christ's wonderful work. Also, I want to remind you of how critical Jesus' bodily resurrection is to us. I sincerely hope that at the end of this service, you'll have no other reaction but rejoicing and praising God with authentic happiness and gratitude. To help show the incredible weight and glory of the Messiah’s resurrection, let’s take a look back to the passage we read together in the congregational reading in 1 Corinthians 15. We read vv.1-8 already, but Paul did not address this specifically to Grace Baptist Church, originally he wrote to a troubled church. They had many problems in the Corinthian Church:
Divisions (1:10-Ch. 2)
Carnality (Chs. 3-4)
Immorality & Arrogance (Lawsuits against other believers) (Chs 5-6)
Self-Centeredness (Ch11)
Doubt (Ch. 15)
Their Theological Problem they faced was a society discarding the foundations of the Gospel.
Chapter 1 - Christ's Crucifixion powerless to the mighty Greco-Roman Empire
Chapter 15 - Christ's Resurrection was, not only rejected, but actually repulsive
Some in the Church of Corinth were into the popular Greek philosophy of their time which taught that the body (being Physical) was bad (everything physical was bad) and the best solution is to shed the physical body with death, so the idea of Christ's physical resurrection and eventually the believers' physical resurrection did not sit well with pop culture. Take note how in any point of history, there is a tenant (or more) of the Gospel that the mainstream society rejects. But the resurrection is what Paul says is important now for their church, but why? Why is it so important? Liberal Theologians are quick to throw out the resurrection because it is so hard to believe and the world cannot fathom an actual dead person coming back to life. Should we de-emphasize or even forget the Resurrection altogether for the sake of better reception of Christianity—to make it more believable? NO! but why?
Now look to verse 12
1 Corinthians 15:12–15
12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised.
1The "vain" word there in Greek is kenos meaning foolish, without purpose; or untrue (Louw-Nida)
Paul obviously thinks the Resurrection is very important to believers!
Okay then, what exactly happened at Christ's resurrection?
Well…First,
The Resurrection Happened
The Resurrection Happened
It was preceded by suffering and death -- The Cross
It took place on the first day of the week (all 4 gospels confirm)
It was announced by angels (Mt 28:5-6 pp Mk 16:5-6 pp Lk 24:4-6)
The disciples were reluctant to believe it (in all 4 Gospels)
The disciples saw the evidence and were ultimately convinced to the point of giving up their lives!
The risen Christ appeared to many people-- as we saw with the congregational reading today
The resurrection was followed by Christ’s entry into glory (1Cor 15:24-29)
Transition:
It happened! now let’s us consider some other aspects of the resurrection.
The Resurrection had to Happen
The Resurrection had to Happen
First the resurrection had to happen because…
Christ’s resurrection fulfilled many promises
Christ’s resurrection fulfilled many promises
Promises By the OT Prophets-- look back at verse three in 1 Corinthians 15:3- "in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures"
What Scriptures? Luke agree with Paul and answers this in the Book all about the impact of Christ's resurrection: ACTS Acts 2:25-35 (Peter's sermon at Pentecost; he quotes from Ps.16:8–11 & Ps 110:1) “For David says concerning [Jesus]...
25 For David says concerning him, “ ‘I saw the Lord always before me, for he is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; 26 therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope. 27 For you will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let your Holy One see corruption. 28 You have made known to me the paths of life; you will make me full of gladness with your presence.’ 29 “Brothers, I may say to you with confidence about the patriarch David that he both died and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 30 Being therefore a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him that he would set one of his descendants on his throne, 31 he foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh see corruption. 32 This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. 33 Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. 34 For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he himself says, “ ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at my right hand, 35 until I make your enemies your footstool.” ’
God cannot break His promises to David and so He must raise the Messiah from the dead to fulfill them.
Acts 13:34-35 (quoted from Isa. 55:3 and we see Psalm 16:10 again)
34 And as for the fact that he raised him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, he has spoken in this way, “ ‘I will give you the holy and sure blessings of David.’ 35 Therefore he says also in another psalm, “ ‘You will not let your Holy One see corruption.’
Again, God cannot break His promises to David and must raise the Messiah from the dead to fulfill them.
Then in Acts 26 Paul on trial before King Agrippa and testifies that he is saying nothing but what the prophets and Moses said would happen: "that the Christ must suffer and that, by being the first to rise from the dead, he would proclaim light both to our people and to the Gentiles.”
Promises By Jesus himself concerning his resurrection
Mark 10:32-34 Jesus telling the disciples the third time already in Mark’s account (cf. Mark 8:31 & 9:30) about His Death AND promises his resurrection
John 2:18–19
18 So the Jews said to him, “What sign do you show us for doing these things?” 19 Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”
then John explains that the temple is Jesus' body therefore promising He will be resurrected.
With these promises, the resurrection had to happen. Next the resurrection occurred because…
The Resurrection had to Really have Happened
The Resurrection had to Really have Happened
Christ’s resurrection demonstrated God’s power
Christ’s resurrection demonstrated God’s power
Romans 1:4 “and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord,”
The power of Christ is demonstrated by resurrecting others
Lazarus John 11:40-44
40 Jesus said to her, “Did I not tell you that if you believed you would see the glory of God?” 41 So they took away the stone. And Jesus lifted up his eyes and said, “Father, I thank you that you have heard me. 42 I knew that you always hear me, but I said this on account of the people standing around, that they may believe that you sent me.” 43 When he had said these things, he cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come out.” 44 The man who had died came out, his hands and feet bound with linen strips, and his face wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, “Unbind him, and let him go.”
Christ at the Cross in Matt 27:50-53 “And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened. And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many.”
We could turn to even more passages of Christ's resurrection power: Luke 7:22 pp Matt 11:4-5 See also Matt 9:23-25 pp Mrk 5:38-42; Luke 7:14-15;
So we see that the resurrection is promises fulfilled and as a demonstration of God's power. Additionally let us explore how…
Christ’s resurrection is central to Christianity
Christ’s resurrection is central to Christianity
As the foundation of our faith
As the foundation of our faith
Romans 10:9 which I am sure most of you know "if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."
9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
Then in our passage this morning (1Cor 15:14) Other passages: Acts 3:15; 4:33; 2 Timothy 2:8; Hebrews 6:1-2
14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.
As the basis of our justification
As the basis of our justification
It is the bases of our right standing before God!
Romans 4:25 “who was delivered up [Jesus] for our trespasses and raised for our justification.”
Romans 8:34 “Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.”
As the core of our hope
As the core of our hope
Acts 24:15 “having a hope in God, which these men themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust.” This Hope is that we all --both believers and non believers--will be resurrected in a physical body, except the non believer won't be rejoicing at this time!
Think of how this BLESSED Hope carries us through in times of a death of a loved one which unbeliever cannot share. Look further down in our passage in 1 Cor. 15:54-57
54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 55 “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Then, going back to Peter at Pentecost in Acts 2:24, Peter says:
24 God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.
JESUS IS GREATER THAN DEATH not even death can stop our Savior!!!
As the proof of believers’ resurrection
As the proof of believers’ resurrection
11 If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.
our physical bodies will receive life after death!!
Transition:
Not just promises fulfilled, a powerful demonstration, and the foundation of Christianity, but finally, we'll look at how…
The Resurrection Really, Really Happened
The Resurrection Really, Really Happened
Christ’s resurrection is easily defended from common attacks both then and now -- (it is no secret that I have a passion for apologetics)
The resurrection confirmed Jesus, the Christ, as God John calls Jesus’ miracles “signs” throughout his gospel and the resurrection John 20:30-31 is the climax "sign" that Jesus IS God, confirming his identity beyond all doubt; Other passages Rom 1:4; Acts 13:33, Hebrews 1 and 5 all quote Psalm 2:7 showing that God declared Jesus: Son of God
The resurrection is confirmed by the date It happened on a day that one can easily point to in history (it is datable, not fictional, not imagined) As mentioned in our Luke passage earlier, Christ raised on a Sunday-- the First day of the week! It is actually the reason we corporately worship together on Sundays--because the resurrection happened on the first day of the week!
The resurrection is confirmed by the empty tomb The disciples couldn’t lie about that since the tomb was right outside of Jerusalem, where anyone could just walk to take a peak for themselves. Sure, unbelievers try to explain away the empty tomb, but all the explanations crumble under scrutiny, whether uttered then or today.
The resurrection is confirmed by many witness Go back to our passage in 1 Cor. 15:5–11 The various appearances of the risen Christ are offered as proof. His appearance to Peter (15:5a) His appearance to the apostles with Thomas absent (15:5b) His appearance to the 500 (15:6) His appearance to James, (15:7a) His appearance to the apostles with Thomas present (15:7b) And finally, His appearance to Paul (15:8–11) just in this one passage alone
Do you think that Paul could write this in AD 55, so soon after the resurrection--around 20 years-- if it were a lie? Even Paul points out that most the 500 are still alive! And they could confirm sightings of the risen Christ if questioned.
His appearance was in the FLESH -- He was not a ghost or imagined Luke 24:37-39 - Post Resurrection, Jesus shows them he's FLESH & BONES John 20:27- Doubting Thomas touches Christ
The resurrection is confirmed by the radically changed disciples They went from their witness defeated right after Christ's death to still undefeated today across the globe. What man would ever die for what he knew to be a lie? Islamist extremists blow themselves up for a lie, but that is because they wholeheartedly believe a lie. The Disciples died for what they believed…the truth Peter went from denying Christ, then hiding from the Jewish officials: to preaching boldly at Pentecost in front of the Jewish officials (blaming them for killing God's Son), to eventually hanged upside-down on a cross.
So What?
So What?
So what does the resurrection me to us, here, now? So what if The doctrine of the resurrection was under attack back in Corinth in AD 55. It is attacked, now, here in America. Let's switch to the negative view… What if the Atheists were right, or Muslims, who say Christ was not even on the Cross, that a lookalike was on the Cross? What if they were right that Christ didn’t raise out of the grave? Muslims would be happy if Christians denied the resurrection-- in fact, they are trying to infiltrate Christianity through the new religion Chrislam -- which is Islam's efforts to get us to deny the resurrection. Does Paul entertain this false reality? Look at verse 16 of our passage
1 Corinthians 15:16–19
16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.
We are to be pitied for living our lives in a lie
The following reflection is from the book The Outline Bible The author comments in our passage on how things would be under these conditions of no risen Christ. He says:
"If there is no resurrection, one must be forced to accept the following horrible conclusions:
In regard to the Gospel:
(v13): The Easter story is a lie. --NO HOPE
(v14): Gospel preaching is useless. --Waist of time
(v15): Gospel preachers are all liars.
In regard to believers:
Our trust in God is empty, worthless, and hopeless (v14).
We are still in our sin (v17). --enslaved to sin forever
We are the most miserable of all creatures (v19).
Those who live, suffer, and die for Christ are fools (vv.29–31). --a Waist of their lives
In regard to deceased believers (v18): They are forever dead, never to rise again." -- This is the “hope” of an atheist
What a bleak false reality!
Leave here thankful, glad, joyous that these conclusions are not true…
Paul continues in 1 Cor. 15:20-23
20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ.
God is REAL, Jesus is REAL, and the resurrection did occur just as God said it would happen. Do you now see how important the resurrection is to us?
God created us to be with him.
Our sins separate us from God.
Sins cannot be removed by good deeds. —no church attendance, no baptism, no good behavior will get you to heaven.
Paying the price for sin, Jesus died and rose again.
Everyone who trusts in him alone has eternal life.
Life with Jesus starts now and lasts forever.
The resurrection has occurred: He has risen, He has risen indeed! Praise GOD!
PRAY
With your heads bowed and your eyes closed, who here this morning would say, "I needed this, I needed the reminder of what the resurrection means to me"? May I see your hands?
And again, With your heads bowed and your eyes closed, who here this morning would say, "Josh, I don’t have this joy or this happiness about the resurrection, but I want it, I know I need the resurrection to change me" May I see your hands?
GIVE GOSPEL INVITATION
Christ Died for YOU, not only that, but Christ Rose for YOU to prove to you who he is and prove what He says is true. Jesus Loves you and wants you to enjoy Him
The Deacons and I, here, are willing to introduce you to our Savior TODAY, this is so important to take care of your relationship with Christ today