Easter Service 2026

The Resurrection

This morning as we come to celebrate and remember what Easter is all about, I want to look at the Resurrection

During Sunrise service we talked about how Joseph and Nicodemus took Jesus body and laid it in a tomb.

The women followers of Jesus had witnessed the placing of Jesus’ body but it was getting to late to prepare the body for burial by anointing it.

Therefore, the first day of the week, which is Sunday the women made their way to the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus.

We seen that when the women got to the tomb the rock had been rolled away from the entrance and the body of Jesus was not in the tomb.

We stopped our text in verse 3 during Sunrise service of Luke 24, but if we continue there we will see what happened to the body.

Luke 24:4–8 NASB95

4 While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men suddenly stood near them in dazzling clothing; 5 and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living One among the dead? 6 “He is not here, but He has risen. Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee, 7 saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.” 8 And they remembered His words,

These two men were angels that were at the tomb to speak to the women.

The angels ask the question, “Why do you seek the living One among the dead?”

The angels tell the women in verse 6 that Jesus had told them that these things were going to happen.

If Jesus had told them these things were going to happen and really He told them multiple times, then why are they looking for Him.

Well Jesus told them but it had never really clicked until they are standing at the empty tomb, and yet they still had some reservations about it all.

Many people have questioned the resurrection of Jesus, and I want us to look at some Scripture about those who witnessed Jesus after His resurrection.

Jesus spent forty days on earth after His resurrection and before ascending to the right hand of the Father.

The Women

We are told in Mark’s account that Mary Magdalene was the first to see Jesus after His resurrection

Mark 16:9 NASB95

9 Now after He had risen early on the first day of the week, He first appeared to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had cast out seven demons.

Mary was someone that had spent a lot of time with Jesus.

After Jesus cast out the demons from her, she began to follow Him.

John gives us an account of what happened and was said when Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene.

John 20:15–18 NASB95

15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing Him to be the gardener, she said to Him, “Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (which means, Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, “Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, ‘I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.’ ” 18 Mary Magdalene came, announcing to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and that He had said these things to her.

When Mary first seen Jesus she though He was the gardener, she did not recognize Him, even though she had been following Him.

In Luke’s account that we looked at earlier we seen that a group of women went to the tomb, and were met by two angels.

In Matthew’s account he records the group of women at the tomb, and they were told to go tell Jesus’ disciples what they have witnessed.

As they are leaving the tomb, they have an encounter with Jesus.

Matthew 28:9–10 NASB95

9 And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and take word to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they will see Me.”

Jesus appears to these women as they are leaving the tomb area.

So we have at least four women here that have witnessed Jesus talking with them after the resurrection.

The Disciples

The Disciples or apostles are more that witnessed Jesus after His resurrection.

Jesus appeared to His disciples numerous times after His resurrection, but one of the times really speaks to me.

Now we remember that before Jesus was arrested, He told Peter, you will deny Me three times before the roster crows.

Like most of us, Peter says, I will not deny You, Lord.

But when Jesus is arrested and people start question weather Peter was one of Jesus’ followers, Peter denies Jesus three times.

Now Jesus has been crucified, buried, and resurrected.

Peter says in John 21:3

John 21:3 NASB95

3 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We will also come with you.” They went out and got into the boat; and that night they caught nothing.

It is like Peter felt he was not able to do ministry any more because he denied Jesus.

Peter returns to the trade he had done his entire life, until he met Jesus, which was fishing.

Continuing in that chapter of John Jesus appears on the shore and calls out to Peter and the others fishing.

Asking if they had caught any fish, which they had not, Jesus tells them to cast on the right-hand-side of the boat.

They catch so many fish they are not able to pull in the net.

Jesus tells them to bring some of the fish and have breakfast.

We then come to Jesus’ interaction with Peter and remember that Peter denied Jesus three times.

John 21:15–17 NASB95

15 So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Tend My lambs.” 16 He said to him again a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” He said to Him, “Yes, Lord; You know that I love You.” He said to him, “Shepherd My sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, “Do you love Me?” And he said to Him, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You.” Jesus said to him, “Tend My sheep.

Here we hear Jesus ask Peter three times do you love me, to me this was Jesus’ way of saying I forgive you, and I am not done with you.

The Crowd

We have seen Jesus appeared to a group of women, the disciples, and now we are going to hear about others that He appeared to.

Paul speaks of those that witnessed Jesus after His resurrection.

1 Corinthians 15:3–8 NASB95

3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; 7 then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; 8 and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.

The first person Paul says that Jesus appeared to was Cephas which is Peter, and then the twelve, which is a reference to the apostles.

Then we are told that Jesus appeared to five hundred brethren at one time.

This was a large crowd that Jesus appeared to, the crowd Paul says was five hundred brethren.

Then Jesus appeared to James, this is the half-brother of Jesus.

James did not believe that Jesus was the Messiah during Jesus’ earthly ministry, but now that He has died, was buried, and now resurrected, when He appears to James, he then believes.

Paul states that Jesus appeared last to one untimely born, as he is referring to himself.

Paul was the persecutor of the church but had been called by the risen Lord Jesus to be an apostle.

I mentioned in the begin of this message that there are many that question Jesus’ resurrection.

This is not a new thing, and Paul addresses it to the church at Corinth.

As some in the Corinthian church did not believe in the resurrection.

1 Corinthians 15:13–19 NASB95

13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; 14 and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain. 15 Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised. 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 worthless; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.

If Jesus did not rise from the dead, if the tomb is not empty, then we as Christians are the most to be pitied.

Therefore, we must believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, our faith is grounded on the fact that the tomb is empty.

The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus are essential truths of the gospel.

Through the sacrificial substitutionary death and resurrection of the God-man Jesus Christ, all those who place their faith in Him are forgiven of their sins, reconciled to God, adopted as His children, and receive eternal life.

Sinners can be saved.

This is the good news that the church is called to proclaim to the world.

We should celebrate the empty tomb every day, but today as we remember what Jesus did for us, we must be excited, and celebrate the resurrection of out Lord and Savior.