He Is Not Here, But Is Risen
Notes
Transcript
Opening Comments:
Opening Comments:
Please turn in your Bibles to Luke 24:1-12. If you do not have your own copy of the Bible, you will find one in the rack under a seat near you. Pg. 831.
On Friday evening we read through Luke 22-23 as we followed the Lord from the Upper room, where he observed the passover meal, to the Garden of Gethsemane, to his trials, then the cross and finally the tomb.
Chapter 23 ends on Friday with Jesus beaten, crucified and buried. He was laid in a borrowed tomb by a man named Joseph of Arimathea as a group of Jesus female followers observed. They returned from the grave and began to prepare spices and ointments for Jesus body, but because of the Sabbath day, they were unable to properly take care of Jesus body for burial. So, now, very early on the first day of the week (Sunday), they return to the tomb to wash and anoint the body of Jesus so that he can have a respectful burial.
They came to the tomb sorrowful and heartbroken. They came in love. They came expecting to find death right where they had left it.
But, Luke 24 opens to tell us the grave could not hold Jesus. His resurrection is the single greatest event in history.
You see, if Jesus had remained in the grave, then the cross would have just been the tragic end to the life of a good man. If he stayed in the grave, then sin has not been atoned for, death is not conquered, and the hope christians have preached for thousands of years is just an empty myth.
But, “Up from the grave He rose!”
Follow along as we read God’s living and triumphant word.
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.
Introduction:
Introduction:
We have been moving through the Gospel of Luke verse by verse now as a church since December 4 of 2022. Today marks our 104th time approaching it together. Everything we have read and studied for all that time, has been moving toward this climax.
Chapter by chapter Luke has shown us Jesus as:
The Promised Messiah.
The Son of God.
The Christ.
The One come to seek and to save the lost.
We’ve seen Jesus display his authority over demons, disease, nature, sin and even death itself. We watched as Jesus set his face to go toward Jerusalem knowing what was awaiting him there. We heard him tell his disciples that he would be delivered over, crucified, buried, and raised again on the third day.
But, now Luke brings us to the morning where the sorrow of his disciples gives way to Joy. When the words Jesus had spoken to them along the journey to Jerusalem regarding all that had occured in the last week of his life all come into focus.
As his disciples are confronted with the reality of Jesus resurrection and we’ll unpack their initial response to it.
1.) The reality of Jesus’ resurrection (v.1-7)
1.) The reality of Jesus’ resurrection (v.1-7)
A.) The women came at the first opportunity, expecting death (v.1)
But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared.
Jesus was crucified on Friday, taken down from the cross and buried before Sundown because the Sabbath was about to begin. Jewish people were not allowed to preform any work on the Sabbath, so when these ladies arrive on Sunday morning, they are coming at the very earliest opportunity.
They arrive at early dawn, just as the day is starting to break carrying burial spices.
These spices were likely an ointment consisting of olive oil and aromatic spices. They brought this expecting to take time honoring Jesus in an incredible act of devotion in order to combat the odor of decomposition and keep the body of the Lord fresh for as long as possible. This is sort of like our modern practice of bringing flowers to a grave.
They came expecting to find death, not resurrection. Their hearts are full of love and devotion for Jesus, but their mind is fixed on the grave.
They don’t understand yet that this Sunday morning will be unlike any other morning following a burial.
B.) They found the stone rolled away and the tomb empty (v.2-3)
As they approach the tomb, they expect to find the large stone that was sealed with cord and wax at multiple points, to keep people out, firmly still in place.
And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?”
But that’s not what they found. Instead they found the stone rolled away.
Display Verse, don’t read.
And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb,
So they stoop to enter to check things out and find, that the body of Jesus they expected to anoint, was gone.
Display Verse, don’t read.
but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.
The crucified Christ is no longer in the tomb where he had been placed on Friday.
C.) They were overwhelmed by what they could not explain (v.4-5a)
While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel.
Perplexed- In a confused state of mind. In serious anxiety and consternation. (A sudden, alarming amazement or dread that results in utter confusion, dismay)
Their expectations collided with a reality they weren’t expecting and they just couldn’t process it.
Then they notice two men standing there in dazzling white apparel.
Dazzling- Flashing, gleaming, glistening.
John’s gospel tells us these men were angels. Which explains the first part of v.5
And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground,…
Angelic appearances were not every day occurences. In fact, anytime you see angels in the Bibles they are met with fear; not just for their appearance, but also because they often came bearing bad news and pronouncements of judgment.
But that wasn’t the case here. Notice what they say:
D.) Heaven interpreted the empty tomb (v.5-7)
Their first words are a rebuke wrapped in a question:
…“Why do you seek the living among the dead?
These women had come to the right tomb, but they had a wrong expectation of what they would find.
They were looking for Jesus in the place of the dead but the angels tell them the great declaration that sets Jesus apart from anyone else ever who ever claimed to be God in the flesh.
He is not here, but has risen…
Friends, that is more than poetry or symbolism. It’s not just warm rhetoric the disciples invented to keep the memory of Jesus alive.
It is a declaration of Jesus victory over the grave!
Jesus was betrayed, beaten, bloodied, crucified and buried, but he is no longer in the tomb. He is risen!
And this shouldn’t have been news to them, notice the next words of the angels:
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.”
Jesus told them was going to happen…
saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.”
31 And taking the twelve, he said to them, “See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will be accomplished.
32 For he will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon.
33 And after flogging him, they will kill him, and on the third day he will rise.”
The death of Jesus wasn’t a tragic accident it was the unfolding plan of God to accomplish redemption.
Jesus came to bear the sins of man on the cross and to rise again on the third day.
The angels here are interpreting the empty tomb for these women.
Jesus resurrection means that he is exactly who he claimed to be and that everything he said would happen was accomplished.
They had heard Jesus, they just failed to understand him.
Not unlike many do today when Jesus says repent, and we here …(List typical responses to Jesus)
Application: Friends, the resurrection of Jesus is far more than just a sentimental story that christians tell every spring.
It is the event that proves Christianity as true.
If Jesus is still in the grave, we have no savior.
If Jesus is still in the grave, then the cross did not accomplish redemption.
If Jesus is still in the grave, then sin cant be forgiven and death has the ultimate victory.
But the tomb is empty. Christ is risen. The sacrifice was accepted. Death has been struck down. The gospel we preach is true.
The resurrection is the Father’s vindication of the Son.
It is God’s declaration that Jesus is who He claimed to be, that His sacrifice was accepted, and that His death truly accomplished redemption.
The resurrection stands at the center of our faith.
If Christ is risen, then Christianity is true.
If Christ is risen, then He is Lord.
If Christ is risen, then no one can treat Him as just another figure from history.
If Christ is risen, then we must seek him with our whole heart in order to find salvation.
2.) The response to Jesus’ resurrection (v.8-12)
2.) The response to Jesus’ resurrection (v.8-12)
In v.8 Luke turns our attention from the reality of the resurrection to the response it brought from those who heard it.
A.) The women remembered (v.8)
And they remembered his words,
What they had once misunderstood now became clear; as the truth of Jesus word opened their eyes.
Friends that is how faith works, the truth of God’s word opens our eyes to the reality of who Jesus is.
He is the Christ, the Son of God, the Savior of sinners, and the Lord over death itself.
B.) The women returned and reported (v.9-10)
and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.
Once the women remembered the words of Jesus, they didn’t stay at the tomb.
They returned to where the other followers of Jesus were gathered to report all they had seen and heard.
Application: The truth of the resurrection of Jesus isn’t a truth we are meant to keep for ourselves. It shouldn’t stay buried on our hearts, it is meant to be shared with everyone we come in contact with.
Our job is to point people to the crucified and risen Lord.
C.) The apostles were slow to believe (v.10-11)
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.
Luke names who these women were: Mary Magdalene, Joana, and Mary the Mother of James.
In that culture women were not regarded as the strongest public witnesses.
The disciples seem to think it was an
idle tale- nonsense or foolish talk.
Even after all they had seen and heard in walking with Jesus for 3.5 years, their hearts still stumbled in unbelief.
Application: That is where many sit today when it comes to the reality of who Jesus is.
They admire him. They may respect his teaching. They may even feel drawn to some aspects of christianity. But, when it comes to the resurrection, they hesitate to believe it.
Why?
A dead Jesus can be admired from a distance, but a risen Jesus must be trusted, obeyed.
A dead Jesus can be regarded as religious tradition. But a risen Jesus confronts us in our sin and claims authority over our lives.
A risen Christ can’t just be held in high regard, He must be worshipped as Lord.
Jesus is risen! His claims are true! His promises are true! His warnings are true! The one who died now lives and will one day judge the world in righteousness.
D.) Peter marveled (v.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.
Peter is sitting there carrying his shame from his denial of Christ on Thursday. (Elaborate)
So, when Peter hears the report of these women, he leaps to his feet and runs to the tomb to see for himself.
Then when he gets there he can’t believe what He is seeing. He leaves and returns home marveling
Marveling- Wonder, amazement, astonishment, being overwhelmed.
Conclusion
Conclusion
Luke 24:1-12 brings us to the turning point of the Gospel.
The women come carrying spices for a dead body.
The stone is rolled away.
The tomb is empty.
Two heavenly messengers ask, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?”
The women are reminded of the words Jesus had already spoken.
That is the reality of Jesus’ resurrection.
Then the women remember, return and report all they had seen.
The apostles are slow to believe.
Peter runs and then leaves marveling.
That is the response to Jesus’ resurrection.
And that is where some of you may be sitting today.
You may not have everything sorted out in your mind. You may still have questions. But you also cannot brush Jesus aside any longer.
That is what the resurrection does. It shakes people. It interrupts old assumptions. It brings a person face to face with Christ.
The risen Christ is hope for people who have sinned greatly.
The risen Christ is hope for people who are ashamed.
The risen Christ is hope for people who know they have blown it.
Because Jesus is alive, sin does not have the final word.
Because Jesus is alive, shame does not have the final word.
Because Jesus is alive, death does not have the final word.
Invitation:
Invitation:
If you are here and you do not know Jesus Christ, stop holding Him at a distance.
Stop treating Him as a religious figure to admire from afar every Easter. Stop trusting in your morality, or your good intentions.
Turn from your sin and come to the risen Christ. He died for sinners, He rose again on the third day, and He is alive right now to save all who come to Him in faith.
Repent and believe the gospel. Call out to Him for mercy, and He will save you.
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Christian, if fear has been crowding your heart, remember His words.
If sorrow has been clouding your mind, remember His words.
If shame over past failure has been hanging on you, remember His words.
The Savior you trust isn’t in the grave. He is alive.
So come back to Him with fresh faith. Come back to Him with renewed hope. Come back to Him with worship, obedience, and confidence in the risen Lord.
Prayer:
Prayer:
Father,
Thank You for Your Word and for the truth that Jesus Christ is alive.
For those here today who do not know Him, open their eyes to see their sin and their need for a Savior. Give them grace to turn from their sin and to trust in the crucified and risen Lord Jesus Christ.
And for those of us who do know You, strengthen our faith. When fear rises, remind us that Christ is alive. When sorrow weighs on us, remind us that Christ is alive. When shame and failure trouble our hearts, remind us that Christ is alive.
Draw sinners to repentance. Strengthen Your people with hope. And may all of us leave here today with our eyes fixed on the risen Christ.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.
