He's Alive!!!

The Victory of the Empty Tomb

Bible Passage: Lk 24:1–12, Mt 28:1–15, Mk 16:1–13

1. Unexpected Joy and Hope

Luke 24:1–7 NKJV

Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’ ”

The women came prepared to deal with a body broken and bruised. Remember, people were not able to identify Jesus as a man He was so badly beaten. And now they believe that He has been sitting in the grave since Friday.

Body tissue begins to break down. It begins to smell. That is why the women have brought all the spices. They were consumed with what they saw not with what they heard Jesus say before he came into Jerusalem.

Just imagine the roller coaster of emotion. your traveling to the tomb heavy hearted to prepared the body of the Lord and as you arrive your find the stone rolled away! Your heart is filled with fear thinking someone has stolen the body of the man you love! But when you enter what you find are holy visitors reminding you of what Jesus said. Now your heart is filled with a mixture of hope and joy.

If this is true then that means the other things He said about heaven and the kingdom of God are true. Right? What He said about our hopeless situations being transformed when we bring them to Jesus is true? It’s a new day Dawning! Hope is arising!

2. Transformative Faith

Luke 24:8–12 NKJV

And they remembered His words. Then they returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them, who told these things to the apostles. And their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them. But Peter arose and ran to the tomb; and stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying by themselves; and he departed, marveling to himself at what had happened.

Jesus revealed himself to the women first. I don’t believe because they tend to believe faster then men but I believe it is because He was showing that they also have value in the kingdom of God. In that time period women were not seen to have much value but more of a possession.

We all need to grow in our relationship with God and take him at his word. Just as they marveled at His resurrection we marvel at what He says about us and what or who we are as His children. We argue when He says we are forgiven or free. We disagree when He says we are healed or stand in His righteousness, power or authority.

You look at me as if “I don’t do that!” You do when you fail to take action or stand on the truth of God’s word. It shows in your words and actions of your heart.

3. No Fear in His Victory

Let’s hear the story from another disciple

Matthew 28:1–7 NKJV

Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men. But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.”

Jesus has defeated the enemy! Death and the grave are vanquished. We can live courageously knowing Jesus has gone before us and secured our victory and future. We can live boldly and faithfully without fear because Jesus broke all the chains of fear and bondage. He rose from the grave just as He said He would. And because it happened that means everything else He said will come to pass! We have nothing to fear!

The angel rolled away the stone from Jesus’ tomb, not to let the living Lord out but to let the unconvinced outsiders in.

Donald Grey Barnhouse (American Minister)

4. Standing Firm in Truth

Matthew 28:8–15 NKJV

So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word. And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!” So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.” Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened. When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, saying, “Tell them, ‘His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.’ And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will appease him and make you secure.” So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.

I like this version. I would of been so excited to see Jesus I would of wanted to touch him! I would of raced everyone back to the others. There will always be those who will argue with you about the truth. But they can’t argue with you about what you have experienced with Jesus. Your testimony of how Jesus changed your life. The truth of that they can’t argue with. They couldn’t stop the truth from spreading around the world. Here we are 1,993 years later still talking about His resurrection. I don’t hear the story about them stealing the body as much as i hear about His resurrection. stand firm in the truth of the gospel, even when faced with opposition or doubt. Strengthen your resolve to remain steadfast, recognizing that Christ's victory remains even when it's challenged by disbelief.

Let’s look at another disciples version

5. Go and Tell: Our Mission

Mark 16:1–7 NKJV

Now when the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him. Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. And they said among themselves, “Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?” But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away—for it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. But go, tell His disciples—and Peter—that He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, as He said to you.”

We need to continue “go and tell.” The women received a directive to share the news with the disciples, modeling the responsibility of sharing the gospel in the power of Christ. We need to embrace our role in God's mission, spreading news of His love and power that transforms lives. The time is short to seize opportunities to testify about Jesus' healing and life-giving power in their lives.

6. Amazed by His Power

Mark 16:8–13 NKJV

So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb, for they trembled and were amazed. And they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid. Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons. She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept. And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe. After that, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country. And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either.

You can imagine the emotions of fear and amazement associated with encountering the risen Christ. The thought that there is a creator that would love us so much that He would send His Son to pay the price for our sin and then bring Him back to life again so that we could have an eternal relationship with Him challenges our normal expectations and invites radical belief.

He doesn’t want to leave you here bound and chained in darkness alone and full of fear. He doesn’t want anyone like that. He wants to love you, set you free and have you move beyond safe assumptions and embrace the awe-inspiring reality of Christ's power over death, bringing you into a life of worship and witness with renewed zeal and joy. He wants to radically save you and change your life.