Celebration at the Sepulcher

Luke 24:1-9

If you brought your bibles turn with me over to the gospel of Luke chapter twenty -four. The Gospel of Luke chapter twenty four, and we are going to begin by reading verses 1-9, of the Gospel of Luke twenty -four

We are going to talk about the journey of the women to the sepulcher on resurrection Sunday, is an example of the journey of every believer to Jesus Christ.

Luke 24:1–9 KJV

Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet 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. And they remembered his words, And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest.

Let’s pray together,

Father, we thank you for today. We thank you for all that you have done and accomplished for us through the finished work of Your Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Father, what a blessing it is to gather together and be reminded of the power of the resurrection. Lord we thank you that the tomb is empty and the Savior is risen.

I pray for the next few minutes we would be focused on what this story teaches us about you and what You want us to learn about ourselves.

Lord bless our time together with Your presence and Your Spirit!!

In Jesus name, Amen!!

Today, is Easter Sunday and we are celebrating the resurrection our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, and for many of us this is a very familiar story. Sometimes to familiar and we begin to take for granted the lessons it teaches us.

For example, I am certainly thankful for the sacrifice Jesus made when He died on the cross, because if He had not been willing to die, there would be no forgiveness, and we would still be condemned in our sin.

However, if the cross had been the end of the story, then Jesus would have been like all the others who died before Him. And If Jesus had remained in the grave, then we today would have no hope of a resurrection, or eternal life ourselves.

But the resurrection of Jesus separates Him from all others. All others remained in the grave after they died, but not Jesus. Jesus came forth victorious over death, and it is through the triumph of the resurrection that we as the children of God can have confidence of life beyond this world, and of an eternity spent with Christ in heaven!!

As I began to think about how I would teach this very familiar passage of scripture. I thought about the sorrow we see in this story. I have no doubt it was a difficult time for everyone who believed in Jesus as the Christ, the Messiah who was sent from God.

Their hopes would have been shattered as they watched Jesus die on the cross. Their hearts would have been broken as they saw His lifeless body taken down and placed in the tomb. But their spirits would have soared when they discovered He was alive!!

Our text this morning tells us about the journey of Mary Magdalene and the other women who accompanied her to the sepulcher. Their journey that faithful morning is an example of the journey of all believers as they come to know Christ as their Lord and Savior.

As we look at this passage again, we are going to see four phases of their journey, and consider the Celebration of the Sepulcher!!

The first thing I want you to see is, it was;

I. A Time of Dread Vs. 1-4

Can you imagine how these women felt? Like any of us, headed to the graveside to visit a loved one we have just lost, their hearts were heavy, and they were grieving.

Look at Vs. 1, “Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared,

Luke emphasizes, the fact, this took place on the first day of the week, and that is important for us, because it would change the day of worship forever.

No longer would God’s people gather together and worship on the Sabbath (Friday sundown until Saturday sundown)but now, the early church began to meet on Sunday morning, the first day of the week, because that’s when Jesus rose again. And we continue that tradition today.

Vs. 2 says, And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.

In Mark’s version of the story, chapter 16. He emphasizes the size of this stone and tells us, the women were worried, as they walked along, talking with each other about who would move the stone for them when they arrived at the tomb.

This would have been a huge, round stone, rolled into a groove in front of the tomb. It have would have taken several strong men to roll that stone away.

Matthew 28, tells us there was an earthquake and an angel descended from heaven and rolled the stone away.

Luke simply tells us, when the women arrived, they found the stone had already been moved!!

That is important for us to understand because what we see is; the biggest obstacle these women faced was this stone, and it was already taken care of by God.

God went ahead of them and removed the obstacle they faced. And God will do the same thing in your life. He asks us to trust Him with our life and leave the details up to Him.

Notice Vs. 3 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

Jesus was no longer there, and Contrary to popular belief the stone was not rolled away for the Lord Jesus to come out of the tomb, but the stone was removed so the women could go in.

A resurrected Jesus didn’t need the stone moved. He could have walked right through the stone, but it was important for the women to go in, because they would become the first witnesses of the empty tomb.

Vs. 4 continues, “And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments.”

If there is any doubt in our mind about who these two men are in shinning garments, Vs. 23 makes it clear; they were angels.

(pause)

Now, I want you to Imagine the agony these women have endured waiting for the opportunity to take care of the body of Jesus.

These faithful women had stood at the foot of the cross. They had heard the words Jesus spoke. They had witnessed the great suffering He endured. They watched as He breathed His last breath, and was willing to give His life in death.

They saw His lifeless body taken down from the cross. They probably even accompanied His body to the tomb. Where they saw the stone rolled over the entrance.

Now, Sunday morning has arrived. The women are making their way to the tomb, bringing with them the spices they needed to anoint the body of Jesus.

One thing that stands out to me is, they were not expecting life. They weren’t expecting a resurrection.

Jesus had told them on three separate occasions that He would rise again, and Jesus was clear about what He said. He said, He would be handed over to the Romans. He will be crucified and buried, and on the third day He will rise again. There is no mistaking that.

Yet these women were not expecting to find an empty tomb!! But it’s not just the women, the men didn’t expect it either. When the women finally tell the disciples what happened Luke 24:11 tells us, “But these words appeared to them as nonsense, and they would not believe them.

Think about what that means; That means what God has done for us doesn’t depend on our ability to understand it.

God’s ability to save us is greater than our ability to comprehend it. That means; God’s saving work in my life doesn’t depend on me.

That is important, because there are times in my life that I forget who I am in Christ. There are times I fail to do what I am supposed to do. I am bothered by the fact that there are times when my mind is disconnected from my heart, and I lose my love for God.

I am so grateful that the work of God in my life does not depend on me, but on the Son of God who saved me.

(pause)

The women in our story, were heading to the cemetery to provide a proper burial for Jesus. There was nothing joyful or jubilant about their journey.

I am sure we can all relate to the journey these women are on so far. They were dealing with death is a natural part of life. But, I think we see a greater spiritual truth in their journey up to this point.

Prior to coming to Jesus and being delivered from our sin, and reconciled to God. We are all on the same path these women are on.

It’s a path that leads to the cemetery. It is a path of no hope of life, or peace. Our lives are filled with doubt, and we have no assurance of our future.

Just like these women we wondered where life would lead us, and how we would endure. Death seemed to be the only inevitable outcome, and the only thing we could expect in the end.

So, the first thing we see in this story is; a time of dread. These women were broken hearted and mourning the loss of their beloved Savior.

The next thing I want you to see in this passage is it was:

II. A Time of Discovery Vs. 5-6a

These women were shocked by what they discovered at the sepulcher.

Look at the beginning of Vs. 5 “And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth.”

Of course they were afraid!! You can imagine anyone would be afraid to meet angels at a tomb.

But the word afraid here, just doesn’t do it justice. This word means they were terrified. They were shocked and stunned by what they saw.

But as shocked as they were by the sight of these two angels, it is nothing compared to what they heard them say.

Notice the end of Vs. 5 and the beginning of Vs. 6, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen.”

The phrase, but is risen literally means He has been raised from the dead, resurrected!! This is the greatest Surprise of their life.

Knowing what these women had gone through, the angels questioned, why are you here? What are you doing seeking the living among the dead. In other words, the sepulcher is no place to find someone who is alive.

They were sharing the good news with these women, that Jesus was no longer in the grave, but He had risen victoriously in life, conquering hell and death.

This has to be one of the most profound statements in all of scripture. “”He is not here but He is risen. At this moment the women began to process the good news they recieved.

Jesus was alive!! And there is no doubt their dread began to be replaced with hope and joy. They are confronted with the good news of the gospel.

There was a time in my life when I reached this same place in the journey. A time when I was confronted by the gospel and for the first time I learned Jesus was alive!!

There was a time when I realized I could be saved, delivered from sin, forgiven and set free. A time when I realized that being a follower of Jesus Christ wasn’t about serving the memory of a man who lived a long time ago, and did great things. But it was about serving the One True God, who had conquered hell and death and rose in victory.

I pray that has happened in your life. I pray that you have had that amazing day when you came to realize for the first time, that serving Jesus is about being raised to new life. And that by following Him in faith you too, can experience the power of the resurrection.

2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come.”

Are you a new creature in Christ today? Has your life been changed by a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ?

So, the second thing we see in this story is, it was a time of discovery. These women made a couple of shocking discoveries at the sepulcher.

First they were shocked by what the angels said, and then they were shocked the Savior was alive!!

The third thing I want you to see in this passage is;

III. A Time of Deliverance Vs. 6b-8

Because Jesus was delivered from the grave we too can be delivered.

“remember how he spake unto you when he was yet 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. And they remembered his words.”

What we see here is; The angels reminding these women of what Jesus had told them. He warned them He would be betrayed and handed over to sinful men.

He told them He would be crucified and die, but that His death would not be the end. He promised them He would rise again.

With that the women remembered His words. They realized He had done exactly what He predicted He would do. He had in fact, conquered death and could not be held in the tomb.

Think about the sense of peace, and power, and assurance that gave them in that moment. They probably didn’t understand it all and what the resurrection meant for them, but they eventually would.

They would eventually come to realize that by believing in Jesus, and following Him by faith, they too would be delivered from the grip of death. They too would rise again to eternal life!!

The point is; Jesus had conquered death and all who come to Him in repentance and faith will be delivered from death as well.

I am reminded of the story of Lazarus. Whom Jesus raised from the dead. Jesus wept at his tomb and then called him from the grave. His words were not merely powerful in that moment but a promise for all believers.

Just like Lazarus we too will hear the voice of God and be raised to life again.

Just like the caterpillar is transform into the butterfly. When you put your faith in Jesus Christ you are transformed from death to life!! That is Christ’s promise to the believer.

For example, He promises in John 11:25 “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies,”

He promises in Romans 6:5 “For if we have become united with Him in the likeness of His death, certainly we shall also be in the likeness of His resurrection,”

And finally 1 Peter 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,”

The point is; our faith in Jesus Christ transforms us from death to life!! That is His promise to every believer.

So, the third thing we see in this story is the deliverance. These women were delivered from their fears and filled with a new hope. And that same thing can take place in our life when we realize how the power of the resurrection applies to us!!

The fourth thing I want to show you in this passage is it was:

IV. A Time of Declaration Vs. 8-9

It was now time for the women to take what they had discovered and to go and share that with the world.

Look at Vs. 8-9 “And they remembered his words, And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest.”

It would have been impossible for these women to remain silent about what had happened. They had gone to the grave that morning full of dread, dismay, and doubt, but they left with a renewed hope in what the future would hold.

Jesus was alive!! Everything He said was true!! The hopes of all the believers were not buried in the tomb, but He was alive and well. So, they had to go and publicly proclaim what had happened.

There is a great truth here that should challenge us. It is impossible for us to come to know the Lord Jesus Christ, and to remain silent about it.

If someone as amazing as Jesus inters into your life and changes your heart, you have to tell others about it.

There are definitely some people who are more vocal than others. There are those who are natural evangelists, but I would be skeptical of anyone who claims to be a Christian but refuses to publicly identify with Jesus.

If you go to a good Doctor, don’t you recommend that Doctor to your family and friends? If you eat at a good restaurant, don’t you tell people about that restaurant?

In the same way, I want to be an advocate for the Lord Jesus Christ. I want to recommend Him to everyone I meet.

Just like the women in this story we have an obligation to share the good news with others. This news was to exciting and important to keep it to themselves.

They knew the disciples needed to hear about the resurrection and they wanted to tell anyone else who would listen.

Today, as we celebrate the resurrection we are reminded of the great price that Jesus paid for us. He has secured the victory over hell and death for all who respond to Him in faith.

We have a message the world desperately needs to hear. And I pray that when we remember all that Christ has done for us, we are compelled to tell others.

It is up to us as followers of Jesus Christ to proclaim the good news; That Jesus died for the sin of the world, but that He rose triumphant from the grave. And there is forgiveness of sin, reconciliation to God, and eternal life in Christ Jesus.

Conclusion

I will close with this; this is a passage of scripture most of us know well. And I pray that like me, you rejoice in the day this passage became real and personal in your life. I am so grateful today for the salvation I have in Jesus Christ.

The question is; where are you at in this journey? Have you believed in Jesus by faith? Have you responded to His call to be saved?

Do you realize He died so that your sins could be forgiven? And He rose so that all who believe can be saved?

If you have not responded to that call, what are you waiting for? What is it in your life that prevents you from taking that step of faith?

If you are a Christian, have you thought about what the resurrection means to you lately? Do you have the joy you once had when you came to know Christ? Are you compelled to share the Gospel like these women did on that resurrection morning?

If not, I want to urge you today to seek the Lord with all your heart and renew your passion to serve Him.

Lets pray together,

Heavenly Father I thank you for this morning. I thank you for the power that preceded forth from the grave, when your Son, Your only Son, rose to life again!!

And Father I thank you that Your promise to all who believe is, that we too will rise again!!

We praise you today, in Jesus name, Amen!