A Weekend That Changed the World

Approximately 2,000 years ago, a man died. His name was Jesus. The world has not been the same since. He was perceived as a radical subversive by the leaders of his nation. Those leaders plotted his arrest, and tried him on trumped-up charges, orchestrating his death. Had that been the end of it, his life would have been little different than other good men unjustly condemned and executed. But, unbeknownst to most anyone at the time, the first Easter weekend would become the most important weekend in the history of the world.

In the grand scheme of things, few people reject the historicity of Jesus. Only the most crack-pot historian denies that Jesus was a real person. On the other hand many deny his resurrection from the dead. But it was his reported resurrection that has impacted the world in a way no other event before or since has. That event shaped art and music, set ships to sea, inspired the pursuit of science, collapsed the slave trade in Western civilization, and even now is disrupting communism in China in a way nothing else has.

In the early service, our emphasis was on the crucifixion of Jesus. It is by that event that our sin is atoned for, that we are justified before God and reconciled to Him, and to each other. The crucifixion, however, is a meaningless sacrifice without the resurrection of Jesus. Both events were necessary for God’s redemptive plan to be accomplished, and together they are “the Gospel”— the core of the Church’s message since its inception.

Our text for this morning is the entire 24th chapter of Luke’s Gospel. This morning I would like for us to see the four great themes of this chapter that run throughout the text. They are:

The Resurrection Is a Shattering Historical Event

The Resurrection Is the Key to Understanding All the Scriptures

• The Resurrection Is the Key to Understanding All the Scriptures

• The Resurrection Gives Us a Powerful Message for the World

The Resurrection Gives Us a Powerful Message for the World

• The Resurrection Means Jesus Is the True King

The Resurrection Means Jesus Is the True King

I. THE RESURRECTION IS A SHATTERING HISTORICAL EVENT

ILLUS. My life was forever changed when I met Jesus Christ halfway between St. Louis and Columbia. No, he was not hitchhiking. For months I had heard the gospel proclaimed from the pulpit of Calvary Baptist Church. I had learned about Jesus and his redemptive work through the ministry of faithful Sunday School teachers. I had been witnessed to by Linda and several other faithful Christians. On a Tuesday in June, 1973 the Holy Spirit broke through, regenerated my soul, he gave me the gifts of repentance and faith which I exercised in the Lord Jesus Christ. Just about one year later, I felt called to ministry.

At the time I was attending Northeast Missouri State University — now Truman State University – majoring in environmental science. I wanted to go into the U.S. Forestry Service, wear one of those cool Smokey the Bear hats, and tell visitors to Yellowstone National Park, “Please don’t feed the bears.” God had other plans for me.

After feeling called to ministry, my first thought, was I really need to change my major. Northeast Missouri State College had a Philosophy and Religion major which I checked out. There were three professors in the department, one of which was an avowed atheist, and the other two confirmed agnostics. I decided that Southwest Baptist College was probably a better choice. What I did not realize was that theological liberals, and Christ deniers can be found everywhere, including Baptist colleges. One of my New Testament professors taught us that there was no physical resurrection. After Jesus’ death the disciples “experienced” his presence in a “spiritual way”. They felt that he was still very powerfully with them. Peter, for example, believed that he had experienced true forgiveness for his failures and his denial. As time went on, the generations following the disciples began to look for ways to express these higher truths, and the way they expressed these higher truths was to declare a literal resurrection of Jesus from the dead.

John Dominic Crossan, considered one of the leading New Testament scholars of our day says about this morning’s text, “Emmaus never happened. Emmaus always happens.” That sounds so deeply spiritual, doesn’t it? “Emmaus always happens.” If you are not careful, however, you’ll miss the absolute heresy — “Emmaus never happened.” Crossan is saying the same thing that my New Testament professor attempted to teach me 40 years ago — “Come’on. Everybody knows dead people do not come back to life. It doesn’t happen now, and it didn’t happen then. This is a story; this is a myth, but it’s a myth with serious spiritual overtones that seeks to teach us a higher truths about forgiveness and hope.”

1. the apostles had to deal with the same skepticism in their own day

a. in the church at Corinth there were also resurrection-deniers, and the apostle Paul had to rebuke them

had to rebuke them

“But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. ... 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.” (, NIV)

say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. ... 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.” (, NIV)

2. as you read through , you want to look at these resurrection-deniers, and say, “Oh yeah?”

say, “Oh yeah?”

a. like it or not, the text simply does not leave us with the choice that this is merely a “spiritual” event

“spiritual” event

“They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. 38 He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? 39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” 40 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. 41 And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate it in their presence.” (, NIV)

b. now I ask you, doesn’t this sound more than only a “higher truth” is being represented here?

represented here?

1) Jesus is eating fish and chips with his disciples – what is the “higher truth” represented here?

represented here?

c. I’ll tell you what the truth of that text is ...

1) Jesus is saying, “I am not a symbol, a myth, or a story, I’m not just an impression in your mind. I am really here! Look at my hands! Look at my feet! Touch me. Oh, and do you have anything to eat?”

in your mind. I am really here! Look at my hands! Look at my feet! Touch me. Oh, and do you have anything to eat?”

2) you simply don’t write legends like this

a) “give me something to eat”? — why would the Gospels include such a trivial event?

event?

b) because it really happened, and is part of the story

3. the whole chapter has the earmarks of an eyewitness account

A. WHY CAN WE TRUST THE STORY?

1. yes ... absolutely ... we can trust the story ... let me give you some reasons why ...

2. 1st, the testimony of the women vv. 1-12

a. we can trust that the story is true because the initial witnesses to the resurrection were women

were women

1) in 21st century America, we read this, and just pass right over it

a) that the Apostles would include this is remarkable

2) women in that era, whether they were Jewish women or Gentile women, were considered by the courts as notoriously unreliable witnesses

considered by the courts as notoriously unreliable witnesses

a) our text reveals this attitude even among the disciples

b) the eleven remaining Apostles dismiss their report out of hand as “nonsense”

“When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. 11 But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense.” (, NIV84)

ILLUS. Nonsense is a word that refers to “idle tales” or “delirious stories.”

c) women in that day were simply considered too emotional, or too easily misled to be reliable witnesses

to be reliable witnesses

3) it meant that their testimonies were not allowed in court whether in Roman jurisprudence or Jewish jurisprudence

jurisprudence or Jewish jurisprudence

b. therefore, if you’re making up a story, if you’re inventing a new religion, you would never cast women as the heroines, or primary witnesses

never cast women as the heroines, or primary witnesses

1) it would have made the story too implausible, and no one would’ve believed it

c. there can only be one reason why Luke includes them in the story — because it really happened

really happened

3. 2nd, the characters in the story are named

a. we read of Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James who visit the tomb

b. we read of Cleopas, one of the disciples on the Road to Emmaus

c. we read of Peter and the Apostles

d. these names are the equivalent of modern footnotes

ILLUS. Footnotes are comments that appear at the bottom of a book page or academic paper that cite references. A footnote tells the reader, “Don’t just take the authors word for what he is saying, you can go look up the facts here.”

academic paper that cite references. A footnote tells the reader, “Don’t just take the authors word for what he is saying, you can go look up the facts here.”

1) when Luke provides us all these names, he is saying, “Look, don’t just take my word for it. You can go talk to these people if you want to know more of the story.”

word for it. You can go talk to these people if you want to know more of the story.”

4. 3rd, the disciples worshiped him (v. 52)

a. Jewish people would be the last people on the face of the earth who would have been open to the idea that a mortal being could be God in the flesh

been open to the idea that a mortal being could be God in the flesh

b. their worldview simply would not have allowed it

1) these were people who would not even say the name of God out loud for fear of even accidentally taking the name of the Holy One in vain

even accidentally taking the name of the Holy One in vain

2) even today, Orthodox Jews writing about God spell it G – D

c. yet, virtually immediately, the disciples are worshiping Jesus as the son of the living God

God

1) the only thing that explains this extraordinary change in their worldview is the literal resurrection of Jesus from the dead

literal resurrection of Jesus from the dead

2) they saw him, they fellowship with him, they touched him, they ate with him

5. the resurrection was not preached in the early church as a “symbolic representation” of “higher truths”

“higher truths”

a. the resurrection was preached in the early church as a culture shattering, horribly inconvenient, impossible-to-dismiss fact

inconvenient, impossible-to-dismiss fact

1) the resurrection of Jesus from the grave is the first, great, never to be outdone, “inconvenient truth”

“inconvenient truth”

6. The Resurrection Is a Shattering Historical Event

II. THE RESURRECTION IS A KEY TO UNDERSTANDING ALL THE SCRIPTURE

1. it was the message of the Angels

“While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee:” (, NIV)

a. the women have come to the tomb of Jesus to finish embalming the body of Jesus

1) but when they arrived, they found the stone rolled away from the entrance to the tomb

tomb

2) they go inside only to find the tomb empty — the body of Jesus is not there

b. vs. 4 tells us “that they were wondering about this”

1) they’re perplexed

c. then, out of nowhere, two men appear who are dressed in cloths so dazzling that the women had to avert their eyes

the women had to avert their eyes

1) they are Angels — powerful celestial spiritual beings who are God’s messengers

2) the Angels express perplexity of their own, asking the women “Why do you look for the living among the dead?”

for the living among the dead?”

a) it is as if the Angels are confessing, “We are mere angels and we understood this, how could you not? Did he not repeatedly tell you that this was going to happen?”

this, how could you not? Did he not repeatedly tell you that this was going to happen?”

2. the resurrection helped them to understand Jesus’ words

“Then they remembered his words.” (, NIV)

a. so much of what Jesus is recorded as saying in the Gospels does not make sense without the resurrection

without the resurrection

ILLUS. in John’s Gospel, chapter 2, Jesus has performed his first cleansing of the Temple. He has overturned the tables of the money lenders, driven out the animals, and set the doves free from their cages. The temple authorities are incensed and demand to know by whose authority he has done this? Jesus’ response is cryptic: “Destroy this temple, and I will rise it again in three days.” If there had been no resurrection, the church would’ve been left scratching their head over that statement.

ILLUS. in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 12 Jesus criticizes the crowds for demanding proof as to his true identity. Jesus tells them that the only sign that they will receive is the sign of Jonah: “For as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” (). Again, that statement makes no sense without the resurrection.

1) the teachings of Jesus have light thrust upon them because of the resurrection

3. it was also the message of Jesus

a. in vv. 13-35 we have the account of two disciples walking home to the city of Emmaus

Emmaus

1) one’s name is Cleopas, and the other remains unidentified

2) their faces are downcast — they’re discouraged, they’re sad, and they are grieving

grieving

b. suddenly, from behind them, a stranger approaches

1) it’s Jesus, but they are supernaturally kept from recognizing him — it’s as if the Holy Spirit has pulled down a spiritual shade over their eyes

Holy Spirit has pulled down a spiritual shade over their eyes

2) the stranger expresses curiosity over there obvious disheartenment

3) the two disciples are equally bewildered over the stranger’s lack of knowledge over the events of the weekend and tell the stranger their story

over the events of the weekend and tell the stranger their story

“ ... Jesus of Nazareth ... was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel ...” (, NIV)

4) he was crucified, and we thought he was going to be the Messiah and now grave robbers have broken into the tomb and we don’t even have his body

robbers have broken into the tomb and we don’t even have his body

c. how does the stranger respond?

“He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.” (, NIV)

d. as they reach Emmaus the two disciples persuade the stranger to stay and have dinner with them, and he does

dinner with them, and he does

1) it is during dinner, as the stranger breaks bread and passes it to these men that suddenly their eyes are opened, they understand that it is Jesus and he disappears from their sight

suddenly their eyes are opened, they understand that it is Jesus and he disappears from their sight

“Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?” (, NIV)

A. ALL THE SCRIPTURES ARE ABOUT JESUS

ILLUS. In 1999 actor Bruce Willis starred in a movie called The Sixth Sense. It’s a movie you can only watch twice. The first time you see it, you get to the conclusion and discover the huge surprise ending. The second time you watch it, you cannot not see all the hints that explain the ending. Bruce Willis plays the part of Dr. Malcolm Crowe, a psychologist who is counseling Cole Sear, a troubled, isolated 9-year-old boy who confides to the psychologist, “I see dead people.” Dr. Crowe becomes dedicated to the boy and his treatment to the point where all other relationships seem distant to him. He speaks to others, but they seem to ignore him. In the end, we find out that Dr. Malcolm Crowe is also dead, which is why he can see and talk to Cole, while everyone else ignores him. What’s the point? As you watch the movie the second time, you see the scenes differently. You cannot not look at every scene in light of the ending. Similarly, we cannot look at the Scriptures — particularly the Old Testament — in light of the resurrection and not see the text differently.

Bruce Willis plays the part of Dr. Malcolm Crowe, a psychologist who is counseling Cole Sear, a troubled, isolated 9-year-old boy who confides to the psychologist, “I see dead people.” Dr. Crowe becomes dedicated to the boy and his treatment to the point where all other relationships seem distant to him. He speaks to others, but they seem to ignore him. In the end, we find out that Dr. Malcolm Crowe is also dead, which is why he can see and talk to Cole, while everyone else ignores him.

What’s the point? As you watch the movie the second time, you see the scenes differently. You cannot not look at every scene in light of the ending.

Similarly, we cannot look at the Scriptures — particularly the Old Testament — in light of the resurrection and not see the text differently.

1. the resurrection, paired with the cross, makes the cross makes sense and opens all of Scripture to our understanding

all of Scripture to our understanding

a. only Christianity has the promise of a Counselor — the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Trinity — who will help us to understand the words of the Savior

“However, as it is written: “What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived”— the things God has prepared for those who love him— 10 these are the things God has revealed to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 11 For who knows a person’s thoughts except their own spirit within them? In the same way no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 What we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us.” (, NIV)

2. the lessons of the Emmaus Road encounter is that all of Scripture is about Jesus

a. as they are walking, I can hear Jesus saying ...

1) “You know that part of Genesis where God tells our mother, Eve, that from her will come one who will ‘crush the Serpent’s head’? That’s me. I’m the ‘crusher’.”

2) “You know that part of the story of Abraham, when he is about to sacrifice his son Isaac, but God miraculously supplies a ram? I am the Ram caught in the thicket.”

son Isaac, but God miraculously supplies a ram? I am the Ram caught in the thicket.”

3) “You’re familiar with , , , , , , , , , , , , , , 110, and 118? They’re all about me.”

110, and 118? They’re all about me.”

4) “You’re aware that Jacob wrestled with an angel? I’m the one he wrestled with.”

5) “You know the virgin in who will conceive and bear a son? That virgin was my mother, Mary, and I’m the son she conceived.”

was my mother, Mary, and I’m the son she conceived.”

6) “You’ve read of the suffering servant of ? That’s me. I’m the Suffering Servant.”

Servant.”

3. as he talks to these two disciples on the road to Emmaus, Jesus seems to say, ”It’s all about me”

about me”

a. all the plot lines of the Scriptures lead to Jesus

ILLUS. It was the great 19th century English Baptist preacher, Charles Haddon Spurgeon, who told a class of ministerial students the secret to his preaching success. “I take my text and make a bee-line to the cross.”

Spurgeon, who told a class of ministerial students the secret to his preaching success. “I take my text and make a bee-line to the cross.”

b. that was Spurgeon’s way of saying, all the plot lines of the Scriptures lead to Jesus

4. The Resurrection Is a Key to Understanding All the Scripture

III. THE RESURRECTION GIVES US A POWERFUL MESSAGE FOR THE WORLD

1. if you read the text carefully, you see that every time someone finds out about the resurrection they carry the news to someone else

resurrection they carry the news to someone else

a. v. 9 tells us that the women came back from the tomb and told the disciples about the news of the resurrection

the news of the resurrection

b. v. 34 tells us that Simon Peter has seen the resurrected Lord and has told the other disciples

disciples

c. v. 35 tells us that the two Emmaus disciples have hurried back to tell the disciples that they have seen the risen Lord

that they have seen the risen Lord

d. vv. 45-48 tells us that while they are in the upper room, Jesus appears to the disciples and tells them, “Repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in my name to all nations beginning in Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.”

disciples and tells them, “Repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in my name to all nations beginning in Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.”

ILLUS. We’ve a message to give to the nations, that the Lord who reigneth above Hath sent his son to save us, And show us that God is love. (We’ve a Story to Tell, 3rd stanza).

Hath sent his son to save us, And show us that God is love. (We’ve a Story to Tell, 3rd stanza).

2. the resurrection gives us an exciting message for the world

a. as you read through the Book of Acts, and the epistles, it is amazing how the resurrection dominates the message of Peter, and Paul, and John

resurrection dominates the message of Peter, and Paul, and John

1) they just couldn’t stop talking about the resurrection

b. one of the questions historians have frequently pondered, is how, in a period of only about 300 years — in an era long before electronic communication was even thought of — that Christianity came to supplant the classical culture of the Greco-Roman world that had dominated the Mediterranean basin for eight hundred years

only about 300 years — in an era long before electronic communication was even thought of — that Christianity came to supplant the classical culture of the Greco-Roman world that had dominated the Mediterranean basin for eight hundred years

1) the story of the resurrection explains the shift

2) it was unique, it was life-changing, it was a message no one had ever heard before

before

3. the resurrection gives us hope and certainty for the future

a. the hope that the resurrection gives us for our eternal future is:

1) a real hope

2) a personal hope

3) a certain hope

4) an unimaginably wonderful hope

ILLUS. Whether you were a Gentile, or a Jew, the views of the afterlife were not especially encouraging in the first century. The realm of the dead was a nebulous, shadowy existence, and nobody was sure if it was all that great place. But if you talked to a witness of the resurrection, and saw their changed life, finally you knew that heaven is real, Jesus is there reigning, we will be resurrected, and be a part of his kingdom forever.

especially encouraging in the first century. The realm of the dead was a nebulous, shadowy existence, and nobody was sure if it was all that great place. But if you talked to a witness of the resurrection, and saw their changed life, finally you knew that heaven is real, Jesus is there reigning, we will be resurrected, and be a part of his kingdom forever.

4. The Resurrection Gives Us a Powerful Message for the World

IV. THE RESURRECTION MEANS JESUS IS THE TRUE KING

1. twice in this chapter Jesus refers to himself as Messiah, which means he is King of kings and Lord of lords

kings and Lord of lords

2. in Jesus is given the full title “KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS” ( switches it: “Lord of lords and King of kings”)

LORDS” ( switches it: “Lord of lords and King of kings”)

a. the title indicates someone who has the power to exercise absolute dominion over all His realm

all His realm

b. in the case of the Lord Jesus, the realm is all of creation

c. at the end of time there is no power, no king, and no lord who can oppose Him and win

win

3. because of the resurrection, Jesus Christ is our living Sovereign

a. if Jesus is our king ...

1) do whatever he says whether you like it or not

2) trust him whether you believe him or not

3) accept what he sends into your life, whether you understand it or not

4. The Resurrection Means Jesus Is the True King

Con. The first Easter weekend was the most important weekend in the history of the world. It changed the world. Has it changed your life?

A couple of years ago an Obituary appeared on Facebook that went viral on the internet. Emily Phillips had been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and was given only months to live. The 69 year-old Florida grandmother’s self-penned obituary took the Internet by storm. She wrote in part: “It pains me to admit it, but apparently, I have passed away. Everyone told me it would happen one day, but that’s simply not something I wanted to hear, much less experience.” From there, Phillips, a longtime public school teacher who lived in Orange Park, took the reader on a journey through her life. In the end she writes these poignant words, “ was born; I blinked; and it was over.” “ ... What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes.” (, NIV)

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