Responses to the Resurrection
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Open the Gospel of Matthew.
The gospels are 4 different accounts of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ.
-Written by 4 different authors
-Written specifically to 4 different audiences
But all contain the account of Jesus death on the cross and His resurrection the 3rd day.
This day we celebrate (called “Easter”) is the most significant day we could celebrate.The resurrection is the event that proved Jesus was who He said He was.
The resurrection is the event that proved Jesus was who He said He was.
The resurrection is the event that proved Jesus was who He said He was.
The resurrection is the event that proved Jesus was who He said He was.
The resurrection is the event that proved Jesus was who He said He was.
And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
And you need to know this is not just something that Christians believe happened.
The life, death and resurrection of Jesus is an accepted fact with indisputable evidence.
-All of human history marks time based upon the life and death of Jesus.
B.C. - Before Christ
B.C. - Before Christ A.D. - Anno Domino (The year of our Lord)
B.C. - Before Christ A.D. - Anno Domino (The year of our Lord)
A.D. - “Anno Domini”: The year of our Lord
B. C.E. - Before the Common Era
C. E. - Common Era
What is funny is those who are trying to not use Jesus’ life as a reference point on the calendar are still using Jesus’ life as a reference point on the calendar.
The life, death and resurrection of Jesus
And when you speak about the resurrection, people will try to explain it away.
Swoon Theory - Jesus fainted on the cross, revived in the tomb.
Swoon Theory - Jesus fainted on the cross, revived in the tomb.
And then, in a state where He had been brutally beaten within an inch of his life…He moved the stone away from the door of the tomb, overcame the Roman guard…and then was never seen again to be apprehended.
Hallucination Theory - Jesus’ disciples only thought they saw Jesus alive following His crucifixion.
Hallucination Theory - Jesus’ disciples only thought they saw Jesus alive following His crucifixion.
-He appeared to individuals (Mary Magdalene, Peter, James, Apostle Paul)
-He appeared to small groups (2 on road to Emmaus, group of women)
-He appeared to mid-size groups (12 apostles -minus Thomas, 12 apostles - including Thomas)
-He appeared to a huge crowd (over 500)
-He appeared near the tomb
-He appeared along the road to Emmaus
-He appeared in Jerusalem behind closed doors
-He appeared on a mountain in Galilee
-He appeared at the Sea of Galilee
-He appeared on the Road to Damascus
Conspiracy Theory -The Disciples Lied
Conspiracy Theory -The Disciples Lied
-The disciples lied to perpetuate their religion.
-They made the whole thing up.
When Peter preached it, when Paul preached it, …they knew it was a lie....
But the fact that every apostle other than John (who was exiled) died for telling the story of Jesus’ resurrection.
-they were tortured, they were threatened.
None of them - regardless of pressure, threat, torture or bribe ever recanted.
Some will die for a cause they know to be true.
Some will die for a lie if they believe it to be true (9/11)
But none will die for a lie that they know to be a lie!
Three Responses to the Resurrection
Three Responses to the Resurrection
Delight ()
Delight ()
“In the end of the Sabbath” - the sabbath running from Sundown on Friday to Sundown on Saturday…So just as the sun is coming up
Mary Magdalene
Mary, mother of James and Joses
Salome
Coming to the tomb, with spices to anoint the body of Jesus - they didn’t embalm in those days so to preserve the body (prevent its decay) they would come back and use spices...
When they arrive...
-Stone is rolled away
-Earthquake
-Angel sitting on the stone he had rolled away
-Roman Guard has fainted
Note: Angels are not the cute, cuddly little winged creatures man has made them out to be.
When one shows up in scripture “Fear not...”
And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.
Why did the angel roll the stone away from the door?
So Jesus could get out?
If Jesus needs the stone rolled away…He’s not God!
At this point, Jesus is alive and is in His glorified body.
One of His appearances after this is when the disciples are assembled in a room behind closed doors and Jesus appears in their midst.
Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
The stone wasn’t rolled away so Jesus could get out. It was rolled away so they could look in.
The stone wasn’t rolled away so Jesus could get out. It was rolled away so they could look in.
What was the response of these ladies?
And there are several things we see here and they are all wrapped up together in a messy little package - so let me just share all of them.
There is belief
There is belief
How do we know? Because of what they do with the info the angel had shared with them...
They ran to tell others
There is great joy (vs. 8)
There is great joy (vs. 8)
There is great joy (vs. 8)
There is great joy (vs. 8)
They had gone to the tomb thinking He’s dead, we’re going to preserve His dead body....our hope of Him being the Messiah is over....they’re discouraged, despondant....but upon hearing this pronouncement from the angel..... “great joy”
There is obedience (vs. 8)
There is obedience (vs. 8)
There is a personal encounter with Jesus (vs. 9)
There is a personal encounter with Jesus (vs. 9)
He meets them
He speaks to them (All hail - Hello)
They touch him
There is worship (vs. 9)
There is worship (vs. 9)
The only response to a resurrected Christ is worship.
-and note that Jesus received the worship (didn’t rebuke them -indicating that He is God!)
There is witnessing (vs. 10-11)
There is witnessing (vs. 10-11)
-If you believe Jesus is truly alive....
-If you believe Jesus is truly alive....
-If you’ve experienced the joy of the resurrection...
-If you’ve experienced a personal relationship with Him...
-If you worship Him as the Savior who died and rose again the 3rd day...
-The natural response is the desire to tell others!
This is the greatest news the world has ever known!
Denial ()
Denial ()
Then there’s another group....
The Roman soldiers have a problem...
They report back to the chief priests...
“how did things go last night?”
-Pretty well other than we lost the body we were supposed to guard!
They had experienced an earthquake
They had experienced an angel
They know the body is gone
They share this story with the Religious Leaders...
-And they would not make this up (losing the body could result in death, falling asleep could result in death)
What do the religious leaders do with this news?
-You would think (We missed it, He is the Messiah!)
And when they were assembled with the elders, and had taken counsel, they gave large money unto the soldiers, Saying, Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept.
They give the soldiers a bribe!
Mt. 28:They give the soldiers a bribe!
They give the soldiers a story!
They denied the truth to preserve their position
They denied the truth to preserve their position
-And they had to have a story - you can’t just say “I know it’s true - because then your responsible”
If we admit Jesus is alive....
-We killed our Messiah
-His resurrection power trumps our power
People do the same thing today....
If I admit Jesus is alive....
-that means the Bible is true (and I’m responsible for what it says)
-that means that Jesus is who He said and He’s Lord which means He calls the shots
-that means that Jesus is who He said and He’s Lord which means He calls the shots
AND THAT THREATENS MY POSITION
So we make up things to protect our position...
I DON’T GO TO CHURCH BECAUSE THEY’RE ALL HYPOCRITS!
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
I USED TO GO TO CHURCH BUT GOT BURNED/LET DOWN/HURT (But you’re still an IU fan)
I DON’T BELIEVE THE BIBLE BECAUSE IT HAS CONTRADICTIONS! (But you believe in the big bang, evolution, global warming, and politicians when the speak)
Doubt ()
Doubt ()
Worship - mixed with doubt.
Worship - because of belief
Doubt
“Doubt” - a feeling of uncertainty; hesitation.
“Doubt” - a feeling of uncertainty; hesitation.
In a sense understandable - You don’t see a dead person come to life everyday.
But what kept them from completely believing, without hesitancy, that Jesus was alive and completely worthy of their worship?
Who is synonomous with “doubt”?
But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
Jn. 20:24-29
But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came. The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you. Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.
Thomas wouldn’t let himself believe the “word” of the disciples concerning Jesus resurrection, he had to “experience” him.
For Thomas - Experience trumped the “word”
Jesus “blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed”
They had never “experienced” seeing someone come back to life so they struggled to believe.
“So great is the influence of preconceived opinion, that it brings darkness over the mind in the midst of the clearest light” John Cavin
“So great is the influence of preconceived opinion, that it brings darkness over the mind in the midst of the clearest light” John Cavin
How do we know this?
Jesus had plainly told the disciples of His resurrection!
Jesus answered and said unto them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.
But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas:
And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men:
And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry.
And while they abode in Galilee, Jesus said unto them, The Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men: And they shall kill him, and the third day he shall be raised again. And they were exceeding sorry.
Mt 16:21-
From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day. Then Peter took him, and began to rebuke him, saying, Be it far from thee, Lord: this shall not be unto thee. But he turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me, Satan: thou art an offence unto me: for thou savourest not the things that be of God, but those that be of men.
We don’t just believe the Word of God, take it for what it says because of....
-Our experience (common sense)
-How we feel (I know what it says, but you don’t know how I feel)
-Our circumstance (I know what it says, but you don’t know what it’s like…)
The Word of God supercedes any experience.
The Word of God supercedes any experience.
And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.
For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
II Pet. 1:16-
This was a supernatural experience from God that actually happened (His audible voice)- and God says there is something more certain than that - His written Word!
So when God says He created everything - He did
When God says you’re a sinner - you are
When God says there is one way to the Father - there is.
When God says Jesus died on the cross for your sins and rose again on the 3rd day to conquer sin, death, hell, the enemy and the grave - He did!
And some people deny it, some people doubt it...
And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:
Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead.
What is your response?
Do you believe? (have you put your trust in Christ)
Do you reject? (you’ve given yourself a lie to believe so you think you escape accountability)
Do you doubt? (You just struggle to believe all of this supernatural stuff could be true - You’re trying to wrap your mind around it all)
