The Path to Victory--Luke 24:1-6

Thinking about God and expressing those thoughts in some way—

Everyone is a theologian—even an atheist has a theology. He thinks about God and rejects His existence.

“Theology”

Theos-=God; logos==word-rational expression.

“Christian Theology” means the rational interpretation of the Christian faith.

“theology”—organized boy of knowledge dealing with God; systematic study of God in relation to the world, especially dealing with the arguments for the existence of God in relation to the world.

THEOLOGY is the “FOUNDATION”.

Theology gives us the Rock on which the House is built-

“anyone who listens to my teaching and follows it is wise, like a person who builds a house on solid rock. Though the rain comes in torrents and the floodwaters rise and the winds beat against the house, it won’t collapse because it is built on bedrock”. (Matt 7:24-25 NLT)

As believers, we must do all things based upon our knowledge of God through the Scriptures.

3 By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. 4 And because of his glory and excellence, he has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share his divine nature and escape the world’s corruption caused by human desires. (2Pet 1:3-4 NLT)

Through “Theology”, we gain a proper understanding of who God is and what He expects from us and of God’s intended purpose for us.

Ignorance guarantees Ungodliness

The Life of Christ

His Life- The life of Christ can be divided into three parts

First - the years of preparation beginning with His birth in Bethlehem through the years of infancy, childhood and growth into manhood.

Second—the years of Public ministry—His early ministry in Judea, Galilee, and the Perean ministry

Third—the events leading up to His death and the crucifixion itself. These events occurred during what is called the Passion Week (Luke 19:29-22:46).

The last years of Jesus’ life was shadowed by the specter of death. His refusal to accept the authority of the priesthood, His independent interpretation of the OT and His popularity with the crowds made Him a marked man in the eyes of the Jewish hierarchy, who regarded His claims as blasphemy and who were jealous of His success. Jesus was dangerous to them. Neither Herod nor Rome would tolerate a rival, and Jesus knew it.

His humanity was real—he was dependent on God the Father; He exhibited mercy and faithfulness; He was humble; He prayed in dependence on God; He was obedience; he knew what it meant to suffer.

-II.

The Crucifixion

Powerful forces colluded in ending Jesus’ life—the Sandhedrin, Pharisees, priests, scribes and Roman authorities.

-The priestly establishment sought to take His life because He had challenged their authority, in his teaching of the law, cleansing of the temple.

—Scribes and Pharisees resisted Jesus because He opposed their interpretation of the law.

-The Sandhedrin ( the highest court of justice; the supreme court in ancient Jerusalem—70 members)-sought to end his life because His popularity made him dangerous to them and threatened their leadership roles.

arrested without a formal trial, rushed without opportunity to defend His case, paid false witnesses and no personal testimony from Jesus.

RELIGIOUS TRIALS

1)He was taken to Annas Friday- Annas had been high priest before- before dawn and asked about His teaching—while there struck by the hand of an officer—John 18:12-24

2)To Caiaphas, High Priest—demanded Jesus to speak and tell him if He was the Son of God—“Thou hast said”. Accused of speaking blasphemy, spit on. (Mk 14:53-15:1)

3) Before the Sandhedrin— (Matt 27:1-2) (Luke 22:66-23:)— they had not desire for justice, just blood. “art thou the Christ?””art thou the son of God”?

Peter denied him

CIVIL TRIALS

4)Before Pilate 1st time—”art thou the king of the Jews?”-nothing wrong found by Pilate-Mark 15:1-5

5)Before Herod—(Luke 23:8-12)glad to see Jesus—heard about him, wanted to see Him perform a miracle, but Jesus answered nothing. Herod and soldiers mocked and laughed at him, arrayed him in gorgeous apparel to make fun of Him

6)Pilate the 2nd time-(Mark 15:6-15)-Friday sunrise-still finds no fault—nothing worthy of death. But a custom was—one would be released at Passover, Pilate chose to release Jesus, but the crowd wanted Barabbas. The cry was to crucify Jesus.

These 6 trials were compressed into 9 hours or less.

**Scourging—1/2 death- Jesus was stripped and tied in a bending posture, with leather thongs weighted with sharp pieces of bone or small pieces of lead, was beaten. Each time he was hit, pieces of his flesh, form his back to his breast, were removed. When soldiers were exhausted, they quit. Next, they placed a crown of thorns on him and arrayed Him with purple. His body was in shock, due to the loss of blood. His blood was clotting on his back.

**They placed a PATIBULUM on him. It is the bar of the cross, weighing 125-150lbs. His hands were tied to the cross and they tied a rope to his waist, so they could jerk him as He walked, making him fall. On Golgatha’s hill, they laid him down, drove 2-5” spikes through his wrist, not his hand, causing much pain.

**STIPES-7ft tall upright pointed on the top—cross bar would be lifted up and sat on this. When they lifted Him up and sat him on the Stipes, the nerves in His hands were severed. They bent his knees to 20 degrees and drove nails in His feet and when he would lean down about 45degrees, His air would be cut off.

On the cross, this was ugly, and the Father couldn’t look.

It was on the Cross that we hear Jesus saying:

“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do”

(Luke 23:34)

Jesus is praying for His enemies—setting before us a perfect example of how we should treat those who wrong and hate us and never to regard any as beyond the reach of prayer.

“Truly I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise”

)Luke 23:43)

Why between 2 criminals? At His birth there was beasts, now criminals. He took our place—place of criminals condemned to death! Three crosses—to criminals—the Drama of Salvation and man’s response—one sinner repenting and believing and the other rejecting.

“Woman, behold your Son—Behold your mother”

(John 19:26-27)

We see here on display the Heart of a Mother and the perfect example for children to honor their parents.

“My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?

(Matt 27:46)

This is the CLIMAX of suffering—He had been mocked, had a crown of thorns, scourged, spit on, plucked his hair, pierced His hands and feet,—all in SILENCE! But when Heavens wrath falls on Him, He cries these words!

“I thirst”

- (John 19:28)

We see His humanity and the intensity of His sufferings

“It is finished”

(John 19:30)

This is not the word of a helpless martyr; not the declaration that the Redeemer was done—but the Word of VICTORY!! His sacrificial work was done! Prophecies fulfilled!

“Father, into Thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said this, He gave up His spirit”

(Luke 23:46)

These were words of total CONTENTMENT; FAITH, CONFIDENCE AND LOVE!

Crucifixion was a ghastly form of death: excruciatingly painful, prolonged, and socially degrading.

BURIAL

—They placed Him in a borrowed tomb and placed soldiers around the stone to ensure no one take the body away. For he died at about two o'clock on Friday and consequently was dead for about two hours on the first day. After that night he lay in the grave all day, which is the true Sabbath. On the third day, which we commemorate now, he rose from the dead and so remained in the state of death a part of this day, just as if we say that something occurred on Easter-day, although it happens in the evening, only a portion of the day. In this sense Paul and the Evangelists say that be rose on the third day.

RESURRECTION

— Luke 24:1-6

24 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. 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. 3 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: 5 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? 6 He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,

-The RESULTS of that event.

When we think about the Resurrection, we need to think about the RESULTS of it.

1) “Stone rolled away”-vs2- death’s house had once been firmly secured by the stone, but the stone was moved and Christ came forth. It was on the Cross that He died for our sins, and He was put into the tomb as our hostage. Our sins were imputed on Him. He rose again for our justification. That stone could be a picture of our sins—they had Him there.

--The stone is a foundation—death has been destroyed

--The stone is a boundary—it separates the living from the dead. To those who know not Christ, the stone rolled away is a horror, but to those who know Christ, it is hope.

-2) “Found not the body” vs3—As I stated earlier, no one saw Jesus rise from the tomb.

John 20:2-7-Then she runneth, and cometh to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and saith unto them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.3Peter therefore went forth, and that other disciple, and came to the sepulchre. 4So they ran both together: and the other disciple did outrun Peter, and came first to the sepulchre.5And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in. 6Then cometh Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and seeth the linen clothes lie,7And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself.

-3) “He is not here”-vs6- all that we have talked about, the stone rolled away, found not the body, he is not here—that is all good, but what are the RESULTS?

--He that made heaven and earth lay in the grave.

--We should weep over the sin that put Him there

--There is the place that we will not have to stay. It doesn’t have a door.

But what now of his passion? What of his excruciating agony at Golgotha? As C. S. Lewis says, the dawning of this resurrection age “will turn even that agony into a glory.”6 Now Joy has triumphed over sorrow.

Day finally has dominion over night. Light has thrashed against the darkness. Christ, through death, has destroyed the one who had the power of death (Heb. 2:14). Death is swallowed up in victory (1 Cor. 15:54).

Our Response

Though we look into the tomb, though we see the stone rolled away, though we were able to touch the linen and the napkins, would that be enough? Though we were able to see the 2 angels that sat upon the stone,

would that be enough?

Why do we read the following if it doesn’t mean anything?

“That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Romans 10:9)

“For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death. For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. (Romans 8:2-4)

-This is the key---

We must experience JESUS!

. “Hereby know we that we dwell in Him and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit”(1John 4:13).

He has promised Christians eternal life. “And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son”(1John 5:11)

We are saved by the grace of God. We are saved by having a relationship with Jesus.

“Because He Lives”—what does that mean to us?