Easter Sunday

Luke 24

Christ is Risen!

In Forbes the Local newspaper went through a time where there were errors in every article they seemed to run. Often just little things, spelling mistakes, mixing up dates and even adding few details here and there. It even happened when people would submit full articles to them. Names would be misspelt or wrong captions put with photos. It was sloppy journalism. They didn’t want an orderly account of anything they just wanted to get it done quickly. It made it hard to trust what was written.

Then there was one reporter, and they would check things. I remember sitting with them and talking through something only to get a follow up phone call confirming some of the details. Their articles were better written and more orderly. You could tell when reading the care they took with their work, they did careful research and wanted to get everything right.

The Writer of this Gospel is Luke who is a Historian his aim for his Gospel is to give an orderly account. He has checked with eyewitnesses and heard what they had to say. His purpose is to get everything right, to give certainty to his readers. Certainty that Jesus is God and that the whole Bible has been pointing to that truth. Not only pointing to the truth that Jesus is God but that he left heaven and came to rescue us.

These mornings reading we start with an empty tomb where Luke shows us that Jesus rose from the dead. Then he appeared to his disciples. Firstly, to the Two on the road to Emmaus then, to the disciples and others gathered. Luke even gives us some names, If you were alive back then, you could go to the people named to confirm the truth that Luke Shared. Jesus using the Old Testament showed that he WAS the promised Messiah.. Not only that but it has Jesus then give his reason for coming The forgiveness of sins.

Empty Tomb v1-12

Its Sunday morning, following the crucifixion of Jesus and women go with spices to the tomb. The women thought Jesus was dead; the spices were for his body. [1]

The women approach, the tomb is open and the body gone. Angels tell them Jesus is not there he’s risen. Surely you remember he told you that this would happen! Jesus told them he would be crucified and die and be raised on the 3rdday back in Luke 9:22. They remember and return to tell the disciples.

The Disciples didn’t believe either. They thought Jesus was dead… Jesus had told them what would happen, yet they didn’t believe. Peter didn’t believe but he went to check it out, he went to the tomb. It was empty with only strips of linen that would have covered Jesus Body

This passage if you are not a Christian, you may struggle with it. There are a few questions that you should ask yourself.

Who moved the stone? Not only the Stone but the Body too…

There are a few options the first is that Jesus is just a man and well he wasn’t dead but merely fainted. But think on this he was beaten savagely, crucified, nails driven through his hands and feet. He had a spear rammed though his side into his heart. It would be hard to survive that today but back then impossible. So, we can rule out Jesus moving the stone and walking away.

Option 2 is that the stone was rolled away, and the body taken by the Romans or the Jews, the High Priest and those who opposed Jesus wanting him dead. But why would they bother with this. To stop the body being stolen by Jesus Disciples and resurrection stories being spread about. Yes, that is possible… But then when they were faced with Jesus Disciples claiming he was alive why wouldn’t you just drag the body out and silence them.

The third option is that Jesus disciples stole the body… ask yourself if these disciples took the body why would they go to their deaths proclaiming that Jesus was God and that he was raised from the dead. There are stories about the deaths of the disciples, Peter was crucified upside down, Andrew hung on a cross for 2 days calling out to people sharing the Gospel as he died,[2] Those accounts aren’t in the Bible, but we can turn to Acts 7 where Stephen spoke to the crowd of the truth of the risen Lord and was stoned to death.

That is just three of Jesus followers but does that sound like the behaviour of people who stole a body and hid it? Do you think that these Followers of Jesus would go to their very painful deaths if Jesus was really dead? If you follow the pattern of the thorough Journalist, you can work it out…

A crucified and mortally wounded man couldn’t walk away. And if you think about It the idea of stealing a dead body doesn’t make sense, whoever did it. The truth is there is only one answer

The Tomb was empty because Jesus is risen

The Road to Emmaus V13-35

The next part of this chapter introduces us to Cleopas and another disciple who are walking to Emmaus and encounter Jeus on the road. We are not told why they are going there or even why Jesus appeared to them.

They give Jesus the summary of recent events Jesus is described by Cleopas as a prophet, a powerful one but he does not see Jesus as anything more at this point not the Messiah and not the son of God. Cleopas includes the detail that he and others are amazed at the empty tomb and the appearance of Angels.

Jesus is blunt with them

25 … 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?[3]

He begins with Moses and points out the Old Testament events that all point towards the Messiah. There are hundreds of them from where he would be born to his suffering. Now I am sure that a clever person could control a lot of things and manipulate things so they could fulfil some of the prophecies. But who can control that David would be their Ancestor and that they would be born in Bethlehem and who in their right mind would want to make sure the prophecies about the suffering Servant form Isaiah[4] were fulfilled?

They stop for the night sit down for dinner and Jesus breaks the bread and they finally recognize him. Jesus promptly vanishes and they promptly rush back to Jerusalem. When they arrive they hear Simon Peter has seen the Risen Jesus too!

So, Jesus is Risen, but the Old Testament shows him to be the Messiah, the Christ.

Christ is Risen.

Jesus appears among the Disciples

As the disciples are standing around talking about him Jesus appears among them. And greets them Peace be with you.

They probably needed peace, they all thought they were seeing a ghost and were a little afraid.

To put them at ease he shows them his hands and feet that had been pierced by the nails. He urges them to touch him to see that he is real. Luke tells us they still didn’t believe; it was too good to be true! In Total amazement they looked at him.

To continue to show them that he is alive, and, in their presence, he takes some of the fish leftover from a meal and eats it in front of them. It’s like a long-lost friend surprising you with a visit, you can’t believe they are there. So to prove it they eat some of the leftovers you have in the fridge.

This is not some form of mass hysteria caused by the death of their leader and the stress of potential persecution that results in a vision of Jesus. No this was real he talked and stood among them he ate their fish.

While they are no doubt wondering what is going on Jesus similarly to his last discussion on the Emmaus road explains it to them through the scriptures. The Law Prophet Psalms – All the Old Testament points to Jesus and the prophecies that point to him must be fulfilled. There are hundreds of them! And Jesus fulfills them all.

They are struggling to believe; they don’t understand what is going on. It’s not that they are slow or sceptical, but their minds are closed. we get to v45 and the lights suddenly go on for the disciples

Jesus opens their minds so they can understand

The same is true for people today you can lay out the truth of Jesus before them and explain it clearly but unless Jesus opens their minds to understand they will not believe. Remember though it’s not our job to open their minds its our job to share the Gospel.

Jesus shares with them the bigger purpose of why God became man.

Look with me at V46-48

Jesus has explained that the Messiah must suffer and that he would be raised from the dead.

And it says repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name.

The Laws that God gave to show his Holy Character and the standards that he expects from his people have been set. But the problem is that all people no matter how good they are will fail to keep the laws and achieve the level of perfection that God requires to enter into his presence.

The old testament shows that only through sacrifices can you enter into God’s holy presence. That’s what Leviticus teaches us. WE can approach God on his terms only, following the correct protocols. The right sacrifices done in the right way. We fail. So, God provides a way. That way is Jesus the perfect priest and perfect sacrifice. It is in his name that forgiveness will be found for those who seek it and repent.

Jesus came to seek and save the Lost from dishonest tax collectors criminals on crosses. Jesus came to save us. That’s why God became fully human and died upon a cross.

Jesus in light of this urges Christians to take the gospel to all nations to teach about the forgiveness of rebellion of sins against God, found in Jesus name alone.

Jesus Ascension

He did not die but was taken up fully alive to heaven and he is seated there in heaven next to God the Father. Luke give further detail of these few verses in the book of Acts. We have a saviour who is alive, in heaven interceding for us.

Hebrews Sums up the good news of this mornings passage in Chapter 7

24 because Jesus lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood.

25 Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them.

26 Such a high priest truly meets our need—one who is holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners, exalted above the heavens.

27 Unlike the other high priests, he does not need to offer sacrifices day after day, first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. He sacrificed for their sins once for all when he offered himself.

28 For the law appoints as high priests men in all their weakness; but the oath, which came after the law, appointed the Son, who has been made perfect forever. [5]

All of this is why we celebrate at easter

The Tomb is empty – He is not there

Jesus is Risen

The Old Testament points to The Messiah The Christ, To Jeus who fulfills the Old Testament. Jesus Is the Christ.

Christ Is Risen

Jesus came to be the perfect Priest and sacrifice to fulfill the Old Testament. He came to bring about forgiveness for our rebelliousness against God, to make atonement and reconcile us to God. And we get to share that message with the World

We Worship a living God who ascended into heaven and because was a perfect priest and perfect sacrifice who lives forever.

Christ is Risen, and has made the promise to those who believe in him that they will be with him in Paradise

Amen!

[1] As a Historian Luke even gives us the names of the women who went to the tomb. If you knew the women, you could go and check. [2] James was beheaded[2] Acts 12:1 but the story goes that he continued to share the truth about Jesus with people, so much so that one of the guards there to execute him put his own head on the chopping block too! The Guards eyes were opened, and he was changed so he too would give up his life for the sake of the gospel. [3] The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Lk 24:25–26. [4] Check out Isaiah 53 [5] The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Heb 7:24–28.