Sunday, January 6, 2012
am
The Resurrection (1)
The resurrection of Jesus is a focal point of our faith as
Christians. It is the event
that sets us apart from other world religions, even other monotheistic
(there is one God) religions such as Islam and Judaism.
If you were to do a study of the sermons in Acts, you will find
the resurrection mentioned in the majority of those discourses.
It is the source of our hope.
Without it, our faith is vain and our religion is empty (1 Cor.
15:12-19). In another ongoing
series, we are going to be addressing various aspects of the
resurrection of Jesus (and our resurrection) this year.
In our lesson today, we want to focus on the details of the
resurrection of Jesus. Next
week we will make our case for the resurrection of Jesus.
This will be followed by a discussion of the some of the events
that occurred between His resurrection and His ascension.
We will conclude our study addressing His second coming.
a.
Recorded in all four
gospels – Matt. 28:1-15, Mark 16:1-18, Luke 24:1-43, John 19:1-29.
The four accounts each give unique details and to construct a timeline
of events requires a careful reading of each one and some thought as to
how to tie them together.
With a cursory reading, there seem to be conflicts between the various
gospels, but I want to remind you that none gives a complete detailed
account. Furthermore,
I invite you to consider that together the gospels might be describing
several independent events that occurred in the course of a couple of
hours (at most). The
accounts CAN be harmonized if we consider this and the fact that the
gospels are initially addressed to four different audiences.
NOTE: IN this rendition of the account, I cannot with certainty say that
I have the order right, but I am convinced ALL the events happened.
b.
We read that it was on
the first day of the week
– All 4 accounts mention
that it was on “the first day of the week.”
Matthew tells us it was after the Sabbath, as the first day of
the week began to dawn. Mark
tells us it was the very early in the morning.
John tells us that Mary Magdalene went to the tomb while it was
still dark.
c.
Mentioned on this occasion were Mary Magdalene, another Mary described as the mother of
James (Mk. 16:1), Salome (Mk. 16:1), Joanna (Lk. 24:10) and other women.
We will also find Peter and John present at the site.
d.
Matthew 28:1-4 records
there was a great earthquake,
because “an angel of the Lord
descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door,
and sat on it.” The
angel was described as with a very bright countenance like lightening
and clothing white as snow.
The guards froze shaking in fear.
They go into the city to tell the chief priests what has
happened. There is NO
indication that any disciples witnessed this nor that the guards saw the
resurrected Jesus. Matthew
proceeds to tell us that when the soldiers reported the events they were
bribed to say that His disciples came and stole the body while they
slept. They were promised
that if word got back to Pilate it would be taken care of. (Matt.
28:11-15)
e.
John 20:1-9, records the
arrival of Mary Magdalene while it was still dark.
Perhaps she was the first to arrive (and alone).
This would help harmonize the various accounts. She finds the
stone rolled away and immediately runs to Simon Peter and “the other
disciple” (believed to be John and we will identify him as such) saying,
“They have taken away the Lord out
of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.”
f.
Peter and John ran to the tomb (John 20:3-9).
John outran Peter and was first to arrive at the tomb.
As he is looking in, he sees the linen cloths lying there.
Peter arrives and goes in to find the cloths and the handkerchief
that had covered His head neatly folded in another place.
John then enters, sees this “and believed” (John 20:8).
The disciples leave and go to their homes.
g.
In the other gospels we read of the various women,
which included Mary Magdalene (who is already there, but mentioned as
part of those present). They are
headed to the tomb with prepared spices for His body.
They are discussing who would roll away the stone when they
arrived at the tomb. (Mk. 16:2-3)
h.
When the women arrived,
the sun had arisen, and they found the tomb empty. They too see
the stone rolled away and went inside.
They saw 2 men (Lk. 24:4).
John tells us they were angels (John 20:12).
Jesus is not there. One
of the angels told them, “Do not
be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.
He is not here; for He is risen, as He said.
Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the
dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see
Him. Behold, I have told you.”
(Matt. 28:5-7) Luke
adds a few details to these words (Lk. 24:5-7) asking them, “Why
do you seek the living among the dead?”
and they reminded them that Jesus had said, “The
Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be
crucified, and the third day rise again.”
i.
The women quickly leave, trembling with amazement and seek the disciples to tell
them.
j.
But Mary Magdalene remains outside the tomb weeping.
(John 20:11-18). She
is probably still in disbelief.
She looks in and sees the two angels sitting in there.
They ask her, “Woman, why are you weeping?”
She responds “Because they
have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”
Having said this she turns around and sees Jesus, but doesn’t
recognize Him. He asks her,
“Woman, why are you weeping?
Whom are you seeking?”
She supposes Him to be the gardener and says to Him that if he had taken
the body if he would tell here where it was she would take it away.
Jesus says, “Mary!”
THEN she recognizes Jesus and says, “Rabboni!”
(teacher) She hugs him which
prompts Jesus to say, “Do not cling to Me, for I have not yet ascended
to My Father; but go to my
brethren and say to them, ‘I am ascending to MY Father and your Father,
and to My God and your God.” (John 20:17).
Mary goes and tells the other disciples.
CONSIDER Mark 16:9, “Now when He rose early on the first day of the
week, HE appeared FIRST to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven
demons.”
k.
Meanwhile, as the other women are hurriedly running to tell the disciples,
(Matt. 28:8-10)
Jesus meets them on the way and greets them.
HE tells them, “Don’t be
afraid! Tell my followers to
go to Galilee. They will see
me there.”
l.
The women, including Mary Magdalene, arrive where the eleven are waiting
along with other disciple. (Lk. 24:8-12) But to most who were there, they don’t believe the
women. Peter arises and
again toes to the tomb. He
sees it still empty and departs marveling at what had happened.
(Why would Peter return?
He has heard of the appearances of Jesus!)
m.
That day Jesus would
continue to make appearances:
i.
Luke 24:13-35 records two men on the road to Emmaus.
We are told that Emmaus
was a village some 7 miles from Jerusalem.
These men were walking there after hearing from the women about
the empty tomb. They were
talking about what had happened.
Jesus joined them and walked with them.
We are told their eyes were restrained and they didn’t recognize
Him. Jesus asked them about
their conversation and why they were so sad.
We are told that one of them (Cleopas, the other probably being
Simon) asked Him, “Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You
not known the things which happened there in these days?”
Jesus asked, “What things?”
They said, the things of Jesus of Nazareth.
They described Him as a prophet with mighty deeds and words
before God and the people.
He had been condemned to death and crucified by the chief priests and
rulers. They thought he was
the hope and redeemer of Israel.
BUT now, that day women had reported “a vision of angels” who
said He was alive and that the tomb was empty.
Jesus proceeded to teach them saying, “O
foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have
spoken! Ought not the Christ
to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?” (Lk.
24:25-26) THEN Jesus began
to teach what the Old Law (the Prophets and Moses) said about Himself
(including His resurrection I suppose).
As the disciples drew near the village, they invite Jesus to stay with
them. Jesus did and as they
sat to eat a meal, Jesus took bread, blessed it and broke it.
At that point their eyes were opened and they recognized Jesus.
HE then vanished.
They responded, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with
us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?”
They arose that very hour and returned to Jerusalem where they
told the eleven, “The Lord is risen, and has appeared to Simon!”
ii.
Jesus appears to His disciples (Luke 24:36-43, John 20:19-23).
According to Luke, as the two men return to Jerusalem and
arrive where the disciples were, we find the doors are shut for fear of
the Jews (considering the body of Jesus is missing and soldiers have
been bribed to say the disciples took the body, there were probably
serious concerns). According
to John, Thomas was absent (John 20:24-25), but the other apostles were
there. Jesus appears to them
saying, “Peace to you.” They
are terrified thinking He was only a spirit.
Luke records Him asking them, “Why
are you troubled? And why do
doubts arise in your hearts?
Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself.
Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as
you see I have.” (Lk.
24: 38-39) After this He
showed them His hands and feet.
He even took a piece of broiled fish and some honeycomb and at it
in their presence (verifying that He was real).
ON that occasion He also opened their eyes to begin comprehending
the scriptures.
We find on this occasion hints of the Great Commission.
He breathed on them and they received the Holy Spirit and gave
them authority (Jn. 20:21-22).
Luke 24:44-45 says, “He said to them, ‘These are the words which I spoke to You while I was
still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in
the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.’
And He opened their understanding that they might comprehend the
scriptures.”
iii.
Over the next few weeks Jesus would make other appearances and do other
things
which we will discuss in a future lesson ( 2 weeks), including the next
week when Thomas will be present, His restoration of Peter, at His
ascension and to others (cf.
a.
Jesus truly did physically arise. This is
such a foundational principle that in our next lesson we will make the
case for His resurrection.
When He arose, it was not just His Spirit.
He did things which PROVED that it was a bodily resurrection.
Consider the following:
i.
Numerous appearances – 1
Cor. 15:5-11 tells us this.
When Paul makes his appeal, he is arguing for a literal resurrection.
The gospels in describing the people describe not merely a
spirit, but a physical body.
ii.
He WAS recognized,
though it took some effort (Mary Magdalene, the two men on the road to
Emmaus, etc.)
iii.
He ate food – fish and
honeycomb. Luke specifically
tells us He did this to show He was not a Spirit, but raised in the
flesh.
iv.
He challenged the
disciples to touch His wounds – including Thomas the next week.
v.
John 1:1-3, John began
his epistle observing that they had seen, looked upon and handled
(touched) Jesus in the flesh.
vi.
While His appearance
seemed to be altered, it was always flesh and blood.
And it was the the body He inhabited BEFORE His death!
b.
As Jesus arose, so will
we!
Again this is our hope.
As we conclude this message I turn you to 1 Corinthians 15:12-19
where Paul challenged the brethren to understand that there WILL be a
resurrection. That Jesus
arose is proof of that. But we
will also be changed:
i.
1 Cor. 15:50-56 assures us that flesh and blood will NOT inherit the kingdom of God.
We are told that our mortality will put on immortality.
Our corruption will put on incorruption.
Whether the body that arose from the grave was incorruptible we
cannot positively affirm, but we know He did NOT die again and we have
that hope.
ii.
1 John 3:1-3,
we are told that it has not yet been revealed what we will be like, “but
we know that when He is revealed we shall be like Him, for we shall see
Him as He is.” IT is this
hope that calls for us to purify ourselves.
iii.
Phil. 3:20-21 speaks of our citizenship being in heaven as we eagerly await for the
Savior, “who will transform our
lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to
the working by which HE is able to subdue all things to Himself.”
c.
Faith tested –
every one of face trials and our faith is tested.
What is interesting about the resurrection of Jesus is to find
disciples, who had been TOLD what would happen, and yet there was
despair. Even after it
happened, there was doubt.
Recall how Jesus rebuked His disciples on the road to Emmaus.
Luke 24:25-26 finds Him calling them, “foolish ones” and “slow of
heart to believe.”
How does that compare to our faith?
I’m not talking about saying that we believe.
I’m talking about our actions!
Is it as strong as it ought to be?
When we face troubles and even more, we face uncertainties, is
our trust in Him as it ought to be?
2 Cor. 1:6-9, “In this you greatly
rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been
grieved by various trials, that the genuineness of your faith,
being much more precious than gold that perishes, though it is tested by
fire, may be found to praise, honor, and glory at the revelation of
Jesus Christ, whom having not seen you love. Though now you do not
see Him, yet believing, you rejoice with joy inexpressible and full of
glory, receiving the end of your faith—the salvation of your souls.”
Heb. 10:38, “Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back,
My soul has no pleasure in Him.”
And thus we see the account of the resurrection of Jesus.
He really did arise!
And therein is our hope.
What about you? Do you find
hope in these things? Have
you come in contact with His blood?
Therein is your hope!
How can we help you?