The Joy of the Resurrection! – Luke 24:1-12
The Joy of the Resurrection! – Luke 24:1-12
By Pastor Lee Hemen
April 12, 2020
The message of Easter is the resurrection of Jesus as an event that means much more than a historical fact. His victory over death brings peace and comfort to all who have trusted in him as Lord and Savior. Further, Jesus’ resurrection is the basis for the believers’ resurrection and living with him forever. It is the joy of the resurrection!
After Jesus’ death, Joseph buried the body hastily in a nearby tomb. A large stone rolled in front of the entrance was meant to keep out marauders and wild animals as well as Jesus’ disciples (Matthew 27:62-66). All day Saturday Jesus’ followers grieved, but they could do nothing. Sunday morning dawned, the first day of the week, and some of the women who had followed Jesus went to visit his grave. They could not have imagined what they were about to experience. Their initial response was fright, but soon they realized the joy of the resurrection! Let’s rediscover this truth again…
READ: Luke 24:1-12
The inspired writers of the New Testament who declared the resurrection of Jesus never described the sequence of events inside the tomb. Nobody saw Jesus’ dead body when it was miraculously transformed. Guards were struck down and the stone rolled away. What were also recorded are two amazing facts: Jesus’ tomb was empty and he appeared alive to his followers. The only possible conclusion was that he had been resurrected and because of this we know for certain…
I. The joy of a living Savior! (Vv. 1-8)
On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 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? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’” Then they remembered his words.
1. We find that “On the first day of the week” which is Sunday, “very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb.” These women did not expect what they would find. They were focused on doing a proper burial for one they loved. However, “They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus”! Jesus’ body was gone! And “While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them.” Next, however, they heard unexpected words. The news they received began the process of taking them from despair to hope and faith. And the words they heard were from a very unlikely source. In their confusion they are asked, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?” They did not find the body they were looking for. Instead they saw two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning, an obvious reference to angelic beings. These men reminded them of the words Jesus had spoken about his crucifixion and resurrection (Luke 9:31; Luke 18:31-34). If they could not find what they were looking for, why were they looking for it there? The fact was, “He is not here; he has risen!” They had forgotten what Jesus had told them while still in Galilee, “The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.” It was only after they realized what had occurred they “remembered his words”! We have a risen Lord! Jesus is alive! We have the joy of a living Savior!
EXAMPLE: When a teenager named Poh Fang learned about Jesus’ love for her and received him as her Savior, her parents weren’t sure about the merits of Christianity. So they sent her older sister with her to church to keep an eye on her. But something happened that they didn’t expect. The powerful Word of God penetrated the heart of the older sister, and she accepted Jesus as her Savior as well. Think back to the time you first realized Jesus is truly alive. Consider today that proclaiming the good news to lost people must include the truth that Jesus arose from the dead, for there is no good news without Jesus’ resurrection. How can you help others know that Jesus is alive? By always remembering we have the joy of a living Savior!
Have you ever witnessed something so incredible it was hard to describe? I have. I’ve watched acrobats do some incredible things that I could never describe. I’ve seen sights across this Nation I would be hard pressed to tell others about. And here in Luke’s gospel the women who had gone to Jesus’ tomb come back with…
II. Indescribably joyful news! (Vv. 9-12)
When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.
1. Luke writes that the women told their experiences to the disciples when “they came back from the tomb”. In fact we learn that they willingly “told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others” and evidently did not hold anything back in the telling. And interestingly Luke relates details that we might have never known, namely that “It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles.” Luke’s facts help us to realize that those who would read this would know those who told what they saw and it helps us to understand that Luke’s description is indeed factual. He names names. If what he is relating were not true, those who heard it could go and ask these women themselves or the disciple they told it to! Luke also relates to us that the disciples “did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense”! In fact it would to us as well if had heard such a thing. No one has ever risen from the dead. Dead people are dead, period. You do not come back from the dead. Luke tells us that “Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb.” John’s account relates that both Peter and John run to the tomb. John outran Peter and is the first one on the scene. John looks in and sees the strips of linen lying there inside, but doesn’t go into the tomb. Peter arrives and goes inside to see for himself. “Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.” Something so incredible is hard to take in let alone describe but today we know for certain it is true because we have the indescribably joyful news!
EXAMPLE: The birth of a child, a wedding announcement, the celebration of a birthday is all wonderful things to tell others about. I know when this sheltering in place, social distancing, and dreaded virus is finally lessened it will be joyous news. But it will be nothing compared to the joy of the resurrection! Now that has always been and will always be indescribably joyful news!
Conclusion:
We have the joy of a living Savior! Indescribably joyful news!
----
This article is copyrighted © 2020 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.
By Pastor Lee Hemen
April 12, 2020
The message of Easter is the resurrection of Jesus as an event that means much more than a historical fact. His victory over death brings peace and comfort to all who have trusted in him as Lord and Savior. Further, Jesus’ resurrection is the basis for the believers’ resurrection and living with him forever. It is the joy of the resurrection!
After Jesus’ death, Joseph buried the body hastily in a nearby tomb. A large stone rolled in front of the entrance was meant to keep out marauders and wild animals as well as Jesus’ disciples (Matthew 27:62-66). All day Saturday Jesus’ followers grieved, but they could do nothing. Sunday morning dawned, the first day of the week, and some of the women who had followed Jesus went to visit his grave. They could not have imagined what they were about to experience. Their initial response was fright, but soon they realized the joy of the resurrection! Let’s rediscover this truth again…
READ: Luke 24:1-12
The inspired writers of the New Testament who declared the resurrection of Jesus never described the sequence of events inside the tomb. Nobody saw Jesus’ dead body when it was miraculously transformed. Guards were struck down and the stone rolled away. What were also recorded are two amazing facts: Jesus’ tomb was empty and he appeared alive to his followers. The only possible conclusion was that he had been resurrected and because of this we know for certain…
I. The joy of a living Savior! (Vv. 1-8)
On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 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? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’” Then they remembered his words.
1. We find that “On the first day of the week” which is Sunday, “very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb.” These women did not expect what they would find. They were focused on doing a proper burial for one they loved. However, “They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus”! Jesus’ body was gone! And “While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them.” Next, however, they heard unexpected words. The news they received began the process of taking them from despair to hope and faith. And the words they heard were from a very unlikely source. In their confusion they are asked, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?” They did not find the body they were looking for. Instead they saw two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning, an obvious reference to angelic beings. These men reminded them of the words Jesus had spoken about his crucifixion and resurrection (Luke 9:31; Luke 18:31-34). If they could not find what they were looking for, why were they looking for it there? The fact was, “He is not here; he has risen!” They had forgotten what Jesus had told them while still in Galilee, “The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.” It was only after they realized what had occurred they “remembered his words”! We have a risen Lord! Jesus is alive! We have the joy of a living Savior!
EXAMPLE: When a teenager named Poh Fang learned about Jesus’ love for her and received him as her Savior, her parents weren’t sure about the merits of Christianity. So they sent her older sister with her to church to keep an eye on her. But something happened that they didn’t expect. The powerful Word of God penetrated the heart of the older sister, and she accepted Jesus as her Savior as well. Think back to the time you first realized Jesus is truly alive. Consider today that proclaiming the good news to lost people must include the truth that Jesus arose from the dead, for there is no good news without Jesus’ resurrection. How can you help others know that Jesus is alive? By always remembering we have the joy of a living Savior!
Have you ever witnessed something so incredible it was hard to describe? I have. I’ve watched acrobats do some incredible things that I could never describe. I’ve seen sights across this Nation I would be hard pressed to tell others about. And here in Luke’s gospel the women who had gone to Jesus’ tomb come back with…
II. Indescribably joyful news! (Vv. 9-12)
When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.
1. Luke writes that the women told their experiences to the disciples when “they came back from the tomb”. In fact we learn that they willingly “told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others” and evidently did not hold anything back in the telling. And interestingly Luke relates details that we might have never known, namely that “It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles.” Luke’s facts help us to realize that those who would read this would know those who told what they saw and it helps us to understand that Luke’s description is indeed factual. He names names. If what he is relating were not true, those who heard it could go and ask these women themselves or the disciple they told it to! Luke also relates to us that the disciples “did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense”! In fact it would to us as well if had heard such a thing. No one has ever risen from the dead. Dead people are dead, period. You do not come back from the dead. Luke tells us that “Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb.” John’s account relates that both Peter and John run to the tomb. John outran Peter and is the first one on the scene. John looks in and sees the strips of linen lying there inside, but doesn’t go into the tomb. Peter arrives and goes inside to see for himself. “Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.” Something so incredible is hard to take in let alone describe but today we know for certain it is true because we have the indescribably joyful news!
EXAMPLE: The birth of a child, a wedding announcement, the celebration of a birthday is all wonderful things to tell others about. I know when this sheltering in place, social distancing, and dreaded virus is finally lessened it will be joyous news. But it will be nothing compared to the joy of the resurrection! Now that has always been and will always be indescribably joyful news!
Conclusion:
We have the joy of a living Savior! Indescribably joyful news!
----
This article is copyrighted © 2020 by Lee Hemen and is the sole property of Lee Hemen, and may not be used unless you quote the entire article and have my permission.
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