I Am The Resurrection And The Life…
Early To Rise Early To Know Who Else Is Risen!
Luke 24:1-3 On the first day of the week (Sunday), 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.
Human Reactions To A Crisis Seek Human Reasons For A Crisis
John 20:1-2 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb (With the other women) and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb and we don’t know where they have put Him!”
The Words Of The Lord Are The ONLY Real Comfort!
Luke 24:4-8 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.
Even A Committed Disciple Doubts!
Luke 24:9-11 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.
A Dead Man Cannot Fold Up Their Own Grave Clothes!
John 20:3-8 Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb.
Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus’ head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed.
Grief Blinds Us To The Truth That The Lord Shows Us
John 20:10-13 The disciples went back to their homes, but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “I don’t know where they have put Him!”
Only The Risen Lord Can Dispel The Clouds Of Grief From The Human Heart
John 20:16-18 Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabboni,” which means Teacher. Jesus said to her, “Stop holding on to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to My brothers and tell them, ‘I am going to My Father and your Father, to My God and your God.’ ” Mary of Magdala went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and what He told her.
Human Discussion About What, Why and How The Lord Does Things Are Only Words
Luke 24:13-15 That same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus Himself came up and walked along with them…
The Lord Intimately Knows The Inner Thoughts and Feelings Of Our Heart!
Luke 24:16-18 …but they were kept from recognizing Him. He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?” They stood still, their faces downcast. One of them, named Cleopas, asked Him, “Are You the only one in Jerusalem that does not know the things that have happened there in these days?
Worldly Political Intrigue Seems To Have Control Over What We Hope For!
Luke 24:19-21a “What things?” He asked. “About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. The chief priests and our rulers handed Him over to be sentenced to death and they crucified Him; but we had hoped that He was the One Who was going to redeem Israel!
Truth Stares Us In The Face Yet We Refuse It!
Luke 24:21b-24 What is more, it is the third day since all this took place and some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning but didn’t find His body! They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said He was alive. Some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but Him they did not see.”
The Human Heart Is Slow To Faith and Foolish Because Of Its Tendency To See Things Only With Human Eyes!
Luke 24:25-29a He said to them, “How foolish you are and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter His glory?” Beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself. As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. But they urged Him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.”
When The Word Of The Lord Is Rightly Explained It Lights A Fire In Our Heart!
Luke 24:29b-32 So He went in to stay with them. When He was at the table with them, He took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him and He disappeared from their sight. They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while He talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
Fear Is Replaced By Peace By The Risen Lord
Luke 24:33-37 They returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven assembled and those with them, saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” Then the two told what had happened on the way and how Jesus was recognized by them when He broke the bread. While they were still talking about this, Jesus Himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost.
His Resurrection Is Absolutely Physical
Luke 24:38-43 He said to them, “Why are you troubled and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at My hands and My feet. It is I Myself! Touch Me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” When He had said this, He showed them His hands and feet. They still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, He asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” They gave Him a piece of broiled fish and He took it and ate it in their presence.
Stubborn Disbelief Keeps Us From Faith
John 20:24-25 Thomas, one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in His hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe!”
Stubborn Disbelief Will Be Confronted By The Lord Himself!
John 20:26-28 A week later His disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” Then He said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Stop doubting and believe.”
Thomas said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”
To Believe Without Proof Is Faith!
John 20:29-31 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen Me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not recorded in this book. These are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God and that by believing YOU may have life in His Name!
God’s Plan For All Of Us Is Revealed In His Written Word!
Luke 24:44-47 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about Me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” Then He opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
When You Meet The Risen Lord You Will Worship Him!
Luke 24:48-52 You are witnesses of these things. I am going to send you what My Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.” When He had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, He lifted up His hands and blessed them. While He was blessing them, He left them and was taken up into heaven. Then they worshiped Him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy!
The Resurrection Is A Person Not An Event
John 11:23-27 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?” “Yes, Lord,” she told him, “I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who was to come into the world.”
Revelation 1:13-18 …among the lampstands was someone “like a son of man,” dressed in a robe reaching down to His feet and with a golden sash around His chest. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow and His eyes were like blazing fire. His feet were like bronze glowing in a furnace and His voice was like the sound of rushing waters. In His right hand He held seven stars and out of His mouth came a sharp double-edged sword.
-His face was like the sun shining in all its brilliance. When I saw him, I fell at His feet as though dead. Then He placed His right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. I am the Living One; I was dead and behold I am alive for ever and ever!
I hold the keys of death and Hades!