CSSA 1-4-24 - THE RESURRECTION

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99. THE RESURRECTION

"Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen".

Aim

To show how Jesus rose again on the third day and showed himself to many of his disciples.

Jews and Gentiles had joined together to put Jesus to death. Wicked hands had taken him and nailed him to the stake till he died, but loving hands had buried him. The Father in heaven watched over all of these things. He loved His Son because he had done all that his Father had asked. Now the grave could not hold him and after three days he rose again. He appeared to many of his beloved friends and disciples, who at first were so overcome with grief at his death, that they could not believe he was alive.

Luke 24:1-48. See also Matthew 28:1-15; Mark 16:1-14; John 20:1-29

THE TOMB SEALED AND GUARDED: Matthew 27:62-66

The leaders of the Jews had got what they wanted. Jesus was now dead and buried, but they felt very uneasy. As they thought about the strange things that had happened on the previous day € the eerie darkness which overshadowed the land for three hours, the earthquake, and the torn veil of the temple € they were a little afraid. Jesus' miracles and his warning were still fresh in their minds. What troubled them most however, were Jesus' own words, that he would rise again the third day (Mark 8:31-32; Matt. 27:63). They thought that possibly his disciples might come and steal his body and then spread the news that he had risen. So they asked Pilate for soldiers to guard the tomb for three days. "Go your way, make it as sure as ye can", Pilate said (v65). "So they went, and made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting a watch" (v66).

Though the enemies of Jesus remembered his words that he would rise again from the dead, his disciples had forgotten. They were full of grief that their beloved Lord had been crucified. They had believed that he was about to set up the kingdom of God and now all their hopes were shattered. They were filled with sadness and disappointment. While Jesus was with them, his warning about his death seemed unreal. He had strengthened and guided and comforted them. Now he was gone, and they were left weak and helpless, not knowing what to do next. They did not understand what the prophets had written about Messiah, that he must first suffer and then be raised to glory.

THE WOMEN VISIT THE SEPULCHRE

The little group of women, who had followed him from Galilee to Jerusalem caring for his needs on the way, followed him to Golgotha and stood "afar off* to witness his crucifixion (Matt. 27:55). Two of these women, whose faith and love made them follow him, had watched as Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus carefully laid their Lord in the tomb. They "beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid" (Luke 23:55). They had planned to do one last thing to show their love. The next day was the feast day, a sabbath, but on the day after they would go and buy the precious spices and ointments to anoint his body (Mark 16:1).

Early upon the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene came with some of the other women to the tomb.

THE STONE IS ROLLED AWAY

That very night, at the end of the sabbath, a great earthquake rocked the city. God had sent His angel to roll back the heavy stone that sealed the entrance of the tomb where Jesus had Jain for three days and three nights. He sat upon the stone and the guards who had been sent to watch the tomb were terrified at his appearance. "His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow" (Matt. 28:3).

When the women came to the tomb they found the stone rolled away and the tomb empty. Suddenly they saw two angels in shining garments standing there and they were afraid. The angels spoke to them saying, "Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen". Then the women remembered Jesus' words that he should "rise again on the third day", and they believed (Luke 24:5-8). Excitedly they hurried off to tell his disciples that the Lord had risen from the dead. Though afraid by what they had seen, their hearts were filled with joy at this exciting news and they ran to tell the disciples.

THE FALSE REPORTS Matthew 28:11-15

While the women ran off with their joyful news, the terrified guards fled. Some went straight to the chief priests with the amazing story of what they had just seen in the garden. Realising what could happen if such a story got about, the chief priests called the elders together to hastily decide what should be done. The guards had obviously been terrified. The only way to make them change their story was to bribe them with a large sum of money. So the chief priests and elders persuaded the guards to say, "His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept" (vl3). In actual fact, if a guard was caught sleeping on duty he was to be put to death, but these evil Jews would fix that too, if the story reached the ears of the governor.

So the soldiers spread that false report and many of the people believed it. But all the lies in the world could not change the fact that Jesus had risen from the dead.

PETER AND JOHN SEE THE EMPTY TOMB

When the excited women came and told the disciples the amazing news of the empty tomb and the angels and the resurrection, it all seemed unbelievable. "Their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not" (Luke 24:11). But Peter and John got up and ran to the sepulchre. John got there first, and stooping down to look inside, he saw the linen grave clothes lying there. Then Peter came running up behind him and went inside the tomb. All there was to see were the neatly folded linen clothes and the napkin that had been used to cover his head, which now was set aside by itself. Then John went into the tomb "and he saw, and believed" (John 20:3-8).

The Lord indeed was not there, but apart from John, the disciples did not yet understand that Jesus had risen from the dead and would live for evermore.

JESUS APPEARS TO MARY MAGDALENE: John 20:11-18

Poor Mary was not sure what to believe. She went again to the sepulchre and saw indeed that the stone was rolled away. She stood there weeping, not knowing what had happened to the Lord. As she wept, she stooped down to look inside. Two angels in white were sitting there, "one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain." "Woman, why weepest thou?" they asked her. "Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him", she said (v13). She turned around and saw a man standing behind her. She thought he was the gardener and when he also asked her why she was weeping, she said, "Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away" (v15). She had not known, through her tears, that the one she was speaking to was the risen Lord himself. But he spoke one word and she instantly knew him. "Mary", Jesus said. She recognised that familiar voice. "Rabboni", she exclaimed (meaning 'my teacher') (v16). Now Mary was sure and she must do as he said and go and tell his "brethren" that he had risen.

MANY WITNESSES TO HIS RESURRECTION

That same day, the first day of the week, Jesus also revealed himself to two disciples as they went to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35).

Later, in the evening, Jesus came and found his chosen apostles and said, "Peace be unto you". When he saw that they were afraid he showed them the marks in his hands and his side, to prove that he was indeed the risen Christ. "Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see", he said (Luke 24:39). They were overcome with joy, scarcely able to believe what their eyes could see. Then Jesus asked for a piece offish and some honeycomb and ate it in front of them. "Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord" (John 20:19-20).

Thomas was not there at the time. When the others told him, he doubted. "Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe," he said (John 20:25). Eight days later, Jesus appeared to them all again and Thomas was there. Jesus showed him his wounds and immediately Thomas believed. "Because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed; blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed", Jesus said (v29).

Later he showed himself to five hundred disciples who had assembled together (1 Cor. 15:6).

There were so many witnesses who saw and believed, that the lies taught by the leaders of the Jews could not stop the wonderful news that Christ had risen indeed. A few weeks later, on the day of Pentecost, Peter announced that joyful message to thousands who had gathered in Jerusalem for the feast. "This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses", he said, and three thousand more on that day believed (Acts 2:32,41).

LESSON FOR US

Why is the resurrection of Jesus so important? The apostle Paul explained it to the Corinthians: "If Christ be not raised, your faith is vain" (1 Cor. 15:17). All the things that we believe in about the coming kingdom of God on earth, all our hope for the future, would be useless if Christ had not risen from the dead. We would be "most miserable" if that were so. Not only that, but all those who believed in him in the past who now sleep in the graves, would stay there in the dust of the earth. But, thankfully, we have something much more wonderful to look forward to for "now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept" (v20).

He was the "first fruits", the first to come out of the grave to be given immortality. When he returns, those who are dead "in Christ" will also be raised (1 Thess. 4:16). Together with those of us who are alive and believe in him, they will all be changed to immortality too, if they have been faithful till his coming.

So, since we have a living Saviour, who can die no more, let us put our trust in him and look forward to being with him for ever, as much as his disciples did.

ADDITIONAL NOTES: Luke 24:13-35

Let us see what happened on the road to Emmaus on that first day of the week.

Two disciples were travelling down from Jerusalem to the village of Emmaus, about eleven kilometres away. They were sad, these two men, as they walked along solemnly going over the events of the last few days. A stranger joined them on the road - at least it was not a stranger, but Jesus himself, though they were so absorbed in their sorrowful thoughts that they did not recognise him. He was the last person they would have thought to meet and they were deep in conversation. Shortly "the stranger" asked them what it was that they were so earnestly discussing which seemed to make them so sad. The two disciples were surprised. They thought he must be the only one in Jerusalem who had not known what had happened there in the past three days. "What things'?" he asked them. "Concerning Jesus of Nazareth", they said and went on to describe his cruel death. "But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, today is the third day since these things were done". They told him how the women had found the tomb empty and said they had seen angels, who had told them Jesus was alive. They also told of the disciples who went to the sepulchre and found his body gone, but did not see him anywhere.

When "the stranger" had listened to their sad tale, he spoke to them both. "O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?" His words must have taken them by surprise, but he went on to show them from the scriptures, beginning at Moses and going through all the prophets, "the things concerning himself € . How intently they would have listened, as they began to understand what God had written in His Word.

Eventually they reached Emmaus. It looked as though their companion would go on further, but they begged him to stay with them. So he came in and they all sat down to a meal. There was bread on the table and he took some and gave thanks to God and broke it and gave to the two disciples.

Immediately they recognised him. It was Jesus himself. No other person broke bread and gave thanks in that way. He was alive, as the women had said. Without another word, he disappeared from their sight.

Now they realised why they had been so moved as he taught them out of the scriptures, while they were walking along. They were so excited that they hurried straight back to Jerusalem to tell the eleven disciples.

QUESTIONS (9 - 12 years)

Short Answers

1. What made the Jews decide to ask Pilate for soldiers to guard the tomb?

2. Some women saw where Jesus was buried. What did they plan to do later?