Matthew 28:1-7
Mark 16:1-8
Luke 24:1-12
John 20:1-10
Jesus Is
Resurrected
Matthew 28:2–4
2Suddenly there was a violent earthquake, because an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and approached the tomb. He rolled back the stone and was sitting on it. 3His appearance was like lightning, and his robe was as white as snow. 4The guards were so shaken from fear of him that they became like dead men.[1]
[1]
Knight, G. W. (2001). A simplified harmony of the Gospels (p. 243).
Holman Bible Publishers.
Women Visit the
Tomb to Anoint Jesus’ Body
Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:1–4; Luke 24:1–2
Mk 16:1aWhen the Sabbath was over, Mt 28:1aas the first day of the week was dawning, Mk 16:1b–4Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint Him… 3And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone from the entrance to the tomb for us?” 4Looking up, they observed that the stone—which was very large—had been rolled away.[1]
Women Discover
the Empty Tomb
Matthew 28:5–8; Mark 16:5–8; Luke 24:3–8;
John 20:1–2
Lk 24:3–4They went
in but did not find
the body of the Lord Jesus [Jn 20:1On the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early,
while it was still dark. She saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb].
4While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men stood by
them in dazzling clothes [Mk 16:5bthey saw a young man dressed in a long white robe sitting on the right
side].
Lk 24:5aSo the women were terrified and bowed
down to the ground. Mk 16:6a“Don’t be alarmed,” he told them. “You
are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. Mt 28:6He is
not here! For He has been resurrected,
just as He said. Come and see the place where He lay. Lk 24:6b–8Remember
how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, 7saying, ‘The Son
of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men, be crucified, and rise on
the third day’?” 8And they remembered His words.
Mk 16:7a“But go [Mt 28:7go quickly], tell His disciples and Peter, Mt 28:7b–8‘He has been raised from the dead. In fact, He is going ahead of you to Galilee; you will see Him there.’ Listen, I have told you.” 8So, departing quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy [Mk 16:8aSo they went out and started running from the tomb, because trembling and astonishment had gripped them], they ran to tell His disciples the news [Mk 16:8bthey said nothing to anyone, since they were afraid].[1]
[1]
Knight, G. W. (2001). A simplified harmony of the Gospels (pp.
244–245). Holman Bible Publishers.
Peter and John
Hurry to the Tomb
Luke 24:9–12; John 20:3–10
Lk 24:9–11Returning from the tomb, they reported
all these things to the Eleven and to all the rest. 10Mary
Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them were
telling the apostles these things. 11But these words seemed like
nonsense to them, and they did not believe the women.
Jn 20:3–5At that, Peter and the other disciple
went out, heading for the tomb. 4The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and got
to the tomb first. 5Stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying there, yet he did not go in†.
6Then, following him, Simon Peter came also. He entered the tomb† and saw the linen cloths lying there. 7The wrapping that had been on His head was not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a separate place by itself. 8The other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, then entered the tomb, saw, and believed. 9For they still did not understand the Scripture that He must rise from the dead. 10Then the disciples went home again.[1]
[1]
Knight, G. W. (2001). A simplified harmony of the Gospels (pp.
245–246). Holman Bible Publishers.
https://youtu.be/cQU8UQM4_XI
Describe a time recently when you woke up very early to do something outside your normal routine.
The next evening, when the Sabbath ended, Mary Magdalene and Salome and Mary the mother of James went out and purchased embalming spices.
Early the following morning, just at sunrise, they carried them out to the tomb. On the way they were discussing how they could ever roll aside the huge stone from the entrance.
But when they arrived they looked up and saw that the stone—a very heavy one—was already moved away and the entrance was open! So they entered the tomb—and there on the right sat a young man clothed in white. The women were startled, but the angel said, "Don't be so surprised. Aren't you looking for Jesus, the Nazarene who was crucified? He isn't here! He has come back to life! Look, that's where his body was lying. Now go and give this message to his disciples including Peter:
"'Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you before he died!'"
The women fled from the tomb, trembling and bewildered, too frightened to talk.
She ran and found Simon Peter and me and said, "They have taken the Lord's body out of the tomb, and I don't know where they have put him!"
We ran to the tomb to see; I outran Peter and got there first, and stooped and looked in and saw the linen cloth lying there, but I didn't go in. Then Simon Peter arrived and went on inside. He also noticed the cloth lying there, while the swath that had covered Jesus' head was rolled up in a bundle and was lying at the side. Then I went in too, and saw, and believed that he had risen—for until then we hadn't realized that the Scriptures said he would come to life again!
We went on home, and by that time Mary had returned to the tomb and was standing outside crying. And as she wept, she stooped and looked in and saw two white-robed angels sitting at the head and foot of the place where the body of Jesus had been lying.
"Why are you crying?" the angels asked her.
"Because they have taken away my Lord," she replied, "and I don't know where they have put him."
She glanced over her shoulder and saw someone standing behind her. It was Jesus, but she didn't recognize him!
"Why are you crying?" he asked her. "Whom are you looking for?"
She thought he was the gardener. "Sir," she said, "if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him."
"Mary!" Jesus said. She turned toward him.
"Master!" she exclaimed.
"Don't touch me," he cautioned, "for I haven't yet ascended to the Father. But go find my brothers and tell them that I ascend to my Father and your Father, my God and your God."
Mary Magdalene found the disciples and told them, "I have seen the Lord!" Then she gave them his message.
- God is ... What do we learn about God in this passage?
- We are ... What do we learn about people in this passage?
- Given what these women experienced in the last few days (Luke 19:37ff; 23:26-49, 55), how would they feel as they went to the tomb? Then, when they find it empty? Finally, when the two men spoke to them?
- What were the women expecting when we look at their preparations in Luke 24:1?
- What does the resurrection prove (Romans 1:4)? Why is it so critical? Why was his crucifixion not enough by itself?
- How significant is it that we worship as a body on the first day of the week?
- How did the apostles respond to the women's report in Luke 24:9-12? Why wouldn't the Eleven believe them? What must be going through Peter's mind?
- Suppose you were with the women, excitedly telling the disciples about the empty tomb. How would you feel when the men respond with "Nonsense! You're crazy" in Luke 24:11. Is it any different today?
- I will ... What has the Holy Spirit revealed to us in this passage? How can I apply it to my life this week?
- How did the meaning of the resurrection first "dawn" upon you? What difference does the resurrection make to you? What do you believe about the resurrection of your own body?
- What difference does Jesus' resurrection make to your life and the way you respond to life?
- Where is your spiritual life focused: On "Good Friday"? "Easter Sunday"? Or in between?
- In what ways was Jesus' body different after the resurrection? The same?
- You can ... Who do you know who needs to hear this? Feel free to share with others by social media links at the bottom of this.
OPEN:
- When something upsets you, who is the first one you tell?
- Put yourself in the place of Mary. What is your emotional state two days after the crucifixion? Why do you visit the tomb so early? Realizing the body is gone, how do you react?
- If John was "the other disciple," why did he refer to him-self as "the one Jesus loved"?
- When a loved one dies, how does the resurrection of Jesus help you to deal with your pain?
- What is your proof that Jesus rose from the dead?
========
More Resources:
Mark 16:1-8 — The Ministry of Jesus Begins Anew
http://johnmarkhicks.com/2012/08/20/mark-161-8-the-ministry-of-jesus-begins-anew/
==========
Resurrection, Post-Resurrection Appearances,
and Ascension
Jesus was resurrected early Sunday morning, just as He had
predicted—on “the third day” (Matt. 16:21). These were not three full days but
one full day—Saturday—and part of the day on which He was buried (Friday) and
part of the day on which He was resurrected (Sunday).
Jesus did not ascend to His Father immediately after He was resurrected. For 40 days He appeared to His disciples and other believers (see Acts 1:3). He did this to convince them He was alive and to strengthen them for the task He had trained and commissioned them to do. It was now their job to proclaim the gospel of the kingdom of God to all people and to nurture the infant church to His glory.
The Women
at Jesus’ Tomb
These three women were probably the same
ones who witnessed the crucifixion of Jesus. Mary Magdalene was one of Jesus’
most loyal followers after He cast seven demons out of her. She was one of the
women who ministered to Jesus in Galilee (Luke 8:2–3). We don’t know for sure
who Mary the mother of James was; she may have been the wife of Cleopas (John
19:25) or the mother of James the son of Alphaeus. Salome was probably the
mother of James and John, the sons of Zebedee (Matt. 27:56). Matthew’s account
of the visit of the women to the tomb does not mention Salome (Matt. 28:1).
The role of these women is especially significant in light of the fact that they lived in a male-oriented society. Although only one of the twelve disciples—John—was at the crucifixion (John 19:25–27), these women were present. They were the first people to come to the empty tomb, the first to learn Jesus was alive, the first to see Him alive, and the first to tell the good news of His resurrection.
Resurrection Reality
The Resurrection is vitally important for many reasons: (1) Jesus kept his promise to rise from the dead, so we can believe that he will keep all his other promises. (2) The Resurrection ensures that the ruler of God's eternal Kingdom will be the living Christ, not just an idea, hope, or dream. (3) Christ's resurrection gives us the assurance that we also will be resurrected (1 Corinthians 15:12-19). (4) The power of God that brought Christ's body back from the dead is available to us to bring our morally and spiritually dead selves back to life so that we can change and grow. (5) The Resurrection provides the substance of the church's witness to the world. We do not merely tell lessons from the life of a good teacher; we proclaim the reality of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The women purchased the spices on Saturday evening after the Sabbath had ended so they could go to the tomb early the next morning and anoint Jesus' body as a sign of love, devotion, and respect. Bringing spices to the tomb was like bringing flowers to a grave today.
Stages of Belief
People who hear about the Resurrection for the first time may need time before they can comprehend this amazing story. Like Mary and the disciples, they may pass through four stages of belief. (1) At first, they may think the story is a fabrication, impossible to believe (John 20:2). (2) Like Peter, they may check out the facts and still be puzzled about what happened (John 20:6). (3) Only when they encounter Jesus personally will they be able to accept the fact of the Resurrection (John 20:16). (4) Then, as they commit themselves to the risen Lord and devote their lives to serving him, they will begin to understand fully the reality of his presence with them (John 20:28). If people don't understand when you tell them about Jesus' resurrection, give them time. Even the disciples didn't believe it at first!
The linen cloths that had been wrapped around Jesus' body were left as if Jesus had passed right through them. The handkerchief was still rolled up in the shape of a head, and it was at about the right distance from the wrappings that had enveloped Jesus' body. A grave robber couldn't possibly have made off with Jesus' body and left the linens as if they were still shaped around it.
He Is Near
Mary didn't recognize Jesus at first. Her grief had blinded her; she couldn't see him because she didn't expect to see him. Then Jesus spoke her name, and immediately she recognized him. Imagine the love that flooded her heart when she heard her Savior saying her name. Jesus is near you, and he is calling your name. Can you, like Mary, regard him as your Lord? Are you filled with joy by this good news, and do you share it with others?
Jesus did not want to be detained at the tomb. If he did not ascend to heaven, the Holy Spirit could not come. Both he and Mary had important work to do.
Sermon Outlines:
Kevin Rayner Oak Tree Church of Christ
Study Notes 4-19-92
"The Story of An Empty Grave"
Luke 24:1-53
Have you ever thought what it would be like to have a friend return from the dead to surprise you. Eleven highly disappointed men who had their dreams shattered experienced such an event. The eternal hunger to know if there really is hope for eternal life is answered. How hungry are you to know?
I. The resurrection's effects as a historic event.
II. The resurrection's effects on Jesus' friends. 24:1-53
A. The empty feeling of an empty tomb. 1-8
B. Making sense out of non-sense 9-12
C. Opening the closed scriptures 13-32
D. Peace in the middle of turmoil. 33-43
E. Opening the closed minds. 44-49
F. Hope in the midst of separation. 50-53
III. The resurrection's effects on Christ's teachings.
A. Salvation connection to the Death, Burial, & Resurrection.
B. Weekly memorial connected to Death, Burial, & Resurrection.
Devotional Thoughts:
I cannot give in to the devil's principal, deceitful tactic which makes so many Christians satisfied with an "Easter celebration" instead of experiencing the power of Christ's resurrection. It is the devil's business to keep Christians mourning and weeping with pity beside the cross instead of demonstrating that Jesus Christ is risen, indeed.
-- A. W. Tozer in Renewed Day by Day (Vol. 2). Christianity Today, Vol. 38, no. 4.
See: Matthew 28:7; Luke 24:5
===============
Quote = "The empty cross and the empty tomb speak of a full salvation."
Heartbeat = Luke 24:32 (NIV) "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?"
The Story of a Tomb
On a Thursday afternoon in Jerusalem, I made a tourist trek to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. It is the location venerated from the fourth century as the burial place of Jesus of Nazareth.
I was not prepared for the disappointment that came over me. For one thing, the alleged place of Christ's entombment has been hacked and broken up for souvenirs until nothing substantial remains of the tomb. For another, what does remain -- a slab on which the body is said to have rested -- is enshrined and remote from view. A priest shooed us away from the line of clearest sight, and I was left to peep in through a porthole-type window.
Then Joseph Shulam directed the people in our small group to an unadorned, plain tomb no more than 50 yards away. It has all the features described in the biblical record. While it is almost certainly not the setting for Jesus' burial, it gave me a greater sense of contact with the historical event and its meaning.
We had to stoop low to enter it, and the chamber -- hewn out of solid rock -- was dark, oppressive, and stale. The place was likely intended to hold a small family, perhaps as many as five people. Two body receptacles were bored horizontally into the rock wall. Each was almost six feet deep.
Since this tomb is not a primary tourist spot and does not get anything like the volume of visitors its neighbor site receives, we lingered there a while. Some of us went inside. And a few of us even decided to wriggle out way into the body receptacles.
What a strange and almost mystical experience! Was there an end to that dark tunnel? What was inside the shaft that might represent a threat to me? Was this "imitation" of death some sort of mocking inducement of its power?
But there is nothing to fear from death because of what happened with Jesus at some place within a stone's throw of where I was that day. His resurrection has broken the power of death. Christ is the ultimate victor -- not death -- and I stand with him.
I could only mutter, "Thank you, God, that you would not let death hold him!" Then someone began singing, "Up from the grave he arose!" And with the most subdued sense of confidence, we left that dark place, put its threatening presence behind us, and walked away with an invigorated sense of gratitude for Easter.
"He arose! He arose! Hallelujah, Christ arose!"
===============
The Eulogy
My son had to write a eulogy of himself for a university course called, The Essence of Man. He asked if I could assist him with the paper.
I wrote...
Dear Son: This is going to be hard since I have to imagine that you are dead but really are alive. This will take on more meaning since we have to go to the funeral home right after this to visit some family who have lost their father.
"Peter Gideon, (known as Gideon) our only son, will be sadly missed by dad, mom, family and friends..."
Upon completion, I shared the eulogy with my wife. She told me later that she cried after she read it. I thought to myself, "But he is alive; he is not dead." I was relieved. I promptly deleted the article. I did not want to think that my only son was dead.
At Easter time, many years ago, angels came to some people and said exactly the same thing. "He is not dead but alive! He is risen!" They were referring to Jesus Christ who died a terrible death on the cross for our sins and to give us new life, a new meaning to exist. (Luke 24:5)
Friend, God's only Son is not dead as some believe. He is alive! If Jesus, God's Son was dead, we would have no reason to exist. There would be no purpose for life. The essence of man would be futile. There are so many in this world that believe God is dead. These same people find no reason to live.
Would you consider praying this prayer... "God, I always thought that you were dead. I hear that You loved your Son but chose to send Him to earth to die a terrible death on the cross for my sins. Thank you for making such a sacrifice. I am sorry for the wrongs that I have done to hurt You. Somehow, I really don't have any purpose in my life, nothing really to strive for. Would you come into my life and give me new meaning, a new purpose? You are my last hope. Repair my heart and make me interested in living once again. Open my eyes so that I can see color once more. Heal me so that I can enjoy the nature around me. Amen."
Contributed by George Prins.
mailto:gprins@freenet.npiec.on.ca
===============
Why I Believe In The Resurrection
Text: 1 Cor 15:1-8,13-19, Job 14:14, Matt 27:64, Matt 28:13, Luke 24:11
The case for the resurrection of Jesus. The two main facts are the empty tomb and the post-resurrection appearances. Alternate theories are discussed: the body was stolen, authorities moved it, women went to wrong tomb, swoon. For appearances, hallucinations are discussed.
================
The Resurrection of Jesus
Scripture unanimously depicts the personal and bodily resurrection of Jesus from the dead by the power of God, but numerous other attempts to explain it have emerged: (1) Jesus never really died-instead, he lost consciousness and regained it after being laid in a cool tomb (the swoon theory); (2) the disciples of Jesus stole his body and then lied about a resurrection (28:12-15); (3) the disciples had hallucinations and dreams that they mistakenly confused with a physical resurrection; and (4) the resurrection is a personal experience in the heart of faith, not an event in history. Behind such suggestions lies a deep-seated skepticism toward the supernatural, or at least toward whether a miraculous event could have happened. Such suggestions fail to take into account the fact that for NT authors and their audiences, the term "resurrection" could only have meant the literal reanimation of a dead corpse (see 1 Cor 15).
The historicity of Jesus' resurrection and the historical reliability of the biblical accounts are supported by (1) the evidence of an empty tomb; (2) the presence of women as witnesses (no one would have made up a story with women as witnesses, since the testimony of a woman was considered to be less reliable than that of a man); (3) the varied but basically unified accounts of Jesus' post-resurrection appearances; (4) the transformation of the disciples from a fearful band into fearless followers; and (5) the disciples' ability to overcome the scandal of following a crucified man (Deut 21:23 indicates that one who dies such a death has fallen under God's curse). Judaism had no concept of a dying and rising Messiah that could conveniently be applied to Jesus. Inventing something no one would find conceivable would have made little sense. The most reasonable conclusion is that Jesus did, in fact, rise from the dead.
Mark 14:28
Luke 9:22; 14:14
John 2:19-22; 5:21; 6:39-40; 11:1-44; 14:20; 21:14
Acts 1:21-22; 2:22-36; 3:15, 26; 4:2, 10, 33; 5:30; 10:39-40; 13:29-31; 17:18, 32; 23:6-10
Rom 1:4; 4:24-25; 6:4-5, 9; 7:4; 8:11, 34; 10:9
1 Cor 6:14; 15:4, 12-23, 35, 42-44, 52
2 Cor 1:9; 4:14; 5:15
Gal 1:1
Eph 1:19-20; 2:5-6
Phil 3:10-11
Col 2:12; 3:1
1 Thes 1:10; 4:14
2 Tim 2:8, 18
Heb 6:2; 11:35
1 Pet 1:21; 3:18, 21
Rev 20:4-8, 11-15
https://youtu.be/5i60y01bNwk
Humor:
A minister in Darby, Pennsylvania, tell this one:
The four-year-old son of an undertaker was puzzled one Easter morning when he heard about the Resurrection. "Do you mean," he asked, "that Jesus really rose up from the dead?"
"Oh, yes," the teacher said.
The boy shook his head. "I know my daddy didn't take care of Him after He died," the boy said. "He'd never get up again!"
=============
