Message
Luke 24:36-49
Our King Jesus Proves He Is Alive
When it comes to the importance of the resurrection Paul pulls no punches
14 If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.
… 17 If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.
1 Corinthians 15:14, 17-19
No resurrection means no hope and no eternal life.
So how can we be sure that Jesus rose from the dead?
Firstly we have from Scripture an extensive list of people who saw the risen Lord.
I’ve brought all of the texts together so that you can see how extensive the testimony is. I’ve tried to put them in a bit of chronological order.
5 The angel said to the women … 6 Jesus is not here; he has risen, just as he said.
Matthew 28:5-6
14 At this, (Mary) turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.
John 20:14
8 So (Mary Magdalene and the other Mary) hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him.
Matthew 28:5-6
13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem … 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them.
Luke 24:13-15
33 They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34 and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35 Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread. 36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
Luke 24: 33, 36
19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”
John 20:19
26 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!”
John 20:26
1 Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee. It happened this way: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas (also known as Didymus), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together.
John 21:1-2
16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted.
Matthew 28:5-6
5 Jesus appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.
1 Corinthians 15:5-8
All these appearances, to more than 500 people, give a resounding testimony to the truth that Jesus rose. It’s a testimony which gives confidence to us today that we are following a risen Saviour.
But there is another reason we can have confidence.
The deliberate effort to call into question this extensive testimony.
Jesus died on Friday. On the Saturday this happened.
62 The chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. 63 “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ 64 So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.”
Matthew 27:62-64
When you read these words don’t you find them a little ironic.
It’s ironic that the Pharisees remember what Jesus said, “I will rise after three days”, but the disciples seem to have forgotten.
It’s ironic that the Pharisees are very aware of, and also afraid of, a “deception” which involves a resurrection.
The irony means that the Pharisees and chief priests are highly motivated to make sure the resurrection story does not get out. Indeed they are so motived that are willing to break their Sabbath day laws to get these guards in place.
Then we get a greater irony.
It is not the disciples who first witness the empty tomb.
And it is not the women who were devoted to Jesus who are the first witnesses.
It is secular, sceptical, macho nothing-will-get-past-us Roman guards.
The tomb is empty. What a dilemma. This is exactly why the guards were at the tomb in the first place – to prevent the body of Jesus from being taken.
A soldier who failed in his duty would be put to death.
This is the punishment these soldiers are facing.
So what do they do?
11 While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened.
Matthew 28:11
Notice what didn’t happen. The text doesn’t say, “Because they feared death they made up a story along the way”. They didn’t withhold withheld information they reported everything.
Can you imagine the look on the faces of the chief priests and Pharisees? Here come the soldiers … perhaps to tell them that the disciples did try and take the body. Maybe the Pharisees are hoping that in the struggle all the disciples died.
But instead of hearing about a theft they hear a most incredible that creates hysteria. Again notice what doesn’t happen.
We don’t see the leaders shooting down their story, arguing over details, interrogating the soldiers, demanding the real facts!
We don’t see the chief priests and elders demanding that there be a search for the body of Jesus, and that those soldiers be punished for their lies.
What we see happen is a very deliberate plan to cover the truth.
12 When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, 13 telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ 14 If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” 15 So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.
Matthew 28:12-15
What will be the outcome?
Some people hear one story … He has Risen!
The same people hear another story … His body has been stolen.
If the people really thought about it they would see through the lies.
The story goes like this ... His disciples came during the night and stole Him away while we were asleep.
Oh, I see. While you were asleep, you saw the disciples come and steal the body, did you?
And you are boasting about this when you know it means your death.
If the people really wanted to they would realise that something fishy is happening here.
But no-one really cared. They just want Jesus out of their life.
They used betrayal to capture Him.
They used injustice to sentence Him to death.
They used blackmail to get Him executed.
They used force to keep His body in the grave.
And now they use bribery to try to spread a lie about His resurrection.
It is a deliberate effort to call into question the growing extensive testimony. And all the while Jesus keeps appearing, and appearing, and appearing. As he does so Jesus keeps creating a testimony that He is alive
What does Jesus do when he appears.
Let’s turn to the book of Luke and read the next passage in our series.
Luke 24:36-49
What does Jesus do when he appears? He gives instructs and teaching.
44 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.”
45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.
Luke 24:44-45
That happened on the road to Emmaus as well, didn’t it.
27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
Luke 24:27
When Jesus appears he wants those who see him to understand one simple truth.
That when you pick up the Scripture you can be sure that all that is written is about a resurrected Jesus.
So how do we know Jesus rose from the dead?
Because when you pick up this book and read it Jesus appears to you.
He is in the books that Moses wrote … Genesis to Deuteronomy.
He is in the Prophets … that includes the big prophetic books and the very small ones.
He is in the Psalms.
He is everywhere in the Old Testament.
He is everywhere in the New Testament.
Jesus doesn’t leave the earth before there is a clear testimony.
Not a testimony based on people seeing Jesus with their own eyes.
But a testimony of seeing Jesus in the written word. That is the testimony we rely on. It is really important for us to see the power of this testimony.
For when it comes to Jesus appearing to you this is the reality.
We will be faced with the same challenge that was faced by the first Christians. We will have all sorts of people telling us that it is a lie. It is a deliberate effort to question the testimony of the Scriptures. To make us doubt the truth. To make us think it doesn’t matter.
The resurrection doesn’t matter.
The uniqueness of Jesus doesn’t matter.
Don’t stand out.
Don’t make me feel guilty.
Faith is useless.
I pity you.
You can listen to these lies … this deliberated covering up … or you can listen to Jesus.
Jesus who keeps appearing.
When you are struggling to overcome that same temptation.
Taking shortcuts to success.
Having a sense of entitlement
Sensual temptations
Holding onto the security of false idols.
Being foolish financially.
When that happens open the Scripture and Jesus appears.
13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.
1 Corinthians 10:13
When you wonder if you can have hope.
Is there a plan for my life?
Can I make a difference?
Do I really matter?
When that happens open the Scripture and Jesus appears.
2 And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
Romans 5:2-5
When your life is full of anxiety.
Anxiety because of overwhelming bills.
Anxiety because of ill health.
Anxiety because of unexpected twists and turns.
Anxiety because of relationship struggles.
Anxiety because of the fear of the unknown.
When that happens open the Scripture and Jesus appears.
7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 8 Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. 9 Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. 10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.
1 Peter 5:7-10
Jesus kept appearing. And, as the antidote to the deliberate effort to call into question his resurrection Jesus taught the Scriptures. How all of the Scriptures point to him and th significance of his suffering, death and resurrection.
In the Scriptures, today, Jesus keeps appearing
Your faith is not futile.
You are not left in your sins.
Those who have fallen asleep are now with Jesus.
We do not need to be pitied because our hope is secure not just for this life, but also the life to come.
Jesus has risen and he is appearing … to each one of us … to enable us to keep persevering in hope, security and peace, until he appears in the flesh one again.
This time to bring us home.
Prayer
