God Is Big Enough To Remove My Doubts Series

Faith is not belief in spite of evidence. (It is an embracing of evidence and a love of the person, God Himself, who has been so gracious to provide the evidence). If we choose not to believe, it is not for lack of evidence (Larson, B., & Ogilvie, L. J. (1983). Vol. 26: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Volume 26 : Luke. The Preacher’s Commentary series (353–354). Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson Inc.)..

As evening came that first Easter Sunday, the eleven apostles and the other followers of Jesus, men and women, were more and more convinced that the grave was empty because Jesus had risen. But they had little understanding as to just what that meant. People in those days generally believed that the souls of the dead were able to roam the earth. There was a great fear of ghosts. However, it was unthinkable that a dead person could make bodily appearances. Yet that is exactly what Jesus did: with his glorified body he appears to Mary Magdalene, to Peter, to the Emmaus disciples, and to the group that has assembled here (Prange, V. H. (1988). Luke. The People’s Bible (263–264). Milwaukee, Wis.: Northwestern Pub. House.)

There is abundant evidence of the truth of the Resurrection. The fact of the Resurrection has relevance for all the difficult experiences of our lives as well. We can have proof positive of His presence in the death of someone we love, in the difficult times of our marriage. Jesus Christ wants to stand with us through job uncertainty, illness, loneliness, and estrangement. (Larson, B., & Ogilvie, L. J. (1983). Vol. 26: The Preacher’s Commentary Series, Volume 26 : Luke. The Preacher’s Commentary series (353–354). Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson Inc.).

The sovereign plan of God, to remove any doubt of His working to bring eternal life through the forgiveness of sins can be seen through: 1)The Reappearing of Jesus (Luke 24:36) , 2) The Reassuring by Jesus (Luke 24:37–43), 3) The Revealing by Jesus (Luke 24:44–49)

1)The Reappearing of Jesus (Luke 24:36)

Luke 24:36 [36]As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, "Peace to you!" (ESV)

When we reconstruct this scene we add from John the detail that the doors were locked for fear of the Jews, so that no one could enter the room without first knocking and being admitted. From Mark we learn that the disciples were reclining on their couches at supper, and that the meal was apparently about ended. All those who are in the room are engaged in animated conversation about “these things” that had been reported by Simon and by the two disciples from Eramaus. Then all in an instant Jesus himself (emphatic αὐτός) “stood among them/in their midst,” ἔστη, the aorist to indicate the fact. John writes “came and stood,” which marks the arrival as well as the standing.

Since Jesus is in his risen and glorified state, time, space, the rock of the tomb, the walls and the doors of buildings no longer hamper the body of Jesus. He appears where he desires to appear, and his visible presence disappears when he desires to have it so. Jesus did not walk through anything. The disciples did not see him take so many steps from the doors or the wall to their midst. He was there, and that was all.

Quote: Luther expressed it like this: “By this coming through locked doors is shown that since his resurrection in his kingdom on earth he is no longer bound to bodily, visible, tangible, mundane substance, time, place, space, and the like, but wants to be known and believed as ruling by his power everywhere present, having the will to be with us and help us in all places and at all times, when and where we need it, unfettered and unhindered by the world and all its might.”

This is wholly supernatural, wholly incomprehensible to our minds. Nor may we ask or seek to comprehend where Jesus stayed during the intervals between his appearances during the forty days. When our bodies shall eventually enter the heavenly mode of existence, we may know something of these supreme mysteries, but we doubt that we shall even then really comprehend the profundities of the divine omnipresence of which the human nature of Jesus partakes, and which he exercised since his vivification in the tomb as he did in these wondrous appearances.

Please turn to Ephesians 2

Jesus says at once: “Peace to you!” But this common Oriental form of greeting, which implies only a kindly human wish when it is spoken by ordinary lips, means infinitely more when it is spoken by him who died and rose for us. As is the person, so is the word. When Jesus says “peace” he actually gives what the word says. It is not a lovely-looking package that is empty inside but one that is filled with heavenly reality that is far more beautiful than the covering in which it is wrapped. When these words flow from his lips they must not be interpreted as a mere “How do you do?” The reference is to the peace which Jesus had obtained for all his people by his death on the cross (Hendriksen, W., & Kistemaker, S. J. (1953-2001). Vol. 11: New Testament commentary : Exposition of the Gospel According to Luke. New Testament Commentary (1073). Grand Rapids: Baker Book House.).