Subject: The Resurrection Title: The Importance of the Resurrection Text: Luke 24:1-12

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1 Subject: The Resurrection Title: The Importance of the Resurrection Text: Luke 24:1-12 Luke 24:1 Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. 3 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: 5 And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, 7 Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. 8 And they remembered his words, 9 And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest. 10 It was Mary Magdalene and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles. 11 And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not. 12 Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass. Bulletin Blurb Why is the Resurrection Important? The Unshakable Truth, The Reality of the Risen Lord, Josh McDowell / Sean McDowell p.295 The reality of Jesus resurrection had a profound impact on the disciples. They were transformed from cringing cowards who hid themselves away to bold preachers, most of whom suffered persecution and gave their lives for their risen Lord. This sudden bravery and boldness is an enormous change that demands explanation. Let s examine this transformation more closely and consider its implications. When the authorities captured Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane, the Bible tells us that all the disciples left him and fled (Matt. 26:56; Mark 14:50). During Christ s trial, Peter went out and denied three times that they even knew Jesus (Mark 14:66-72; John 18:15-27). After Christ was crucified, the fearful disciples hid themselves in an upper room and locked the doors (John 20:19). These disciples were skeptical when they first heard about the empty tomb. One of them refused to believe until he personally touched Jesus wounds. And two disciples on the road to Emmaus doubted even as they talked personally to Jesus. 1

2 But within days something happened to utterly change this group of cowardly followers into a bold band of enthusiasts who were willing to face a life of suffering for the cause of Christ. What was it? What transformed these disappointed followers into true believers? Only one explanation makes sense. It was the reality of the risen Christ. And in the days to follow they openly proclaimed this good news in Jerusalem, Judea, and Samaria, and eventually to the ends of the earth. The truth is for us as well. Like those early disciples, we can also trust the eternal salvation we have in the risen Christ because we have ample evidence to show us that the record of what he did for us is absolutely true. I. Six Basic Theories of the Afterlife (Handbook of Christian Apologetics) 1. Materialism: Nothing survives. Death ends all of me. Seldom held before the eighteenth century, materialism is now a strong minority view in industrialized nations. It is the natural accompaniment of atheism. 2. Paganism: A vague, shadowy semiself or ghost survives and goes to the place of the dead, the dark, gloomy Underworld. This is the standard pagan belief. Traces of it can be found even in the Old Testament Jewish notion of sheol. The ghost that survives is less alive, less substantial, less real than the flesh and blood organism now living. It is something like a ghost image on a TV set: a pale copy of the lost original. 3. Reincarnation: The individual soul survives and is reincarnated into another body. Reincarnation is usually connected with the next belief, pantheism, by the notion of karma: that after the soul has fulfilled its destiny, and learned its lessons and become sufficiently enlightened, it reverts to a divine status or is absorbed into (or realizes its timeless identity with) the divine All. 4. Pantheism: Death changes nothing, for what survives death is the same as what was real before death: only the one, changeless, eternal, perfect, spiritual, divine, all-inclusive Reality, sometimes called by a name ( Brahman ) and sometimes not (as in Buddhism). In this view that of Eastern mysticism all separateness, including time, is an illusion. Therefore, in this view, the very question of what happens after death is mistaken. The question is not solved but dissolved. 5. Immortality: The individual soul survives death, but not the body. This soul eventually reaches its eternal destiny of heaven or hell, perhaps through intermediate stages, perhaps through reincarnation. But what survives is an individual, bodiless spirit. This is Platonism, often confused with Christianity. 6. Resurrection: At death, the soul separates from the body and is reunited at the end of the world to its new, immortal, resurrected body by a divine miracle. This is the Christian view. This view, the supernatural resurrection of the body rather than the natural immortality of the soul alone, is the only version of life after death in Scripture. It is dimly prophesied and hoped for in the Old Testament, but clearly revealed in the New. 2

3 II. The Scriptures Teach the Resurrection of the Physical Body: A. Old Testament * Job 14:14; 19:25 * Isaiah 26:19 * Daniel 12:2 * Hosea 13:14 B. New Testament * John 5:28-29 * Hebrews 11:17-19 * Revelation 20:11-15 III. The Bible Records Seven Resurrections * I Kings 17:22 * II Kings 4:34-35 * II Kings 13:20-21 * Luke 7:11-15 * Luke 8:41-42, * John 11:11-26 * Luke 24:1-12 IV. The Importance of the Resurrection If the resurrection of Christ is true: * Scripture is validated. * Faith in God, Christ, is validated. * God has the power of life is validated. * Miracles are validated. * Your labor is not in vain - meaning, purpose. * Motivation to serve is supplied. * Insures He is coming again. * Essential part of the Gospel. V. There Are Many Theories Created to Disprove the Reality of the Resurrection * Hallucination * Twin Theory * Fraud, Deception * Self-Deception * Swoon Theory 3

4 * Jesus did not die - he faked it. * Grave was lost VI. Proofs of the Resurrection 12 Resurrection Appearances (website - 100prophecies.org) 1. His first appearance was to Mary Magdalene, on that early Sunday morning. (Mark 16:9; John 20:10-18). 2. Jesus appeared to the women returning from the tomb. (Matthew 28:9-10). 3. Jesus appeared to two disciples on the road to Emmaus. (Luke 24:13-32; Mark 16:12-13). 4. He appeared to Peter in Jerusalem. (Luke 24:34; 1 Corinthians 15:5). 5. He appeared to his disciples and other followers, and also a second time to the two men from Emmaus, in a locked room in Jerusalem. The apostle Thomas wasn t there at that time. (Luke 24:36-43; John 20:19-23). 6. A week later, Jesus again appeared to his disciples behind locked doors, and this time Thomas was present. (John 20:24-29). 7. Jesus appeared to seven of his disciples on the shore of the Sea of Galilee. (John 21:1-24). 8. Jesus was seen by 500 believers at one time. (1 Corinthians 15:6). 9. He appeared to James. (1 Corinthians 15:7). 10. He appeared to eleven disciples on a mountain in Galilee. (Matt. 28:18-20). 11. He walked with his disciples along the road to Bethany, on the Mount of Olives, and then ascended into Heaven. (Luke 24:50-53). 12. He was seen by Paul on the road to Damascus. (Acts 9:3-6; 1 Corinthians 15:8). VII. I Corinthians 15 - The Importance of the Resurrection 1. Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead then is Christ not risen... (15:12-13) Paul very simply states that Christ s resurrection and the resurrection of the dead are a package deal. It is neither or both. If Christ is not risen, your existence stops the moment you breath your last breath of God s air! 2. And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain... (15:14a) 4

5 Sin, Satan, Death and Hell are man s greatest enemies. All were conquered in the resurrection of Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Our modern 21st Century technologically advanced, computerized, microwaved society admittedly continues to deteriorate. Man has made great advances in science and technology, but man s interpersonal skills and relationships have not improved - they have all but disintegrated. Planned Parenthood, the war on drugs, our emphasis one education, the ACLU, People for the American Way, NEA, NOW, Pscyhe and Rehab Centers are humanistic, Dutch-boys with their thumbs in the dike/dam. If Christ is not risen - our preaching is vain. Yet, if He is risen, our preaching offers the world the genuine solution for its woes. Examine the fruit! The good news according to my Bible is that things will continue to get worse before they get better when Jesus returns! 3....and your faith is vain (15:14b) If Christ is not risen, we all ought to go fishing! Faith in Christ would be worthless. Why would we put our faith in a corpse rotting in the grave? Our faith is not in an ideology or philosophy, it is in a person and all that person represents! The lost man, who is bankrupt of biblical faith, fears death, for it marks final and complete defeat. For the lost man, death becomes an existence, but for the saved man, he sees it as a transition, an experience. The materialist tells us Christ is dead and Christians of all ages have lived, given, sacrificed and died for nothing. 4. And we are found false witnesses of God... (15:15) If Christ is not risen, then the witnesses of 1 Corinthians 15:5-8 were liars or at best, sadly mistaken and deceived. Every Christian witness is a liar, and Christ Himself is a liar, for He prophesied His own resurrection. The Bible is a lie -for the Bible stands or falls as a unit, Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testifi ed of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised... (1 Corinthians 15:15-16) ye are yet in your sins... (15:17) 5

6 The first four consequences if Christ is not risen are theological - the last three are personal, And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Believers would be no better off than unbelievers. How is sin expiated? The lost man lives in this world with the ever increasing burden of his sin. His sin piles up, he lives with the conscious sins of his past day after day. Guilt continues to mount as a result of selfishness, pride and the many failures in his interpersonal relationships. All of this is self-perpetuating. No wonder it is that you have to wait your turn to take a vacation in the psychecenter! Our problem is not technological - our problem is we don t know how to live or die! Christ offers forgiveness - a clean slate - a new start - freedom - acceptance in spite of what we were or are. The world of social science offers psychological band-aids of self-help groups, assertiveness classes, self-esteem and drugs - If Christ be not raised...ye are yet in your sins, but in Christ, we are free - free to serve Him. 6. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished (15:18) Without the resurrection, the salvation, blessings and hope that it brings, Christianity would be purposeless. Without the resurrection, we have no Saviour, no salvation, no forgiveness, no meaning, no purpose, no life, no hope. If Jesus Christ cannot grant us eternal life, He cannot do a thing to improve our earthly life. If Christ is not risen - the Christian who lives by biblical principle lives a veritable lie, however, if Christ is risen, then the one who lives outside the parameters of biblical truth lives a lie. There is no soft gray mush middle ground! The word miserable in 1 Corinthians 15:19 carries with it the idea of pitiable, If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. It is not so much that the Christian lives in a miserable state as he is to be pitied by all those who do not embrace a biblical system of truth. When a lost man looks at a Christian who lives for God, he sees a simple, misguided, self-deceived, mentally weak individual who must have some superstitious, mystical hope upon which he can trust for survival. The believer is not seen as living in the real world. It only follows logically that the unbeliever must deny Christ s physical resurrection if we are to follow the logic of the passage. If Christ is not risen, we are to be pitied, however, if He is, we are not to be pitied, rather, forgiveness, peace, Divine fellowship and sonship are to be sought after! If Christ is risen, don t feel sorry for me. As the song says, This world is not my home, I m just a passing through. My treasures are laid up, some where beyond the blue... If would rather live a Christian life, if it were not true, for it, simply put, is a better way of life than that of the infidel. I ve lived on both sides - don t feel sorrow for me. When I left Kodak, there were those who thought I had gone 6

7 off the deep end and needed to be rescued! If I m wrong in following Christianity, it s been a great ride, but if I m right, then those who think I m wrong are sadly in for a rude awakening! Yes, If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable, but on the flip side, if Christ is risen, we have genuine hope, we are not to be pitied - don t feel sorry for me! 1 Corinthians 15:20 But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. 7