LUKE 24:1-32 MESSAGE THE WOMAN WERE LOOKING FOR THE LIVING ONE IN A CEMETARY! At the crack of dawn on Sunday, the women came to the tomb carrying the burial spices they had prepared. They found the entrance stone rolled back from the tomb, so they walked in. But once inside, they couldn t find the body of the Master Jesus. They were puzzled, wondering what to make of this. Then, out of nowhere it seemed, two men, light cascading over them, stood there. The women were awestruck and bowed down in worship.* The men said, Why are you looking for the Living One in a cemetery? He is not here, but raised up. Remember how he told you when you were still back in Galilee that he had to be handed over to sinners, be killed on a cross, and in three days rise up? Then they remembered Jesus words. They left the tomb and broke the news of all this to the Eleven and the rest. Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them kept telling these things to the apostles, but the apostles didn t believe a word of it, thought they were making it all up. But Peter jumped to his feet and ran to the tomb. He stooped to look in and saw a few grave clothes, that s all. He walked away puzzled, shaking his head. The Road to Emmaus That same day two of them were walking to the village Emmaus, about seven miles out of Jerusalem. They were deep in conversation, going over all these things that had happened. Today, this Easter Sunday, this happens to be the situation, the condition of a great many people in our world today! They are unable to recognize who He is! Many of these people may be in a church someplace, hearing an Easter sermon, but yet still unable to recognize who He is! What a tremendous difference it makes in a life to recognize who He is! He asked, What s this you re discussing so intently as you walk along? They just stood there, long-faced, like they had lost their best friend. Then one of them, his name was Cleopas, said, Are you the only one in Jerusalem who hasn t heard what s happened during the last few days? He said, What has happened? They said, The things that happened to Jesus the Nazarene. He was a man of God, a prophet, dynamic in work and word, blessed by both God and all the people. Then our high priests and leaders betrayed him, got him sentenced to death, and crucified him. And we had our hopes up that he was the One, the One about to deliver Israel. And it is now the third day since it happened. But now some of our women have completely confused us. Early this morning they were at the tomb and couldn t find his body. They came back with the story that they had seen a vision of angels who said he was alive. Some of our friends went off to the tomb to check and found it empty just as the women said, but they didn t see Jesus. Then he said to them, So thick-headed! So slow-hearted! Why can t you simply believe all that the prophets said? Don t you see that these things had to happen, that the Messiah had to suffer and only then enter into his glory? Then he started at the beginning, with the Books of Moses, and went on through all the Prophets, pointing out everything in the Scriptures that referred to him.
They came to the edge of the village where they were headed. He acted as if he were going on but they pressed him: Stay and have supper with us. It s nearly evening; the day is done. So he went in with them. And here is what happened: He sat down at the table with them. Taking the bread, he blessed and broke and gave it to them. All around the world today there is A SPIRIT OF CELEBRATION IN THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH because on this Sunday we celebrate the most momentous, meaningful, significant, earth-shattering event in all of human history-the RESURRECTION OF THE CHRIST-THE SON OF GOD! No one single event, of one single solitary life can ever compare or in any way be parallel or comparable with this life and this event that we celebrate today. No life and no event have had the impact that this life and this event have had on the entire world! After 2000 years it still stands by itself in its magnitude, its greatness as the paramount of all human events to take place upon this earth! But our celebration of the resurrection this Sunday morning was not what was happening on that first Easter Sunday morning. This Easter that we read about in scripture was anything but a celebration! It was, for at least for three days, a very sad time to Christ followers, a time of grief, disappointment, confusion and questions on all of their minds. He was not even recognizable this Sunday morning, the first Sunday after His crucifixion. Jesus had to go out of his way to prove Himself to these once faithful followers that He had actually risen from the dead! He had to somehow make himself recognizable to them. THE POWER HE HAD FOR THEM TO LIVE IN WOULD BE UNATTAINABLE THE BLESSINGS HE HAD FOR THEM TO LIVE IN UNREACHABLE THE FRIENDSHIP HE HAD FOR THEM TO EXPERIENCE UNAPPROACHABLE THE PROMISE HE HAD MADE TO THEM WOULD HAVE BEEN QUESTIONABLE IT WAS ESSENTIAL, IMPERATIVE THAT CHRIST NOT REMAIN UNRECOGNIZABLE! IT STILL REMAINS TRUE TODAY! IT IS CRUCIAL THAT PEOPLE RECOGNIZE HIM, SEE HIM AND WHO HE REALLY IS! IF NOT HIS POWER, HIS BLESSINGS, HIS FRIENDSHIP, HIS PROMISE WILL REMAIN AT A DISTANCE FROM THEM. There are still today, as there has been in the past centuries of time and history countless thousands of people who cannot yet recognize Him! THEY MAY CONSIDER HIM FOR A TIME BUT THEY CANNOT RECOGNISE HIM AND WHO HE REALLY IS. MANY THERE WILL BE THIS EASTER SUNDAY MORNING WHO WILL AGAIN GIVE IT SOME THOUGHT, CONSIDER IT MOMENTARILY, VISIT A CHURCH SERVICE, BECAUSE IT S JUST THE THING TO DO, OR THEY WERE INVITED BY A FRIEND A FAMILY MEMBER, THEY STILL WILL NOT RECOGNIZE HIM, AND SEE HIM FOR WHO HE REALLY IS! LIKE THOSE FOLLOWERS LONG AGO ON THAT LONELY ROAD TO EMMAUS THAT WE HAVE READ ABOUT ON THAT FIRST EASTER SUNDAY MORNING, THIS ALL SEEMS A BIT UNBELIEVABLE, INCOMPREHENSIBLE, INCONCEIVABLE TO REALLY BELIEVE THAT HE ROSE FROM THE DEAD!
They walked with Him for seven miles. At a slow pace walking it could have been maybe 2.5 to 3 hours that they were walking and talking with Him and not recognizing that He was the one they were talking about! WHAT MAKES IT EVEN MORE UNSETTLING AND DISTURBING TODAY IS THAT WE HAVE HAD OVER 2000 YEARS TO LOOK AT THE EVIDENCE, CONSIDER THE CLAIMS, EXAMINE AND REVIEW THE ACCOUNT TO EITHER PROVE OR DIS-PROVE THE FACTS THAT HE ROSE FROM THE DEAD, AND PEOPLE STILL DO NOT RECOGNIZE THE RESURRECTED CHRIST! There are many events that happen in our lives that are so extraordinary that it is difficult for our minds to grasp them, to comprehend them, they seem to be somewhat unbelievable!, as hundreds of millions on earth watched over the TV, the first man set foot on the moon. And when Neil Armstrong stepped down on the lunar surface, he remarked: That s one small step for man one giant leap for mankind. There were many that could not believe it really happened when they showed it on TV. There were some who claimed it was all some theatrical stunt put on by Hollywood! There are still a few today who still not believe that it actually happened! Do you remember where you were on the the day that mindless, senseless terrorism visited our great country? When I first heard about those terrorist attacks and the explosion of the twin towers, I thought, This can t be true! Even seeing these massive buildings crumble to the ground, people jumping out of the windows rather burn in the buildings was just so much to take in. BUT IT WAS TRUE. We wondered at those pictures on TV and may have thought, This can t be happening but it did. THERE IS NO QUESTION TODAY THAT IT INDEED DID HAPPEN. Some events are very real even though we may question them, whereas others may not be real and we should question them! BUT WHAT ABOUT THE EVENT OF THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST FROM THE DEAD, WHAT IS YOUR RESPONSE TO THIS EVENT? Was this only an illusion or a trick, a hoax of some sort to make people believe in a person who was wasn t who He claimed to be? Do we believe Him or do we not? Do we believe in His resurrection or do we not? Everyone makes a decision as to whether they believe the resurrection or not! Some people and I would dare say many, many people will consider Jesus, think about Him, and give some thought as to whether His claims are really true. I think it almost impossible to live in this country and to live around so many Christian churches and not at some point in life consider Him! Now, let me ask you something profound yet troubling. If you became believers because you trusted the proclamation that Christ is alive, risen from the dead, how can you let people say that there is no such thing as a resurrection? If there s no resurrection, there s no living Christ. And face it if there s no resurrection for Christ, everything we ve told you is smoke and mirrors, and everything you ve staked your life on is smoke and mirrors. Not only that, but we would be guilty of telling a string of barefaced lies about God, all these affidavits we passed on to you verifying that God raised up Christ sheer fabrications, if there s no resurrection.
If corpses can t be raised, then Christ wasn t, because he was indeed dead. And if Christ weren t raised, then all you re doing is wandering about in the dark, as lost as ever. It s even worse for those who died hoping in Christ and resurrection, because they re already in their graves. And why do you think I keep risking my neck in this dangerous work? I look death in the face practically every day I live. Do you think I d do this if I wasn t convinced of your resurrection and mine as guaranteed by the resurrected Messiah Jesus? Do you think I was just trying to act heroic when I fought the wild beasts at Ephesus, hoping it wouldn t be the end of me? I am an historian, but I am not a believer, but I must confess as a historian that this penniless preacher from Nazareth is irrevocably the very center of all history. Jesus Christ is easily the most dominant, foremost, notable, figure in all history. (1866-1946) said: As the centuries pass, the evidence is accumulating that measured by His effect on history, Jesus Christ is the most influential life ever lived on this planet.
said: Jesus was the greatest religious genius that ever lived. His beauty is eternal, and His reign shall never end. Jesus is in every respect unique, and nothing can be compared with him. All history is incomprehensible without Jesus Christ. said sarcastically: Christianity will go. It will vanish and disappear. I needn t argue with that; I m right and I will be proved right. We re more popular than Jesus now; I don t know which will go first - rock and roll or Christianity." As we know, John Lennon has been gone since 1980 when he was shot at the age of 40 but Christianity is still going! A burglar broke into a home and was looking around. He heard a soft voice say, "Jesus is watching you. Thinking it was just his imagination, he continued his search. Again the voice said "Jesus is watching you. He turned his flashlight around and saw a parrot in a cage. He asked the parrot if he was the one talking and the parrot said, "Yes." He asked the parrot what his name was and the parrot said, "Moses." The burglar asked, "What kind of people would name a parrot Moses?" The parrot said, "The same kind of people who would name their pit bull Jesus". It is amazing to me the feelings that are evoked in people when they hear the name Jesus Christ! It is amazing to me how we hear the name of Jesus mentioned today. This name that is exalted to a place where it is higher than any other name that is named in heaven and earth. This name that one day every knee shall bow to and every tongue confess that he is Lord! What do the words "Jesus Christ" mean to you? What kind of feelings do they evoke within you? Today, the words "Jesus Christ" are most frequently used as curse words, profanity. People use them in order to vent their anger or frustration. His name just roles off people s lips like water off a ducks back without any regard, without any thought at all to the character of the one they are naming! To some people, the words "Jesus Christ" are an embarrassment. To mention His name at a party or at work is a sure conversation-stopper. If you mention His name, people will accuse you of being a religious fanatic. They will look at you like you have a room for rent upstairs, that your 2 tacos short of a combination platter! Like your elevator doesn t reach the top floor. Why does bringing up the name "Jesus" make so many people so uncomfortable and so uneasy? I don t know of any other name that you can bring up with people that will arouse such strong feelings, and with many they are extremely strong, angry, hostile negative feelings!
JESUS HAS NOT ONLY MADE THE BIGGEST IMPACT UPON THE WORLD, BIGGER THAN ANYONE ELSE; BUT TODAY HE CAN MAKE THE BIGGEST IMPACT AND INFLUENCE UPON YOUR LIFE AS WELL. You have not experience LIFE, ABUNDANT LIFE if you have not experienced the life that Jesus can impart into your life! It is a life that is incomparable with anything you have ever experienced! You receive that life by a simple confession with your mouth and belief in your heart that God raised Him from the dead! Rulers and leaders of the people, if we have been brought to trial today for helping a sick man, put under investigation regarding this healing, I ll be completely frank with you we have nothing to hide. BY THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST OF NAZARETH, the One you killed on a cross, the One God raised from the dead, by means of his name this man stands before you healthy and whole. Jesus is the stone you masons threw out, which is now the cornerstone. DO YOU RECOGNIZE THIS RESURRECTED CHRIST? DO YOU SEE THE GREATNESS IN THE NAME OF THIS RESURRECTED CHRIST?
See my brain has not yet reached the point where it could form a thought that could adequately describe the greatness of my God. And my lungs have not yet developed the ability to release a breath with enough agility to breathe out the greatness of His Love. And my voice, see my voice is so inhibited, restrained by human limits that it s hard to even sing the praises He is worthy of. My God, His Grace is remarkable, mercies are innumerable, strength is impenetrable, He is honorable, accountable, and favorable. He s unsearchable yet knowable, indefinable, yet approachable, indescribable, yet personal He is beyond comprehension, further than imagination, constant through generations, King of every nation, You see my words are few and limited to try and capture the ONE TRUE GOD, using my vocabulary will never do, but I use words as an expression, an expression of worship to a Savior, a Savior who is both worthy and deserving of my praise, so I use words. My heart extols the Lord, blesses His Name forever. He has won my heart, captured my mind, and has bound them both together. He has defeated me in my rebellion, conquered me in my sin, He has welcomed me into His presence, completely invited me in. He has made Himself the object of my sight, flooding me with mercies in the morning, drowning me with Grace in the night, But what I do have is GOOD NEWS, for my God knew that manmade words would never do, for words are just tools that we use to point to the truth. So He sent His Son Jesus Christ as THE LIVING WORD, AS LIVING PROOF! He is THE VISIBLE IMAGE OF THE INVISIBLE GOD, THE FIRST BORN OF ALL CREATION, FOR BY HIM ALL THINGS WERE CREATED GIVING NOTHINGNESS FORMATION. AND BY HIS WORD HE SUSTAINS ALL THINGS IN THE POWER OF HIS NAME. FOR HE IS BEFORE ALL THINGS AND ABOVE ALL THINGS HE REIGNS FOREVER AND FOREVER! HOLY IS HIS NAME! THE WAY HE PERSERVERED IN STRIFE, THE HUMBLE SON OF GOD BECOMING THE PERFECT SACRIFICE. THAT HE WILLINGLY STOOD IN OUR PLACE THAT HE LOVINGLY ENDURED THE GRAVE THAT HE BATTLED OUR ENEMY, AND ON THE THIRD DAY ROSE IN VICTORY. HE IS EVEYTHING THAT WAS PROMISED. LIFT YOUR VOICE AND SING, FOR ONE DAY HE WILL RETURN FOR US, AND WE WILL FINALLY BE UNITED WITH OUR SAVIOR FOR ALL OF ETERNITY! BY ISAAC WIMBERLEY
There are many people, however, who only consider Jesus briefly but are kept somehow from believing in Him and trusting Him as their Savior. THEY CANNOT RECOGNIZE THE RESURRECTED CHRIST! The Road to Emmaus That same day two of them were walking to the village Emmaus, about seven miles out of Jerusalem. They were deep in conversation, going over all these things that had happened. IN THE MIDDLE OF THEIR TALK AND QUESTIONS, JESUS CAME UP AND WALKED ALONG WITH THEM. BUT THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO RECOGNIZE WHO HE WAS. THESE TWO DISCIPLES WERE KEPT FROM RECOGNIZING JESUS AT THIS PARTICULAR TIME AS THEY WALKED ALONG. THEY BELIEVED BUT DIDN T RECOGNIZE JESUS AT THIS TIME. IN THIS INCIDENT, JESUS KEPT THEM FROM RECOGNIZING HIM BUT IN THE WORLD TODAY IT S A DIFFERENT STORY. IT S NOT JESUS WHO KEEPS PEOPLE FROM RECOGNIZING WHO HE IS AND WHAT HE CAN DO FOR THEM. OBVIOUSLY, THE OPPOSITE IS TRUE TODAY, THAT JESUS WANTS PEOPLE TO RECOGNIZE HIM AND TO BELIEVE IN HIM AND TRUST HIM FOR SALVATION. YOU WOULD THINK THAT AFTER 2000 YEARS WE WOULD BY NOW RECOGNIZE HIM, BUT MANY STILL DON T RECOGNIZE HIM! MANY PEOPLE TODAY MAY TALK ABOUT JESUS, CHRISTIANITY OR RELIGION IN A GENERAL SENSE BUT THEY DON T RECOGNIZE JESUS AS THE SON OF GOD. I THINK THAT MAYBE SOME WANT TO BELIEVE BUT THEY ARE KEPT FROM RECOGNIZING HIM AS THE SON OF GOD. Why would a person not want to believe in heaven? Knowing that this life will come to an end someday why would you not want to believe in life after death? And for that matter, believe in a better life than this one? It seems so sensible to believe in Jesus and heaven but many people are kept from believing.