Hey everyone,
This has been a remarkable week of study for me. And I hope that you’ve been blessed by the messages and Scripture readings from the previous nine podcasts. But today is the day that gives meaning to all that has happened before in Passion week. As Paul the Apostle said it, if there be no resurrection of the dead,…. your faith is empty, vain, meaningless. (1 Corinthians 15:13) If Jesus doesn’t come out of the grave, then all we have is a very good man who is dead. And if He didn’t come out of the grave, how can any of the rest of us believe that we will have life after death?
So it is all-important that we remember His resurrection.
In today’s podcast, our pianist is giving us an extra treat by playing a couple of hymns. Here’s the first.
Low in the Grave He Lay
That was wonderful to hear. One of my favorite hymns for Easter is “He Lives.” That hymn talks about our seeing Jesus, even when the rest of the world is blind to Him.
I serve a risen Saviour, He's in the world
today
I know that He is living, whatever men may say
I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of
cheer
And just the time I need Him He's always near
That’s what today is about. It’s not about seeing beautiful stained glass frescoes of Bible stories, it’s not about Sonrise services. It’s about the resurrected Christ, alive in my heart.
Let’s open the Scripture.
Well, as with my Crucifixion message, I don’t want to dress up these accounts with too many of my words. This day of remembering the resurrection should be a day of refreshing, not a day of pouring over and studying words. So I am just going to take the gospel accounts and lace them together into a common narrative for you, adding words only when clarification is needed.
Oh, and just a word about what’s next. Since the gospel accounts tell us about Jesus’ appearances for 40 days after His resurrection, the final message in this Passion week series will be one week from this Sunday, and it will cover all the appearances of Christ until His Ascension.
But for today let’s start with Sunday early A.M.
Matthew 28:1
In the end of the sabbath, (Saturday) at sunrise, Mary Magdalene out of whom (Jesus) had cast seven devils.
and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, to see the sepulchre. for they had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him.
The stone rolled away
Matthew 28:2-4
2 And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door of Jesus’ tomb, and sat upon it.
3 The angel’s countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:
4 And for fear of him the guards of the sepulcre shook in fear, and became as dead men.
Tomb found empty by women
Mark 16:2-8
3 Now as the women were coming to the tomb they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? for the stone was very heavy.
4 But when they arrived, they saw that the stone was already rolled away: 5 And so they entered the sepulchre, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.
(At this point the women are confused. But Mary Magdalene jumped to a conclusion and ran from the tomb to tell the disciples what they had seen.)
4 And it came to pass, as (the remaining women) were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men appeared by them in shining garments:
5 And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said to them, Do not be afraid? Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: Why seek ye the living among the dead? remember how he spoke to 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, (and as they considered these thoughts, the angel said to them)
behold the place where they laid him.
7now go your way quickly, tell his disciples and Peter that he is risen from the dead
and that he goes before you into Galilee: there shall ye see him, as he said unto you.
8 And they went out quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: and had fear and great joy. and they ran to tell the disciples.
Tomb found empty by Peter and John
(In the meantime, Mary Magdalene had run back) and came to Simon Peter, and John the beloved disciple, and said to them, They have taken away the Lord out of the sepulchre, and we know not where they have laid him.
12 Then arose Peter, and John 4 and ran together: (Mary Magdalene turned and followed far behind) but John outran Peter, and came first to the sepulchre.
5 And he stooping down, and looking in, saw the linen clothes lying; yet went he not in.
6 Then came Simon Peter following him, and went into the sepulchre, and saw the linen clothes lie,
7 And the napkin, that was about his head, not lying with the linen clothes, but wrapped together in a place by itself. 8 Then John went in also, and he saw, and believed.
(But Peter) departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.
9 For as yet they knew not the scripture, that he must rise again from the dead.
10 Then they went away again unto their own homes.
John 20:11-18
11 But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre,
12 And saw two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.
13 And they say unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? She saith unto them, Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have laid him.
14 And when she had thus said, she turned herself back, and saw Jesus standing, and knew not that it was Jesus.
15 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away.
16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.
17 Jesus saith unto her, Don’t cling to me; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.
In the meantime, the other women were returning by a different way
to tell his disciples, and behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.
10 Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.
Luke 24:9-11, 12
9 then (the other Women) returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest.
18 and Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord, and that he had spoken these things unto her.
11 And their words seemed to them as idle tales, when they had heard that he was alive, and had been seen by the women, did not believe it.
Sunday midday
Report of soldiers to Jewish authorities
Matthew 28:11-15
While all of this was happening, some of the sepulcre guards, awoke from their stupor and came into the city, and told the chief priests everything they had seen.
12 So the chief priests gathered all the elders, and had taken counsel, and decided to give a large sum of money to the soldiers,
13 and told them Say ye, His disciples came by night, and stole him away while we slept.
14 And if this come to Pilate, the governor's ears, we will persuade him, and keep you from punishment.
15 So they took the money, and did as they were taught: and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day.
(Now as the morning wore on toward noon, Jesus’ followers spread the word of the empty tomb, and the claims of the women.)
Road to Emmaus
Luke 24:13-32
13 later that day, two of Jesus’ followers went to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. Or half a mile.
14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened.
15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.
16 But their eyes were blinded so they should not know him.
17 And he said to them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?
18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?
19 And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:
20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.
21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, today is the third day since these things were done.
22 Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre;
23 And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive.
24 And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.
25 Then Jesus said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:
26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?
27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
28 And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and Jesus made as though he would have gone further.
29 But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.
30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.
31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.
32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?
24:33-35
33 And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven disciples gathered together, and them that were with them,
34 Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon. (1 Cor. 15:5a)
5 And that he was seen of Cephas,
35 And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.
(Then midday turned to evening, and Jesus followers came and went, running about the city, telling friends and family the latest accounts. But all of the disciples, except Thomas, gathered in a home together that Sunday evening.)
Sunday evening
Appearance to 10 disciples
John 20:19-25
when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, as they sat at meat, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.
37 But they were terrified and affrighted, and supposed that they had seen a spirit.
38 And he said unto them, Why are ye troubled? and why do thoughts arise in your hearts?
39 Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.
40 And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet.
41 And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, Have ye here any meat?
42 And they gave him a piece of a broiled fish, and a piece of an honeycomb.
43 And he took it, and did eat before them.
21 Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.
22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:
23 Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.
(This was the final recorded appearance of Jesus on His resurrection day. It was a miraculous and world changing day. Not only were there appearances of Jesus on that day, but when the earth quaked at Jesus resurrection,) and many bodies of the saints which slept arose,
53 And came out of the graves and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.
24 But Thomas, one of the twelve disciples, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came that day.
25 The other disciples therefore said unto him, We have seen the Lord. But he said unto them, Except I shall see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.
(So what do you believe? I read on Facebook that some reporter noted, in a White House briefing concerning the Coronavirus lockdowns, that this would be the first year in history that we aren’t celebrating Easter.
Well I don’t know what he means by “celebrating Easter.” If he means rolling eggs on the White House lawn, wearing new outfits to church, or big Passion play extravaganzas in the nations mega churches, no there won’t be those kinds of Easter celebrations.
But the Resurrection of Christ will still be celebrated today in my heart, in my home, with my family, and by my church family. We are not bound to buildings and programs to celebrate Easter. We do not define our Easter celebration with painting eggs, dressing up, or even gathering together.
The Resurrection is celebrated today as it has been celebrated for two thousand years; in the hearts of those who put their faith and trust in Jesus Christ, their Savior from judgment, their resurrected Lord, their one Mediator between God and man, their Master, Confidant, and Friend. I pray that you know my Jesus today. Let us pray.
Heavenly Father,
Although we are in separate places today, our hearts are united by our faith in you. We have not seen the nail prints in your hands, or the spear thrust gash in your side with our physical eyes, but we have seen your resurrection in our spirits. We believe, and we celebrate so we can say
He
lives (He lives), He lives (He lives), Christ Jesus lives today
He walks with me and talks with me
Along life's narrow way
He lives (He lives), He lives (He lives),
Salvation to impart
You ask me how I know He lives?
He lives within my heart
Let’s conclude with that song.