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Introduction
My Grandmother was a female hemophiliac. What that means is that her body could not produce the platelets that would enable her blood to clot. As a result, she was not expected to live into old age. Problems that might have been minor for you and me quickly became big problems for her because her body could not stop the bleeding. Beyond all expectations, she was able to have four children and live into her seventies. However, she was repeatedly in the hospital and at the point of death several times. One time, she told me, she was able to look down on her own body. It seemed like she was dead at that point, but then her spirit returned to her body. She knew her time was not yet up. I’ve actually read about and heard tons of stories like that.
What we are dealing with here is something completely different. Imagine the time when my Grandmother did finally pass away at 74. Then, her body is brought to the funeral home. They do their work. Two full days later, they do a viewing for her. Then, imagine that at the viewing with all the family there, she gets up and starts talking. Now, that, I can tell you is something that I have not heard many stories about! But that is what this text is talking about. We are talking about a man rising from the dead two full days later. He dies on Friday, remains in the grave all day Saturday, and then rises from the dead on Sunday. A truly astonishing fact. This is what really happened 2,000 years ago on a Sunday morning.
Does that seem hard to believe? Well, it seemed hard to believe to the people who experienced it. And this is another extremely interesting fact about the resurrection of Jesus. It came to His followers as something completely unexpected. So, let’s look at how they encountered the resurrection and see what this might teach us about our own doubts and questions and the meaning of Easter.
The Women & the Resurrection
Remember that the women had been watching over Jesus while He was crucified, died, and was buried. They wanted to go back to the body of Jesus to show it the care that it deserved by putting spices and perfume on it.
When they got there, they were surprised to find that the stone that had been put over the mouth of the tomb was already rolled away. What did this mean? When they entered the tomb, the body of Jesus was gone. Now, what they did not conclude from this was that Jesus had risen from the dead. Instead it made them wonder what in the world had happened to Jesus’ body?
They needed angels to interpret this for them. Two men dressed in white and shining like lightning appeared before them. The women were scared to death, as you and I would be to encounter these heavenly beings. So, they bowed to the ground, which was all that they knew how to do.
Then, the angels spoke these powerful words. “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen!” (Luke 24:5–6). Against all their expectations, He had come back to life. He was no longer among the dead. He had risen!
There’s a lot of things we can hear that don’t fit into our current categories, and so we disregard them. The angels reminded them of one of them. They reminded them of Jesus’ own words: “The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again” (Luke 24:7). Then, they remembered. One of the most important things that Jesus told them is one that they had forgotten. Why? Because there was no place to put it. They did not expect Jesus to rise from the dead. It was not a category in their brain, so they didn’t even register what Jesus was saying.
However, encountering the tomb and hearing the reminder of the angels, they remembered! It all was clear. He did exactly what He said he would do. Go back to my imaginary situation with my Grandma. Imagine that she had told us that she would rise after being dead three days. Then, imagine that she actually did it! From that point on, I would have viewed my Grandma in a totally different light. I would be asking, who in the world is my Grandma? That, of course, is an imaginary situation, but that is what the real situation with Jesus would look like. Who in the world is this Jesus that He could say that He would rise from the dead and then actually do it?
That’s the question that we all have to come to grips with. Who in the world is this Jesus? Well, I would say that if He can tell us that He would rise from the dead and actually pull it off, then I should give real close attention to His Words and what He said about Himself. It should totally change our perspective on all that He said and did!
But you know, it’s so easy to forget what Jesus said about His resurrection. When we feel guilt and people’s disapproval, it’s easy to think we are not accepted. But this is not true. Jesus is risen. His resurrection means that our guilt is fully atoned for and we are completely accepted before God.
It’s easy to forget what Jesus said about His resurrection. We look at a situation in our world, in our family, or in ourselves, and we think there’s no hope. But this is not true! Jesus is risen. If He can conquer death, He can change any situation!
It’s easy to forget what Jesus said about His resurrection. We turn away from death in our minds and run away from it like it were the greatest evil. No. Jesus has sanctified the grave and conquered death. One day, everyone who has put their trust in Jesus will rise like Him.
We need to remember, remember, remember what Jesus has said about His own resurrection. That’s what Easter is all about. We should do it all the time, but Easter is a testimony to the fact that we need to remember the resurrection. The world is not without hope. Your family is not without hope! You are not without hope! Jesus is risen!
The Disciples & the Resurrection
After this, the obvious next step for the women was that they would tell the disciples. And that’s just what they did. They went and told the eleven and the other disciples.
And how did they respond? Were they excited? Did they rejoice? No. They did not believe them! Why? Because their words seemed like total nonsense! It just seemed crazy to believe that someone had risen from the dead after being dead three days! That’s what they were thinking. That’s what we would think.
One objection to the resurrection is that the disciples wanted Him to rise and so made it up. This is completely contrary to fact. They did NOT expect Jesus to rise. Even when Jesus appeared to them, they thought it was just a vision or something spectral. Jesus had to convince them that He was actually risen in the flesh. So far from expecting it, they had no thought of it at all and could not accept it even when Jesus said it! Yet! Contrary to their expectation, they came to firmly believe that Jesus’ resurrection was an historical fact. They were so sure of it that they were ready to suffer and die rather than renounce it! Their actual state of mind provides one of the greatest confirmations of the historicity of the resurrection!
Now, Peter. Peter was an act first and think later type of guy. We need people like Peter. He said, “Enough talk. I’m going to check it out for myself.” He ran to the tomb. He saw the tomb. The linen that had covered Jesus’ dead body was there. Jesus was gone. He marveled at what he saw.
And I hope that is what you will do! That you will marvel at the fact of the resurrection. I hope these words and this text will help you marvel at the fact that Jesus said He would rise from the dead and actually pulled it off!
I hope that you will marvel at the meaning of the resurrection. Recall that Jesus in this text had just been arrested, had just been crucified, had just been tortured, had just been mocked, and had just died experiencing the wrath of the Father. The meaning of the resurrection is that what Jesus did is accepted by the Father as the substitute for the punishment due to our sins! He has died and risen so that everyone who trust in Him can have a new life and have it forever. It means that though our body dies, Jesus will raise up our old bodies to be renewed and enjoy Him forever. This is as sure as the fact that Jesus Himself rose from the dead.
I hope that you will marvel at the hope of the resurrection. So much is out there to discourage us. The resurrection says, “there is hope!” Life can come out of death. Light can break through the darkness. Wherever we’ve been, whatever we’ve done, there is hope because Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Amen.
Benediction: There is a world of hope in the resurrection of Jesus. I hope that this day and every day you will remember what Jesus said and did and that this will cause you to wonder and that your wonder will turn to joy!
So, May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.