Sunday June 15, 2008 Notes

Luke_24
6/15/08
“What great news”
Happy Fathers Day!

The Resurrection
I. The Great Discovery Vv 1-12
A. First to Know
Luke 24:1-7 (NKJV)
1 Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared.
2 But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb.
3 Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.
4 And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments.
5 Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?
6 He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still 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.’ ”
1. First to learn of the resurrection were the women who had been faithful in following Jesus.
a. And it was out of their devotion that they were first to learn of the resurrection, coming right at the break of day, at the first possible opportunity.
b. They came to more properly prepare His body.
(1) Anxious to serve Him even in death.
(a) How devoted are we, how eager serve Him?
2. The Tomb.
a. Belonged to Joseph of Arimihea who was wealthy, and so his tomb would most likely have been cut into solid rock.
(1) And it would have a heavy circular stone as a door that would roll in a groove then settle down into a channel and would require several strong men to move.
b. We know that it was very close to the place of crucifixion.
John 19:41-42 (NKJV)
41 Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid.
42 So there they laid Jesus, because of the Jews’ Preparation Day, for the tomb was nearby.
(1) Perhaps a reminder to us that the cross and the resurrection are closely connected.
3. Mark's gospel tells us they were concerned about who would roll the stone away for them, but when they arrived the stone was already rolled away.
a. And instead of a body they found two men standing there by them dressed in shining garments, clearly a reference to angelic beings, which caused them to fall to the ground in fear.

Consider the thoughts that the words spoke to them would and should provoke..

“Why do you seek the living among the dead?
He is not here, but is risen!
Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying,
‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’ ”

B. Reported to the Apostles
Luke 24:8-11 (NKJV)
8 And they remembered His words.
9 Then they returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.
10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them, who told these things to the apostles.
11 And their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them.
1. "And they remembered His words"
a. Imagine how things began to sink in, imagine the hope that began to flood their hearts.
2. So they left the tomb (nothing there for them any more) and went to tell the disciples
Hosea 13:14 (NKJV)
14 “I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. O Death, I will be your plagues! O Grave, I will be your destruction! Pity is hidden from My eyes.”

1 Corinthians 15:55 (NKJV)
55 “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?”
a. The eleven and to all the rest!
(1) There words seemed as idle talk, i.e. like nonsense, medical writers used this word to describe the wild words spoken by those in delirium, or hysteria.
(2) They did not believe or trust the story told by the women.
(a) How many today don't believe because it is outside their logic or experience?
i) Yet it is a claim that must be investigated, and when investigated cannot reasonably be denied.
C. Peter runs to the Tomb.
Luke 24:12 (NKJV)
12 But Peter arose and ran to the tomb; and stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying by themselves; and he departed, marveling to himself at what had happened.
1. Peter ran to check it for himself, looking in and not finding to body but the empty linen in which Jesus had been wrapped...
a. And he departed marveling over this turn of events.
II. Conference on the Road to Emmaus with Jesus and two disciples.
A. Two on the road to Emmaus.
Luke 24:13-16 (NKJV)
13 Now behold, two of them were traveling that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was seven miles from Jerusalem.
14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened.
15 So it was, while they conversed and reasoned, that Jesus Himself drew near and went with them.
16 But their eyes were restrained, so that they did not know Him.
1. Two of Jesus' followers were walking along the road to Emmaus a seven mile journey from Jerusalem, and as they walked they were discussing the events of the last few days including the report of the resurrection.
a. As they walked and talked Jesus walked up behind them but they did not recognize Him.
(1) Were divinely kept from recognizing, most likely to allow Him to instruct them the necessity of His death and resurrection.
B. Challenging their Understanding
Luke 24:17-24 (NKJV)
17 And He said to them, “What kind of conversation is this that you have with one another as you walk and are sad?”
18 Then the one whose name was Cleopas answered and said to Him, “Are You the only stranger in Jerusalem, and have You not known the things which happened there in these days?”
19 And He said to them, “What things?” So they said to Him, “The things concerning Jesus of Nazareth, who 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 crucified Him.
21 But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, today is the third day since these things happened.
22 Yes, and certain women of our company, who arrived at the tomb early, astonished us.
23 When they did not find His body, they came saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said He was alive.
24 And certain of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but Him they did not see.”
1. Jesus sets the stage for His lesson by asking two questions that draw out of them their understanding of what has happened.
a. It would appear that they have the facts straight, but they are perplexed (it all doesn't fit their theology yet), and so they are grappling with unbelief.
C. His Story
Luke 24:25-27 (NKJV)
25 Then He said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken!
26 Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?”
27 And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself.
1. His rebuke is their slowness to believe and lack of understanding of the scriptures.
a. They had looked at the scriptures through the bias of traditions rather than at what the scriptures taught.
(1) We need to do our best to set our biases aside and do our best to determine what God said and meant.
2. What a bible study this must have been, as Christ taught them how all the OT scriptures spoke about Him and His work.
a. If we look we will find Jesus in some way on every page.
D. Revealed in the breaking of Bread
Luke 24:28-35 (NKJV)
28 Then they drew near to the village where they were going, and He indicated that He would have gone farther.
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 stay with them.
30 Now it came to pass, as He sat at the table with them, that He took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them.
31 Then their eyes were opened and they knew Him; and He vanished from their sight.
32 And they said to one another, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?”
33 So they rose up that very hour and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together,
34 saying, “The Lord is risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!”
35 And they told about the things that had happened on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread.
1. As they entered Emmaus He made as though He would keep traveling farther, but they encouraged Him to stay with them there since the hour was late.
a. Then as they sat down to eat, Jesus broke the bread and gave thanks, and as He did so their eyes were opened and they recognized Him, at which point He vanished from their presence.
(1) What a cool thing that He was revealed to them in the breaking of bread.
2. “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?”
a. What fire is ignited in our hearts as we are made to understand the word of God.
b. They couldn't wait to get back to Jerusalem and the other disciples and confirm the reports of the resurrection and share how they had been with Jesus.
(1) Spend time with Him and you will want to tell others about it...
III. Appearance to gathered followers
A. Appearing in their midst.

Luke 24:36-43 (NKJV)
36 Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, “Peace to you.”
37 But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit.
38 And He said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts?
39 Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.”
40 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet.
41 But while they still did not believe for joy, and marveled, He said to them, “Have you any food here?”
42 So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb.
43 And He took it and ate in their presence.
1. As they were back in Jerusalem relating their encounter with Jesus, suddenly Jesus Himself is there with them, standing right in the middle of their gathering., declaring Peace to them.
a. They became terrified and thought He was a ghost, but He questions them on their fear and their doubts that it He is really their and not merely an apparition.
(1) He has them look and touch Him, and He ate in their presence all demonstrating to them that He was there in flesh and blood.
(2) This time we read that they did not believe for joy, that is to say they were so ecstatic they were in a "this is too good to be true" state of mind!
(a) The fact of the resurrection ought to fill us with joy and awe.
B. The Great Commission
Luke 24:44-49 (NKJV)
44 Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.”
45 And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.
46 Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day,
47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
48 And you are witnesses of these things.
49 Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”
1. He had previously taught them what the scriptures said concerning Him but now He goes back over it and they get it this time.
a. And He gives them the Great Commission to get out and take this news and this instruction, the things which they had witnessed and tell it to others.
b. But they were to wait in Jerusalem until they received power from the Holy Spirit to empower them to be witnesses, as promised by the Father.

C. The Ascension
Luke 24:50-53 (NKJV)
50 And He led them out as far as Bethany, and He lifted up His hands and blessed them.
51 Now it came to pass, while He blessed them, that He was parted from them and carried up into heaven.
52 And they worshiped Him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy,
53 and were continually in the temple praising and blessing God. Amen.
1. And He ascended into heaven as they watched, after which they returned to Jerusalem full of joy and worshipping Him, continuing thereafter praising God in the temple.
IV. And so ends volume one of Luke’s orderly account
Luke 1:1-4 (NKJV)
1 Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us,
2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us,
3 it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus,
4 that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.
A. And just as he intended for Theophilus to know the certainty of these things, Luke recorded them and God has preserved them foe you and I so that we could know the certainty of these things.
1. I pray they have been planted and have taken root in your hearts as God intended them too.
B. Now we will move into volume-2 i.e. the book of Acts where we will see the continuing ministry of Jesus through the Apostles, and through the church - which we will see birthed in the opening chapters, a continuing work of which we are part,
1. We “the church” are a great evidence to the reality of what we learned here in this gospel account of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ.
“What great news” the gospel is good news have you responded?