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TITLE:  WHY DO YOU SEEK THE LIVING AMONG THE DEAD?

 TEXT:  LUKE 24:1-9

INTRODUCTION: (1) LIKE EVERY PIECE OF GOOD LITERATURE, LUKE’S GOSPEL IS NOT A RANDOM COLLECTION OF FACTS OR IDEAS, BUT HAS A SPECIFIC PLAN AND PURPOSE.

* BECAUSE OF THAT, LUKE CHAPTER 24 IS NOT SIMPLY A CLOSING GROUP OF ANECDOTES ABOUT THE LIFE OF CHRIST, BUT IS THE POWERFUL CLIMAX OF EVERYTHING ELSE HE HAS WRITTEN UNDER THE GUIDANCE AND INSPIRATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.

** NOW THE CENTRAL EVENT OF THAT CLIMAX, THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST, IS ALSO THE CENTRAL EVENT OF GOD’S REDEMPTIVE HISTORY.

*** IN FACT, THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST FROM THE DEAD IS THE CORNERSTONE OF THE CHRISTIAN FAITH, THE VERY FOUNDATION OF OUR FAITH, QUOTE ROMANS 1:4; 4:25; JOHN 11:25&26; AND JOHN 14:19.

**** AND MY POINT IS, THERE WOULD BE NO CHRISTIANITY IF THERE WERE NO RESURRECTION. THERE WOULD BE NO HOPE TODAY, BUT ONLY DESPAIR.

(2) THERE WOULD BE NO FORGIVENESS OF SINS, NO HEAVEN AND REALLY NOTHING TO LIVE FOR.

* AND THE GREATEST THING WE COULD DO WITH OUR LIVES WOULD BE TO BE THE BEST HEDONIST WE COULD BE, TO PARTY HARDY, TO LIVE IT UP!

** BUT THE CLEAR MESSAGE OF THE BIBLE, GOD’S WORD, HAS ALWAYS BEEN A MESSAGE OF RESURRECTION HOPE, A MESSAGE THAT DEATH IS NOT THE END FOR THOSE WHO BELONG TO CHRIST.

*** FOR THE TRUE BELIEVER, DEATH HAS NEVER BEEN AN END BUT RATHER A DOORWAY THAT LEADS TO ETERNITY WITH GOD.

*** FOR EXAMPLE: ABRAHAM WILLINGLY OBEYED GOD’S COMMAND TO SACRIFICE HIS ONLY SON, ISAAC, BECAUSE IN FAITH, “HE CONSIDERED THAT GOD IS ABLE TO RAISE MEN EVEN FROM THE DEAD” IN HEBREWS 11:19.

**** THE PSALMIST DECLARED, “GOD WILL REDEEM MY SOUL FROM THE POWER OF SHEOL; FOR HE WILL RECEIVE ME” IN PSALM 49:15 AND THAT “WITH THY COUNSEL THOU WILT GUIDE ME AND AFTERWARD RECEIVE ME TO GLORY” IN PSALM 73:24.

(3) ISAIAH PROCLAIMED IN ISAIAH 26:19, “YOUR DEAD WILL LIVE; THEIR CORPSES WILL RISE.”

* JOB ASKED RHETORICALLY IN JOB 14:14, “IF A MAN DIES WILL HE LIVE AGAIN?” AND THEN DECLARED, “ALL THE DAYS OF MY STRUGGLE I WILL WAIT, UNTIL MY CHANGE COMES.”

** AND JOB ALSO SPOKE CLEARLY ABOUT THE RESURRECTION IN JOB 19:25&26 WHERE HE SAID, “I KNOW THAT MY REDEEMER LIVES, AND AT THE LAST HE WILL TAKE HIS STAND ON THE EARTH. EVEN AFTER MY SKIN IS DESTROYED, YET FROM MY FLESH I SHALL SEE GOD.”

*** THEN THE N.T. REVEALS THAT MORE THAN 500 WITNESSES SAW CHRIST AFTER HIS RESURRECTION (I CORINTHIANS 15:6) ON 12 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS, SCATTERED OVER A 40 DAY PERIOD (ACTS 1:3).

**** AND JESUS WAS SEEN AND HEARD ON EACH OCCASION.

(4) IN FACT HE WAS TOUCHED AT LEAST TWICE (MATTHEW 28:9; JOHN 20:17; SEE ALSO LUKE 24:29; JOHN 20:27).

* BEYOND THAT JESUS ATE (LUKE 24:30, 42&43; JOHN 21:12-13; ACTS 1:4; CF. 10:45).

** HIS CRUCIFIXION WOUNDS WERE VISIBLE (LUKE 24:39; JOHN 20:27).

*** THE DISCIPLES SAW HIS EMPTY TOMB AND THE CLOTHS WITH WHICH HIS BODY HAD BEEN WRAPPED.

**** AND THESE EXPERIENCES TRANSFORMED FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST FROM SCARED, SCATTERED SKEPTICS TO THE WORLD’S GREATEST MISSIONARY SOCIETY, PREACHING THE RESURRECTION.

(5) AND FOLKS, NOTHING ELSE ACCOUNTS FOR ALL THIS EVIDENCE EXCEPT THE LITERAL BODILY RESURRECTION OF CHRIST.

* SO THE SCRIPTURES ARE FILLED WITH RESURRECTION TRUTHS, BOTH OF CHRIST AND OURS (WE THAT ARE IN CHRIST), QUOTE I CORINTHIANS 15:20-22.

** ALL THAT ARE “IN CHRIST” WILL BE MADE ALIVE SOME DAY AT THIS COMING.

*** BUT IF JESUS HAD NOT RISEN FROM THE DEAD, NO ONE ELSE WOULD, IT WOULD BE ALL GLOOM AND DOOM SOMEDAY.

**** BUT TODAY IS A HOLY REMINDER THAT HE IS ALIVE AS ELAINE SANG ABOUT TODAY.

(6) WHICH BRINGS US TO OUR TEXT TODAY IN LUKE 24. FOR LUKE 24 IS ONE OF THE GREAT RESURRECTION CHAPTERS IN THE BIBLE.

* AND ALL OF LUKE 24 TALKS ABOUT THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST AND SOME EVENTS THAT FOLLOWED INCLUDING HIS ASCENSION TO HEAVEN 40 DAYS AFTER HIS RESURRECTION.

** AND TODAY, ON THE GLORIOUS RESURRECTION SUNDAY, I WANT TO LOOK AT DR. LUKE’S ACCOUNT OF CHRIST’S RESURRECTION, WHICH I’VE TITLED, “WHY DO YOU SEEK THE LIVING AMONG THE DEAD?”

**** AND UNDER THAT TITLE WE’LL LOOK AT 4 POINTS AS WE STUDY LUKE 24:1-9. (I TRIED FOR 5 POINTS FOR ALL OF YOU CALVINISTS OUT THERE BUT THE LORD FOREORDAINED THAT THAT WOULDN’T WORK).

(7) BUT HERE ARE THE 4 POINTS. NO. 1 THE TOMB, VV. 1-4; NO. 2 THE TERROR, V. 5; NO. 3 THE TRUTH, VV. 6-8; AND NO. 4 THE TESTIMONY, V. 9.

* AND WITH THAT OUTLINE TO HANG YOUR THOUGHTS ON, LOOK AT V. 1 WHERE WE’LL START TO SEE OUR FIRST POINT TODAY, THE TOMB. SO LOOK AT LUKE 24:1 PLEASE.

I. THE TOMB, (READ V. 1)

A. NOW TO BEGIN WITH, I WANT TO LOOK AT THE PHRASE, “ON THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK”.

* AND THIS PHRASE LIT. MEANS “DAY ONE WITH REFERENCE TO THE SABBATH”.

** FOR YOU SEE THE JEWISH PEOPLE DID NOT HAVE NAMES FOR DAYS OF THE WEEK, SUCH AS MONDAY, TUESDAY, AND SO ON, BUT SIMPLY NUMBERED THEM IN RELATION TO THE SABBATH.

*** AND SABBATH MEANS “SEVENTH” AND ALTHOUGH IT WAS AT THE END OF THE WEEK, BECAUSE IT WAS THE CENTRAL AND HOLY DAY, ALL OTHER DAYS WERE RECKONED BY IT – AS THE FIRST, SECOND, THIRD AND SO FORTH, DAY AFTER THE SABBATH.

**** SO THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK IS SUNDAY, WHAT WE NOW CALL THE LORD’S DAY, THE DAY JESUS ROSE FROM THE DEAD.

1. AND ALL FOUR GOSPELS (MATTHEW, MARK, LUKE AND JOHN) SPECIFY THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK AS THE DAY OF THE RESURRECTION.

* AND SUNDAY IS A VERY SPECIAL DAY FOR THE CHURCH AND BELIEVERS AS WE GATHER TO CELEBRATE AND WORSHIP OUR RISEN LORD.

** NOW ON THIS FIRST EASTER MORNING, AT EARLY DAWN THEY CAME TO THE TOMB.

*** AND THEY HERE ARE THE WOMEN WHO WERE DISCIPLES, FOLLOWERS OF CHRIST, WHO HAD COME WITH HIM OUT OF GALILEE.

**** FOR LUKE 23:55&56 SAYS THIS: “NOW THE WOMEN WHO HAD COME WITH HIM OUT OF GALILEE FOLLOWED AFTER, AND SAW THE TOMB AND HOW HIS BODY WAS LAID.”

V. 56 – “AND THEY RETURNED AND PREPARED SPICES AND PERFUMES. AND ON THE SABBATH THEY RESTED ACCORDING TO THE COMMANDMENT.”

2. NOW SPECIFICALLY THESE WOMEN ARE IDENTIFIED FOR US IN V. 10 OF LUKE 24 AS MARY MAGDALENE, JOANNA, MARY THE MOTHER OF JAMES WHICH WAS SALOME AND ALSO OTHER WOMEN WHICH ARE NOT IDENTIFIED HERE.

* AND THESE WOMEN COME TO THE TOMB OF JESUS AT EARLY DAWN ON SUNDAY, LIT. PRE-DAWN BEFORE SUN-UP.

** AND BEFORE SUN-UP THEY LEAVE AND AS THEY GET THERE AS WE PUT THE GOSPELS TOGETHER THE SUN HAD RISEN.

*** AND THEY HAD COME TO THE TOMB OF JESUS GIVEN TO HIM BY JOSEPH OF ARAMATHEA, A RICH MAN, TO BRING THE SPICES AND PERFUMES THEY PREPARED TO ANOINT JESUS’ BODY FOR BURIAL, FOR YOU SEE THE JEWS DID NOT EMBALM BODIES, THEY USED SPICES TO PRESERVE THE BODIES OUT OF RESPECT.

**** AND THIS LABOR OF LOVE WAS NOT COMPLETED ON FRIDAY, FOR THEY HURRIEDLY TOOK DOWN THE BODY OF JESUS BEFORE THE SABBATH SO THEY WOULDN’T DEFILE THEIR CUSTOMS.

3. SO IN ESSENCE THESE WOMEN COME TO THE TOMB OF JESUS TO FINISH PREPARING HIS BODY FOR BURIAL WHICH WAS STARTED ON FRIDAY BY WRAPPING HIS BODY WITH LINEN AND SPICES BY JOSEPH AND NICODEMUS ACCORDING TO THE SCRIPTURES FOR THEY COULD NOT WORK ON THE SABBATH.

* NOW WITH THAT IN MIND, LOOK AT V. 2 PLEASE.

B. READ V. 2. NOW AS THESE WOMEN ARRIVED THEY FOUND THE STONE THAT HAD BEEN ROLLED IN FRONT OF THE TOMB TO PROTECT IT ALONG WITH THE ROMAN SEAL, ROLLED AWAY.

* AND GOD BLESS THESE DEAR WOMEN, THEY DID NOT COME TO THE TOMB EXPECTING THIS. IN FACT, ACCORDING TO MARK 16:3 THEY WERE CONCERNED HOW THEY AS WOMEN WOULD ROLL AWAY THIS HUGE STONE.

** BUT IT WAS ALREADY ROLLED AWAY AND ACCORDING TO MATTHEW 28:2-4 RECORDS THAT AN EARTHQUAKE OCCURRED AND AN ANGEL ROLLED THE STONE AWAY.

**** AND THE ROMAN GUARDS FAINTED WITH FEAR AS A RESULT OF THESE EVENTS AND WHEN THEY CAME TO, THEY FLED, AND AS THE WOMEN ARRIVE THERE ARE NO GUARDS AND NO ROMAN SEAL AND NO STONE BLOCKING THE ENTRANCE TO THE TOMB, WHICH LEADS US TO V. 3. LOOK AT V. 3 PLEASE.

C. READ V. 3. NOW ON THE SCREEN YOU CAN SEE SOME PICTURES OF WHAT IS SUPPOSED TO BE THE TOMB OF JESUS.

* AND AS THESE WONDERFUL WOMEN COME TO THE TOMB OF JESUS TO ANOINT HIS BODY, THE STONE IS ROLLED AWAY, SO THEY ENTER THE TOMB AND THE BODY OF JESUS IS NOT THERE.

- WHICH REMINDS US WHY THE STONE WAS ROLLED AWAY, NOT TO LET JESUS OUT, BUT SO OTHERS COULD SEE THAT HE ROSE FROM THE DEAD!!

** NOW THOSE DEAR WOMEN DID NOT EXPECT THIS ALTHOUGH JESUS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS TOLD HIS DISCIPLES THAT HE WOULD SUFFER AND DIE AND RISE AGAIN FROM THE DEAD ON THE THIRD DAY.

*** THAT TRUTH DID NOT CONNECT, THEY WERE OBVIOUSLY VERY EMOTIONAL ABOUT WHAT HAD TRANSPIRED SINCE FRIDAY AND PROBABLY COULD NOT GET THE PICTURE OUT OF THEIR MIND OF JESUS SUFFERING ON THE CROSS.

**** THE PROMISES OF CHRIST DID NOT CONNECT, TRUTH DID NOT CONNECT.

1. AND THEY OBVIOUSLY LOVED THEIR LORD VERY MUCH AND WERE COMMITTED FOLLOWERS, THAT’S WHY THEY WERE THERE, BUT THEY DID NOT STAND ON HIS PROMISES AND TRUTH REVEALED TO THEM.

* AND THAT IS A GREAT DANGER FOR US THAT ARE FOLLOWERS AND LOVE JESUS TODAY.

** WHEN SOMETHING VERY EMOTIONAL OR TRAGIC HAPPENS, WE ALLOW OUR EMOTIONS TO TAKE OVER AND DO NOT APPLY THE TRUTH OF GOD’S WORDS AT THAT TIME AND DISCONNECT.

*** BUT BELOVED, LET ME REMIND YOU THAT IT IS AT THOSE TIMES THAT WE NEED TO APPLY TRUTH AND STAND ON THE PROMISES OF GOD MORE THAN EVER.

**** THAT TRAGEDY CAN LEAD TO TRIUMPH, THAT WE LOOK FOR THE UNSEEN HAND OF GOD AND HIS ETERNAL PURPOSES BEHIND THAT VERY EMOTIONAL AND DIFFICULT TIME.

2. AND IF IMMEDIATELY WE GO TO THE TRUTH OF GOD’S WORD AND HIS PROMISES AND APPLY THEM AND YIELD TO THE SPIRIT INSTEAD OF THE FLESH, PEACE WILL FLOOD OUR SOUL INSTEAD OF PANIC AND FEAR. WE WILL TRUST IN THE UNSEEN HAND OF GOD, AND APPLY PSALM 46:1&2 AND PSALM 62:8 (QUOTE THEM).

* WELL OUR DEAR SISTERS IN CHRIST HAD NOT APPLIED THE TRUTH, THEIR FAITH WAS WEAK.

** BUT WHAT THEY LACKED IN FAITH THEY COMPENSATED FOR IN LOVING COMPASSION AND WHAT THEY LACKED IN UNDERSTANDING THEY MADE UP FOR IN COURAGEOUS DEVOTION.

*** BUT THEIR INITITAL RESPONSE IS THEY ARE PERPLEXED, LOOK AT V. 4 PLEASE.

D. READ V. 4. NOW IT SAYS HERE IN V. 4 THAT OUR SISTERS WERE PERPLEXED AND THE KJV AND THE NKJV SAYS THEY WERE MUCH PERPLEXED OR GREAT PERPLEXED.

* AND THIS PARTICULAR GREEK VERB, WHICH YOU CAN SEE ON THE SCREEN.

** AND THIS WORD LIT. MEANS TO BE ENTIRELY AT LOSS, TO BE IN PERPLEXITY, AND THAT WAS THE STATE THESE WOMEN WERE IN. THEY WERE VERY PERPLEXED, BEWILDERED.

*** AND SOMETHING HAPPENS AT THIS TIME OF GREAT PERPLEXITY, TWO MEN SUDDENLY WERE NEAR THEM IN DAZZLING CLOTHING.

**** NOW THIS DAZZLING CLOTHING WAS NOT A FASHION STATEMENT, THESE GUYS WERE NOT DRESSED FOR THE ACADEMY AWARDS, FLASHY THAT WAY.

1. FOR THESE TWO GUYS ARE TWO ANGELS AS THE OTHER GOSPEL ACCOUNTS RECORD AND AS V. 23 RECORDS HERE IN LUKE 24.

* FOR LUKE 24:23 SAYS: “AND DID NOT FIND HIS BODY, THEY CAME, SAYING THAT THEY HAD ALSO SEEN A VISION OF ANGELS, WHO SAID THAT HE WAS ALIVE.”

** NOW HERE IN V. 23 THE TWO EMMAUS DISCIPLES WHO ARE TALKING TO THE RESURRECTED CHRIST AND DON’T KNOW IT AT THIS TIME, ARE TALKING TO JESUS ABOUT WHAT THOSE WOMEN TALKED ABOUT IN OUR TEXT REPORTED EARLIER IN THE DAY.

*** AND THE WORD TRANSLATED DAZZLING IN THE NAS, SHINING IN THE KJV AND NKJV AND GLEAMING IN THE NIV LIT. MEANS TO LIGHTEN, IT TALKS ABOUT DAZZLING OBJECTS LIKE LIGHTENING.

**** AND IT’S INTERESTING A FORM OF THIS GREEK WORD IS USED IN LUKE 9:29 ABOUT JESUS’ CLOTHES AS HE IS TRANSFIGURED BEFORE PETER, JAMES AND JOHN, THAT HIS CLOTHES BECAME WHITE AND GLEAMING.

2. AND IN ACTS 1:10 WHERE JESUS ASCENDED TO HIS FATHER IT SAYS, THERE WERE TWO MEN IN WHITE CLOTHING THERE, WHICH AGAIN WERE ANGELS.

* AND MANY TIMES IN SCRIPTURE WE SEE ANGELS APPEAR IN THE FORM OF MEN AND ARE CLOTHED IN WHITE BRILLIANT SHINING CLOTHING.

** AND THAT’S EXACTLY WHAT WE HAVE HERE IN LUKE 24:4. IN THE MIDST OF THESE WOMEN’S PERPLEXITY, TWO ANGELS APPEAR TO THEM AND THE RESPONSE OF THESE WOMEN IS FOUND IN V. 5 WHERE WE’LL SEE OUR 2’D POINT TODAY, THE TERROR. LOOK AT V. 5 PLEASE.

II. THE TERROR, (READ V. 5)

A. NOW THESE WOMEN ARE TERRIFIED AS THEY SEE THESE TWO ANGELS, THEY WERE AFRAID, THROWN INTO A STATE OF FEAR, FRIGHTENED.

* AND WE SEE THAT RESPONSE ON OCCASION IN THE PRESENCE OF ANGELS, AND I ASK, WHAT WOULD YOUR RESPONSE BE?

** HI GUYS, SIT DOWN AND HAVE A CUP OF COFFEE. I DON’T THINK SO FOR MOST, MAYBE RON WOULD. HE PROBABLY WOULD SAY, “HOW YOU DOIN?”

*** BUT SERIOUSLY THESE WOMEN ARE TERRIFIED AS THEY SEE THESE ANGELS AND THEIR RESPONSE IS THEY “BOWED THEIR FACES TO THE GROUND.”

**** AND THIS IS PROBABLY A RESPONSE OF RESPECT. AND THE ANGELS ASK THEM A QUESTION, “WHY DO YOU SEEK THE LIVING AMONG THE DEAD?”

1. AND THIS WILL BE THEIR FIRST INDICATION THAT JESUS AROSE FROM THE DEAD.

* FOR YOU SEE THE ANGELS WERE SAYING TO THE WOMEN, JESUS IS ALIVE, HE’S ALIVE, WHY DO YOU SEEK THE LIVING ONE WHERE DEAD PEOPLE ARE IN A TOMB?

** AND I JUST LOVE THIS QUESTION, WHY DO YOU SEEK THE LIVING ONE AMONG THE DEAD?

*** AND THEN THE ANGELS WILL GIVE THEM THE WONDERFUL TRUTH OF WHAT HAPPENED AND REMIND THEM OF JESUS’ WORDS WHICH LEADS US TO OUR THIRD POINT TODAY, THE TRUTH. LOOK AT V. 6 PLEASE.

III. THE TRUTH, (READ V. 6)

A. NOW HERE THE ANGELS MAKE IT CRYSTAL CLEAR, THEY GIVE OUT THE TRUTH OF THESE EVENTS, “JESUS IS NOT HERE, HE HAS RISEN, HE’S ALIVE!”

* AND THEN THEY REMIND THESE WOMEN OF SOMETHING JESUS SAID TO THEM WHEN HE WAS IN GALILEE.

** AND IT’S ALREADY BEEN ESTABLISHED THAT THESE DEAR WOMEN FOLLOWED JESUS OUT OF GALILEE, IN LUKE 23:55.

*** SO THESE ANGELS ARE GIVING THESE WOMEN A HEAVENLY, HOLY REMINDER.

**** AND WE NEED TO REMEMBER CERTAIN THINGS AS FOLLOWERS OF JESUS AND NEVER FORGET THEM.

1. I MEAN THAT’S WHAT THE LORD’S SUPPER IS ALL ABOUT, A FORGET ME NOT FEAST OF THE SOUL TO REMEMBER JESUS’ DEATH.

* AND IT’S INTERESTING TO ME THAT THE WORD REMEMBER IS USED 167 TIMES IN MY BIBLE, AS AN ADMONITION NOT TO FORGET CERTAIN THINGS.

** SO THERE ARE CERTAIN TRUTHS FROM THE WORD OF GOD THAT WE CANNOT FORGET, THAT ARE ESSENTIAL FOR US TO LIVE WHAT I CALL THE RISEN LIFE, THE VICTORIOUS HOLY CHRISTIAN LIFE.

*** AND I DON’T KNOW ABOUT YOU, I FORGET THINGS, SO TO HELP ME REMEMBER TRUTHS THAT I SHOULD NOT FORGET, I’VE MEMORIZED A LOT OF SCRIPTURE.

**** AND OH WHAT A HELP IN THE TIME OF NEED TO HAVE GOD’S TRUTH, GOD’S WORD AT MY FINGERTIPS AS I NEED IT.

2. FOR TIMES OF TEMPTATION, FOR TIMES OF FEAR, FOR TIMES WHEN I NEED TO COUNSEL, FOR TEACHING AND PREACHING TIMES.

* AND I SAY HUMBLY BY THE GRACE GOD GIVES ME, I CAN’T THINK OF A SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE THAT HAS IMPACTED ME MORE THAN MEMORIZING THE WORD OF GOD.

** AND I WOULD CHALLENGE YOU, YOUNG OR OLD TO HIDE THE WORD OF GOD IN YOUR HEART, QUOTE PSALM 119:11&16. AND I WOULD BE GLAD TO HELP YOU.

*** NOW AS WE GO BACK TO OUR TEXT, THE ANGELS GIVE THESE WOMEN A HOLY REMINDER AND THAT HEAVENLY HOLY REMINDER IS FOUND IN V. 7. LOOK AT V. 7 PLEASE.

B. READ V. 7. NOW THE SPECIFIC REMINDER IS GIVEN HERE OF JESUS’ WORDS SPOKEN TO THEM IN GALILEE.

* AND CLEARLY HE TOLD HIS DISCIPLES GOING BACK TO LUKE 9:22&44 AND LUKE 18:31-34 THAT HE WOULD BE DELIVERED INTO THE HANDS OF SINFUL MEN AND BE CRUCIFIED AND THE THIRD DAY RISE AGAIN.

** AND FRIENDS, THAT THIS HAPPENED IS NOT A SURPRISE OR A MISTAKE, BUT THE PLAN OF ALL-MIGHTY GOD FOREORDAINED BEFORE THE FOUNDATION OF THE WORLD AND PROPHESIED BY CHRIST FOR THE PURPOSE OF SAVING PEOPLE FROM THEIR SIN.

*** AND JESUS HAD PREDICTED THIS ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS AND WAS PROPHESIED IN THE O.T. IN TEXTS LIKE ISAIAH 53:5-12 (QUOTE THEM).

**** SO THAT JESUS WOULD DIE AND RISE AGAIN WAS NOT A TRAGEDY BUT A TRIUMPH OF THE GRACE OF GOD IN FULFILLMENT OF THE PLAN OF GOD AND PROPHECY.

1. AND THE ANGELS REMINDED THESE WOMEN OF THAT. AND YOU KNOW WHAT? THEY REMEMBERED. LOOK AT V. 8 PLEASE.

C. READ V. 8. NOW BELOVED AT THIS POINT OF TIME ON THE FIRST EASTER, AFTER A HEAVENLY REMINDER BY THESE ANGELS, THE WOMEN REMEMBER JESUS’ WORDS.

* AND IT HAD TO BE SUCH A JOY AND COMFORT FOR THESE DEAR SISTERS IN THE MIDST OF THEIR PERPLEXITY AND TERROR.

** TRUTH CONNECTED. THEY REMEMBERED. THE WORDS OF JESUS WERE TRUE AND THEIR LORD WAS ALIVE.

*** AND IT MUST HAVE BEEN SUCH A COMFORT, AND HOPE KINDLING, AND EXCITING. THEY GO FROM AGONY TO ECSTASY, FROM DEPRESSION TO DELIGHT.

**** JESUS IS ALIVE. AND THAT TRUTH MOVES PEOPLE THAT KNOW JESUS TO TESTIFY OF THAT POWERFUL, WONDERFUL, PROFOUND TRUTH.

***** YOU CAN’T HOLD THAT IN, YOU HAVE TO TELL OTHER PEOPLE ABOUT IT, JESUS CHRIST THE SON OF GOD, GOD THE SON IS ALIVE.

****** AND THESE WOMEN GIVE TESTIMONY OF THAT IN V. 9 WHERE WE’LL QUICKLY SEE OUR FOURTH AND FINAL POINT TODAY, THE TESTIMONY. LOOK AT V. 9 PLEASE.

IV. THE TESTIMONY, (READ V. 9)

A. NOW THE TWO MARYS, SALOME, JOANNA AND THESE OTHER WOMEN RETURN FROM THE EMPTY TOMB OF JESUS AND REPORT TO THE 11 DISCIPLES, THE APOSTLES, FOR REMEMBER JUDAS THE 12TH IS DEAD, AND THEY REPORT THIS TO THE REST OF THE DISCIPLES AT JERUSALEM OF WHAT HAPPENED.

* AND LISTEN, YOU CAN’T HOLD NEWS LIKE THIS IN. YOU HAVE TO TELL EVERYBODY YOU CAN. “LISTEN GUYS, JESUS IS ALIVE! HE’S NOT DEAD, HE HAS RISEN AS HE SAID.”

** YOU WILL GIVE TESTIMONY TO THAT DYNAMITE TRUTH AS A FOLLOWER OF JESUS, HE’S ALIVE AND I’M FORGIVEN, HEAVEN’S GATE IS OPEN WIDE FOR THE PEOPLE JESUS WILL RESCUE FROM THEIR SINS.

AND AS I WRAP UP OUR STUDY TODAY (1) LET ME SAY THAT IS THE MESSAGE AND TESTIMONY THAT WE MUST COMMUNICATE TO THOSE THE LORD BRINGS ACROSS OUR PATH AND TO THE NATIONS.

* JESUS CHRIST IS LORD AND HE IS ALIVE. THE PASSION OF THE CHRIST WAS FOR A PURPOSE, TO BECOME A SACRIFICE AND DIE TO SAVE PEOPLE FROM THEIR SINS.

** AND THAT MESSAGE WE COMMUNICATE IS A PRIVILEGE, A MANDATE WE HAVE AS CHRISTIANS THAT WE SHOULD COMMUNICATE PASSIONATELY.

*** AND THAT MESSAGE AND PRINCIPLE IS COMMUNICATED CLEARLY AT THE END OF LUKE’S RESURRECTION CHAPTER, FOR LOOK DOWN TO VV. 47 AND 48 OF LUKE 24. AND WHAT DOES IT SAY? (QUOTE THEM).

**** AND BELOVED THE RISEN JESUS GAVE HIS DISCIPLES THIS MANDATE AND MESSAGE. WE PROCLAIM REPENTANCE AND FORGIVENESS OF SINS IN HIS NAME STARTING IN OUR OWN JERUSALEM – CANTON – STARK COUNTY, BECAUSE WE ARE HIS WITNESSES.

(2) WE SERVE A RISEN SAVIOR AND WE TELL PEOPLE WHY HE DIED AND THAT HE’S ALIVE AS LORD AND SAVIOR.

* AND I REMIND YOU AGAIN TODAY, THE TOMB OF JESUS WAS OPENED UP, NOT TO LET JESUS OUT, BUT TO LET THE WITNESSES IN.

** AND THE EASTER MANDATE FOR THE CHURCH IS “COME AND SEE, GO AND TELL!”

*** AND AS WE SCATTER, AS WE LEAVE THIS PLACE, WE ARE EQUIPPED, WE LEAVE BY GOD’S GRACE READY TO BE WITNESSES.

**** MAY WE DO THAT BELOVED, FOR OUR SAVIOR IS ALIVE! QUOTE LUKE 24:47&48.