TEXT:LUKE 24:1-35
CENTRAL THOUGHT
Christ’s resurrection is the basis
upon which Christianity rests.
INTRODUCTION:
The fact of the resurrection of Jesus Christ is both the center and foundation of the Christian faith. The fact that the remains of the originator of this faith is no longer in the grave distinguishes
Christianity from all other religions. This is because their founders are dead, buried, and remain buried. The empty tomb remains the boast and glory of Christianity. Jesus is risen and He
is no longer in the grave!
The Lord Jesus Christ revealed during His teachings that He would be killed by wicked men, but on the third day He will rise again (Luke 9:21-22). This was not just a mere boast for when He died on the cross and was buried in the tomb, this tomb became empty on the third day. The Jewish leaders, who were
aware of this statement, tried to prevent/stop Christ’s resurrection with Roman soldiers standing watch at the tomb of
Jesus Christ. This was an exercise in futility, for when the hour that He would rise from the dead came all the soldiers were overcome.
The resurrection of Christ to the believer guarantees him of a future hereafter. The scriptures reveal that if Jesus did not rise from the dead, then we are of all men most miserable and we are yet in our sins, lost and lost eternally (1 Cor. 15:16-19).
Salvation cannot be known apart from the confession of faith in Christ Jesus (Rom. 10:9). The resurrection of Christ is one of the proofs of His deity, and that He is the Son of God. This is the miracle on which all other miracles stand or fall. The resurrection of Christ confirms the victory over all the works of the enemy.
LESSON OBJECTIVES
- To know what is resurrection
- To know that the resurrection of Christ actually occurred
- To know by what power He resurrected
- To know the results of Christ’s resurrection
BIBLE TRUTH:
QUESTION 2) WHAT EVIDENCE DO WE HAVE OF HIS RESURRECTION?
There are several indisputable facts of history and life to establish the facts of Christ’s resurrection. Evidence from
the scriptures and our own individual lives as believers attest to the facts of His resurrection. Only a living God can
affect the lives of men as Christ had affected us. We experience His hands daily in our lives as we put our trust
in Him. We talk with Him and He talks to us.
One of the most outstanding facts of His resurrection is His empty tomb. When Mary Magdalene and the other Mary
went to the sepulcher at dawn on the first day of the week, they did not meet the Roman soldiers but an angel whose
countenance was like lighting and his raiment white as snow. He had rolled back the stone from the door and sat
upon it. He said unto them, “He is not here for He is risen as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay” (Matt.
28:6). We also find another evidence in the testimony of the angels. The two men at the tomb said, “Why seek ye the
living among the dead, “He is not here but is risen, remember how He spoke unto you when He was yet in Galilee said, The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of the sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again” (Luke 24:5-7).
The scriptures also record that many people talked to Him after His resurrection. He appeared unto Peter and other six disciples (John 21:1-14), Mary Magdalene (Mark 16:9-11), to Thomas who would not believe until He touched Him (John 20:24-29), to Cleopas (Luke 24:18), and to all the rest of the disciples (John 20:19-25).
We also find evidence attesting to the physical or bodily nature after His resurrection as He also ate and drank with His wounds (Luke 24:36-43). He explained to them that He is not a spirit, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as they see He has. Paul justified the reality of Christ’s resurrection by declaring He was seen of more than 500 brethren and them himself as of one born out of season (1 Cor. 15:6-8). Paul had an encounter with Him on the road
to Damascus. “And he said who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutes” (Acts 9:5).
Stephen said when he was being stones to death “Behold I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God”. The scriptures say that He showed Himself alive after His passion by many infallible proofs
(Acts 1:3). Finally, everyone that is genuinely born again is
evidence of Christ’s resurrection.
QUESTION 3) DISCUSS THE ATTEMPTS MEN MAKE TO DENY RESURRECTION OF CHRIST.
Despite the abundant evidences available in the Scriptures and historical writings, there are many people who do not accept the fact and reality of Christ’s resurrection. They give one fallacious reason or the other to back up their
hypocrisy and wickedness. There are those who say the whole idea is a fraud, a hoax, or at best he was a deliberate
imposter. These people choose to ignore the evidence available in the scriptures and history.
Another group of people believe that Jesus only fainted and that the soldiers did not kill Him. That the cool of the tomb and spices caused Him to revive and come back to life.
However, the women never saw His body to pour the spice on. Furthermore, medical experts say that it is only from a dead body can there be water and blood when pierced.
There are also those who believe that the whole story of resurrection is a figment of imagination of the disciples.
They say that since the disciples wanted to see Jesus and though He would rise, they saw Him in their imagination.
On the contrary, the disciples were even skeptical, and Jesus had to rebuke them for their unbelief (Luke 24:25).
Even after seeing Him, some like Thomas would not believe until he had touched Him.
There are those who believe still that only the ghost of Jesus appeared and not His body. But Jesus said “for a
spirit (ghost) hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have” (Luke 24:39). He went further to take broiled fish and ate it before them (Luke 24:43). Ghosts have neither flesh nor bones to eat and drink.
The resurrection of Christ is not a myth handed down by the ancients without truth as such stories are told by our
elders to explain their origin. If it were a myth, it would have lost its relevance just as other myths of human imaginations do. The whole canon of scripture show that the myth theory is a lie.
What about the fabricated story of the Chief priests that the timid and fear stricken disciples came and stole the body while the fearless Roman soldiers slept? It is a grand design by the devil to undermine the reality of Christ’s resurrection.
The indisputable fact of scripture and history is that Jesus Christ did indeed rise from the dead and He is alive today.
“Whom God hath raised up having loosed the pains of death; because it was not possible that He should be holden of it” (Acts 2:24). We must believe this to receive.
QUESTION 4) WITH WHAT BODY DID CHRIST RISE?It is clear that Christ rose up with a physical body that is flesh and bones (Luke 24:39). Thus, He could be handled and touched. This new body of His was also a glorious body. This glorified body has the ability to pass though a solid wall, “Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut before the disciples were assembles for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and said unto them…” (John 20:19).The scriptures also reveal that He rose with an immortal body that will never die. “Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more, death hath no more dominion over Him” (Rom. 6:9).
QUESTION 5) HOW DID CHRIST RISE FROM THE DEAD?
An examination of the scriptures reveal that the fullness of the Godhead was in operation in the resurrection of Jesus
Christ. He was raised by the power of the Father, Christ Himself, and the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:23-24 declares, “and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: whom God hath raised up”. Also, when questioned by the jews on the authority of His action in cleansing the temple, He said, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up” (John 2:19). In 1 Peter 3:18, we read, “being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by
the Spirit”.
QUESTION 6) WHAT IS THE
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST?
The resurrection of Christ is one of the proofs of the existence of God. Christ would not have risen from the dead if there was no God. This is because the living God raised Him. It also proves that Christ indeed is God. “And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead” (Rom.1:4).
The resurrection of Jesus means that salvation is a finished work and a reality. Jesus said that salvation was completed when He died on the cross and His resurrection is the confirmation. Without resurrection, Christianity would have been a dead religion like all other religions because of their dead founders. Also, the resurrection guarantees that
everyone else shall rise also. “But now is Christ risen form the dead and become the first fruits of them that slept” (1 Cor. 15:20). While the righteous will rise unto eternal life, the unrighteous will rise to face an angry Judge and be condemned forever. With Christ risen from the dead we are confident that He will surely come again to receive us, His followers, unto Himself.
The power of His resurrection is an experience that we can enjoy even now. It means living in a newness of life that
comes by the resurrected Christ, living His new life through our bodies.
DAILY LIVING APPLICATION:
The resurrection of Christ is the bedrock of the Christian faith. The resurrection power is that which gives life to the dead. “Today the mightiest conqueror is death, which strides across the land, digging a trench across the hemispheres and filling it with the dead” (Talmlage). But resurrection power is greater, for it breaks the power of the grave. Thus, we can triumphantly proclaim, “O death
where is thy strong? O grave, where is thy victory?” (1 Cor. 15:55).
There is no question about the fact of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It was prophesied in the Old Testament,
predicted by Christ, mentioned more than 100 times in the New Testament, and was the major theme of the apostles’ preaching. The stone was rolled away, the tomb was empty,
and Christ appeared to many. Jesus Christ conquered death: He is ALIVE!
We serve a risen Savior. He is in the world today perfecting His works in us. Victory is ours as we march forward with the conquering Christ militant. May others be conscious that He is alive as He lives His life in our bodies.
MEMORY VERSE:
LUKE 24:34
“The Lord is risen indeed!”
DAILY DEVOTIONAL GUIDE
MON: His resurrection foretold.
Psa. 16:10; Matt. 16:21; Acts 26:22-23
TUE: His resurrection announced by the angels. Luke 24:1-9
WED: His resurrection, a central truth of the Gospels. Acts 3:15-16; 10:39-41
THU: His resurrection by the Epistles.
1 Peter 1:3; 1 Cor. 15:4; Rom. 1:4
FRI: His resurrection guarantees our salvation. Rom. 4:25; 10:9-11
SAT: His resurrection guarantees ours souls. 1 Cor. 15:12-24