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Pastor Scott L. Harris
Grace Bible Church, NY
August 11, 2019
The Resurrection of Jesus
Matthew 28:1-10; Mark 16:1-11; Luke 24:1-12; John 20:1-18
Introduction
We have been studying the Life of Christ for six years and eight months – 215 sermons. This morning we come to the climax event of Jesus’ life that proves the point and purpose of each of the four gospel accounts. Matthew – Jesus is the promised Messiah. Mark – Jesus is the Son of God who came to serve and give His life as a ransom for many. Luke – Jesus is the Son of Man who came to seek and save the lost. John – “Jesus is the Christ, The Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.” Today we come to the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the pivotal point of human history. All those who were righteous in times previous looked forward to when their sins would be paid for and the curse of death would be broken. All those who have been righteous since that time have looked back to this event as the assurance of the promise that their sins have been paid for and death has been conquered.
The Apostle Paul made it clear in 1 Corinthians 15:17-19 that without the resurrection of Jesus Christ, there is no hope. “and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.” But we are not people to be pitied, but people to be envied, because as Paul states in verse 20, “But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.” Our hope is not a wish, but a confident assurance based in the promises of God. Christ has been raised from the dead and so shall we.
It should be no surprise that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is one of if not the most attacked claim of the Bible. Intellectuals scoff at it and pagans deny it, but perhaps the greater tragedy are those that give lip service to it, but remain oblivious to the ramifications of it for their lives do not change. It will be my purpose this morning and next week to emphasize the evidence proving Jesus conquered death and that those who deny His resurrection are either ignorant, blinded to the truth, or willingly foolish in order to pursue their own desires.
While I cannot be dogmatic about the exact sequence of events that glorious morning, I offer the following based on comparison of the details in each gospel account.
The Women go to Jesus’ Tomb – Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:1-3; Luke 24:1; John 20:1
All four gospels record that after the Sabbath was over, in the early dawn of the first day of the week, women came to Jesus’ tomb. This would be our Sunday. The Jews did not name the days but simply counted them from what was to them the only truly significant day, the Sabbath. Jesus had now been in the grave for three days. Remember that any part of a day was counted as the day in that culture. Friday – day 1. Saturday – day 2. Sunday – day 3.
It has been about eleven hours since the Sabbath ended at dusk and now it is early morning. John 20:1 specifically states that “Mary Magdalene came early to the tomb, while it was still dark.” Matthew 28:1 records, “Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first [day] of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave.” And Mark 16:1 clarifies that this “other Mary” is Mary, the mother of James, and that Salome, Jesus’ aunt who is the wife of Zebedee and mother of James and John also comes. These two Marys and Salome are specifically named as being at the cross when Jesus had died and both Marys had been present at Jesus’ burial on Friday. (See: The Crucifixion of Jesus & The Burial of Jesus.) Mark and Luke both note that they are bringing spices that they had prepared in order that they might anoint Jesus. Luke 24:10 also notes that Joanna and “other women” who are not named also go to Jesus’ tomb.
Mark 16:2 also notes that these women arrive at the tomb “when the sun had risen.” This is not a contradiction to John 20:1, but an insight that these women did not all come together. Some of them may have met and then proceeded to the tomb together while others would meet at the tomb. It is clear from the details in the various accounts that they arrived at different times. Mary Magdalene, who had a supreme devotion to Jesus ever since He had cast seven demons out of her, had either left earlier or had gone ahead of the others to arrive at the tomb first. All of them would have had to start toward the tomb while it was still dark in order to arrive just as the Sun was rising.
They were going to the tomb as an act of love and devotion, but it also demonstrated their unbelief. The angel will later remind them that Jesus had told them while they were still in Galilee that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again” (Luke 24:7). They did not go the grave of Jesus to see if He was resurrected, but to anoint His body with more burial spices as a beautiful act of their devotion to Him. Apparently, they thought Jesus must have been speaking in metaphor in His prediction of His resurrection.
Mark 16:3 notes that as some of these women walked to the sepulcher “they were saying to one another, ‘who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?’” Their concern was short lived for God had the stone rolled away for them.
The Tomb is Opened – Matthew 28:2-3
Matthew 28:2-3, 2 And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it. 3 And his appearance was like lightning, and his garment as white as snow; and the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.” Why this earthquake and why did God have the angel roll the stone away? First, this was a “severe” (mevgaV / megas) earthquake, and as someone with personal experience of such earthquakes, I can assure you as that this made sure that everyone was wide awake! This earthquake ensured that any claim made later that the guards were asleep could not be true. Second, it was also the means by which God broke Rome’s seal. No matter how great and glorious man’s power seems to himself, it is nothing before God. Any man would have been very afraid to break the seal of Rome, for to do so would be to risk death at Rome’s hand. God broke the seal because Rome’s power, as with all human power, is inconsequential to God. Rome needed to be fearful of Him.
But again, why have the Angel roll the stone away? It would not have been to let Jesus out. The various post-resurrection appearances of Jesus demonstrate that His resurrection body was not bound by the same material space limitations that you and I are. He was able to appear in a room full of disciples without the door being opened (John 20:19) and yet He could be touched and could eat (John 20:27 & 21:12-15). The stone did not need to be rolled away to let Jesus out, but it did need to be out of the way to let in the women and the disciples!
The angel of the Lord sat down on top of the stone after rolling it away. He was the divine answer to the women’s concern. His appearance was dazzling and the whole scene had a dramatic effect on the guards that were present to see it. Notice again the end of verse 4, “and the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.” The soldiers were struck with divine fear. They would have already been somewhat jittery because of the strong earthquake Friday afternoon. Now there is another severe earthquake and an angel appears causing extreme fear. The word shake here is the same root word as “earthquake.” In a sense, the earth had been shaken when the angel did his work, and now the guards were shaken because they could see the angel. The fear was so great that they fainted and fell unconscious like dead men.
How do we know these things happened? Either God revealed it directly to Matthew, who is the only one that records it, or my own speculation is that one of the guards took to heart what he had experienced and eventually told Matthew about this and their meeting with the chief priests later that day.
The Women at Jesus’ Tomb – Matthew 28:5-8; Mark 16:4-8; Luke 24:2-11; John 20:2
Mary Magdalene is the first one of Jesus’ followers at the tomb with John noting “it was still dark.” The earthquake had already occurred because when she got there she saw the stone was already “taken away from the tomb.” John does not record whether Mary actually looked into the tomb, but her reaction suggests that she probably did for she is convinced that Jesus’ body has been taken away. Perhaps the bodies of the guards were still lying there passed out, and if so, it is a reasonable conclusion that some strong group of people had overpowered the guard and stolen the body. She was quite distressed. John 20:2 records, 2 “And so she ^ran and ^came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved . . .”
John refers to himself as “the other disciple whom Jesus loved.” Though John is an old man when he is writing this about 60 years after the event, he is still enraptured with the fact that Jesus loved him. When Mary finally finds Peter and John, she will blurt out her conclusion that “they,” some unknown group of people, “have taken away the Lord, and we do not know where they have laid Him.” The “we” is a clue that at least one of the other women was with Mary, probably the other Mary (Matthew 28:1) before she ran to tell the disciples what she had found.
The rest of the women arrive at sunrise just as Mary is leaving or just after she had left. Mark 16:4 continues, “Looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away, although it was extremely large.” Luke 24:3-5 adds, 3 “but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus, 4 While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men suddenly stood near them in dazzling clothing; 5 and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground.” We can only imagine the fright they must have had in seeing these angels while standing in a tomb being perplexed about what happened to Jesus’ body. Luke continues, 5b the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living One among the dead?”
From what Mark 16:5 records, apparently one of the angels sat down while the women regained composure after which, “5 they saw a young man sitting at the right, wearing a white robe; and they were amazed.”
The one angel then takes on the role of comforting and explaining. Matthew 28:5 records he told them, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified.” Mark 16:6 adds some additional detail, And he said to them, “Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified.” The angel that had caused the soldiers to be frozen in fear would cause no harm to these women. In fact, he knew why they had come and brings them comfort.
Matthew, Mark and Luke all record in some form that the angel proclaimed the most wonderful truth possible, “He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying.” This is the first announcement of the resurrection. The tomb was open and they were inside so they could see for themselves that what the angel was telling them was true. Jesus was no longer there. They did not need to be perplexed, amazed or astounded for Jesus had done just what He said He would do. He had risen from the dead. The angel reminded them of this in Luke 24:6-8, Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee, 7 saying that 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.
The women were not rebuked for their unbelief, but were instead comforted and encouraged that what they had not dared to believe had already come to pass. Jesus had conquered death and by that proved that both all the claims He had made about Himself and all of His promises were true. God’s grace would be poured out on mankind in a new and powerful way.
Such news had to be declared to others. Matthew 28:7 records the angel told the women, “Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you.” Mark 16:7 adds that he specifically points out they were to tell Peter. Since Mark is writing based on Peter’s narrative, it makes sense this detail was important to him.
Matthew 28:8 And they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy and ran to report it to His disciples. Mark 16:8 describes their fear, They went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had gripped them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid. Luke 24:9 simply recounts they returned from the tomb and reported all these things to the eleven and all the rest. So it is that with a mixture of emotions they hurried back to Jerusalem to report all that had just occurred. Fear was still present simply because of the overwhelming nature supernatural experiences have on mortal man. Great joy was present because of what they had been told by the angel, and they do what the angel had told them in telling the disciples and the others that were also present.
Before I go on, I want to quickly mention here that there are other possible scenarios for what occurred that morning including angels appearing to more than one group of women at different times at the tomb, but this sequencing seems reasonable to me. I will also add here that the difference in the accounts demonstrates they are from different witnesses to the events recounting their own perspectives. That is an evidence of truth. If all accounts were exactly the same, then there was only one witness or story teller that could have been making it all up.
I also want to point out that since John does not record anything about Mary Magdalene seeing any of these angels and her response indicates she believed Jesus body had been taken away, it appears that either Mary left the tomb before the angel appeared or was so distraught that she neither recognized nor understood anything the angel said if she had been present.
In John 20:2, Mary ran from the tomb distraught. When she found Peter and John she said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.” From Luke 24:10-11 it appears that Mary Magdalene was still talking with them when Joanna, Mary the mother of James and the other women arrive to tell the apostles about what they had just experienced with verse 11 revealing, 11 “But these words appeared to them as nonsense, and they would not believe them.”
Peter and John at the Tomb – Luke 24:12; John 20:3-10
Luke 24:12 continues, 12 “But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings only; and he went away to his home, marveling at what had happened.” Luke only mentions Peter because his wonder at what he saw instead of belief that Jesus had risen from the dead leads into his discussion of the two men on the road to Emmaus who meet Jesus which follows next in Luke’s account. We will look at that passage next week. John 20:3-10 gives a full account of this event because John is also part of it.
John 20:3-10, “3Peter therefore went forth, and the other disciple, and they were going to the tomb. 4 And the two were running together; and the other disciple ran ahead faster than Peter, and came to the tomb first; 5 and stooping and looking in, he ^saw the linen wrappings lying [there;] but he did not go in. 6 Simon Peter therefore also ^came, following him, and entered the tomb; and he ^beheld the linen wrappings lying [there,] 7 and the face-cloth, which had been on His head, not lying with the linen wrappings, but rolled up in a place by itself. 8 So the other disciple who had first come to the tomb entered then also, and he saw and believed. 9 For as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. 10 So the disciples went away again to their own homes.”
Both disciples start out, but John is the faster of the two and arrives at the tomb first. But John is also more timid than Peter. The scene would be intimidating. The stone is rolled away from the tomb indicating Mary’s story is true. Who would have stolen Jesus’ body? Was this some sort of plot by the chief priests? Where were those men now? If the guards are still unconscious and their bodies are still present, then the scene would have been even more intimidating. John stops at the entrance to the tomb and bends down to look inside and he can see the linen wrappings lying there, but he does not go in.
Peter is the bold one and upon his arrival he goes past John and into the tomb. He also sees the linen wrappings, but also notices the face cloth which was lying rolled up in a place by itself. Since Peter was now inside the tomb, John also enters. He also sees what Peter sees and the truth suddenly strikes him.
Up to this time, John points out in verse 9, the disciples did not understand the Scriptures that Jesus must rise again from the dead. Even though Jesus had said it to them many times, they did not understand it. Mark 9:31-32 records what their response had been to Jesus’ teaching about this, “For He was teaching His disciples and telling them, “The Son of Man is to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill Him; and when He has been killed, He will rise three days later.” 32 But they did not understand [this] statement, and they were afraid to ask Him.”
The disciples had been taught about the resurrection many times earlier, but the truth of it is just now dawning on John as he looks at the linen wrappings and the rolled up face cloth there in the empty tomb. The fact that the linens were present and the face cloth so carefully rolled up was evidence that shouted loudly that Jesus’ body had not been stolen. Thieves would not have unwrapped a body before stealing it, especially when that body was inside a tomb with a Roman seal on it. They would be risking death to break that seal. If Jesus’ body had been stolen, the thieves would have been in and out of the tomb as quickly as possible, but the linen wrappings and the face cloth by itself carefully rolled up lying there demonstrated there was no hurry regardless of whether Jesus unwrapped Himself or an angel did it for Him, and the One who had been in the grave clothes no longer needed them. John was now beginning to believe the evidence before Him. Jesus rose from the dead. Peter and John then left the tomb and return to their own places. Peter is wondering at what he saw while John has a new belief.
Mary Sees Jesus – Mark 16:9; John 20:11-18
Mark 16:9 is pointed, Now after He had risen early on the first day of the week, He first appeared to Mary Magdalene, from whom He had cast out seven demons. John 20:11-18 gives the details of this first post-resurrection appearance of Jesus. 11“But Mary was standing outside the tomb weeping; and so, as she wept, she stooped and looked into the tomb; 12 and she ^beheld two angels in white sitting, one at the head, and one at the feet, where the body of Jesus had been lying. 13 And they ^said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She ^said to them, “Because they have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid Him.”
Mary appears to have followed Peter and John who had run on ahead. It appears that by the time she arrives back at the tomb, Peter and John have already left. She is still distraught and all she can think about is that Jesus’ body has been taken away. She stands there by the tomb crying, but then stoops down and looks inside it. She sees two angels, one on either side of where Jesus’ body had lain, but has no recognition that they are angels or that there is even anything strange about them being there. Her answer to their question about why she was weeping reveals that her only thought was about Jesus’ body. They do not answer her, for another is now present with them that can better answer Mary’s dilemma.
14 When she had said this, she turned around, and ^beheld Jesus standing [there,] and did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus ^said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing Him to be the gardener, she ^said to Him, “Sir, if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have laid Him, and I will take Him away.” 16 Jesus ^said to her, “Mary!” She ^turned and ^said to Him in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (which means, Teacher).
We are not told how Mary became aware of the presence of someone else in the tomb. Perhaps she heard something or noticed a shadow. Whatever the cause, Mary turns around and sees Jesus, but does not recognize Him. It is too far from her mind that Jesus could be alive, so even though she hears Jesus speak as He asks her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?”, she does not recognize Him. It should be noted that Jesus asks “whom” Mary was seeking and not “what.” Mary was searching for a body, but Jesus question directed her to look for a person.
Mary assumed that this man must be a gardener or caretaker of some sort, so she presses him with her concern. Perhaps he is the one that has taken away the body, so she pleads for him to tell her where Jesus’ body has been laid and she would take care of it. Her only concern is finding Jesus’ body to take care of it. She turns away from Him. It is not until Jesus calls her by name that she finally recognizes that it was Jesus standing in front of her. She has been addressed by her name in her native tongue and responds to Jesus in her native tongue, “Rabboni.” John translates this word as meaning, “teacher,” for the benefit of his non-Hebrew speaking readers. However, this is not the common word for teacher which is “Rabbi.” The title was reserved for special Rabbis of high rank such as Gamaliel. It was often used with reference to God.
Mary has been so focused on finding Jesus’ body, that she is overwhelmed when she recognizes Him as being alive. Her response is to grab Him and hold on to Him, much as she must have done to Lazarus when Jesus had raised him from the dead. She would have been holding onto Jesus much the way we might hold onto our children or a loved one after we have been afraid for their life or safety and we do not want them to leave us again. Jesus has to correct her on this in verse 17. Jesus said to her, “Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren, and say to them, ‘I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.'”
The NASB, NKJV and ESV translations all give the sense of what Mary was doing. Jesus was not objecting to being touched. He would not mind when the other women taking hold of His feet in worship of Him (Mt. 28:9), and He would invite the disciples to touch Him to prove to themselves that it really was Him in flesh (Luke 24:39). But Mary was clinging, holding onto, seizing Him, and so Jesus commands her to stop it. He also gives her the reason.
Jesus had not yet ascended to the Father. There would be a time in the future when they would no longer be separated, but He first had to ascend to the Father, and He wants Mary to return to the disciples to communicate this to them. But notice what else Jesus says here that shows the relationship He wants communicated to the disciples.
Earlier in John 11:1, Jesus had referred to Lazarus as “our friend,” and then to the disciples themselves as “friends” in John 15:15. Jesus now calls them “my brothers.” He also refers to God the Father as “my Father and your Father, and my God and your God.” Jesus is standing before Mary after being raised from the dead which is a very non-human thing to have happen. Mortal humans do not die and then come back to life three days later. Jesus is stressing His humanity to them. What had occurred to Jesus was the hope that was being given to them. They would be like He is. “Brothers” are of the same family. That is our hope.
If Jesus alone conquered death that would be great and wonderful, but of little value to us unless He could enable us to do the same. By calling the disciples “brothers” and saying, “My Father and your Father, and My God and your God,” Jesus stresses to them that they have a new relationship with Him. They are of the same family. They will share in the same inheritance. Romans 8:17 states we are “joint heirs” with Jesus.
This does not mean they are same substance, for it is “My Father and your Father, and My God and your God,” not “Our Father and Our God.” Jesus is son by nature, but they are sons by adoption (Galatians 4:5). Jesus’ relationship with God is as a member of the eternal trinity, but they would share in an intimacy with God they had not known before. This is the same hope that is given to all who place their faith in Jesus for salvation from their sins and follow Him. Jesus said in Matthew 12:50 that “whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother.” We also can be adopted into God’s family (Romans 8:15; Ephesians 1:5; 1 John 3:1).
Jesus wants Mary to understand this message herself and to transmit it to the disciples. So Mary did stop clinging to Jesus, and we can be sure that it was with joy far greater than the despair she had been feeling, for verse 18 records, Mary Magdalene ^came, announcing to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord,” and [that] He had said these things to her.” Mark 16:10 states that, She went and reported to those who had been with Him, while they were mourning and weeping.
This should have been a great cause of rejoicing to them, but Mark 16:11 continues, “When they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they refused to believe it.” They had not believed the report of the women about what the angels had said, and now then continue in unbelief when Mary reports actually seeing Jesus alive. This is more than proud men being dismissive of a woman’s report. As we will see next week, it was difficult for them to believe that Jesus had actually risen from the dead even though they had seen Jesus raise other people from the dead.
They would receive additional reports of others seeing Jesus alive again before the day would be through.
The Other Women See Jesus – Matthew 28:9-10
After telling the disciples about their encounter with the angels, the other women had their own encounter with the resurrected Christ. Matthew 28:9-10, And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and take word to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they will see Me.”
While it is not clear where this encounter occurred, perhaps back in the garden or some other location in Jerusalem, it is clear they immediately recognized Jesus after He greeted them, for they fall before Him and take hold of His feet to worship Him. That was an act of humility that also brought assurance, for now they had seen and touched Him. Jesus was real and tangible and not an apparition or a figment of their imagination. Jesus repeated the statement the angel gave them to remind the disciples of the instructions He had given them earlier in Matthew 26:32 that He would go ahead of them to Galilee after He had been raised from the dead. They were to meet Him there.
Conclusions
The evidence at the tomb was that Jesus had risen from the dead. The angels declared this to the women. John believed when he saw the empty tomb and the grave clothes lying there, but Peter wondered. The testimony of Mary and these other women who saw and touched Jesus demonstrates that He was resurrected with a tangible, physical body. Matthew continues on to give proof of Jesus resurrection by the activities of His enemies and the other gospels by other post resurrection appearances. We will be looking at these proofs over the next couple of weeks.
The question for you is what is your own response to the evidence presented so far? Do you believe the testimony of the angels? Mary and the other women? Are you like John and believe or Peter and still wonder?
If you still wonder, I encourage you to make extra effort to be here the next two coming Sundays as even more evidence of Jesus’ resurrection is presented. It can be hard to believe, but you need to follow the evidence to the truth and then humble yourself to believe it even though it is contrary to your human experience. God is neither bound by your limited knowledge and understanding nor by the laws of physics since He created them and exists outside their boundaries.
If you do believe, then I encourage you to live daily in the light of the truth of Jesus’ resurrection. Don’t be weighed down by difficulties and heartaches. Stop looking for a corpse. Jesus Christ is risen from the dead and that changes everything. There are still troubles and trials in this life, but Jesus’ resurrection gives a hope that transcends this life that makes those difficulties of little concern. Or as Paul put it in Romans 8:18,“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us.” Do not let the cares of this world, which can be many, cause you to forget our hope for eternity. You are now adopted into God’s family and a brother or sister to Christ.
Mary was looking for a corpse, but found the risen Christ. What about you?
Sermon Notes – August 11, 2019
The Resurrection of Jesus – Matthew 28:1-10; Mark 16:1-11; Luke 24:1-12; John 20:1-18
Introduction
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the __________ point of human history – without it, there is no hope
Denial of the resurrection is due to ignorance, being _________to truth, or willingly foolish to pursue sin
The Women go to Jesus’ Tomb – Matthew 28:1; Mark 16:1-3; Luke 24:1; John 20:1
After Sabbath / First day of the week = our ___________. They counted any part of the day as a day
Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, Salome, Joanna & “other women” come to Jesus’ ________
Mary came to the tomb “while it was still dark” and other women come “when the sun had __________”
Bringing spices was an act of love and devotion, but also one of ________of what Jesus told them in Galilee
The wondered who would __________ the stone away for them – Mark 16:3
The Tomb is Opened – Matthew 28:2-3
This was a severe earthquake – and it would have ensured everyone was __________!
The earthquake broke Rome’ __________on the tomb – man’s power is inconsequential to God
The stone did not need to be rolled away to let Jesus out – but it did to let the women and disciples ______!
The presence of the angel caused the guards to shake in fear and fall __________
Either God revealed this to Matthew, or one of the __________ told him at a later date
The Women at Jesus’ Tomb – Matthew 28:5-8; Mark 16:4-8; Luke 24:2-11; John 20:2
Mary Magdalene arrives after the earthquake while it is still _____and concludes Jesus’ body as been stolen
In her distress, Mary ________________to tell the disciples and eventually finds Peter and John
At least one other woman had been with Mary before she ________with the other women arriving at sunrise
Mark 16:4 / Luke 24:3-5 – The women are _____________to find the stone rolled away and the tomb empty
Angels appear, which ________them, and one angel sits and then comforts and explains what has happened
He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying
The angel reminded them Jesus had told them while they were in Galilee that He would _____from the dead
The women were comforted and encouraged instead of being rebuked – God’s ______was being poured out
The angels tell the women to go tell the ___________- with Mark 16:7 specifically noting to tell Peter
Matthew 28:8 / Mark 16:8 / Luke 24:9 They return with _____emotions to tell the disciples & those present
Mary Magdalene______ see an angel, so she left before he appeared or did not recognize or understand him
Luke 24:10-11 The other women join Mary in telling the disciples – but they _______________believe them
Peter and John at the Tomb – Luke 24:12; John 20:3-10
Luke only mentions ________because his reaction figures directly into Luke’s next narrative in verse 13-35
John 20:3-10 – ________is faster & gets there first, but does not enter. Peter goes past him to enter the tomb
John follows Peter into the tomb, and both see the linen wrappings and the face cloth ____________by itself
They had not _________________that Jesus must rise from the dead (Mark 9:31-32)
Thieves would not have carefully unwrapped the body, they would have just hurriedly ____________it away
They return to their own place – Peter _____________about what he saw, and John with a new belief
Mary Sees Jesus – Mark 16:9; John 20:11-18
Mary went back to the tomb & saw two _________sitting inside, but she is still distraught about Jesus’ body
Mary turned around & saw Jesus, but did not _________Him. His question directed her to look for a person
It is not until Jesus calls her by ________that she finally recognizes that it was Jesus standing in front of her
She is overwhelmed to recognize Jesus is alive, and she ____________onto Him
Jesus does not object to being touched (Matt. 28:9; Luke 24:39), but He has to tell Mary to stop __________
Jesus refers to the disciples as “My __________,” and He will ascend to “My Father and your Father . . .”
Jesus conquered death not only for Himself, but also for those who will be part of His ________(Rom. 8:17)
We are not of the same substance as Jesus, but we are _________into His family (Rom. 8:15; Eph. 1:5; etc.)
John 20:18; Mark 16:10-11 – Mary reported to the disciples that she saw Jesus – but they ______to believe it
This was more than proud men being dismissive of a woman, for believing Jesus was alive was __________
The Other Women See Jesus – Matthew 28:9-10
Wherever this encounter occurred, the women recognized Him and immediately ______________ Him
They saw Jesus and touched His feet. He was alive, real and ____________
Conclusions
The evidence at the tomb and from the various witnesses is that Jesus had __________ from the dead
If you still wonder, as Peter did, then continue to pursue the evidence to the ___________
If you do believe, then live out your life in light of that glorious truth that ____________all current suffering
KIDS KORNER
Parents, you are responsible to apply God’s Word to your children’s lives. Here is some help. Young Children – draw a picture about something you hear during the sermon. Explain your picture(s) to your parents at lunch. Older Children – Do one or more of the following: 1) Count how many times Jesus’ resurrection is mentioned 2) Talk with your parents about the evidence that Jesus rose from the dead and what that means to them & you.
THINK ABOUT IT!
Questions to consider in discussing the sermon with others. Why is the resurrection of Jesus Christ so pivotal? Why is this doctrine attacked so much? Why did Mary and the other women go to Jesus’ tomb on the first day of the week? What did that demonstrate? What occurred before Mary arrived? What was the purpose of the earthquake? Why did the angel roll away the stone? What effect did the angel have on the guards? When did Mary arrive? What was her conclusion from what she saw? What did she do in response? When did the other women arrive? What did they experience at the tomb? How did the angel comfort them and what did He announce? What where they to tell the disciples? What was the response of the disciples? Why does Luke only mention Peter and John mention both? What did they see inside the tomb? How is that evidence that Jesus’ body was not stolen? What was the response of Peter? Of John? What did Mary see when she went back to the tomb? What was her continued concern? When did she recognize Jesus? What was her response to Him? Why did He tell her to stop clinging? How did Jesus indicate the changed relationship they would have with Him and the Father? What was the response of the disciples when Mary told them she had seen Jesus? Why? What was the response of the other women when Jesus met them? Why is it significant that they took hold of His feet? What is the evidence for Jesus’ resurrection? What should you do if you are still not sure? How should you live if you do believe?
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