The Four Proofs of the Resurrection
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For many religious groups in the world there are physical locations where the founders are buried and their followers can make a pilgrimage to these sights so they can pay their respects to the founder of the religions they adhere too. The Islamic religion can visit Muhammad's burial sight in Saudi Arabia, you can visit Joseph Smith’s grave site in Illinois, Confucius in China, Mary Baker Eddy who founded Christian Science in Massachusetts. Just about every religion has a founder and for the most part people know where the founders are buried or what happened to their bodies, whether burial or cremation. Only One in all of history has ever been Resurrected. Even in all these other religions their founders or leaders died and their deaths are recorded but only the followers of Jesus have recorded for us the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
This is the single most unique element to Christianity. Just about every religions claims some form of a deity or deities. Even ones that don’t claim a deity at some point see things as spiritual. All religions have some thought at an afterlife, it may be annihilationism, where you just die and are buried, that is atheists. Or most religions have some form of reincarnation, or even some form of spiritual enlightenment. There is even one that believes in a resurrection of the mind. There are also a few religions that believe in heaven and hell but the way to attain heaven weighs solely on the person doing and behaving correctly. Only One religion, however, through out history believes in a bodily and spiritual resurrection. It is the only religion which teaches grace and mercy it the only one that teaches about a God who took on flesh to die for all humanity. No other religion besides Christianity teaches about the death of a Savior and the resurrection of the same Savior. It is only Christianity and that is why we have gathered together today is to celebrate the truth of the resurrection and what Jesus’ resurrection means for all those who have placed their faith in Him.
We will see this in our study of Luke this morning as we move into Luke 24. And we will learn;
The Four Proofs of the Resurrection
The Four Proofs of the Resurrection
As we turn to Luke 24:1-12, just Friday night we witnessed the burial of Jesus Christ by a very devoted man name Joseph of Arimathea who took Jesus’ body and buried Him in Joseph’s very own family tomb. Joseph and the women who had followed Jesus since His time ministering in Galilee watched as Joseph placed Jesus in the tomb and rolled the stone in front of the entry way. The women who were also devoted to God and to Jesus now have prepared spices to anoint the body of Jesus for burial but because of the Sabbath they had to wait one full day before they could prepare Jesus’ body. They observed the Sabbath because of their devotion to God.
We pick up here in Luke 24:1-12
But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared.
And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb,
but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.
While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men suddenly stood near them in dazzling clothing;
and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living One among the dead?
“He is not here, but He has risen. Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee,
saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.”
And they remembered His words,
and returned from the tomb and reported all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.
Now they were Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James; also the other women with them were telling these things to the apostles.
But these words appeared to them as nonsense, and they would not believe them.
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.
As we look at Luke 24:1 we find now that it is the “first day of the week, at early dawn.” It is Sunday morning. Jesus has been in the tomb now for three days. He was buried on Friday night before the Sabbath, that is one day. Then the day of the Sabbath, Saturday, and then 6 p.m. Saturday to early morning Sunday is the third day. This is the day after they women rested and you can be sure they were eager to get tot he grave to honor their Lord and King by preparing the His body.
The Empty Tomb
The Empty Tomb
As they arrive at the tomb they find something unique, look at verse 2 with me, “And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb.” Listen this is either a round stone which is in a groove in the ground that is on an incline or a boulder that would slide into the entry way of the tomb. Either way it would have been difficult to move and it would have taken quite a few men to move it. So for these women to arrive and find the stone moved as early as they did would have been a shock. Not to mention in the parallel accounts we also know their were guards posted and there was also a seal placed on the stone. It was moved without anyone seeing it or knowing it.
Then comes the second shock of this event, verse 3 “but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.” So here we have it Jesus is dead, they witnessed Him be buried and now the stone is moved the grave is open and there is no body. What a way to start off their week if these two shocking moments aren’t enough there is a third.
The Angelic Witness
The Angelic Witness
Verse 4 we find this, “While perplexed about this, behold, two men suddenly stood near them in dazzling clothing;” These women were definitely surprised at what had happened. If there was a conspiracy to steal Jesus’ body in the night they didn’t know anything about it. There was no conspiracy. They were just shocked and then out of nowhere as Luke puts it, there were two men suddenly standing there in dazzling clothing. These clothes were bright and the idea here is they were flashing, gleaming. There presents sent more shock on these women, as verse 5 tells us, “and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground.” Now this is the first time since Luke chapter 1 that we have encountered an angel. Since the time Jesus began His public ministry there was no need for the presence of angles Jesus was providing the message Himself. So now why the presence of the two angels. Simple to provide the message to this women concerning what has happened.
Here is their message we find it at the end of verse 5, “Why do you seek the living One among the dead?” “Why do you seek the living One among the dead?” This message speaks volumes. This is a grave, this is where the dead are buried and the One whom you are seeking is not here because He is not dead. The continue and qualify this by saying in verse 6, “He is not here, but He has risen.” Yes, Jesus died it was not an illusion you witnessed that correctly with your own eyes. Yes this is the grave site Joseph placed Him in but He is not here. Why are you searching for someone in a grave who is not dead. “He has risen.” Jesus had to die to pay the penalty for the sins of all mankind. A punishment had to inflicted for disobedience but if all Jesus did was die on the cross then He would only have died. Death would still reign because sin brings about death. But Jesus didn’t just come to die but came to bring life and this life couldn’t be brought about if Jesus stayed dead.
Jesus Himself says this to Martha concerning here brother Lazarus’ death in the gospel of John;
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies,
and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”
Jesus is the resurrection and the life, He has risen to life so life can be imparted to all who believe in Him.
Later in John’s gospel Jesus assures His disciples and says this;
“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.
“After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also.
Jesus had to be raised from the dead in order for death to be completely defeated. Jesus is called the first fruits as Paul tells the Corinthian Church;
But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.
For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead.
For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.
But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming,
then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power.
For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet.
The last enemy that will be abolished is death.
This is the angels message to the women and they are witness to the resurrection of Jesus.
The third proof of Jesus resurrection is what they angels say next. This causes the women to remember
The Women’s Witness
The Women’s Witness
The angels continue in verse 6 and they say; “Remember how HE spoke to you while He was still in Galilee, Saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.” This is something Jesus disciples should have been anticipating. Jesus had taught many things to His disciples and you would thing the events of the passed three days would have jogged their memories as to Jesus teaching on this.
Jesus said this to His disciples in Luke 9:22;
saying, “The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed and be raised up on the third day.”
Now it is apparent that the women were there. Because as Luke writes after the angels mentioned this verse 8 tells us, “And they remembered His words.” The women were there when Jesus taught this lesson when Jesus had spoken this. This is not something that was retold to them by the other disciples because they were told to remember what Jesus said and they remembered His words. Once they heard this they ran off to tell the eleven disciples and all the rest. So there were more then just the eleven, there is still a group of those who believed in Jesus still in the Jerusalem area still trying to wrap their minds around this whole thing still trying to figure out how this could have happened and still trying to figure out where do we go from here.
The women run back to them which makes it very apparent they were still in contact with one another, they didn’t just disburse but more then spend the Sabbath together. Now these women are excited they saw first hand Jesus’ prophecy of this event has come true. So they go quickly to let the others know. It is at this time Luke provides for us the names of these women. He only provides three names but there were more then three women who witnessed this event. The women who are named are Mary Magdalene who is mentioned in every gospel account as a witness to Jesus Resurrection. Joanna and Mary who is named here as the mother of James who is Jesus’ half brother, this is Mary the mother of Jesus.
Now today we would look at this text and think yeah so women are mentioned as witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus why is that a proof of His resurrection. Simple it was a male dominated society and all four gospels in the resurrection account place the women as prominent witnesses to the resurrection. They are the ones who return to tells the disciples and they are proofs of Jesus being resurrected.
This also may lead to the initial disbelief of the disciples when they here the news. I am sure they respected these women but they might have just wrote them off. Not to mention how could any one be raised from the dead, I just keep picturing Lazarus sitting with them as the women come in and tell them this fantastic news and all of them looking at the women and saying you right He has risen, no one can rise from the dead right Lazarus. Oh how quickly people forget the great and awesome works of God. Side note, don’t ever think you would act any differently you wouldn’t have.
This also go to show they didn’t conspire to steal Jesus body. That is what was perpetuated.
Now while they were on their way, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all that had happened.
And when they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers,
and said, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.’
“And if this should come to the governor’s ears, we will win him over and keep you out of trouble.”
And they took the money and did as they had been instructed; and this story was widely spread among the Jews, and is to this day.
If the disciples had stolen the body they wouldn’t have been surprised and there is no way they would have been able to keep that a secrete. At some point someone would have spoken up. Also the fact that the had to come up with this story and that the soldier took the money speaks volumes as to the corruption behind the religious leaders and the story that was contrived was from the religious leaders not from the soldier themselves.
So the proofs are the empty tomb, the angelic messengers and the women witnesses. The last proof comes from what is left behind. Look with me at verse 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.” Here is the fourth proof;
The Linen Wrapping
The Linen Wrapping
How is this a proof you say, simple, if the far fetched story of the disciples stealing the body were true why would they take the body and leave and the linen cloth. It wouldn’t have happened.
There is also something very important we need to look at in respect to the resurrection.
Peter preaches the resurrection
“Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know—
this Man, delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death.
“But God raised Him up again, putting an end to the agony of death, since it was impossible for Him to be held in its power.
If the resurrection is not true then we are to be pitied
Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?
But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised;
and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain.
Moreover we are even found to be false witnesses of God, because we testified against God that He raised Christ, whom He did not raise, if in fact the dead are not raised.
For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised;
and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.
Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.
If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.