His Resurrection Validates His Promises!

His Resurrection Validates His Promises!

Sunday, April 17, 2022

Ernest L. Williams, Sr.

Luke 24:1–12, The Resurrection Account

A doctor, engineer, and a pastor went deer hunting. All three spotted a deer and all three

shot about the same time. Each one believed that their shot killed the deer. A game warden

showed up and quickly settled the dispute. The warden examined the deer and quickly concluded

it was the preacher’s rifle. The other two said, “How can you be so sure?” The warden said,

because the bullet went in one ear and came straight out the other. First an overview of the

resurrection narrative of the four Gospels and then we will focus on Luke specifically.

Luke’s account of the narrative in chapter 24 continues from the previous chapter. In

Luke 24:1, the pronoun “they” corresponds to “the women” in Luke 23:55. So, it was the women

who came to the tomb first. Tombs of this type were contained within a cave. In such tombs,

there would be a vast open area with several raised stones to lay deceased bodies on. This was

typical of a family tomb. In John 20:15, Mary Magdalene was standing outside of the tomb,

supposed that Jesus was the gardener. This information helps us match the physical setting. On

the outside of the tomb was a garden. The Gospels varied in their ordering and identification of

persons in the resurrection account. Matthew noted only one angel and two women (Mt 28:1, 2).

Mark recorded three women and one angel (Mk 16:1, 5). Matthew’s account gives the elaborate

tale of the Jewish leaders paying the soldiers to say that that during the night his disciples came

and stole the body of Jesus (Mt 27:62–66; 28:12–15).

John gives the account that Mary came to the tomb first, saw that the stone had been

rolled away, ran, and told Peter and John. They ran to the tomb. John arrived first, then Peter.

John stooped in but did not go into the tomb. Peter went in first and saw where the Lord was lain

and the napkin and the linen in separate places. They leave and go to their homes (strange

statement: you do not except to see that here, Jn 20:10). John states further that while Mary is in

the garden, outside of the tomb, two angels appear and speak to her (Jn 20:11, 12). While she is

talking to them, she turns, and then sees Jesus. She supposing Jesus is the gardener, asked where

they took his body. Jesus called her by name, Mary and then she knew it was Jesus. Jesus tells

her to not touch him because he had not ascended to the Father. Mary Magdalene goes and tells

his disciples. They are assembled in a closed place for fear of the Jews. While there, Jesus

appears and shows himself. We have the Thomas’ account in John (Jn 20:20–29). John gives his

purpose for writing in 20:30–31. This explains why each account has slight differences. Each

writer had different purposes in writing. I cannot explain the differences, but the crutch of the

story is in tack with all four accounts. Women come to the tomb and find the stone rolled away.

Jesus is not there, he has risen. An angel or two explain the situation. The women go tell his

disciples. Peter and John go and check out the tomb. Mary Magdalene has an encounter with the

Lord. Two disciples have an encounter with Jesus on the Emmaus Road early in the day. That

evening while the disciples were at a closed location (for fear of the Jews) in Jerusalem, Jesus

appears in their midst and shows them his hands and feet. He gives them the great commission.

He continues to be seen of them many days until he is taken up into heaven. John 21

gives the account of Jesus showing himself to Peter, Thomas, Nathanael, James, and John while

they were fishing with Jesus asking them, “Children, have ye any meat?” (Jn 21:5).

My primary focus is Luke’s narrative. I digress. In Luke’s account, the women arrive at

the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus. They noticed the stone was rolled away. When they entered

in, Luke says that they saw two men in shining garments. Are these angels? Connecting the other

Gospels, we would have to conclude yes. The angels speak, “Why seek ye the living among the

dead? He is not here, but is risen” (24:5c, 6). Verse 9 tells us that they returned and told all these

things to the eleven and to all the rest. Luke identified three of the women by name and then adds

“and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles (v. 10).

In their response, Luke shows the slowness of the apostles and other men to process these

things. “And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not” (v.11). Next,

Peter ran to the sepulcher and stooping in, he saw the linen clothes and departed, “wondering in

himself at that which was come to pass” (v.12c).

After this, Luke gives the account of the two disciples on the Emmaus Road, who

encountered Jesus (vv.13–32). The Lord pointed out their dullness of heart to remember and

perceive these things (v.25). After this, the two returned to Jerusalem to tell the apostles. The

apostles had gathered in Jerusalem. Mark noted that the disciples did not believe these two men

(Mk 16:13). Mark more than the other Gospels shows the unbelief and hardness of heart of the

disciples (Mk 16:14). As they are talking about these events, Jesus appears in their midst (v.36).

They, thinking he is a ghost, are terribly frightened. The Lord shows them his hands and feet.

Luke says “while they believed not for joy, and wondered, he said unto them, “Have ye here any

meat? (v.41). Then Christ began to expound on the Scriptures starting with Moses, the prophets,

and the psalms, concerning himself (v.44).

Notice the shift in the narrative in verse 45: Then opened he their understanding, that

they might understand the scriptures. Luke said the same of Jesus expounding on the

Scriptures to the two on the Emmaus Road, “And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he

expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself” (v.27). The great truth

here is that Jesus never broke the Scriptures, save one, the Sabbath. Jesus never separated

himself from Scripture. He fulfilled it. Let us not separate his resurrection away from Scripture.

The event happened. The disciples doubted the event that they even witnessed with their own

eyes. They saw the empty tomb and still doubted. The only way Jesus could get them to believe

was to expound on Scripture.

Recall, the Lord said in Matthew 5: 17, 18: “Think not that I am come to destroy the law,

or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and

earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”

Recall in John 10, Jesus was responding to the Jews who accused him of blasphemy

because he healed a man who was born blind (Jn 9). Jesus responded, “Jesus answered them, Is it

not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God

came, and the scripture cannot be broken” (Jn 10:34,35). Matthew 24:35, “Heaven and earth

shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.”

The Lord will honor his word. His resurrection is that proof. Now, we have the risen

Christ and his word. What he has promised in his word, he is able to bring it to pass.

Ps 138:8, The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me.

Nu 23: 19 God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath

he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

IS 55: 11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void,

but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

2 Cor 1: 20 For all the promises of God in him are yea, and in him Amen, unto the glory of God by

us.

What promises?

Is 26: 3 Thou wilt keep him in perfect peace, whose mind is stayed on thee: because he trusteth in

thee.

Ps 37: 4 Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart.

Is 54: 17 No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise

against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn.

Is 40: 31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with

wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Ps 37: 25 I have been young, and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his

seed begging bread.

Prov 3:

5 Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.

6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.

Ps 23:

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou

art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with

oil; my cup runneth over.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house

of the Lord for ever.

It’s because he rose, the Scriptures are in reach. If he validated his life by Scripture, why

shouldn’t we likewise live our lives according to the Scriptures, because the Scriptures cannot be

broken.

Gal 6: 9 And let us not be weary in well doing: for in due season we shall reap, if we faint not.

Here is Paul’s account of the resurrection.

1 Cor 15: 3

For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for

our sins according to the scriptures;

4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

5 And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:

6 After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain

unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.

7 After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.

8 And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.

9 For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted

the church of God.

10 But by the grace of God I am what I am.

51 Behold, I shew you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

52 In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the

dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.

55 O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

56 The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.

57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of

the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.

And because He lives, I can face tomorrow

Because He lives, all fear is gone

Because I know He holds the future

And life is worth a living just because He lives