Luke 24:1-12

1 Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared.
2 But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb.
3 Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.
4 And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments.
5 Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?
6 He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee,
7 saying, ‘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.
9 Then they returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.
10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them, who told these things to the apostles.
11 And their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them.
12 But Peter arose and ran to the tomb; and stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying by themselves; and he departed, marvelling to himself at what had happened.

Luke 24:36-49

36 Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, “Peace to you.”
37 But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit.
38 And He said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts?
39 Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.”
40 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet.
41 But while they still did not believe for joy, and marvelled, He said to them, “Have you any food here?”
42 So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb.
43 And He took it and ate in their presence.
44 Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.”
45 And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures.
46 Then He said to them, “Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day,
47 and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.
48 And you are witnesses of these things.
49 Behold, I send the Promise of My Father upon you; but tarry in the city of Jerusalem until you are endued with power from on high.”

Jesus is alive and is seated at the right hand of the Father. Hallelujah! Death could not hold Him. The grave could not keep Him. Satan could not defeat Him.

Our Lord and Saviour is alive.... He is risen!

You better get a picture in your mind: The cross is empty and so is the grave.

Jesus is risen... He is risen indeed!!!

When John saw Him on the Isle of Patmos, he saw a risen glorious victorious Saviour.

I want to shout it out: Jesus is alive!!!!

He is exalted to the highest place in the heavens..... Seated at the right hand of God!

Oh, hallelujah!

Because He is alive... I can face tomorrow! Because He is alive... All fear has gone! Because He is alive... I have a living hope of a better future! Because He is alive, I can face and conquer my storms! Because He is alive.... I can have peace in the midst of trouble! Because He is alive... I have no fear of death, “the final enemy!”

‘To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.”

Our entire faith is based on the fact that Jesus rose from the grave.

The death and resurrection of Jesus form the cornerstone of the Christian faith. Jesus prophesied that the religious leaders of his day would crucify him. At the same time, he also predicted he would rise from the dead on the third day.

Matthew 16:21 21 From that time Jesus began to show to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.

Matthew 17:22,23 22 Now while they were staying in Galilee, Jesus said to them, “The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men, 23 and they will kill Him, and the third day He will be raised up.” And they were exceedingly sorrowful.

John 2:19-21 19 Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.”

20 Then the Jews said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?” 21 But He was speaking of the temple of His body.

Let's first look at some eyewitness reports

Following his resurrection from the dead, Jesus made a number of appearances to his followers—no less than ten of these are recorded in scripture. Beginning on Resurrection Sunday, he “showed himself alive.”

Acts 1:3 3 To whom He also presented Himself alive after His suffering by many infallible proofs, being seen by them during forty days and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.

Acts 1:9-12 9 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” 12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the Mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey.

1 Corinthians 15:1-8 1 Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, 2 by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: 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 by

Cephas, then by the twelve. 6 After that He was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the greater part remain to the present, but some have fallen asleep. 7 After that He was seen by James, then by all the apostles. 8 Then last of all He was seen by me also, as by one born out of due time.

Why the resurrection is so important

His resurrection has destroyed the final enemy... Death.

1 Corinthians 15:50-57 50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; nor does corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Behold, I tell 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 trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53 For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 55 “O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

If Jesus did not rise from the dead, our entire Christian foundation would be destroyed.

Why is the resurrection of Jesus so important to us:

1. It proves Jesus is the Messiah... The anointed chosen one
2. The resurrection proves that Jesus defeated death.
3. The resurrection gives us hope for when we die.
4. The resurrection sets us free from sin

Romans 8:10,11 10 And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

5. The resurrection proves the gospel to be true
6. The resurrection gives believers a living hope.

1 Peter 1:3,4 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you,

7. The resurrection of Jesus means that we will be raised like Him.

1 Corinthians 15:20-22 20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.

8. His resurrection followed by His ascension gives us the promise of the Holy Spirit.

Acts 2:33 33 Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear.

Jesus fulfilled over 324 Old Testament prophecies proving undeniably that He is: The Christ The Messiah The Anointed One!

1. The time of His birth (Daniel 8 & 9
2. He would be born in Bethlehem. (Micah 5:2)
3. He would be born of a virgin. (Isaiah 7:14)
4. He would be betrayed for 30 pieces of silver. (Zechariah 11:12)
5. He would be mocked. (Psalm 22:7,8)
6. He would be crucified. (John 3:14)
7. He would be pierced. (Psalms 22:16)
8. He would die with the wicked, but He would be buried with the rich. (Isaiah 53:9)