HE IS NOT HERE HE HAS RISEN

Proclamation:

“… Why do you look for the living among the dead?  He is not here; He has risen!  Remember how He told you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be risen again.’”  Luke 24:5-7 (NIV)

Explanation:

These words were written by Luke, the physician, under the influence of The Holy Spirit of God.  Three days after His death on the cross, (Luke 23:42) and His burial in Joseph’s tomb, (Luke 23:50-53) Jesus, The Christ, rose from the dead.  Very early in the morning on the first day of the week, the women went to the tomb with spices to anoint His body but He had already risen. (Matthew 28:1-10, Mark 16:1-8, Luke 24:1-7, and John 20:1-10)  Two angels appeared in the form of men in shining garments and told the women that Jesus was not there.  He had risen. (Luke 24:6)

Application:

The basis for our Christian faith is the belief in the virgin birth, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, The Christ.  Our very salvation depends upon that belief. (John 3:16 and Romans 10:9)  The Bible documents that Jesus appeared to a number of individuals during the forty days after His resurrection before His ascension to heaven.  He appeared to Mary Magdalene, (Mark 16:9 and John 20:11-18) to the women as they left the tomb, (Matthew 28:8-10) to Cleopas one of the two men as they walked in the country, (Mark 16:12) to His disciples without Thomas, (John 20:19-23) to His disciples with Thomas present a week later, (Mark 16:14, Luke 24:36-49, and John 20:26-29) to His disciples by the Sea of Galilee, (John 21:1-25) and to His disciples on the mountain just before He ascended to heaven. (Matthew 28:16-17, Luke 24:50-51 and Acts 1:9)