HE IS RISEN

PROCLAMATION

“Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came to the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared … And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.  And they entered in, they found not the body of the Lord Jesus.  And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments; and as they were afraid, they bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, ‘Why seek ye the living among the dead?  He is not here, but is risen;  Remember how He spoke unto you when He was yet in Galilee, saying, ‘The Son of Man must be … crucified, and on the third day raise again.’  And they remembered His words.”  Luke 24:1-8 (KJV)

 

EXPLANATION

These words are from the gospel, the good news regarding Jesus, The Christ, according to Luke, the physician.  Before He died on the cross, Jesus said, “Father, into Thy hands I commend My spirit.”  When He had said this, He breathed His last breath and gave up His spirit. (Luke 23:46)  They did not kill Him; He voluntarily gave up His life.  Afterwards, with permission from Pilate, Joseph of Arimathea took the body of Jesus down from the cross, wrapped it in linen cloth, and placed it in a tomb which had been cut out of a rock which no one had been lain. (Luke 23:50-55)  The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee, followed Joseph to the tomb.  After the Sabbath, on the first day of the week, they returned to the tomb with oils, spices, and perfumes to anoint the body of Jesus but found the tomb was empty.

 

APPLICATION

The crucifixion, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, The Christ, is recorded in all four of the gospels. (Matthew 27:26 to 28:8; Mark 15:15 to 16:8; Luke 23:23 to 24:9 and John 19:16 to 20:10)  It was predicted more than four hundred years earlier by the prophet Isaiah. (Isaiah 53:5-6)  The resurrection of Jesus, The Christ, was not witnessed.  It must be believed.  The apostle Thomas believed it after he saw the resurrected Jesus for himself and touched the wounds in His hands and side.  Christ said, “Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.” (John 20:27-29)  After He rose from the grave, Jesus, The Christ, appeared for man to see Him on more than forty different times before He ascended to heaven. (Matthew 28:9-10 and 28:11-20; Mark 16:9-20; Luke 24:13-50; and John 20:11-29 and 21:1-23)  For forty days after His resurrection (Acts 1:3) Jesus appeared to His disciples, spoke to them, and at times He ate with them.  His ascension to heaven from a mountain in Galilee was witnessed by the disciples. (Acts 1:9)  The Word of God says that He is risen.  He died but He is not dead.  We serve a risen Savior. Those of us who believe it will be blessed.