Luke 24
One Easter morning, a Sunday school teacher
decided to see how much her class knew about the
true meaning of Easter. One of the little girls
quickly raised her hand. “Yes, Sarah?” the teacher
called.
“Easter is when all of my aunts and uncles come to
my house to eat turkey, watch football, and take
naps,” she said.
“No, Sarah, that’s Thanksgiving.” Another student
raised his hand. “Yes, Billy?” she asked.
“Last Easter, we decorated a tree, sang songs, and
got lots of presents,” he answered.
“No, Billy, that was Christmas,” she replied. Now
the teacher was getting a bit nervous. “Does
anyone know what Easter is?”
“I know,” little Emily said, confidently standing to
her feet. “Easter is a special day to remember that
Jesus was hung on a cross, died, and put in a tomb
for three days.”
“Very good, Emily!” the teacher said with a sigh of
relief. “Now, class, we’re going to…”
“And on the third day, everyone gathers around the
tomb,
” Emily continued. “And they wait to see if
Jesus comes out, and if he sees his shadow, that
means six more weeks of winter. If not…”
The teacher interrupted Emily before she could
finish her speech, “Class dismissed!”
This morning our text is found in Luke 24.
This chapter is broken up into three sections, each
dealing with a resurrection encounter.
Luke 24:1-12
An Encounter at the Empty Tomb
The women, who had come to anoint Jesus’ body with
the spices they had already prepared, did not encounter
Jesus at the tomb as they thought they would.
Instead they encountered two angels.
The Bible says they were perplexed because Jesus wasn’t
in the tomb, but when they noticed the angels they were
frightened.
Fear is the typical response to seeing an angel. Most of
the time an angel shows up the first thing they say is do
not be afraid. The angel doesn’t say that here. They ask
the women a question.
I love the question they ask – “Why do you seek the
living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen.”
You are here this morning to celebrate the empty tomb.
Jesus has risen! He is alive.
Before the women have a chance to respond, the angels
remind them of His words to them when He was still in
Galilee, that He must be delivered into the hands of men,
be crucified and on the third day rise.
Jesus predicted His death and resurrection at least three
times.
We looked at those predictions a few weeks ago.
They were not unaware of what was supposed to happen,
but yet they still went looking for Jesus among the dead.
Where are you Seeking an Encounter with Jesus?
The fact that you are here today tells me that you have
come to encounter Jesus.
The amazing thing about Jesus is that He is easy to find.
Jeremiah 29:13 “You will seek me and find me,
when you seek me with all your heart.”
Sometimes people seek anything but Jesus to try to fill
the void in their life that only Jesus can fill.
Drugs, Alcohol, promiscuity, none of them can satisfy like
Jesus can.
But you have to seek Him.
He’s already proven His love for you by going to the cross
and dying for your sins.
Luke lists several names of the women who were at the
tomb.
And they went immediately and told the 11 disciples
about their encounter with the angels. And that the stone
had been rolled away and Jesus was not there.
And how did the disciples respond?
The Bible says their words seemed like an idle tale to the
disciples.
It can also be translated nonsense.
One commentator writes that the phrase idle tale literally
means “babbling that comes from a fevered and insane
mind.”
Despite this, Peter went to the tomb to see for himself.
We know from John’s gospel that he went with John as
well.
When they arrived the tomb was empty and he stooped
in and saw the linen cloths by themselves.
Peter went home and marveled at what happened.
Remember, Peter denied knowing or even being with
Jesus just as He foretold. And he never got to apologize
for what he did.
Luke 24:13-32
An Unexpected Encounter with Jesus
The Bible only gives us the name of one of these
disciples, Cleopas. As they walked they were discussing
everything that had happened over the past week.
And then Jesus joins them. I like how Luke describes it,
Jesus himself drew near and went with them.
But something unique happened here – Jesus didn’t allow
them to recognize Him. They assumed He was a visitor.
Jesus asked them what they were talking about and they
were both sad. They were sad because they expected the
new king to remain alive so he could save the people
from the Romans.
Then Cleopas asks how He is the only visitor to Jerusalem
that doesn’t know what has happened over the past few
days.
I love how Jesus just keeps asking them to explain more,
what things? He says.
Jesus was the one who went through all the things they
were discussing so He was fully aware of what they were
talking about but He still wants them to tell Him all about
it.
Isn’t that just like our Heavenly Father who knows all
things and still wants us to come to Him in prayer to ask
Him for what we need and to tell Him what is going on in
our lives?
So the disciples summarize everything they have just
seen, making sure to mention that they assumed that he
would be the Messiah that was prophesied about in the
Scriptures.
They also mention that it has been three days since the
crucifixion and that some of the women went to the tomb
and found it empty. And then more men went back and
verified that yes it was empty.
Similar to the angels reminding the women of Jesus’
prediction of his suffering and death, Jesus Himself calls
them out for not believing ALL of the words of the
prophets.
They were very quick to believe that a new king would
come and save Israel from Rome, but they didn’t even
consider the words of Isaiah that the Messiah would be a
suffering servant.
So, Jesus explained all of the Scriptures that concerned
Him.
Oh to have the Word Himself explain the word to us in
person!!
What an incredible gift these two disciples encountered.
Do you Recognize an Encounter with Jesus?
How easy is it for you to recognize when you have had an
encounter with Jesus?
The more time we spend getting to know Him and
listening to His voice, praying and in worship, the easier
it will become to recognize an encounter with Him.
With these disciples Jesus was in complete control of
when they were able to recognize Him and when they
were not.
Verse 16 tells us their eyes were kept from recognizing
Him and verse 31 tells us they were opened.
This shows us the sovereignty of God.
God knows our heart and how we will respond to His offer
of grace and mercy. He also knows who will reject Him.
Will you receive Him and the forgiveness of sin that you
so desperately need?
Luke 24:33-52
The two disciples went back to Jerusalem to find the
other 11 so they could tell them that they had seen
Jesus, risen from the dead.
They also proclaimed that Jesus had appeared to Peter.
They told about all the things that had happened on the
road to Emmaus.
An Encounter with the Glorified Jesus
While they were all talking Jesus appeared in the room
with them.
Thinking He was a spirit, they were frightened.
Jesus assures them that He is truly alive and that He still
has His physical body. He shows them the wounds on His
hands and feet, yet they still don’t believe.
Then He asked them for some food and they gave Him a
broiled fish and He ate it in front of them.
Once more Jesus reminds them of the words that He
spoke to them that were written in the OT had been
fulfilled.
No one could wrap their mind around the fact that Jesus
had to die in order to provide salvation to all who believe.
Notice the kindness of Jesus in verse 45.
He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.
How do you respond to an Encounter with Jesus?
Obedience is the only proper response.
Isaiah said, Here I am Lord, send me
Samuel said, Speak, for your servant hears.
In light of Thomas saying that he would never believe
unless he saw Jesus’ hands and feet, I thought I would
share this verse from John when Jesus responds to
Thomas.
John 20:29 “Jesus said to him, ‘Have you believed
because you have seen me? Blessed are those who
have not seen and yet have believed.”
None of us here were there when Jesus walked the earth.
This verse should encourage us that we believe and have
not seen. It’s the definition of faith from Hebrews 11.
Faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction
of things not seen.
We who believe in Jesus without seeing Him are blessed.
APPLICATION
Trust in Jesus