The Resurrection

The Resurrection

(Luke 24:35-53) (Isaiah 53)

Yearly Theme: “Joy is…”

Series Title: “Joy’s Good News”

September 27th, 2020

Something to think about:

When was the last time you genuinely thought about the Resurrection of Jesus? As Christians, have we become desensitized to what actually happened that day? Do we just accept it because we cannot get our mind around that kind of Power?

As we continue with the story of “Joy’s Good News” in the life of Jesus, we move to our passage today in Luke 24:35-53. At this point, Jesus had died on the Cross, had been buried in a rock tomb and was there for 3 days before the encounter at Emmaus that we heard about last week. We pick up where that story ended, and we see Christ’s Resurrection in its fullness.

Jesus Appears to the Disciples

35 Then the two from Emmaus told their story of how Jesus had appeared to them as they were walking along the road, and how they had recognized him as he was breaking the bread. 36 And just as they were telling about it, Jesus himself was suddenly standing there among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. 37 But the whole group was startled and frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost!

38 “Why are you frightened?” he asked. “Why are your hearts filled with doubt? 39 Look at my hands. Look at my feet. You can see that it’s really me. Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost, because ghosts don’t have bodies, as you see that I do.” 40 As he spoke, he showed them his hands and his feet.

41 Still they stood there in disbelief, filled with joy and wonder. Then he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he ate it as they watched.

44 Then he said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. 46 And he said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. 47 It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations,[a] beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’ 48 You are witnesses of all these things.

49 “And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.”

The Ascension

50 Then Jesus led them to Bethany, and lifting his hands to heaven, he blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up to heaven. 52 So they worshiped him and then returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy. 53 And they spent all of their time in the Temple, praising God.

So, what is the main takeaway from this passage this morning?

Key Point: “True Joy gives us hope for the future.”

Sometimes we forget the power of God and what the Resurrection truly means.

Joy, through hope in Jesus Christ, is what comes from being a follower of God. The joy and hope that the Resurrection brings us today is the same hope and joy Christ brought the Old Testament believers. It unites believers across time and space because it is the single most important event in the history of the Universe. I don’t have any extra points today because my hope is for us to sit in the awe and joy and hope of Christ and just allow ourselves to be humbled by it and united it by it.

Read Isaiah 53.

This passage of scripture was written hundreds of years before Christ and was the Hope and Joy of the people of Israel. The power of the Resurrection and its ramifications have shaped history and continue to do so.

If we are seeking true Joy, then there is nothing that can bring you more joy than the fact that we serve a God that is more powerful than death, that we serve a God who created and currently holds the universe in his hands, and then that same God loves us more than anything else. If we honestly believe that, it should terrify us and fill us with joy.

Something to take home:

If we are honest with ourselves, most people today either don’t think about the Resurrection much, don’t believe it happened, or are so desensitized to the awesome power of the Resurrection that we have lost our awe for it.

We serve a God who is all-powerful and all Good. He controls death and life, and for that, we should worship him and acknowledge him and his power, regardless of what he “does” for us. The Resurrection should terrify us, it should scramble our brains a little, it should bring us to our knees. See, the Resurrection provides us with salvation, but it also shows us who God is. If we truly let ourselves be open to the Resurrection and the power of God, it will humble us.

Where are you today? Has Christianity become “what can God give to me” for you? Has worship become dependent on your circumstances, or the style of worship, or the location of worship? Does what’s happening now in our country terrify you? Does that fear and concern affect your actions and how you live your life? How much more should we be driven by the Fear of the Lord! How would it change your interactions with God if you started every day by acknowledging God’s power over the Universe?

Key Point: “True Joy gives us hope for the future.”