If you will open your Bibles
today to Luke chapter 24. I imagine that most all of us came
this morning thinking that we would hear a
message on the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. I hope
we're not disappointed because that's what I intend to bring
to us. The title of my message is A
Resurrection Blessing. A Resurrection Blessing. And we will see it as we read
the scripture this morning and that blessing is peace, peace. Let's begin our reading in verse
36. And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of
them and saith unto them, peace unto you. But they were terrified
and affrighted and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he
said unto them, why are you troubled? And why do thoughts arise in
your hearts? Behold my hands and my feet,
that it is I myself. Handle me and see. For a spirit
hath not flesh and bones, as you see me have. And when he
had thus spoken, he showed them his hands and his feet. And while
they yet believed not for joy and wondered, he said unto them,
have you here any meat? And they gave him a piece of
a broiled fish and of a honeycomb. And he took and did eat before
them. And he said unto them, these
are the words which I spake unto you while I was yet with you,
that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the law
of Moses and in the prophets and in the Psalms concerning
me. A resurrection blessing, peace. I know that all around the world
today the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ is spoken of. The verses that we have just
finished reading was his first appearance to the disciples as
a group. As we read the other narratives,
Matthew, Mark, Luke, Matthew, Mark, and John, we learn other
things that took place on the day of his resurrection. But
this passage here speaks to us of the first time, his first
appearance to all the disciples gathered together, except for
Thomas. We know he was not with them.
In fact, Thomas said when the disciples, these disciples told
him that they had seen the Lord, Thomas said that unless he saw
the marks, his hands and the print of the nails in his hands
that he would not believe. And we know that that's recorded
in the narrative John gives us in his gospel. We also know that Mary Magdalene
was the first one to whom the Lord appeared, and she went and
told his disciples that he was alive, and many of them ran out
to the tomb, or some of them did at least, to see, and they
did see the tomb was empty, and they believed that the tomb was
empty, but they didn't believe that Jesus was alive. And then
he appeared to two disciples on the road to Emmaus and they've
returned to Jerusalem and they are here in this group. So we
know there's 10 here in this group when the Lord Jesus Christ
appeared unto them as it declares in verse 34, the Lord is risen
indeed. Or verse 37 rather. But they
were terrified and affrighted and supposed that they had seen
a spirit. Now, as we think about his resurrection
today, I don't want this to be just another message like we're
accustomed to hearing. I want all of us here today to
be made aware that the Lord Jesus Christ arose
bodily from the tomb. I want us to hear that. I want
us to believe that. I want us to leave this place
assured that Jesus Christ, who was crucified, that he is alive
today, that he is at the Father's right hand, that he ever lives
to make intercession. He is the high priest, the great
high priest who ever lives to make intercession for you, for
me, for all of his children. We're going to ask, or I'm going
to ask, and the Lord willing, answer three questions. The first
question is, what do we mean by his resurrection? We talk
about his resurrection, but what do we mean by his resurrection,
by the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ? You notice here
in our text, in verse 37, They supposed, when he appeared in
their midst, they supposed that they had seen a spirit. Is that what we mean by the resurrection,
by his resurrection and apparition, that he has seen a spirit? He
asked them, why are you troubled? Why do thoughts arise in your
hearts? And Mark tells us he upbraided
them with their unbelief. What do we mean by his resurrection? Are we talking about just an
appearance of his spirit? That's what they thought at first.
They supposed that they had seen a spirit. What we mean and what
the Bible teaches about his resurrection is that his body The body which
God the Holy Spirit prepared him from the womb of the Virgin
Mary, the eternal son, united to himself, to his person, that
body in which he had suffered, that body which just a few days
before, Friday before this day, was so wounded, more marred,
the scripture says, than any man. That body, which was broken
with bruises and stains of blood, was wrapped in cloth and laid
in a tomb. That same body was now his glorious
body. Evidently, that morning when
he left the tomb, all those wounds, the blood, that dried blood,
it was all gone. He now appeared unto them in
a body, as he says here, of flesh and bones, a spiritual body. Yes, but still the same body,
and I think this is the point I want to make, the same body
that was crucified, that was marred, that was lacerated, was
now before them a glorious body. There was no, the only scars
that were left in his body were in his hands. And as someone
said, that's the only reminder in heaven we will ever have of
sin. The only reminder throughout
eternity that we'll ever have that we were sinners that Christ
redeemed us is that when we see Him in glory, yes, He will still
have the marks of the nails in His hands, but He came out of
that grave in a glorious body. He invited them to prove him,
handle me. He said, handle me. You know
what that means? Touch me. Touch me, put your
hands on me, handle me. When I look at that word handle, it
reminds me of what the Apostle John wrote in his first letter,
the first verse when he said, that which was from the beginning
which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which
we have looked upon, and our hands have handled of the word
of life. Handle me. And then he said,
do you have anything here to eat? And they did have something,
not a whole lot, did they? Had some fish and a honeycomb,
but in proving that he was a body that he was alive bodily, he
took the fish and the honeycomb and he ate it. Now point this out to us because
as he was raised with a glorious body, that's the hope that we
have. That one day there's going to
be a general resurrection and all of God's children are going
to be raised with a glorious body. How many of God's children,
this body that we live in for sometimes a few years, two years,
two months, two days, 20 years? We heard this morning on the
news that the last man who participated in the Nuremberg trials, he died
this week, a lawyer, 103 years old. He lived in that tabernacle
for 103 years. And sometimes the bodies get
twisted from disease and sickness and become just a shell of a
body laid in the grave. But when the Lord Jesus Christ
descends with a shout and with the voice of the archangel and
the trump of God, The bodies of the saints are going to be
raised. It doth not yet appear what we
shall be, but we know that when we see him, we shall be like
him. We're going to receive a body
like unto this body that he came out of the grave with, a body
that could be touched, a body that could eat, doesn't need
food to exist. This body that we live in now,
we have to have food, don't we? We'll starve to death, but the
body that we're going to receive, this glorious body, doesn't need
food for nourishment like this body, but yet we will be able
to eat. You know, a meal is a fellowship,
isn't it? Many times it's, come and break
bread with me. Come over to my house and let's
break bread together. There's going to be a marriage
supper of the lamb one day, isn't it? Yes, and we'll be able to
eat with that glorified body. So that's what I mean. That's
what we mean by the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We mean that
that same body, that same body that was crucified was raised
incorruptible. glorious body, a spiritual body. Not just his spirit. You know,
there are people that call themselves Christians, preachers, and they
say, well, the resurrection, that's an impossibility. Yeah,
we will agree that he rose spiritually. In other words, all they're confessing
is what these men thought that they saw. They just thought they
saw a spirit. No, he came out of that grave
in a resurrected, glorious body. The same body that had laid in
the grave was raised to life. As the scripture speaks of, our
bodies are sown in dishonor, raised in honor. Sown in weakness,
raised in power. That's the body of the Lord Jesus
Christ has. He's physically at the right hand of the Father
today. There's a man in glory. That's
what the scriptures tell us. There's a man in glory. The God
man, yes, but there's a man in glory at the Father's right hand,
that place of power, that place of preeminence. and all authority
and all power is given unto him, both in heaven and in earth.
He was crucified in weakness, the scripture says, yes, but
he's raised in power and in glory. Man, Christ Jesus. He's the firstborn from the dead. You say, well, preacher, he raised
several people from the dead. Yes, he did, only to die again. Only to die again. Lazarus, he
raised him from the dead, but he died again. But the Lord Jesus
Christ, he's the firstborn from the dead in the sense that he
died and rose to an immortal life. He will never die again.
You say, Elijah and Enoch, they went to heaven. Old Testament,
these two Old Testament saints, they went to heaven without dying,
that's true, but they didn't go to the grave. The Lord Jesus
Christ is the first fruits from the dead. He's the only one who
died and was put in, his body put in a grave and lay there. Why was he buried? Why was he
buried? You know, Paul makes that clear,
doesn't he? In 1 Corinthians 15, how that
he died for our sins according to the scriptures and was buried
and rose again according to the scriptures. Why was he buried?
Why was, why when he finished, when he said it's finished, the
work of redemption was finished. Why then was it necessary that
he lay in the grave? to show that he was dead, to
show, to prove to the world that he was dead. Because you see,
that was the curse for breaking God's law. It was death. And
to prove that he And that grave he was laid in, it was made out
of stone. It was stone, wasn't it? It was
carved out of the mountain. And no one had ever laid in that
grave before. Nobody had ever been placed in
that grave before. It was a new grave. It was a wall behind, a wall
on the two sides, because it was carved out of the stone.
And then they rolled that big stone over the top, over the
entranceway, to show that his body wasn't stolen. There was
no way out except by him being raised from the grave and him
walking out of that tomb. Hallelujah. Someone said this
morning, we don't just celebrate his resurrection one Sunday of
the year, we do it every day. And that's true, isn't it? We
serve a living savior. Now my second question is this,
why do I believe that he rose from the dead? I'm sure that
most of you, like myself, I've heard all my life that he rose
from the dead. I learned that, I heard that
when I was just a little child, like these little children are
learning now. And I thought this past week,
why do I believe? If someone were to ask me, why
do you believe that he rose from the dead? You believe he died. The scriptures tell us that,
he died. I believe he died, don't you? Why do I believe that he
rose from the dead. What if someone were to ask you
that? Why do you believe? You confess you believe he rose
from the dead. Why do you believe that? Well,
there's many reasons that I could think of, but I want to give
us this morning six reasons why I believe that Jesus rose from
the dead. First of all, I believe that
he rose from the dead because of who he is. I want you to look
with me in Acts chapter 2. I believe that he rose from the
dead because of who he is. In Acts chapter 2, these words
of the apostle Peter in verse 22. You men of Israel, hear these
words. Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved
of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which
God did by him in the midst of you, as you yourselves also know. Him being delivered by the determinate
counsel and foreknowledge of God, you have taken and by wicked
hands have crucified and slain. whom God hath raised up, having
loosed the pains of death." Now notice this, because it was not
possible that he should be holding of it. I believe that he rose
from the dead because of who he is. If he had only been a
man, a good man, a great man, he would not have come out of
that grave. No, it is because of who he is. That is, that he is God-man. Death could not keep him a captive. We sang that hymn a little while
ago. He broke the bars. I think about
Samson, who was a type, the judge, Samson in the Old Testament,
a type of the Lord Jesus Christ. When the Philistines tried to
entrap him, you know, he just took the post of the gate of
their city and just pulled it all down and went out. He just
destroyed the gates, the post, and everything when they tried
to. Why? Because of the power that he
had. And the Lord Jesus Christ as
a God-man, the power that he had, Death could not hold him. It was not possible that he who
is the prince of life could be held by death, that the bars
of the grave could contain him, could hold him. Hebrews chapter
two, the apostle said, for as much as the children are partakers
of flesh and blood, you and I, All of his children, those that
the Father gave him, we are partakers of flesh and blood. For as much
as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself
likewise took part of the same. He became a man, that is, he
partook of flesh and blood. That, the writer goes on to say,
that, in order that through death, Through his death, he might destroy
him that had the power of death. Who was that? That was the devil
who introduced death by the temptation of our parents, Adam, into this
world. That through death, through his
death, he might destroy him that had the power of death, that
is the devil. And I think of David when he
took that slingshot, went out against the giant Goliath in
the name of the Lord, and he didn't have a sword with which
to cut off his head, did he? So what did he do? He used the
giant's own sword. And the Lord Jesus Christ conquered
death by his own death. I believe he rose from the grave
because of who he is. Death could not hold him. Second,
I believe that he rose from the dead because God is just. Because
God is just. Abraham said, shall not the God
of all the earth do right? Why, sure he will. God is holy. God is righteous. God is just. We know that in that everlasting
covenant, the Lord Jesus Christ stood as a surety for his people,
a surety for each and every one of his people. His people, we
owe the debt of obedience, that is to obey the law of God, and
we owe the debt of punishment. And by his perfect life, he paid
that debt. The debt of obedience by his
perfect obedience to the law. The debt of punishment by his
death. And once he paid that debt, justice
was satisfied. God's justice. Think of it like
this. Suppose a man is brought down
to Harris County, Texas and district attorney takes him to trial and
he's convicted of a crime that he's committed. and he's sentenced
for two years in prison. Now the justice system put him
in prison for two years. When the two years is up, the
same justice system that put him in prison demands that he
be released. Would it be just if a man was
sentenced for two years in prison and two years is up and nobody
comes to his cell? No, he's there for three years,
four years, 10 years. Would that be justice? Of course
not. And the same justice, the justice
of God that demanded satisfaction. When that satisfaction was rendered
and the justice of God was satisfied, it demanded that he be released. I believe he rose from the dead
because God is just. He's just. And third, I believe
he rose from the dead because God is faithful. We worship a
faithful God. Look with me in Psalm 16, just
a moment. Psalm 16. Remember the Lord Jesus
and the passage we're looking at. He's told his disciples that
all things that were written of him and the law And in the
prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled. Here in Psalm 16,
in verse 10, this is a Psalm that
refers to the Lord Jesus. There's no question about it.
Peter quotes from it on the day of Pentecost. For thou wilt not leave my soul
in hell. Now, The word hell here, what
does it mean? It doesn't mean the place of
the damned. It doesn't mean the place of
punishment. The Lord Jesus Christ did not
go to the place of punishment. You remember what he said to
the one that he saved, the thief on the cross, today thou shalt
be with me, where? In paradise. His soul went to
paradise, and that's where the thief that he saved, his soul,
went there too. His body went to the grave. Thou will not leave my soul in
hell. It means that state of separation,
when the soul and the body are separate, shield. Thou will not leave my soul in
hell. Now notice, neither wilt thou
suffer thine holy one to see corruption. God promised his
son, we know in that everlasting covenant, just as the son promised
to come and represent his people, to die for his people, and be
buried, so the father promised that his body would not see corruption. God is faithful. God is faithful. God promised
that he would not stay in that state of separation, soul and
body being separated. Notice the next verse, thou wilt
show me the path of life. God showed him the path of life. It was that on that third day,
he came up out of that grave. You know what, folks? If you're
one of his children, God has promised you the same thing.
He will not leave your soul in hell. Oh, if you were to die
today, your soul, if you're one of his children, would be in
the presence of the Lord. Your body would be buried, and
it might be Hundreds of years before the Lord returns, your
body turned back to dust. But God will not leave your soul
in hell. No, he hasn't promised us like
he did his son that he would not see corruption. Our body
will see corruption if we die and are buried. But our soul
and our body will not be separated throughout eternity because he's
coming again. And when he does, the body will
be raised and those who are with the Lord will be reunited with
that glorified, that new body to enjoy the Lord forever and
ever. Notice in verse 11, it says,
in thy presence is fullness of joy. In his presence. And that's where we're going
to be, isn't it? In his presence. To depart and to be with Christ,
which is far better. and at thy right hand are pleasures
forevermore. Number four, I believe that he
rose from the dead because he is the truth. He is the truth. He said, I am the way, the truth,
and the life, and no man cometh unto the Father but by me. Can
he who is the truth lie? Of course not. And what did he
say? Destroy this body and in three
days, I will raise it. Destroy this body in three days,
I will raise it up. He spoke the truth in everything. Whenever he spoke, he spoke the
truth because he is the truth. When he said this, he said, verily,
verily, I say unto you, he that heareth my word, Do you hear his word? He said,
well, preacher, I hear your word. I know you hear my word, but
do you hear his word? Do you hear his word that I'm
speaking? Verily, verily, I say unto you,
he that heareth my word and believeth on him that sent me Let not your
heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also
in me. Believeth on him that sent me. Do you believe on God? Do you
believe on his son, the Lord Jesus Christ? Hath, hath, present
tense, hath everlasting life. I mean, people think, well, when
we die, We're going to stand before God, I suppose, and be
judged, and if we have more good things on this side of the scale
than we have bad things on this side of the scale, we're going
to inherit eternal life. No, that's not true at all. That's
one of Satan's lies. Barely, barely I say unto thee,
he who is the truth, this is his word, and just like he said,
destroy this body, and in three days I will raise it up again. He spoke the truth. He raised
himself up. He said, Verily, verily, I say
unto you, he that heareth my word, and believeth on him that
sent me, hath, hath, today, hath everlasting life, and shall not
come into condemnation, but is passed from death unto life. I've passed from death unto life,
haven't you? I've passed from, and you hath
he quickened who were dead in trespasses and sins. Yes, I was
dead, spiritually dead, and I've passed from death unto life.
I have ever, and you too, not just me. I believe, number five, I believe
that he rose from the dead because of the evidence. Look with me
in 1 Corinthians 15. I believe he rose from the dead
because of the evidence. When something is to be proved,
what do we do? We bring forth evidence. Verse six, the apostle Paul says,
after that, and he's listed many to whom the Lord had appeared,
but then he said after that he was seen of above 500 brethren
at once. Now Paul wrote this about 26
years later. About 26 years had passed since
the resurrection of Christ when Paul writes this letter to the
church at Corinth. And he states that the Lord appeared
unto 500 brethren at once, and notice, of whom the greater part
remained. Some had died over that 26 years. Some had gone to be with the
Lord. But Paul says the greater part remained unto this present. The evidence. In the mouth of
two or three witnesses, something would be established. And here
we don't have two or three, we have over 500 witnesses to his
resurrection. And the last thing I would give,
I believe that he rose from the dead because he lives in me. By his spirit, he lives in me. And I know you can say that very
same thing if you're one of his children today. There was a time
when you lived For yourself, that's all you were interested
in, is self. That's true of all of us, dead
in trespasses and sin. And by a miracle of grace, when
the Lord saves you, the Holy Spirit came to live. Christ came
to live in you. We're going to sing that hymn
in just a minute. He walks with me and talks with
me along life's narrow way. Christ is real, isn't he? He's
real. He's real. Not a day goes by
we don't think of Christ. Look to him. I know he came out of that grave. And the last thing I wanted to
mention What is the resurrection blessing?
Peace. Peace. Two things about this
peace, and I'll be finished. This resurrection blessing of
peace is a free grace blessing. Think about who was here in this
room. These nine, I mean these 10 men. They'd all forsaken him. just
a few days before every one of them turned tail and ran. One
of them had denied with oaths that he even knew the Lord Jesus. And yet it was to these very
ones that the Lord Jesus Christ said, peace, peace unto you. Free grace gift. All the blessings
of salvation are free grace gifts. Never merit, never earn. They're all given by the grace
of God. And what was it? It was peace. Peace with God. Come into this world, we are
enmity with God, enemies of God. But through the sacrifice and
death, the reconciliation, The Lord Jesus Christ has accomplished. We have peace with God. What a blessing. What a blessing. Therefore, being justified by
faith, we have peace with God. You know, this blessing of peace was purchased by the blood
of His cross. That's what it says in Colossians
1, having made peace through the blood of his cross by him
to reconcile all things to himself. Reconciled peace with God. What a blessing. Do you have
peace? Do you have peace with God and do
you have peace in your conscience? That's the work God the Holy
Spirit does, isn't it? When he sprinkles our conscience
with the blood of Christ, telling us, showing us, yes, yes, we've
offended God. Yes, we're guilty of sin. But
Christ has paid our sin debt. And we have peace with God. God
looks upon his children, his people, in love. May the Lord bless His word to
all of us here today.