Lessons From The Empty Tomb
“God does not disclose the Resurrection fact except to enlist people in a task”—Mark Minear
Memory Verse: (Luke 24:5-6 NIV) … "Why do you look for the living among the dead? {6} He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee:
Mark 16:1-8
1When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus' body. 2Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb 3and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?” 4But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. 5As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. 6“Don't be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’ ” 8Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.
1 Corinthians 15:1-20 (NIV)
1Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. 2By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain. 3For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. 6After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. 9For I am the least of the apostles and do not even deserve to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace to me was not without effect. No, I worked harder than all of them–yet not I, but the grace of God that was with me. 11Whether, then, it was I or they, this is what we preach, and this is what you believed. 12But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. 20But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
How the Resurrection Story Impacts Our World
1. The Removal of an Insurmountable Obstacle
(Mat 28:1-3 NIV) After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. {2} There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. {3} His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow.
(Mark 16:2-4 NIV) Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb {3} and they asked each other, "Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?" {4} But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away.
(Luke 24:2 NIV) They found the stone rolled away from the tomb,
(Job 25:2 NIV) "Dominion and awe belong to God; he establishes order in the heights of heaven.
(Psa 47:2 NIV) How awesome is the LORD Most High, the great King over all the earth!
(Psa 66:3 NIV) Say to God, "How awesome are your deeds! So great is your power that your enemies cringe before you.
2. The Restoration of Courage
(Mat 28:4-5 NIV) The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. {5} The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.
(Mat 28:8 NIV) So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples.
(Mark 16:5-6 NIV) As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. {6} "Don't be alarmed," he said. "You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him.
(Mark 16:8 NIV) Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.
(Mat 28:8 NIV) So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples.
(Dan 10:8-12 NIV) So I was left alone, gazing at this great vision; I had no strength left, my face turned deathly pale and I was helpless. {9} Then I heard him speaking, and as I listened to him, I fell into a deep sleep, my face to the ground. {10} A hand touched me and set me trembling on my hands and knees. {11} He said, "Daniel, you who are highly esteemed, consider carefully the words I am about to speak to you, and stand up, for I have now been sent to you." And when he said this to me, I stood up trembling. {12} Then he continued, "Do not be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day that you set your mind to gain understanding and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard, and I have come in response to them.
3. The Reassurance of Our Faith
(Luke 24:5-8 NIV) In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, "Why do you look for the living among the dead? {6} He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: {7} 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.'" {8} Then they remembered his words.
(John 14:1-7 NIV) "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. {2} In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. {3} And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. {4} You know the way to the place where I am going." {5} Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?" {6} Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. {7} If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."
(Acts 1:9-11 NIV) After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and a cloud hid him from their sight. {10} They were looking intently up into the sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stood beside them. {11} "Men of Galilee," they said, "why do you stand here looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven."
(Mark 8:31 NIV) He then began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and after three days rise again.
(Mark 9:31 NIV) because he was teaching his disciples. He said to them, "The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and after three days he will rise."
(Mark 10:34 NIV) who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise."
(Mark 13:26 NIV) "At that time men will see the Son of Man coming in clouds with great power and glory.
(Mark 14:62 NIV) "I am," said Jesus. "And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One and coming on the clouds of heaven."
(John 20:25 NIV) So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it."
(John 20:29 NIV) Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."
4. The Reaffirmation of the Divinity of Jesus
(Mat 28:6 NIV) He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.
(1 Cor 15:3-8 NIV) For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance : that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, {4} that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, {5} and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. {6} After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. {7} Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, {8} and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.
(1 Cor 15:12-20 NIV) But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? {13} If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. {14} And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. {15} More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. {16} For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. {17} And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. {18} Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. {19} If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men. {20} But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.
CONCLUSION:
Simple Steps to Accepting Jesus into your live.
First, you must be born again. (John 3:3 NIV) In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again."
(John 3:5-7 NIV) Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. {6} Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. {7} You should not be surprised at my saying, 'You must be born again.'
Second, realize that Jesus loves you and died for your sins.
(John 3:16 NIV) "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Third, come to Jesus because he is the only way to eternal life. (John 14:6 NIV) Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
Fourth, realize that God’s love for you is unfathomable. (John 15:13 NIV) Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
Fifth, admit that your sins and my sins was what put Jesus Christ on the cross. (2 Cor 5:21 NIV) God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Sixth, know that if you come to Jesus today, you will be accepted into the kingdom of God. (John 1:12 NIV) Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God--
