WEEK NINE:
THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS AND HIS ASCENSION
a. Jesus rose from the death after three days
(Matthew 28:1-10, Mark 16:1-14; Luke 24:1-35)
After the Sabbath day, towards the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary, the mother of James and Salome went to the sepulcher with some spices so that they would anoint Jesus. While they were on their way, they were contemplating on how the stone would be rolled away from the door of the tomb, saying, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the door of the tomb?” Suddenly, there was an earth quake. An angel of the Lord descended from heaven, rolled back stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightening and His cloth was as white as snow. The guards were so scared that they were like dead men. The angel turned to the women and said, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. Lo, I have told you.” So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. While they were on the way, Jesus met them and said, “Hail!” They came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”
Mark 16:1-14 – Mark recorded that they saw the angel in the tomb and that Jesus appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he cast out seven demons although people did not believe her. He also appeared to two other disciples but the others still did not believe their report. So, one day, while they were at the table, Jesus appeared to the eleven of them and upbraided them for not believing.
Luke 24:1-35 – Luke recorded that they met the stone had been rolled away and Jesus was no longer there. While they were perplexed, two men appeared to them in dazzling apparel. The women bowed their faces to the ground and the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and on the third day rise.” It was at that point they remembered His words. They returned from the tomb they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. Mary Mag′dalene, Jo-an′na, Mary the mother of James and the other women with them told this to the apostles but their words seemed like an idle tale. They did not believe them.
In Luke 24: 13-35, two of the followers of Jesus were going to a village named Emmaus which was about seven miles from Jerusalem. While they were going and discussing together, Jesus drew near to them, but they did not recognize Him. He asked what they were talking about and Cleopas, one of the two wondered whether He was a visitor that He wasn’t aware of the recent happenings. He pretended as if He knew nothing so they told how Jesus, being a prophet who performed signs and wonders and how the chief priest and rulers delivered Him up to be killed. They also said that they had believe he was the one who would redeem Israel and it’s been three days now since He died. More so, some women went to the tomb where He was buried but they didn’t find His body. They only came back saying they had seen a vision of angels who said He was alive. Some of the other disciples went there and still couldn’t find Him. It was at that point that Jesus said to them, “O foolish men, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
When they got nearer to the village to which they were going, Jesus pretended as if He was still going further so they constrained him, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. When it was time to eat and he was at table with them, he took the bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. It was at that point that their eyes were opened and they recognized him but he vanished out of their sight immediately. Then they said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the scriptures?” They rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem. They found the eleven gathered together and those who were with them, who said, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!” Then they also recounted what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.
b. The importance of His resurrection to Christian faith – (1 Corinthians 15:3-8, 12 – 20)
Paul was speaking to the Corinthians on resurrection. He told them to hold what they believe with tenacity so that their faith will not be in vain. He stated emphatically that Jesus Christ died for our sins, buried and raised on the third day. All these events were in fulfillment of what was written in the scriptures. He also noted how He appeared to Cephas and then to the twelve and then to about five hundred brethren at the same time. As at the time Paul was talking some of them were still alive while some had died. He also appeared to James and all the apostles and at last He appeared to Paul on his way to Damascus to persecute the church of God.
He noted that he being a persecutor of the church of God does not deserve such visitation and does not deserve to be called an apostle, but he took it as a privilege and made sure that that visitation was not in vain. To this effect, he worked even harder than any of the other disciples and apostles. This kind of work was made possible for him because of the grace of God that was with him.
He stated that the resurrection of Christ signifies the fact that there is resurrection from the dead. He stated emphatically that the crux of our preaching is the resurrection of Christ which points to the fact that there is resurrection of the dead. He also said that this is the assurance that we have our sins forgiven because Christ has become the first fruits of the dead. He is confirmed the Son of God.
Unprecedented 