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The Greatest Day in History

What happened on that momentous day, what clues have the Gospel writers given us?

Matthew 28, Mark 16

At Dawn: A violent earthquake occurred when an angel rolled back the stone from the entrance to the tomb. The guards fainted! The tomb is empty!

  1. An Empty Tomb

The tomb was already empty when the stone was removed.

The stone was rolled away not to let Jesus out but to let us in!

This was not a revival resurrection like that of Lazarus who stumbled out of his tomb still bound up with his grave clothes.

This was the great cosmic event.

The whole of creation had been waiting for this moment!

  • There was no doubt that Jesus was dead. Roman soldiers were experts in torture and death.
  • There was no doubt that the tomb was sealed tight and guarded.
  • There was no doubt that when the angels removed the stone in the presence of the guards the tomb was already empty.

This is the great mystery and wonder of our faith:

Jesus was resurrected. Jesus resumed his life except that his body, although recognisable, enabled him to get out of the tomb. We know later on that Jesus did ordinary things, he ate with disciples, he talked to them at great length, but was able to appear to people at will. His body bore the scars of his passion.

Paul wrote:

1Co 15:42 So will it be with the resurrection of the dead. The body that is sown is perishable, it is raised imperishable; it is sown in dishonour, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body

Quote:

The resurrection of Jesus is rooted in history, grounded in scripture and confirmed in experience. — Nicky Gumbel

John 20

Shortly after: Mary Magdalene and other women visit the tomb and find it empty. The Angel tells them what has happened and instructs them to tell the disciples.

John 20, Luke 24

Next: The women tell the disciples but they don’t believe them thinking that what they were

being told was nonsense.

John 20

Next: Having heard the news and despite their misgivings, Peter and John run to the tomb.

Being younger John arrives first but does not go in. Peter arrives and enters the tomb followed  by John.

John 20

Next: Peter and John see that the body is no longer there, just the grave clothes. They believed that Jesus had risen but still did not grasp the full implications.

John 20

Next: Mary Magdalene had followed Peter and John back to the Tomb. When she looked into the  tomb she saw two angels who asked her why she was crying. She turned and saw who she took to be the gardener!

John 20

Next: Mary thought Jesus was the gardener and only recognised him when he spoke her name. Jesus told her to go and tell the disciples that not only was the tomb empty but that he was alive!

  • A Personal Saviour

Despite the fact that this was the Cosmic Event affecting the whole of creation Jesus immediately began appearing to those who had been faithful to him.

Jesus made time to comfort those he loved. Mary was able to recognise Jesus when he called her by name and this was to be God’s great plan for building his kingdom in the future. He calls each and every one of us by name, one by one, into a personal relationship with the Father through Jesus Christ. Have you responded to his call?

Matthew 28

Next:  On her way back to the disciples Mary met the other women and told them what she had seen. (This is how the good news spreads). Then before they had travelled much

further Jesus appeared to them all. He told them, “Go and tell my brothers,”

Matthew 28

Meanwhile:  The guards are bribed to say that the disciples had stolen the body.

  • A Matter of Faith

The leaders of the people received the report from the guards who had recovered from their fainting fit. They knew:

  • There had been an earthquake.
  • The stone had been removed by two unknown people.
  • The tomb was empty.
  • The combination of all this was enough to shock anyone, particularly if you had been charged to ensure that the tomb remained untouched, and so the truth was denied!

Throughout the ages people have always wanted to deny the truth!

Paul wrote:

1Co 1:22 Jews demand miraculous signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength.

Even now, for the rational, enlightened, scientific mind the resurrection poses problems and many continue to deny the truth despite the evidence.

  • The eyewitness records
  • The lack of any real action by the authorities
  • After Pentecost the disciples preached about the resurrection without rebuttal, surely the growth in the church in those early days could not have been built on a lie!
  • The tomb itself disappears into oblivion!
  • Christians do not go on pilgrimage and worship the tomb. In fact nobody really knows where it is!

Quote:

Perhaps the transformation of the disciples of Jesus is the greatest evidence of all for the resurrection. — John R.W. Stott

Who moved the stone? by Frank Morison

A journalist who set out to disprove the resurrection but having closely examined the evidence decided that on balance it was true.

Quote:

The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is one of the best attested facts on record. There were so many witnesses to behold it, that if we do in the least degree receive the credibility of men’s testimonies, we cannot and we dare not doubt that Jesus rose from the dead. — Charles Spurgeon

1 Corinthians 15, Luke 24 : 34

Later that day:  Jesus appeared to Peter.

Luke 24 : 13 – 33

Late afternoon Jesus appears to Cleopas and another disciple on the road To Emmaus.

Luke 24 : 36 – 49, John 20 : 19 – 23

That night: The two disciples returned to Jerusalem and were telling the other disciples (except Thomas)  what had happened, when Jesus appeared to them.

This is the challenge before us. As intelligent, rational people can we look at the evidence and accept that something truly miraculous happened on that day so very long ago. An event that changed the world with the emergence of the Church of Jesus Christ worshipping a living and dynamic Saviour, active in the world through his people empowered by the Holy Spirit.

This is the challenge:

If you have doubts about the resurrection or have never had an encounter with the risen Jesus, then allow the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of truth to lead you into the presence of Jesus who died for your sins, rose again and now sits at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms, and through whom you can have a relationship with your Father God who loves you more than words can tell.

Prayer:

Heavenly Father we thank you for the love that you have lavished upon us in sending your Son, Jesus Christ to be our risen Saviour. Fill us again, we pray, with your Holy Spirit that we may know how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and enable us to love one another and work together to extend your kingdom in this place. Amen


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