Christ Has Risen! (Luke 24:1-12)

It’s spring after all the bitter coldness and heavy snow storms! The grass is still crushed and trodden by the tremendous weight of icicles. But the trees have already awakened and budded. Soon the full blown spring will come at hand with the mighty dynamics and strength. That’s the power of new life manifested in nature every spring centuries after centuries with no miscarriage. It is so apt and pertinent in time that we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ in the wake of spring.

All four gospels record the resurrection of Jesus Christ who broke the tomb of death and rose again from the dead on the third day. No one has been raised from the dead like Jesus Christ who is the firstfruits of the resurrection. The Gospel of Luke Chapter 24 records the resurrection of our Lord Jesus, presenting the empty tomb and witnesses. 

“On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 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? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’” Then they remembered his words.

When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.” (Luke 24:1-12)

Empty tomb. On the early Sunday morning, a group of women went to the tomb of Jesus, taking the species and perfumes and yet being aware of the need to roll away the heavy stone sealed by the religious leaders in the name of Pontius Pilate. But surprisingly enough, they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. Furthermore, they found not the body of the Lord Jesus when they entered the tomb. Since they didn’t still remembered the word of Jesus who said several times that He would rise again from the dead the third day, they were bewildered and wondered.

Suddenly, two men in clothes that gleamed like lightening stood beside them. They were the angles of the Lord. The women were even more frightened at the sudden appearance of the angels and bowed down to the ground. But the men said, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; He has risen!” The angels continued, “Remember how He told you, while He was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’”

Then they remembered the words of Jesus Christ. How important it is to remember His words, especially in time of challenges and troubles! So, God sent His angels to remind the women of the words of Jesus. The crucial moment of life is ever approaching rather suddenly and unexpectedly nearer and nearer. It has still been the years of Lord’s favor that the way to the Father is wide open for anyone who believes in the Son of Man who gave His life for the sin of the world. But soon the day of the Lord will be coming with the great trumpet sound and the hosts of angels.

The message of resurrection delivered by the angels is so powerful and even unbelievable to our ears, saying “He is not here; He has risen!” The power of God released the Son from the agony and sting of death. “But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.” (Acts 2:24) It’s been prophesied and anticipated a long time by the remnant of God for this moment of liberation from the sting of death. Christ is the firstfruits of the resurrection of body.

“But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.” (1 Corinthians 15:23)

“When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”

   “Where, O death, is your victory?

   Where, O death, is your sting?”

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 15:54-57)

What a news that is? Is there a greater news than that? Our Lord Jesus rose up from the dead, defeating the agony of death by the power of God. All the human problems are predominantly caused by the fact that we will be eventually swallowed up by the unbeatable and unconquerable enemy of death. The evidence of death is rampant in our lives like emptiness, meaninglessness, depression, futility, hopelessness, nothingness, guilt, shame, despair, and much more. No matter who you are, no matter where you are, no matter how much significant you think you are, it doesn’t cancel out the dark and thick could of darkness laid upon mankind. Thus, man in Adam cannot escape from the condemning hearts no matter what.

That’s the serious problem in humanity. Much worse, there is no remedy. Man is hopeless and powerless before this mightily armed power of death. Moses says so, “Our days may come to seventy years, or eighty, if our strength endures; yet the best of them are but trouble and sorrow, for they quickly pass, and we fly away.” (Psalm 90:10) That’s the karma and fate of mankind. What a tragedy it is!

But here is our Lord Jesus Christ who has risen from the dead. “He is not here; He has risen,” says the angels. Matthew records this unusual scene happened beneath the cross of Jesus when our Lord gave up His spirit unto the Father in heaven.

“At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open. The bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs after Jesus’ resurrection and went into the holy city and appeared to many people.” (Matthew 27:52-53)

The sting of death must be released before the Lord God Almighty because the blood of the Son Jesus has fully and completely satisfied the requirements of the law. So, the earth shook, the rocks split and the tombs broke open by the power of God. This is the moment of liberation and freedom after all the long days and hours of enslavement and bondage under the mastermind of lie, the devil. Our Lord Jesus’ resurrection has opened the door for the faithful servants of God to enter the marvelous dominion of resurrection and eternal life. This is the hope of the saints kept in heaven, imperishable and immortal.

Witnesses. The women reported what had happened in the tomb of Jesus to the Eleven but their words seemed to them like nonsense. However, Peter and other disciples went to the tomb and witnessed the empty tomb and didn’t find the Lord Jesus. Later the Risen Lord appeared to Peter, the apostles, James, more than five hundred brethren at the same time, and Paul. As the record of Acts tells how the apostles preached the gospel of the blessed God faithfully in the midst of persecutions and troubles in the first century, we can see the power of resurrection mightily and powerfully working in them.

God is forever love. The love of God has been marvelously and amazingly demonstrated in the Son Jesus Christ who was hung on the cross for our sins, shedding His blood. The holy name of God was glorified by the death of the Son Jesus Christ. God has been even more glorified by the resurrection of Jesus Christ through whom all people may receive eternal life. Prophet Isaiah prophesied that God was pleased to crush His begotten Son this way because He wanted to pour out His love unceasingly and unendingly through Jesus Christ.

“Yet it was the Lord’s will to crush him and cause him to suffer,

   and though the Lord makes his life an offering for sin,

he will see his offspring and prolong his days,

   and the will of the Lord will prosper in his hand.” (Isaiah 53:10)

Hear the sound of victory recorded in the Epistle of Romans by Paul! In the Risen Lord Jesus Christ, we are more than conquerors in all things through the unadulterated love of God.

“What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all—how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things? Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who justifies. Who then is the one who condemns? No one. Christ Jesus who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword? As it is written:

“For your sake we face death all day long;

we are considered as sheep to be slaughtered.”

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.” (Romans 8:31-37)