So it's Luke 23 verse 50 and that's page 1060 in the Church Bibles.
Now there was a man named Joseph, a member of the council, a good and upright man,
who had not consented to their decision and action.
He came from the Judean town of Arimathea and he himself was waiting for the kingdom of God.
Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus' body.
Then he took it down, wrapped it in a linen cloth and placed it in a tomb cut in the rock,
one in which no one had yet been laid.
It was preparation day and the Sabbath was about to begin.
The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph
and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it.
Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes,
but they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.
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 cloths that gleamed like lightning stood beside them.
In their fight, 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 is 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 then 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.
Thank you, Avin.
Well, we've been following the journey of Jesus
during his last week before his death and resurrection.
And this morning we come to this
incredible, amazing scene
at the empty tomb.
Let's pray and ask for God's help as we look at it together.
Amen.
May the risen Lord Jesus in all his power and greatness
be present with us now by his Spirit
and be at work in our lives,
reminding us afresh
of the truth and the reality that Jesus is alive.
Help us to be convinced where we doubt.
Help us to trust in the face of skepticism.
Help us to believe.
And may our lives be changed
by what you have done.
We ask this in Jesus' name.
Amen.
Well, this past week,
Kirsty and I took a trip down memory lane.
We went to Waterford,
the city where I grew up.
And one of the places that we went to visit
was my old secondary school.
There were some funny memories,
as I pointed out,
different places.
Like the time Mr Lawler,
our e-teacher,
got hit in the head with an apple.
There was also a sad memory.
As we walked into the main court area,
which was a grassy area,
there was a tree.
It was now significantly bigger
than what I remember.
And at the base of the tree
was a small memorial plaque.
I remember my friend Richard very well.
We went through primary school.
We started the same secondary school together.
He was good fun.
He was great at sport.
He was in our circle of friends.
But following a tragic accident
in third year,
Richard died.
Death is never easy, is it?
Whatever age it confronts us.
It takes from us those we love
and those we care for the most.
It robs our joy
and it steals our happiness.
It leaves within us
this aching void
that no one and nothing seems to fill.
It shatters dreams
and it destroys our hopes.
And in that moment of agony,
we long for someone
to come along
and speak these words to us.
The words that are written
in chapter 24,
end of verse 5.
Why do you look
for the living among the dead?
He is not here.
He is risen.
We long
that death is not the end.
Well, as we think about
the resurrection of Jesus
as we celebrate
on this Easter Sunday,
I want us to see
that these words
are not just for the women
who came looking for Jesus.
These words were written
for you and for me.
Why do you look
for the living among the dead?
He is not here.
He has risen.
Risen.
You see,
sooner or later,
we will all face death.
And if we live long enough,
we will watch our friends
or perhaps even our loved ones die.
So we need to be
absolutely sure
that the resurrection of Jesus
is not some
April Fool's hoax,
but is true,
is reliable,
is dependable,
is this rock-solid,
unshakable foundation
on which we put
all our trust.
So first,
we want to examine
the evidence together.
For so many people,
the resurrection of Jesus
is just completely untrue.
It's just a myth.
It's an invention
of the church.
We can't trust it.
Well, for those who doubt
and remain skeptical,
look at the first eyewitnesses
of the resurrection.
The first people
to come to the tomb
were told in Luke's account
were women.
Chapter 24, verse 10
tells us their names.
It was Mary Magdalene,
Joanna,
Mary the mother of James,
and the others.
The others are other women
who were with them.
These women
had witnessed
the death of Jesus.
If you go back
to chapter 23,
verse 46,
it's talking there
of Jesus'
final words.
Jesus called out
with a loud voice
from the cross,
Father,
into your hands
I commit my spirit.
When he had said this,
he breathed his last.
verse 49,
all those who knew him,
including the women
who had followed him
from Galilee,
stood at a distance
watching these things.
These women
watched
Jesus
nailed,
beaten,
hung,
executed,
die
on the cross.
These same women
also witnessed
his burial.
If you look down
at verse 55,
chapter 23,
the women
who had come
with Jesus
from Galilee
followed Joseph
and saw
the tomb
and how his body
was laid in it.
They saw
his burial.
They saw
Joseph
lay the body
of Jesus
in the tomb.
And it's
the same women
who witnessed
the resurrection.
When they went
to the tomb,
chapter 24,
verse 2,
they found
the stone
rolled away
from the tomb
but when they
entered,
they did not
find the body
of the Lord
Jesus.
The tomb
was
empty.
It's
not that
the body
was just
missing.
There was
no body
to be found.
Now,
witnessing
the death,
the burial
and resurrection
of Jesus
might seem
a credible
witness to us
but we must
remember that
in the first
century,
this would
have been
laughed out
of court.
The testimony
of women
were simply
not counted.
Their social
standing meant
their testimony
was not
admissible
evidence in
court.
Women were
just considered
hysterical.
they couldn't
be trusted.
In other
words,
if you were
writing this
account and
you wanted
to prove
the fact
of the
resurrection,
you would
never use
the witness
or testimony
of women
because that
would undermine
your evidence.
Writers of
this time
in the first
second century
never used
women as
their testimony
for their
case.
It just
didn't
happen.
So why
on earth
would Luke
writing
do that?
Well the
only reason
Luke would
tell the
resurrection
account like
this is
because what
the women
saw was
true.
This is a
true account.
If it was
all made up
and he wanted
to convince
us, he
would have
used men
as the
witnesses.
But here
we have
the first
witnesses
being the
women.
They see
the death,
the burial
and resurrection
of Jesus.
Now some
will go,
okay, come
on.
Because
everybody
believed in
the resurrection
and because
they knew
Jesus was
going to
die and
three days
later he
would rise
again,
they had
to meet
people's
expectations.
So they
just simply
created
evidence.
And they
invented the
whole account.
But the
fact is,
as we'll
see later
on again,
the women
and the
rest of
the disciples
had no
expectation
whatsoever.
In their
belief system,
yes, they
had this
understanding
there would
be a
resurrection
at the
very end
of time,
but a
physical
resurrection
of somebody,
a bodily
resurrection
of somebody
in the
middle,
that was
just not
in their
thinking.
You see,
why would
the women,
24 verse
1,
come to
the tomb
with their
spices and
perfumes if
they thought
Jesus might
rise?
Or look at
the response
of the
disciples down
in verse
11.
They did
not believe
the women
because their
words seemed
to them like
nonsense.
It doesn't
sound like the
response of
those who
expected a
resurrection.
to them
it was
a
nonsense
in their
minds.
It's an
impossibility.
No one
believed in
a physical
bodily
resurrection
in the
middle of
history.
It just
wasn't in
their
thinking.
You see,
these women
and the
disciples
are not
unlike most
people today.
They're
sceptical.
But when
confronted with
the evidence
they came
to believe.
Now I
don't know
all of
your stories.
You might
think that
the resurrection
is just a
nice story.
But really
deep down
you can't
really trust
it or
believe it.
But if we
take time to
look at these
eyewitness
accounts,
it will help
us see that
the words that
were spoken by
the angels to
these women
are words that
are also spoken
to you and
I today.
Why do you
look for the
living among
the dead?
He is not
here.
He has
risen.
So first
we examine
the evidence.
The second
thing, we
need to
remember
his words.
Look, the
women who
came to the
grave of
Jesus were
met by
two angels.
We read
about them
in verse
four.
While they
were wondering
about this
as they
were thinking
about the
empty tomb,
suddenly two
men in
clothes that
gleamed like
lightning stood
beside them.
Now listen
to what the
angel said,
verse six.
He is not
here, he
has risen.
Remember,
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.
You might
remember that
when Jesus
was in
Galilee, these
were the
words that
he spoke to
his disciples
to tell them
what would
happen.
Just have
a look back
with me to
chapter 18
verse 31.
Chapter 18
verse 31.
This is the
third occasion
that he told
them what was
going to
happen.
Chapter 18
verse 31.
Jesus took
the twelve
aside and told
them, we are
going up to
Jerusalem.
And everything
that is written
by the
prophets, that
is in the
scriptures about
the son of
man, that
Jesus will be
fulfilled.
He will be
handed over to
the Gentiles.
They will
mock him, insult
him, and spit
on him.
They will flog
him and kill
him.
And on the
third day he
will rise
again.
Jesus has
made it
crystal clear
to them what
is going to
happen.
I don't
want you to
be in any
doubt.
When we
arrive in
Jerusalem, I
am going to
die, but
three days
later I am
going to
rise again.
But to
help these
disciples see
that they
could trust
his words,
Jesus does
something
remarkable.
Two
extraordinary
events follow
this
prediction.
Look at
chapter 19.
They are
making their
way to
Jerusalem from
Galilee, where
Jesus is going
to die.
And in
chapter 19,
verse 30,
we read
these words.
He says to
the disciples,
go to the
village ahead
of you, and
as you enter
it, you will
find a cult
tied there which
no one has
ever ridden.
Untie it and
bring it here.
If anyone asks
you why you
untying it, say
the Lord
needs it.
Now look what
happens, verse
32.
Those who were
sent ahead went
and found it
just as he
had told
them.
He told
them what was
going to
happen, and
it did
happen.
Now look at
chapter 22.
It's now
four days
later from
that event in
chapter 19, and
it's the day
before Jesus'
death.
We pick it
up in
verse 8.
Jesus sent
Peter and
John saying,
go and make
preparations for
us to eat the
Passover.
Where do you
want us to
prepare for it,
they asked.
He replied,
as you enter
the city, a
man carrying a
jar of water
will meet
you, follow
him to the
house that
he enters,
and say to
the owner of
the house,
the teacher
asks, where
is the
guest room
where I may
eat the
Passover with
my disciples?
He will
show you a
large room
upstairs, all
furnished, make
preparations there.
That's a lot
of predictions.
Again, look what
happens, verse
13.
They left
and found
things just
as Jesus
had told
them.
Jesus told
them of
his death
and resurrection,
but knowing
how hard it
would be to
believe Jesus'
words, he
then provides
them with
these two
extraordinary
events to
show them,
say, look,
when I say
something, you
can trust me,
I will deliver
on my words.
Now go
back to
chapter 24,
verse 8.
The angel
has spoken.
They remind
them of what
Jesus had
said.
24,
verse 8.
Then they
remembered
his words.
This is a
moment of
revelation.
They see
the empty
tomb.
They remember
Jesus'
words about
the resurrection.
They remembered
all that he
had said,
that they
will mock
him,
they will
insult him,
they will
spit on
him,
they will
flog him,
they will
kill him,
and on
the third
day he
will rise
again.
They
remembered
his words.
We can
trust in
his words.
We believe
in what
he has
said.
Now the
question is,
when we
are facing
death,
be it
our own
death,
or the
death of
someone else,
will we
believe his
words about
the resurrection?
Do you
confidently put
your trust in
what Jesus
has said?
You see,
these women
and these
disciples are,
they're really
not unlike
us.
They are
facing the
reality of
death.
They've seen
their loved
ones die
in a
desperate
way.
They've
seen him
buried.
Their
close
friend,
their loved
one,
has gone.
They're
completely
heartbroken.
Their dreams
and their
hopes have
been shattered.
But,
verse 8,
they remembered
his words.
To remember
the words
of Jesus
gives us
reason for
certain hope.
When we
face the
reality of
death,
when we
stare into
that space,
we can
rest in
the absolute
trustworthiness
of his
words,
what he
said
would
happen,
did
happen.
So,
let me ask
us all
again,
do you
trust Jesus
with your
life?
Do you
trust his
words to
you?
You see,
the person
who dies
trusting,
the words
of Jesus,
the words
that the
angels spoke
to the
women,
become true
for us.
Why do
you look
for the
living
among
the
dead?
He is
not here,
he has
risen.
So,
we look
at the
evidence,
we remember
his words,
and when
we examine
this evidence,
when we
reflect on
these words,
when we
take that
deep into
our hearts,
when we
trust it
with our
life,
it changes
us
dramatically.
let me
just show
you three
ways in
which the
resurrection
can change
us.
First,
it can
change us
in such
a way that
we can
stand
confidently
in the
face of
opposition.
Look back
at verse
50.
Here we
meet this
character,
Joseph.
We're
told,
verse 50,
that he's
a member
of the
council,
a good
and upright
man.
Verse 52,
going to
Pilate,
he asked
for Jesus'
body,
then he
took it
down,
wrapped it
in linen
cloth,
and placed
it in a
tomb
cut in
the rock,
one in
which no
one yet
had been
laid.
Now this
is an
incredibly
courageous
act.
Joseph,
verse 50,
we're told,
is a
member of
the council.
He's part
of the
Sanhedrin.
These were
the guys
who were
responsible
for overseeing
all the
religious and
social affairs.
They were
the rulers,
the ones
in authority.
If you
got on
the wrong
side of
the council,
you could
lose your
life.
In fact,
it was this
very council
that had
been planning
and plotting
the death
of Jesus.
They've
just told
a whole
bunch of
lies to
Pilate to
make sure
that Jesus
got executed.
And where
was Joseph
in the midst
of all of
this?
Well,
Joseph had
stood up
to them.
Look at
verse 51.
He had
not consented
to their
decision and
action.
When it
came to
the vote,
Joseph
wouldn't
go with
it.
And now
he's
identifying
with
Jesus
by asking
for his
body to
bury him.
Now,
such an
act is
not just
going to
get you
sidelined,
it could
also get
you killed.
Now,
I want to
ask the
question,
what gives
Joseph
this kind
of courage,
one amidst
many,
to make
that kind
of stand?
God?
How is
he so
confident
in the
face of
such
powerful
people?
Well,
look at
the rest
of verse
51.
We're
told he
came from
the
Judean
town of
Arimathea,
and he
himself was
waiting for
the kingdom
of God.
God.
Now,
I don't
think he
expected a
resurrection
to happen,
but he
had faith
that the
kingdom
would come,
that God
was going
to come
in power,
that God
was going
to deliver
on all
of his
promises,
but he
just didn't
know how
it was
going to
be worked
out,
but he
had faith
that God
would do
it.
Now,
this side
of the
cross,
this side
of the
resurrection,
we now
stand with
a greater
advantage
because we
can look
back to
the truth
of the
resurrection.
Jesus
did die,
he was
buried,
he rose
again,
which means
we can
now stand
confidently.
We may
face
opposition,
we may
be the
one amongst
many people
who only
believe this
and put
our faith
in the
Lord Jesus.
We may
face
powerful
enemies
and powerful
people who
think we're
just a
nonsense and
a load of
rubbish.
But because
it is
true,
we do
not need
to fear
their
threats
because
Jesus
is Lord
over life
and over
death.
And many
of these
disciples
would go
on to
make their
stand and
they would
be put
to death.
But at
the end
of the
day,
what does
it matter
that they
should lose
their life
because they
would go
on to
the kingdom?
They
would have
eternal
life.
So you
and I
can stand
confidently
in the
face of
opposition,
one amidst
many,
because Jesus
has risen.
Stand
confidently.
the second
way in which
it can
change us
is it
gives us
a message
of hope.
We can
speak hope.
When we
encounter,
when we
believe the
resurrection,
it fills us
with sure and
certain hope.
Hope that we
can pass on.
look at
chapter 24
verse 9.
Talking about
the women
when they
came back
from the
tomb.
They
told all
these things
to the
eleven and
to all the
others.
I mean,
this is news
you can't
keep to
yourself.
We've just
been to
the tomb.
It's
empty.
We've
remembered
what Jesus
has said.
We've
believed
his words.
Death
has been
defeated.
And now
they begin
to speak
this hope
and this
comfort to
those who
are broken
hearted,
to those
without any
hope at
all.
One of the
hardest things
in life
is to stand
at the grave
of a loved
one.
In some
ways it
marks the
end.
We're there
to say our
goodbyes.
But for the
Christian,
it's just
the beginning.
You see,
in the
midst of
brokenness
and
hopelessness,
we can
bring the
comfort of
the risen
Lord Jesus
to say,
here is
one who
understands
your hurt.
Here is
one who
understands
your pain
and one
who will
walk with
you.
But you
know what?
More than
that,
he is the
one who
has defeated
death.
Defeated
death for
you.
And all
who
entrust
their
life
to
Jesus
can
look
forward
in
hope
to
brand
new
bodies
so that
we
will
never
get
sick
again.
The
Bible
tells us
we will
become
like
Jesus
so that
we will
never
sin
or
struggle
with
temptation.
we
can
look
forward
to
the
new
kingdom
that
beautiful
new
world
where
there
is
no
more
funerals
no
more
goodbyes
just
joy
and
joy
and
more
joy
forever
and
forever
and
forever
without
end.
This
is the
hope
that
we
can
speak
to
those
who
have
no
hope.
it
changes
our
message.
It
changes
what we
can
bring
to
people.
Or
maybe
you're
just
struggling
to
believe
that
any
of
this
is
true.
Maybe
you
watch
things
on
the
telly
and
all
the
evidence
that
people
try to
throw
up
to
say
it's
just
a
hoax
and
you
just
go
can
I
really
believe
this?
Is
it
really
true
that
when
I
die
I
am
going
to
receive
eternal
life?
Maybe
you
have
doubts
like
that.
Maybe
you're
just
like
the
disciples.
Look
at
verse
11.
They
did
not
believe
the
women
because
their
words
seemed
to
them
like
nonsense.
How
could
this
possibly
be
true?
They
simply
don't
believe
that
Jesus
rose
from
the
dead.
Even
though
he
told
them
on
three
different
occasions
even
though
the
women
have
seen
the
empty
tomb
they
don't
believe.
But
look at
what
unbelieving
Peter
does.
He
steps
out
in
faith
verse
12.
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.
This
wondering
is not
so much
a sense
of
confusion
but
wonder
as in
amazement.
There
should be
a body
but there's
none.
Peter is
beginning
to make
sense
that what
Jesus
said
and what
the women
had seen
was really
true.
but it
only
happened
for him
as he
stepped
out in
faith
to look
for
himself.
And so
I think
Luke
the author
here is
inviting us
again.
He's
saying
look
come
with
Peter
look
afresh
into
the
empty
tomb
stand
there
at that
empty
tomb
see the
stone
rolled
away
look
inside
the
strips
of
linen
lying
by
themselves
wonder
be
amazed
that
Jesus
has
destroyed
death
and
defeated
the
grave.
The
words
spoken
by the
angel
are
not
just
for
the
women.
They
are
words
that
have
been
spoken
to
us
today
to
give
us
hope
to
bring
us
comfort
to
bring
us
peace.
Why
do you
look for
the living
among
the dead?
He
is not
here.
He
has
risen.
Examine
the
evidence.
Remember
his
words
and
see
how it
can
change
your
life
hope.
To
stand
confidently
to
speak
hope
to
others
and
to
step
out
in
faith.
Let's
pray
together.
thank you
father
for giving
to us
this
eyewitness
account
of the
resurrection
of Jesus
Christ.
thank you
for allowing
us to
take the
journey with
Mary Magdalene
and
Joanna
and Mary
the mother
of James
and walk
with them
to see
what they
saw
people
to
remember
his
words
to
look into
the grave
just like
Peter
and see
the
cloths
lying
there
and to
be amazed
that
Jesus
who died
for us
is our
risen
savior
lord
over
life
and lord
over
death
father
give us
faith
that we
might
believe
help
us
to
stand
confidently
in the
face of
opposition
in the
face of
those
who may
say
it's
a
nonsense
it's
rubbish
help
us
to
stake
our
claim
on
the
foundation
that
Jesus
is
alive
and
father
would
you
give
us
opportunity
that
we
might
speak
these
words
of
hope
and
of
comfort
to
those
who
have
no
hope
where
death
is
their
enemy
and
there
is
nothing
beyond
it
help
us
to
speak
words
of
hope
and
when
we
doubt
help
us
to
look
afresh
at
what
you
have
done
and
give
us
hearts
to
believe
thank
you
that
Jesus
is
alive
amen