Sermons and Outlines

Luke 24:1-12; 36-48
A MORNING LIKE NO OTHER

Intro: The Bible has a lot to say about mornings. Just a few observations make that statement very clear.

Our Savior prayed early in the morning.
Joshua is pictured as a man who rose up early in the morning.
Think of that morning in Gen. 22 when Abraham rose up early and took Isaac to Mt. Moriah to sacrifice him.
What a morning it was for Jacob when he awoke from sleep and set up a pillar of stones in honor of God at Bethel.
It must have been a glorious morning for Daniel when the first rays of sunshine lit up the city of Babylon after that night in the lions den.
Imagine how beautiful was the morning for the disciples after they spent that terrible night on the Sea of Galilee in that storm.

While every one of these mornings were great, none of them can compare to the morning that is discussed in the passage we have read today.

I am not really a morning person, but I have had at least 18,200 mornings, but I have never had a morning like the one mentioned in these verses.

I would like for us to spend some time today looking at a special morning, that great morning when our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, conquered death, Hell and the grave. There was never a morning like that before, nor will there ever be one like it again.

What a morning it was when Jesus rose again!
What a morning it was when Jesus pulled the stinger from death and gave life eternal to all those who will place their faith in Him.
Oh, what a morning!

I want to examine again the wonderful events that occurred the special morning when jesus Christ arose from the dead. On this resurrection Sunday I would like to study the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. I want to share a few observations from that special morning that make that morning A Morning Like No Other.

I. V. 1 IT WAS A MORNING OF SOLEMN REFLECTIONS

A. As the morning began to dawn on the first day of the week after Jesus had died on the cross, some women came to the tomb to finish preparing the body of our Lord for burial. The burial preparations had been started by Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimithea on the evening of the day our Lord died, John 19:38-42.

While these women were heading to the tomb, our Lord's disciples were locked up inside the Upper Room trembling in fear that the same kind of death that Jesus had met awaited them also, John 20:19.

Certainly, these women were sad and the disciples were scared. Just as the Jesus has said, the Shepherd had been smitten and the sheep had scattered, Mark 14:27.

B. Why were they so upset? They had all believed Jesus to be the Messiah. They had placed their faith in Him and they had expected that He would set up His Kingdom, and throw off the Roman yoke of bondage. Even though He had told them of the cross and of the resurrection, they had never grasped the message, or the meaning of Christ's words. Now, He is dead! They had banked their futures on the Lord’s claims to be the Messiah. Now He is dead, and they are demoralized, disillusioned, despondent and defeated. The One that they had placed all their hopes in was gone. This man Who had so radically changed their lives by His power and had demonstrated the love and power of God to them had died a violent and humiliating death. It was a sad day for His followers!

C. As I reflect on the sadness of the disciples, I can understand their grief! Even Paul spoke about it in 1 Cor. 15:12-19. He tells us that if Jesus is dead today, then we all have reason to grieve! If Jesus is dead, then we are all headed to Hell and none has hope beyond this life. And, even in this life, we are most miserable!

I. It Was A Morning Of Solemn Reflections

II. V. 2-12 IT WAS A MORNING OF STARTLING REVELATIONS

A. In the midst of their sadness that morning, God the Father took great pains to minister to the needs of their hearts. Aren't you glad that the Lord cares when you hurt? (Ill. Heb. 4:15)

He moved in several mighty ways to encourage the hearts of these saddened believers. Note a few of the things He did:

1. He rolled the stone away from the tomb - v. 2; Mark 16:2-3; Matt. 28:2. Ill. Not to let Jesus out, but to allow the Lord’s followers in!

2. He sent an angelic messenger with the good news that Jesus was alive from the dead - v. 4-7; Matt. 28:2-7; Mark 16:5-7. Ill. Never has the world heard a message like that one! It still reverberates through the halls of time and will through out eternity - He is Alive!

3. He had a word of encouragement for Peter, who had denied Him - Mark 16:7.

4. He met Mary Magdalene outside the tomb - John 20:11-17. Ill. She had a great love for the Master - Mark 16:6. Ill. Great love begets great love - Luke 7:47; 1 John 4:19

5. He left a message for His followers inside the tomb - John 20:5-8. The interior of the tomb was not a scene of chaos. It was a scene of serenity and order. The fact that the napkin that had been wrapped around the Lord’s face was folded and lying neatly by itself spoke volumes about what had happened in the tomb that morning.

6. He revealed Himself to two disciples as they traveled - Luke 24:13-35.

7. He met with His disciples that evening to show them all that He was alive - John 20:19-25.

8. He met them again a week later just to give Thomas the assurance that He was alive - John 20:26-29.

B. There were many other things that took place on that resurrection morning that marked it as a great and glorious day. For us, 2,000 years removed from the resurrection, the message has not changed! We still need to hear the good news that Jesus has risen from the dead! He is alive today and there is hope for tomorrow!

Ill. That person who is trapped in sin and sees no avenue of escape needs to know that Jesus made a way to set you free! You need to know, that if you come to Jesus for salvation or for help that He will be there to hear you, to save you and to help you through this life. Everyone here needs to know that Jesus is alive!

“I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death,” Rev. 1:18.
“Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them,” Heb. 7:25.

C. Thank God for the proof that Jesus lives! There is a song we sing sometimes around Resurrection Day that says this:

I serve a risen Savior, He's in the world today;

I know that He is living, whatever men may say;

I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer;

And just the time I need Him He's always near.

He lives! He lives! Christ Jesus lives today!

He walks with me and talks with me

along life's narrow way.

He lives! He lives! Salvation to impart!

You ask me how I know He lives?

He lives within my heart.

I. It Was A Morning Of Solemn Reflections

II. It Was A Morning Of Startling Revelations

III. V. 36-43 IT WAS A MORNING OF STUNNING REALIZATIONS

A. While the disciples were cowering in the Upper Room out of fear for their lives, something miraculous happened in their presence. Jesus, the One Who had died just three days before, was standing in their midst! They were terrified and thought they saw a ghost. However, Jesus had some news to tell. He showed them the nail prints in His hands and in His feet and to prove that He was real. He offered to let them touch Him and then He sat down with them to eat. Most of the disciples hadn't believed until this moment, now they are convinced, Jesus is alive!

Ill. The statement: “And while they yet believed not for joy, and wondered...” means that “it seemed too good to be true.” They were beside themselves with joy and couldn't believe what they were seeing! It was an exciting moment for the disciples of our Lord.

B. This is what needs to happen in the lives of many people living in our world today. The world needs to realize that Jesus Christ is more than a baby in a manger or some poor fellow Who got Himself crucified. He is more than a story in a dusty old book.

You need to understand that Jesus is alive! He is real and that He is the only hope you have of missing Hell and getting to Heaven, John 14:6; Acts 16:31. We need to grasp the truth today that it was not some bonnet-wearing, basket-toting, egg-hiding bunny rabbit that died on the cross and arose from the dead.

This day is about Jesus! It is about the fact that He died for our sins while we were yet sinners, Rom. 5:8. It is about the fact that He was buried and then three days later, He kicked the backdoor out of the tomb for ever and made a way for you and me to enter into eternal life by our merely trusting Him as our Savior!

Who is Jesus to you? Is He just a story on the page of a book, or is He real in your heart today? You see, just knowing about Jesus and what He did will not save your soul. You have to know Him in a personal and real way before you can be saved from your sins and from an eternity in Hell! Who is Jesus to you? It is a question that must be faced by all men. Jesus posed it to His disciples, Matt. 16:15:16, "Whom say ye that I am?" Peter had the right answer, do you? Another question that needs to be asked and answered is the one asked by Pilate in Matt 27:22, "What shall I do then with Jesus which is called Christ?" What is your answer to these important questions today?

I. It Was A Morning Of Solemn Reflections

II. It Was A Morning Of Startling Revelations

III. It Was A Morning Of Stunning Realizations

IV. V. 44-48 IT WAS A MORNING OF SPIRITUAL REPERCUSSIONS

A. As they ate that first Resurrection Morning, Jesus began to tell His disciples that God's plan was to save the world. They had been called by the Father to be witnesses of that and they were to spread the news that a great spiritual victory had been won when Jesus arose from the dead.

B. When Jesus arose from the dead, some very old enemies that had plagued man since sin entered into the world were forever defeated.

1. Death Was Defeated - Imagine the struggle that ensued early that morning as death had to give up the Prince of Life! No more would death be able to claim the victory and sting the human race with its bitter curse. Jesus entered into death’s domain and rendered it helpless. Now, for the child of God, death is merely the doorway from this land of sorrow to that Heavenly land of splendor where every tear shall be wiped from every eye and the saints of God will live forever in the glorious presence of our exalted Savior! Ill. 2 Cor. 5:8; 1 Cor. 15:54-57

2. Hell Was Defeated - When Jesus entered death for mankind, He descended into a place called Hell. He went to the Paradise portion of that land of the dead, Luke 16:19-31. This was the same place that the redeemed thief on the cross went to when he died, Luke 23:43. Jesus went there and proclaimed liberty to those who had died looking forward to His coming in faith, 1 Pet. 3:18-19. When He arose from the dead and ascended to His Father in Heaven, the Bible tells us that He took those souls with Him to the Father in Heaven, Eph. 4:8-10. Now, all those who believe in Jesus go directly to the Father when they leave this world. Hell has forever been removed for the child of God!

3. The Grave Was Defeated - Another enemy that died that day was the grave. All his life, man lives in fear of that moment when he will lay down his body in death. As one of our members and I were talking the other day, we are ready to go to Heaven, but we will always fight for that next breath!

I am afraid that we have the wrong perspective when it comes to the grave. That hole in the ground is nothing more than a place to store this old worn out, sin-ridden carcass until the day of the resurrection! When we lay this flesh down in death, our spirits ascend to the Father in Heaven, 1 Cor. 5:8. The next time we see our bodies, they will be glorified and will be like His body, 1 Thes. 4:13-18; 1 John 3:1-3. One of these days, the grave will have to give up the body that has been placed there and that body will be forever changed into one just like that worn by our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. Thus, the casket becomes a hope chest, holding within a body that will be raised from the dead, glorified and and taken to Heaven.

Ill. Instead of weeping at the side of a departed saint, we ought to shout ourselves hoarse. They have outstripped us and are already home with Jesus in glory. My what a blessing to know!

“A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth,” Eccl. 7:1.

4. Sin - Another enemy that died that day was sin. Now, in truth, sin had been taken care of three days earlier on the cross, but the resurrection of Christ from the dead is the Father's "Amen" to the sacrifice of the Son on the cross.

A dead Savior saves no one! But One Who is alive can save all who come to Him by faith, Heb. 7:25. That is a big verse and promises great things to everyone who will believe its message.Sin does not have to defeat you! Jesus won the victory over sin on the cross and nailed its coffin lid shut when He arose from the dead. You can be free by faith in Jesus.

5. Satan - I'll mention just one more enemy that took a beating that day. His name is Satan, the devil, old slew foot, the dragon, the accuser of the brethren, that old serpent, whatever name you want to call him, the outcome is the same. He is the enemy of God and of the people of God. He tried every way he could to short-circuit Christ's plans to go to the cross. Ill. The babies in Bethlehem; the storm on Galilee; the Temptation; the oppression in Gethsemane, etc.

Jesus endured every temptation, He weathered every storm and made it to the cross. When He cried “It is finished,” Satan heard the foundations under his kingdom begin to crack. Three days later, when Jesus arose from the dead, Satan witness the total destruction of every plan and every scheme. He saw his power broken and himself judged. He was defeated forever by the Lord Jesus!

Ill. Consider what the Bible says about the devil's future - Rev. 20:1-3, 7-10! Glory! Victory has forever been won over the devil!

C. Do you understand it yet?

Because Jesus lives, You and I can be saved by the grace of God.
Because He lives, we can have our sins washed away forever.
Because He lives, we can go to Heaven when we leave this world.
Because He lives, the grave has no power over those who believe.
Because He lives, eternal live is our present possession.
Because He lives, one day we too will live with Him in that heavenly city.
Because He lives, I'll never have to take a step in this world alone.
Because He lives, there is hope, there is help and there is a home awaiting us in eternity.
Because He lives, I am alive.
Because He lives, my sins have been removed as far as the east is from the west.
Because He lives, my name is written in the Lamb's book of life.
Because He lives, God is my Father.
Because He lives, sin has no more dominion over me. Because He lives I am saved forever.
Oh, the list could go on forever. Until we had exhausted all the vocabulary and language of men. What we need to understand today is that HE LIVES!!

Conc: Have you come to the realization that Jesus is alive and that He is Who you need?

Do you understand what will happen if you die without Him?
Do you realize that there is no other way into Heaven than through the Lord Jesus Christ?
Did you know that His death was for you?
Did you know that His death will not mean anything to you until you bow before Him in repentance and humility and confess you sins unto Him?
Did you know that you could do that very thing today and be forever saved today?
Did you know that you can bow before a risen Savior today and worship Him?
Did you know you could thank Him for His grace, His love and the fact that He is alive?

Today would be a wonderful day to come before the Lord and renew your commitment to Him.
It would be a wonderful day to to thank Him and praise Him for His blessings in your life.
It would be a wonderful day to call on the risen Savior and trust Him for salvation, cleansing, help, or any of the many other things we humans desperately need.