Nov. 10, 2022
Key verse 19: "But in the evening of the first day of the week, when the disciples had gathered and the doors were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the midst of them and said to them, 'Peace be with you!'"
We heard the rapture of Elijah through the message the Sunday before last and the rapture of Enoch last Sunday. The two did not experience physical death.
Today we want to learn about the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
One difference of Jesus' resurrection from the two is that Jesus rose from the dead after his physical death.
This is good news for us because one day we will die physically and then be resurrected.
Last Monday I heard that Mrs. Ilse Steinecke, who was babysitter of my two sons without pay, went to Heavenly Father. For she was overthrown, she had an operation and then died.
Her husband had cancer about 20 years ago and had gone to heaven. When he was near his earthly life, he asked me through his wife to come and do the last pastoral care. I explained to him the forgiveness of sins through faith in Jesus and the resurrection of the believer.
When I asked him if he believed in it, he said yes.
After about two days I heard from his wife that he saw heaven open in a dream and went to Heavenly Father.
The forgiveness of sins and the believer's resurrection are two major points of the gospel. Today I want to speak about the resurrection of Christ, because his resurrection means that we who believe in Jesus Christ will also be resurrected.
1. The open grave (1-10)
The resurrection news of Christ begins like this:
"On the first day of the week (i.e., Sunday), Mary Magdalene came early to the tomb while it was still dark, and saw that the stone was gone from the tomb" (verse 1).
Mary Magdalene was formerly greatly tormented by seven evil spirits (Luke 8:2). But Jesus healed them. Out of gratitude, she followed Jesus wherever he went.
But to their horror, he was crucified on Friday. She followed him to Calvary and stayed under the cross while he hung on the cross. She then comes to his grave early on Easter Sunday morning to anoint his body with oil. She wants his body to be preserved for as long as possible, and with it her fond memories of his grace and love.
When Mary has reached the tomb, lo and behold, the stone is gone, and the tomb is completely open. Jesus rose from the dead.
So the open tomb of Jesus is a symbol of Jesus' victory over death, the devil and hell. It is also an invitation for all to believe in his resurrection and in the kingdom of heaven.
Mary can see that Jesus' body is missing, but does not yet believe in his resurrection. She is still sad because her thought of Christ's death has stuck.
She runs to Simon Peter and John and tells them that the tomb is empty.
Peter and John go to his tomb and find that the tomb is empty.
2. "Woman, why are you crying?" (11-18)
Although Peter and John have gone away from the tomb, Mary Magdalene is still there. She is heartbroken and cannot part with his grave. And she cries and cries.
And Mary looks into the tomb and sees two people dressed in white sitting.
However, Mary does not realize that the two are angels.
Then the angels asked Mary: "Woman, why are you crying?" (13a).
The angels want to say to her: “Mary, you do not need to be sad or to cry. He is risen. Be happy."
But Maria does not understand the meaning of the question. So she keeps crying and says: "They have taken my master and I do not know where they have put him" (13b).
When Mary turns around, she sees Jesus standing. But she doesn't recognize Jesus.
Then the risen Jesus asks Mary: “Woman, why are you crying? Who are you looking for?” (15).
The risen Jesus also asks us: “Why are you crying? Who are you looking for? – a dead one or a living one?”
Mary cries for the following reasons:
1) Because she did not believe in the resurrection of Jesus, she is helpless in the face of the power of death.
2) Because innocent Jesus was unjustly horribly killed. When we think of the unjust world, we become sad and bitter.
3) Because his body would also have been dragged out of the grave and desecrated. She wants to satisfy her longing for Jesus by caring for Jesus' tomb.
4) Because she can no longer see a bright future without Jesus. Without Jesus, their future looks bleak.
What is our future without Jesus, considering that we will grow old and die one day? Won't we weep like Mary?
When Mary did not recognize Jesus, Jesus said to her: "Mary!"
Then she recognizes him and says: "Lord!" (15.16).
Jesus makes sad Mary happy and sends her out as a messenger of joy.
And Mary shares this good news with the disciples of Jesus, who hid for fear of persecution. But the disciples do not believe in the resurrection of Jesus.
3. "Peace be with you!" (19-23)
Despite the closed doors, the risen Jesus came in and said to the anxious disciples: "Peace be with you!" (19).
Jesus shows them his hands and side. Then the disciples become very happy and have peace of heart because they believe in his resurrection.
Believing in the risen Jesus is the way to overcome fear and sorrow and to have deep peace of heart and great joy.
Those who are joyless and sad should think about the resurrection of Jesus and their own future resurrection. Then he becomes happy and confident again.
The risen Jesus says to his disciples and also to us:
“Peace be with you! As the Father sent me, so I send you.”
The disciples have been very fearful until recently.
But Jesus makes them happy through his resurrection and sends them out into the world.
Jesus also makes us happy and sends us out to university, work or to friends.
We are to proclaim the good news of his resurrection to everyone, so that as many people as possible believe in him and rise from the dead when they sleep.
Jesus makes us happy so that we can share our joy with others.
People fear death because they are helpless against the power of death.
But Jesus triumphed over death and gives us resurrection and eternal life.
That is why Jesus says to us: "Peace be with you!"
People are restless and restless for various reasons.
If one examines their reasons closely, one finds that they are ultimately restless for fear of death.
In Korea, you have to pass an entrance exam to enter university. And students have to pay tuition fee.
I learned day and night to get good grades in the entrance exam and to be able to go to university with a scholarship.
But once in a while it occurred to me that I was going to die anyway. I lost interest in learning. But I suppressed that thought and studied again.
I was only able to really get rid of this anxiety problem when I was able to attend a church and believe in Jesus Christ in my first semester at university.
The risen Jesus gives true peace to all of us who believe in his sacrificial death and resurrection because he rose from the dead.
Jesus freed us from the power of death and gave us eternal life. We will be resurrected and enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, we who believe in his resurrection need not fear death, but have deep peace of heart.
We also have peace of heart because Jesus lives. He loves us so much that he willingly gave his life for us. This risen Jesus cares for us. He is always with us, leading us on the right road and taking us to the kingdom of heaven.
Apostle Paul firmly believed in the resurrection of Christ. Therefore, he always had peace of heart and said in Rom. 8:31b-32:
“If God is for us, who can be against us? Who did not spare his own son, but gave him up for us all?”
4. "Blessed are they that see not, and yet believe" (24-31)
Thomas, one of the twelve disciples, was not there when Jesus appeared to the disciples. When the other disciples said to him, "We have seen the Lord,"
he replies, "Unless I see the nail prints in his hands and put my finger in the nail prints and put my hand in his side, I cannot believe it."
Eight days later, Jesus comes back to the disciples. Thomas is with them too.
Jesus comes in, although all the doors are locked, and stands in the midst of them and says: "Peace be with you!"
Then he speaks to Thomas: "Reach out your finger and see my hands and stretch out your hand and put it in my side, and do not disbelieve, but believe!"
Then Thomas replies: "My Lord and my God!"
Then Jesus says: "Because you have seen me, Thomas, therefore you believe. Blessed are they who do not see and yet believe!"
We also believe, even though we have not seen the risen Jesus. So we are blessed.
The apostle John writes in verses 30 and 31 his intention with his Gospel of John:
“Jesus did many other signs before his disciples that are not written here in this book. But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life (i.e., blessed and eternal life) in his name."
So that we believe in Jesus as Christ and God's Son, we have the forgiveness of sins and eternal blessed life.
Through this faith we are to be living fish, live happily and also help others to have forgiveness of sins and eternal life through faith in Jesus' death and resurrection.
The risen Jesus says to us today: "Peace be with you!" You may forget everything I preached today. But you must not forget that the risen Jesus said to you: “Peace be with me!”