The four Gospels tell of the resurrection and when it happened. It was on the first day of the week, Sunday. All four state it was very early on the first day.
Luke 24 tells us about the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ. There are six areas we will look at:
1. The place (verse 1): It was a sepulcher of one of his disciples. No one had ever been laid in the tomb.
2. The phenomenon (verses 2-6): The stone that covered the sepulcher was rolled away. No body was inside. Two men were standing in shining garments. The two men said, “Why seek ye the living among the dead,” then the seven words that the world needed: “He is not here, he is risen.”
3. The price — Calvary (verse 7): The Bible says the son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise again.
4. The promise (verse 8): They remember what he had told them — what would happen on the third day.
5. The purpose: To complete the Gospel and fulfill the prophecies of the Old Testament.
6. The proof (verse 6): He was not there but has risen.
What were some of the prophecies being fulfilled? We will look at several prophecies that were fulfilled in the Old and New Testaments.
“He will bruise thy head, and though shalt bruise his heel” (Genesis 3:15).
“A virgin shall conceive and bear a son; his name will be Immanuel, which means God with us” (Isaiah 7:14).
A virgin Mary was to have a son, and his name would be Jesus (Luke 1:26-35).
There are many other places in the word of God we could look at, for example 1 Corinthians 15:3-4: “For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and that he was buried, and on the third day he rose according to the scriptures.”
Or Acts 17:30-31: “And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men everywhere to repent: because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained (Jesus); whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him (Jesus) from the dead” (Acts 17:30-31).
There’s also a promise of life in John 14:19: “Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.” And Romans 1:4 reveals power: “And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.”
John 14:3 promises his return: “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”
I hope you will take the time and read the above and put your faith in the word of God. Your eternal life will be in the heavens or in the lake of fire and brimstone.
Joseph Merriman is pastor of First Baptist Church of Greenfield. This weekly column is written by local clergy members.
