The Resurrection & The Gospel

There are many both within and without the visible Church that hear but don't hear, see but don't see and know but don't know Jesus. This week we concentrated on the reality that we can truly hear, see and know Jesus because He is resurrected and gives to us His resurrection life.

Have you ever heard something, but not really heard it?

The reason you can hear something but not hear it is that the word “hear” has multiple meanings:

• Hear: to be informed of something
• Hear: to listen to; give or pay attention to

You can certainly be informed about something, but not really pay attention to it

Have you ever seen something, but not really seen it?

The reason you can see something but not see it is that the word “see” has multiple meanings:

• See: to perceive with the eyes; look at
• See: to read or read about

• See: understand: to see the point of something
• See: to be cognizant of; recognize

You can certainly look at something, read about something, but not see the point of it or recognize the significance of it

Have you ever known something, but not really known it?

The reason you can know something but not know it is that the word “know” has multiple meanings:

• Know: to be aware of something – fact, circumstance, occurance; have information about something.
• Know: to have knowledge or perceive something with clarity and certainty, as of fact or truth.

You can certainly be aware of somtething or even have information about something, but not really understand it with any kind of clarity or certainty

These three questions are just as pertinent to our spiritual life as they are our natural life:

1. Is it possible that you’ve been informed about Jesus, but not necessarily paid close attention to Him? You’ve heard but haven’t heard?
2. Is it possible that you’ve looked into Jesus, read about Jesus, but not recognized the significance of Him or the point of His life, death and Resurrection? You’ve seen but not seen.
3. Is possible that you’ve been made aware of Jesus, that you’ve received information about Jesus, even good information, but not really understood who He is and what He’s done with clarity and certainty? You’ve known but not known
   
   

Three Questions & Three Kinds of People

People Who Hear, But Don’t Hear (24:1-8)

The ladies that first visited Jesus’ tomb didn’t get what He had already told them many times. In fact, they were perplexed by the empty tomb. (v:4)

• And he began to teach them that the Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders and the chief priests and the scribes and be killed, and after three days rise again. (Mark 8:31)
• ...for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, "The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise. (Mark 9:31)
• And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise. (Mark 10:34)

Because they heard but didn’t hear, they were living without hope (v:1). The women took spices to preserve His body, preserve His memory, to preserve some kind of hope. But all that they were trying to preserve would have been dead if Jesus wasn’t alive.

• And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. (1 Cor. 15:17-19
  
  

“Why do you seek the living among the dead?”

Why do we seek living hope in things that are dead…….In people that are only remembered, NOT resurrected?

• Jesus is not just the dead figurehead of a religion
• Jesus is not just a good moral teacher and example who’s memory and life lives on through the somewhat good example of His followers
• Jesus is not just a philosopher who’s philosophies live on through His teachings
• Jesus is God in Human flesh, and is not dead, but resurrected, and continues to lead, not as a dead figurehead, but as a living head of His church, continues to teach, not as a moral teacher or philosopher, but as God Himself

Like the women, when we hear but don’t hear, are building our hope on something dead, while all the while Jesus is alive. Do you hear Jesus? Do you have hope in Jesus and because of Jesus?

People Who See, But Don’t See (24:9-12)

Imagine all the evidence they had……what they had seen, and yet they didn't see.
What about all the evidence we have?

• The Prophetic Testimony of Scripture (Prophetic Evidence)
• Eyewitness Testimony (Direct Evidence)
  
  • Peter…..The 12…….James…….500……..Paul

• Character Witness (Indirect Evidence)
  
  • Paul…….The Corinthians…….The Apostles…….Few billion people today

• Exta-Biblical Facts (Unbiased Historical Evidence)
  
  • Josephus, etc

The Resurrection is either the Greatest Hoax in history, or it’s the Great Hope of history – it can’t be anything else

People Who Know, But Don’t Know (24:13-35)

The disciples on the road to Emmaus didn’t know what they thought they knew. Jesus didn’t seem to do what they expected Him to do, and He wasn't who they expected Him to be.

Because Jesus didn’t do what they expected Him to do, they revealed their deep misunderstandings about what they thought they knew.

Three (3) Misunderstandings About Jesus:

Misunderstood Who He Was: A Prophet (v:19)

The disciples on the Emmaus road had misunderstood who Jesus was, even though Jesus had explicitly told them:

• Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" And they said, "Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Simon Peter replied, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God." And Jesus answered him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 16:13-17)

Some people still misunderstand Jesus because they believe He’s just a prophet...Just a good moral teacher and example...Just a wise philosopher...Just a spiritual healer or miracle worker. Jesus is all of these things...AND MORE

Have you misunderstood who Jesus really is?

Misunderstood What He Would Do: Save them from their sins, not necessarily their situation (v:21)

“…..the one to redeem (free, buy back) Israel.”

They wanted to be redeemed from their situation, but Jesus had come to redeem them from something far greater – their sin.

• We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. (Romans 6:6-7)
• ...who gave himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. (Titus 2:14)

Have you misunderstood what Jesus would do for you?

Misunderstood How He Would Do It: Crucifixion & Resurrection (v:20)

Their entire lives they expected a Messiah, a deliverer, to physically deliver them with physical force and might

• Their entire lives they were taught that the Messiah could never be crucified (Deut.21:23)

So when Jesus was delivered up by the Jewish leaders and Romans to be crucified, their hopes were dashed. Some people still think Jesus was headed somewhere good until the Jews and Romans ruined everything by illegally condemning Him. But that's not what Jesus said:

• For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father. (John 10:17-18)

Have you assumed Jesus would act in a way you never thought He would?

Want to listen more?

If you want to listen more, take an hour to listen to this message on Sin by Mark Dirscoll from Mars Hill Church in Seattle: http://www.marshillchurch.org/media/doctrine/resurrection-god-saves

Want to read more?

• Article from Dr. Normal Geisler: http://www.equip.org/site/c.muI1LaMNJrE/b.2548567/k.FFA4/I_Believe_In_The_Resurrection_of_the_Flesh.htm
• The Case for the Resurrection of Jesus by Gary R. Habermas and Michael R. Licona
• The Case for the Resurrection by Lee Strobel: http://www.amazon.com/Case-Resurrection-First-Century-Investigative-Reporter/dp/0310949890/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1270586100&sr=8-1