Sermon Notes - Resurrection Sunday - Luke 24 - Littleby Baptist Church - April 17, 2022

 1.     For Good Friday we took a look at Jesus asking the Father to forgive them for they know not what they do.

2.     While that statement was made while on the cross, the words to be applied beyond that point in time.

a.      Father forgive those involved in the events that lead up to that day.

b.     Father forgive all who have and will sin that brought the need for Jesus to pay that price.

c.      Father forgive them for they know not what they do.

3.     Jesus climbed on that cross for all of our sins to be forgiven.

4.     But Then He rose from the dead giving us new life, which is what we are celebrating this morning!

5.     Our Lord has Risen from the dead!

6.     As we sit here today, we know what happened.

a.      But the people around on that day, they did not.

b.     Many did not believe or did not understand what Jesus had taught them.

c.      They were full of fear.

d.     They had lost hope.

e.      They did not have any peace.

f.      Without Jesus they were lost.

g.     Without Jesus we are lost.

7.     Jesus knew people were not going to understand.

a.      That is why He did not rise from the dead and disappear.

8.     Jesus had to make His resurrection known so that people would believe.

9.     He appeared to a couple of ladies at the tomb.

10.  He appeared to two on the road to Emmaus.

11.  Then He appeared to his followers.

12.  Luke 24:36-40

a.      As those who saw Jesus on the road to Emmaus were telling the others about Jesus’ appearance, He suddenly appeared in their midst.

b.     They were startled and terrified.

                                                    i.     Does not sound like they were believing what they were seeing, they definitely did not have His Peace and Hope.

c.      They were seeing Jesus but thought He was a ghost.

d.     They may have been wondering if they were imagining all of this.

e.      Was their grief overwhelming them?

f.      Seeing Jesus was not enough to Believe.

g.     Then He asked them why they were troubled?

                                                    i.     Now they see Him and hear Him.

                                                  ii.     He pointed to His hands and feet.

                                                iii.     Yet they were still in disbelief.

h.     I think about how we can see God at work in so many ways, yet we do not always believe.

                                                    i.     We let things of the world distract us.

                                                  ii.     We let doubts and worry creep in.

                                                iii.     We may wonder if we are ‘good’ enough.

                                                iv.     There are a lot of ways we see God at work every day, but as followers of Jesus we still struggle with our belief.

                                                  v.     Imaging how hard it is for those who do do not believe.

i.       The disciples and the others these still had doubts.

13.  Luke 24:41-43

a.      They see Jesus, they hear Jesus, but they were unsure.

                                                    i.     So, Jesus took it one step further to prove that He was real.

                                                  ii.     He ate a fish.  

                                                iii.     Seems simple enough, but for many that was the proof they needed.

                                                iv.     The proof that made them realize that His resurrection was real.

b.     I cannot explain why seeing, hearing, or touching were not enough.

c.      But I do know that each person who chooses to follow Jesus does so at different points.

d.     Some are raised in the church and believing is came easy.

e.      Some need the Holy Spirit to grab a hold of them and shake them up a bit before their eyes are opened to all that Jesus is offering.

f.      Most probably fall somewhere between those two.

g.     All need some form of proof, some form of faith, to turn to Jesus.

14.  If you are not following Jesus this morning, what is holding you back, what proof are you looking for, what is keeping you from believing?

15.  Let’s look at what else Jesus had to say.

16.  Luke 24:44-46

a.      Jesus laid it out for them.

b.     He spelled out the scriptures for them.

c.      Think about Isaiah 53 that we reviewed on Good Friday.

d.     Those verses painted a clear picture that Jesus needed to suffer to pay the price for our sin.  

e.      They foretold of the events that had just happened.

f.      Those verses also talked about how Jeus would rule for all eternity.

g.     He will be surrounded by those who believe in Him.

h.     Jesus opened the minds of His followers so they could understand what Scripture told them.

                                                    i.     He made sure they would understand what was needed.

i.       All that Jesus had told them became clear to them.

17.  Luke 24:46-47 – backing up one verse

a.      To the followers gathered in that room they received two messages in these two verses.

b.     Verse 46 – That all of these events were destinated to happen.

c.      Verse 47 – This was a more of a command, that ties with Acts 1:8 where Jesus told believers to go and make disciples.

18.  If we look at these two verses from our standpoint in history, we can see the command, but we see more.

a.      Here we are roughly 2,000 years later and that message of repentance and forgiveness has been proclaimed in the name of Jesus.

b.     The message was proclaimed in words and letters, ultimately turning into the Scripture we study today.

c.      We have non-Biblical sources that tell us how most of the disciples were martyred for proclaiming this message of repentance and forgiveness in the name of Jesus.

                                                    i.     They died for a message they believed in.

d.     From our point in history, we can see proof that Jesus’ message was preached, which is proof that the people who heard it firsthand believed it fully.

e.      Proof that Jesus is real.

19.  Luke 24:48-49

a.      Jesus is telling them that they will receive the One the Father promised.

20.  Acts 2:1-4

a.      The Holy Spirit came.

b.     Proof that what Jesus said was true.

c.      The fact that Peter preached, called for repentance, and many were saved is proof.

                                                    i.     Proof that the Holy Spirit empowered them as Jesus said He would.

21.  The fact that here we are talking about Him 2,000 years later, is proof that Jesus’ resurrection was real and that the Holy Spirit is at work in this world.  

22.  If Jesus’ Resurrection is FACT, what else is needed for those that believe to fully trust that He will never leave us for forsake us?

23.  Paul, one of those who died for his faith in Jesus stated:

a.      Romans 10:9-13

b.     Repentance leads to salvation.

24.  If you don’t know Jesus, repent of your sins and ask for His forgiveness before it is to late.

25.  If you do know Jesus, let the author and perfector of your faith help you to trust in Him.