By The Rev. Ron Purkey
Guest Columnist

Read: Luke chapter 24

“He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee.” (Luke 24:6)

The Rev. Ron Purkey

Something distinguishes Christianity from all the religions of the world. Not only does it carry the truth of the redemption, by the death of our Savior for our sins on the cross, but it carries the fact that Christ rose again.

The women who had lingered at the cross and seen the burial were the first at the tomb when the Sabbath was ended. They were worried about how to open the tomb (Mark 16:1-3), only to discover that the tomb was not only open but empty! The body of Jesus was not there! An angel had come and rolled the stone away (Matthew 28:2). On entering the tomb, they saw two angels (Mark mentions only one — see Mark 16:5) who told them that Jesus was alive and risen from the dead. Had they remembered Jesus’ words, they would have saved themselves a great deal of sorrow (Matthew 17:9, 22-23; 20:17-19; John 2:19-22).

The first ambassadors of the resurrection message were the devoted women who were faithful to Jesus. They gave the message to the 11 apostles who did not believe it! Did the apostles think that the women were deceived or delirious? Peter and John ran to examine the evidence (Luke 24:12; John 20:1-18), but this left them bewildered. What a difference it would have made had the believers only remembered and believed his promises!

Then Jesus himself appeared in the Upper Room, despite of locked doors (John 20:19-25). Instead of welcoming him and rejoicing, the believers were terrified, afraid, and troubled; so Jesus assured them that it was he and that he was alive. The wounds (not “scars”) on his hands and feet (Psalm 22:16) and in his side (John 20:20) were identification enough. By eating some fish and honey he proved that he was not a phantom. His resurrection body had flesh and bones (Luke 24:39) and yet could appear and vanish and even go through solid closed doors.

During that meeting, Jesus gave them his peace (Luke 24:36), the assurance of his real presence, and a new understanding of the Scriptures (Luke 24:45). During his years with them, he had taught them much from the word; but now he gave them insight into what the Old Testament said about him and his redemptive ministry.

Only the Christian faith claims that its leader died and rose again and is alive at this moment. Many gravestones carry the inscription, “Here lies…,” but on Christ’s tomb are emblazoned the words, “He is not here.” Christianity has no shrines to visit, no dusty remains to admire, no tombs at which to worship. Many good men have lived, and still live, in the memory of those who knew them, but there is only one man who conquered death — Jesus Christ — and he (the Son of God) will live forever.

Read Ron Purkey’s Bible study outlines free at rcpbibleoutlines.com. Purkey has been an ordained Baptist minister for 50 years.