He has Risen - Luke 24:1-12 - Daily Sunday School Reading

The women brought spices to the tomb as we would bring flowers - as a sign of love and respect. Ordinarily a body was embalmed at burial and not a day and a half later, but Jesus died only a few hours before sun down on Friday. When the Sabbath began. By the time Joseph had received Pilate's permission to take the body and had put it in his tomb, there was longer time for embalming. The women went home and kept the Sabbath as the law required. From sundown Friday to sundown Saturday, before gathering their spices and returning to the tomb.

The two angels in shining garment. They asked the women why they were looking in a tomb for someone who was alive. Often we run into people who are looking for God among the dead. They study the Bible as a more historical document and go to Church as if to a memorial service. But Jesus is not among the dead - He lives! He reigns in the hearts of Christians, and He is the head of the Church. Do you look for Jesus among the living? Do you expect Him to be active in the world and in the Church? Look for signs of His power - they are all around you.

People who hear about the resurrection for the first time may need time before they can comprehend this amazing story, like the disciples, they may pass through four stages of belief.

(1) At first, they may think it is a fairy tale, impossible to belief.

(2) Like Peter they may check the facts but still be puzzled about what happened.

(3) Only when they encounter Jesus personally are they able to accept the fact of the resurrection.

(4) Then as they commit themselves to Jesus and devote their lives to serving Him, they begin to understand the reality of His presence with them.

It was very early in the morning on the first day of the week. The women took the spices they had prepared. Then they went to the tomb. They found the stone rolled back away from it.

When they entered the tomb, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

They were wondering about this. Suddenly two men in clothes as bright as lightning stood beside them.

The women were terrified. They bowed down with their faces to the ground. Then the men said to them, "why do you look for the living among the dead?"

Jesus is not here! He has risen! Remember how He told you He would rise, it was while He was still with you in Galilee.

He said, the Son of Man must be handed over to sinful people. He must be nailed to a cross. On the third day He will rise from the dead.

Then the women remembered Jesus words.

They came back from the tomb. They told all these things to the eleven apostles and to all the others.

Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them were the ones who told the apostles.

But the apostles did not believe the women. Their words didn't make only sense to them. Their words didn't make any sense to them.

But Peter got up and ran to the tomb. He bent over and saw the strips of linen lying by themselves. Then he went wondering what had happened.

At the crack of dawn on Sunday, the women came to the tomb carrying the burial spices they had prepared. They found the entrance stone rolled back from the tomb, so they walked in. But once inside, they couldn't find the body of the master Jesus.

They were puzzled, wondering what to make of this. Then, out of no where it seemed, two men, light cascading over them, stood there. The women were awestruck and bowed down in worship. The men said, "why are you looking for the living one in a cemetery? He is not here, but raised up. Remember how He told you when you were still back in Galilee that He had to be handed over to sinners, lost his life on a cross, and in three days rise up?" Then they remembered Jesus words.

They left the tomb and broke the news of all this to the eleven and the rest. Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them kept telling these things, to the apostles, but the apostles didn't believe a word of it.

Reference scripture used from The Life Application Bible, The NIrV Bible, and The Message Bible

Jesus Is Alive - Children's Sunday School Lesson - John 20:1-12 - Sunday - 4/1/18

The Tomb Is Empty. Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene. Jesus Appears To His Disciples.

Who went to Jesus grave? What did she find? Who spoke to her? What happened to Jesus?

Jesus was God's Son. The Bible says it was impossible for Jesus to stay dead.

Jesus really did die. But He had the power to come back to life because He was God's Son.

Jesus Is Alive.

Acts 2:24 ... But God raised Him from the dead, freeing Him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on Him.

Early on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb. It was still dark. She saw that the stone had been moved away from the entrance. So she ran to Simon Peter and another disciple. She said, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb! We don't know where they have put Him!"

So Peter and the other Disciple started out for the tomb. The other Disciple ran faster than Peter. He reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the stripes of linen lying there. But he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came along behind him. He also saw the funeral cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus' head. It was separate from the linen. The Disciples who had reached the tomb first also went inside. He saw and believed. They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.

But Mary stood outside tomb crying. She saw two angels dressed in white. They were seated where Jesus' body had been. One of them was where Jesus' head had been laid. The other sat where His feet had been placed.

They asked her, Woman why are you crying? Who are you looking for?

Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned toward Him. Then she cried out in the Aramaic language, "Rabboni!" Rabboni means Teacher.

Jesus said, Do not hold on to me. I have not yet ascended to the Father. Instead go to those who believe in me. Tell them, 'I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'

Mary Magdalene went to the Disciples with the news. She said, "I have seen the Lord!" And she told them that He had said these things to her.

On the evening of that first day of the week, the Disciples were together. They had locked the doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Jesus came in and stood among them. He said, "May peace be with you!" Then He showed them His hands and His side. The Disciples were very happy when they saw the Lord.

Scripture reference used from: NIrV May the Faith Be With You Holy Bible @ Zondervan 2017