Easter Sunday, work in progress

Saved as:  2015-04-05 - The Declaration - Luke 24.1-12 - April 5, 2015

Jokes:

==> Study Theme:  Nehemiah (Difficult situations require godly leadership. )

            Today:  God uses each of His covenant people to accomplish His purposes. (Nehemiah 7:1-8)

I.  Introduction:   

A.  Tell:     

Lesson:  Luke 24:1-12 

Context: Luke 22:1–24:12 

Memory Verse: Luke 24:6 - “He is not here, but He has been resurrected! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, 

Main Idea: The Son of Man received authority from His Father to lay down His life and take it up again in order that He might be both Just and Justifier of the one who has faith in Him.

B.  Lesson Introduction -- Introduction:

Lesson Outline

A.  THE EMPTY TOMB (LUKE 24:1-3)

B.  THE RISEN LORD DECLARED (LUKE 24:4-8)

C.  SURE WITNESSES (LUKE 24:9-12)

Focus Attention (First Thoughts)

GUIDE: As the group arrives, direct them to find the following Scripture passages in their Bibles: Luke 9:44-45 and Luke 18:31-34.

Luke 9:44-45Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB) ⁴⁴ “Let these words sink in:^[a] The Son of Man is about to be betrayed into the hands of men.”
⁴⁵ But they did not understand this statement; it was concealed from them so that they could not grasp it, and they were afraid to ask Him about it.^[b]

Footnotes:

1. Luke 9:44 Lit Put these words in your ears
2. Luke 9:45 Lit about this statement

Cross references:

1. 9:44 : Lk 9:22
2. 9:45 : Mk 6:52; Lk 2:50; 18:34; 24:25; Jn 10:6; 12:16; 16:17-19
3. 9:45 : Lk 18:34; 24:16

Luke 18:31-34Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

The Third Prediction of His Death

³¹ Then He took the Twelve aside and told them, “Listen! We are going up to Jerusalem. Everything that is written through the prophets about the Son of Man will be accomplished. ³² For He will be handed over to the Gentiles, and He will be mocked, insulted, spit on; ³³ and after they flog Him, they will kill Him, and He will rise on the third day.”
³⁴ They understood none of these things. This saying^[a] was hidden from them, and they did not grasp what was said.

Footnotes:

1. Luke 18:34 The meaning of the saying

After the group has settled down, call for two volunteers to read the passages. Ask: What do these passages say about the faith of Jesus’ disciples at that time? Explain that Jesus’ disciples had deep respect and devotion for Jesus because of all they had experienced and learned during the approximately three years of Jesus’ earthly ministry. In what ways would an intimate relationship with Jesus have impacted their faith?

REVIEW: Briefly review the events of Jesus’ life and the Book of Luke using the PSG pages 59-60. Talk about the theme of chapter 24. Display Pack Item 10 (Poster: Luke 24:6) to help reinforce the focal verse for today’s study.

FIRST THOUGHTS

If you’ve had an email account for longer than 10 minutes, then you’ve probably received one of these messages. It’s a message that promises there is big money waiting for you just a click away. The senders of these emails use all kinds of back stories—some exciting, some tragic, all fake—not to give you money but rather to gain access to your money. Emails like this are the very definition of “too good to be true.” What’s more, they can build in us a basic distrust of all amazing claims, even legitimate ones.

 

(In PSG, p. 59) What is your typical response to an amazing-sounding story or offer? How do you confirm whether the story or offer is valid?

 

The Bible tells of a group of women who were the first to hear the amazing claim that Jesus had been resurrected from the dead. Early on a Sunday morning—around daybreak in fact—these women returned to the cave-tomb where days before Jesus’ crucified body had been tenderly wrapped in a burial cloth and laid to rest. They came in their grief to put fragrant spices around the body. But they were met instead with a stunning declaration: Jesus isn’t here. He has risen from the dead!

Could this declaration be true? How could the bewildered women know for sure? And just as importantly, what are we today to make of this amazing claim about Jesus Christ? How are we to respond? How will we respond?

 

UNDERSTAND THE CONTEXT

This study and the next one focus on the Person and events that many Old Testament prophets foresaw. The prophets were given glimpses of insight into Jesus Christ’s life and saving work that could only be attributed to divine revelation. What they foresaw concerning the Promised Messiah, Jesus fulfilled in His sinless life, atoning death, and glorious resurrection.

Fast-forward from Jerusalem in the days of the Old Testament prophets to the city at some time around A.D. 30-33. The ancient empires of Assyria, Babylon, and Persia had long before been swept into the dust bin of history. The mighty Roman Empire had swallowed up all those kingdoms and more. At this time the city of Jerusalem festered under a corrupt, ruthless governor who had heavily armed Roman troops at his beck and call.

Jesus knew that His “hour” had come when He entered Jerusalem at the time of the Passover feast. He knew that the Jewish leaders were looking for a way get rid of Him. He also knew that one of His disciples, Judas, would conspire with the Jewish leaders to betray Him (see Luke 22:1-6).

The Jewish and Roman authorities in Jerusalem were always on guard at this time against the rise of Jewish messianic movements (see Acts 5:36-37). The movement centered around Jesus of Nazareth was of great concern to the Jewish authorities. He was teaching things that threatened to destabilize the entire Jewish religion. But most importantly, He claimed to be the divine Son of God (see Mark 14:61-62). This claim was so offensive to the Jews that their immediate reaction to it was to demand His death.

Jesus had known all along that He would have to die (see Matt. 16:21). He did not run from His death. He accepted it willingly, because He knew it was God the Father’s will (see Matt. 26:42). Jesus received authority from His Father to lay down His life and to take it up again, so that He might make righteous all who have faith in Him (John 10:17-18; Rom. 3:26).

EMPHASIZE: The faith of individuals in Jesus’ resurrection narrative held pivotal consequences for the future of God’s plan of redemption.

ASK: What difference would it have made for the world if the women who visited the tomb or the disciples had not believed that Jesus had been resurrected? Challenge the group to reflect on the following question during the study today: What do I believe about Jesus Christ?

TRANSITION: Just as the women’s and the disciples’ faith about Jesus’ resurrection held pivotal consequences, the same is true for our faith in the resurrection of Jesus today. Belief in the resurrection is a matter of life or death for everyone.

Explore the Text

READ: Ask a volunteer to read Luke 24:1-3. Then use the information under “The Empty Tomb” on pages 61-62 of the PSG to expound on these verses. Explain the three episodes of Luke’s account of Jesus’ resurrection.

II.  Lesson

A.  THE EMPTY TOMB (LUKE 24:1-3)

(1) On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came to the tomb, bringing the spices they had prepared.
(2) They found the stone rolled away from the tomb. (3) They went in but did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

 

VERSE 3

Because the soldiers were unconscious, the arriving women found the burial cave unguarded and open. Meeting no opposition, the women therefore pushed aside whatever fears they may have had and entered the tomb.

What they found once they stepped into the cave must have created a whirlwind of emotions and thoughts. Surprise, dismay, puzzlement, anger, fear, anxiety, and grief hit each of them at once, because they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus in the tomb.

 

(In PSG, p. 62) What would have been your expectations on Sunday morning had you witnessed the crucifixion of Jesus? Would the empty tomb alone have been enough to convince you of Jesus’ resurrection? Explain.

B.  THE RISEN LORD DECLARED (LUKE 24:4-8)

(4) While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men stood by them in dazzling clothes. (5) So the women were terrified and bowed down to the ground. “Why are you looking for the living among the dead?” asked the men. (6) “He is not here, but He has been resurrected! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, (7) saying, ‘The Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men, be crucified, and rise on the third day’?” (8) And they remembered His words.

 

READ: Ask a volunteer to read Luke 24:4-8. Note the differences between the Gospel accounts that are mentioned in “The Risen Lord Declared” on page 62 of the PSG.

ASK: What role did the angels play in these verses? Share information about the role of angels from page 63 in the PSG. Then ask a volunteer to read Matthew 18:10. What responsibility do angels have as indicated in this verse?
C.  SURE WITNESSES (LUKE 24:9-12)

9 Returning from the tomb, they reported all these things to the Eleven and to all the rest. 10 Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them were telling the apostles these things. 11 But these words seemed like nonsense to them, and they did not believe the women. 12 Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. When he stooped to look in, he saw only the linen cloths. So he went home, amazed at what had happened.