366: Bryan Styles – Exhortation: Comfort One Another with These Words

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Welcome to good Christophian
talks.

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Thank you for joining us this
week.

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On this podcast, we select one
talk a week to help us get the

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Bible in our Daily News feed.
Each week we post a talk that we

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previewed from suggestions sent
in by listeners from.

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Around the world.
Then we record a short intro

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beforehand as a personalized
recommendation to you on why we

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are sharing the talk.
And now let’s talk more about

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this week’s talk.
Hello all, and welcome back.

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This is brother Benji.
I’m so excited to be joining the

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Good Christadelphian Talks
podcast as one of your new

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hosts.
I’ve been listening to GCT for

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many years now, weekly.
I’ve been encouraged by these

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good talks and I’m abundantly
grateful for the spiritual lift

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they bring me every time, right
when I need it.

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I’m honoured and privileged to
play a small part in its

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function now, and I hope to
continue sharing with you all

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this same encouragement.
This week’s talk will be an

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exhortation given by Brother
Brian Styles at the Livonia

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Ecclesia in Michigan on the 26th
of January earlier this year to

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the theme Comfort one Another.
With these words, Brother Brian

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walks us through the
resurrection accounts, calling

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to view the details spread
across the four Gospels.

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I particularly loved his closing
remarks regarding the parallel

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between our Lord’s resurrection
and the coming resurrection.

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I found this talk very
comforting and encouraging, and

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I’m sure you will too.
So with that, I’ll give you over

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to our brother Brian for his
exhortation.

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Comfort one another with these
words.

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Good morning, my dear brothers
and sisters in our Lord Jesus

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Christ.
Today’s third portion reading is

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about the resurrection of Jesus.
And as I was taking a look at

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this reading, I began to think
about how many times we’ve

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actually read this account.
In one year alone.

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We read it 8 times.
It’s in all four accounts of the

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Gospel.
We read through the New

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Testament twice.
But I began to wonder, how many

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times have we really stepped
back and tried to put ourselves

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in the account, to experience
it, to piece all the different

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elements together and enter into
the story itself.

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And that’s really what we intend
to do this morning by way of

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exhortation, really three
things.

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One is to try to make it come
alive for ourselves to see the

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pieces as they come together.
The second is to see the call to

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action.
What did those do at the time

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who had received this good news
about the resurrection?

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And what are we expected to do
today?

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And 3rd is to conclude with the
message of hope that’s contained

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within the resurrection for each
of us.

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Well, as we begin try to imagine
what the believers were

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experiencing after the death of
our Lord Jesus Christ.

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Just 3 1/2 years earlier, Jesus
had appeared on the public stage

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and he brought with him a
promise of deliverance.

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But that deliverance was
different depending on who you

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were.
Some looked at Jesus to deliver

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them from the Roman authority.
Others had chronic illness or

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disease from which they wanted
to be delivered.

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Some had sin that burdened them
down that they felt trapped by,

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that they needed to be delivered
from by the Lord Jesus Christ.

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And others had loved ones that
they wanted to be raised back to

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life.
Well, in addition to individual

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expectations, there was an
overriding national expectation

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of what Jesus would do.
That he’d cast off the Roman

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authority, that he’d established
the Kingdom, and that those who

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were with him, those who were
faithful, would receive

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positions of prominence in his
Kingdom.

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And as seeming evidence of this,
his innumerable healings, his

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amazing miracles, and his
irrefutable teachings all seem

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to only further this storyline
of what it was that Jesus would

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do in regards to delivering the
people at that time.

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In fact, just one week before
the crucifixion, Jesus had

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ridden into the city as the
former kings of Judah would do

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on the donkey, and the people
were crying out.

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Hosanna, son of David.
Save now, is what they were

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saying.
Jesus was going to set up the

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Kingdom, or so they thought.
His disciples thought that this

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was it.
The Kingdom was now here.

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And yet, how quickly things can
change to where life’s events

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veer drastically from one’s
expectations.

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Because within just one week of
time, the disciples were now on

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the other side of the Lord’s
death.

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In one moment, they were
joyfully welcoming Jesus into

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the city.
And in just one week’s time,

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that joy had precipitously
fallen, and their hopes and

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aspirations were dashed to
pieces.

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For many, their hopes and
expectations died when Jesus

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died on the cross.
And even though that was true

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for many, that wasn’t the case
for all because there was a

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group of faithful women who
stayed with Jesus until the end.

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If you’re not already there, if
you could open to Matthew

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chapter 27 and we find in verse
55 the women, we could join them

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now at the site of the cross.
We’re told that there were many

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women beholding afar off.
This is after Jesus had now

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died, but still at the site of
the crucifixion.

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And we’re told that amongst them
were Mary Magdalene and Mary,

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the mother of James and Joseph
and the mother of Zebedee’s

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children.
A few helpful cross references

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next to this verse would be
Matthew 13 and verse 55 because

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it identifies the mother of
James and Joseph as Mary, the

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mother of Jesus.
Mark 15 and verse 40 connects

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that the mother of Zebedee’s
children would have been Salome

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and John 19 and verse 25 links
Salome as the sister to Jesus

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mother.
It’s interesting as well because

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over in John 19 verse 25 it also
tells us that Mary the wife of

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Cleophus was one of the women
there and so amongst the group

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were Mary Magdalene, Mary the
mother of Jesus, Mary the wife

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of Cleophus and Salome, Mary’s
sister.

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We know as well from John 19,
verse 25, that during the

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crucifixion that these women
were actually at the foot of the

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cross, very close to Jesus
himself.

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They were there likely for the
duration, the six hours.

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They would have experienced the
three hours of darkness from

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noon until 3:00 PM, and the
lifting of that darkness at the

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very hour when the Passover lamb
would have been slain.

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They’d heard the final words of
Jesus.

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It is finished as He committed
His life into the hand of His

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Father, as Jesus bowed his head,
and death, as we’re told in John

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19 and verse 30.
Matthew tells us here in chapter

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27 and verse 51 that the earth
beneath them suddenly began to

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quake, and you can imagine that
people would scream and alarm as

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they stumbled to gain footing.
We’re told as well in Matthew’s

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account that the rocks
themselves split, and you can

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imagine the sound of rocks
tearing apart and beneath them

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they would hear the moan of the
earth’s plates.

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It was as though the earth
itself was groaning and

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anguishing over the death of the
Son of God.

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But as the earth stopped
quaking, those present would

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have looked around at each other
and then they would have stared

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up at the cross, and they would
have seen the body of Jesus

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hanging motionless on the cross.
And such was the impact of the

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scene that we’re told in Matthew
27 and verse 54 that the

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centurion and those who are with
them were led to proclaim truly

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this was the Son of God.
You can imagine those present

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staring at the cross for a
period of time in the silence

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that now ensued, wondering if
perhaps something might happen,

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if the body might begin to move.
But in the moments that

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followed, as the earth settled
and the reality of the scene set

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in, a deep conviction came over
those who were present.

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They had done something terribly
wrong, but there was now no

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going back.
Luke 23 and verse 48 tells us

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that those who were present
smote their chest as a sign of

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the deep anguish that they felt
within, and they returned home.

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What else could they do at this
point?

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Well, we’re told in Matthew 27
and verse 55 that the band of

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women had now moved afar off,
not wanting to go home but not

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knowing what to do, not wanting
to leave Jesus.

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As evening came in verse 56 and
verse 57, Joseph of Arimathea

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gained permission to have the
body of Jesus.

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And John tells us in his account
that both Nicodemus and Joseph

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took care of the body of Jesus,
wrapping it in linen with myrrh

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and aloes and placing it in
Joseph’s tomb, and that a stone

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was rolled over the mouth of the
tomb as everyone else went home.

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The record tells us in Matthew
27 and verse 61 that Mary

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Magdalene and Jesus mother sat
together facing the tomb and how

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the sword of Luke 2 verse 35
must have pierced through her

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heart at this moment as she sat
and pondered in her heart what

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these things meant.
The tomb closed, Jesus now gone.

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How could these things be and
what could these things mean?

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It would have been a very
unsettling time for the

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followers of Jesus.
Over the next few days, based on

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the words of Mark 16 and verse
14, we get an indication of the

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despondency that the disciples
had fallen into.

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Because when Jesus finally does
appear to the disciples, we find

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that He has to upbraid them for
their unbelief at believing the

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witness of those who had
actually seen Him after He had

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been resurrected.
Yet despite the despondency of

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some, not all had given into
doubt.

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Which brings us to the beginning
of our reading this morning in

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Matthew chapter 28, the account
of the resurrection.

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One of the first things to note
when we come to the account of

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the resurrection is that it’s
given from the perspective of

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the women who were first to the
tomb.

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And that’s the case in all four
accounts of the Gospel.

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The gospel writers don’t
actually begin when Jesus rose

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from the dead.
They begin when the women set

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out to go to the tomb.
The resurrection of Jesus had

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actually occurred before this,
and so this is now after the

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resurrection of Jesus.
It’s noteworthy that all four

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gospel writers record that the
women rose up early to go to the

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tomb.
In fact, in Mark 16 and verse 2,

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it tells us that it was
exceeding early that the women

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set out to go to the tomb and
that they arrived at the rising

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of the sun around Passover time.
In Israel, the sun rises at

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about 6:00 AM, which meant that
the women would have gotten up

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well before this, so very, very
early in the morning if they

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were going to actually get to
the tomb by around 6:00 AM.

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But I wonder what would cause
the women to arise at such an

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unearthly hour?
Well, we’re told at some point

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prior to their arrival, there’d
been a great earthquake that was

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caused by the Angel of the Lord
descending from heaven to remove

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the stone and to raise Jesus.
Matthew 28 and verse 2 tells us

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that this had actually occurred,
and I wondered if the women were

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shaken out of sleep by the earth
moving beneath them.

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Perhaps they were all staying
together with Jesus mother to

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comfort her in the aftermath of
the things of Jesus death.

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And given everything that had
happened, it’s doubtful that

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they were sleeping soundly,
probably still haunted by the

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scene at the cross.
These nights would have been

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restless for them.
And while the earthquake’s

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epicenter was at the tomb, I
wonder if the shock waves were

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in some way felt by the women.
And as the women rose from

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sleep, you can imagine them
questioning if they really had

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felt this and what these things
might mean.

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Well, we’re told that the women
prepared spices for the body of

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Jesus and they set out to go to
the tomb in the cool of the pre

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dawn morning.
It’s clear that they didn’t

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expect that Jesus would be
raised because Mark 16 and verse

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3 tells us that as they were on
their way to the tomb, they were

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discussing how they might
overcome the challenge of the

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stone in front of the tombs
mouth, how they could remove it

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so that they could anoint the
body of Jesus.

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So we can just imagine the women
approaching the tomb, spices in

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hand, preparing to anoint their
Lord.

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Mark 16 and verse 2 tells us
that they arrived at the rising

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of the sun, and just as the sun
began to rise, the sight of the

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tomb would come before them.
And perhaps you’ve experienced

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Daybreak when the sun begins to
peak just over the horizon.

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And when that occurs, the light
can almost be a bit blinding as

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00:15:07,960 –> 00:15:11,240
it shines into our eyes.
Well, this was a similar

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00:15:11,240 –> 00:15:15,280
experience to what the women
had, but in this case, the light

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00:15:15,280 –> 00:15:18,720
wasn’t coming from the sun, it
was actually coming from the

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00:15:18,720 –> 00:15:21,440
tomb.
And so the woman would have

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00:15:21,440 –> 00:15:23,560
cautiously moved towards this
light.

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00:15:23,560 –> 00:15:27,440
And as they drew closer, they
saw that this blinding light was

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00:15:27,440 –> 00:15:32,800
actually the face of an Angel
whose complexion was like that

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00:15:32,800 –> 00:15:36,960
of lightning, and that this
Angel was now sitting on top of

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00:15:36,960 –> 00:15:40,160
the stone.
The stone was actually removed

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00:15:40,200 –> 00:15:44,680
from the mouth of the tomb.
He was wearing white raiment

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00:15:45,200 –> 00:15:47,880
sitting upon the stone, the tomb
being opened.

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00:15:47,880 –> 00:15:51,680
And as the women beheld the
scene, they looked around and

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00:15:51,680 –> 00:15:55,160
they saw soldiers who were
petrified on the ground as

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00:15:55,160 –> 00:15:58,760
though they were dead.
And you can imagine their eyes

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00:15:58,760 –> 00:16:02,800
widening with a bit of terror as
they realized the scene before

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00:16:02,800 –> 00:16:06,200
them.
Perhaps they begin to wonder, is

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00:16:06,200 –> 00:16:08,000
this what their fate was going
to be?

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00:16:08,000 –> 00:16:12,800
The fate of those who are now
seemingly dead in the presence

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00:16:12,880 –> 00:16:17,560
of the Angel of the Lord.
But sensing the fear, the Angel

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00:16:17,560 –> 00:16:23,240
said to these women, do not be
afraid, for I know that you seek

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00:16:23,240 –> 00:16:30,040
Jesus, which was crucified.
He is not here, he is risen as

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00:16:30,040 –> 00:16:33,400
he said.
You can imagine the women trying

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00:16:33,400 –> 00:16:38,560
to process everything, the
Angel, the open tomb, and the

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00:16:38,560 –> 00:16:42,160
declaration that Jesus was
alive.

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00:16:43,800 –> 00:16:48,080
Sensing their confusion, their
perplexity, the Angel continues

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00:16:48,080 –> 00:16:52,520
on to speak to them.
Come see the place where the

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00:16:52,520 –> 00:16:55,520
Lord lay.
He knew that seeing the empty

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00:16:55,520 –> 00:16:58,120
tomb would bring a sense of
reality for the women.

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00:16:58,920 –> 00:17:02,920
Mark 16 and verse 5 tells us
that when they entered the tomb,

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00:17:02,920 –> 00:17:06,240
they saw the Angel sitting on
the right side, another Angel.

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00:17:07,000 –> 00:17:10,960
And sensing their alarm, He also
comforted them with the words

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00:17:10,960 –> 00:17:15,359
recorded in Mark 16 and verse 6.
Do not be alarmed.

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00:17:15,800 –> 00:17:19,079
You are looking for Jesus of
Nazareth who was crucified.

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00:17:19,760 –> 00:17:22,040
He has risen.
He is not here.

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00:17:22,200 –> 00:17:24,160
See the place where they laid
him.

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00:17:25,240 –> 00:17:29,440
And as they stared in silence
and amazement, the Angel

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00:17:29,440 –> 00:17:32,760
continued on to say, But go your
way.

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00:17:33,400 –> 00:17:37,680
Tell his disciples and Peter
that he goeth before you into

257
00:17:37,680 –> 00:17:41,040
Galilee.
There you shall see Him as He

258
00:17:41,040 –> 00:17:45,600
said to you.
Luke 24, verse 7 contains an

259
00:17:45,600 –> 00:17:49,200
additional explanation to the
women to help them really bring

260
00:17:49,200 –> 00:17:52,960
the pieces together, because
still at this point it wasn’t

261
00:17:52,960 –> 00:17:57,160
quite connecting for them.
He quoted the words of Jesus and

262
00:17:57,160 –> 00:18:00,600
Luke 24 and verse seven said,
this is what He said to you in

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00:18:00,600 –> 00:18:04,080
Galilee, that the Son of Man
must be delivered into the hands

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00:18:04,080 –> 00:18:08,440
of sinful men and be crucified.
And the third day rise again.

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00:18:09,440 –> 00:18:13,880
It’s at these words that the
pieces clicked, and Luke 24 and

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00:18:13,880 –> 00:18:18,680
verse 8 contains the phrase, and
they remembered His words.

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00:18:20,320 –> 00:18:22,680
Think about the import of this
for us, that there’s a lot of

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00:18:22,680 –> 00:18:25,640
significance in this short
little phrase.

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00:18:25,640 –> 00:18:30,440
And they remembered His words.
Until they remembered the words

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00:18:30,440 –> 00:18:34,240
of Jesus in their present
circumstance, they couldn’t

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00:18:34,240 –> 00:18:37,880
fully understand how to process
the events around them.

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00:18:39,160 –> 00:18:42,480
And this is quite often the case
for us in our lives as well,

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00:18:43,920 –> 00:18:48,160
that remembering the words of
Jesus helps us a great deal as

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00:18:48,160 –> 00:18:51,520
we try to process the events of
life as they transpire.

275
00:18:53,680 –> 00:18:56,640
Well, the women were commanded
to go back.

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00:18:57,160 –> 00:18:59,920
The other women must have gone
back because Mary Magdalene

277
00:18:59,920 –> 00:19:04,720
finds herself alone at the tomb.
Amazingly, it was to Mary

278
00:19:04,720 –> 00:19:09,560
Magdalene that Jesus first
appeared, Not to the disciples,

279
00:19:10,040 –> 00:19:13,680
not to others that he could have
chosen to appear to, but to Mary

280
00:19:13,680 –> 00:19:16,600
Magdalene.
We wonder why might this be the

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00:19:16,600 –> 00:19:19,800
case?
This interaction is recorded for

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00:19:19,800 –> 00:19:23,720
us over in John chapter 20.
And here was a woman who had

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00:19:23,720 –> 00:19:28,720
never given up on Jesus.
Even when others had sunken into

284
00:19:28,720 –> 00:19:34,000
despair, she did not.
She continued to pursue finding

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00:19:34,000 –> 00:19:37,320
her Lord.
The record tells us that Jesus

286
00:19:37,320 –> 00:19:42,240
had done much for her and as a
result, she loved Jesus

287
00:19:43,160 –> 00:19:47,080
significantly.
And you wonder if this might be

288
00:19:47,080 –> 00:19:50,560
a bit of a clue, the words that
Jesus says in Luke 7 and verse

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00:19:50,560 –> 00:19:55,600
47 when speaking about a woman
to whom much had been forgiven.

290
00:19:56,160 –> 00:20:00,520
If perhaps Mary Magdalene found
herself in this position, Jesus

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00:20:00,520 –> 00:20:03,880
said in Luke 7 and verse 47, her
sins, which are many, are

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00:20:03,880 –> 00:20:08,160
forgiven.
For she loved much, but to whom

293
00:20:08,160 –> 00:20:11,640
little is forgiven, the same
loveth little.

294
00:20:13,120 –> 00:20:15,800
Just pause for a moment and
think about that first

295
00:20:15,800 –> 00:20:20,040
interaction with Jesus and what
that realization would have felt

296
00:20:20,040 –> 00:20:26,680
like for Mary as she realized
for the first time that Jesus

297
00:20:27,920 –> 00:20:34,960
had risen from the dead and she
beheld her risen Lord no longer

298
00:20:34,960 –> 00:20:41,040
mortal but immortal.
Try to capture this for yourself

299
00:20:41,720 –> 00:20:45,400
as you project yourself forward
to seeing the Lord Jesus Christ

300
00:20:46,120 –> 00:20:50,640
for the first time.
Well, this feeling that Mary

301
00:20:50,640 –> 00:20:55,440
would have experienced occurred
a number of times in the

302
00:20:55,440 –> 00:21:00,320
accounts of the gospel because
we find that Matthew 28 verses 9

303
00:21:00,320 –> 00:21:04,600
and 10 tells us that Jesus also
appeared to the group of women.

304
00:21:05,680 –> 00:21:08,640
Jesus then appeared at some
point to Peter.

305
00:21:09,200 –> 00:21:11,560
It’s not recorded what that
exchange was like.

306
00:21:11,560 –> 00:21:15,560
What we can imagine Jesus
speaking and interacting with

307
00:21:15,560 –> 00:21:21,040
Peter, his dear friend, then to
Cleopas and his wife in Luke 24

308
00:21:21,040 –> 00:21:24,440
on the road to Emmaus.
He then appeared to the 10

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00:21:24,440 –> 00:21:30,360
disciples minus Thomas, and then
finally to all 11 disciples as

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00:21:30,360 –> 00:21:34,160
is recorded for us.
Finally, First Corinthians 15

311
00:21:34,160 –> 00:21:37,760
and verse 6 tells us that Jesus
appeared to more than 500 at

312
00:21:37,760 –> 00:21:42,080
once, likely up in the region of
Galilee where he told them that

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00:21:42,080 –> 00:21:44,600
he would go and meet them after
his resurrection.

314
00:21:46,000 –> 00:21:49,320
You may have noticed that
there’s a pattern that emerges

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00:21:49,960 –> 00:21:53,880
in the resurrection as you’ve
read this before and maybe even

316
00:21:53,880 –> 00:21:57,720
as you read it this morning and
you ask yourself the question,

317
00:21:57,720 –> 00:22:02,280
what is it that people
consistently did every time they

318
00:22:02,280 –> 00:22:06,320
understood the reality of the
resurrection of the Lord Jesus

319
00:22:06,320 –> 00:22:09,360
Christ?
Take a look at the women, for

320
00:22:09,360 –> 00:22:12,440
example.
Luke 24 and verse 9 tells us

321
00:22:12,440 –> 00:22:16,840
that they returned from the tomb
and told these things to the 11

322
00:22:17,400 –> 00:22:21,200
and to the rest as they were
commanded to do by the Angel,

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00:22:22,040 –> 00:22:27,680
the two on the road to Emmaus.
Luke 24 verses 33 and 34, it

324
00:22:27,680 –> 00:22:31,960
tells us that when they realized
that this was actually Jesus

325
00:22:31,960 –> 00:22:36,960
that they rose up the same hour
and travelled the seven miles

326
00:22:36,960 –> 00:22:41,360
back to Jerusalem after the day
was already over, because they

327
00:22:41,360 –> 00:22:46,960
were so excited to go and tell
the disciples that Jesus was

328
00:22:46,960 –> 00:22:50,200
alive.
And the disciples themselves are

329
00:22:50,200 –> 00:22:54,880
commanded by Jesus.
And Mark 16 and verse 15 where

330
00:22:54,880 –> 00:22:57,760
he says, go ye into all the
world and preach the gospel to

331
00:22:57,760 –> 00:23:01,200
every creature.
They were to share the gospel,

332
00:23:01,800 –> 00:23:05,880
the good news that Jesus had
risen from the dead with

333
00:23:06,000 –> 00:23:10,280
everyone that they encountered.
In each case, whether it was

334
00:23:10,280 –> 00:23:14,800
through personal compulsion or
external command, the

335
00:23:14,800 –> 00:23:19,320
expectation was that they would
share the good news with other

336
00:23:19,320 –> 00:23:22,320
people.
Once you had personally accepted

337
00:23:22,320 –> 00:23:25,680
the reality of the resurrection,
you were to share that good news

338
00:23:25,680 –> 00:23:28,520
with others.
See how strong this was, this

339
00:23:28,520 –> 00:23:32,000
conviction was with those that
we’ve read about this morning,

340
00:23:32,520 –> 00:23:35,960
whether it was the women who
were overjoyed, Cleopas and his

341
00:23:35,960 –> 00:23:39,360
wife travelling 7 miles in the
dark to share with others.

342
00:23:39,680 –> 00:23:44,600
And you ask yourself the
question, how excited are we to

343
00:23:44,600 –> 00:23:49,720
share the good news that we’ve
received about the resurrection

344
00:23:49,720 –> 00:23:53,840
of the Lord Jesus Christ?
Each of us has said that we

345
00:23:53,840 –> 00:23:57,720
personally accept the reality of
the resurrection of the Lord

346
00:23:57,720 –> 00:24:02,240
Jesus Christ, but have we made
it real for ourselves?

347
00:24:02,760 –> 00:24:08,560
Do we actively remember His
words as the women did as a part

348
00:24:08,560 –> 00:24:12,920
of our daily lives?
Do we truly believe?

349
00:24:13,960 –> 00:24:17,040
An indicator of our level of
belief could be our level of

350
00:24:17,040 –> 00:24:20,880
excitement about sharing this
good news with others that we

351
00:24:20,880 –> 00:24:25,720
encounter because those who
truly believed couldn’t help but

352
00:24:25,720 –> 00:24:28,600
share the gospel message with
those that they came into

353
00:24:28,600 –> 00:24:32,480
contact with.
Do others know what we believe?

354
00:24:33,120 –> 00:24:37,080
Do others know what truly
motivates us on a daily basis?

355
00:24:38,040 –> 00:24:40,600
It’s worth turning to Mark 16
for a moment.

356
00:24:41,240 –> 00:24:46,160
And if you have a a red pencil,
a coloring pencil, and a blue

357
00:24:46,160 –> 00:24:50,880
one, it’s very helpful to color
a few themes in that come up in

358
00:24:50,880 –> 00:24:57,000
Mark 16 verses 9 to 18, because
these verses focus predominantly

359
00:24:57,280 –> 00:25:02,040
on the response of the disciples
to hearing the good news from

360
00:25:02,040 –> 00:25:05,600
others that Jesus had been
raised from the dead.

361
00:25:06,760 –> 00:25:12,040
And surprisingly, their response
consistently was one of

362
00:25:12,240 –> 00:25:15,120
unbelief.
And of all the people who would

363
00:25:15,120 –> 00:25:18,320
believe that Jesus had risen
from the dead, you would think

364
00:25:19,280 –> 00:25:22,000
that the disciples would be at
the top of that list.

365
00:25:23,080 –> 00:25:26,080
But we find repeatedly that that
wasn’t the case.

366
00:25:26,880 –> 00:25:29,840
Take a look at Mark 16, verse
11.

367
00:25:30,600 –> 00:25:33,800
You color in these phrases of
where at the report of Mary

368
00:25:33,800 –> 00:25:39,360
Magdalene they believed not.
Mark 16 and verse 13 tells us

369
00:25:39,360 –> 00:25:43,360
that the report from Cleopas and
his wife neither believe they

370
00:25:43,360 –> 00:25:49,120
them and it wasn’t until on Mark
16 and verse 14 that Jesus

371
00:25:49,120 –> 00:25:52,440
actually appears to them and
reprimands them for their

372
00:25:52,840 –> 00:25:58,080
unbelief because they believed,
not the eyewitnesses that they

373
00:25:58,080 –> 00:26:01,800
finally believe.
And a good cross reference there

374
00:26:01,800 –> 00:26:07,640
next to verse 14 is John 20,
verses 24 and 25 where we have

375
00:26:07,640 –> 00:26:11,880
additional detail about Thomas,
where Thomas actually says,

376
00:26:11,880 –> 00:26:16,840
except I can see in his hands
the print of the nails, put my

377
00:26:16,840 –> 00:26:22,240
finger into the print and thrust
my hand into his side, I will

378
00:26:22,240 –> 00:26:27,640
not believe.
In other words, unless Jesus

379
00:26:27,640 –> 00:26:32,400
reveals himself in the way that
I’m willing to accept, I won’t

380
00:26:32,400 –> 00:26:36,240
believe him.
At its core, the disciples had

381
00:26:36,240 –> 00:26:40,640
an expectation for how Jesus
would work in their lives, and

382
00:26:40,640 –> 00:26:43,600
unless Jesus showed up in their
lives in the way that they

383
00:26:43,600 –> 00:26:47,640
expected, they were not willing
to believe his words.

384
00:26:48,640 –> 00:26:52,080
The disciples weren’t willing to
accept that Jesus could work

385
00:26:52,080 –> 00:26:56,000
through Mary Magdalene or
Cleopas and his wife, or in the

386
00:26:56,000 –> 00:26:58,960
case of Thomas, even the other
10 disciples.

387
00:26:59,640 –> 00:27:02,840
They had put the stipulation on
Jesus that unless they could

388
00:27:02,840 –> 00:27:06,840
personally experience Jesus
presence in their lives in the

389
00:27:06,840 –> 00:27:10,680
way that they had defined, they
wouldn’t believe.

390
00:27:12,000 –> 00:27:15,840
I wondered, is it possible for
us to do the same?

391
00:27:16,760 –> 00:27:20,120
If these men who were in the
presence of Jesus for 3 1/2

392
00:27:20,120 –> 00:27:24,080
years could fall into this trap?
Could it be that we

393
00:27:24,080 –> 00:27:27,560
unconsciously fall into this
trap ourselves?

394
00:27:28,960 –> 00:27:31,840
Despite all the warnings of
Jesus throughout his ministry,

395
00:27:31,840 –> 00:27:36,720
the disciples had expected Jesus
to set up the Kingdom and their

396
00:27:36,720 –> 00:27:38,720
minds.
He was never supposed to die.

397
00:27:38,920 –> 00:27:44,520
This was not a part of the plan.
As a result, their worlds were

398
00:27:44,520 –> 00:27:48,240
shattered and so to protect
themselves from further hurt,

399
00:27:48,400 –> 00:27:52,400
they closed themselves off from
any input that was different

400
00:27:52,720 –> 00:27:56,320
than their current expectation.
Their current belief.

401
00:27:57,280 –> 00:28:01,640
Only the physical appearing of
the Lord Jesus Christ could

402
00:28:01,640 –> 00:28:05,480
change their minds.
Can we find ourselves in this

403
00:28:05,480 –> 00:28:09,000
type of a position of where
we’re hurt so severely that

404
00:28:09,000 –> 00:28:12,720
we’re unwilling to see that
Jesus is alive in our life

405
00:28:12,720 –> 00:28:16,480
circumstances?
Similar to the disciples?

406
00:28:17,200 –> 00:28:21,480
Can things be so contrary to our
expectations that we close

407
00:28:21,480 –> 00:28:25,360
ourselves to Jesus being able to
speak to us through the loved

408
00:28:25,360 –> 00:28:30,480
ones in our lives, just as the
disciples did with Mary and

409
00:28:30,480 –> 00:28:35,000
Cleopas and his wife?
Can we unconsciously inhibit

410
00:28:35,000 –> 00:28:39,440
Jesus ability to work in our
lives by limiting him to a very

411
00:28:39,560 –> 00:28:44,360
narrow set of parameters that we
are willing to receive, just as

412
00:28:44,360 –> 00:28:48,040
Thomas did in the stipulations
that he placed on his belief?

413
00:28:49,440 –> 00:28:52,240
We know that we’ll each go
through things in our lives that

414
00:28:52,240 –> 00:28:54,320
are very challenging to our
faith.

415
00:28:55,160 –> 00:28:57,960
We’re told that it’s through
much tribulation that we must

416
00:28:57,960 –> 00:29:01,400
enter into the Kingdom.
And this was one of those things

417
00:29:01,400 –> 00:29:05,520
for the disciples because it was
so different than their

418
00:29:05,520 –> 00:29:10,000
expectations.
They just couldn’t believe that

419
00:29:10,080 –> 00:29:14,160
Jesus was alive.
And the challenge to us is, are

420
00:29:14,160 –> 00:29:19,360
we willing to see Jesus is alive
in our lives even when things

421
00:29:19,360 –> 00:29:22,440
are very different than our
expectations?

422
00:29:22,800 –> 00:29:26,960
Are we willing to receive that?
For each of us, the cross must

423
00:29:26,960 –> 00:29:31,120
come before the crown.
Our willingness to receive this

424
00:29:31,120 –> 00:29:35,200
will be challenged at various
points in our lives, just as it

425
00:29:35,200 –> 00:29:39,520
was here for the disciples.
And when Jesus was speaking to

426
00:29:39,520 –> 00:29:44,400
Thomas, he had these words to
Thomas that actually provide a

427
00:29:44,400 –> 00:29:46,720
significant amount of comfort to
each of us.

428
00:29:46,720 –> 00:29:53,240
In John 20 and verse 29, he said
to Thomas, because you have seen

429
00:29:53,240 –> 00:29:57,920
me, you have believed.
Blessed are they that have not

430
00:29:57,920 –> 00:30:04,440
seen and yet have believed.
None of us have seen the risen

431
00:30:04,440 –> 00:30:09,160
Lord, but we’ve all professed
that we believe that Jesus has

432
00:30:09,160 –> 00:30:12,120
risen and that He is alive in
our lives.

433
00:30:13,040 –> 00:30:17,000
And this is important because
Jesus has very clear words about

434
00:30:17,000 –> 00:30:20,080
the implications of believing or
not believing in His

435
00:30:20,080 –> 00:30:23,240
resurrection.
And if you still have your

436
00:30:23,240 –> 00:30:28,440
pencil in Mark 16 and verse 16,
it’s worth coloring in in blue

437
00:30:28,440 –> 00:30:32,280
the promise that’s in contrast
to those who don’t believe where

438
00:30:32,280 –> 00:30:35,680
he says in Mark 16 and verse 16,
he that believeth and is

439
00:30:35,680 –> 00:30:41,040
baptized shall be saved.
But the warning about unbelief,

440
00:30:41,040 –> 00:30:43,360
he that believeth not shall be
condemned.

441
00:30:44,520 –> 00:30:46,520
And so the call to action is
this.

442
00:30:47,040 –> 00:30:50,440
Jesus commands that we
demonstrate our belief in his

443
00:30:50,440 –> 00:30:56,400
resurrection by first being
baptized and then by sharing the

444
00:30:56,400 –> 00:31:00,080
Good News with those who we come
into contact with.

445
00:31:01,240 –> 00:31:05,480
So where are we at in our
journey of belief, in our

446
00:31:05,480 –> 00:31:10,160
journey of baptism and in our
journey of Gospel proclamation?

447
00:31:11,120 –> 00:31:15,080
This is something for us to
individually consider as we

448
00:31:15,080 –> 00:31:20,960
about or prepare to enter this
time of self examination because

449
00:31:20,960 –> 00:31:23,440
this is really a personal
reflection isn’t it?

450
00:31:23,440 –> 00:31:27,920
As to where we’re at in regards
to our own journey when it comes

451
00:31:27,920 –> 00:31:34,960
to belief, do we really believe
what we read and are we willing

452
00:31:34,960 –> 00:31:37,720
to put it into action even if
it’s different than our

453
00:31:37,720 –> 00:31:41,040
expectations in regards to
baptism?

454
00:31:41,760 –> 00:31:45,040
Have we committed our lives
through the waters of baptism?

455
00:31:45,960 –> 00:31:50,240
And if not yet, what’s holding
us back from being able to make

456
00:31:50,240 –> 00:31:53,640
that commitment, and are we
actively working toward it?

457
00:31:53,640 –> 00:32:00,080
And in regards to proclamation,
how active are we in sharing the

458
00:32:00,080 –> 00:32:02,880
good news of the resurrection
and the coming Kingdom?

459
00:32:03,640 –> 00:32:06,280
This was the Great Commission
that Jesus had given to his

460
00:32:06,280 –> 00:32:10,160
disciples to share the good news
and the excitement.

461
00:32:11,200 –> 00:32:14,640
And if we’re not careful, what
we can find is that both

462
00:32:14,640 –> 00:32:19,960
personally and ecclesially, we
can become so busy, so consumed

463
00:32:19,960 –> 00:32:23,640
with the things in front of our
faces, that the Great Commission

464
00:32:23,640 –> 00:32:28,920
becomes the Great Omission.
It’s very easy for a busy life,

465
00:32:30,240 –> 00:32:34,400
for being burdened down with
anxious care, for those things

466
00:32:34,400 –> 00:32:37,680
to consume us, and for us to
find ourselves with our lamp

467
00:32:38,360 –> 00:32:42,160
beneath A bushel, not really
emanating the light that we are

468
00:32:42,160 –> 00:32:44,880
commanded to the emanate to
those around us.

469
00:32:45,520 –> 00:32:49,640
And so Jesus appeals to each of
us to share the good news, to

470
00:32:49,640 –> 00:32:54,000
believe that we have not seen
and to abide until this coming.

471
00:32:55,640 –> 00:32:58,560
And contained within the
resurrection is a great message

472
00:32:58,560 –> 00:33:02,320
of hope to each of us as we
start to draw our thoughts to a

473
00:33:02,320 –> 00:33:04,600
close.
Because as I read the

474
00:33:04,600 –> 00:33:09,200
description in Matthew 28 and
verse 2, I couldn’t help but

475
00:33:09,200 –> 00:33:11,560
think about the application to
our day.

476
00:33:12,400 –> 00:33:15,760
Think about the similarity that
we read in Matthew 28 and verse

477
00:33:15,760 –> 00:33:21,200
2 of where it says there was a
great earthquake for the Angel

478
00:33:21,200 –> 00:33:25,200
of the Lord descended from
heaven and came and rolled back

479
00:33:25,200 –> 00:33:27,480
the stone from the door and sat
upon it.

480
00:33:28,680 –> 00:33:33,240
Compare what will happen when
the Lord Jesus Christ returns as

481
00:33:33,240 –> 00:33:36,600
we consider the familiar words
in First Thessalonians 4 and

482
00:33:36,600 –> 00:33:41,760
verse 16.
For the Lord Himself, not an

483
00:33:41,760 –> 00:33:47,440
Angel, but this time the Lord
Himself shall descend from

484
00:33:47,440 –> 00:33:51,760
heaven with a shout, with the
voice of the Archangel, and with

485
00:33:51,760 –> 00:33:58,680
the trump of God, And the dead
in Christ shall rise first, no

486
00:33:58,680 –> 00:34:01,720
longer an Angel, but the Lord
Himself will descend.

487
00:34:01,720 –> 00:34:05,040
And you can imagine the apostle
Paul through the Spirit thinking

488
00:34:05,040 –> 00:34:09,000
about this instance in Matthew
28 of when the Angel descended,

489
00:34:09,000 –> 00:34:13,719
and seeing the full fulfillment
of that when our Lord Jesus

490
00:34:13,719 –> 00:34:17,159
Christ returns.
And in First Thessalonians 4 and

491
00:34:17,159 –> 00:34:21,800
verse 16, when it says that the
Lord will shout, it means a

492
00:34:21,800 –> 00:34:25,239
command.
He will issue a command with the

493
00:34:25,239 –> 00:34:28,639
voice of the Archangel.
And as we think about this

494
00:34:28,639 –> 00:34:33,480
voice, the writer to the Hebrews
mentions this in Hebrews 12 and

495
00:34:33,480 –> 00:34:36,960
verse 26, this same Greek word
for voice.

496
00:34:37,360 –> 00:34:40,280
And it comes up in reference to
the Archangel where it says

497
00:34:40,280 –> 00:34:45,520
whose voice shook the earth,
referring back to the things at

498
00:34:45,600 –> 00:34:50,199
Mount Sinai in former times.
Back in Sinai, the voice of

499
00:34:50,199 –> 00:34:54,120
God’s Archangel shook the earth,
and we’re told in the very next

500
00:34:54,120 –> 00:34:59,080
verse in Hebrews 12 and verse 27
the significance of earthquakes

501
00:34:59,480 –> 00:35:02,600
and how God uses them.
I found this to be fascinating.

502
00:35:03,240 –> 00:35:07,560
He says about earthquakes
signifying the removing of those

503
00:35:07,560 –> 00:35:12,400
things that are shaken as of
things that are made, that those

504
00:35:12,400 –> 00:35:15,800
things which cannot be shaken
may remain.

505
00:35:17,040 –> 00:35:20,920
In other words, those things
that are temporary are shaken

506
00:35:20,960 –> 00:35:24,960
out of place by God’s
earthquakes, but the things that

507
00:35:24,960 –> 00:35:29,080
are permanent remain.
And in the case of the Lord

508
00:35:29,120 –> 00:35:33,520
Jesus Christ, the voice of the
Archangel caused an earthquake

509
00:35:33,840 –> 00:35:37,520
that shook away the stone that
was covering the mouth of the

510
00:35:37,520 –> 00:35:40,760
tomb.
The door to the grave of Christ

511
00:35:41,560 –> 00:35:45,920
was temporary, and hence the
earthquake removed it from its

512
00:35:45,920 –> 00:35:48,600
place.
In fact, we’re told in Matthew

513
00:35:48,600 –> 00:35:53,920
27, verses 52 and 53 that in
addition to Jesus that the

514
00:35:53,920 –> 00:35:58,560
earthquake actually opened the
tombs of many of the Saints at

515
00:35:58,560 –> 00:36:02,360
that time, and that they arose
and were seen by many in the

516
00:36:02,360 –> 00:36:07,280
city as they also were
resurrected from death, A type

517
00:36:07,280 –> 00:36:12,640
of what will occur in our day.
And when Jesus returns, he will

518
00:36:12,640 –> 00:36:17,040
issue a command with this same
voice, a voice that’s so

519
00:36:17,040 –> 00:36:20,680
powerful that it will shake the
earth, and it will shake away

520
00:36:21,160 –> 00:36:26,400
the door of the graves of those
who sleep in Jesus, the

521
00:36:26,400 –> 00:36:29,680
temporary closure that covers
those who sleep.

522
00:36:30,880 –> 00:36:35,120
And just as Jesus used his voice
in John 11 and verse 43 to

523
00:36:35,120 –> 00:36:40,040
command Lazarus to come forth,
so to his voice will issue the

524
00:36:40,040 –> 00:36:43,000
same command to those who now
sleep in the dust.

525
00:36:44,400 –> 00:36:47,400
We’re told in Matthew 28 and
verse 2 that this Angel was

526
00:36:47,400 –> 00:36:51,680
sitting upon the stone, a sign
that this Angel had been given

527
00:36:51,680 –> 00:36:55,400
authority over death itself.
And when we read in first

528
00:36:55,400 –> 00:37:02,640
Corinthians 15 verses 24 to 28,
we’re told about the end of when

529
00:37:02,640 –> 00:37:05,640
death will be placed under the
feet of the Lord Jesus Christ

530
00:37:05,640 –> 00:37:09,480
once and for all, when he will
have final authority over death

531
00:37:10,480 –> 00:37:14,440
and he will eliminate it once
and for all for humanity.

532
00:37:15,800 –> 00:37:20,280
Jesus resurrection is so vital
for us because in His

533
00:37:20,280 –> 00:37:23,760
resurrection we see the
certainty of ours.

534
00:37:24,320 –> 00:37:29,640
He is the firstfruits of those
who sleep, Christ the

535
00:37:29,640 –> 00:37:32,040
firstfruits and after.
They that are Christ at His

536
00:37:32,040 –> 00:37:35,760
coming and considering.
The resurrection of our Lord

537
00:37:36,440 –> 00:37:42,480
allows us to clothe the future
with substance, the substance of

538
00:37:42,480 –> 00:37:47,520
things hoped for and the
evidence of things not seen, so

539
00:37:47,520 –> 00:37:51,080
that we can confidently
anticipate the day that we will

540
00:37:51,080 –> 00:37:54,880
declare death is swallowed up in
victory.

541
00:37:56,000 –> 00:38:00,680
Reading a few verses and verses
55 to 58 of First Corinthians

542
00:38:00,680 –> 00:38:04,240
15, we read, O death, where is
thy sting?

543
00:38:04,920 –> 00:38:09,160
O grave, where is thy victory?
The sting of death is sin, and

544
00:38:09,160 –> 00:38:14,880
the strength of sin is the law,
But thanks be to God which

545
00:38:14,880 –> 00:38:17,840
giveth us the victory through
our Lord Jesus Christ.

546
00:38:18,760 –> 00:38:26,040
Therefore, my beloved brethren,
be steadfast, unmovable, always

547
00:38:26,040 –> 00:38:27,800
abounding in the work of the
Lord.

548
00:38:28,320 –> 00:38:32,760
For as much as you know that
your labor is not in vain in the

549
00:38:32,760 –> 00:38:36,760
Lord.
And though Jesus has ascended,

550
00:38:38,120 –> 00:38:41,520
we’ve been given the assurance
that this same Jesus which is

551
00:38:41,520 –> 00:38:45,720
taken up from you into heaven
shall so come in like manner as

552
00:38:45,720 –> 00:38:50,680
you have seen him go up into
heaven, that He will return.

553
00:38:51,640 –> 00:38:55,520
And this gives us the confident
assurance that our labor each

554
00:38:55,600 –> 00:39:00,200
and every day as we take on the
things that are before us each

555
00:39:00,200 –> 00:39:03,840
and every day, are not in vain
in the Lord.

556
00:39:04,880 –> 00:39:08,720
That the dead in Christ shall
rise first, and that we that are

557
00:39:08,720 –> 00:39:12,040
alive and remain shall be caught
up together with him in the

558
00:39:12,040 –> 00:39:14,920
clouds to meet the Lord in the
air.

559
00:39:15,440 –> 00:39:18,560
And so shall we ever be with the
Lord.

560
00:39:19,640 –> 00:39:22,360
And we’re instructed to comfort
one another with these words as

561
00:39:22,360 –> 00:39:26,320
we think about the resurrection
of our Lord Jesus Christ this

562
00:39:26,320 –> 00:39:30,560
morning, His life, his death,
and his resurrection.

563
00:39:31,760 –> 00:39:34,120
So let’s commit as we step
forward to making the

564
00:39:34,120 –> 00:39:39,080
resurrection come alive for
ourselves, to heed the call to

565
00:39:39,120 –> 00:39:42,800
action, to be able to share the
good news with others that we

566
00:39:42,800 –> 00:39:46,600
come into contact with, and to
strengthen each other in the

567
00:39:46,600 –> 00:39:50,440
hope of the coming resurrection
at the return of our Lord Jesus

568
00:39:50,440 –> 00:40:06,160
Christ.
Thank you for listening to the

569
00:40:06,160 –> 00:40:07,760
Good Christadelphian Talks
podcast.

570
00:40:08,600 –> 00:40:11,040
We hope this talk helped you in
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571
00:40:11,040 –> 00:40:13,440
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572
00:40:13,440 –> 00:40:15,200
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573
00:40:15,560 –> 00:40:18,800
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574
00:40:19,960 –> 00:40:22,400
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00:40:25,280 –> 00:40:27,960
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577
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578
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583
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587
00:40:58,200 –> 00:41:00,160
God bless and talk to you next
week.