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BIBLE STUDY
LESSON
For the week beginning Sunday May 25, 2014
____________________________________________________________
LIVE
IN THE RESURRECTION POWER
(How
JESUS’ resurrection empowers us to live now)
John
20
In the Greek, the word New Testament writers use for “resurrection”
is “anastasis” (an-as-tas-is), and it is “a moral recovery of spiritual truth”. It also means, in the physical
sense, “to stand up again”. In John chapter 20, verses 1-18, Matthew 28:1-10,
Mark 16:1-19, and Luke 24:1-12, these authors of GOD share their respective Gospel accounts of the Resurrection of our LORD and SAVIOR, JESUS CHRIST.
The Resurrection of CHRIST is the
essence of the Christian faith, and the core of all of the Apostles teachings.
All accounts tell us that it was early in the morning of the first day of the week, while it was still dark, when
JESUS’ body was discovered missing. By combining all four Gospel accounts, we
can see that Mary Magdalene, the woman from whom JESUS removed seven demons
(Luke 8:2), Mary, the mother of James and Joseph, Salome, who was Zebedee’s
wife and the mother of James and John, and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod’s
business manager, all went to the tomb of JESUS to anoint HIS body for burial,
with spices.
Perhaps no one had ever loved
JESUS as much as Mary Magdalene did. HE had done something for her that no one
else could ever do, and she never forgot it. It was the custom of the Jews to
visit the tomb of a loved one for three
days after
the body had been laid to rest. They believed that, for three days, the spirit
of the deceased person would hover around the tomb, and only departed when the
decomposing body became unrecognizable.
The day following JESUS’
Crucifixion was the Sabbath, which is our Saturday, so to visit on that day
would violate the Sabbath law. That is why their first visit had to occur on
that early Sunday morning. The original Greek writings of the New Testament authors tell us that, it was during “proi” when
they visited the tomb. The Jews divided their nights into four watches. The
first night watch was from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., the second watch was from 9 p.m.
to 12 a.m., the third watch was from 12 a.m. to 3 a.m., and the fourth and
final watch was from 3 a.m. to 6 a.m. It was during this forth watch, called
“proi”, that, the women came to the tomb.
Tombs, in those days, were
“cave-like” compartments that had been carved into the side of a hill, or
mountain, and then, covered by a circular shaped rock, which rested, in a
slanted groove that had been carved out, along the front opening of these
compartments. This extremely heavy rock had to be rolled uphill to open, and
downhill to close. So we can envision that it was much harder to open than it
was to close.
In addition, Matthew tells us that
JESUS’ tomb was also sealed by Roman officials, at the request of the Jewish
leaders (Matthew 27:62-66). They also placed guards out in front of the tomb.
Matthew also records that there was a great earthquake associated with an angel
of the LORD, who came down from Heaven and rolled away the stone from the
entrance of the sepulcher, and then, sat on it. This apparently
frightened the Roman guards so much, that they actually fainted (Matthew 28:2-4).
When the women arrived at the
tomb, they were shocked and frightened by what they saw. However, the angel was
able to allay their fears and invite them to look into the cave, so they could
see that JESUS was no longer there. He then urged them to go and tell JESUS’
Disciples the good news, that, JESUS had arisen from the dead, just as HE had said that HE would.
The women then ran and found Peter
and John, who were still somewhat puzzled, and
were thinking someone had broken into the tomb and removed JESUS’ body (John
20:2). Peter and John then ran to the tomb, and with John arriving first, he
looks in and sees JESUS’ body wrappings lying there in the tomb, however, he
sees no body.
Peter then arrives and actually
goes into the cave, where he too, only sees the cloth that had enwrapped JESUS’
body. When Peter saw this, he remembered and realized what Scripture had said,
and, what JESUS had said about rising from the dead after three days, and he
believed, and they went home.
John tells us in 20:11-18, that
afterwards, Mary Magdalene was standing outside the tomb weeping, and as she
wept, she peered inside the cave. She saw two white-robed angels, sitting at
the head and foot of where JESUS’ body had lain. One of the angels asked her,
why was she crying? Mary, still not understanding, replies, “Because they have
taken away my LORD, and I don’t know where they have put HIM”.
Just then, she noticed someone
standing behind her, that, she thought was the gardener (she didn’t recognize,
at that time, that it was JESUS, probably because her eyes were filled with
tears). “Sir”, she said, “If you have taken HIM away, tell me where you have put
HIM”. JESUS then speaks to her, and she apparently recognizes HIS voice and
runs to hug HIM. However, JESUS tells her not to cling to HIM, because HE had
not yet ascended to HIS FATHER. Mary then ran to find the Disciples once again,
but this time, to tell them that she had actually seen the risen LORD.
We see throughout these “Passion Narratives” of the Bible, that this lady, Mary
Magdalene, was always there, in the vicinity, of our LORD and SAVIOR. She was
there at the foot of the cross, when JESUS’ earthly life expired, on that
infamous Friday in world history (John 19:25). She was there when JESUS’ body
was wrapped and entombed, by Joseph of Arimathea (Matthew 27:61, Mark 15:47)
and Nicodemus (John 19:39-40).
And she was also there when the
empty tomb was discovered, early that Sunday morning. And so, it was only
fitting, that she became the first person on earth, ever to see the “RISEN
LORD”. It is a distinction that she would never have to share with anyone.
What a wonderful earthly reward
she had received for her unparalleled love for, and faithfulness to, the SON of
the ONLY WISE GOD. And her example of undying faith in GOD is one of the great
Sunday school lessons of all times. It is a lesson that every Christian should
learn, and then, keep in their hearts to use as fuel, to propel them through
their Christian journey here on earth, and
into an “Eternal Life” in Heaven with GOD the FATHER, and, CHRIST JESUS, our
LORD.
JESUS APPEARS TO THE DISCIPLES
John 20:19-31
The Christian Church should never
endeavor to follow man-made policies, but rather, should always aspire to
adhere to the will of CHRIST JESUS. The Church fails when it tries to solve
problems within its own wisdom and strength, and omits the will and guidance of
GOD, through the Holy Scriptures. When we take matters into our own hands, we
show GOD and the world that we doubt the Christian belief structure already put
in place by CHRIST, through the holy and divine instructions of GOD the FATHER. It also tends to exhibits that we have an
inadequate faith, or, inadequate view of GOD, as far as
us trusting in HIS superior wisdom.
In John chapter 20, verses 19-29,
JESUS invites all doubters to accept and believe in HIM. We see chronicled in
these verses, the first two times JESUS appeared to HIS disciples during the
forty-day period following HIS Resurrection. The first occurred on the day of
the resurrection, and the second occurred eight days later. On the evening of
Resurrection Sunday, the chosen
Disciples of CHRIST JESUS were meeting behind locked doors, because they were still afraid of the Jewish leaders. They feared that the Jewish leaders
would be seeking to kill them, just as they had slain JESUS, three days
earlier. They had not yet received the courage from the HOLY SPIRIT that they
would need to carry out the commission charged to them by CHRIST.
Suddenly, JESUS was standing among
them saying, “Peace be with you”, a phrase HE would repeat three times, twice
in the first visit, and once more in the second visit. During these
post-Resurrection visits, JESUS was seeking to strengthen and encourage HIS
Disciples, and get them to finally believe in HIM. HE sought to instill in
them, the “Divine Viewpoint” they would need in order to convince others to also
believe. The phrase “HE breathed on them” is translated from the Aramaic idiom
meaning, “HE gave them courage”. This encouragement came in the form of “the
promise of the HOLY SPIRIT”.
JESUS tells HIS chosen men in
verse 23 that, “If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven, and if you
refuse to forgive them, they are unforgiven”. This statement has been the
subject of much controversial debate over the centuries, and I doubt very
seriously if I’m going to clear it up here, but here we go.
The Greek construction is quite
literally this “if you forgive anyone his sins, his sins have been forgiven”. If
you refuse to forgive the sins of others, then, that person’s sin will retain
you in a spiritual prison. It is in the Gospel, that we proclaim forgiveness,
and that forgiveness will set us free from the wrath of unforgiveness that we
harbor within ourselves. And so, when we forgive, the sin of unforgiveness is
automatically wiped away by the blood of JESUS.
Sharing the Gospel, places us in a
role of forgiving, or not forgiving sins, depending on the response of the
hearer. When we, as Christians, receive a person’s request for salvation, and
we subsequently lead them to CHRIST, we are, quite literally, giving that
person an opportunity to turn from their sins and turn to GOD, so that their
sins can be forgiven. It is the same opportunity that JESUS gives all of us, by
way of HIS vicarious sacrifice, and the HOLY SPIRIT in us, bears witness to
that (Acts 5:31-32, Ephesians 1:6-8). And while we can only forgive those sins
that are directly committed against us personally, it is still the great
privilege of the Christian to convey the message of GOD’s forgiveness of sin,
to mankind.
Eight days later, JESUS re-appears
to HIS Disciples. During the first visit, Thomas, who was one of HIS original
Disciples, was not present. JESUS, knowing of Thomas’ doubts, invites him to
examine the wounds scars on HIS hands and in HIS side, so that he too, would
finally believe. After Thomas had done this, he proclaimed definitively these
words; “my LORD, my GOD! Then JESUS told him “You believe because you have seen
ME. Blessed are those who haven’t seen ME, and believe anyway”. That statement
depicts the very fiber of the Christian Faith.
Only those who walk by faith, and
believe in CHRIST JESUS, can enter into the Kingdom of Heaven. Thomas never
lacked courage, but he was a natural pessimist. There was never any doubt that
he loved JESUS, but the cross was only what he humanly expected, just as all
the rest did also. They saw death on that cross that Friday, as being the end.
And, as a result of JESUS’ visits on that Sunday evening, Thomas began to
clearly understand that this life was not the final act of the human drama. And
so too, should we as Christians, also come to the same realization. JESUS truly
is “the Resurrection and the Life, and HE offers that “Eternal Life”, to all those
who believe in HIM.
A Sunday school lesson by,
Larry D. Alexander
LARRY D. ALEXANDER-
Official Website
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