JULY 14, 2019
THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST (PART II)
INTRODUCTION:
1. John reveals to us that Mary Magdalene was first to discover the empty tomb. Assuming that Jesus’ body had been stolen, Mary immediately reported her discovery to Peter and John.
2. It is truly remarkable that even Peter and John seemed to agree with Mary’s assumption, that is, that someone had taken the Lord’s body. The angel would remind Mary and the other Mary that he was risen as He said. (Matt. 28:6) He had repeatedly told them that He would rise after three days. (Matt. 16:21; Mark 8:31; Luke 9:22)
3. Though John, after entering into the empty tomb, believed (Verse 8), and perhaps Peter began to believe as well, the others would not fully believe until their risen Lord made His first appearance later that same day. The infallible proof of Christ’s resurrection was His showing Himself alive. (Acts 1:3)
4. In these verses we have an account of His appearance to the assembled disciples.
I. FIRST WE HAVE THE TIME AND PLACE WHERE THE APPEARANCE WAS MADE. (VERSE 19)
A. THERE IS AN EMPHASIS HERE PUT UPON “THE FIRST DAY OF THE WEEK.” (VERSE 19)
1. It might have been sufficient for John to have simply said that He appeared “the same day at evening” (Verse 19a)but he added, “being the first day of the week.”
2. The Lord made His first visit to His assembled disciples on the first day of the week, the same day that He rose from the dead.
3. In this He established that the church would assemble on the first day of the week. This we can know because the first day of the week is the only day of the week, or month, or year, that is ever mentioned by number in all the New Testament regarding the assembly. It is indeed several times mentioned as a day religiously observed.
4. The apostles by assembling on this day did not intend to put particular honor upon the day (they were yet in doubt about the resurrection, which was the occasion of it) but God designed to put honor upon it, by ordering it that they should be all together to receive Christ’s first visit on that day. Thus, in effect, He blessed and sanctified that day, because in it the Redeemer rested. (Gen. 3:2)
B. THERE ARE THREE THINGS HERE INSTITUTED BY OUR LORD TO CONTINUE IN HIS CHURCH FOR THE SUPPORT AND DUE ADMINISTRATION OF ITS PRINCIPLE ORDINANCES. (VS. 19, 21)
1. First, the Lord’s Day. “The first day of the week.”
a) We properly refer to the first day of the week as “the Lord’s Day.” (See Rev. 1:10)
b) We rightly call the Lord’s Day our Christian Sabbath. Here is a Christian Sabbath observed by the apostles and owned by our Lord. Doubtless the apostles were together for religious purposes: perhaps it was to pray; to discuss the matter of their Master’s resurrection (what evidences they had); to consult what to do next; etc. Then the Lord sanctified it by joining them, and showing Himself to them.
2. Second, the solemn assembly. The disciples did not scatter, but rather, came together.
a) It was a Christian assembly. They met privately, perhaps in a house with the doors shut, so as not to be seen publicly as a body.
b) It is our sacred Christian duty to assemble together on the Lord’s Day. (Heb. 10:25)
c) It is our great delight to know that when Christ’s churches assemble, He is in their midst.
3. Third, the standing ministry. “As my Father hath sent me, even so, send I you.” (Verse 21)
II. NEXT WE HAVE CHRIST’S WORDS AND ACTIONS IN HIS VISIT AND INTERVIEW WITH THEM. (VERSES 19-23)
A. WHEN THEY WERE ASSEMBLED, JESUS CAME AMONG THEM. (VERSE 19)
1. He came into their midst to give them a specimen of the performance of His promise. “When two or three are gathered together…”
2. He came in through closed doors. It is a comfort to Christ’s disciples to know that no doors can shut out His presence.
3. Notice in this appearance:
a) His kind and familiar salutation. “He said peace be unto you.” Though this was perhaps a common expression, in this case, it was peculiar. Christ left them His peace for their legacy. (Ch. 14:27) He had secured their peace by His death, and now makes prompt payment of it – peace with God, peace of conscience, peace with one another.
b) His clear and undeniable manifestation of Himself to them. (Verse 20) They saw Him now alive whose death had been witnessed by a multitude of people a few days before. But was this that same body that was dead? The marks and wounds served to demonstrate that it was indeed the same body, though now glorified – which glory was somehow veiled for their protection. His wounds bore witness on earth, and they were to speak in heaven in the intercession that He must ever live to make. (Rev. 5:6)
4. The impression made upon the disciples was one of joy and gladness. “Then were the disciples glad.” They were now convinced that it was the Lord Himself who stood in their midst. For them, there could have been no greater joy than to know that their Lord was risen from the dead. And thus their faith was confirmed.
B. JESUS GAVE THEM A HIGH COMMISSION IN WHICH THEY WOULD SERVE AS HIS AGENTS IN THE WORLD. (VERSE 21)
1. He prefaced the commission with a solemn repetition of the previous salutation. “Then said Jesus to them again, “PEACE BE UNTO YOU.”
a) The former salutation was to calm their fears; this repetition was to gain their attention. He previously needed to still the tumult so that they could weigh the proofs of His resurrection. Now He must calm their joy and excitement so that they might hear with sober minds what He has to say.
b) The repetition of these words were also intended to encourage them in receiving this commission which, though a high honor, would involve them in a great deal of trouble. (Compare Gideon’s call; Judges 6:22, 23)
c) Christ was now sending them to publish peace to the world. (Isa. 52:7; Rom. 10:15) Here He not only confers peace upon them for their own good, but commits peace to them as a trust to be communicated to the sons of peace. (See Luke 10:5, 6)
2. The commission itself is very great, in that Christ likens it to His own which He received from His Father. “As my Father hath sent me…”
a) He appointed them to go on with His work upon earth. He sent them with a divine warrant and authorized them as ambassadors of peace.
b) Certainly their powers were infinitely inferior to His, but their work was the same kind, and they were to go on with it as witnesses to the truth like their Lord. (Ch. 18:37)
c) He had a power to send them equal to the Father’s power to send Him. This declares the Godhead of Christ. The commissions He gave were of equal authority with those given by the Father. (Isa. 6:1-9; Matt. 28:18-20)
C. HE QUALIFIED THEM FOR THE DISCHARGE OF THE TRUST THEY HAD RECEIVED. “HE BREATHED ON THEM AND SAID, RECEIVE YE THE HOLY GHOST.” (VERSE 22)
1. He breathed on them as a group, so that, all, even Thomas being absent, also received the blessing and benefit. The Spirit of the Lord knew where to find him.
2. He breathed His Spirit (His breath – same Greek word) upon them.
a) As the breath of the Almighty gave life to man, so the breath of the Mighty Savior gave life to His ministers, and began a new world. (Job 33:40
b) This means that the Spirit is the breath of Christ proceeding from the Son, and signifies the power of His grace.
c) The Holy Spirit is the gift of Christ. (Ch. 14:18; 16:7)
3. The solemn grant which this sign signified was then given. “Receive ye the Holy Ghost.”
a) Christ here gave them assurance of the Spirit’s aid in the work He was sending them to do.
b) He gave them the earnest of that which would come in greater fullness later.
c) It is encouraging to know that Christ does not send us forth in our own strength to do His work. (Eph. 1:13)
D. HE GAVE PARTICULAR AREAS IN WHICH THEY WOULD EXERCISE THE POWER GIVEN THEM. (VERSE 23)
1. The apostles were given extraordinary powers of discernment and they were entrusted with special authority. However, to pardon sin was not within their realm.
2. It was by the faithful stewardship of the mysteries of God that they were able to declare the remission of sins uponGospel terms, which they did. (Acts 2:38; 3:19)
3. God will never alter this rule or vary from it. Those whom the Gospel acquits shall be acquitted, and those whom the Gospel condemns shall be condemned. (John 12:48; Rom. 2:16; James 2:12)
III. FINALLY, WE HAVE THE INCREDULITY OF THOMAS, WHO BEING ABSENT, LEARNED OF CHRIST’S APPEARANCE FROM THE OTHER APOSTLES. (VERSES 24-26)
A. THOMAS, FOR WHATEVER REASON, DID NOT GATHER WITH THE OTHERS. (VERSE 24)
1. He was “one of the twelve,” that is, one of the original twelve chosen apostles, of which there were now eleven left.
2. Why he didn’t join the others we are not told. Perhaps he was sad and distraught, and wanted to be alone. Maybe he was sick or tired. Even so, his absence is not mentioned with approval or acceptance.
3. Absenteeism often reflects a spiritual problem, which is not pleasing to the Lord.
B. THE OTHER DISCIPLES SOON INFORMED THOMAS ABOUT WHAT HE HAD MISSED. (VSE. 25)
1. What a joyful report it was! “We have seen the Lord.”
2. This they said to Thomas to either upbraid him for his absence, letting him know what he missed, or to inform him of the blessing they had experienced, wishing he had been there.
3. Absenteeism is very costly, but only those who rightly value Christ’s presence can appreciate the loss.
C. THOMAS REJECTED THE REPORT OF THE BRETHREN, REFUSING TO BELIEVE. (VERSE 26)
1. Perhaps, as some have suggested, Thomas was a negative disposition. (See Ch. 11:16; 14:5)
2. His answer here was not only negative and faithless; it was insulting to the other apostles, in a sense accusing them of credulity.
3. Their report was true; it was in keeping with Christ’s words; and it was unanimously agreed upon, yet Thomas rejected it.
4. Thomas here made a demand that tempted Christ, in that, he would be convinced by his own method, or not at all. We must be careful about skepticism, so as not to limit the Holy One of Israel.
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