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HE Risen!: Christ Creation
HE Risen!: Christ Creation
HE Risen!: Christ Creation
Is RISEN!
--------1_-- HE
INTRODUCTION DEVOTIONAL READING:
A. REMEMBERING TO REMEMBER 1 CORINTHIANS 15:12-26
It is funny how the human mind remembers. Friends and family will BACKGROUND SCRIPTURE:
sometimes tell us stories of events we participated in firsthand only a few LUKE 24:1-12
years back, but we may have absolutely no recollection of them. Then we PRINTED TEXT:
may hear an old song on the radio that we haven't heard in years and, in LUKE 24:1-12
stantly, every word of the lyrics comes back to mind. I imagine some of this
has to do with the level at which the original context affected us.
Forgetfulness takes several fonns. Some forgetfulness is hannless and some
is hannful. Some is accidental and some is intentional. Does it surprise us LESSON AIMS
that jesus' followers all seemed to have forgotten that he foretold his suffer After participating in this
ing, death, and resurrection? How could they forget something so crucial? lesson, each student will
And what do we learn from the different ways they responded to the news of be able to:
this life-changing event when reminded? 1. Retell Luke's ac
count of the women's
B. LESSON BACKGROUND experience on resurrection
In Luke 9:20, Peter was the first disciple to confess jesus as Messiah (or morning.
Christ). jesus responded by warning that he was to suffer, die, and rise on the 2. Compare and contrast
third day Shortly thereafter, following a crowd-dazzling healing display, jesus the various levels of beliefof
impressed upon his followers that he would be betrayed. But they didn't un those first told of the resurrec
derstand (9:44, 45). jesus later alluded to being killed in jerusalem (13:33). tion with the varying levels of
He also said that he had to suffer and face rejection (17:25). faith expressed.
As the time of his death drew closer, jesus repeated these predictions. He 3. Plan to discuss with an
was to be handed over, mocked, beaten, and killed, but would rise on the unbeliever the facts ofJesus'
third day (18:31-33). Still his disciples did not grasp what he was saying. resurrection.
jesus gave his disciples several opportunities to expect his death and rec
ognize it for what it was: a temporary stop on the path to resurrection. But
they did not comprehend. Indeed, they could not because it had been con
cealed from them (Luke 9:45; 18:34). God planted a seed within them that
was to bear fruit only after Christ's resurrection. Our text today records how
jesus' closest followers first responded to the news of that resurrection.
The events that transpired before it are familiar to long-time Christians.
jesus was betrayed and handed over to jewish authorities. They handed him
over to Roman authorities. Pilate gave in to the crowd's wish that the inno
cent man jesus be crucified. Since it was the day before the Sabbath,jesus'
body was removed quickly from the cross and placed in the tomb of]oseph
of Arimathea. Then on the third day the unbelievable happened.
KEY VERSES
LESSON 7 NOTES The first day of the week is of course Sunday. Jesus was crucified and died
two days previously, on Friday. Since Saturday was the Sabbath, it would
not have been appropriate to anoint Christ's body with spices on that day.
Pious Jews are careful to avoid all fonns of work on the Sabbath (Luke
23:56). Coming into contact with a dead body, especially on a "special"
Sabbath Qohn 19:31), creates problems of ceremonial uncleanness (Num
bers 19:11).
So Friday evening the body had been taken off the cross and hastily placed
in a tomb to await final burial preparations. Luke 23:54-56 tells us that the
WHAT Do You THINK? women who followed Jesus from Galilee take it upon themselves to prepare
How do you prepare to the spices the day of Christ's death and then wait until the first day of the
honor Christ on the first day week, after the Sabbath, to administer them.
of each week? The time of day (very early in the morning) shows us how eager the women
are to complete this task. Psalm 30:5 says "weeping may remain for a night,
but rejoicing comes in the morning." God is about to dry the tears of all
Jesus' followers and change the course of world history.
6, 7. "He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was
still with you in Galilee: 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of
sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again. '"
llo.........~~~_
results in disbelief. Jesus had told the disciples firsthand of his impending Magdala. MAG-duh-luh.
death and resurrection, but they do not accept the women's secondhand tes Magdalene. MAG-duh-leen
timony regarding fulfillment. They go so far in their disbelief as to think that or Mag-duh-LEE-nee.
the women have fabricated tales-pure nonsense! Pilate. PIE-lut.
We should not assume that the disciples reject this testimony because the
witnesses are women. The resurrection is an extraordinary event that requires
great faith to accept. Even when Jesus later reveals himself to disciples in per
son, they express doubt, wondering if he is a ghost (Luke 24:36-43). It is not
until they touch him with their hands that they truly believe. Even so, Jesus
will pronounce blessing on all who believe reliable testimony about him, al
though that testimony be secondhand Oohn 20:29).
TALL TALES
There is a genre in American literature called the tall tale. It consists of a "hero
story," featuring a larger-than-life character. The character is bigger and srronger
than most people, even if the story is based on an actual person. Exaggeration and
hyperbole are major ingredients in these stories. The hero usually faces a particu
lar task and then resolves it in an unusual and humorous way. Exaggerated details
flesh out the story, adding to the humor and the novelty of the tale.
Well-known examples of tall tale are the ones told about Paul Bunyan and his
Blue Ox, Pecos Bill,]ohn Henry the Steel-Driving Man, and]ohnny Appleseed. A
typical exaggeration is the story of Paul Bunyan pulling a ship through the English
...
Channel-a ship so large that it scraped the sides, thus creating the white cliffs of
Dover. The tall tale format has been used in teaching creative writing to children;
they imagine a scenario in which they can improvise on a normal situation but
exaggerate it and develop it into a tall tale.
lt is always presumed that listeners can tell the difference between a tall tale
and a truthful account. But some tale-tellers can become very credible in their
exaggerations, and some truthful accounts are hard to imagine. That's the dilem
ma faced by the aposdes when they heard the women. Was it a tall tale? Or was
truth stranger than fiction? The answer became clear to them, and so must it to us.
-JB.N.
WHAT Do You THINK?
How does the testimony of 12. Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips
your church cause others to of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himselfwhat had
come to it and check it out? happened.
What do (or should) they find The action of Peter represents another kind of response to secondhand
when they arrive? testimony: investigation. Peter will not accept the women's testimony blindly,
Uohn 13:35 will be impor nor does he merely reject it without testing it for himself So he runs straight
tant in your answed way to the tomb. Peter, whose last recorded deed to this point has been to
weep over denyingJesus, is more than mildly interested in his master's pos
sible return!
Peter's findings are inconclusive. The empty tomb and the pile of body
wrappings do not contradict the women's testimony. But there is no angel
sighting. Peter departs the cave wondering what has happened, wondering
where his Lord may be, and likely wondering whether he will get a second
chance to prove his love for Jesus.
PRAYER i Peter will get all the proof he needs soon enough!]esus' resurrection
Father in Heaven, may Imeans a new start for us still today. There are many who have heard of God's
we not keep your plan to . offer of forgiveness and new life, but they are waiting on more evidence. They
ourselves. May we offer it are looking at the lives of Christians and evaluating whether we truly possess
boldly to all whom we meet. the new life we claim is possible. Unfortunately, when they don't see it in us,
Let us not be intimidated by they often assume it is not true. So God's people must not only talk of new
appearances or status. Let us life, we must diligently seek to embrace it fully and live it daily in the sight of
not be discouraged by rejec nonbelievers.
tion or ridicule. Forsaking
worldly praise let us do your CONCLUSION
will, knowing that the Lord of To~ay's le~s?n reveals.a critical time for "the ~leven" because they, as we,
resurrection life is also Lord iwere m a poslUon of relymg on secondhand testImony. Of course, they go on
of the harvest. ThroughJesus to seeJesus firsthand, which placed them in a different position from ours.
Christ our risen Lord amen. During this brief but critical window-the time between getting secondhand
, and firsthand testimony-we see some variation in response to testimony
of Christ's resurrection. Some thought others to be peddling tall tales. Some
tested the claims. At least one believed after conducting a test without actu
ally having seen the risen Jesus (John 20:8). Another absolutely refused to
believe without firsthand evidence (John 20:25).
Despite the variety of initial responses, all oEjesus' followers ultimately
believed his resurrection. Today, Jesus does not stand among us physically to
invite us to touch his nail-scarred hands as he did with Thomas. But God has
left us with plenty of other evidence to create belief
: So let us not be discouraged by the variety of responses we receive to the
I gospel message. Let us not give up persistently proclaiming Christ to all peo
LESSON 7 313 APRIL 12, 2009
pIe regardless of how they initially respond to us. Equally important, let us THOUGHT TO REMEMBER
live with integrity and joy the new life Christ's resurrection has made possible Live and proclaim Christ's
for us. For Christ is indeed risen! resutfection.
Discovery Learning
Classes desiring such student involvement will find these suggestions helpful. At the
back of this book are reproducible student pages to further enhance activity learning.
INTO THE LESSON jesus' body.) Groups 1 and 2: "What surprised the
Lead into a discussion of burial rituals by saying, women when they arrived?" (The stone was rolled
"Death has always been mysterious to us. Various away, and jesus , body was missing.) Group 1: "How
explanations have surfaced throughout the centu did the women react to the angels?" (Fear and
ries to explain what happens at the point of death bowing down.) Group 2: "What did the angels tell
and afterward. Humans naturally want to 'make them had happened to Jesus?" (He had risen from
sense' out of things. What are some of the differ the dead.) Group 1: "What words ofJesus did the
ent rituals and ceremonies surrounding death and angels repeat?" ("The Son ofMan must be delivered
burial that have been practiced by various civiliza into the hands ofsiriful men, be crucified and on the
tions? What customs do we observe today? How do third day be raised again.") Group 2: "What did
these ceremonies help people make sense of, or at the women do after they heard the angels' mes
least cope with, the mystery of death?" sage?" (Retumed and told what had happened to the
At some point in the discussion, have the class apostles.) Group 1: "What were the names of some
contrast the Christian view of death with a non of the women who went to the tomb?" (Mary Mag
Christian view. What makes the difference? Be sure dalene, joanna, Mary the mother ofjames.) Group
to point out that the resurrection of]esus is the 2: "How did the apostles react to the women's
defining point of belief and hope for the follower of report?" (They didn't believe them.) Group 1: "What
Christ. did Peter do?" (He ran to the tomb to seefor himself.)
Group 2: "What did Peter find?" (The burial clothes,
INTO THE WORD but no body.)
Select class members to represent various Conclude by saying, "The events in today's text
characters in a skit about the story in Luke 24. caused a turning point for all the people involved
These include Mary Magdalene, Joanna, the sec and even for us today. Let's see how many things
ond Mary, two men (angels), Peter, and some we can name that are different because of this day
other apostles. As either you or another narrator in history." Jot answers on the board. You can ask
reads verses 1-12, have the characters act out the the two groups to alternate in answering.
scenes. Read slowly, pausing long enough for each
scene to be enacted. INTO LIFE
When the skit is completed, divide the class The application of these exercises is thatJesus'
into two groups. Alternate in asking each group resurrection changes lives. Write the following
the follOwing questions. Ask them to answer from words across the top of the board: Home, Work/
memory, but allow them to use their Bibles if School, Community, and World. Have the students
necessary. relate ways thatJesus' resurrection has affected
Group 1: "What was the day and time when them in each area of life listed. Write answers
the women came to the tomb?" (Very early Sun under each heading.
day moming.) Group 2: "What had the women Then say, '1\t first even Jesus' closest friends did
brought with them, and for what purpose?" (They not believe that he had risen. They wanted proof.
brought spices they had prepared to place around The same is true today. Many people do not believe
..
in the resurrection at all. They reject Christ's res Ask if some would be willing to tell of a time
urrection." Ask someone in class to represent the they doubted]esus' resurrection. Why did they
point of view of a person who does not believe in doubt? Do they doubt now? What changed their
the resurrection. (Arrange for this before class time belief? Did another person's life have any effect on
so the person can be prepared.) Have students tell them, either causing doubt or causing faith? How
the "unbeliever" of]esus' resurrection, trying to do we as Christians appear to those who do not
persuade him or her that it is true. Keep in mind follow Christ? Discuss how our lives can be a hin
that perhaps someone in the class is not fully con drance or an encouragement to those seeking the
vinced of the resurrection and will be listening for truth. Distribute one or both of the reproducible
answers to his or her uncertainty. activities on page 377 as take-home work.
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