Rooting Path · New Testament Survey · Lesson 3 of 7 · He Is Risen · about 18 min
Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, John 20–21, Acts 1. The last two events of ‘The Life of Jesus’ on the timeline: the resurrection and appearances, and the ascension. All four Gospels end with an empty tomb; Acts begins with Jesus being taken up into heaven.
Early on the first day of the week, the women came to the tomb:
5Becoming terrified, they bowed their faces down to the earth. The men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? 6He isn’t here, but is risen. Remember what he told you when he was still in Galilee,
Luke 24:5–6 · WEB
Eight days later, Jesus said to Thomas:
27Then he said to Thomas, “Reach here your finger, and see my hands. Reach here your hand, and put it into my side. Don’t be unbelieving, but believing.” 28Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29Jesus said to him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.”
John 20:27–29 · WEB
The last lesson stopped at the tomb: a stone rolled against the entrance, the disciples scattered, Peter weeping. This lesson is early on the morning of the third day.
On the first day of the week, at early dawn, some women came to the tomb carrying spices. They saw that the stone blocking the entrance had been rolled away, but they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. Two men in dazzling clothes said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He isn’t here, but is risen.” Mark’s Gospel records one particular instruction from the young man in the tomb: “tell his disciples and Peter” (Mark 16:7)—Peter, who had denied the Lord three times, was named too.
At first the disciples did not believe. The women went back with the news, and “These words seemed to them to be nonsense, and they didn’t believe them” (Luke 24:11). Peter ran to the tomb; “he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he departed to his home, wondering what had happened” (Luke 24:12). The Scriptures do not portray the disciples as people who believed the moment they heard; they were persuaded by the facts, step by step.
Then Jesus appeared to people again and again. He called Mary Magdalene by name, and she recognized him. He walked with two disciples on the road to Emmaus, and when he broke the bread, “Their eyes were opened and they recognized him” (Luke 24:31). With the doors locked, he stood among the disciples and said, “Peace be to you” (John 20:19), and had them look at his hands and feet: “Touch me and see” (Luke 24:39). Thomas said he would not believe unless he saw with his own eyes and touched with his own hands; eight days later Jesus said to him, “Don’t be unbelieving, but believing,” (John 20:27) and Thomas said, “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28)
By the Sea of Tiberias, Jesus made breakfast for his disciples, and then three times asked Peter, “Simon, son of Jonah, do you love me?” (John 21:16) Peter had three times said he did not know the Lord, and Jesus asked him three times; and each time he entrusted something to him: “Feed my sheep” (John 21:17). Finally, “he said to him, ‘Follow me’” (John 21:19)—the same words as when he first called him by the sea.
Later Paul listed people who had seen the risen Lord: “he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to over five hundred brothers at once, most of whom remain until now” (1 Cor 15:5–6). He said the resurrection is at the center of the gospel: “If Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith also is in vain” (1 Cor 15:14); “But now Christ has been raised from the dead. He became the first fruit of those who are asleep” (1 Cor 15:20).
The risen Jesus sent his disciples out: “As the Father has sent me, even so I send you” (John 20:21). He told them to wait in the city “until you are clothed with power from on high” (Luke 24:49). Forty days later, as the disciples watched, “he was taken up, and a cloud received him out of their sight” (Acts 1:9). The angels said, “This Jesus, who was received up from you into the sky, will come back in the same way as you saw him going into the sky” (Acts 1:11).
The disciples “returned to Jerusalem” (Luke 24:52) and waited in the city. Next lesson: the power from on high comes down, and the gospel sets out from Jerusalem.
When Paul sets out the gospel, the first thing he says is: “Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures” (1 Cor 15:3–4). ‘According to the Scriptures’ is said twice—his death and his resurrection were both things the Old Testament had already spoken of.
The risen Jesus said the same thing himself: “Then he opened their minds, that they might understand the Scriptures. He said to them, ‘Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day’” (Luke 24:45–46).
Open ‘The Life of Jesus’ on the timeline and click its last two events: the resurrection and appearances, and the ascension. Then turn to the last chapter of each Gospel (Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, John 20), and for each write one sentence: to whom did the risen Jesus appear first? What did he say to them?
For reference: Matthew—the women; he said ‘Greetings’ and ‘Don’t be afraid’. Mark—the young man in the tomb told the women he had risen, and that they should tell the disciples and Peter. Luke—the two disciples on the road to Emmaus; he explained the Scriptures to them and broke bread. John—Mary Magdalene; he called her by name. The four books differ in the details, but they tell of the same thing: the tomb is empty, he is alive, and he comes looking for people who are afraid, disappointed and doubting.
Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and have believed.
John 20:29 · WEB
This week, read Luke 24 in one sitting. Afterward write one sentence: in this chapter, who moved from unbelief to faith? How did that change happen?
Just this one thing. When you do it, tap that day below; if you don’t, that’s all right—try again next week.
Good. Tap each day you do it this week:
Putting down roots is not something you do alone. Find a brother or sister you trust (ideally of the same sex) and talk this question over this week:
Have you, like Thomas, ever thought, ‘I will believe only when I see it with my own eyes’? What happened after that?