God bless you and greetings in the name of Jesus Christ who was raised from the dead and set at God’s right hand (Ephesians 1:20).
Jesus’ trust was rewarded because three days after he laid down his life God did indeed raise him from the dead. I wonder if Jesus’ first thought upon arising was, “Thank you Father, I knew You would.” The following chapter of Luke records his resurrection.
Luke 24:1-9:
Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they [From verse 10 we know this was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary.] came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. 3 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: 5 And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, 7 Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. 8 And they remembered his words,9 And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things [specifically his words regarding his resurrection.] unto the eleven, and to all the rest.
Those were the very words Jesus believed and rested upon. That’s why he was able to give up the ghost. He did so because he believed God would raise him from the dead. Now the disciples must decide if they are going to believe in his resurrection also.
Luke 24:10-27:
It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles. 11 And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not. [The resurrection must become more than just idle tales to men and women today if they want to receive God’s best.] 12 Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass. [The Word hadn’t yet settled his mind.] 13 And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs. 14 And they talked together of all these things which had happened. 15 And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them. 16 But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. 17 And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad? 18 And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou only a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days? 19 And he said unto them, What things? And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people: 20 And how the chief priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him. 21 But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done. 22 Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre; 23 And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive. 24 And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not. 25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken: 26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory? 27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
Jesus just had the greatest experience of all time, yet he didn’t focus on his experience, he focused the Word that promised it. In the midst of the defeat, darkness and despair surrounding Jesus’ crucifixion, God had acted. . . He intervened. . . He raised Jesus from the dead. He performed His Word like He has always done. Similarly, when Paul described it in Acts 13, he focused on the Word, too.
Acts 13:27-29:
For they that dwell at Jerusalem, and their rulers, because they knew him not, nor yet the voices of the prophets which are read every sabbath day, they have fulfilled them in condemning him. 28 And though they found no cause of death in him, yet desired they Pilate that he should be slain. 29 And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre.
That’s all man could do. Even the greatest of the believers, the apostles, the women, and even Joseph of Arimathea who believed that Jesus would be risen from the dead… all they could do was lay him in the sepulchre. There was nothing else men could do for him. But But But But! God raised him from the dead Acts 13:30. God did all this in fulfillment of His Word. Paul continues:
Acts 13:31-37:
And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people. 32 And we declare unto you glad tidings, how that the promise which wasmade unto the fathers, 33 God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee. 34 And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David. 35 Wherefore he saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. 36 For David, after he had served his own generation by the will of God, fell on sleep, and was laid unto his fathers, and saw corruption: 37 But he, whom God raised again, saw no corruption.
Jesus is still alive today; almost two thousand years later he is still alive. He will know no corruption; he will live forever (Romans 6:9). Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. Neither has death dominion over us who have passed from death unto life through him.