Left Behind, Luke 24:1-12

 I’m sure you all have heard of the movie that came out recently in the theaters called “Left Behind.”  As you may know, it is from a book series that has been around for quite a while actually, by a Christian author named Tim LaHaye.  In case you’re not familiar with the story line, the basic premise is that there is a divine event called the rapture in which all Christians mysteriously disappear and the series deals with the people on earth that are left behind to deal with the tribulation events.

Well, at the risk of offending some of you, I think that may make for entertaining novels or movies, but I believe it’s bad theology.  Or more precisely, bad eschatology.  Just for the record, I don’t subscribe to the rapture theology, but I do believe in the second coming of Christ, and I do believe in the resurrection of the dead. 

Now I say all of that, not to start a fight with anyone over their pet doctrine, but because I wanted to title my message today, “Left Behind,” and I wanted to disassociate it right away from that book series.  But the Biblical context for “left behind” that we are going to look at today is found in this passage which recounts for us the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  I’m not going to try to somehow turn this into a sermon on the end times, but rather I want you to consider the ramifications of Christ’s resurrection.  Because Christ’s resurrection is the keystone of our faith. 

Paul makes it clear in 1 Corinthians that Christ’s resurrection sets a precedent for our own resurrection.  So it is important that we understand how that works.  Look at 1Cor. 15:20-24,  “But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep.  For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead.  For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive.  But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ's at His coming,  then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power.”  Notice the phrase, “first fruits.”  Christ is the first fruits in regards to the resurrection.  That means He was the first to be raised from the dead to a glorified life.  And as He was raised, so will the dead in Christ be raised.

If it were not for Christ’s resurrection, then Christianity would be of no consequence.  All that Jesus came to teach about the kingdom of God would have been invalidated if He had not risen from the dead.  The ministry of Jesus would have been a failure.  If He had not been raised from the dead, then atonement would not have been enacted for sins.  If He had not been raised from the dead, then His sacrifice would not have been deemed sufficient by the righteous Judge.  In fact, if He had not been raised from the dead, then He had not been sinless as we had hoped, nor was He the Son of God.  Paul goes on to say in I Cor. 15:17-19 “and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.” 

So no wonder that His followers were disillusioned after His death.  It’s no wonder that they were scared and holed up in a room hiding out from the rulers of the Jews.  In spite of all that Jesus had prophesied concerning His death and resurrection, they were totally unprepared for it, and were completely without comprehension of it’s meaning.  As far as they were concerned, everything that they had believed about Christ and the kingdom of God had gone down the drain when Jesus was arrested and crucified. 

But conversely, what His resurrection signified was everything.  It was hope of the greatest magnitude.  It may have still taken them a little while for His followers to grasp the full implications of it all, but the fact of His resurrection meant hope.  It meant assurance of salvation.  It meant forgiveness of sins.  It meant victory over death.  No wonder the disciples were filled with power after the Holy Spirit came upon them and no wonder that they were bold to preach the gospel even at the cost of their lives.  Because they now knew that their Savior, the Lord Jesus, had the power over death.  He had the keys of death and Hades.  He had triumphed over sin and the devil.  And now, because they were His, there was no fear of death for them. 

You know, obviously great technological advances have been made in the last 2000 years.  We can do so many things today; cars, airplanes, traveling to the moon,  instantly able to talk by computer to people thousands of miles away.  Incredible technology is available to our modern society that would have been unimaginable for the average person 2000 years ago.  But one thing technology has never been able to overcome, and they never will. Despite all the advances of society, mankind still cannot escape the hopelessness of death. 

In fact, I believe that part of the reason for the hopelessness we see so often evidenced in our youth today is that though technology has made pleasure and fulfillment of our passions and  entertainment more rapidly available, yet ironically it only serves to enable the average young person to find out by age 20 what it took our grandfathers a lifetime to find out: that the temporary pleasures of this world are unfulfilling and without the hope of eternal life there is no point to life at all.

So though the story of the gospel is 2000 years old, still the resurrection is a message that should resonate with every man, woman and child.  Because the fact is that death has to still  be faced by every person as Heb. 9:27 says, “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.”  But the hope of the gospel is that though Jesus died as a man, the just for the unjust, yet He rose again as the first fruits of those that believe in Him.  He died and rose again so that man might have the hope of life after death.

So I want to look at the resurrection today from the perspective of what Jesus accomplished through it.  Rather than just regurgitating the historical narrative, I would like to try to bring out a series of simple truths that can be framed through the lens of what Jesus left behind.  When Jesus rose from the dead, He left behind some things.  And in so doing, His resurrection reveals certain things we can leave behind as well, as He is the first fruits.  And as He was, so will we be. 

To start with, when Jesus rose from the dead He left behind the darkness. Look at vs. 1, “But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared.”  One of the saddest sights I have ever seen was passing by a graveyard at night I noticed a grave marker here or there illuminated with a little light.  As if the surviving relatives were trying to give some measure of comfort to the bones and dust kept there inside the coffin.  But I am afraid that there is no light that can reach six foot down through the darkness inside that coffin, except one.  And that is the light of the world that is Jesus Christ.  Through His resurrection Jesus vanquished the darkness.

Isaiah 9:2 says, “The people that walked in darkness have seen a great light: they that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined.”  John said that Jesus “was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.”  So the first simple truth that is established because of the resurrection is that Christ has vanquished the darkness of the shadow of death.  He is the light of the world that gives light and life to all who believe. 

Secondly, when Jesus rose from the dead He left behind the Sabbath and all the ceremonial laws that had been a burden to the Jews. Peter referred to these ordinances in Acts chapter 15 as a yoke that neither they nor their fathers had been able to bear. Notice vs. 1 says, “on the first day of the week…”  As I pointed out last time, Jesus body lay in the tomb on the Sabbath day.  His body kept the last Sabbath under the Old Covenant but His Spirit  was alive and about the Father’s business in Paradise.  But with the resurrection of Christ on the first day of the week, the early church put away the Sabbath celebrated the day of resurrection in the new covenant as the Lord’s Day. 

The Sabbath, and all the attendant ceremonial laws were foreshadows of what was fulfilled in Christ.  We saw earlier how Christ was the fulfillment of the Passover Feast.  We don’t keep the Passover today, because it was fulfilled by Christ who was the Passover Lamb.  Today we keep Communion, or the Lord’s Supper.  If you remember Christ changed the Passover to the Lord’s Supper in the upper room on the night before His crucifixion.  And  similarly, the Apostles changed the observance of the Sabbath to a celebration of His resurrection on the Lord’s Day. 

Paul said in Colossians 2:16-17 “Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day--  things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ.”  So the resurrection of Christ left behind the ceremonial laws, the dietary laws, the Sabbath and festival laws, the sacrificial laws, all of those things which were a mere shadow of what was to come, that is Christ who fulfilled those foreshadows.  Now Hebrews tells us, we no longer need the shadows, for the fullness is now realized in Jesus Christ. 

Thirdly, in His resurrection Jesus left behind an open tomb.  Vs. 2, “And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb.”  What does the open tomb signify?  It simply signifies that Jesus has made a way to escape death. Paul tells the Corinthians that for those who are in Christ Jesus, death will not have dominion over them, but Christ has given us the victory over death.  1Cor. 15:51-54 “Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed,  in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on immortality. But when this perishable will have put on the imperishable, and this mortal will have put on immortality, then will come about the saying that is written, "DEATH IS SWALLOWED UP in victory.”

Fourthly, when Jesus rose from the dead, He left behind His grave clothes. John 20:6-7 adds some more detail to Luke’s account.  John said  “Simon Peter also came, following him, and entered the tomb; and he saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the face-cloth which had been on His head, not lying with the linen wrappings, but rolled up in a place by itself.” 

Why do the gospel writers bother telling us about the grave clothes and the face cloth?  I can assure you it was not to lend some sort of credence to the fairy tale of the shroud of Turin.  But I would suggest that it is a picture of leaving the trappings of the old man in the grave and the new life that comes through Jesus Christ. Isaiah 61:10, “I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, My soul will exult in my God; For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has wrapped me with a robe of righteousness.”  So therefore, according to Eph. 4,  those that are in Christ Jesus are to lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, (the old corrupt, dead garments of the flesh) and  be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.”

Paul likens it to being awakened from the dead. Rom 13:11-14 “Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed.  The night is almost gone, and the day is near. Therefore let us lay aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.”

Fifthly, when Jesus arose from the dead, He left behind witnesses.  Vs. 4-7 “While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men suddenly stood near them in dazzling clothing; and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, "Why do you seek the living One among the dead? He is not here, but He has risen. Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee, saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again."

At the birth of Christ we saw many appearances of angels, heralding His birth to the shepherds, announcing His birth to His parents and various people.  Now at His resurrection it is only appropriate that we see angels attending this occasion as well. In the various gospel accounts, there are descriptions of angels sitting at the foot and the head of where He had lain, there are descriptions of angels as young men, there are descriptions here in Luke of angels in dazzling apparel. And some cynics that would point all of that out as some sort of discrepancy of the gospels.  But what I think is actually going on here is that for a short time at the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the veil between this world and the spiritual world is pulled back, and there are seen angels all over the place, appearing and then reappearing.  Appearing in various forms.  But their purpose is to minister to Christ’s followers.  That is the purpose of angels.  Hebrews 1:14 tells us that angels are “all ministering spirits, sent out to render service for the sake of those who will inherit salvation.”  So they appear to announce the good news to the confused an bedazzled group of followers of Christ.

And they are not the only witnesses.  Paul says in I Cor.15:3-8 “For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.”

And because of those witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus, we too are to be witnesses to the world of the good news of the gospel. Acts 1:8 “but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth."

Sixthly, when Christ arose from the grave He left behind the dead.  Note vs. 5, the angels said, “Why do you seek the living One among the dead? He is not here, but He has risen.”  This question points to such a fundamental misunderstanding that men have concerning death.  You need to understand something; death is not a state of being, it is an act. It is not a condition, it is a transition. 

Contrary to what some people think, and even what one old hymn seems to teach, Jesus did not lie dormant in the grave for three days.  There is an old hymn we used to sing when I was a boy called “Low in the grave He lay.”  Well, His body laid in the grave.  But I can tell you this for certain;  Jesus wasn’t there.  Jesus told the thief on the cross, “Today you shall be with Me in Paradise.” 

In 1 Peter 3:18 we read that “For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; in which also He went and made proclamation to the spirits now in prison.”  So though He was in Paradise He was able to speak to those in prison, that is Hades, and proclaim victory over sin and death.

The Bible teaches that there is a first death: it is appointed unto every man once to die, but there is also a second death.  Everyone participates in that first death. But as Jesus illustrated in His death and as He also described in the story of Lazarus and the rich man, though their body is in the grave yet in their Spirit they are alive in either Paradise or Hades.   But for the Christian there is no fear of the second death. Rev. 20:6 says, “Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.”  So by resurrection we shall escape the second death just as Christ did.  But for those that have rejected Jesus they are held in prison, which is Hades until the judgment.  And then they too will be resurrected. Rev 20:13 “And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds.  Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.”

But for those that have believed on Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, they too will leave behind death and enter into everlasting life.

Finally, the resurrection of Jesus left behind despair.  The last time we saw Simon Peter He was in despair.  He had denied the Lord Jesus three times at His trial.  He then abandoned Jesus, after having boasted that He would never fall away, He would never desert Jesus.  And yet before that very night was over he had denied Christ.  Peter, who was the strongest, the bravest, the most ardent in His faith.  Peter, the man Jesus said He would call Rock.  Peter, who would be the foundation of the church of Christ, had fallen away from Christ, swearing fiercely and denying Him three times.  And afterwards in the pit of despair Peter went out and wept bitterly. 

But now, when the women came back to the mourning disciples with the news that Jesus wasn’t in the tomb, the angels said He was risen, while the rest of the disciples were unbelieving, Peter got up and ran for the tomb. Vs. 12 “But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings only; and he went away to his home, marveling at what had happened.”

Why did Peter run?  I suggest Peter ran because he wanted more than anything to have his heart of despair taken away.  He wanted more than anything to see His Savior.  He wanted more than anything to know the joy of forgiveness for betraying His Master.  I think Peter ran to the tomb crying in a mixture of hope and repentance.  I can imagine Peter with tears streaming down his cheeks running through the streets in the early morning, praying aloud, “O God, if Jesus is truly risen I will never, ever leave Him again.  If you will just forgive me I will serve Him with my life until the day I die!” I can only imagine the fervor and the passion that this news awakened in Peter. 

I think Luke makes a colossal understatement when he says that Peter finding no body there, but only the linen garments, went away to his home marveling.  I think as he considered the implications of the empty tomb Peter suddenly had joy where there had been nothing but despair and suddenly had hope when there had been only discouragement.  

Ladies and gentlemen, I wonder how many of you today find yourself mired in despair over your denial of Christ?  How many of you have denied Christ by what you have said, or by your actions, or by your lifestyle and now find yourself living in discouragement?  I want you to know that the resurrection of Jesus can give you hope.  I want you to know that Jesus sought Peter out before His ascension and let him realize reconciliation with God.  Jesus gave Peter a new mission.  And Peter went on to preach the first message after the resurrection and 3000 souls were saved that day.  He went on to be the first pastor of the very first church.  God had a plan for Peter.  So no matter how badly you might think you have messed up, no matter how many times you may have denied Christ, you need to remember that Jesus came to save. He rose from the grave to provide reconciliation with God. And that reconciliation is available today to you as well. 

Listen, God is not the God of the dead who have no hope, but of the living.  Christ rose from the dead to redeem you from the captivity of sin, and set you free. Heb 2:14-16, 18, “Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil,  and might free those who through fear of death were subject to slavery all their lives.  For assuredly He does not give help to angels, but He gives help to the descendant of Abraham. ...  For since He Himself was tempted in that which He has suffered, He is able to come to the aid of those who are tempted.” 

The story of the resurrection is that there is hope in Jesus Christ available for you today.  That we might live no more to die in our sin, but to have life in Christ, and to have it more abundantly.  I pray that today you might find the peace that comes from being right with God.  Jesus is waiting.  Won’t you run to Him?  He will meet you and forgive you and take away your despair and leave you marveling at His grace, even as He did with Peter.