1. The Road to the Cross
A Survey of the Final Days of the Earthly Life of Jesus from the Gospel of Luke
March 19 – April 23

2. How is the date of Easter determined?
March 27, 2016
April 16, 2017
April 1, 2018

3. How is the date of Easter determined?
Easter is always the first Sunday following the first full moon following the spring equinox!
Spring Equinox (March 20th)
Full Moons (March 12th, April 11th)
Therefore, first Sunday following April 11th – TODAY!

4. How foundational, how essential, how vital is the doctrine of the resurrection of Jesus Christ to our Christian Faith?
1 Corinthians 15:17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.

6. How foundational, how essential, how vital is the doctrine of the resurrection of Jesus Christ to our Christian Faith?
Absolutely foundational, essential, vital!

7. He is risen … He is risen indeed!
1 Corinthians 15:20
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead!
He is risen … He is risen indeed!

8. The Road to the Cross
ALIVE FOREVERMORE!
(Luke 24)
March 19 – April 23

9. A Broken Lamp

10. Witnesses to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ!
1. An empty tomb!
Luke 24:1-3
But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

11. They could not deny the tomb was empty!
An empty tomb!
This witness of an empty tomb is quite compelling. So compelling the enemies of Christ tried to explain it by spreading a rumor that the disciples had come at night and stolen his body. Why such a rumor?
They could not deny the tomb was empty!

12. No one did because the tomb was empty!
An empty tomb!
The evidence of the empty tomb cannot be contested!
IF Jesus’s body had been in the tomb, then why when Peter was proclaiming the resurrection of Christ on the Day of Pentecost in Jerusalem (Acts 2), why didn’t someone stand up and say, “Hey people, this is one big lie! Follow me and I will show you his tomb and his body!”
No one did because the tomb was empty!

13. Witnesses to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ!
An empty tomb!
Two impressive messengers!

14. Two impressive messengers!
Luke 24:4-7
While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. 5 And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.”

15. Two impressive messengers!
Luke 24:22-23
Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, 23 and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive.

16. Two impressive messengers!
Question:
Why do you seek the living among the dead?
(Implication – Jesus whom they were seeking was no longer dead but alive! Therefore … the empty tomb!)
Message:
He has risen, just as he had predicted he would!

17. Witnesses to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ!
An empty tomb!
Two impressive messengers!
A number of stunned (and slow to believe) followers!

18. The women who visited the tomb
A number of stunned (and slow to believe) followers
The women who visited the tomb
Luke 24:8-9
And they remembered his words, 9and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.

19. A number of stunned (and slow to believe) followers
The Eleven (and others) who hear the report of these women
Luke 24:11-12
But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. 12 But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened.

20. The two disciples on the road to Emmaus
A number of stunned (and slow to believe) followers
The two disciples on the road to Emmaus
Luke 24: 13-16
That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14 and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 

21. The two disciples on the road to Emmaus
A number of stunned (and slow to believe) followers
The two disciples on the road to Emmaus
Luke 24:18-19
Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” 19 And he said to them, “What things?”

22. The two disciples on the road to Emmaus
A number of stunned (and slow to believe) followers
The two disciples on the road to Emmaus
Luke 24:20-21
And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 21 But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. 

23. The two disciples on the road to Emmaus
A number of stunned (and slow to believe) followers
The two disciples on the road to Emmaus
Luke 24:22-24
Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, 23 and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive.24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” 

24. The two disciples on the road to Emmaus
A number of stunned (and slow to believe) followers
The two disciples on the road to Emmaus
Luke 24:25-27
And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

25. The two disciples on the road to Emmaus
A number of stunned (and slow to believe) followers
The two disciples on the road to Emmaus
Luke 24:30-31
When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. 

26. The two disciples on the road to Emmaus
A number of stunned (and slow to believe) followers
The two disciples on the road to Emmaus
Luke 24: 33
“Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?”

27. Back to The Eleven (and others)
A number of stunned (and slow to believe) followers
Back to The Eleven (and others)

28. The Eleven (and others)
A number of stunned (and slow to believe) followers
The Eleven (and others)
Luke 24:33-35
And they rose that same hour and returned to Jerusalem.” And they found the eleven and those who were with them gathered together,34 saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!”
35 Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he was known to them in the breaking of the bread.

29. So by this point in the story, the followers of Jesus are now convinced that Jesus is alive given the witness of:
the empty tomb,
the impressive messengers,
the women who visited the tomb,
the two disciples on the Emmaus Road,
and Peter’s own testimony!
YES?

30. The Eleven (and others)
A number of stunned (and slow to believe) followers
The Eleven (and others)
Luke 24:36-38
As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” 37 But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. 38 And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts?”

31. The Eleven (and others)
A number of stunned (and slow to believe) followers
The Eleven (and others)
Luke 24:39-43
See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” 40 And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41 And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate before them.

32. SO just what is the importance of this witness of a stunned (and slow to believe) number of followers?

33. “They were not gullible men and women, as some have pictured them to be. They were hard-nosed skeptics! They were as resistant to miracles as our contemporaries.”
(The Christ of the Empty Tomb)
James Boice
Pastor Tenth Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia

34. Would these hard-nosed skeptics been easily fooled?
Would they have been inclined to perpetuate a myth about the resurrection of Jesus?
Would they have gone on and been willing to die for something they knew was not true?

35. Witnesses to the Resurrection of Jesus Christ!
An empty tomb!
Two impressive messengers!
A number of stunned (and slow to believe) followers!
The clear teaching of Scripture!

36. The clear teaching of Scripture!
To what did Jesus appeal when straightening out the wrong thinking of the two discouraged disciples on the road to Emmaus?
Luke 24:27
And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

37. The clear teaching of Scripture!
In addition to appealing to their senses, what did Jesus appeal to erase the doubts of the Eleven and others to whom he appeared?
Luke 24:44-45
Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures.

38. We have the same Scriptures (and much more!)
The Scriptures from Creation to Consummation, from Genesis to Revelation all point to Christ and the Gospel!
“We find Christ in all the Scriptures. In the Old Testament He is predicted, in the Gospels He is revealed, in Acts He is preached, in the epistles He is explained, and in Revelation He is expected.”
Alistair Begg

39. In the midst of today’s activities, take time to celebrate the Gospel!
Sadly, the true meaning of Easter is often crowded out by egg hunts, candy, and the Easter Bunny.
In the midst of today’s activities, take time to celebrate the Gospel!

40. What is the Gospel? 1 Corinthians 15:3-6
For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time . . .

41. Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone!
What is the Gospel?
Romans 6:23
For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.  
Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone!

42. The Grand Exit … But Is He Really Gone?
The Road to the Cross
The Grand Exit … But Is He Really Gone?
(Luke 24:50-53)
March 19 – April 23