1. Sunday in the Word Easter The Risen Christ
April 16, 2017
Unit 1, Study 7
Study Texts: Matthew 27:57-28:20; Luke 24:1-11; Mark 16:9-15

2. The Risen Christ Key Verse: Matthew 28:6
6 He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. (KJV)
6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. (NIV)
Focus: To appreciate the significance of Christ’s resurrection and exalt Him as our risen Lord
Central Truth: Jesus Christ rose from the dead and lives forever

3. Risen

4. He Said He Would, and He Did!
Rise Again!

5. He Delivered on the Most Difficult Promise He Could Make
Not a politicians empty promise
Not the promise of a government bureaucrat
Not a religious leaders grandiose promise
A Promise that only He could make and keep

6. He Said He Would, and He Did! Matthew 20:17-19 NIV
Jesus a Third Time Predicts His Death and Resurrection
17 Now Jesus was going up to Jerusalem. On the way, he took the Twelve aside and said to them, 18 “We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death 19 and will hand him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!”

7. Christ’s Burial Matthew 27:57-61(NIV)
Buried by Friends
57 As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. 58 Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. 59 Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, 60 and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. 61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb.

8. Christ’s Burial
How did Joseph show his devotion to Jesus?

9. Christ’s Burial Matthew 27:62-66(NIV)
Guarded by Enemies
62 The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. 63 “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ 64 So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.” 65 “Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” 66 So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard.

10. Christ’s Burial
Why were the religious leaders so anxious to get rid of Jesus?
Why would Jesus’ enemies pay more attention to His declarations that He would rise again than His followers did?

11. Where was Everyone?
Why didn’t anybody show Up?
Why was no one there?

12. Not One Person Showed Up for the Resurrection
Was it Fear of breaking the Sabbath?
Was it Fear of Persecution?
Was it Shock and Grief?

13. Not One Person Showed Up for the Resurrection
The real reason no one showed up is that no one really believed Jesus and what he said.
The Chief Priests and Pharisees didn’t believe
Pilate and the Romans didn’t believe
The people of Jerusalem didn’t believe
The disciples of Jesus didn’t believe

14. Not One Person Showed Up for the Resurrection Matthew 27: 62-64 NIV
62 The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. 63 “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ 64 So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.”

15. The Resurrection Was Not Even on Their Minds Luke 24: 1-8 (NIV)
He Is Risen
24 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7 ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’ ” 8 Then they remembered his words.

16. Christ’s Resurrection Matthew 28:1-7 (NIV)
The Empty Tomb
28 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. 2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. 5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

17. Christ’s Resurrection Matthew 28:8-10 (NIV)
The Risen Lord
8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

18. It’s Unbelievable Mark 16:9-15 (NKJV)
Mary Magdalene Sees the Risen Lord
9 Now when He rose early on the first day of the week, He appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom He had cast seven demons. 10 She went and told those who had been with Him, as they mourned and wept. 11 And when they heard that He was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.
Jesus Appears to Two Disciples
12 After that, He appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country. 13 And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either.
The Great Commission
14 Later He appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table; and He rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they did not believe those who had seen Him after He had risen. 15 And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature.

19. It’s Unbelievable
Even when they went to tell the other’s in hiding what they had seen and heard, they did not believe

20. It’s Unbelievable Luke 24:9-11 (KJV/NIV)
9 Then they returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them, who told these things to the apostles. 11 And their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them. (KJV)
9 When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. 11 But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. (NIV)
NIV-Nonsense Words

21. It’s Unbelievable
The Story is truly unbelievable, BUT it’s TRUE! It sounds like the idle talk or nonsense words of addled women, BUT it’s TRUE It’s Amazing It’s Astounding It’s Incredible Its Remarkable CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?

22. Believe it
He Said He would and He did-- Love so amazing That God would die for me That He would rise from the dead to prove it That He would promise to return someday That we can be with Him forever He kept His promise then, He will keep His promise again You can BELIEVE IT!

23. Christ’s Mandate Matthew 28:16-18 (NIV)
Christ’s Authority
16 Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17 When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18 Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
What is the significance of His resurrection according to Matthew 28:18

24. Christ’s Mandate Matthew 28:19-20 (NIV)
Christ’s Promise-The Great Commission
19 Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”

25. The Great Commission
What are Christians to do since they know Jesus has all power in heaven and earth?
What responsibility does each Christian have in fulfilling the Great Commission

26. Practical Application
The resurrection of Jesus is the most important event in the history of the world
Perhaps this is why so many people over centuries have tried to deny the reality of this blessed event
Because He rose from the dead and lives forever, Jesus Christ can offer eternal life to all who believe in Him
He has the authority to transform lives
He is the One who forgives and justifies sinners
He brings us into a right relationship with His Heavenly Father
His followers are to carry out the Great Commission

27. Acknowledgements Material adapted from
Radiant Life: Adult Teacher Guide
Mar-Apr-May 2017 Unit 1, The Era of the Judges
Volume 91 Number 3
Gospel Publishing House, Springfield, MO 65802
@2017 ISSN
All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International NIV, Copyright 1973 Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide.
All Scripture quotations marked (KJV) are taken from the King James Version of the bible.

28. Sunday in the Word Good Lessons from Bad Examples The Cost of Worldliness (Lot)
June 11, 2017
Unit 1, Study 2
Study Texts: Genesis 13:1-14:6; 19:1-29; Luke 17:28-33; James 4:4-6; 2 Peter 2:6-9;1 John 2:15-17