Looking for the Living Among the Dead | An Easter Sermon on Luke 24:1-12

Introduction
Easter is the most important holiday of the whole year for Christians.  Jesus–the Son of God–was arrested, tortured, falsely convicted, and executed on a cross.  His body was hastily placed in a borrowed tomb, but on the third day, Jesus rose to life.  This is the foundation of everything for Christians. 

I want you to know, I believe in the resurrection.  I know Jesus is not dead.  I believe He literally got up out of the grave--a bodily resurrection.  It's not just a great story or an ideal to live up to.  I believe it really happened and it's the Truth I base my life on. 

I hope you believe too.  But if we really believe Jesus rose from the grave, it will change the way we think and live.  That’s what I want to talk to you about today.

Luke 24:1-12
¹ But very early on Sunday morning^[a] the women went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. ² They found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. ³ So they went in, but they didn’t find the body of the Lord Jesus. ⁴ As they stood there puzzled, two men suddenly appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes.

⁵ The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? ⁶ He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what he told you back in Galilee, ⁷ that the Son of Man^[b] must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that he would rise again on the third day.”

⁸ Then they remembered that he had said this. ⁹ So they rushed back from the tomb to tell his eleven disciples—and everyone else—what had happened. ¹⁰ It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and several other women who told the apostles what had happened. ¹¹ But the story sounded like nonsense to the men, so they didn’t believe it. ¹² However, Peter jumped up and ran to the tomb to look. Stooping, he peered in and saw the empty linen wrappings; then he went home again, wondering what had happened.

Two Angels at the Tomb
The women found an empty tomb.  The stone was rolled away.  The body of Christ was gone.

Luke says, “Two men suddenly appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes.”  These are clearly not men, but angels.  They resemble the angels Luke says appeared in heavenly glory at Jesus’ birth.  They also resemble Acts 1:10, where Luke also says “two men dressed in white” appeared when Jesus ascended to heaven

I also can’t help but think about the two cherubim God stationed at the entrance of the Garden of Eden.  Remember, when Adam and Eve disobeyed God and ate the forbidden fruit and where kicked out of the Garden of Eden, God stationed two angelic figures (Cherubim) to guard the entrance so no one could re-enter.  Those two cherubim were later represented by the golden cherubim atop the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy of Holies, which was considered by Jews to be the holiest place on earth and the very footstool of God.  But now 2 angels appear to the women at the empty tomb and say something incredible.

“Why are you looking for the living among the dead?”  In a literal sense, the women were looking for a dead Jesus.  They came to anoint His body with burial spices.  This had not been done at His initial, hasty burial.  Remember, Jesus was crucified and died on a Friday afternoon.  They had to get His body off the cross and into a borrowed tomb quickly, before sunset when the Sabbath started and no work could be done.  So Christ's body had not been properly anointed for burial according to their traditions.

So the women had to wait until Sunday morning to come finish the burial ceremony.  As they approached the tomb, their thinking was completely focused on a dead Jesus, which was totally understandable.  The reality of what they found was so implausible, they couldn’t immediately comprehend the truth.  Their earthly minds struggled to make sense of it with the most reasonable explanations:  Someone has moved or stolen the body.  The authorities must have moved the body.

God knew resurrection would be so far from their thinking they would need help to see the truth.  So, God sent His angels to explain:  “He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead!”  

Some people today still struggle to accept the resurrection.   A dead man coming back to life is incredible (in the literal sense of that word–not credible).  The entire history of human experience as well as modern science cries out as a witness that dead people do not come back to life–not in the way the Gospels describe Jesus’ resurrection.  And so many people cannot make the leap of faith to conclude Jesus rose from the grave as He said He would and as the earliest witnesses and the Bible say He did.

So, many people still look for Jesus among the dead.  What I mean is, they cannot accept that He really, literally rose from the grave and so they try to spiritualize the resurrection.  Maybe they see Christ rising from the grave as a symbol of hope, or a fresh start, or spiritual renewal—but not as a real resurrection that changes everything about how we live and think.  For them, the resurrection has “some” meaning, but they are still looking for the living among the dead—holding onto the idea of Jesus, while missing the reality that He is alive.

They want to find value in the Christian story—and in Jesus as an important religious figure—
without really believing the fundamental claim of Christ.  But if Jesus did not really rise, then the faith He gave us falls apart. It’s not just weakened—it’s false.

The Apostle Paul said it plainly in 1 Corinthians 15:14:   “If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.”  And he goes even further in 1 Corinthians 15:17:  “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.”

On the other hand, there are many Christians who do believe Jesus truly rose from the grave, yet that reality has not fully transformed the way they think and live. They still turn to the dead things of this world, hoping to find the life and fulfillment that only the risen Christ can give.  

They believe in the resurrection, but still look for life in success, in comfort, in possessions—thinking if they just had a little more, they would finally feel full.

They believe in the resurrection, but still look for life in approval, in relationships, in what others think of them—hoping someone else can give them the worth Christ already secured.

They believe in the resurrection, but still look for life in routine religion—going through the motions without truly setting their hearts on Christ.

They believe in the resurrection, but still look for life in distractions—keeping busy, staying entertained, avoiding stillness—because they’re not drawing from the life that is already theirs in Christ.

They believe Jesus is alive, but still live as if this world is where life is found.

They believe in the resurrection, but they haven’t yet learned to think like people who have been raised with Christ and live like people who have nothing to lose because Christ already won the ultimate victory.

Jesus is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!
But that’s exactly what the resurrection offers us–a whole new way to think and a whole new way to live.  Paul said it like this in Colossians 3, “Since you have been raised to new life with Christ… set your sights on the realities of heaven.”

Not someday you will be raised, but you have been raised.  That means the life you’re looking for is not found in the dead things of this world.  It’s found in a living Savior.  

So stop looking for life where there is none.  Stop searching among the dead, and start following the One who walked out of the grave.  Lift up your eyes!   Set your heart on Him!  Because Jesus is not in the tomb!  He is alive!

And if He lives then real life is found in Him.  Not later.  Not someday.  But right now!  So, let’s stop looking for the living among the dead.  And let’s stand together and celebrate the victory we have in Jesus, because He lives.

Closing Invitation
I want to give you this invitation.  Maybe you need to make a decision today.  Maybe you want to start following this Jesus who walked out of the grave.  You don’t have to understand.  The resurrection isn’t logical.  It doesn’t make sense.  It doesn’t follow the laws of nature.   But if God is real and Jesus is His Son, is anything impossible with God?  Maybe today, you just need to choose to have faith in God and His Son.  For then you will find, not just belief,  but life.  Life that is real.  Life that is full.  Life that is eternal.

So, stop looking for the living among the dead. Come to the One who is alive.  Close your eyes.  Tell God you believe, and ask Him to save you and give you new life in Christ.

Stories of the Resurrection | A Sermon from Matthew 28:1-10

Introduction
Imagine how powerful it must have been—to hear, firsthand, the stories about the empty tomb…

to listen as eyewitnesses told how they met the risen Jesus face to face… to share in the amazement, the confusion, the hope, and the joy.

The resurrection of Jesus is not just one moment in time—it’s a living reality that changed everything. And the early followers of Christ didn’t keep it quiet. They told their stories. Again and again. Around dinner tables. Around campfires. In whispered prayers and loud celebrations.

Over the next several weeks, we’re going to step into those stories.  We’re going to listen in, walk alongside them, and soak in the wonder of the Resurrection—not just as history, but as a life-changing truth that still speaks to us today.

Each week, we’ll hear a different story of the Resurrection.  Each one offers a fresh glimpse of the Risen Jesus.  Each one teaches us what it means to be faithful followers today — in a world that still needs hope, still needs grace, still needs Him.

So I invite you — not just for today — but for the next seven weeks:
Come hear the Stories of the Resurrection. 
Come discover what God wants to show you through them.
Come experience the Risen Lord for yourself.

Matthew 28:1-10
¹ Early on Sunday morning,^[a] as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb.

² Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it. ³ His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. ⁴ The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint.

⁵ Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. ⁶ He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. ⁷ And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you.”

⁸ The women ran quickly from the tomb. They were very frightened but also filled with great joy, and they rushed to give the disciples the angel’s message. ⁹ And as they went, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they ran to him, grasped his feet, and worshiped him. ¹⁰ Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t be afraid! Go tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there.”

The Frightening Events at the Tomb
The two Marys came to the tomb that morning with a heavy task.  They weren’t coming to celebrate. They weren’t coming with hope.  They were coming to do what love and duty demanded—to properly prepare Jesus' body for burial.  (His body was laid to rest hastily without the proper honors because of the Sabbath.)

But what they found was anything but quiet or peaceful.  First, the ground shook with a violent earthquake. Can you imagine it?  Not just a little rumble—the kind of shaking that rattles your bones and makes your heart jump into your throat. It was powerful enough to roll away the stone in front of Jesus’ tomb, a stone as heavy as a car.

And if that wasn’t enough, they saw something even more terrifying — an angel of the Lord, brilliant and blinding like lightning.  This wasn’t a sweet, chubby baby angel from a Christmas card.  This was a heavenly warrior, radiant with the raw power of God.

The Roman soldiers — fighters trained to face death head on — were so overwhelmed that they fainted as if they were dead. The sight of God's messenger knocked them out cold on the ground.

If the soldiers reacted that way, just think how terrifying it must have been for two grieving women standing there alone.

And yet, they stayed.  Even in their fear, even when the ground trembled and the heavens split open, they stayed.  And because they stayed, they saw something no one else saw: the beginning of the greatest hope the world has ever known.

When fear shakes your world and everything feels overwhelming, will you run?
or will you stay and trust that God is about to do something amazing?

The Angel’s Message: He Is Risen
As amazing as it is to see an angel, this story is not about the angel.  It’s something much more!  The angel had a job—a mission from heaven.  He was sent to deliver a message to anyone faithful and bold enough to come near the tomb.

The angel declared:
"Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said." (Matthew 28:5-6)

What a moment!  The tomb wasn't just empty because someone moved the body.
It was empty because Jesus was alive — just as He promised.

The angel even invited them to see for themselves:  "Come and see the place where he lay."

Right there before their eyes was firsthand proof — offered to faithful hearts willing to seek.

But the angel didn’t stop there.  He gave them a mission and a message of their own:
"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.’”

The women were the first to be entrusted with the news that changed the world.  And they weren’t supposed to keep it to themselves.  They were called to go and tell—to bring light and hope to others who were still hiding in fear and sorrow.

How have you experienced the Risen Christ in your own life?  When has He met you in a moment of fear, sorrow, or confusion—and shown you that He is alive and with you?

When you experience the hope of the risen Jesus, do you keep it to yourself—or are you willing to go and share it with others who need to hear it?

Just like the women at the tomb, you don’t have to have all the answers or a perfect plan.
You simply have to be willing to go and tell—to carry the good news that Jesus is alive, and He is waiting for all who will seek Him.

Meeting Jesus on the Way
The women didn’t waste a moment.
Matthew says they "hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy." (Matthew 28:8)
Think about that. 
They were still trembling, still trying to process everything they had seen and heard.
But even in their fear, even with their hearts racing, they obeyed.  They ran to tell the others.

And that’s when it happened…  Jesus met them on the way.
They didn’t have to make it all the way to Galilee.
They didn’t have to wait until everything made sense. 
They simply obeyed and Jesus showed up.

He appeared to them personally.  He let them fall at His feet and worship.
And again, He reassured them: "Do not be afraid."
Then He sent them on with the same mission:
"Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me."

Here’s the beautiful truth:
When we step out in obedience, even when we’re afraid, even when we don’t fully understand,
Jesus meets us on the way.  He comes close.  He comforts us.  He guides us.
He strengthens and equips us for the journey ahead.

Where might Jesus be waiting to meet you—not at the end of your journey, but
right here, right now, as you take your next step of faith?

Closing
The two Marys came to the tomb expecting death.  Instead, they found life.
They came weighed down with sorrow.  Instead, they left running with joy.

They didn't have all the answers yet.  They didn’t have it all figured out.
But they knew one thing — Jesus was alive.  And that changed everything.

Today, we are just like them.  We come with our doubts, our fears, and our brokenness.
But if we are willing to seek Jesus—even when the ground shakes and the world feels uncertain —He will meet us on the way.  He will remind us:  "Do not be afraid."

And He will send us—not just to sit still and wonder—but to go and tell.
So as we leave today, remember this:  The tomb is empty.  Jesus is alive.
And He is calling you to go and share that hope with a world that desperately needs it.

Closing Hymn – “Surely The Presence Of The Lord Is In This Place” #306
Today, we have the priveledge of welcoming 2 new members into our church family.
John and Tina-Marie Shultz come to us, transferring their membership from
Tomoka UMC, in Ormond Beach, FL.  Let’s stand and sing Surely the Presence of the Lord is in This Place as they make their way down to the front of the church.

John and Tina-Marie Schultz join the church…

Benediction
You have seen the empty tomb!
You have heard the good news!
Now go…
Go in courage, in hope, and in joy…
to tell the world that Jesus is risen!
And be sure of this:  He will meet you on the way.