There came a moment somewhere around the year 30 in our era when a shout of victory which the whole world was destined to hear"HE HAS RISEN!" The glorious resurrection of Jesus from the dead,celebrating Christ's victory over all the powers of darkness, and Death. As that shout spread about the Mediterranean, which the whole world was destined to hear, eventually became the "Book"
called the "New Testament", declaring the life, death, Resurrection, of our Lord and Savior, " Jesus Christ." In the beginning was the event. Had the event consisted solely in the mournful death of the young prophet from Nazareth, we would have heard no echo, no shout of triumph. It is doubtful we would have even known the name of Jesus as a part of world history, if He been left in the clutches of death. The fact that we know his blessed name, is do the act of the Father in "Raising him".
From here the Good News was passed along by the word of mouth, and the women heard the news from a young man they found in Jesus tomb. Sadly enough, Mark's Gospel ends before these women have reported the news to anyone else. In fact, Mark writes, they were so frightened that they said nothing to anyone ( Mark 16:8), but the other Gospel writers tell us that the news was conveyed to the disciples by the women.
But there is one detail that catches our eye, when we have difficulty that many have had in believing in Jesus resurrection, that it was a product of the disciples wishful thinking, They wanted him to rise from the dead so badly, it was held, they manged to convince themselves that it had actually happened. The gospels give quite a different impression. They show that Jesus resurrection took them completely by surprise. their concern was that of any other bereaved people: to adjust themselves that their loved one had died. Had they been trying to persuade themselves that Jesus would soon be among them again, the reaction to the news of His resurrection would have been quite different one!
We have already mentioned that Mark's resurrection account describes the women as so paralyzed by fear that at first, they said nothing whatever. In Luke's Gospel is recorded a most curious reaction.
After the women returned from the tomb to relate their fantastic news, the expected rejoicing did not take place. The women's message was simply not believed. " Luke 24:11." Similarly curious is a statement in John's Gospel, which tells of Peter and another disciple actually visiting the tomb and taking turns looking at the grave clothes. Again, we expect a great deal of excitement. But the next statement is, "Then the disciples went back to their homes," John 20:10.' Our impression is that the disciples were stunned by the news, hardly knowing how to react, which is after all a realistic way of responding.
But it is fair to ask whether Jesus had prepared them for His resurrection. It is plainly stated a
number places (Mark 8:31; Luke 9:22; Matthew 16:21,for example) that Jesus spoke of being killed and raised on the third day. At the same time, it is clear that the disciples had difficulty comprehending this kind of talk. (see Matthew 16:22,23; Mark 9:32).
At the very heart of the first, Christian news-telling, then, was the proclamation that Jesus had been raised from the dead.
As we have seen, this fact took the disciples by surprise, so we cannot charge them with inventing the story to fit their longings. This shows that the resurrection was not an obvious bit of information.
Especially striking is the story of the two disciples walking to Emmaus ( 24: 13-35). Although they had the factual data about the visit of the women to the tomb, they did not believe until the risen Christ in person made himself known to them. It was a staggering new fact which the risen Christ had to interpret " beginning with Moses and all the prophets, " Luke 24:27. the Emmaus experience typifies the church's search for a fuller understanding of the resurrection and pondered in the light of what had happen on the third day.
One old Testament reference which must have been pondered in those days was Psalm 16:10, " for thou must not give me up to Sheol, or let thy godly see the pit." Paul's summary of the Gospel in 1 Corinthians 15:4. one scholar suggests that Hosea 6:1-3, was probably used by early Christians as a prophecy of the resurrection of Christ. Part of this passage reads, after two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him, " Come, Let us return to the Lord; it is he who has torn us-He will heal us. He has been wounded-He will bind us up. In Just a couple of days or three at least, He will set us on our feet again, to live in His kindness. Hosea 6:2,3,.
Lets look at the "Book" closer: One day as the crowds were gathering, Jesus went up the hillside with his disciples and sat down and taught them there.
"Humble men are very fortunate! " he told them, " For the kingdom of Heaven is given to them.
Those who mourn are fortunate! For they shall be comforted. the meek and the lowly are fortunate! for the whole wide world belongs to them. Happy are those who long to be just and good, for they will be completely satisfied. Matthew's Gospel, complete's this part of the " Sermon on the Mount." in Chapters 5-7. this section of Matthews Gospel is one of the most beautiful and impressive in the entire New Testament. In the simplest language, but with singular force, Jesus gave a summary of his moral teaching, the doctrine " Of the fruits and good works of a Christian", as Luther writes. For the "Sermon on the Mount," is not the proclamation of the Gospel, but the preaching of the law. to awaken and promote the realization and the sense of comparative weakness in spiritual matters, but of a total inability to think and speak and act in conformity with the Holy will of God, to bring about the humiliating, but incidentally the most blessed conviction as to one's being wretched, and miserable, and poor and blind,naked in spiritual things, Rev. 3, 17, that was why the object was to teach the regenerated, that with out Him, they could not be led to true sanctification:This is why Christ chose for this great lesson with particular care, the time and place. He had spent the night in prayer on a mountain and had then separated twelve of His disciples to be apostles, Luke 6,12-16. He was now on his way to the valley: seeing the multitude, he went up into the mountain. The people were crowding Him in increasing numbers. They came to hear him, insisted on touching him, to be healed of various diseases, Luke 6, 17-19. To get away from the crowds below, whose eagerness threatened to overwhelm him. Jesus ascended once more. On the higher slopes of the hill, the people had no chances to throng him.
A solemn and dramatic description awaited the throng, of the beginning of a weighty discourse: v.2. And He opened His mouth and taught them saying, In a confidential, awe-inspiring communication of the great teacher which the evangelist records, Job 3,1; Dan 10,16; Ps. 78,2. A well prepared, carefully outlined discourse is given, in which reference to existing deplorable conditions was made with utter fear-lessness. That also, as stated above belongs to the preacher of today, that he doesn't keep his mouth closed, and not only publicly performs his office that every one must keep silence and permit him to come forth as one who has the divine right and command, to preach the truth, with what is committed to him; not to keep silent, but without dread or terror, speaking plainly, without regarding any ones person, Jesus said let it strike whom or what it will. It was teaching that Jesus gave them, not preaching; In the "Sermon,"Jesus was not the "evangelist and "Prophet, but the "Teacher."
His first words strike the key-note of the entire discourse.: " Blessed are the poor in Spirit; for theirs is the kingdom heaven. The reference of Jesus here is not primarily to temporal poverty, to earthly misery, as in other passages of the new testament,1 Cor. 1, 26-28; Jas. 2,5. He is speaking of the poor and miserable " in spirit", those that shrink and cower with fear and dread, that are trembling alive to the wants and needs of their soul, that feel in their heart, so far as spiritual riches are concerned, nothing but a great void, a despair of their own abilities, Matt. 11,5,28; Is. 61,1; 62,2; Ps. 70, 5,
Such as these, who are conscious, painfully aware of their moral deficiencies, the Lord calls blessed, happy! For the kingdom of heaven is the sum total of all the gifts of God in Christ Jesus as they are enjoyed here on earth in the Christian Church and finally above, in the kingdom of glory, the disciples here should strive daily in their ministry. Connected with this thought is the next v.4,
" Blessed are they that morn; for they shall be comforted. The disciples are subject to conditions and circumstances, which brings about, mourning, Luke 6,21,25; John 16:20; Acts 14,22.
at the loss of their spiritual possessions, lamenting the fact, that their spiritual poverty separates them from the fountain of blessedness, because of their carnal nature. Its evil effects, however, shall be prevented lest they lead to despair. "Nor, let their hearts joy be taken entirely, but mingle such mourning, abounding in consolation and gladness, Rom. 14,17. The very Messianic kingdom with its message of hope is called the comfort of Israel, Luke 2,25.
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