Transcription downloaded from https://sermons.heritagesermons.org/sermons/17009/the-disciples-witness-to-the-resurrection-quality-very-good-quiet/. Disclaimer: this is an automatically generated machine transcription - there may be small errors or mistranscriptions. Please refer to the original audio if you are in any doubt. [0:00] As the Lord should be pleased to help this afternoon, we would direct your prayerful attention to the 16th chapter of Mark, end of verses 12 and 13. [0:24] The Gospel according to Mark, chapter 16, and verses 12 and 13. [0:36] After that he appeared in another form unto two of them as they walked and went into the country. [0:47] And they went and told it unto the residue, neither believed they them. We noticed this morning that when Mary Magdalene went and told others they did not believe, so it was with these two, the two that we've read of no doubt are referred to here, who walked to Emmaus. [1:17] And when they went and told the others, we read here, neither believed they them. Oh, what a solemn thing unbelief is, and how we need to be delivered from it. [1:30] But as we think this afternoon of this appearing of the Lord Jesus to these two that we've read of in the reading this afternoon, how we can see a similarity to what we were thinking of this morning regarding Mary Magdalene, because we find that when the Lord drew near to these two on the Emmaus Road, we have that significant word. [2:10] Their eyes were holden that they should not know him. Oh, similar to Mary Magdalene, when even the Lord was standing before her, and she knew not that it was Jesus. [2:30] Very often, their eyes are holden in this way, and we do not see him as we would. We do not feel his presence as we would. [2:43] But as they began to speak to him and he to them, oh, I believe there was that heartwarming, so that they felt that this was no ordinary stranger that had met with them. [3:06] Oh, we often think of what a question that was the Lord Jesus put to these two men, and he said, what things? [3:20] They had been reminding him of what had been taking place in Jerusalem, and the Lord, I believe, in order to draw them out further in their conversation. [3:33] He said, what things? Not that he didn't know, of course, because he was the very center of it. But to draw them out in their conversation. [3:44] What things? And of course, it causes them to say concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty indeed in word. [3:57] And they remind this stranger that Jesus was delivered to be condemned to death, and was crucified. And how they trusted that it had been he which had redeemed Israel. [4:13] Oh, the sadness in their hearts, quite similar to Mary Magdalene, for the sadness she felt when she could not find the Lord in the empty sepulchre. [4:28] Oh, the sadness, oh, the sorrow in the hearts of these men on the Emmaus Road, these two that are spoken of in the text. [4:41] After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked and went into the country. Well, this is the Lord Jesus then appearing to these two. [4:53] And when they spoke of the way in which they trusted that it had been he which had redeemed Israel, and how the women had been to the sepulchre, and found that the sepulchre was empty, oh, what the Lord Jesus brings to them in verse 25 of that chapter. [5:17] Oh, fools, and slow of heart to believe. And how true it is of us. So often we have the whole scriptures of truth, from Genesis to Revelation, and yet how slow we are to believe. [5:38] How slow we are to take hold upon these things. Slow of heart to believe. All that the prophets have spoken. You know, these things have been spoken of in the prophets. [5:55] Oh, yes. Isaiah speaks concerning Jesus. The psalmist speaks concerning Jesus. Oh, the psalmist David speaks concerning this glorious truth of the resurrection. [6:12] In one of the psalms. How wonderful it is to notice what he says. And surely it does not refer to David, the psalmist himself, but it refers to this glorious person when he speaks like this. [6:32] They will not leave my soul in hell. Neither will thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption. And you know how Peter speaks of that on the day of Pentecost. [6:49] And shows that it was not written concerning David, but concerning this glorious person. This one who would rise again. [7:01] This one who would rise again. Thou wilt not suffer thy holy one to see corruption. No. He saw no corruption. He was raised again. [7:13] And so, in speaking to these two on the Emmaus Road, he speaks to them concerning the Old Testament Scriptures. [7:26] When he says, Oh, fools and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken. Ought not Christ to have suffered these things? Surely this was the only way poor sinners could be saved. [7:41] Through the sufferings of Christ. And then he was going to enter into his glory. And how he began after that at Moses and all the prophets. [7:56] And expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself. And we desire to do that in a moment of time as we come to think particularly of this great truth of the resurrection. [8:12] Disappearing of the Lord Jesus to these two. And we know, hail that when they drew nigh to the village where they went he made as though he would have gone further. [8:26] But their love was great. And I believe because of that burning they felt within their hearts. They felt they must constrain him to abide with them. [8:41] Have we ever felt like this in regard to the house of God? Have we felt we must constrain him to come in and tarry with us? [8:51] And as he made himself known sometimes in the breaking of the bread of life even his own word as it is preached and proclaimed by his servants. [9:02] Because when he broke the bread to these two dear disciples we read their eyes were opened and they knew him. [9:16] Just as it was in the case of Mary Magdalene. When he spoke that one word Mary, her eyes were opened and she knew him. [9:26] And so did these two. They knew him. And they could say did not our heart burn within us while he talked with us by the way. [9:42] And how wonderful it was that they could rise up the same hour and go all the way back to Jerusalem and speak to those that were there gathered. [9:55] they told what things were done in the way and how it was known of them in breaking of bread. Well now this afternoon I want to come to this wonderful doctrine of the resurrection more from the scriptures and see how it has been foretold. [10:20] We've seen it in that 16th Psalm how the Lord calls the psalmist to speak of it and then for the Lord's servant to preach from it in that wonderful part of the word the Acts of the Apostles. [10:44] How Peter could say what he did when he was preaching concerning Jesus and he could say whom God hath raised up having loosed the pains of death because it was not possible that he should be holden of it and then he refers them to that psalm when he says David speaketh concerning him I foresaw the Lord always before my face for he is on my right hand that I should not be moved therefore did my heart rejoice and my tongue was glad moreover also my flesh rest in hope because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell neither wilt thou suffer thy holy one to see corruption Peter realized that psalm was speaking of Christ he is the holy one and so he goes on to speak so plainly about it he says men and brethren let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch [11:54] David that he is both dead and buried and his sepulchre is with us to this day therefore being a prophet and knowing that God has sworn with an oath to him that of the fruit of his loins according to the flesh he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne and he emphasizes this glorious doctrine of the resurrection when he says he is seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ that his soul was not left in hell neither his flesh did see corruption this Jesus hath God raised up whereof we all are witnesses oh yes Peter realized that this had been foretold by the psalmist and you know how the Lord Jesus himself spoke of it many a time to his disciples this glorious doctrine of the resurrection what did he say to them as he would speak to them concerning it we read this in [13:12] Matthew from that time forth Jesus began to show to his disciples how that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed and be raised again the third day oh he often spoke to these disciples of this that would take place but how often they forgot it and did not perhaps believe it because they were often unbelieving like we are but Jesus had referred to it and afterwards of course when they actually saw that it had been accomplished then they remembered that he had spoken these things unto them and it's wonderful to see you know how the Lord Jesus refers to this in many ways you remember that in the gospel according to John when the [14:24] Jews were speaking concerning the sign they said what sign showest thou unto us seeing that thou doest these things and this was the sign Jesus gave them he said destroy this temple and in three days I will raise it up and of course he was speaking about his own body the Jews didn't grasp it they didn't see it oh they said forty and six years was this temple in building and will they rear it up in three days but John puts this little verse in he says but he spake of the temple of his body and then we have those very things we've just mentioned when therefore he was risen from the dead his disciples remembered that he had said this unto them and they believed the scripture and the word which [15:29] Jesus had said it is often you know friends as we look back on things that we can see the Lord has fulfilled his word he has done what he said he would do and so it was with this glorious resurrection he had foretold them and now they can see it as they look back upon it they can see his faithfulness they can see that he is faithful that has promised he cannot deny himself and then we remember how the apostle Paul often refers to this glorious resurrection of Christ disappearing to these various ones after his resurrection oh what do we read in the Acts of the Apostles when the dear man of God the apostle [16:32] Paul was before the king Agrippa we find him speaking like this having therefore obtained help of God I continue unto this day and some of us can echo those words it is only as we are helped by God that we continue he continued to that day witnessing both to small and to great saying none other things than those which the prophets and Moses did say should come that Christ should suffer and that he should be the first that should rise from the dead yes the Lord Jesus Christ was the first that would rise from the dead the first fruits of them that slept as we saw this morning in the [17:34] Corinthians and the fact that he rose from the dead is a wonderful word because it speaks of the fact that we shall be raised from the dead if the first fruits if he was the first fruits then his people will follow in due time every one of his own will be raised again oh this wonderful doctrine of the resurrection how wonderful it is how it was brought home to these two that we are thinking of this afternoon on that road toward Emmaus oh he appeared in another form after that he appeared in another form unto two of them as they walked and went into the country you see these disciples they had been left as it were in unbelief they had been slow to believe they had not looked into the scriptures or if they had they had not taken hold of it and now the Lord had to appear to them to give them the proof of his resurrection by his very presence you see friends those that saw him saw his very presence after his resurrection oh [19:20] I often think of that word you know in the first chapter of Acts as we come to this day when we think of Christ's resurrection because it says in the first chapter of the Acts of the Apostles to whom also he showed himself alive he showed himself he showed himself to Mary Magdalene as we saw this morning he showed himself alive to these two on the Emmaus road after his passion and then what does it say by many infallible proofs infallible proofs being seen of them forty days and speaking of the things pertained to the kingdom of God oh let us just notice one or two of these proofs here we have in these characters we are thinking of the proof of it because they actually saw him [20:26] Mary Magdalene saw him by the tepulker these two men saw him on the road to Emmaus and in their own home they saw him all this was proof that he was alive but we have these other proofs that are spoken of in the gospels infallible proofs in the latter part of Matthew we find that those things we read of this morning were a proof that he was risen because that very seal and that very watch those men that watched became as dead men they were as if they were dead and the very fact that the sepulcher was sealed and he burst it open is a proof that he is almighty [21:37] God and of his resurrection oh how wonderful these proofs are we've read of one of those proofs this afternoon in the chapter we read in that twenty-fourth of Luke when the Lord appeared to them in the evening of that day and spoke to them as he did peace be unto you we read about they were terrified and affrighted and supposed that they had seen a spirit but he said to them why are ye troubled and why do thoughts arise in your hearts and then to give them the proof of his being raised he said behold my hands and my feet yes he shows them just as when [22:39] Thomas was so unbelieving he told him to put his finger in the print of the nails and his hand into his side here he says behold my hands and my feet that is I myself handle me and see for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have and when he had thus spoken he showed them his hands and his feet and more than that he took and did eat before them these were proofs these infallible proofs of his resurrection and if we go to John in that chapter we read part of this morning we find this recorded in the 20th of John that the same day of evening being the first day of the week when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the [23:44] Jews came Jesus and stood in the midst and said unto them peace be unto you and there we read this also when he had so said he showed unto them his hands and his side then were the disciples glad when they saw the Lord oh what a wonderful thing friends that they were brought to see him to see him with their own eyes that reminds me of what dear John writes in his first epistle oh how wonderful that word is when John wrote in the first chapter of his first epistle and said this that which was from the beginning which we have heard that we heard his voice which we have seen with their eyes and which we have looked upon and their hands have handled of the word of life this was proof to them that he had risen from the dead because they saw him with their own eyes they looked upon him and they saw the wounds in his hands and in his feet they had these proofs of the resurrection oh and these men who had these proofs and were witnesses how often they spoke of it oh yes when they were sent forth by the [25:32] Lord Jesus to preach the gospel how often did they refer to this resurrection of Christ when dear Peter was preaching on the day of Pentecost oh this is how he brings out the resurrection him being delivered he says by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God you have taken by wicked hands are crucified and slain whom God hath raised up oh yes he knew that he had been raised up he knew that the Lord Jesus had risen from the tomb because he had the proof of it and that's why they could speak of it so powerfully because they had seen it these witnesses were raised up to preach it and to proclaim it oh again and again we find in the acts of the apostles these truths brought forth when [26:43] Peter had performed that miracle you remember on the lame man in chapter three we read that he said to the people ye denied the holy one and the just and desired a murder to be granted unto you that was Barabbas of course and he says you killed the prince of life but he went further than that he says whom God hath raised from the dead whereof we are witnesses how wonderful it was that God should raise up these witnesses to preach it and to proclaim it and to show the truth of it in so many ways oh when dear Peter went to the house of Cornelia and proclaim the gospel in that house of Cornelia so he preached this same glorious doctrine of the resurrection surely we find it recorded there we are witnesses he says of all things which he did both in the land of the [28:06] Jews and in Jerusalem whom they slew and hanged on a tree him God raised up the third day and showed him openly not to all the people no he didn't show him to all the people but unto witnesses chosen before of God even to us says Peter who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead oh they had eaten and drunk with him they had seen him oh he had appeared as he appeared to these two on the Emmaus road he had appeared to them and didn't he appear to the apostle Paul yes you know when he is speaking in that 50th chapter of the first of Corinthians and speaking of all those that saw the Lord Jesus Christ after his resurrection he says this last of all he was seen of me also as of one born at a due time when did he see the Lord [29:16] Jesus on the Damascus road oh yes he saw him and so dear Paul the apostle could preach concerning the resurrection of Christ when he preached to those Gentiles he often came to the synagogues of the Jews and we read in one place as his manner was he went in unto them and three Sabbath days reasoned within out of the scriptures opening and alleging that Christ must need to have suffered and risen again from the dead so he preached the resurrection and that this Jesus whom I preach unto you is Christ oh how the dear apostle Paul preached the resurrection all this glorious resurrection which is seen before us as he appeared to these two on the [30:27] Emmaus road though he showed them as he broke the bread that he was indeed the Christ and how this wonderful doctrine of the resurrection is proclaimed before us as the apostles wrote in the various epistles that they wrote oh it's all set before us in those epistles as they were able to write concerning it and we think of that wonderful word in the fourth Romans where the apostle writes who was delivered for our offenses that is he was delivered to be crucified on that cross for our offenses to take away our sins to deal with our sins but when he was raised again on the resurrection morning he was raised again for our justification that we might be justified before God oh what a wonderful thing it is to be justified and he goes on to say therefore being justified by faith we have peace with [31:59] God through our Lord Jesus Christ oh yes the apostles wrote concerning the resurrection of Christ the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ oh wonderful it is recorded in the tenth of Romans is it not if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved this is what we need isn't it faith in Jesus faith in the heart believing with all our hearts just as Philip said to the eunuch when the eunuch said to him see here is water what doth hinder me to be baptized if thou believest with all thy heart he said thou mayest and so it was that he believed and he could say [33:09] I believe that Jesus Christ is the son of God and the Lord's servant was able to take him into the waters of believers baptism if thou shalt believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation and that very ordinance of believers baptism is a setting forth of his resurrection who the apostle brings it out in Romans 6 in a wonderful way oh he says know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death when we go down into the water we signify his death and his burial therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the father even so we also should walk in newness of life oh that's a wonderful ordinance and how it sets before us this wonderful resurrection the eunuch you see was taken by Philip into the water and then they came up out of the water and the one going down signifies his death and burial and the coming up out of the water signifies his resurrection oh these things are set before us continually in the glorious gospel and written by these dear men of God in the various epistles that they wrote and surely one of those chapters which is outstanding as we think of the resurrection is that 15th chapter of the first of corinthians and as he begins to write in that chapter the apostle [35:37] Paul writes like this I have delivered unto you first of all that which I also received tell that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures and that he was buried and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures what a wonderful confirmation that is that all these things are written in the word of God in the scriptures and if we are enabled by faith to believe we shall indeed know something of that salvation which is in Christ Jesus and he goes on of course to show us how many saw him after his resurrection oh he says he was seen of Cephas that is of course Peter and then the others and then above 500 brethren at once of whom the greater part remain unto this present but some are fallen asleep after that he was seen of [36:52] James and then of all the apostles and last of all he was seen as a one born to do to him oh yes he could speak in this chapter of the certainty of Christ resurrection in those wonderful words but now is Christ risen from the dead and become the first fruit of them that slept and so we can see from the epistles how wonderful a doctrine this is the doctrine of the resurrection of Christ it is spoken of again and again by these dear men who wrote these epistles when Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus how did he write to them concerning this wonderful resurrection of Christ oh he could say this what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us who believe according to the work of his mighty power which he wrought in Christ when he raised him from the dead and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places far above all principality and power oh yes the Lord [38:18] Jesus was raised from the dead it is very evident from these references in the epistles that this is a glorious truth and you remember that word that Paul wrote in the Thessalonians concerning this glorious doctrine of the resurrection when he writes like this if we believe that Jesus died and rose again even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him and because the Lord Jesus rose again he can go on and say this he can say the Lord shall descend from heaven with a shout and with the voice of the archangel and with the trump of God and the dead in [39:19] Christ shall rise first yes because Jesus rose all his people will one day rise and then we which are alive and remain to be caught up together with him in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so shall we ever be with the Lord this is a wonderful thing then to think upon this glorious resurrection of Christ disappearing to these various ones after he rose from the dead surely Peter will remind us of it also when he writes his first epistle he says blessed blessed be the God and father of our Lord Jesus Christ which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of [40:22] Jesus Christ from the dead oh yes and so these dear men that we are thinking of how they were confirmed in the fact that this stranger who met with them on the road to Emmaus was Jesus Christ for when they came to that evening hour and they left their own home and returned to Jerusalem and found the others gathered together and were able to tell what things were done in the way and how it was known to them in breaking of bread even while they were speaking thus because it says in the next verse as they thus spake Jesus himself stood in the midst of them they were in the conversation and while they were speaking about this conversation on the road to [41:36] Emmaus and how he had gone into their home and how he had broken the bread while they were speaking those very things Jesus comes and he stands in the midst and he speaks such a wonderful word to them and what is it peace be unto you oh and we need this peace and we feel to need it and you know we have it in a three fold way this that the Lord speaks to his disciples after his resurrection he had already said to them my peace I leave with you my peace I give unto you but after his resurrection he speaks three times the same word we have it set before us in John 20 Jesus stood in the midst and said peace be unto you and when he had said those words he showed unto them his hands and his side as if to show them where their salvation lies in that which had been accomplished on the cross at [42:53] Calvary he shows them his hands and his side this is the only way we can have peace with God through the precious blood of Jesus and then secondly then said Jesus to them again peace be unto you as my father sent me even so send are you and what did he do he breathed on them and said unto them receive ye the holy ghost oh they were given the gift of the holy spirit they received this peace into their hearts and then the third time was when Thomas was with them after those days had intervened and the Lord appeared specifically I believe for Thomas and they had said we've seen the [43:57] Lord and he had said except I shall see in his hands a print of the nails and put my finger into the print of the nails and thrust my hand into his side I will not believe but the Lord appeared after eight days and again he says as he stands in the midst of them on that occasion peace be unto you oh the peace that he brings and what peace must have come eventually to Thomas when the Lord had said to him reach hither thy finger and behold my hand reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side and be not faithless but believing Thomas said my Lord and my God oh surely when we can say my Lord and my God we find peace because if he's ours we have that relationship to him that's the way to peace and [45:03] Jesus says again to Thomas because thou hast seen me thou hast believed blessed are they that have not seen and yet have believed oh surely friends we are we trust among those who have not seen him with their mortal eyes but we have believed and we do believe in this glorious resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ so may these two instances be a means of blessing to us as we think of them today first is appearing to Mary Magdalene and showing her by speaking that one word that he was her savior and that God was her father oh that we might have the same realization and then these two in the text this afternoon after that he appeared in another form unto two of them as they walked and went into the country oh that we might hear him saying to us peace be unto you and may we believe and find that rest in [46:29] Jesus that rest which he spoke of when he said come unto me all ye that labor and are heavy laden and I will give you rest may the Lord grant it may be ours as we believe in him and in his resurrection Amen what he اذ want to have yet to let you