In this message, the scene shifts to the evening of Resurrection Sunday, when the risen Christ miraculously appeared to his disciples in a locked upper room, greeted them with “Peace be unto you,” and showed them His nail-scarred hands and pierced side, filling them with great joy. Thomas, upon hearing their testimony, refused to believe unless he could personally see and touch the wounds. Eight days later, Jesus appeared again, specifically inviting Thomas to examine His scars, which prompted Thomas’ profound confession, “My Lord and my God,” and Jesus’ blessing on those who believe without seeing.

This episode brings us to the account from John 20:1-18, when Mary Magdalene arrived at the tomb early Sunday morning, found the stone rolled away, and ran to tell Peter and John that someone had taken the Lord’s body. The two apostles then raced to the tomb—John arrived first and saw the empty graveclothes from outside, while Peter entered and examined them closely. We then learn that after John entered the tomb, “he saw, and believed.” The risen Lord appeared first to Mary Magdalene, called her by name, and sent her to tell the disciples that He was ascending to the Father, confirming His physical resurrection and living presence.

In this teaching from Luke 24:13-35, we focus on the two discouraged followers of Jesus on the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus on Resurrection Sunday afternoon. While discussing the crucifixion and the reports of the empty tomb, but having lost hope that He was the Messiah Who would redeem Israel, these men were joined on their journey by the risen, but unrecognized, Christ, Who gently rebuked their slowness to believe, and opened the Scriptures from Moses through all the prophets. He later broke bread with them and their eyes were opened, prompting them to rush back to Jerusalem to tell the apostles that “The Lord is risen indeed.”

This lesson looks at the Resurrection morning account from Luke 24, which indicates, “Now upon the first day of the week [Sunday]…” This is significant because Matthew also stated in his Resurrection account, “In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week…” The Sabbath was the last day of the week on Saturday, with the subsequent first day of the week being Sunday. The Apostle Paul also spoke of believers in the Body of Christ assembling together “Upon the first day of the week” (1 Cor. 16:2). We continue that to this day, as our weekly Sunday worship commemorates the Lord’s Resurrection.

Here, we examine the Mark 16 account of the women’s experience at the tomb on Resurrection morning. Galilean women, including Mary Magdalene, brought spices to anoint Jesus’ body, but wondered how they would roll away the massive stone sealing the tomb. Upon arrival, they discovered it had been rolled a great distance away, entered the tomb, and encountered an angel who invited them to see the empty place where He lay and instructed them to tell the disciples. Overwhelmed with amazement and fear, the women fled, but ultimately shared the news, underscoring the Resurrection as the foundation of our faith and living hope.

In this analysis of Christ’s Resurrection, we learn from Matthew 28 that as the women left the empty tomb to tell the disciples, some of the Roman guard reported the earthquake, the angel rolling away the stone, and the empty tomb to the chief priests, who then bribed them to spread the lie that the disciples had stolen Jesus’ body while the soldiers slept—this false narrative was then widely circulated among the Jews. As we see in this lesson, this desperate cover-up by Christ’s enemies actually serves as powerful evidence for the Resurrection, proving Jesus is the living Son of God.

Christ’s Resurrection is the cornerstone of our faith, the foundation of our salvation, and the essence of our hope. It is because Christ went through the grave and out the other side that we shall do the same. This episode chronicles the early events on Resurrection Sunday morning, as the women arrived at the tomb to anoint Jesus’ body, before being visited by an angel who rolled away the stone and announced, “He is not here: for He is risen.” The Resurrection validates that Christ’s sacrifice for sin has been accepted and that the work of salvation is complete.