He is Risen - Lesson 11 - Christ's Week of Awe

Lesson 11

He is Risen

            Christ is risen and he as appeared to Mary at The Garden Tomb.  He has also appeared to the “certain women” whom He let touch Him. This happened while they were on their way to tell the disciples.  Imagine if you were standing just a ways off, and watched Jesus appear to these women, what a glorious event this is to behold!  It is still the same day that the rock was rolled from the tomb and discovered that Jesus is not there.  He is not here, for He is risen.

Jesus Appears to Peter 

(Luke 24:34)

            Jesus' third appearance was to Simon Peter.  “We do not know where or under what circumstances he came, or what words of comfort and council and direction he gave.” “The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon” (Luke 24:34)

            “It must needs be that he appear to Peter—to Peter the rock; to Peter the seer; to Peter the chief apostle; to Peter to whom he has already given the keys of his earthly kingdom. Peter must now step forward and preside and govern during the absence of his Lord.  He is the senior apostle of  God on earth.” (McConkie, B.4, 272)

            To have been in Peter's shoes, to have Jesus, his Lord and Savior come and appear to him, letting him know what his calling is, talking to Peter and loving Peter even though he succumbed to denying that he knew Jesus.  What a great love the Savior had for the senior apostle.

Jesus Appears to Cleopas and Luke 

(Luke 24:13-32; Mark 16:12-13)

            Bruce R. McConkie says the second person with Cleopas who is named in the verse

below is Luke, making this a first person account. (McConkie, B.4, 275)

            “And, behold, two of them went that same day to a village called Emmaus, which was from Jerusalem about threescore furlongs.  And they talked together of all these things which had happened.

         And it came to pass, that, while they communed together and reasoned, Jesus himself drew near, and went with them.

         But their eyes were holden that they should not know him. And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?

         And the one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answering said unto him, Art thou a stranger in Jerusalem, and hast not known the things which are come to pass there in these days?

         And he said unto them, What things?  And they said unto him, Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, which was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people:

         And how the chief priests and rulers delivered him to be condemned to death, and have crucified him.

         But we trusted that it has been he which should have redeemed Israel: and beside all this, to day is the third day since these things were done.

         Yea, and certain women also of our company made us astonished, which were early at the sepulchre;

         And when they found not his body, they came, saying, that they had also seen a vision of angels, which said that he was alive.

         And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.

         Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have

spoken.

         Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?

         And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.

         And they drew nigh unto the village, whither they went: and he made as though he would have gone further.

         But they constrained him, saying, Abide with us: for it is toward evening, and the day is far spent. And he went in to tarry with them.

         And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.

         An their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.

         And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened the scriptures?

         And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem. (Luke 24: 13-32)

            The scriptural account of what happened on the road to Emmaus is very clear.  The Savior appeared to them as a stranger walking with them, taught them of the prophesies of Himself, went to their home and broke bread and ate with them and then, they recognized Him.  What did they do?  They immediately journeyed back to Jerusalem to tell the other apostles.

Jesus Appears in the Upper Room

(Luke 24:33-49, Mark 16:14, John 20: 19-23)

            In the upper room, possibly the same upper room where Jesus and the twelve ate the passover meal together, there were assembled a large group of disciples.  The apostles were present except for Thomas.  “Certainly it was not a meeting for men only.  Many faithful women were there and possibly even children.  The whole group was eating an evening meal and, in effect, holding a testimony meeting as they ate. What each has seen and heard and knew of that day's happenings was recited and particularly the account of the appearance of the Lord to Peter.  No doubt the Chief Apostle told them freely all that had transpired on that holy occasion.” (McConkie, B.4, 278)

            While this is taking place, the two disciples Cleopas and Luke arrive after they have traveled back from Emmaus.  The testimony meeting is going on “The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.” (Luke 24:34)  And then they too embrace the testimony meeting and share their story of Jesus appearing to them and teaching them of the prophesies, and they testify they too had walked and talked and eaten with Him.

            At this moment in time the Savior Himself appears in the upper room. “And as they thus spake, Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.” (Luke 24:34-36)

            He showed His hands and His feet, they were able to touch those marks.  And He again prophesies. And then He eats with them!

            “And he said unto them, These are the words which I spake unto you, while I was yet with you, that all things must be fulfilled, which were written in the law of Moses, and in the prophets, and in the psalms, concerning me,

         Then he opened their understanding, that they might understand the scriptures.  And said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day: 

         And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.  And, ye are witnesses of these things.”  (Luke 24:44-48)

            Can you imagine what it would have been like to be in that upper room, the Savior letting you touch His hands and His feet.  Testifying to you, and calling you a witness of Him?   Men, women, and children were there!

Jesus Appears to Thomas and the Disciples

(John 20:24-29)

            It is Sunday.  A week has now transpired since the resurrection of Jesus.  Thomas has heard the words of the other apostles and disciples of the appearances of Jesus.  But he still does not believe.  “Except I shall see in his hands the prints of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe.” (John 20:25)

Now the apostles are together again. “Then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.

Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust it into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. 

And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord my God. 

Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.”  (John 20:26-29)

Here He is, Risen!

Jesus Christ, the Savior of the world, is Risen! 

For us He took upon Him all the sins of the world, so that we too could live with Him and the Father again, after we have finished our work here on the earth. 

Risen!!!!

            Let's go back to our story The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.  Susan and Lucy are left alone after watching the witch sacrifice Aslan, the Lion.  They are beyond consoling, walking from one area around the Lion, to the edge of the field and back.  They take the muzzle off his mouth and want to untie the cords around his legs, but they are so tight that they cannot. Miraculously, mice appear and gnaw off the ties on his legs.  They then are away from his body grieving, and hear a great crack.  They hurry back to where Aslan was lying dead on the big stone table and find him gone and the stone table broken. 

 “Oh, oh, oh!” cried the two girls, rushing back to the Table.

“Oh, it's too bad,” sobbed Lucy, “they might have left the body alone.

 “Who's done it?” cried Susan.  “What does it mean?  Is it magic?”

“Yes!” said a great voice behind their backs.  “It is more magic.”  They looked around.  There, shining in the sunrise, larger than they had seen him before, shaking his mane (for it had apparently grown again) stood Aslan himself.

“Oh, Aslan!” cried both the glad children, staring up at him, almost as much frightened as they were glad.

“Aren't you dead then, dear Aslan?” said Lucy.

“Not now,” said Aslan.

 “You're not—not a---?” asked Susan in a shaky voice.  She couldn't bring herself to say ghost.  Aslan stooped his golden head and licked her forehead.  The warmth of his breath and a rich sort of smell that seemed to hang about his hair came all over her.

 “Do I look it?” he said.

“Oh, you're real, you're real! Oh, Aslan!” cried Lucy, and both girls flung themselves upon him      and covered him with kisses.

 “But what does it all mean?” asked Susan when they were somewhat calmer.

“It means,” said Aslan, “that though the Witch knew the Deep Magic, there is a magic deeper still which she did not know.  Her knowledge goes back only to the dawn of time.  But if she could have looked a little further back, into the stillness and the darkness before Time dawned, she would have read there a different incantation.  She would have known that when a willing victim who had committed no treachery was killed in a traitor's stead, the Table would crack and Death itself would start working backwards.”  (C.S. Lewis, p. 184-185)

            Yes, Jesus Christ was that willing victim who was put to death for our sins, and through His grace-- it is quite magical as in this story,  we can live with Him and His Father, our Father, again.  He came back restored, except for the nail prints in his hands and feet and scar in His side, a living being.  We too will be able to come back completely restored. Our wounds, scars, imperfections, and deformities will be taken away.  Alma testified saying: “The soul shall be restored to the body; and the body to the soul; yea, and every limb and joint shall be restored to its body; yea, even a hair of the head shall not be lost; but all things shall be restored to their proper and perfect frame.” (Alma 40:23)

            Skinner writes, “The Book of Mormon is our greatest testament of the doctrine of the resurrection and the restoration that it brings about.  The prophets of the Book of Mormon generally speak of three types of restoration that the resurrection is responsible for:  the restoration of the spirit to the body; the restoration of all people to the presence of God to be judged; and the restoration of our individual memories.  Nothing can compare to the power of the resurrection and the changes enacted by it, and nobody summarized this truth better than Amulek:

            'Behold, the day cometh that all shall rise from the dead and stand before God, and be judged according to their works.

            Now, there is a death which is called a temporal death; and the death of Christ shall loose the bands of this temporal death, that all shall be raised from this temporal death.

            The spirit and the body shall be reunited again in its perfect form; both limb and joint shall be restored to its proper frame, even as we now are at this time; and we shall be brought to stand before God, knowing even as we know now, and have a bright recollection of all our guilt.

            Now, this restoration shall come to all, both old and young, both bond and free, both male and female, both the wicked and the righteous; and even there shall not so much as a hair of the head be lost; but every thing shall be restored to its perfect frame, as it is now, or in the body, and shall be brought and be arraigned before the bar of Christ the son, and God the Father, and the Holy Spirit, which is one Eternal God, to be judged according to their works, whether they be good or whether they be evil.

            Now, behold, I have spoken unto you concerning the death of the mortal body, and also concerning the resurrection of the immortal body, that is from death, even from the first death unto life, that they can die no more; their spirits uniting with their bodies, never to be divided; thus the whole becoming spiritual and immortal, that they can no more see corruption'.” (Alma 11:41-45) (Skinner, The Garden Tomb, pg 159-161)

He is Risen

Prepare

Luke 24:34

Luke 24:13-32; Mark 16:12-13

Luke 24:33-49, Mark 16:14, John 20: 19-23

John 20:24-29

Tell the stories of Jesus appearing to the disciples after He is

resurrected.  What is their reaction?  If you had been there,

how would you have felt?  Would you have testified that

He is Risen?  Tell the story of  Aslan and his return back to

Narnia.  What did he tell the children so they could

understand how he came back?

Remembering

Place a statue or picture of the Risen Lord and Savior,

Jesus Christ.

This is the culminating part of the whole purpose of our

lessons, to see and feel the spirit of the resurrection. 

Act of Service

What act of service can you do to represent the Risen Lord,

or to thank Him for His undying love for you?