Resurrection Sunday 2025: Up! — The Comeback was Always the Plan | Pastor Kevin Kringel
Resurrection Sunday: Up! — The Comeback was Always the Plan
Luke 24:1-49
In this chapter, we see how Jesus was down and then He was up and alive, and few could believe it. He then personally begins to convince them.
Verses: 1-12
-The 1st skeptics Jesus faced were His own disciples.
-The women were fully expecting to find a body
-2 angels as 2 witnesses in a court of law (Deut. 19:15)
- Angels reminded them of what Jesus said… “the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men.” (Vs. 7) This entire process was of Divine Design. It wasn’t the Pharisees, the devil, or random chance that crucified Jesus; God directed this event to its perfect outcome in its grand comeback-resurrection.
- A 1st-century church would never create a story where women were the main witnesses.
-Peter “wondered” (not convinced but beginning to be open, something of God may be happening here)
Verses: 13-34
-These disciples were on a journey outside Jerusalem, and the Lord met them there. (Maybe the Lord is meeting you today on your journey.) Like them, you feel frustrated, angry, and disappointed.
-The last thing they expected was resurrection.
Jesus, in showing them the scripture, was helping them and all of us see that this was always God’s plan. Jesus' suffering and resurrection was not a sudden decision by God. This was God's wisdom unfolding, God’s best way to save us all.
Verses: 36-49
-Somewhere in between, Jesus showed up and proved Himself to Peter (the one who denied Him three times).
-Now he comes to convince the other disciples.
-It has been said, “The resurrection was not created by the church; rather, the church was created by the resurrection.”
-Jesus Himself is the true author and source of the resurrection gospel.
-The resurrection is central to the church, but as you can see, we did not come to believe in it early. Our initial apostles were like us with a “show me” mentality. (You are in good company and may even become great in this very thing you once resisted.)
We see Jesus eating with them again, proving He’s not a ghost or a disembodied spirit. He is alive- UP! Forevermore.
This would become the disciples’ message: forgiveness of sin and the resurrection of the dead.
Are you like Peter today? You’ve seen some things that make you wonder, is Jesus alive?
Are you like the Two on a journey? Rehearsing your disappointment, your fears, and feeling hopeless?
One reason they were so disappointed was that they didn’t understand that the Messiah would first descend before ascending. They believed that if He was of God, He would only go from up to up. Sometimes, we miss God because we fail to recognize that there can be a down path before an up one.
Key thought: Jesus was convincing them He was alive, using scripture and the table of fellowship to do this.
Perhaps this unremarkable, seemingly ordinary illustration of how they discovered He’s alive serves our benefit in more than one way. Maybe it’s through understanding the scripture and engaging in fellowship with other believers that we, too, will come to realize He’s alive. This initial scene is not the Hollywood version with lights and smoke; it reflects how most of us come to believe, gradually, having our eyes opened.
He also walked through closed doors and created an encounter where they saw and felt Him.
Do you need an Encounter with Him today?
Please see the pursuit of the Lord Jesus to reveal to you He is Alive!
What if we all intentionally saw Jesus again in the Scriptures? What if we fellowshipped with His body, the church, more often? What if we opened ourselves to Encounters with Him in worship or altar calls, being prayed for by others who believe with you?
Your life would change immediately. Your family would change. Your future and purpose would also change. Your capacity would change. Your desires would change. Following Jesus would initiate your journey UP!
Luke 24:1-49
In this chapter, we see how Jesus was down and then He was up and alive, and few could believe it. He then personally begins to convince them.
Verses: 1-12
-The 1st skeptics Jesus faced were His own disciples.
-The women were fully expecting to find a body
-2 angels as 2 witnesses in a court of law (Deut. 19:15)
- Angels reminded them of what Jesus said… “the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men.” (Vs. 7) This entire process was of Divine Design. It wasn’t the Pharisees, the devil, or random chance that crucified Jesus; God directed this event to its perfect outcome in its grand comeback-resurrection.
- A 1st-century church would never create a story where women were the main witnesses.
-Peter “wondered” (not convinced but beginning to be open, something of God may be happening here)
Verses: 13-34
-These disciples were on a journey outside Jerusalem, and the Lord met them there. (Maybe the Lord is meeting you today on your journey.) Like them, you feel frustrated, angry, and disappointed.
-The last thing they expected was resurrection.
Jesus, in showing them the scripture, was helping them and all of us see that this was always God’s plan. Jesus' suffering and resurrection was not a sudden decision by God. This was God's wisdom unfolding, God’s best way to save us all.
Verses: 36-49
-Somewhere in between, Jesus showed up and proved Himself to Peter (the one who denied Him three times).
-Now he comes to convince the other disciples.
-It has been said, “The resurrection was not created by the church; rather, the church was created by the resurrection.”
-Jesus Himself is the true author and source of the resurrection gospel.
-The resurrection is central to the church, but as you can see, we did not come to believe in it early. Our initial apostles were like us with a “show me” mentality. (You are in good company and may even become great in this very thing you once resisted.)
We see Jesus eating with them again, proving He’s not a ghost or a disembodied spirit. He is alive- UP! Forevermore.
This would become the disciples’ message: forgiveness of sin and the resurrection of the dead.
- In the end, this Luke 24 resurrection account is about the disciples’ believing, the church forming, and our opportunity for life after death through resurrection. But ultimately, it is about God keeping His word, even when it seems impossible. It’s never been done. All the world seems against it. When others have lost faith, God remains faithful.
Are you like Peter today? You’ve seen some things that make you wonder, is Jesus alive?
Are you like the Two on a journey? Rehearsing your disappointment, your fears, and feeling hopeless?
One reason they were so disappointed was that they didn’t understand that the Messiah would first descend before ascending. They believed that if He was of God, He would only go from up to up. Sometimes, we miss God because we fail to recognize that there can be a down path before an up one.
Key thought: Jesus was convincing them He was alive, using scripture and the table of fellowship to do this.
Perhaps this unremarkable, seemingly ordinary illustration of how they discovered He’s alive serves our benefit in more than one way. Maybe it’s through understanding the scripture and engaging in fellowship with other believers that we, too, will come to realize He’s alive. This initial scene is not the Hollywood version with lights and smoke; it reflects how most of us come to believe, gradually, having our eyes opened.
He also walked through closed doors and created an encounter where they saw and felt Him.
Do you need an Encounter with Him today?
Please see the pursuit of the Lord Jesus to reveal to you He is Alive!
What if we all intentionally saw Jesus again in the Scriptures? What if we fellowshipped with His body, the church, more often? What if we opened ourselves to Encounters with Him in worship or altar calls, being prayed for by others who believe with you?
Your life would change immediately. Your family would change. Your future and purpose would also change. Your capacity would change. Your desires would change. Following Jesus would initiate your journey UP!