Jesus' Ressurection Crossroads
When we left Jesus, He had laid down His life (John 10:18) publicly on the cross. When Jesus died, Joseph of Arimathea went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body.
Matthew 27:60 | He placed it in his own new tomb, which had been carved out of the rock. Then he rolled a great stone across the entrance and left.
The Jewish people remembered that Jesus had spoken of His death before and that when He did, He shared that He would rise from the dead three days later (Mark 9:31). Terrified that Jesus’ disciples would try to fake a resurrection and use it for political or religious power, they go to Pilate and request his help.
Matthew 27:65-66 | Pilate replied, “Take guards and secure it the best you can.” So they sealed the tomb and posted guards to protect it.
These guards are mentioned again when after three days in the tomb, Jesus proves He was indeed the Messiah, Son of God, the promised Savior.
Matthew 28:2-4 | Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it. His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint.
The angel speaks with the women who had gone to the tomb and tells them—
Matthew 28:6 | He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying.
Jesus was alive!! Triumphing over this mortal flesh, sin, and death, things should be pretty easy for Jesus now, right? But even in His resurrection, Jesus faced crossroads.
First, Jesus sends Mary to tell the disciples of His resurrection.
Mark 16:10 | She went to the disciples, who were grieving and weeping, and told them what had happened.
The disciples, either forgetting or doubting Jesus’ promise that He would raise from the dead, are really struggling. Surely Mary’s news will help!
Mark 16:11 | But when she told them that Jesus was alive and she had seen him, they didn’t believe her.
How frustrating! Jesus lived life with these disciples for three years during which He-
Served alongside of these disciples
Equipped and taught these disciples
Deployed these disciples to do miraculous things
Demonstrated His power to these disciples through many miracles
Promised His return and told these disciples He would rise from the dead
And yet, these disciples do not believe the news of Jesus’ resurrection. Then—
Mark 16:12 | Afterward he appeared in a different form to two of his followers who were walking from Jerusalem into the country.
These men on the road to Emmaus fail to recognize Jesus and in fact, they end up telling Jesus all about the events from the week before, including His own crucifixion! They tell resurrected Jesus (who they still don’t recognize), about crucified Jesus—
Luke 24:21 | We had hoped he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel. This all happened three days ago.
Aren’t they sure? After everything, do they still have no faith? The saga continues later that evening—
John 20:19a | That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders.
Luke 24:36-37 | And just as they were telling about it, Jesus himself was suddenly standing there among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. But the whole group was startled and frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost!
They clearly were not expecting Jesus. And we see from Jesus’ interaction with them, they still aren’t sure about Jesus’ resurrection or His status as Savior.
Luke 24:38 | “Why are you frightened?” he asked. “Why are your hearts filled with doubt?
Can you imagine how Jesus must feel? It seems like the 33 years of His human life have left little impact on the people he poured into the most!
Through our human eyes, this is a crossroad. Should Jesus abandon these men— perhaps He can find some other people with more faith? Should He demonstrate His power again so that they can’t help but worship Him? Perhaps He should appear publicly to all the Jews and Romans so that they declare Him the King He deserves to be. At the very least, He has reason enough to be very, very angry.
But instead, we see who Jesus is all the more clearly — gracious and compassionate.
He explains the scriptures to the disciples on the road to Emmaus (Luke 24:27)
He shows His wounds to the disciples (Luke 24:39, John 20:20)
He gives the disciples the Comforter (John 20:22)
He goes specifically to doubting Thomas that he might have true faith (John 20:27)
He blesses the disciples (Luke 24:50)
And then, even as they still doubt (Matthew 28:17), —
Matthew 28:18-20 | Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Mark 16:19 | When the Lord Jesus had finished talking with them, he was taken up into heaven and sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand.
No longer was there any doubt. Now, there was only a mission. At the crossroads in His resurrection, Jesus graciously strengthened the faith of His followers and entrusted them (and us) with His mission to rescue the lost.
What crossroads did Jesus face even after rising from the dead?
Does it surprise you that the disciples doubted who Jesus was for so long? Why or why not?
How does Jesus respond at each crossroad (instead of getting angry or getting revenge)? Does His responses surprise you at all?
What does Jesus’ response/treatment of the doubting disciples show you about His character and what He thinks about you?
Have you ever doubted God or do you still doubt Him now? About what? [Share these with us at families@rockfenton.com. We’d love to help!]