You Make Known to Me the Path of Life
April 20, 2025. Luke 24:1-12. Pastor Leslie Nolin
This was not just an ordinary morning. Grieving women came with spices to prepare the body of Jesus for permanent burial, they had just seen Jesus die at the beginning of Passover and had to be hurriedly put in a borrowed tomb before the evening of Passover. The Sabbath Day was over, this is the first day of the week and they did not have to be as concerned about being ceremonial unclean from touching a dead body.
They were shocked to see the stone covering the tomb entrance already moved away. They look into the tomb and find it empty and ponder what could have happened to Jesus' body.
Suddenly, two angels appear causing the ladies to be frightened [whenever angels appear in the Bible, the reaction is always fear and at times caused men to faint, not the usual rendition of artists portrayal].
In their fear, they bow down but the angels simply ask, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?” Then they continue to say, “He is not here; he is risen!” Matthew 28 records that Jesus Himself appeared to the astonished, grieving ladies telling them to testify that they have seen Him risen.
Paul writes in his letter to the Corinthians that the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the grave is the foundation of the gospel (1 Cor. 15:14-20). “And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead,...”
It is because of the resurrection of Jesus Christ that we too have the hope of eternal life and will one day be raised to life to be with Him. In the meantime, we also have that hope which sustains us to walk the path of life.
When Jesus rose from the dead, He confirmed His identity as the Son of God, His work of atonement, redemption, reconciliation and salvation.
There is proof that Jesus rose from the dead by the testimony of hundreds of eye witnesses (1 Cor. 15:3-8), the grieving women and the apostles.
We must remember, no-one killed a helpless Jesus, we are told in John 10:18 that He lay it down on His own accord. He had authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again.
God has absolute authority over death, He has taken up His body from the grave and is risen from the dead. He still lives today, His authority has not diminished.
John wrote (1:4), “In Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on them (3:36).”
“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be judged but has crossed over from death to life (5:24).”
“For my Father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and will raise them up at the last day (6:40).”
But, there is one, the devil (Satan), who would like to diminish the significance of Jesus' death and resurrection to make the event appear irrelevant. “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full (10:10).
” “Now this is eternal life; that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent (17:3).” “But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in His name (20:31).”
The psalmist wrote in Psalm 16:11, “You make known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand.” Peter quotes this passage on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:28) when he explains the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
He further explains in Acts 2:31-32 that the psalmist foresaw and spoke about the resurrection of the Christ, His body would not see corruption (decay) but God raised Him up and that they were all witnesses.
This is not an irrelevant, insignificant event bearing no value for today. It is a recorded event, seen by hundreds of witnesses in the day and has eternal value both in this life and in the life to come.
John recorded in chapter 3 that unless a man is born again, and has not believed on Jesus Christ, they are condemned already because they have not believed on His name.
To have life, one must receive life. To receive life, one must believe in the one and only Son, Jesus Christ.
That Jesus died for our sins, that on the third day, He was raised to life and is risen, He still lives today.
May He truly be alive in you as He shows you the path of life.
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