I Don’t Get It

Sermon on Luke 24:1-12

Text: On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7 ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’” 8 Then they remembered his words.
9 When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. 11 But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. 12 Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.

“I don’t get it.” How many times haven’t we uttered these words? Sometimes, they are spoken when we see something that someone did that was just horrible, and we just can’t understand why they would do such a thing. I think that these words are most often spoken when we are trying to learn something, and we just don’t understand the concept. I remember one young man who was at the point of tears because he couldn’t understand a particular math concept. It didn’t matter how the concept was presented. He just didn’t get it. Eventually, the light bulb turned on and you could feel the sense of relief and joy when he finally did. This morning, as we gather to celebrate our Lord’s resurrection, we are going to see some people who went through this same process. In doing so, we will also have the opportunity to learn from them. So, when we say, “I DON’T GET IT,” 1. Remember That Many People Felt That Way The First Easter 2. Until They Remembered His Words.

The first people that we want to focus on this morning are a group of women. “On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb.” (Verse 1) Luke later identifies some of the women: “It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them.” (Verse 10) These women had followed Jesus from Galilee and made it their special responsibility to minister to his needs. There, obviously, was a great deal of love for Jesus by these women.

Then, they had experienced the horrors of Friday. They saw their beloved teacher put to death on a cross. They watched as the dead body of Jesus was taken from the cross and, somewhat hastily, put into the tomb of Joseph. They wanted to show their love for Jesus so, as soon as it was possible, they gathered together some spices that they were going to use for Jesus’ body. Think for a moment of the mood of the women and the conversation they had as they made their way to the tomb in the early morning hours that Sunday. They would have still been in shock as to what had happened to Jesus. They would have been mourning his death. We know from the other gospels that one of the topics of their conversation on the way to the tomb was how they were going to roll the stone away from the entrance to the tomb.

As they approached, they found an answer to the question of the stone, “They found the stone rolled away from the tomb.” (Verse 2) What was going on? Who would have done such a thing? So, they ran to the tomb and “When they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.” (Verse 3) It says in verse 4, “They were wondering about this.” Can you blame them? Imagine what they were thinking. “What’s happening? Where’s Jesus’ body? Who would have taken the body? Why would they do such a thing?’ They needed someone to explain what was going on. To say that the women didn’t get it would be an understatement!

Now, let’s shift our focus to the next group of people that didn’t get it. The women returned from the grave and went straight to the eleven disciples of Jesus. They had some unbelievable news for them. How did the disciples react to the news that the women brought them? “They did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense.” (Verse 11) The word for “nonsense” in the Greek language is a medical term. It referred to the wild talk of a sick person, who is delirious. The disciples dismissed what the women had to say. It didn’t make any sense. They certainly did get what was going on that morning.

What the women said did pique the interest of Peter. “Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb.” (Verse 12) So, he went to investigate. What happened when he arrived? “Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.” (Verse 12) In spite of the fact that Peter saw the evidence that corroborated the women’s testimony, he went away wondering what had happened. He didn’t get what was going on.

I believe that we can all understand what those people were going through that first Easter morning. How many times don’t we look at a situation in our lives and say, “I don’t get it?” Maybe, there are things going on right now. We might think of world events such as the invasion of Ukraine or the Covid epidemic. More often we might utter those words when something is going on in our lives. There might be a financial situation that we don’t seem to be able to see ourselves getting out of. Maybe there is a problem in the family. It might be a job situation. What about the report that we got from the doctor that wasn’t such great news? It could be that we are smarting from the loss of a loved one. Whatever the case might be, sometimes we just shake our heads and say, “I don’t get it.” You know that the devil is nearby when we face those situations. He tries to get you to doubt God’s love for you. ‘If you really are God’s child,’ he whispers in your ear, ‘why are you having to go through this?’ What’s the answer when we say, “I don’t get it?”

For the answer to that question, let’s return to those women that first Easter morning. What happened so that they went from “wondering about this” (Verse 4) to “When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others?” (Verse 9) It wasn’t the empty tomb. That could have been explained away as someone came and stole his body, as the Jewish leaders would later slanderously assert. It wasn’t the appearance of the angels, as brilliant as that was. It wasn’t even the sight of the risen Lord. What was it that changed these women from “I don’t get it” to “I get it and I must tell others?” We find the answer in verse 8, “Then they remembered his words.” Their change of heart came when they recalled what Jesus had said.

The angels urged the women, “Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’” (Verses 6-7) The angels reminded the women that Jesus had told them that this would happen many times. There are at least six times that are recorded in the gospels when Jesus foretold his suffering, death, and resurrection. Who knows how many times Jesus told this to his followers that we don’t have recorded? After the angels reminded the women what Jesus had said and that they had seen played out before their very eyes, they were filled with hope. They were filled with joy. They were so excited that they had to run back to Jerusalem and tell Jesus’ disciples, who were also grieving at that time. Remembering Jesus’ words changed the women from “I don’t get it” to “I get it and I must tell others.”

My dear friends, when you are going through your “I don’t get it” moments in life, I would also encourage you to do what the women did: Remember Jesus’ words. Let’s start with the words the angels said, “The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.” (Verse 7) We begin by thinking about Jesus’ suffering and death. Ordinarily, that would not be a pleasant thing to recall. However, we know what was happening as Jesus suffered and died. He was paying the mountain of debt to God that our sins had incurred. He suffered the punishment that we deserved. His blood has washed away every single sin that you and I, indeed the entire world has committed or will commit. Now, we stand holy before our God. Yet, we don’t stop at his suffering and death. We rejoice to hear of his resurrection. Our hearts are thrilled to hear the angelic announcement, “He is not here; he has risen!” (Verse 6) This means that God the Father accepted Jesus’ payment for our sins. It means that, just as Jesus rose from the dead, we will also rise, if we should die before the Lord returns in glory. Jesus’ resurrection assures us that there is a place in heaven that he is even now preparing for us. As we look at those words, I want to draw your attention to one word: “must.” Jesus said that he must do those things. It wasn’t because he had no choice, as though someone was forcing him to do them. Rather, because he loved you so much and there was no other way that you and I could be saved, he just had to do it. This is how much he wanted you to be in heaven with him. This is how much he loved you. When you look at whatever situation you might be going through in life and think the words “I don’t get it,” remember Jesus’ words that show how much he loves you.

Since Jesus has loved us so much that he willingly did everything for our salvation, we can also remember his other words of comfort and peace. For example, we remember his words in Matthew 28:20, “Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Jesus is never going to leave your side, especially when the going gets tough, when you face those “I don’t get it” moments. He will continue to be right there beside you, guiding and strengthening you each step of the way. When it comes to wondering how you will make it through a financial situation, remember that Jesus said, “Do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’. . . Your heavenly Father knows that you need them.” (Matthew 6:31-32) When we face any uncertainty, Jesus encourages us, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.” (John 14:27) At the loss of a loved one, Jesus reminds us, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die.” (John 11:25-26) Dear friends, when you face those “I don’t get it moments,” remember his words.

We also can be like the women, who ran back to Jerusalem to tell the disciples. Now they got it and wanted to help those disciples, who didn’t get it. You and I, who by God’s grace, get it and have been comforted with his many promises, have the opportunity to help others in our lives who are going through their “I don’t get it moments.” We can do more than just offer a sympathetic ear and a shoulder to cry on. We can help them to remember Jesus’ words. We can remind them how much their God loves them and will always be there for them. We can share the joy that comes with the Easter message, “He is not here; he has risen!”

What a range of emotions those women went through that first Easter. They started off the day, mourning the loss of their dear friend, and then wondering what was going on. They ended the day filled with joy and the need to share with others who were grieving. What was the difference? “They remembered his words.” You and I have had the privilege of again hearing of our Savior’s resurrection. We know what this day means for us and for the whole world. We are saved. We have forgiveness of sins. We have eternal life. We have Jesus’ comforting promises. When you have those “I don’t get it” days, come back to Jesus’ empty tomb. Remember his words of peace and hope and love. Amen.