Trinity Fellowship Assembly of God

Surprises of the Resurrection

Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, John 20

MAIN THOUGHT: Every believer can learn from the following two surprises found in the Resurrection accounts.

The Role of Women in Jesus’ Resurrection

Women encounter angels at empty tomb - Matt 28; Mk. 16; Jn. 20
Women are commissioned by angels to tell news of Jesus’ resurrection to His disciples and Peter. - Mt. 28:7; Mk. 16:7
Women meet Jesus & are told to tell disciples where to meet Him. - Matthew 28:9-10
Mary Magdalene meets Jesus & told of God’s plan - Jn 20:11-18
Mary declares Jesus’ words to the disciples. - John 20:18
Two male disciples down-play the women’s words as they talk with Jesus on road to Emmaus. - Luke 24:22-24
Jesus rebukes those two disciples for unbelief. - Luke 24:25-27

What Lessons Can We Learn from the Above?

God uses women in profound and important ways!

Women have unique qualities that are needed to accomplish God’s purposes. (insight, sensitivity, compassion…)

Men need women as co-workers (and vice versa) !

Believers must break free of religious notions that do not align with God’s Word.
– Women are like property.
– Women should not be educated.
– Women are merely for sexual pleasure.
– Women have no rights.
– Women can only teach children, not adult men.

The gospel raises all people to become children of God!

2 Cor 5:16 NKJ “Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh.  Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.
17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

Men must not be prejudiced & bigoted against God using women.

Joel 2:28 NKJ “And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions;
29 And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.”
NIV - “on My servants, both men and women”

Acts 2:17 NKJ ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your young men shall see visions, your old men shall dream dreams.
18 and on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; and they shall prophesy.”
18 NIV “Even on My servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy.

GAL 3:26 NKJ “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

If we did not allow someone to minister because they were a Greek or a Jew, wouldn’t that be prejudice?

If we did not allow someone to minister because they were a slave or a free person, wouldn’t that be prejudice?

If we don’t allow someone to minister because they are a woman or a man, wouldn’t that be prejudice?

Scripture is full of examples of God using women.
Miriam - Exodus 15:20 - a prophetess
Deborah - Judges 4-5 - a prophetess, a judge
Huldah - 2 Kings 22:14; 2 Chron. 34:22; - a prophetess
Isaiah’s wife - Isa. 8:3 - a prophetess
Anna - Luke 2:36-38 - a prophetess
Euodia & Syntyche - Phil. 4:2-3 - Paul co-workers
Phoebe, a leader - Romans 16:1-2 (servant)
Priscilla - Acts 18:2, 18, 26; Romans 16:3-4; 1 Cor. 16:19
Junia, of note among the apostles - Romans 16:7
Paul’s women co-workers - Romans 16 (9 women; 26 men)
Philip’s four daughters who prophesied - Acts 21:8-9

The Reactions of the Disciples about Jesus’ Resurrection

Wondering - women at tomb
Alarmed - women at tomb - Mark 16:5
Trembling - women at tomb - Mark 16:8
Bewildered - women at tomb - Mark 16:8
Afraid - women - Mark 16:8; Matthew 28:10
Crying - Mary Magdalene standing outside the tomb
Filled with joy - women fleeing from tomb
Unbelief - eleven apostles
Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb - ran
Disciples did not believe the women, seemed like nonsense - Luke 24:11
Wondering to himself - Peter
Believed - John
Mourning & weeping - to those who had been with Jesus
Unbelief - disciples, after report of the two on road to Emmaus - Luke 24:13-35; Mark 16:12-13
Startled & frightened - apostles at Jesus’ first appearance
Still did not believe because of joy and amazement - apostles at Jesus’ first appearance
Overjoyed - apostles at Jesus’ first appearance
Unbelief - Thomas, after Jesus’ first appearance to other apostles - John 20:25
John 20:27  to Thomas, “Stop doubting and believe.”
You will see and hear some of the above reactions as you share the good news with people.

Don’t be surprised at people’s reactions.

Just be faithful to share God’s love with others.

People need to hear the gospel 5 times before responding.

Women God Used

Exodus 15:20 NKJ “Then Miriam the prophetess, the sister of Aaron, took the timbrel in her hand; and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dances.”

Judges 4:4 NKJ “Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, was judging Israel at that time.
5 And she would sit under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the mountains of Ephraim. And the children of Israel came up to her for judgment.”

2 Kings 22:14 NKJ “So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe. (She dwelt in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter.) And they spoke with her.”

2 Chronicles 34:22 NKJ “So Hilkiah and those whom the king had appointed went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tokhath, the son of Hasrah, keeper of the wardrobe. (She dwelt in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter.) And they spoke to her to that effect.”

Nehemiah 6:14 NKJ “My God, remember Tobiah and Sanballat, according to these their works, and the prophetess Noadiah and the rest of the prophets who would have made me afraid.”

Isaiah 8:3 NKJ “Then I went to the prophetess, and she conceived and bore a son. Then the Lord said to me, ‘Call his name Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz;’”

Luke 2:36 NKJ Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher.  She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity;
37 and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.
38 And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem.”

Acts 18:2 NKJ “And he found a certain Jew named Aquila, born in Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla (because Claudius had commanded all the Jews to depart from Rome); and he came to them.
18 So Paul still remained a good while. Then he took leave of the brethren and sailed for Syria, and Priscilla and Aquila were with him.  He had his hair cut off at Cenchrea, for he had taken a vow.
26 So he began to speak boldly in the synagogue.  When Aquila and Priscilla heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately.”

Romans 16:3 “Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus,”

1 Corinthians 16:19 “The churches of Asia greet you. Aquila and Priscilla greet you heartily in the Lord, with the church that is in their house.”

Romans 16:1 NKJ “I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea,    9 women;  26 men
2 that you may receive her in the Lord in a manner worthy of the saints, and assist her in whatever business she has need of you; for indeed she has been a helper of many and of myself also.
3 Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus,
4 who risked their own necks for my life, to whom not only I give thanks, but also all the churches of the Gentiles.
5 Likewise greet the church that is in their house. Greet my beloved Epaenetus, who is the firstfruits of Achaia to Christ.
6 Greet Mary, who labored much for us.
7 Greet Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners, who are of note among the apostles, who also were in Christ before me.
8 Greet Amplias, my beloved in the Lord.
9 Greet Urbanus, our fellow worker in Christ, and Stachys, my beloved.
10 Greet Apelles, approved in Christ. Greet those who are of the household of Aristobulus.
11 Greet Herodion, my kinsman. Greet those who are of the household of Narcissus who are in the Lord.
12 Greet Tryphena and Tryphosa, who have labored in the Lord.  Greet the beloved Persis, who labored much in the Lord.
13 Greet Rufus, chosen in the Lord, and his mother and mine.
14 Greet Asyncritus, Phlegon, Hermas, Patrobas, Hermes, and the brethren who are with them.
15 Greet Philologus and Julia, Nereus and his sister, and Olympas, and all the saints who are with them.
16 Greet one another with a holy kiss. The churches of Christ greet you.”

Acts 21:8 NKJ “On the next day we who were Paul’s companions departed and came to Caesarea, and entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him.
9 Now this man had four virgin daughters who prophesied.”

1 Corinthians 11:5 NKJ “But every woman who prays or prophesies with her head uncovered dishonors her head, for that is one and the same as if her head were shaved.”

1 Corinthians 12:6 NKJ “And there are diversities of activities, but it is the same God who works all in all.”
1CO 12:6 NIV There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men.”  (not supported by Greek)
1CO 12:11 NKJ But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.  (masculine)
1 Corinthians 12:11 NIV “All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and He gives them to each one, just as He determines.”

1 Corinthians 14:24 NKJ “But if all prophesy, and an unbeliever or an uninformed person comes in, he is convinced by all, he is judged by all.”

1 Corinthians 14:26 NKJ “How is it then, brethren?  Whenever you come together, each of you has a psalm, has a teaching, has a tongue, has a revelation, has an interpretation.  Let all things be done for edification.”
27  If anyone speaks in a tongue, let there be two or at the most three, each in turn, and let one interpret.”

1 Corinthians 14:31 NKJ “For you can all prophesy one by one, that all may learn and all may be encouraged.”

Galatians 3:26 NKJ “For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.
27  For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.
28  There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

Philippians 4:2 NKJ “I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord.
3  And I urge you also, true companion, help these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life.”

2 John 1:1 NKJ “THE ELDER, To the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I, but also all those who have known the truth,”

2 John 1:13 NKJ “The children of your elect sister greet you. Amen.”