Easter
Upside Down (Easter), 31 March 2024
03 04 24 Filed in: Sermons
Upside Down (Easter)
John 19:30
Big Idea: Because of the resurrection, our world and future are radically transformed.
I love roller coasters. As a young boy, they terrified me, but a $20 bribe from my grandpa got me convinced to ride one a few years later and I was hooked (on roller coasters, not the $20!!!). Despite my early love for roller coasters, there was one thing I wouldn’t ride…a coaster that goes upside down. I don’t know if I thought I would fall out or just thought it would be a weird sensation but I refused to do a loop for several years…until my grandpa bribed—no, he wasn’t involved this time, but when I was at King’s Island, I faced my fear and went upside down for the first time on a roller coaster, and while I didn’t want to stay upside down, I loved it!
We’re not here to talk about roller coasters (though I can’t wait to ride Top Thrill 2!), but the subject of Easter—of Resurrection Sunday—is filled with surprises, with irony, with upside down reality. It’s really a picture of life in the Kingdom of God, the life of a follower of Jesus. He is risen!
The resurrection of Jesus has been celebrated since…well, since it occurred in the first century. I wish we had time today to unpack all of the reasons why I believe in the resurrection. I do realize dead people do not usually come back to life…especially when they are exposed to the horror of crucifixion. Nobody’s been able to locate the place where Jesus’ body was placed or buried, so whether you believe Jesus rose from the dead or not, just imagine for a moment that he did. What if it’s true?
The subject of Resurrection Sunday is filled with surprises, with irony, with upside down reality. Our scripture reading text is filled with such moments!
Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb. (Matthew 28:1, NLT)
Nothing special here.
Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it. 3 His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. 4 The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint. (Matthew 28:2-4, NLT)
Earthquake. Angel. Shining face and white clothing. Of course, the guards were afraid and fainted. Have you ever seen an angel? It seems like they always say the same thing…
Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. 7 And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you.” (Matthew 28:5-7, NLT)
The crucified don’t rise from the dead! That’s as upside down as it gets!
The women ran quickly from the tomb. They were very frightened but also filled with great joy, and they rushed to give the disciples the angel’s message. (Matthew 28:8, NLT)
Frightened and joyful. That’s upside down!
The Kingdom of God is upside down from the kingdoms of this world.
But let’s back up. How did we get to this scene? Many of you know the story of Good Friday which we remembered two days ago. One of Jesus’ three best friends, John, wrote regarding Jesus on the cross…
When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. (John 19:30, NIV)
I’m grateful to pastor Erwin McManus for introducing me to the true meaning of this simple verse and its relevance to Easter. Jesus did three things.
First, he said, “It is finished.” This was moments before he died, making this declaration look like one of defeat. It appears his life is finished. His friends certainly saw it that way. Usually when people die, it’s a tragedy. The Hebrew word for death does not mean the absence of life, but rather the separation of two things that never meant to be separated. Death feels wrong because it is. My father-in-law died on Monday and we’ve been surrounded by preparations for next Sunday’s funeral. But when Jesus said, “It is finished,” he wasn’t talking about the end of his life. He was referencing his completed mission to seek and save the lost. What appeared to be a failure was upside down. Jesus fulfilled the scriptures written centuries earlier. The cross was viewed as a symbol of powerlessness, but on the cross Jesus had total confidence in his power to accomplish the mission. At the cross, defeat is victory.
Then he bowed his head. This is the same language found when he said,
Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” (Matthew 8:20, NIV)
Jesus had no place to rest his head, but he did on the cross. There is rest at the cross. He takes an act of violence and turns things upside down, making it a place of peace.
When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. (John 19:30, NIV)
Thirdly, the text says Jesus “gave up his spirit.” This doesn’t mean he lost it, but rather he gave it up, he made a choice—a decision—with his last act. Nobody took Jesus’ life, it was a gift, an act of grace, unmerited favor.
Do you see how upside down the story of Jesus is? In this one verse, we see defeat is victory, violence is peace, failure is conquest. It’s not the death of Jesus that makes Good Friday good. Yes, he died to offer forgiveness to every man, woman, and child that responds to his simple invitation, “Follow me.” But if there was no resurrection, we wouldn’t be celebrating today.
Some of you today are exploring what it means to follow Jesus. Welcome! We welcome people of all faiths, backgrounds, ethnicities, …all humans are welcome here! We’re not about becoming a big church or famous, but we are about helping people discover Jesus and what you might call the upside-down Kingdom of God. Our faith is not built on philosophy or someone’s dream or a dead person’s wisdom. It’s on the living person of Jesus, a real human who changed the world, who showed us what it means to be human.
In many ways, following Jesus is the opposite of following the world—both the religious world and the culture. Religious people have always tried to be good enough for a perfect God, but it doesn’t work. It’s always tempting to keep up with the Joneses, to pursue the American Dream, to just do it, to have it your way, to do you and be true to yourself (what slogans am I missing?!), but how’s that working for you? It’s no secret that we live in a cancel culture that then struggles with loneliness (I wonder why?!). Money, sex, and power are like a mirage in the desert, an illusion of satisfaction which quickly fades away. I like these words from the late J. Oswald Sanders:
“Because we children of Adam want to become great, He became small. Because we will not stoop, He humbled Himself. Because we want to rule, He came to serve.”
Jesus died for you and for me. His blood poured out of his beaten body, his head covered in a crown of thorns, nails in his wrists and feet, eventually a spear in his side. He took our punishment. That’s upside down!
Jesus left heaven to come to earth. That’s upside down!
His blood washes us white as snow. That’s upside down!
He brings us from darkness into light. That’s upside down!
And it wasn’t because we’re good people.
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6-8, NIV)
That’s really upside down! That’s the message of the gospel, the good news. Jesus died for us…not only to experience forgiveness and grace, but also a relationship with God.
Jesus turned everything upside-down. Consider a few of his choice statements:
Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it. (Matt. 10:39, NIV)
Six chapters later, he says it again.
For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. (Matt. 16:25, NIV)
Perhaps you’ve heard this one:
But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first. Matt. 19:30
Perhaps the most radical of commands is found in chapter five of the same book.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, Matt. 5:43-44
Love your enemies? That’s so upside-down. It sounds ridiculous to our culture. Cancel your enemies. Harm your enemies. Treat them the way they treat you. At the very best ignore your enemies. But love them?
One of the things I love about Jesus is he gets us. Perhaps you’ve seen the tv commercials! But he really gets us. He spent 33 years on our planet, getting sick, cold, tempted, and enduring the most horrific pain imaginable on the cross.
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. (Hebrews 4:15)
I love that so much! When he says things like “love your enemies,” he walks the talk.
When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. 34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. (Luke 23:33-34)
Paul, who had a life-transforming encounter with the risen Jesus, notes:
I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. 5 He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. 6 After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. (1 Corinthians 15:3-6, NLT)
It's not like one or two people had a hallucination or something!
The resurrection is everything to the follower of Jesus. Paul, who met Jesus, wrote,
And we apostles would all be lying about God—for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can’t be true if there is no resurrection of the dead. 16 And if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. (1 Corinthians 15:15-17, NLT)
Without the resurrection, our faith is useless.
Without the resurrection, we are guilty of our sins.
Without the resurrection, we have no hope.
Without the resurrection, we have no peace.
Without the resurrection, Christianity is just one of many religions trying to get to God.
Without the resurrection, we’re wasting our time praying to a dead God.
Without the resurrection, we have future of death.
Without the resurrection, this is as good as it gets (and that’s tragic!)
Without the resurrection, we have no purpose (he who dies with the most toys wins)
But because he lives, I’m alive!
Because he lives, I can face tomorrow
Because he lives, every fear is gone
So What?
In a moment we’re going to hear stories of people who have said, “Jesus, I give you my life.” If you’ve done that, let this be a moment to remember your surrender and recommit to follow Jesus and his upside-down, radical, alternative way of life.
If you’ve never said, “Jesus, I give you my life,” I urge you to do so today. It’s the most amazing experience to surrender, die to your own selfish ways, and be resurrected in Christ. When you do so, Christ lives in you! When you die, you can really live. That’s upside down…and it’s amazing!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
John 19:30
Big Idea: Because of the resurrection, our world and future are radically transformed.
I love roller coasters. As a young boy, they terrified me, but a $20 bribe from my grandpa got me convinced to ride one a few years later and I was hooked (on roller coasters, not the $20!!!). Despite my early love for roller coasters, there was one thing I wouldn’t ride…a coaster that goes upside down. I don’t know if I thought I would fall out or just thought it would be a weird sensation but I refused to do a loop for several years…until my grandpa bribed—no, he wasn’t involved this time, but when I was at King’s Island, I faced my fear and went upside down for the first time on a roller coaster, and while I didn’t want to stay upside down, I loved it!
We’re not here to talk about roller coasters (though I can’t wait to ride Top Thrill 2!), but the subject of Easter—of Resurrection Sunday—is filled with surprises, with irony, with upside down reality. It’s really a picture of life in the Kingdom of God, the life of a follower of Jesus. He is risen!
The resurrection of Jesus has been celebrated since…well, since it occurred in the first century. I wish we had time today to unpack all of the reasons why I believe in the resurrection. I do realize dead people do not usually come back to life…especially when they are exposed to the horror of crucifixion. Nobody’s been able to locate the place where Jesus’ body was placed or buried, so whether you believe Jesus rose from the dead or not, just imagine for a moment that he did. What if it’s true?
The subject of Resurrection Sunday is filled with surprises, with irony, with upside down reality. Our scripture reading text is filled with such moments!
Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb. (Matthew 28:1, NLT)
Nothing special here.
Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it. 3 His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. 4 The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint. (Matthew 28:2-4, NLT)
Earthquake. Angel. Shining face and white clothing. Of course, the guards were afraid and fainted. Have you ever seen an angel? It seems like they always say the same thing…
Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. 7 And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you.” (Matthew 28:5-7, NLT)
The crucified don’t rise from the dead! That’s as upside down as it gets!
The women ran quickly from the tomb. They were very frightened but also filled with great joy, and they rushed to give the disciples the angel’s message. (Matthew 28:8, NLT)
Frightened and joyful. That’s upside down!
The Kingdom of God is upside down from the kingdoms of this world.
But let’s back up. How did we get to this scene? Many of you know the story of Good Friday which we remembered two days ago. One of Jesus’ three best friends, John, wrote regarding Jesus on the cross…
When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. (John 19:30, NIV)
I’m grateful to pastor Erwin McManus for introducing me to the true meaning of this simple verse and its relevance to Easter. Jesus did three things.
First, he said, “It is finished.” This was moments before he died, making this declaration look like one of defeat. It appears his life is finished. His friends certainly saw it that way. Usually when people die, it’s a tragedy. The Hebrew word for death does not mean the absence of life, but rather the separation of two things that never meant to be separated. Death feels wrong because it is. My father-in-law died on Monday and we’ve been surrounded by preparations for next Sunday’s funeral. But when Jesus said, “It is finished,” he wasn’t talking about the end of his life. He was referencing his completed mission to seek and save the lost. What appeared to be a failure was upside down. Jesus fulfilled the scriptures written centuries earlier. The cross was viewed as a symbol of powerlessness, but on the cross Jesus had total confidence in his power to accomplish the mission. At the cross, defeat is victory.
Then he bowed his head. This is the same language found when he said,
Jesus replied, “Foxes have dens and birds have nests, but the Son of Man has no place to lay his head.” (Matthew 8:20, NIV)
Jesus had no place to rest his head, but he did on the cross. There is rest at the cross. He takes an act of violence and turns things upside down, making it a place of peace.
When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. (John 19:30, NIV)
Thirdly, the text says Jesus “gave up his spirit.” This doesn’t mean he lost it, but rather he gave it up, he made a choice—a decision—with his last act. Nobody took Jesus’ life, it was a gift, an act of grace, unmerited favor.
Do you see how upside down the story of Jesus is? In this one verse, we see defeat is victory, violence is peace, failure is conquest. It’s not the death of Jesus that makes Good Friday good. Yes, he died to offer forgiveness to every man, woman, and child that responds to his simple invitation, “Follow me.” But if there was no resurrection, we wouldn’t be celebrating today.
Some of you today are exploring what it means to follow Jesus. Welcome! We welcome people of all faiths, backgrounds, ethnicities, …all humans are welcome here! We’re not about becoming a big church or famous, but we are about helping people discover Jesus and what you might call the upside-down Kingdom of God. Our faith is not built on philosophy or someone’s dream or a dead person’s wisdom. It’s on the living person of Jesus, a real human who changed the world, who showed us what it means to be human.
In many ways, following Jesus is the opposite of following the world—both the religious world and the culture. Religious people have always tried to be good enough for a perfect God, but it doesn’t work. It’s always tempting to keep up with the Joneses, to pursue the American Dream, to just do it, to have it your way, to do you and be true to yourself (what slogans am I missing?!), but how’s that working for you? It’s no secret that we live in a cancel culture that then struggles with loneliness (I wonder why?!). Money, sex, and power are like a mirage in the desert, an illusion of satisfaction which quickly fades away. I like these words from the late J. Oswald Sanders:
“Because we children of Adam want to become great, He became small. Because we will not stoop, He humbled Himself. Because we want to rule, He came to serve.”
Jesus died for you and for me. His blood poured out of his beaten body, his head covered in a crown of thorns, nails in his wrists and feet, eventually a spear in his side. He took our punishment. That’s upside down!
Jesus left heaven to come to earth. That’s upside down!
His blood washes us white as snow. That’s upside down!
He brings us from darkness into light. That’s upside down!
And it wasn’t because we’re good people.
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:6-8, NIV)
That’s really upside down! That’s the message of the gospel, the good news. Jesus died for us…not only to experience forgiveness and grace, but also a relationship with God.
Jesus turned everything upside-down. Consider a few of his choice statements:
Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it. (Matt. 10:39, NIV)
Six chapters later, he says it again.
For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it. (Matt. 16:25, NIV)
Perhaps you’ve heard this one:
But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first. Matt. 19:30
Perhaps the most radical of commands is found in chapter five of the same book.
“You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, Matt. 5:43-44
Love your enemies? That’s so upside-down. It sounds ridiculous to our culture. Cancel your enemies. Harm your enemies. Treat them the way they treat you. At the very best ignore your enemies. But love them?
One of the things I love about Jesus is he gets us. Perhaps you’ve seen the tv commercials! But he really gets us. He spent 33 years on our planet, getting sick, cold, tempted, and enduring the most horrific pain imaginable on the cross.
For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. (Hebrews 4:15)
I love that so much! When he says things like “love your enemies,” he walks the talk.
When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him there, along with the criminals—one on his right, the other on his left. 34 Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” And they divided up his clothes by casting lots. (Luke 23:33-34)
Paul, who had a life-transforming encounter with the risen Jesus, notes:
I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. 5 He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. 6 After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. (1 Corinthians 15:3-6, NLT)
It's not like one or two people had a hallucination or something!
The resurrection is everything to the follower of Jesus. Paul, who met Jesus, wrote,
And we apostles would all be lying about God—for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can’t be true if there is no resurrection of the dead. 16 And if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. (1 Corinthians 15:15-17, NLT)
Without the resurrection, our faith is useless.
Without the resurrection, we are guilty of our sins.
Without the resurrection, we have no hope.
Without the resurrection, we have no peace.
Without the resurrection, Christianity is just one of many religions trying to get to God.
Without the resurrection, we’re wasting our time praying to a dead God.
Without the resurrection, we have future of death.
Without the resurrection, this is as good as it gets (and that’s tragic!)
Without the resurrection, we have no purpose (he who dies with the most toys wins)
But because he lives, I’m alive!
Because he lives, I can face tomorrow
Because he lives, every fear is gone
So What?
In a moment we’re going to hear stories of people who have said, “Jesus, I give you my life.” If you’ve done that, let this be a moment to remember your surrender and recommit to follow Jesus and his upside-down, radical, alternative way of life.
If you’ve never said, “Jesus, I give you my life,” I urge you to do so today. It’s the most amazing experience to surrender, die to your own selfish ways, and be resurrected in Christ. When you do so, Christ lives in you! When you die, you can really live. That’s upside down…and it’s amazing!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
I Know that My Redeemer Lives, 9 April 2023
09 04 23 Filed in: Sermons | Handel's Messiah
I Know that My Redeemer Lives
Handel's Messiah
Job 19:25-27; 1 Corinthians 15:20-22
Series Big Idea: Handel’s Messiah may be the greatest work of music ever created, bringing praise and glory to the Creator.
Big Idea: The resurrection is at the heart of our faith, a wonderful miracle with countless effects.
Welcome to Resurrection Sunday! Welcome to Easter! This is the greatest day of the year and begins what should be a season of great joy and a celebration of life. The life of Jesus. Abundant life. Eternal life.
This past Advent, we began a sermon series examining the songs and lyrics of Handel’s Messiah. The first part of the magnificent work of music speaks of the Incarnation, the events of Christmastime. We will complete our study over the next four Sundays incorporating the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus the Messiah and glimpses of the future.
He is risen! He is risen indeed!
The book of Job may seem like an odd place to go for our Easter text. It might be the oldest book in the library we call the Bible. It’s the story of a righteous man whose faith is tested by a variety of tragedies and pain, from physical suffering to the loss of his children. In the midst of recorded dialogue with God…
Then Job replied:
“How long will you torment me and crush me with words? Ten times now you have reproached me; shamelessly you attack me. (Job 19:1-2)
Have you ever felt like God is against you? Have you ever felt crushed by the storms of life? One of the most important messages from the book of Job is the difference between testing and punishment. Sometimes our suffering is the result of sin…ours or that of others. For example, if you fail to pay your taxes and end up in prison, don’t blame God. Pay your taxes (which are due next week!).
Sometimes our suffering is the result of strengthening…a testing of our faith.
Jesus’ half brother, James, wrote,
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. (James 1:2-3, NIV)
Athletes understand this well. They endure great pain in practice so they can finish well in the race or game. There is a testing that takes place, pushing sometimes beyond what is even thought possible. The old expression “no pain, no gain” often applies to an intentional workout.
Perhaps the most common spiritual question people ask is, “Why does God allow suffering?” It’s a valid question, one I think every human has considered. Why did God allow that hurricane to destroy, those children to die, that saint to develop cancer, that family to get hit by the drunk driver’s car, …
One of my dearest friends and mentors, our District Superintendent Rev. Thomas George, says, “Don’t ask ‘why,’ but ask, ‘What are you up to, LORD?’”
We all understand suffering, whether it’s the result of sin or strengthening. Perhaps when written, nobody understood suffering like Job. In a short period of time, he experienced financial loss (1:14-15), the loss of his children (1:18-19), physical anguish (2:7-8), loneliness (19:13-19), loss of his reputation (12:4), and even his wife was challenging his faith (2:9). Returning to Job chapter 19…
He has blocked my way so I cannot pass; he has shrouded my paths in darkness. (Job 19:8)
He has stripped me of my honor and removed the crown from my head. (Job 19:9)
He tears me down on every side till I am gone; he uproots my hope like a tree. (Job 19:10)
His anger burns against me; he counts me among his enemies. (Job 19:11)
Job is honest about his suffering and how he feels about God’s testing. There’s more…
My breath is offensive to my wife; I am loathsome to my own family. (Job 19:17)
Even the little boys scorn me; when I appear, they ridicule me. (Job 19:18)
All my intimate friends detest me; those I love have turned against me. (Job 19:19)
I am nothing but skin and bones; I have escaped only by the skin of my teeth. (Job 19:20)
“Have pity on me, my friends, have pity, for the hand of God has struck me. (Job 19:21)
Why do you pursue me as God does? Will you never get enough of my flesh? (Job 19:22)
Have you ever felt like that?
Then a few verses later after expressing all of his anguish, he declares,
I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. (Job 19:25)
And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me! (Job 19:26-27)
I know that my redeemer lives.
Redeemer is one of those church, biblical words you rarely hear in our culture, but it’s incredible.
To redeem is to exchange. When I was a kid, I remember collecting cereal box tops and redeemed them for prizes in the mail. More recently, I have redeemed gift cards, entered redemption codes…one definition of “redeem” is to turn in and receive something in exchange.
Another meaning of redeem is to pay off, like a debt or promissory note. A few years ago I had a friend who had clothes at the dry cleaner’s, but he didn’t have twelve dollars to get them. I told him I would pay the debt—the bill—and he was able to retrieve his items.
Is there anyone perfect here? You’ve never told a white lie, cheated, lusted, coveted, driven over the speed limit…!!! We’ve all sinned, and according to God we must be penalized. That’s only fair, right? Justice means restitution must be made for evil, making good for damage, loss, or injury. A simple example would be paying a parking ticket or a speeding ticket.
Imagine you received a ticket from God for every sin you committed, every bad deed, every failure to love well, every evil thought. That would be an expensive ticket, right?! How would you feel about paying it?
Now imagine God comes along and says, “I’ll pay it.” How would that make you feel?
That’s redemption. That’s a redeemer. That’s grace…unmerited favor.
Job wrote centuries before Jesus walked the earth. While we can view his words as somewhat prophetic, he had no knowledge of the Messiah’s death and resurrection. He was not only on the other side of Easter, Job was on the other side of Christmas! But even in his agony, he had faith to believe the God would eventually intervene, that he would be vindicated, that whether in life or death, he would see God.
I know that my redeemer lives.
Job wrote those words hundreds of years before the first arrival of the redeemer, Jesus the Messiah, to our world.
At First Alliance, we’re passionate about Jesus…because Jesus is passionate about us! He know none of our good works could ever be good enough to pay for our sins. God doesn’t grade on a curve. A perfect God demands perfection, and only Jesus lived a perfect life. Then he died…willingly, purposefully, to offer payment, redemption for those who follow him. This is the reason Good Friday is good…for us.
But if Jesus remained dead, there would be no reason for faith. We would have no hope. Death would win.
But he is risen! He is risen indeed!
But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died. (1 Corinthians 15:20, NLT)
Job’s words, “I know that my redeemer lives,” were prophetic. They were a vision of the resurrection.
I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. (Job 19:25)
And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me! (Job 19:26-27)
Someday we’re all going to die. It might be today. It might be decades from now, but the odds of your death are…one hundred percent! What happens after we die is worth considering.
So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man. 22 Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life. (1 Corinthians 15:21-22, NLT)
Death entered the world when Adam and Eve sinned. But because Jesus was raised from the dead, so also his followers will be given new life…eternal life.
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16, NLT)
You and I can have eternal life because Jesus is alive. Do you know that the Redeemer lives? Is Jesus your redeemer?
The resurrection is at the heart of our faith, a wonderful miracle with countless effects. The Christian faith rises and falls with it. If Jesus is dead, we have no hope. If Jesus is not your redeemer, your savior, your LORD, you have no hope.
Paul wrote to the church in Rome,
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. (Romans 8:18)
He didn’t deny the present, the pain, the sufferings, but put them into perspective…an eternal perspective. Perhaps you’re in the middle of a trial that feels like death, like Good Friday. As author Tony Campolo famously said, “It’s Friday, but Sunday’s coming!” If you know Jesus, there is always hope. Jesus knows suffering. Jesus knows pain and death. But
He is risen. He is risen indeed!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
Handel's Messiah
Job 19:25-27; 1 Corinthians 15:20-22
Series Big Idea: Handel’s Messiah may be the greatest work of music ever created, bringing praise and glory to the Creator.
Big Idea: The resurrection is at the heart of our faith, a wonderful miracle with countless effects.
Welcome to Resurrection Sunday! Welcome to Easter! This is the greatest day of the year and begins what should be a season of great joy and a celebration of life. The life of Jesus. Abundant life. Eternal life.
This past Advent, we began a sermon series examining the songs and lyrics of Handel’s Messiah. The first part of the magnificent work of music speaks of the Incarnation, the events of Christmastime. We will complete our study over the next four Sundays incorporating the death, resurrection, and ascension of Jesus the Messiah and glimpses of the future.
He is risen! He is risen indeed!
The book of Job may seem like an odd place to go for our Easter text. It might be the oldest book in the library we call the Bible. It’s the story of a righteous man whose faith is tested by a variety of tragedies and pain, from physical suffering to the loss of his children. In the midst of recorded dialogue with God…
Then Job replied:
“How long will you torment me and crush me with words? Ten times now you have reproached me; shamelessly you attack me. (Job 19:1-2)
Have you ever felt like God is against you? Have you ever felt crushed by the storms of life? One of the most important messages from the book of Job is the difference between testing and punishment. Sometimes our suffering is the result of sin…ours or that of others. For example, if you fail to pay your taxes and end up in prison, don’t blame God. Pay your taxes (which are due next week!).
Sometimes our suffering is the result of strengthening…a testing of our faith.
Jesus’ half brother, James, wrote,
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. (James 1:2-3, NIV)
Athletes understand this well. They endure great pain in practice so they can finish well in the race or game. There is a testing that takes place, pushing sometimes beyond what is even thought possible. The old expression “no pain, no gain” often applies to an intentional workout.
Perhaps the most common spiritual question people ask is, “Why does God allow suffering?” It’s a valid question, one I think every human has considered. Why did God allow that hurricane to destroy, those children to die, that saint to develop cancer, that family to get hit by the drunk driver’s car, …
One of my dearest friends and mentors, our District Superintendent Rev. Thomas George, says, “Don’t ask ‘why,’ but ask, ‘What are you up to, LORD?’”
We all understand suffering, whether it’s the result of sin or strengthening. Perhaps when written, nobody understood suffering like Job. In a short period of time, he experienced financial loss (1:14-15), the loss of his children (1:18-19), physical anguish (2:7-8), loneliness (19:13-19), loss of his reputation (12:4), and even his wife was challenging his faith (2:9). Returning to Job chapter 19…
He has blocked my way so I cannot pass; he has shrouded my paths in darkness. (Job 19:8)
He has stripped me of my honor and removed the crown from my head. (Job 19:9)
He tears me down on every side till I am gone; he uproots my hope like a tree. (Job 19:10)
His anger burns against me; he counts me among his enemies. (Job 19:11)
Job is honest about his suffering and how he feels about God’s testing. There’s more…
My breath is offensive to my wife; I am loathsome to my own family. (Job 19:17)
Even the little boys scorn me; when I appear, they ridicule me. (Job 19:18)
All my intimate friends detest me; those I love have turned against me. (Job 19:19)
I am nothing but skin and bones; I have escaped only by the skin of my teeth. (Job 19:20)
“Have pity on me, my friends, have pity, for the hand of God has struck me. (Job 19:21)
Why do you pursue me as God does? Will you never get enough of my flesh? (Job 19:22)
Have you ever felt like that?
Then a few verses later after expressing all of his anguish, he declares,
I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. (Job 19:25)
And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me! (Job 19:26-27)
I know that my redeemer lives.
Redeemer is one of those church, biblical words you rarely hear in our culture, but it’s incredible.
To redeem is to exchange. When I was a kid, I remember collecting cereal box tops and redeemed them for prizes in the mail. More recently, I have redeemed gift cards, entered redemption codes…one definition of “redeem” is to turn in and receive something in exchange.
Another meaning of redeem is to pay off, like a debt or promissory note. A few years ago I had a friend who had clothes at the dry cleaner’s, but he didn’t have twelve dollars to get them. I told him I would pay the debt—the bill—and he was able to retrieve his items.
Is there anyone perfect here? You’ve never told a white lie, cheated, lusted, coveted, driven over the speed limit…!!! We’ve all sinned, and according to God we must be penalized. That’s only fair, right? Justice means restitution must be made for evil, making good for damage, loss, or injury. A simple example would be paying a parking ticket or a speeding ticket.
Imagine you received a ticket from God for every sin you committed, every bad deed, every failure to love well, every evil thought. That would be an expensive ticket, right?! How would you feel about paying it?
Now imagine God comes along and says, “I’ll pay it.” How would that make you feel?
That’s redemption. That’s a redeemer. That’s grace…unmerited favor.
Job wrote centuries before Jesus walked the earth. While we can view his words as somewhat prophetic, he had no knowledge of the Messiah’s death and resurrection. He was not only on the other side of Easter, Job was on the other side of Christmas! But even in his agony, he had faith to believe the God would eventually intervene, that he would be vindicated, that whether in life or death, he would see God.
I know that my redeemer lives.
Job wrote those words hundreds of years before the first arrival of the redeemer, Jesus the Messiah, to our world.
At First Alliance, we’re passionate about Jesus…because Jesus is passionate about us! He know none of our good works could ever be good enough to pay for our sins. God doesn’t grade on a curve. A perfect God demands perfection, and only Jesus lived a perfect life. Then he died…willingly, purposefully, to offer payment, redemption for those who follow him. This is the reason Good Friday is good…for us.
But if Jesus remained dead, there would be no reason for faith. We would have no hope. Death would win.
But he is risen! He is risen indeed!
But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died. (1 Corinthians 15:20, NLT)
Job’s words, “I know that my redeemer lives,” were prophetic. They were a vision of the resurrection.
I know that my redeemer lives, and that in the end he will stand on the earth. (Job 19:25)
And after my skin has been destroyed, yet in my flesh I will see God; I myself will see him with my own eyes—I, and not another. How my heart yearns within me! (Job 19:26-27)
Someday we’re all going to die. It might be today. It might be decades from now, but the odds of your death are…one hundred percent! What happens after we die is worth considering.
So you see, just as death came into the world through a man, now the resurrection from the dead has begun through another man. 22 Just as everyone dies because we all belong to Adam, everyone who belongs to Christ will be given new life. (1 Corinthians 15:21-22, NLT)
Death entered the world when Adam and Eve sinned. But because Jesus was raised from the dead, so also his followers will be given new life…eternal life.
“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16, NLT)
You and I can have eternal life because Jesus is alive. Do you know that the Redeemer lives? Is Jesus your redeemer?
The resurrection is at the heart of our faith, a wonderful miracle with countless effects. The Christian faith rises and falls with it. If Jesus is dead, we have no hope. If Jesus is not your redeemer, your savior, your LORD, you have no hope.
Paul wrote to the church in Rome,
I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us. (Romans 8:18)
He didn’t deny the present, the pain, the sufferings, but put them into perspective…an eternal perspective. Perhaps you’re in the middle of a trial that feels like death, like Good Friday. As author Tony Campolo famously said, “It’s Friday, but Sunday’s coming!” If you know Jesus, there is always hope. Jesus knows suffering. Jesus knows pain and death. But
He is risen. He is risen indeed!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
You can watch this video and others at the First Alliance Church Video Library here.
From Death to Life, 21 April 2019
22 04 19 Filed in: Sermons | The Quest of the Good Shepherd
From Death to Life (Easter)
Series—The Quest of the Good Shepherd
Luke 24:1-8
Series Big Idea: Love is one of the most misunderstood words in our culture, yet it is at the heart of the two greatest biblical commandments: love God, love neighbor.
Big Idea: The resurrection changes everything—past, present and future.
He is risen! He is risen indeed!
Welcome to Resurrection Sunday, our annual Easter celebration, the biggest day on the Church calendar. This is the day we remember the greatest moment in history, when the God who came to the world He created died for the sins of humankind and rose from the dead. He was crucified on a cross, the most horrific torture known in the day, yet he conquered sin and death. He arose. Hallelujah!
Although the vast majority of USAmericans believe Jesus died and resurrected, you may be skeptical. If you’re not convinced Jesus is alive, just imagine for a few moments that he is living, that he hears our prayers, that his promise to return is true, that his death was an acceptable sacrifice to pay for the sins of every man, woman and child who receives the gift of grace, forgiveness, and reconciliation extended to them. Listen to this amazing story, the Easter story, the events recorded by a doctor named Luke of what happened following the horrifying death of Jesus:
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. (Luke 24:1)
You just can’t make this stuff up! If Luke—or any other writer—was creating fiction, they would never mention women as the first eyewitnesses of the empty tomb. Women were second-class citizens in the Roman Empire. The authenticity of Dr. Luke’s account is strengthened by details such as this.
All four gospels—or “good news” biographies of Jesus—mention the Resurrection occurring on the first day of the week. Sunday became the day of Christian worship as a result, so this detail is significant, too, since the Jewish Sabbath is from Friday night until Saturday night.
Why did these women—named in other biographies of Jesus—go to the tomb? They brought spices to give his body a proper burial. The original Greek word for spices here is…aroma. Interesting.
In Matthew’s biography, after the death of Jesus, we read:
The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.” (Matthew 27:62-64)
It’s ironic that a group of unbelievers remembered Jesus’ prediction that he would rise from the dead, yet his own followers seemed clueless.
“Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard. (Matthew 27:65-66)
A Roman guard unit consisted of sixteen soldiers—four groups of four. Four would stand in front of that which they were guarding and the other twelve would be behind them, often sleeping in shifts.
Sixteen soldiers were guarding the tomb on Friday, but they weren’t there on Sunday! Back to the women with their spices:
They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, (Luke 24:2)
The stone is believed to have been 1.5 to 2 tons!
but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. (Luke 24:3)
I can’t imagine how they felt. Was the body stolen? Who moved the stone? I’m sure the main question was, “Where is the body of Jesus?”
While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 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? (Luke 24:4-5)
This is a great question!
The universal symbol of the Christian faith is the…cross. It fits nicely on a necklace, is easily constructed with two pieces of wood, and can be found around the world. But the cross is an object of torture. It’s an image of death.
The cross is incredibly important because on it Jesus died for the sins of all who follow him, declaring him LORD and Savior. He lived a perfect life so he could die as a perfect sacrifice for sinners like you and me—imperfect people stained by our failures that separate us from Almighty God.
Our culture is filled with stereotypes and impressions of heaven and hell. Don’t expect heaven to be a place with people floating around playing harps, and don’t look for red guys with pitch forks running around in hell. Let me give you two simple definitions:
Heaven is where God.
Hell is where God isn’t.
Because God is holy and intolerant of sin, our sin separates us from God. That’s why Jesus came, lived, and died—to pay the price, to take our punishment, to cover our sin. The wages of sin is death and we must pay…or we can let Jesus’ death pay it. It’s our choice.
Contrary to statements about God sending people to hell, C.S. Lewis famously said, “All that are in Hell, choose it.” We choose to believe in Jesus, follow him now, and spend eternity with him in heaven—where God is—or we can reject him now and spend eternity in hell—where God isn’t.
But back to our text:
He is not here; he has risen! 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.’ ” (Luke 24:6-7)
Jesus predicted not only his death, but his resurrection. Not even Harry Houdini, David Copperfield, or Criss Angel can do that!
Then they remembered his words. (Luke 24:8)
Have you ever missed something someone told you? I admit sometimes I’m not the best listener and someone will say to me, “I told you…” Ugh!
Jesus died and came back to life. Nice story. Even if it’s true,
So What?
I’m so glad you asked! In one statement: the empty tomb changes everything!
First, the empty tomb changed the past.
The past two thousand years have ushered in arguably the greatest movement in history. Jesus didn’t come to start another religion, but he did come to show us what it means to be human. He lived a perfect life, preached the greatest sermons, died to reconcile all humanity to God,…but didn’t stop there.
Many people of history have lived extraordinary lives and done incredible things. Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci, Aristotle, Galileo, Alexander the Great, Plato, William Shakespeare…but they’re all dead. It would be foolish to try to talk to them, even if you were to visit their burial site.
But Jesus is alive, and that changed everything. Paul, one of the leaders of the first Christians, wrote to the church in the Greek city of Corinth:
And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. (1 Corinthians 15:14)
I think that’s clear. Without the empty tomb, the Christian faith is useless. A few verses later, Paul writes,
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. (1 Corinthians 15:17-19)
That’s a pretty bold thing to say. Without the resurrection, our faith is futile, we are living a fantasy, our sins are eternal stains keeping us from Almighty God, there’s no hope for the dead, and we are most to be pitied.
Most people today acknowledge Jesus as an historical figure. Muslims believe in him. Hindus believe in him. Even atheists believe Jesus walked the earth. The question is,
“Who is Jesus?”
The Bible plainly teaches several things:
Jesus is fully God.
Jesus is fully human.
Jesus is perfect.
Jesus died.
Jesus rose from the dead.
By the way, Paul also noted:
After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. (1 Corinthians 15:6)
If you take all of the witnesses and brought them to court to testify for six minutes each, it would take more than 50 hours to get through the testimony. And countless followers of Jesus have become martyrs, dying for their belief not only in the person of Jesus, but also his death and resurrection.
The empty tomb changed the past.
The empty tomb changed the present.
Think for a moment about something broken in your life, something seemingly hopeless.
This past week a friend was devastated by a house sale that fell through. Another failed to get a job they really wanted. Our world witnessed the loss of part of the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris. Every day we’re confronted disappointment, suffering, and even death.
I can’t imagine the horror of Jesus’ friends as they watched him hanging on a cross, his life extinguished before their very eyes. It’s as if they invested three years building a house, only to watch it go up in flames…with no insurance!
In the classic tale The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, there’s a scene where the great and mighty Aslan is killed on the Stone Table, devastating young Susan and Lucy. But that wasn't the end of the story.
I’ve had many storms in my life which seemed like dead ends. Loss. Hopeless.
But just as Jesus went from death to life, so also many things in my life have been resurrected. I’ve experienced redemption. I’ve found delightful surprises when I turned the page of my story. I’ve discovered miracles are real.
I was reminded of this in the movie Breakthrough, a true story of boy who fell through the ice and was declared dead for 45 minutes before coming back to life, walking out of the hospital on his own, and living without brain damage three weeks later.
The empty tomb changed the present, offering hope to those who believe in miracles, who embrace the supernatural, who have faith in the living Messiah.
This doesn’t mean life is easy. In fact, Jesus promised us we would have troubles in this life, but he also promised to be with us through the storms of life…always.
The empty tomb changed the present. Finally,
The empty tomb changes the future.
One famous song says, “Because he lives/I can face tomorrow/Because he lives/All fear is gone/Because I know he holds the future/And life is worth the living/Just because he lives.”
Some people say Christianity is all about going to heaven when you die. Remember, heaven is where God is, and if you follow Jesus in this life, you will follow him in the next. The most famous verse in the Bible says,
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
This isn’t just a reference to the next life, but to a whole and lasting life. An abundant life. A life filled with meaning and purpose and hope and peace. Christianity is all about going to heaven before you die, experiencing God’s presence and power now. But followers of Jesus are promised an incredible future, new bodies like Jesus’ resurrected body, eternity with God, a reality without temptation or sin. Here’s a sneak preview of what is to come:
‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)
If Jesus is still dead, I’m hopeless, my faith is useless, my destiny is eternal separation from God in hell because of my sins, and I am, indeed, to be pitied.
But I am convinced beyond the shadow of a doubt that Jesus is alive, and that changed the past, the present, and the future.
I have resurrection power.
I have hope.
I have peace.
I have freedom—from sin, darkness, eternal death, and shame.
All because of an empty tomb.
Have you experienced the living Jesus? We can all read about dead people from the past, but Jesus is alive and wants a relationship with you. This isn’t about religion—trying to do good things to make God approve of you. He is already crazy in love with you and proved it by sending Jesus to die for you. This isn’t about tradition. This is about a person, a living person, Jesus.
But no gift is yours until you accept it. A check is worthless until you cash it. A winning lottery ticket cannot buy anything until it is redeemed. And the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross—his claims of divinity validated by his resurrection—is only sufficient if you confess your sins, repent and turn away from your life of sin, and receive the gift of mercy, grace, forgiveness, and love of Jesus.
But it begins with surrender. Let go and let God. I know it’s hard. We all want power and control, but how’s that working out for you? Imagine how different your life could be if the Creator of the universe was in charge? The gospel—the good news—is more than just forgiveness of sins, though Jesus died to make that available to you. Our celebration today is that Jesus is risen. He has conquered all evil, he is seated beside God the Father, he rules the world by his presence until all things have been made subject. Make space for Jesus to be LORD, to be God, to lead your life, to rule your entire life.
There’s no pressure. There’s no guilt. There’s no manipulation. There’s only an invitation.
Jesus said, “Follow me.”
He said, ““I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6b)
He said, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; (John 11:25b)
Jesus is calling your name today. He wants to call you from darkness to light, from sin to forgiveness, from bondage to freedom.
Have you experienced Jesus, the living Messiah? The empty tomb changed the past, it can change your present, and it can tranform your future.
But you must respond. You must say yes. You must make Jesus your Savior…and LORD.
If you have said yes, if Jesus is your LORD, it’s time to celebrate!
He is risen. He is risen indeed!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series—The Quest of the Good Shepherd
Luke 24:1-8
Series Big Idea: Love is one of the most misunderstood words in our culture, yet it is at the heart of the two greatest biblical commandments: love God, love neighbor.
Big Idea: The resurrection changes everything—past, present and future.
He is risen! He is risen indeed!
Welcome to Resurrection Sunday, our annual Easter celebration, the biggest day on the Church calendar. This is the day we remember the greatest moment in history, when the God who came to the world He created died for the sins of humankind and rose from the dead. He was crucified on a cross, the most horrific torture known in the day, yet he conquered sin and death. He arose. Hallelujah!
Although the vast majority of USAmericans believe Jesus died and resurrected, you may be skeptical. If you’re not convinced Jesus is alive, just imagine for a few moments that he is living, that he hears our prayers, that his promise to return is true, that his death was an acceptable sacrifice to pay for the sins of every man, woman and child who receives the gift of grace, forgiveness, and reconciliation extended to them. Listen to this amazing story, the Easter story, the events recorded by a doctor named Luke of what happened following the horrifying death of Jesus:
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. (Luke 24:1)
You just can’t make this stuff up! If Luke—or any other writer—was creating fiction, they would never mention women as the first eyewitnesses of the empty tomb. Women were second-class citizens in the Roman Empire. The authenticity of Dr. Luke’s account is strengthened by details such as this.
All four gospels—or “good news” biographies of Jesus—mention the Resurrection occurring on the first day of the week. Sunday became the day of Christian worship as a result, so this detail is significant, too, since the Jewish Sabbath is from Friday night until Saturday night.
Why did these women—named in other biographies of Jesus—go to the tomb? They brought spices to give his body a proper burial. The original Greek word for spices here is…aroma. Interesting.
In Matthew’s biography, after the death of Jesus, we read:
The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.” (Matthew 27:62-64)
It’s ironic that a group of unbelievers remembered Jesus’ prediction that he would rise from the dead, yet his own followers seemed clueless.
“Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard. (Matthew 27:65-66)
A Roman guard unit consisted of sixteen soldiers—four groups of four. Four would stand in front of that which they were guarding and the other twelve would be behind them, often sleeping in shifts.
Sixteen soldiers were guarding the tomb on Friday, but they weren’t there on Sunday! Back to the women with their spices:
They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, (Luke 24:2)
The stone is believed to have been 1.5 to 2 tons!
but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. (Luke 24:3)
I can’t imagine how they felt. Was the body stolen? Who moved the stone? I’m sure the main question was, “Where is the body of Jesus?”
While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 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? (Luke 24:4-5)
This is a great question!
The universal symbol of the Christian faith is the…cross. It fits nicely on a necklace, is easily constructed with two pieces of wood, and can be found around the world. But the cross is an object of torture. It’s an image of death.
The cross is incredibly important because on it Jesus died for the sins of all who follow him, declaring him LORD and Savior. He lived a perfect life so he could die as a perfect sacrifice for sinners like you and me—imperfect people stained by our failures that separate us from Almighty God.
Our culture is filled with stereotypes and impressions of heaven and hell. Don’t expect heaven to be a place with people floating around playing harps, and don’t look for red guys with pitch forks running around in hell. Let me give you two simple definitions:
Heaven is where God.
Hell is where God isn’t.
Because God is holy and intolerant of sin, our sin separates us from God. That’s why Jesus came, lived, and died—to pay the price, to take our punishment, to cover our sin. The wages of sin is death and we must pay…or we can let Jesus’ death pay it. It’s our choice.
Contrary to statements about God sending people to hell, C.S. Lewis famously said, “All that are in Hell, choose it.” We choose to believe in Jesus, follow him now, and spend eternity with him in heaven—where God is—or we can reject him now and spend eternity in hell—where God isn’t.
But back to our text:
He is not here; he has risen! 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.’ ” (Luke 24:6-7)
Jesus predicted not only his death, but his resurrection. Not even Harry Houdini, David Copperfield, or Criss Angel can do that!
Then they remembered his words. (Luke 24:8)
Have you ever missed something someone told you? I admit sometimes I’m not the best listener and someone will say to me, “I told you…” Ugh!
Jesus died and came back to life. Nice story. Even if it’s true,
So What?
I’m so glad you asked! In one statement: the empty tomb changes everything!
First, the empty tomb changed the past.
The past two thousand years have ushered in arguably the greatest movement in history. Jesus didn’t come to start another religion, but he did come to show us what it means to be human. He lived a perfect life, preached the greatest sermons, died to reconcile all humanity to God,…but didn’t stop there.
Many people of history have lived extraordinary lives and done incredible things. Isaac Newton, Albert Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci, Aristotle, Galileo, Alexander the Great, Plato, William Shakespeare…but they’re all dead. It would be foolish to try to talk to them, even if you were to visit their burial site.
But Jesus is alive, and that changed everything. Paul, one of the leaders of the first Christians, wrote to the church in the Greek city of Corinth:
And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. (1 Corinthians 15:14)
I think that’s clear. Without the empty tomb, the Christian faith is useless. A few verses later, Paul writes,
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. (1 Corinthians 15:17-19)
That’s a pretty bold thing to say. Without the resurrection, our faith is futile, we are living a fantasy, our sins are eternal stains keeping us from Almighty God, there’s no hope for the dead, and we are most to be pitied.
Most people today acknowledge Jesus as an historical figure. Muslims believe in him. Hindus believe in him. Even atheists believe Jesus walked the earth. The question is,
“Who is Jesus?”
The Bible plainly teaches several things:
Jesus is fully God.
Jesus is fully human.
Jesus is perfect.
Jesus died.
Jesus rose from the dead.
By the way, Paul also noted:
After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. (1 Corinthians 15:6)
If you take all of the witnesses and brought them to court to testify for six minutes each, it would take more than 50 hours to get through the testimony. And countless followers of Jesus have become martyrs, dying for their belief not only in the person of Jesus, but also his death and resurrection.
The empty tomb changed the past.
The empty tomb changed the present.
Think for a moment about something broken in your life, something seemingly hopeless.
This past week a friend was devastated by a house sale that fell through. Another failed to get a job they really wanted. Our world witnessed the loss of part of the Notre Dame cathedral in Paris. Every day we’re confronted disappointment, suffering, and even death.
I can’t imagine the horror of Jesus’ friends as they watched him hanging on a cross, his life extinguished before their very eyes. It’s as if they invested three years building a house, only to watch it go up in flames…with no insurance!
In the classic tale The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe, there’s a scene where the great and mighty Aslan is killed on the Stone Table, devastating young Susan and Lucy. But that wasn't the end of the story.
I’ve had many storms in my life which seemed like dead ends. Loss. Hopeless.
But just as Jesus went from death to life, so also many things in my life have been resurrected. I’ve experienced redemption. I’ve found delightful surprises when I turned the page of my story. I’ve discovered miracles are real.
I was reminded of this in the movie Breakthrough, a true story of boy who fell through the ice and was declared dead for 45 minutes before coming back to life, walking out of the hospital on his own, and living without brain damage three weeks later.
The empty tomb changed the present, offering hope to those who believe in miracles, who embrace the supernatural, who have faith in the living Messiah.
This doesn’t mean life is easy. In fact, Jesus promised us we would have troubles in this life, but he also promised to be with us through the storms of life…always.
The empty tomb changed the present. Finally,
The empty tomb changes the future.
One famous song says, “Because he lives/I can face tomorrow/Because he lives/All fear is gone/Because I know he holds the future/And life is worth the living/Just because he lives.”
Some people say Christianity is all about going to heaven when you die. Remember, heaven is where God is, and if you follow Jesus in this life, you will follow him in the next. The most famous verse in the Bible says,
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
This isn’t just a reference to the next life, but to a whole and lasting life. An abundant life. A life filled with meaning and purpose and hope and peace. Christianity is all about going to heaven before you die, experiencing God’s presence and power now. But followers of Jesus are promised an incredible future, new bodies like Jesus’ resurrected body, eternity with God, a reality without temptation or sin. Here’s a sneak preview of what is to come:
‘He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’ or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.” (Revelation 21:4)
If Jesus is still dead, I’m hopeless, my faith is useless, my destiny is eternal separation from God in hell because of my sins, and I am, indeed, to be pitied.
But I am convinced beyond the shadow of a doubt that Jesus is alive, and that changed the past, the present, and the future.
I have resurrection power.
I have hope.
I have peace.
I have freedom—from sin, darkness, eternal death, and shame.
All because of an empty tomb.
Have you experienced the living Jesus? We can all read about dead people from the past, but Jesus is alive and wants a relationship with you. This isn’t about religion—trying to do good things to make God approve of you. He is already crazy in love with you and proved it by sending Jesus to die for you. This isn’t about tradition. This is about a person, a living person, Jesus.
But no gift is yours until you accept it. A check is worthless until you cash it. A winning lottery ticket cannot buy anything until it is redeemed. And the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross—his claims of divinity validated by his resurrection—is only sufficient if you confess your sins, repent and turn away from your life of sin, and receive the gift of mercy, grace, forgiveness, and love of Jesus.
But it begins with surrender. Let go and let God. I know it’s hard. We all want power and control, but how’s that working out for you? Imagine how different your life could be if the Creator of the universe was in charge? The gospel—the good news—is more than just forgiveness of sins, though Jesus died to make that available to you. Our celebration today is that Jesus is risen. He has conquered all evil, he is seated beside God the Father, he rules the world by his presence until all things have been made subject. Make space for Jesus to be LORD, to be God, to lead your life, to rule your entire life.
There’s no pressure. There’s no guilt. There’s no manipulation. There’s only an invitation.
Jesus said, “Follow me.”
He said, ““I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6b)
He said, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; (John 11:25b)
Jesus is calling your name today. He wants to call you from darkness to light, from sin to forgiveness, from bondage to freedom.
Have you experienced Jesus, the living Messiah? The empty tomb changed the past, it can change your present, and it can tranform your future.
But you must respond. You must say yes. You must make Jesus your Savior…and LORD.
If you have said yes, if Jesus is your LORD, it’s time to celebrate!
He is risen. He is risen indeed!
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Praising Him in Pain, 1 April 2018
Praising Him in Pain
D6 Series— Songs from the Heart (Psalms)
Psalm 22
Matthew 28:1-6
Series Overview: The Psalms reveal hearts poured out in inspired song
Big Idea: There’s hope beyond today’s pain and suffering.
Video: Psalm 22
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TR5S08q_DII
I know, you were expecting happy music, dancing bunnies, and chocolate eggs on every seat. Isn’t it Easter? Is this an April Fool’s Day prank? Why are we focusing on the death of Jesus? That was Friday. Yes, but there is no resurrection without a death. There is no Easter without a Good Friday.
“Good” Friday is the day we remember the death of Jesus, a death prophesied hundreds of years earlier in Psalm 22, our text for today. Hearing those words again, it’s amazing how they were written generations before Christ. They so vividly describe the pain and suffering of Jesus…and apparently David, too.
Although some churches have an Easter sunrise service, on the first Resurrection Sunday morning, there were no Easter parades, bonnets, or celebrations.
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. (Matthew 28:1)
They were horrified to find it empty! Imagine going to a relative’s grave in a cemetery and finding the tombstone broken and nothing but a hole in the ground. That’s probably how these women felt.
What a week! First, they watched their hope of a savior die mercilessly on a cross without even a hint of resistance. Then someone stole the body from the tomb? We cannot begin to imagine the despair, the sorrow, …the pain.
I fear we’ve sanitized the Bible, telling stories to children as if they are fairy tales rather than real, raw accounts of people just like you and me who are altogether familiar with suffering and grief. David, who penned Psalm 22 which opened our gathering, was a real, historical figure with real emotions. He felt despair, sorrow and pain…and wasn’t afraid to pour out his heart and tell God. Likewise, the first followers of Jesus felt despair, sorrow, and pain at the beginning of the first Resurrection Sunday. It was yet another day to remember the loss of the One they hoped would overthrow the Roman Empire and save them. It was another hopeless morning of shattered dreams. It was another reminder of the horrors of watching their leader suffer and die, butchered and hung up for all to see, naked and tortured.
Whether you are a member here or a first-time guest at First Alliance Church, I know one thing about you: you know pain. We’ve all experienced it in the past, are experiencing it now, and/or will experience it in the future. Like King David—and Jesus—perhaps you have felt forsaken by God. You wonder if there is any reason for hope in the midst of your mess. Maybe this morning you’ve been feeling out of place, thinking you’re the only one struggling on a day when everyone is happy, happy, happy.
There can be no resurrection without a death—no Easter without a Good Friday. So before our party begins, we pause to remember the death of Jesus, the mourning that occurred both on Friday and Sunday morning.
King Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes:
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance, (Ecclesiastes 3:1-4)
Today we remember the death of Jesus, following his instructions on the day before his death to take the bread in remembrance of his body that would be broken, and the cup in remembrance of his blood that would be shed for us. If you are a follower of Jesus, we invite you to eat and drink with us in remembrance of Christ.
Communion
There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. (Matthew 28:2-4)
The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. (Matthew 28:5-6)
Can you feel the change in this room, the shift in the atmosphere? From darkness to light. From despair to hope. From death to resurrection.
Here’s the big idea: there’s hope beyond today’s pain and suffering. I know in a group this size many of you are experiencing pain and suffering. Maybe this is your first Easter without a loved one. Perhaps you’ve been battling a physical illness. Some of you are in a financial mess with tax day around the corner. Still others are experiencing relational challenges. I get it. I’ve been through all of those things…and some are very real to me at this moment. Jesus gets it, too. Nobody knows pain like Jesus.
I believe one of the greatest obstacles to people trusting God is simply understanding how a good God could allow pain and suffering. If God loves us, why doesn’t He heal everyone, send angels to prevent drunk driving accidents, ensure beautiful sunny weather (at least on Easter!), and provide for all of the starving children in Africa.
I don’t have time today to answer every question related to God, but there are three things you must know about God and pain:
1. Nobody knows pain like Jesus. One of his best friends denied even knowing him three times. Another friend betrayed him, selling him out for thirty pieces of silver. In his greatest time of need, his “followers” abandoned him. He was beaten. Spit upon. A crown of thorns shoved into his skull. He was mocked. And that was just the beginning. Crucifixion was the most horrific torture known in the Roman world. Even worse than the emotional and physical pain, Jesus bore our sins. He suffered the greatest of all spiritual anguish. This is God, choosing to die…not because you and I are good, but because we are sinners in need of a Savior.
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
In most other religions, the god or gods are distant. They may live in heaven or paradise or someplace removed from earth. Our faith teaches that
…God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:16-17)
Jesus entered our world as Emmanuel, God with us. The writer of the book of Hebrews tells us
…we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. (Hebrews 4:15)
Jesus was sick, tired, hungry, and was tempted. He spent 33 years on our planet experiencing every emotion we experience. And He knows pain.
2. God is with us in the midst of pain. I know, it doesn’t always feel like it. I went through a season in my life when I wanted to take the letter “Y” out of the alphabet because it seemed all I did was ask God, “Why?” If He was really with me, why didn’t He intervene, fix my problems, heal my daughter, fill my bank account, restore my relationships. As your pastor, I must say there are many things about God I don’t understand. I still ask, “Why?” But I’ve also learned that God loves us and can be trusted. He has His reasons, and often we just need to wait to understand them. We can trust God in all circumstances because He is the Sovereign Lord of all, which leads to my third point:
3. Your story is not over. Today you may feel like it’s Good Friday…death and sorrow. It doesn’t feel good because you’re the one being crucified, criticized, abandoned, abused, mistreated, or simply suffering. The good news—the great news—is Jesus didn’t remain on the cross. One of the distinctions between Catholic Christians and Protestant Christians is Catholics often show Jesus on the cross, the crucifix. Most Protestant crosses are empty, reminding us that He is no longer dead. Our symbol should be an empty tomb, but that would be a strange thing to wear around your neck, I suppose! But today we celebrate because Jesus did not stay in the grave. The story did end on Friday…and your story is not over, either.
One of the greatest elements of the death and resurrection of Jesus is redemption. Redemption is clearing a debt. It’s buying one’s freedom. It means being saved from sin, error, or evil. Jesus died to redeem you, to pay the penalty of your sin, which is so radical it’s amazing. Christ is our redeemer. He bought our freedom…from sin and death. Before He died, he cried out, “It is finished!” It wasn’t a declaration of defeat, but of victory. The Greek word literally means, “Paid in full.” Hallelujah!
Jesus died, and because Jesus died He invites you into a relationship with your Creator. Because Jesus died, He invites you to repent—turn from your sins and pride and selfish living—and following Him. Surrender your life. Let go and let God.
Because Jesus is alive, He invites you to experience life that way it was designed to be lived, a life filled with love, peace, joy, and hope.
And make no mistake…Jesus is alive! If Jesus is dead, I have no hope. Dead people can’t do anything for me. The Bible says
And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world. But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died. (1 Corinthians 15:17-20)
Some people believe Jesus didn’t die. If He didn’t die, I have to pay for my sins on Judgment Day which is coming for all of us.
Some people believe Jesus is still dead. If He is still dead, I have to pay for my sins. I’m hopeless.
But nobody ever survived a crucifixion, and hundreds saw Jesus after He died and was resurrected. They talked with Jesus. They ate with Jesus. They wrote about Jesus. They gave their lives for Jesus, refusing to deny the resurrection.
Jesus loves you.
Jesus died for you.
Jesus wants to be your friend.
Jesus wants to be your king.
Jesus wants to be your God.
Religion is about doing things to earn God’s approval. Jesus flipped religion upside down. He did the heavy lifting. He died so you can live. If you could be good enough, he wouldn’t have needed to be crucified. Our faith is not about works, but rather faith, taking a step of faith and trusting Jesus to be the leader of your life, to be LORD.
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9)
I want you to know my best friend, Jesus. I want you to have a great life now, and great life after you die. Jesus offers both. If you invite him to be your God, your LORD, your leader, he will show you what life really means. He will guide you, be your friend, forgive you of all you have done wrong, and give you peace…and love.
I know some of you are experiencing deep pain, loss, and trials. Jesus knows pain. I can’t magically fix every challenge you face, but God understands, God is here, and we are here…to love and serve you, to be the hands and feet of Jesus until He returns.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. (2 Corinthians 1:3-5)
We can praise Him even in the midst of pain because He understands, He is with us, and our story is not over.
Good Friday was agonizing for Jesus but good for us. He suffered and died for us. And Resurrection Sunday is good because of Good Friday.
Jesus is alive. Our redeemer lives!
Jesus is here through the Holy Spirit.
Jesus is returning.
And now we celebrate. We praise. We worship. We party! Our Redeemer lives!
Credits: some ideas from: D6
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
D6 Series— Songs from the Heart (Psalms)
Psalm 22
Matthew 28:1-6
Series Overview: The Psalms reveal hearts poured out in inspired song
Big Idea: There’s hope beyond today’s pain and suffering.
Video: Psalm 22
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TR5S08q_DII
I know, you were expecting happy music, dancing bunnies, and chocolate eggs on every seat. Isn’t it Easter? Is this an April Fool’s Day prank? Why are we focusing on the death of Jesus? That was Friday. Yes, but there is no resurrection without a death. There is no Easter without a Good Friday.
“Good” Friday is the day we remember the death of Jesus, a death prophesied hundreds of years earlier in Psalm 22, our text for today. Hearing those words again, it’s amazing how they were written generations before Christ. They so vividly describe the pain and suffering of Jesus…and apparently David, too.
Although some churches have an Easter sunrise service, on the first Resurrection Sunday morning, there were no Easter parades, bonnets, or celebrations.
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. (Matthew 28:1)
They were horrified to find it empty! Imagine going to a relative’s grave in a cemetery and finding the tombstone broken and nothing but a hole in the ground. That’s probably how these women felt.
What a week! First, they watched their hope of a savior die mercilessly on a cross without even a hint of resistance. Then someone stole the body from the tomb? We cannot begin to imagine the despair, the sorrow, …the pain.
I fear we’ve sanitized the Bible, telling stories to children as if they are fairy tales rather than real, raw accounts of people just like you and me who are altogether familiar with suffering and grief. David, who penned Psalm 22 which opened our gathering, was a real, historical figure with real emotions. He felt despair, sorrow and pain…and wasn’t afraid to pour out his heart and tell God. Likewise, the first followers of Jesus felt despair, sorrow, and pain at the beginning of the first Resurrection Sunday. It was yet another day to remember the loss of the One they hoped would overthrow the Roman Empire and save them. It was another hopeless morning of shattered dreams. It was another reminder of the horrors of watching their leader suffer and die, butchered and hung up for all to see, naked and tortured.
Whether you are a member here or a first-time guest at First Alliance Church, I know one thing about you: you know pain. We’ve all experienced it in the past, are experiencing it now, and/or will experience it in the future. Like King David—and Jesus—perhaps you have felt forsaken by God. You wonder if there is any reason for hope in the midst of your mess. Maybe this morning you’ve been feeling out of place, thinking you’re the only one struggling on a day when everyone is happy, happy, happy.
There can be no resurrection without a death—no Easter without a Good Friday. So before our party begins, we pause to remember the death of Jesus, the mourning that occurred both on Friday and Sunday morning.
King Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes:
There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens:
a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance, (Ecclesiastes 3:1-4)
Today we remember the death of Jesus, following his instructions on the day before his death to take the bread in remembrance of his body that would be broken, and the cup in remembrance of his blood that would be shed for us. If you are a follower of Jesus, we invite you to eat and drink with us in remembrance of Christ.
Communion
There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. (Matthew 28:2-4)
The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. (Matthew 28:5-6)
Can you feel the change in this room, the shift in the atmosphere? From darkness to light. From despair to hope. From death to resurrection.
Here’s the big idea: there’s hope beyond today’s pain and suffering. I know in a group this size many of you are experiencing pain and suffering. Maybe this is your first Easter without a loved one. Perhaps you’ve been battling a physical illness. Some of you are in a financial mess with tax day around the corner. Still others are experiencing relational challenges. I get it. I’ve been through all of those things…and some are very real to me at this moment. Jesus gets it, too. Nobody knows pain like Jesus.
I believe one of the greatest obstacles to people trusting God is simply understanding how a good God could allow pain and suffering. If God loves us, why doesn’t He heal everyone, send angels to prevent drunk driving accidents, ensure beautiful sunny weather (at least on Easter!), and provide for all of the starving children in Africa.
I don’t have time today to answer every question related to God, but there are three things you must know about God and pain:
1. Nobody knows pain like Jesus. One of his best friends denied even knowing him three times. Another friend betrayed him, selling him out for thirty pieces of silver. In his greatest time of need, his “followers” abandoned him. He was beaten. Spit upon. A crown of thorns shoved into his skull. He was mocked. And that was just the beginning. Crucifixion was the most horrific torture known in the Roman world. Even worse than the emotional and physical pain, Jesus bore our sins. He suffered the greatest of all spiritual anguish. This is God, choosing to die…not because you and I are good, but because we are sinners in need of a Savior.
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)
In most other religions, the god or gods are distant. They may live in heaven or paradise or someplace removed from earth. Our faith teaches that
…God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. (John 3:16-17)
Jesus entered our world as Emmanuel, God with us. The writer of the book of Hebrews tells us
…we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin. (Hebrews 4:15)
Jesus was sick, tired, hungry, and was tempted. He spent 33 years on our planet experiencing every emotion we experience. And He knows pain.
2. God is with us in the midst of pain. I know, it doesn’t always feel like it. I went through a season in my life when I wanted to take the letter “Y” out of the alphabet because it seemed all I did was ask God, “Why?” If He was really with me, why didn’t He intervene, fix my problems, heal my daughter, fill my bank account, restore my relationships. As your pastor, I must say there are many things about God I don’t understand. I still ask, “Why?” But I’ve also learned that God loves us and can be trusted. He has His reasons, and often we just need to wait to understand them. We can trust God in all circumstances because He is the Sovereign Lord of all, which leads to my third point:
3. Your story is not over. Today you may feel like it’s Good Friday…death and sorrow. It doesn’t feel good because you’re the one being crucified, criticized, abandoned, abused, mistreated, or simply suffering. The good news—the great news—is Jesus didn’t remain on the cross. One of the distinctions between Catholic Christians and Protestant Christians is Catholics often show Jesus on the cross, the crucifix. Most Protestant crosses are empty, reminding us that He is no longer dead. Our symbol should be an empty tomb, but that would be a strange thing to wear around your neck, I suppose! But today we celebrate because Jesus did not stay in the grave. The story did end on Friday…and your story is not over, either.
One of the greatest elements of the death and resurrection of Jesus is redemption. Redemption is clearing a debt. It’s buying one’s freedom. It means being saved from sin, error, or evil. Jesus died to redeem you, to pay the penalty of your sin, which is so radical it’s amazing. Christ is our redeemer. He bought our freedom…from sin and death. Before He died, he cried out, “It is finished!” It wasn’t a declaration of defeat, but of victory. The Greek word literally means, “Paid in full.” Hallelujah!
Jesus died, and because Jesus died He invites you into a relationship with your Creator. Because Jesus died, He invites you to repent—turn from your sins and pride and selfish living—and following Him. Surrender your life. Let go and let God.
Because Jesus is alive, He invites you to experience life that way it was designed to be lived, a life filled with love, peace, joy, and hope.
And make no mistake…Jesus is alive! If Jesus is dead, I have no hope. Dead people can’t do anything for me. The Bible says
And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world. But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died. (1 Corinthians 15:17-20)
Some people believe Jesus didn’t die. If He didn’t die, I have to pay for my sins on Judgment Day which is coming for all of us.
Some people believe Jesus is still dead. If He is still dead, I have to pay for my sins. I’m hopeless.
But nobody ever survived a crucifixion, and hundreds saw Jesus after He died and was resurrected. They talked with Jesus. They ate with Jesus. They wrote about Jesus. They gave their lives for Jesus, refusing to deny the resurrection.
Jesus loves you.
Jesus died for you.
Jesus wants to be your friend.
Jesus wants to be your king.
Jesus wants to be your God.
Religion is about doing things to earn God’s approval. Jesus flipped religion upside down. He did the heavy lifting. He died so you can live. If you could be good enough, he wouldn’t have needed to be crucified. Our faith is not about works, but rather faith, taking a step of faith and trusting Jesus to be the leader of your life, to be LORD.
If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. (Romans 10:9)
I want you to know my best friend, Jesus. I want you to have a great life now, and great life after you die. Jesus offers both. If you invite him to be your God, your LORD, your leader, he will show you what life really means. He will guide you, be your friend, forgive you of all you have done wrong, and give you peace…and love.
I know some of you are experiencing deep pain, loss, and trials. Jesus knows pain. I can’t magically fix every challenge you face, but God understands, God is here, and we are here…to love and serve you, to be the hands and feet of Jesus until He returns.
Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as we share abundantly in the sufferings of Christ, so also our comfort abounds through Christ. (2 Corinthians 1:3-5)
We can praise Him even in the midst of pain because He understands, He is with us, and our story is not over.
Good Friday was agonizing for Jesus but good for us. He suffered and died for us. And Resurrection Sunday is good because of Good Friday.
Jesus is alive. Our redeemer lives!
Jesus is here through the Holy Spirit.
Jesus is returning.
And now we celebrate. We praise. We worship. We party! Our Redeemer lives!
Credits: some ideas from: D6
Because He Lives, 16 April 2017
18 04 17 Filed in: Sermons | A Love That Never Dies
Because He Lives
Series: A Love That Never Dies
Matthew 28:1-10
Series Big Idea: Throughout Lent, we prepare for Jesus’ death, resurrection, and return
Big Idea: Because He lives, all fear is gone.
Welcome to Resurrection Sunday! This is the greatest day of the year, the day we celebrate our living Savior, LORD, and King, Jesus Christ! Today we conclude our series, “A Love That Never Dies.” Even though Jesus died, his love for us never dies.
Fear. We all experience it.
We are afraid of failure.
We are afraid of success.
The most common command in the Bible is not love, but rather, “Fear not.”
We are afraid of the betrayal of friends.
We are afraid of the attack of zombies!
What’s your greatest fear?
We are afraid of death.
We are afraid of life.
Fear has been a part of the human condition from the beginning. I can’t imagine the fear on Good Friday. The gospel—or good news—of Matthew says,
From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land (Matthew 27:45)
For three hours in the middle of the day as Jesus is suffering on the cross, the whole land turned dark. That would freak me out! I know we have a lot of cloudy days in Toledo, but it doesn’t get dark at noon! A few verses later we read…
Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit. At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart, and tombs opened. The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead. They left the cemetery after Jesus’ resurrection, went into the holy city of Jerusalem, and appeared to many people. (Matthew 27:50-53, NLT)
The moment Jesus dies, this huge curtain separating people from the most sacred place on the planet, the holy of holies, is torn from top to bottom. That’s weird! It was wonderful, by the way, because that meant Jesus’ death provided reconciliation between us and our Creator God.
But that’s not all. The earth shook. Have you ever experienced an earthquake? Freaky!
Rocks split apart. What? Have you ever seen that?
And then maybe my favorite part…tombs opened. The dead were raised. It says bodies left the cemetery after the resurrection, went into the city, and appeared to many people. Grandma?!?!
The Roman officer and the other soldiers at the crucifixion were terrified by the earthquake and all that had happened. They said, “This man truly was the Son of God!” (Matthew 27:54)
Do you get the picture? The crucifixion scene was awful. It was scary. Jesus dies. Nature freaks out. People are weeping. The smell of death is in the air. Roman soldiers are everywhere. Is it any wonder people were afraid?
But that was Friday. People are afraid of death, but today is a day of life, right? Let’s look at our text for today, a verse verses ahead.
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. (Matthew 28:1)
These women go to the tomb. They probably had two sleepless nights. They were tired. They were overcome with grief and stress, watching an execution right before their eyes. Mary saw her son’s life drained in front of her. If she did sleep, I’m sure it was filled with nightmares.
This wasn’t supposed to happen. He was such a good boy! He was darn-near perfect. Actually, he was perfect. Why would anyone want to kill him? A week ago a parade welcomed him in to the city of Jerusalem, and now he’s dead!
There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. (Matthew 28:2-4)
It’s Sunday. Another earthquake? A violent one. An angel rolls back the stone. Talk about freaking out, the guards shake and become like dead men.
These are the powerful warriors the women expect to be guarding the tomb. Instead, the women are terrified by someone else.
The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” (Matthew 28:5-7)
First, the angel terrifies the guards. Now he terrifies the women. Can you blame them for being afraid?
So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. (Matthew 28:8)
Fear. Hope. Joy. Fear. Hope. Joy. They were surely an emotional mess! Jesus is alive?
Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.” (Matthew 28:9-10)
Why does Jesus say, “Do not be afraid?” Because they’re afraid! They’re overcome with emotion. Is this really happening? Have we finally fallen asleep and we’re dreaming? Dead people do not say, “Greetings!”
Yet this is the account. There were hundreds of eyewitnesses. He ate with them. He talked with them. He showed them his pierced hands and feet. And for about 2000 years men, women and children have been experiencing a relationship with Jesus, a relationship possible only because Jesus is alive!
He is risen! He is risen indeed!
Followers of Jesus base everything on the resurrection. Everything!
Paul, once an enemy of Jesus and his followers, remarked
And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. (1 Corinthians 15:14)
Friends, either the resurrection happened or it didn’t. If it didn’t—if Jesus is dead or never died—our faith is useless. Paul says “we are of all people most to be pitied.” We are hopeless. We have every reason to fear death, to fear life.
But if Jesus is alive, we have hope. We have forgiveness. We can have the promise of eternity with God…and the assurance of salvation. We can experience peace, love, joy, and purpose.
What are you afraid of? Death? Many people are afraid of death. You’re not ready to live until you’re ready to die. If you were to die tonight and stand before God and he asked you why you deserved to spend eternity in heaven, what would you say?
I would say, “I don’t deserve to spend eternity in heaven. I deserve to go to hell because of my sins, my evil, my rebellion, my failures. But Jesus died for me. He confronted evil in all its forms and went into the darkness to take its full weight upon himself. And Jesus rose from the dead. He conquered sin and death.”
As I said recently at the International Student Easter Dinner, the difference between our faith and that of religion is how they’re spelled.
Religion is spelled D-O, what we do to try to make God like us.
The message of Jesus is spelled D-O-N-E, it’s what he has done for us, dying and rising from the dead.
What are you afraid of? Life? Many people are afraid of life. Tragedy, loneliness, sickness, terrorism. This world is messed up because of sin. But we need not fear because Jesus is alive. He experienced loneliness, temptation, pain, betrayal, and even death. He understands what you and I face every day. He sent the Holy Spirit to be present with us, to guide us, to comfort us, to encourage us, to empower us. He also gave us one another, a family to belong to, brothers and sisters to journey with.
We are all afraid of being vulnerable, of trusting someone only to have them abandon us. It has happened to me and probably to you.
Let me just state I’m sorry…sorry for the pain and disappointment you’ve experienced in life. I’m especially sorry for the behavior of so-called Christians who acted nothing like Jesus. I’m ashamed to say my life does not always look like Jesus—but that’s my desire. I want nothing to do with organized religion…and everything to do with Jesus.
Because of Jesus—and because he lives—I have experienced peace, joy, satisfaction, hope, love, and purpose…and confidence about this life and the next.
We’re going to close with a song that talks about the result of the resurrection. Because he lives, all fear is gone. The Bible says perfect love casts out fear. Jesus loves you. He died for you. He rose for you. He’s alive today and wants to calm your fears. He wants to be your Savior. He wants to be your LORD and King.
Because He lives
I can face tomorrow
Because He lives
Every fear is gone
I know He holds my life, my future in His hands
Because He Lives (Amen)
Fear not!
Credits: Some ideas from Rev. Steven H. Albers, CTA.
You can listen to this message and others at the First Alliance Church podcast here.
Series: A Love That Never Dies
Matthew 28:1-10
Series Big Idea: Throughout Lent, we prepare for Jesus’ death, resurrection, and return
Big Idea: Because He lives, all fear is gone.
Welcome to Resurrection Sunday! This is the greatest day of the year, the day we celebrate our living Savior, LORD, and King, Jesus Christ! Today we conclude our series, “A Love That Never Dies.” Even though Jesus died, his love for us never dies.
Fear. We all experience it.
We are afraid of failure.
We are afraid of success.
The most common command in the Bible is not love, but rather, “Fear not.”
We are afraid of the betrayal of friends.
We are afraid of the attack of zombies!
What’s your greatest fear?
We are afraid of death.
We are afraid of life.
Fear has been a part of the human condition from the beginning. I can’t imagine the fear on Good Friday. The gospel—or good news—of Matthew says,
From noon until three in the afternoon darkness came over all the land (Matthew 27:45)
For three hours in the middle of the day as Jesus is suffering on the cross, the whole land turned dark. That would freak me out! I know we have a lot of cloudy days in Toledo, but it doesn’t get dark at noon! A few verses later we read…
Then Jesus shouted out again, and he released his spirit. At that moment the curtain in the sanctuary of the Temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook, rocks split apart, and tombs opened. The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead. They left the cemetery after Jesus’ resurrection, went into the holy city of Jerusalem, and appeared to many people. (Matthew 27:50-53, NLT)
The moment Jesus dies, this huge curtain separating people from the most sacred place on the planet, the holy of holies, is torn from top to bottom. That’s weird! It was wonderful, by the way, because that meant Jesus’ death provided reconciliation between us and our Creator God.
But that’s not all. The earth shook. Have you ever experienced an earthquake? Freaky!
Rocks split apart. What? Have you ever seen that?
And then maybe my favorite part…tombs opened. The dead were raised. It says bodies left the cemetery after the resurrection, went into the city, and appeared to many people. Grandma?!?!
The Roman officer and the other soldiers at the crucifixion were terrified by the earthquake and all that had happened. They said, “This man truly was the Son of God!” (Matthew 27:54)
Do you get the picture? The crucifixion scene was awful. It was scary. Jesus dies. Nature freaks out. People are weeping. The smell of death is in the air. Roman soldiers are everywhere. Is it any wonder people were afraid?
But that was Friday. People are afraid of death, but today is a day of life, right? Let’s look at our text for today, a verse verses ahead.
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. (Matthew 28:1)
These women go to the tomb. They probably had two sleepless nights. They were tired. They were overcome with grief and stress, watching an execution right before their eyes. Mary saw her son’s life drained in front of her. If she did sleep, I’m sure it was filled with nightmares.
This wasn’t supposed to happen. He was such a good boy! He was darn-near perfect. Actually, he was perfect. Why would anyone want to kill him? A week ago a parade welcomed him in to the city of Jerusalem, and now he’s dead!
There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. (Matthew 28:2-4)
It’s Sunday. Another earthquake? A violent one. An angel rolls back the stone. Talk about freaking out, the guards shake and become like dead men.
These are the powerful warriors the women expect to be guarding the tomb. Instead, the women are terrified by someone else.
The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” (Matthew 28:5-7)
First, the angel terrifies the guards. Now he terrifies the women. Can you blame them for being afraid?
So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. (Matthew 28:8)
Fear. Hope. Joy. Fear. Hope. Joy. They were surely an emotional mess! Jesus is alive?
Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.” (Matthew 28:9-10)
Why does Jesus say, “Do not be afraid?” Because they’re afraid! They’re overcome with emotion. Is this really happening? Have we finally fallen asleep and we’re dreaming? Dead people do not say, “Greetings!”
Yet this is the account. There were hundreds of eyewitnesses. He ate with them. He talked with them. He showed them his pierced hands and feet. And for about 2000 years men, women and children have been experiencing a relationship with Jesus, a relationship possible only because Jesus is alive!
He is risen! He is risen indeed!
Followers of Jesus base everything on the resurrection. Everything!
Paul, once an enemy of Jesus and his followers, remarked
And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. (1 Corinthians 15:14)
Friends, either the resurrection happened or it didn’t. If it didn’t—if Jesus is dead or never died—our faith is useless. Paul says “we are of all people most to be pitied.” We are hopeless. We have every reason to fear death, to fear life.
But if Jesus is alive, we have hope. We have forgiveness. We can have the promise of eternity with God…and the assurance of salvation. We can experience peace, love, joy, and purpose.
What are you afraid of? Death? Many people are afraid of death. You’re not ready to live until you’re ready to die. If you were to die tonight and stand before God and he asked you why you deserved to spend eternity in heaven, what would you say?
I would say, “I don’t deserve to spend eternity in heaven. I deserve to go to hell because of my sins, my evil, my rebellion, my failures. But Jesus died for me. He confronted evil in all its forms and went into the darkness to take its full weight upon himself. And Jesus rose from the dead. He conquered sin and death.”
As I said recently at the International Student Easter Dinner, the difference between our faith and that of religion is how they’re spelled.
Religion is spelled D-O, what we do to try to make God like us.
The message of Jesus is spelled D-O-N-E, it’s what he has done for us, dying and rising from the dead.
What are you afraid of? Life? Many people are afraid of life. Tragedy, loneliness, sickness, terrorism. This world is messed up because of sin. But we need not fear because Jesus is alive. He experienced loneliness, temptation, pain, betrayal, and even death. He understands what you and I face every day. He sent the Holy Spirit to be present with us, to guide us, to comfort us, to encourage us, to empower us. He also gave us one another, a family to belong to, brothers and sisters to journey with.
We are all afraid of being vulnerable, of trusting someone only to have them abandon us. It has happened to me and probably to you.
Let me just state I’m sorry…sorry for the pain and disappointment you’ve experienced in life. I’m especially sorry for the behavior of so-called Christians who acted nothing like Jesus. I’m ashamed to say my life does not always look like Jesus—but that’s my desire. I want nothing to do with organized religion…and everything to do with Jesus.
Because of Jesus—and because he lives—I have experienced peace, joy, satisfaction, hope, love, and purpose…and confidence about this life and the next.
We’re going to close with a song that talks about the result of the resurrection. Because he lives, all fear is gone. The Bible says perfect love casts out fear. Jesus loves you. He died for you. He rose for you. He’s alive today and wants to calm your fears. He wants to be your Savior. He wants to be your LORD and King.
Because He lives
I can face tomorrow
Because He lives
Every fear is gone
I know He holds my life, my future in His hands
Because He Lives (Amen)
Fear not!
Credits: Some ideas from Rev. Steven H. Albers, CTA.
Because He LIves, Easter 2015, 5 April 2015
Big Idea: The resurrection changes everything!
The Butterfly Effect
“In chaos theory, the butterfly effect is the sensitive dependence on initial conditions in which a small change in one state of a deterministic nonlinear system can result in large differences in a later state.” So states Wikipedia.
Put into plain English, the Butterfly Effect, attributed to Edward Lorenz, is a belief that a butterfly’s wings flapping eventually create a typhoon that hits land on the other side of the world.
A snowflake by itself weighs nothing, but enough of them will collapse oak trees and roofs.
A woman named Rosa Parks simply sat on a bus and sparked the Civil Rights movement.
Ten years earlier, a man named Jackie Robinson was court-martialed (and acquitted) for not moving to the back of a bus.
You might call this butterfly effect a chain reaction. One event can change everything. No event changed human history like the resurrection.
Because He lives. One moment in history about two thousand years ago changed everything. You could argue there were two. The first was the death of Jesus.
There is unanimous agreement among scholars that Jesus died. He was given an honorable burial. That the tomb was discovered to be empty. That there were post-mortem appearances of Jesus by the disciples. With the exception of Muslims who believe Jesus never actually died on the cross, virtually every scholar will tell you a historical person named Jesus lived, taught, and died. The primary controversy surrounds our celebration today—His resurrection.
Church history is full of creeds, statements of faith. Perhaps the oldest creed of the Christian faith comes within three years of the death of Jesus (see James Dunn). It was recorded in Paul’s letter to the people in Corinth.
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)
Much is made of the death of Christ, and rightfully so. We remember it each month as we engage in communion or the Lord’s Supper or the Eucharist (call it what you like!). What Jesus accomplished on the cross was immensely important. But it was not enough.
The cross seems to get most of the attention. People have turned the horrific object of torture into a religious symbol, even a celebrated piece of jewelry. The real focus should be on the empty tomb, an image that is, admittedly, a bit more complex to depict! Still, perhaps we should wear empty tombs rather than crosses around our necks!
When I was in Jerusalem several years ago I was curious about the place where Jesus died. There are two common possibilities, one now inside The Church of the Holy Sepulcher and another outside the city, a hill that looks like a skull. Both are interesting sites, but I wanted to see the empty tomb!
He is risen!
Paul was a Jesus freak! He was a leading Jewish leader named Saul who persecuted Christians…until He encountered Jesus. His witness alone is tremendous evidence of the resurrection, for dead men are not known to speak, and only lunatics would be persecuted for a lie, a myth, or a mirage as he and so many others were, including countless martyrs…simply for the belief in the resurrection. Paul wrote
But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then 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. (1 Corinthians 15:12-19)
There are many “ifs” in those verses! It’s hard for me to imagine life without the resurrection. Paul continues to state things in the positive.
But* Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:20-22)
* when you see a “but” in a sentence, usually the only thing that matters is what follows!
Our faith is based on not merely a life or a death but on the resurrection. The resurrection is not only the true center of the Christian faith, but it signals God's initiative in the renewing of creation. The resurrection both embodies and empowers the destiny of God’s people as divine image-bearers from now to forever.
So What?
The resurrection is everything!
I recently bought a book called Risen: 50 Reasons Why The Resurrection Changed Everything by Steven Mathewson.
19. To Guarantee Our Future Resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:20–23; 1 Thess. 4:14)
20. To Destroy All Other Powers through His Reign (1 Corinthians 15: 24–27)
21. To Destroy the Enemy of Death (1 Corinthians 15: 26, 54–57; Luke 20:36)
22. To Give Us a Reason to Endanger Our Lives (1 Corinthians 15: 30–31)
23. To Deliver Us from Self-Indulgence (1 Corinthians 15:32)
24. To Give Us Heavenly, Imperishable Bodies (1 Corinthians 15: 42–48)
25. To Clothe Us with His Image (1 Corinthians 15:49)
26. To Give Us Immortality (1 Corinthians 15:53)
27. To Overcome the Power of the Law (1 Corinthians 15: 56–57)
28. To Make Serving the Lord Worthwhile (1 Corinthians 15:58)
29. To Give Us Hope in Hard Times (2 Corinthians 1: 8–11)
30. To Give Us a Greater Purpose in Life (2 Corinthians 5:15)
31. To Let Us Experience God’s Mighty Power (Ephesians 1:18–20)
32. To Display God’s Amazing Grace (Ephesians 2:6–7)
33. To Bring Victory into Our Intimacy with Him (Philippians 3:10–11)
34. To Make Us Full in Him (Colossians 2:9–12)
35. To Reorient Our Desires (Colossians 3:1–2)
36. To Let Us Appear with Him in Glory (Colossians 3:4; Acts 1:11)
37. To Enable Us to Kill Our Old Way of Life (Colossians 3:5–10)
38. To Rescue Us from Coming Wrath (1 Thessalonians 1:10)
39. To Serve as Our Eternal Shepherd (Hebrews 13:20; Revelation 7:17)
40. To Give Us New Birth into a Living Hope (1 Peter 1:3; Acts 23:6; 1 Thess. 4:13–14)
41. To Glorify the Lamb of God (1 Peter 1:18–21; Acts 3:13–15)
42. To Show That Death Does Not Stop Us from Living (Matt. 22:30–32; Rom. 14:9)
43. To Confirm His Words about Being Raised to Life (Matthew 28:5–7)
44. To Continue the Mission of God (Matthew 28:18–20)
45. To Share His Presence with His Followers until His Return (Matthew 28:20)
46. To Teach More about the Kingdom of God (Acts 1:3)
47. To Prove God’s Commitment to Justice (Acts 17:31)
48. To Make Possible the Judgment of Wicked (Jn 5: 28-30; Acts 24:15; Rev. 20:11-15)
49. To Give Him Complete Supremacy (Colossians 1:18; Revelation 1:4–5)
50. To Provide Life in the Unfiltered Presence of God (Revelation 21:3–4, 22; 22:1)
• Because He lives…we are alive.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. (John 1:1-4)
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10)
Jesus said to her [Martha], “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 11:25-26a)
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
• Because He lives…we have a future
Because He lives, resurrection is possible. All things are possible.
Today is the greatest day on the calendar! It’s bigger and better than Christmas, your birthday, the Super Bowl, and Groundhog Day combined!
Everything changed on Resurrection Sunday and because He lives, there is hope for all of us.
• Because He lives…we have hope.
To Show His Power over Death (Acts 2: 24; Romans 6: 9)
As a pastor on Easter I’m supposed to tell you because Jesus rose from the dead,
Because He Lives (Amen)
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
The Butterfly Effect
“In chaos theory, the butterfly effect is the sensitive dependence on initial conditions in which a small change in one state of a deterministic nonlinear system can result in large differences in a later state.” So states Wikipedia.
Put into plain English, the Butterfly Effect, attributed to Edward Lorenz, is a belief that a butterfly’s wings flapping eventually create a typhoon that hits land on the other side of the world.
A snowflake by itself weighs nothing, but enough of them will collapse oak trees and roofs.
A woman named Rosa Parks simply sat on a bus and sparked the Civil Rights movement.
Ten years earlier, a man named Jackie Robinson was court-martialed (and acquitted) for not moving to the back of a bus.
You might call this butterfly effect a chain reaction. One event can change everything. No event changed human history like the resurrection.
Because He lives. One moment in history about two thousand years ago changed everything. You could argue there were two. The first was the death of Jesus.
There is unanimous agreement among scholars that Jesus died. He was given an honorable burial. That the tomb was discovered to be empty. That there were post-mortem appearances of Jesus by the disciples. With the exception of Muslims who believe Jesus never actually died on the cross, virtually every scholar will tell you a historical person named Jesus lived, taught, and died. The primary controversy surrounds our celebration today—His resurrection.
Church history is full of creeds, statements of faith. Perhaps the oldest creed of the Christian faith comes within three years of the death of Jesus (see James Dunn). It was recorded in Paul’s letter to the people in Corinth.
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)
- Christ died for us
- Christ was buried
- Christ was raised again
Much is made of the death of Christ, and rightfully so. We remember it each month as we engage in communion or the Lord’s Supper or the Eucharist (call it what you like!). What Jesus accomplished on the cross was immensely important. But it was not enough.
The cross seems to get most of the attention. People have turned the horrific object of torture into a religious symbol, even a celebrated piece of jewelry. The real focus should be on the empty tomb, an image that is, admittedly, a bit more complex to depict! Still, perhaps we should wear empty tombs rather than crosses around our necks!
When I was in Jerusalem several years ago I was curious about the place where Jesus died. There are two common possibilities, one now inside The Church of the Holy Sepulcher and another outside the city, a hill that looks like a skull. Both are interesting sites, but I wanted to see the empty tomb!
He is risen!
Paul was a Jesus freak! He was a leading Jewish leader named Saul who persecuted Christians…until He encountered Jesus. His witness alone is tremendous evidence of the resurrection, for dead men are not known to speak, and only lunatics would be persecuted for a lie, a myth, or a mirage as he and so many others were, including countless martyrs…simply for the belief in the resurrection. Paul wrote
But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then 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. (1 Corinthians 15:12-19)
There are many “ifs” in those verses! It’s hard for me to imagine life without the resurrection. Paul continues to state things in the positive.
But* Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:20-22)
* when you see a “but” in a sentence, usually the only thing that matters is what follows!
Our faith is based on not merely a life or a death but on the resurrection. The resurrection is not only the true center of the Christian faith, but it signals God's initiative in the renewing of creation. The resurrection both embodies and empowers the destiny of God’s people as divine image-bearers from now to forever.
So What?
The resurrection is everything!
I recently bought a book called Risen: 50 Reasons Why The Resurrection Changed Everything by Steven Mathewson.
- To Give Us Eternal Life (John 11:25–27)
- To Show His Power over Death (Acts 2:24; Romans 6:9)
- To Heal Us (Acts 4:10)
- To Receive the Blessings Promised to David (Acts 13:34)
- To Forgive Our Sins (Acts 13:37–38; 1 Corinthians 15:17)
- To Elevate His Power and Authority (Romans 1:4)
- To Justify Sinners (Romans 4:23–25; Acts 13:39)
- To Give Us a New Way to Live (Romans 6:4, 8–11)
- To Unite Us with Him in His Resurrection (Romans 6:5–8)
- To Make Us Fruitful (Romans 7:4)
- To Give Life to Our Mortal Bodies (Romans 8:11)
- To End Our Obligation to the Flesh (Romans 8:12–13)
- To Provide Us with Future Glory (Romans 8:18)
- To Set Creation Free from Its Bondage (Romans 8:21–22)
- To Adopt Us into God’s Family (Romans 8:23)
- To Intercede for Us at God’s Right Hand (Romans 8:34; Hebrews 7:23–25)
- To Fulfill the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:4; Luke 24:44–47)
19. To Guarantee Our Future Resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:20–23; 1 Thess. 4:14)
20. To Destroy All Other Powers through His Reign (1 Corinthians 15: 24–27)
21. To Destroy the Enemy of Death (1 Corinthians 15: 26, 54–57; Luke 20:36)
22. To Give Us a Reason to Endanger Our Lives (1 Corinthians 15: 30–31)
23. To Deliver Us from Self-Indulgence (1 Corinthians 15:32)
24. To Give Us Heavenly, Imperishable Bodies (1 Corinthians 15: 42–48)
25. To Clothe Us with His Image (1 Corinthians 15:49)
26. To Give Us Immortality (1 Corinthians 15:53)
27. To Overcome the Power of the Law (1 Corinthians 15: 56–57)
28. To Make Serving the Lord Worthwhile (1 Corinthians 15:58)
29. To Give Us Hope in Hard Times (2 Corinthians 1: 8–11)
30. To Give Us a Greater Purpose in Life (2 Corinthians 5:15)
31. To Let Us Experience God’s Mighty Power (Ephesians 1:18–20)
32. To Display God’s Amazing Grace (Ephesians 2:6–7)
33. To Bring Victory into Our Intimacy with Him (Philippians 3:10–11)
34. To Make Us Full in Him (Colossians 2:9–12)
35. To Reorient Our Desires (Colossians 3:1–2)
36. To Let Us Appear with Him in Glory (Colossians 3:4; Acts 1:11)
37. To Enable Us to Kill Our Old Way of Life (Colossians 3:5–10)
38. To Rescue Us from Coming Wrath (1 Thessalonians 1:10)
39. To Serve as Our Eternal Shepherd (Hebrews 13:20; Revelation 7:17)
40. To Give Us New Birth into a Living Hope (1 Peter 1:3; Acts 23:6; 1 Thess. 4:13–14)
41. To Glorify the Lamb of God (1 Peter 1:18–21; Acts 3:13–15)
42. To Show That Death Does Not Stop Us from Living (Matt. 22:30–32; Rom. 14:9)
43. To Confirm His Words about Being Raised to Life (Matthew 28:5–7)
44. To Continue the Mission of God (Matthew 28:18–20)
45. To Share His Presence with His Followers until His Return (Matthew 28:20)
46. To Teach More about the Kingdom of God (Acts 1:3)
47. To Prove God’s Commitment to Justice (Acts 17:31)
48. To Make Possible the Judgment of Wicked (Jn 5: 28-30; Acts 24:15; Rev. 20:11-15)
49. To Give Him Complete Supremacy (Colossians 1:18; Revelation 1:4–5)
50. To Provide Life in the Unfiltered Presence of God (Revelation 21:3–4, 22; 22:1)
• Because He lives…we are alive.
- literally true via creation (John 1:1-4)
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. (John 1:1-4)
- figuratively true in that we have abundant life (John 10:10)
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (John 10:10)
- eschatologically true (John 11:25-26; John 3:16)
Jesus said to her [Martha], “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 11:25-26a)
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. (John 3:16)
• Because He lives…we have a future
- a future with Him, forever
Because He lives, resurrection is possible. All things are possible.
Today is the greatest day on the calendar! It’s bigger and better than Christmas, your birthday, the Super Bowl, and Groundhog Day combined!
Everything changed on Resurrection Sunday and because He lives, there is hope for all of us.
• Because He lives…we have hope.
To Show His Power over Death (Acts 2: 24; Romans 6: 9)
- nothing is impossible for God
- sin and death have been conquered
- what should we fear?
- bad news is temporary
- the best is yet to come
- God is working NOW (Jesus is alive!)
As a pastor on Easter I’m supposed to tell you because Jesus rose from the dead,
- there’s hope for you dead marriage
- there’s hope for your dead financial situation
- there’s hope for your dead relationships
- there’s hope for your dead-end job
- there’s hope for your dying body
- there’s hope for your dead emotions
Because He Lives (Amen)
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Mary Magdalene and the Risen Jesus, John 20:11-18, 3 November 2013
Big Idea: Jesus is alive! Let’s tell the world!
We often approach communion with great reflection, and well we should. However, the story does not end on the cross. Last week we saw Mary Magdalene and others shocked to find the tomb of Jesus empty.
Jewish people spent seven days mourning the loss of a loved one. This meant they could not wash, work, study the law, or even have intercourse for a week. They knew how to express grief! An empty tomb prevented final acts of love to be done to Jesus. Even tomb raiders would usually leave behind the body.
We know “the rest of the story,” but those at the empty tomb
…still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead. (20:9)
What does this mean? It means they did not understand! Have you ever read the Bible and seen something you never saw previously? Some Scriptures require experience to fully understand.
Jesus had said, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me’? (John 16:19b)
Jesus had said, “You will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.” (John 16:20b)
Jesus had said, “Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.” (John 16:22)
Sometimes we are just filled with disbelief.
When we ended last Sunday, we read that
Then the disciples went back to where they were staying. (10)
Jesus died. The tomb is empty.
Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. (20:11-12)
Imagine the week Mary has had. This is a woman that deeply loved Jesus. He had expelled numerous demons from her. He showed her great compassion. She cried at the foot of the cross as her hope literally died.
His body was buried quickly and two days later she comes with friends to bring spices for the body. The tomb is empty. Peter and John leave. Now she is crying outside the tomb…and she encounters two angels, two angels dressed in white, hardly appropriate during a time of mourning!
Where were the angels when the boys were around?
They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” (13a)
Why do they ask? They’re angels! They know. Jesus is alive, but Mary remains clueless.
“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”
(13b)
She thinks someone moved the body.
At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. (14)
Mary didn’t recognize Jesus. Unbelief is blind. He was the last Person Mary expected to see. Did her tears mask His face?
He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” (15a)
Jesus echoes the angels, asking the reason for her tears. She hears His voice now and still has no idea who is before her.
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” (15b)
Was it common for gardeners to open tombs and hide bodies? Hardly! They were at the bottom of the social ladder and tended to gardening.
Jesus said to her, “Mary.” (16a)
The most important word in the world is your name. Jesus said that His sheep know His voice. One word changed everything for her.
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”). (16b)
This means “my teacher” or “master.”
It’s easy for us to miss images and symbols John’s initial readers would recognize.
John is the only Gospel writer that tells us these events take place in a garden, a garden filled with spices, suggesting the imagery of the Song of Songs. Mary is a woman who finds the one she loves in a spice-filled garden and wants to be with Him.
Dr. Gary Burge notes,
“Miriam was the most famous sister of Moses, who oversaw her little brother’s journey down the Nile. In an ancient Jewish synagogue at Dura Europos on the Euphrates a fresco depicts this scene carefully. The floating bed of Moses becomes a coffin and tomb from which the baby Moses is raised to life (thus avoiding death).42 Old Testament Miriam even becomes a prophet (Ex. 15:20–21; Num. 12:1–2) who bears a message to Israel. While John refers to Mary in the narrative with the Greek word Maria, when Jesus (the new Moses) meets her in 20:16, oddly, he employs the Hebrew form of the name: Miriam (Gk. Mariam, Heb. Miryam). He names her “Miriam Magdalene”— where Magdalene connotes the Hebrew noun migdal, “tower.” This caretaker of the new Moses, this intimate helper, is now transformed from a mere “Mary” into a Miriam, into a migdal that now bears a prophetic message to the apostles.” (The NIV Application Commentary, John)
A woman in “paradise” encounters the Creator and Ruler of the Garden, Jesus.
Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ” (17)
Why did He say not to touch Him? Scholars have wondered for two thousand years. Some believe Jesus literally meant don’t touch His body, but Thomas would soon. Some have translated it “do not fear,” but that seems unlikely. Others suggest it is preparation for His ascension, His return to the Father. In other words, He may be saying, “Do not cling to Me. Go tell the disciples I will soon return to the Father.” He will leave our planet, but also leave the Holy Spirit, an even more intimate expression of God who will live inside every believer.
Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her. (18)
John records her as the first one to see the resurrected Messiah.
She has seen the empty tomb.
She has seen the LORD.
So What?
Mary Magdalene told the disciples the good news: Jesus is alive.
It is our privilege to tell our friends, neighbors and co-workers the good news: Jesus is alive!!!
Last week it struck me how the Gospel is good news. Who doesn’t want to share good news? It’s hard to deliver bad news, but it should be a joy to announce good news.
This text perhaps raises more questions than it answers, but one thing is clear…Jesus is alive! The One who died for us, who redeems us from sin and death, lives.
We don’t worship an idea, a concept, or a book. We worship a Person who entered human history and transformed it.
Listen to the words of John Updike in his poem “Seven Stanzas at Easter.”
Make no mistake: if He rose at all it was as His body;
if the cells’ dissolution did not reverse,
the molecules reknit, the amino acids rekindle,
the church will fall. . . .
Let us not mock God with metaphor, Analogy, sidestepping transcendence;
Making of the event a parable, a sign painted in the faded credulity of earlier ages:
Let us walk through the door.
The stone is rolled back, not papier-mâché, Not a stone in a story,
But the vast rock of materiality that in the slow grinding of time will eclipse for each of us,
The wide light of day.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
We often approach communion with great reflection, and well we should. However, the story does not end on the cross. Last week we saw Mary Magdalene and others shocked to find the tomb of Jesus empty.
Jewish people spent seven days mourning the loss of a loved one. This meant they could not wash, work, study the law, or even have intercourse for a week. They knew how to express grief! An empty tomb prevented final acts of love to be done to Jesus. Even tomb raiders would usually leave behind the body.
We know “the rest of the story,” but those at the empty tomb
…still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead. (20:9)
What does this mean? It means they did not understand! Have you ever read the Bible and seen something you never saw previously? Some Scriptures require experience to fully understand.
Jesus had said, ‘In a little while you will see me no more, and then after a little while you will see me’? (John 16:19b)
Jesus had said, “You will weep and mourn while the world rejoices. You will grieve, but your grief will turn to joy.” (John 16:20b)
Jesus had said, “Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.” (John 16:22)
Sometimes we are just filled with disbelief.
When we ended last Sunday, we read that
Then the disciples went back to where they were staying. (10)
Jesus died. The tomb is empty.
Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. (20:11-12)
Imagine the week Mary has had. This is a woman that deeply loved Jesus. He had expelled numerous demons from her. He showed her great compassion. She cried at the foot of the cross as her hope literally died.
His body was buried quickly and two days later she comes with friends to bring spices for the body. The tomb is empty. Peter and John leave. Now she is crying outside the tomb…and she encounters two angels, two angels dressed in white, hardly appropriate during a time of mourning!
Where were the angels when the boys were around?
They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” (13a)
Why do they ask? They’re angels! They know. Jesus is alive, but Mary remains clueless.
“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”
(13b)
She thinks someone moved the body.
At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. (14)
Mary didn’t recognize Jesus. Unbelief is blind. He was the last Person Mary expected to see. Did her tears mask His face?
He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” (15a)
Jesus echoes the angels, asking the reason for her tears. She hears His voice now and still has no idea who is before her.
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” (15b)
Was it common for gardeners to open tombs and hide bodies? Hardly! They were at the bottom of the social ladder and tended to gardening.
Jesus said to her, “Mary.” (16a)
The most important word in the world is your name. Jesus said that His sheep know His voice. One word changed everything for her.
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”). (16b)
This means “my teacher” or “master.”
It’s easy for us to miss images and symbols John’s initial readers would recognize.
John is the only Gospel writer that tells us these events take place in a garden, a garden filled with spices, suggesting the imagery of the Song of Songs. Mary is a woman who finds the one she loves in a spice-filled garden and wants to be with Him.
Dr. Gary Burge notes,
“Miriam was the most famous sister of Moses, who oversaw her little brother’s journey down the Nile. In an ancient Jewish synagogue at Dura Europos on the Euphrates a fresco depicts this scene carefully. The floating bed of Moses becomes a coffin and tomb from which the baby Moses is raised to life (thus avoiding death).42 Old Testament Miriam even becomes a prophet (Ex. 15:20–21; Num. 12:1–2) who bears a message to Israel. While John refers to Mary in the narrative with the Greek word Maria, when Jesus (the new Moses) meets her in 20:16, oddly, he employs the Hebrew form of the name: Miriam (Gk. Mariam, Heb. Miryam). He names her “Miriam Magdalene”— where Magdalene connotes the Hebrew noun migdal, “tower.” This caretaker of the new Moses, this intimate helper, is now transformed from a mere “Mary” into a Miriam, into a migdal that now bears a prophetic message to the apostles.” (The NIV Application Commentary, John)
A woman in “paradise” encounters the Creator and Ruler of the Garden, Jesus.
Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ” (17)
Why did He say not to touch Him? Scholars have wondered for two thousand years. Some believe Jesus literally meant don’t touch His body, but Thomas would soon. Some have translated it “do not fear,” but that seems unlikely. Others suggest it is preparation for His ascension, His return to the Father. In other words, He may be saying, “Do not cling to Me. Go tell the disciples I will soon return to the Father.” He will leave our planet, but also leave the Holy Spirit, an even more intimate expression of God who will live inside every believer.
Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her. (18)
John records her as the first one to see the resurrected Messiah.
She has seen the empty tomb.
She has seen the LORD.
So What?
Mary Magdalene told the disciples the good news: Jesus is alive.
It is our privilege to tell our friends, neighbors and co-workers the good news: Jesus is alive!!!
Last week it struck me how the Gospel is good news. Who doesn’t want to share good news? It’s hard to deliver bad news, but it should be a joy to announce good news.
This text perhaps raises more questions than it answers, but one thing is clear…Jesus is alive! The One who died for us, who redeems us from sin and death, lives.
We don’t worship an idea, a concept, or a book. We worship a Person who entered human history and transformed it.
Listen to the words of John Updike in his poem “Seven Stanzas at Easter.”
Make no mistake: if He rose at all it was as His body;
if the cells’ dissolution did not reverse,
the molecules reknit, the amino acids rekindle,
the church will fall. . . .
Let us not mock God with metaphor, Analogy, sidestepping transcendence;
Making of the event a parable, a sign painted in the faded credulity of earlier ages:
Let us walk through the door.
The stone is rolled back, not papier-mâché, Not a stone in a story,
But the vast rock of materiality that in the slow grinding of time will eclipse for each of us,
The wide light of day.
You can listen to this message and others at the Scio podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Awake My Soul, John 12:1-18, 31 March 2013
Big Idea: God has a habit of resurrecting the dead.
Happy Resurrection Sunday! Many refer to it, appropriately, as Easter, though others find the pagan roots of the name disturbing. Whatever you call it, it’s a great day…and a great time of year. For many of you, today signifies the end of lent and you can go back to eating meat or watching TV or whatever you gave up for the season. Today signals that it’s time to be spring, whether it feels like it or not!
“Our Lord has written the promise of the resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in spring-time.” - Martin Luther
You may not know it, but today is actually the unofficial first day of spring, also known as baseball’s Opening Day (though the Tigers don’t start until tomorrow). Of course, the real celebration is that of the resurrection of Jesus. This is the Super Bowl, Academy Awards, 4th of July and New Year’s Day all wrapped up in one celebration, a celebration that comes once a year but is actually celebrated every day for followers of Christ.
We’re in the middle of a series studying the Gospel of John, a biography of Jesus written by one of His best friends, John. Last week we were in chapter 12. Today we are skipping ahead to chapter 20. The seven chapters in between tell the account of the week beginning with Palm Sunday that included the Last Supper, the crown of thorns, the crucifixion, and the resurrection. In future weeks we’ll go back to them, but following our remembrance of Christ’s death on Good Friday, we jump to the resurrection account.
Let me state up front that if Jesus did not rise from the dead, we are wasting our time—not only now but every time we gather, every moment we pray, and every minute we spend reading the Bible. The resurrection is the pivotal moment in human history, the day in which everything changed, literally.
Paul, once one of the greatest enemies of the movement of Jesus Christ, became one of His most ardent followers and said
And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. (1 Corinthians 15:17)
Put another way, if Jesus is dead, our faith is dead. Our hope is dead. Our life is dead.
But for more than 2000 years people have been searching for the dead body of Jesus and what have they discovered?
Nothing! Nada! Zip!
What a difference nothing makes!
God has a habit of resurrecting the dead.
John 20:1-18
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” (1-2)
So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus’ head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) (20:3-9)
Peter and John raced. John says he won!
No thief would’ve taken the time to fold the grave cloths!
Then the disciples went back to their homes, but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. (10-12)
They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”
“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. (13-14)
“Woman,” he said, “why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” (15)
Jesus said to her, “Mary.”
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). (16)
He knows your name, too!
Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her. (17-18)
I think it’s great that women are the first people that see the resurrected Jesus. He did so much to liberate women and this is no exception. They are the ones who get to tell the eleven disciples that Jesus is alive!
God has a habit of resurrecting the dead.
Jesus is not the only example.
Last week in John 12 we looked at the story of Jesus raising His friend Lazarus from the dead. Jesus was not the first—nor the last—person to come back from the dead. There are elements of The Walking Dead that are real!
Matthew’s biography of Jesus includes one of my favorite images in the entire Bible.
And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus’ resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.
When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!” (Matthew 27:50-54)
Matthew’s Jewish readers would recognize this bizarre episode of the Walking Dead as similar to yet another example of God resurrecting the dead. The account is found in the Old Testament book of Ezekiel. The context is the people of Israel, an exiled nation longing to return to their homeland.
Ezekiel 37:1-14
The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”
I said, “O Sovereign LORD, you alone know.” (37:1-3)
Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’” (4-6)
So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them. (7-8)
Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’” So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet — a vast army. (9-10)
Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.’” (11-14)
God has a habit of resurrecting the dead.
But your dead will live; their bodies will rise. You who dwell in the dust, wake up and shout for joy. Your dew is like the dew of the morning; the earth will give birth to her dead. (Isaiah 26:19)
“At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people — everyone whose name is found written in the book — will be delivered. Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. (Daniel 12:1-3)
God has a habit of resurrecting the dead.
Jesus’ death and resurrection have a strong theological meaning for Matthew...and for us. God is restoring Israel, and on the back of Israel, He is restoring the nations, the Gentiles...us! Jesus’ death and resurrection were not isolated events in ancient history, but the most powerful and vivid reminder that our God is the God of salvation and restoration.
It’s easy to dismiss the resurrection of Jesus as merely an historical event. He came back from the dead, but He’s God, right?
Yes, but God has a habit of resurrecting the dead—not only Lazarus and Jesus and these dry bones, but also us today. As a pastor, I’ve had a front row seat watching God at work, resurrecting the dead. Here are a few examples:
What about you? What is dead that only God can resurrect? A relationship? Your career? Your broken body?
Don’t misunderstand me. God is not a cosmic genie waiting to obey our every command. He is, however, the author of life (Acts 3:15). He is life. As we saw a few weeks ago, Jesus said
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)
Did you catch that? Jesus is life—the way, the truth, the life. He is the only way to the Father. He is the only way to life.
Jesus did not die on the cross just so we could live comfortable, well-adjusted lives. His purpose is far deeper: He wants to make us like himself before he takes us to heaven. This is our greatest privilege, our immediate responsibility and our ultimate destiny. - Rick Warren
God has a habit of resurrecting the dead.
He wants to offer you life—eternal life…and rich, wild, and abundant life now (John 10:10). He wants to awaken your soul. He wants you to live a life of freedom, faith, hope and love. Jesus died so that you might have life!
You can listen to the podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
Happy Resurrection Sunday! Many refer to it, appropriately, as Easter, though others find the pagan roots of the name disturbing. Whatever you call it, it’s a great day…and a great time of year. For many of you, today signifies the end of lent and you can go back to eating meat or watching TV or whatever you gave up for the season. Today signals that it’s time to be spring, whether it feels like it or not!
“Our Lord has written the promise of the resurrection, not in books alone, but in every leaf in spring-time.” - Martin Luther
You may not know it, but today is actually the unofficial first day of spring, also known as baseball’s Opening Day (though the Tigers don’t start until tomorrow). Of course, the real celebration is that of the resurrection of Jesus. This is the Super Bowl, Academy Awards, 4th of July and New Year’s Day all wrapped up in one celebration, a celebration that comes once a year but is actually celebrated every day for followers of Christ.
We’re in the middle of a series studying the Gospel of John, a biography of Jesus written by one of His best friends, John. Last week we were in chapter 12. Today we are skipping ahead to chapter 20. The seven chapters in between tell the account of the week beginning with Palm Sunday that included the Last Supper, the crown of thorns, the crucifixion, and the resurrection. In future weeks we’ll go back to them, but following our remembrance of Christ’s death on Good Friday, we jump to the resurrection account.
Let me state up front that if Jesus did not rise from the dead, we are wasting our time—not only now but every time we gather, every moment we pray, and every minute we spend reading the Bible. The resurrection is the pivotal moment in human history, the day in which everything changed, literally.
Paul, once one of the greatest enemies of the movement of Jesus Christ, became one of His most ardent followers and said
And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. (1 Corinthians 15:17)
Put another way, if Jesus is dead, our faith is dead. Our hope is dead. Our life is dead.
But for more than 2000 years people have been searching for the dead body of Jesus and what have they discovered?
Nothing! Nada! Zip!
What a difference nothing makes!
God has a habit of resurrecting the dead.
John 20:1-18
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” (1-2)
So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus’ head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) (20:3-9)
Peter and John raced. John says he won!
No thief would’ve taken the time to fold the grave cloths!
Then the disciples went back to their homes, but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. (10-12)
They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”
“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. (13-14)
“Woman,” he said, “why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” (15)
Jesus said to her, “Mary.”
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). (16)
He knows your name, too!
Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her. (17-18)
I think it’s great that women are the first people that see the resurrected Jesus. He did so much to liberate women and this is no exception. They are the ones who get to tell the eleven disciples that Jesus is alive!
God has a habit of resurrecting the dead.
Jesus is not the only example.
Last week in John 12 we looked at the story of Jesus raising His friend Lazarus from the dead. Jesus was not the first—nor the last—person to come back from the dead. There are elements of The Walking Dead that are real!
Matthew’s biography of Jesus includes one of my favorite images in the entire Bible.
And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.
At that moment the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks split. The tombs broke open and the bodies of many holy people who had died were raised to life. They came out of the tombs, and after Jesus’ resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many people.
When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, “Surely he was the Son of God!” (Matthew 27:50-54)
Matthew’s Jewish readers would recognize this bizarre episode of the Walking Dead as similar to yet another example of God resurrecting the dead. The account is found in the Old Testament book of Ezekiel. The context is the people of Israel, an exiled nation longing to return to their homeland.
Ezekiel 37:1-14
The hand of the LORD was upon me, and he brought me out by the Spirit of the LORD and set me in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. He led me back and forth among them, and I saw a great many bones on the floor of the valley, bones that were very dry. He asked me, “Son of man, can these bones live?”
I said, “O Sovereign LORD, you alone know.” (37:1-3)
Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones and say to them, ‘Dry bones, hear the word of the LORD! This is what the Sovereign LORD says to these bones: I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.’” (4-6)
So I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone. I looked, and tendons and flesh appeared on them and skin covered them, but there was no breath in them. (7-8)
Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to it, ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe into these slain, that they may live.’” So I prophesied as he commanded me, and breath entered them; they came to life and stood up on their feet — a vast army. (9-10)
Then he said to me: “Son of man, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone; we are cut off.’ Therefore prophesy and say to them: ‘This is what the Sovereign LORD says: O my people, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will bring you back to the land of Israel. Then you, my people, will know that I am the LORD, when I open your graves and bring you up from them. I will put my Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land. Then you will know that I the LORD have spoken, and I have done it, declares the LORD.’” (11-14)
God has a habit of resurrecting the dead.
But your dead will live; their bodies will rise. You who dwell in the dust, wake up and shout for joy. Your dew is like the dew of the morning; the earth will give birth to her dead. (Isaiah 26:19)
“At that time Michael, the great prince who protects your people, will arise. There will be a time of distress such as has not happened from the beginning of nations until then. But at that time your people — everyone whose name is found written in the book — will be delivered. Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt. Those who are wise will shine like the brightness of the heavens, and those who lead many to righteousness, like the stars for ever and ever. (Daniel 12:1-3)
God has a habit of resurrecting the dead.
Jesus’ death and resurrection have a strong theological meaning for Matthew...and for us. God is restoring Israel, and on the back of Israel, He is restoring the nations, the Gentiles...us! Jesus’ death and resurrection were not isolated events in ancient history, but the most powerful and vivid reminder that our God is the God of salvation and restoration.
It’s easy to dismiss the resurrection of Jesus as merely an historical event. He came back from the dead, but He’s God, right?
Yes, but God has a habit of resurrecting the dead—not only Lazarus and Jesus and these dry bones, but also us today. As a pastor, I’ve had a front row seat watching God at work, resurrecting the dead. Here are a few examples:
- My friend who was on the verge of hopelessness and despair, lonely and broken. Since she surrendered her life to the risen Christ, she has come alive. Her soul has been awakened and she’s a new creation.
- Several years ago some dear friends approached my wife and I and said their marriage was a wreck. Lies and infidelity had invaded their relationship. After years of hard work and the risen Christ, their marriage has come alive. Their relationship has been awakened and they are not only together but now helping other seemingly hopeless marriages.
- In 2009 a family I know had more than $300,000 in medical bills that were not covered by insurance. Aside from their mortgage, they ended the year debt-free as God awakened their finances.
What about you? What is dead that only God can resurrect? A relationship? Your career? Your broken body?
Don’t misunderstand me. God is not a cosmic genie waiting to obey our every command. He is, however, the author of life (Acts 3:15). He is life. As we saw a few weeks ago, Jesus said
“I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6)
Did you catch that? Jesus is life—the way, the truth, the life. He is the only way to the Father. He is the only way to life.
Jesus did not die on the cross just so we could live comfortable, well-adjusted lives. His purpose is far deeper: He wants to make us like himself before he takes us to heaven. This is our greatest privilege, our immediate responsibility and our ultimate destiny. - Rick Warren
God has a habit of resurrecting the dead.
He wants to offer you life—eternal life…and rich, wild, and abundant life now (John 10:10). He wants to awaken your soul. He wants you to live a life of freedom, faith, hope and love. Jesus died so that you might have life!
You can listen to the podcast here. You can also subscribe to our podcast here.
He's Still Alive! 8 April 2012
If you could have dinner with one deceased person other than a relative or Bible character, with whom would you dine? Why?
There are so many great historic figures that have changed the world. A few of them include
They have had tremendous influence on our lives, but each has one thing in common—they can do nothing further to change the world. Their work is done. They are, by definition, history.
As much as I love President’s Day, MLK Day, and other celebrations of great men and women, this day is different. Today is a celebration of Jesus. He’s still alive!
The Story
For decades Christians have been complaining about the commercialization and secularization of Christmas. I love Christmas, but as much as I appreciate Jesus’ birthday, today is the real day of celebration. Whether you call it easter or dismiss the pagan roots and refer to it as Resurrection Sunday, there is no greater celebration than that of a risen Jesus.
But did it really happen? Did Jesus really conquer death? The whole of the New Testament revelation rests on the resurrection as an historical fact.
Consider this...there was a very educated, respected, religious man named Saul. He was so zealous about his Jewish faith that he led the execution of countless Christians who threatened the organized religion of the day. God gripped his heart, changed his name to Paul, and this is what the former skeptic wrote:
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance : that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. (1 Corinthians 15:3-7)
Not only were there hundreds of eyewitnesses of Jesus after His resurrection, many died for their simple testimony to that fact. It would be foolish to die for a lie.
Paul continues a few verses later
But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then 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. (1 Corinthians 15:12-19)
If Jesus is dead, let’s all go home!
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:20-22)
He concludes
If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus with no more than human hopes, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” (1 Corinthians 15:32)
Friends, because Jesus lives, we have hope. Because Jesus lives, we can face tomorrow. Because Jesus lives, we can discover meaning, and purpose and joy.
The Resurrection is the defining moment in the movement of Jesus, and arguably of all human existence.
By definition, faith is involved in following Jesus, or any, uh, faith! Jesus’ posture was always one of invitation. He said, “Follow me. Come and see.” Today He is still inviting men, women and children to follow Him. Notice I didn’t say obey a bunch of rules or engage in organized religion. His invitation is to Himself. It’s to know Jesus.
Unlike George Washington and Rosa Parks, it is possible to know Jesus, because Jesus is still alive!
There are two things that make Jesus unique from other world religions. First, He is alive. I can’t prove it 100% today, but for more than 2000 years people have been searching for His dead body and have come up, uh, empty. If Jesus is dead, our faith is dead. Our hope is dead. Our future is dead.
Second, following Jesus is truly about a relationship with God, not a religion. Religion is spelled D-O. It’s what people do to earn God’s favor, access to paradise after death, and the approval of their peers. Tragically, there are many people that practice the religion of Christianity, working hard to be good enough for a perfect and holy God, which is impossible! Jesus despises the religion of Christianity!!! Why, because it’s not what you DO but what has already been D-O-N-E on the cross. Only following and knowing a perfect Jesus who died on the cross for you can grant you reconciliation with God and the ability to know your Creator. It’s not enough to know about Jesus. You can know Him today!!!
Is your head filled with knowledge, but your heart empty? Have you been pursuing the religion of Christianity rather than the relationship of knowing Jesus Christ.
Paul, the writer of the letter we read earlier to the church in Corinth, wrote this to the people of the city of Philippi:
I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:10-11)
Paul was not content with knowledge of Jesus or religious gatherings and practices. He wanted to know Jesus, and you can only truly know a person who is living. Paul knew that Jesus understood suffering and death. Rather than a distant Creator, Jesus knows what it’s like to be human, to experience pain, to laugh and cry, and to journey through life. He’s not above it, He lived it...and He’s living today!
I can tell you from personal experience that my life changed when I went from knowing about God to knowing God. Amazingly, my faith is more than just reading about history in the Bible and trying to follow the rules. Every day is a new adventure of literally doing life with Jesus, because He’s still alive! Do you know Him?
No one can remain neutral regarding Jesus' resurrection. The claim is too staggering, the event is too earthshaking, the implications are too significant, and the matter is too serious. We must each either receive or reject it as truth for us, and to remain indifferent or undecided is to reject it. (Mark Driscoll)
Some words of encouragement or inspiration for celebrating Easter and beyond, from N. T. Wright's "Surprised by Hope" (pp 255-257):
But my biggest problem starts on Easter Monday. I regard it as absurd
and unjustifiable that we should spend forty days keeping Lent,
pondering what it means, preaching about self-denial, being at least a
little gloomy, and then bringing it all to a peak with Holy Week,
which in turn climaxes in Maundy Thursday and Good Friday… and then,
after a rather odd Holy Saturday, we have a single day of celebration.
All right, the Sundays after Easter still lie within the Easter
season. We still have Easter readings and hymns during them. But
Easter week itself ought not to be the time when all the clergy sigh
with relief and go on holiday. It ought to be an eight-day festival,
with champagne served after morning prayer or even before., with lots
of alleluias and extra hymns and spectacular anthems. Is it any wonder
people find it hard to believe in the resurrection of Jesus if we
don’t throw our hats in the air? Is it any wonder we find it hard to
live the resurrection if we don’t do it exuberantly in our liturgies?
Is it any wonder the world doesn’t take much notice if Easter is
celebrated as simply the one-day happy ending tacked on to forty days
of fasting and gloom? It’s long overdue that we took a hard look at
how we keep Easter in church, at home, in our personal lives, right
through the system. And if it means rethinking some cherished habits,
well, maybe it’s time to wake up. That always comes as a surprise.
You can listen to the podcast here.
There are so many great historic figures that have changed the world. A few of them include
- George Washington
- Thomas Edison
- Henry Ford
- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
- Rosa Parks
- Steve Jobs
They have had tremendous influence on our lives, but each has one thing in common—they can do nothing further to change the world. Their work is done. They are, by definition, history.
As much as I love President’s Day, MLK Day, and other celebrations of great men and women, this day is different. Today is a celebration of Jesus. He’s still alive!
The Story
For decades Christians have been complaining about the commercialization and secularization of Christmas. I love Christmas, but as much as I appreciate Jesus’ birthday, today is the real day of celebration. Whether you call it easter or dismiss the pagan roots and refer to it as Resurrection Sunday, there is no greater celebration than that of a risen Jesus.
But did it really happen? Did Jesus really conquer death? The whole of the New Testament revelation rests on the resurrection as an historical fact.
Consider this...there was a very educated, respected, religious man named Saul. He was so zealous about his Jewish faith that he led the execution of countless Christians who threatened the organized religion of the day. God gripped his heart, changed his name to Paul, and this is what the former skeptic wrote:
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance : that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. (1 Corinthians 15:3-7)
Not only were there hundreds of eyewitnesses of Jesus after His resurrection, many died for their simple testimony to that fact. It would be foolish to die for a lie.
Paul continues a few verses later
But if it is preached that Christ has been raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. More than that, we are then 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. (1 Corinthians 15:12-19)
If Jesus is dead, let’s all go home!
But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. (1 Corinthians 15:20-22)
He concludes
If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus with no more than human hopes, what have I gained? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” (1 Corinthians 15:32)
Friends, because Jesus lives, we have hope. Because Jesus lives, we can face tomorrow. Because Jesus lives, we can discover meaning, and purpose and joy.
The Resurrection is the defining moment in the movement of Jesus, and arguably of all human existence.
By definition, faith is involved in following Jesus, or any, uh, faith! Jesus’ posture was always one of invitation. He said, “Follow me. Come and see.” Today He is still inviting men, women and children to follow Him. Notice I didn’t say obey a bunch of rules or engage in organized religion. His invitation is to Himself. It’s to know Jesus.
Unlike George Washington and Rosa Parks, it is possible to know Jesus, because Jesus is still alive!
There are two things that make Jesus unique from other world religions. First, He is alive. I can’t prove it 100% today, but for more than 2000 years people have been searching for His dead body and have come up, uh, empty. If Jesus is dead, our faith is dead. Our hope is dead. Our future is dead.
Second, following Jesus is truly about a relationship with God, not a religion. Religion is spelled D-O. It’s what people do to earn God’s favor, access to paradise after death, and the approval of their peers. Tragically, there are many people that practice the religion of Christianity, working hard to be good enough for a perfect and holy God, which is impossible! Jesus despises the religion of Christianity!!! Why, because it’s not what you DO but what has already been D-O-N-E on the cross. Only following and knowing a perfect Jesus who died on the cross for you can grant you reconciliation with God and the ability to know your Creator. It’s not enough to know about Jesus. You can know Him today!!!
Is your head filled with knowledge, but your heart empty? Have you been pursuing the religion of Christianity rather than the relationship of knowing Jesus Christ.
Paul, the writer of the letter we read earlier to the church in Corinth, wrote this to the people of the city of Philippi:
I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. (Philippians 3:10-11)
Paul was not content with knowledge of Jesus or religious gatherings and practices. He wanted to know Jesus, and you can only truly know a person who is living. Paul knew that Jesus understood suffering and death. Rather than a distant Creator, Jesus knows what it’s like to be human, to experience pain, to laugh and cry, and to journey through life. He’s not above it, He lived it...and He’s living today!
I can tell you from personal experience that my life changed when I went from knowing about God to knowing God. Amazingly, my faith is more than just reading about history in the Bible and trying to follow the rules. Every day is a new adventure of literally doing life with Jesus, because He’s still alive! Do you know Him?
No one can remain neutral regarding Jesus' resurrection. The claim is too staggering, the event is too earthshaking, the implications are too significant, and the matter is too serious. We must each either receive or reject it as truth for us, and to remain indifferent or undecided is to reject it. (Mark Driscoll)
Some words of encouragement or inspiration for celebrating Easter and beyond, from N. T. Wright's "Surprised by Hope" (pp 255-257):
But my biggest problem starts on Easter Monday. I regard it as absurd
and unjustifiable that we should spend forty days keeping Lent,
pondering what it means, preaching about self-denial, being at least a
little gloomy, and then bringing it all to a peak with Holy Week,
which in turn climaxes in Maundy Thursday and Good Friday… and then,
after a rather odd Holy Saturday, we have a single day of celebration.
All right, the Sundays after Easter still lie within the Easter
season. We still have Easter readings and hymns during them. But
Easter week itself ought not to be the time when all the clergy sigh
with relief and go on holiday. It ought to be an eight-day festival,
with champagne served after morning prayer or even before., with lots
of alleluias and extra hymns and spectacular anthems. Is it any wonder
people find it hard to believe in the resurrection of Jesus if we
don’t throw our hats in the air? Is it any wonder we find it hard to
live the resurrection if we don’t do it exuberantly in our liturgies?
Is it any wonder the world doesn’t take much notice if Easter is
celebrated as simply the one-day happy ending tacked on to forty days
of fasting and gloom? It’s long overdue that we took a hard look at
how we keep Easter in church, at home, in our personal lives, right
through the system. And if it means rethinking some cherished habits,
well, maybe it’s time to wake up. That always comes as a surprise.
You can listen to the podcast here.
Celebration, 24 April 2011, Easter
25 04 11 Filed in: Sermons | The King's Speech
I was once looking at a book on world religions. It talked about Islam and Hinduism and Buddhism and other faiths and I was curious what it had to say about Christianity. It began by stating that Christianity is an historical religion. It did not begin with a philosophy or dream or vision. In fact, we are here today not even because Jesus was a wise teacher and healed people. It’s all about the resurrection. Period.
Few people argue that Jesus lived. Most acknowledge that He was crucified. Everything about our faith rises and falls on the resurrection. If Jesus is dead, we are wasting our time this morning. In fact, if Jesus is dead, we are wasting our lives!
The Account (Matthew 28)
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.
There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. - Matthew 28:1-4
The stone was like a giant wagon wheel. This particular stone is inside a track. What was the purpose of the stone?
This was not an ordinary burial, though. Let’s go back a few verses to the previous chapter:
As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb. - Matthew 27:57-61
The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.” - Matthew 27:62-64
“Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard. - Matthew 27:65-66
So Jesus’ dead body was placed in the tomb, the tomb was covered with a stone, the stone had a seal, and a guard was posted.
I’ve always found it fascinating that the chief priests heard Jesus say He would rise again after three days, yet His followers were clueless.
Back to the story...
The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” - Matthew 28:5-7
They entered the tomb. They saw where Jesus lay, yet He was not there!
So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.” - Matthew 28:8-10
Why were the women afraid?
The first thing Jesus says is “fear not.” This is the most common command in the Bible, given to us 366 times, one for every day of the year, including leap year! Fear not. Why? We’ll see in a moment.
While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day. - Matthew 28:11-15
Matthew tells us why some would not believe in the resurrection. A plan was devised to turn it into a myth.
For two thousand years people have been devising ways to explain away the resurrection. Maybe His body was stolen. One of my favorites is that maybe Jesus never died and just walked away (if you’ve ever seen “The Passion of the Christ” you know that was impossible, to say nothing of His heart being pierced and blood and water flowing out).
There’s one huge problem with anything that explains away the reality of the resurrection—hundreds of eyewitnesses with identical accounts. Some people have said it was just a hallucination on the part of His followers, but remember one thing: many of these people died for their belief in the resurrection. It’s one thing to make up a story or experience a vivid dream, but people don’t become martyrs over fairy tales.
Friends, the resurrection is not merely an important part of our faith. Everything rises and falls on it!
And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. - 1 Corinthians 15:14
Finishing our story, it says
Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” - Matthew 28:16-20
We recently looked at this passage as we talked about Jesus’ command to go and make disciples of all nations. Remember He told the women to fear not? Here’s why—I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
So what?
Some of you are Christ-followers. Without the resurrection there is no Easter, no Christianity, no church, no eternal life, no heaven, no hope, no joy, and no peace. Everything depends upon the resurrection. If we serve a dead God, our faith is no different than any other religion.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burial_places_of_founders_of_world_religions
There’s only one tomb that is empty!
If you are truly a follower of Jesus, He tells us two things—go and fear not. We are on a mission that as we are going through life, we are to make disciples. We are to let others know about the incredible life that Jesus offers.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. - John 3:16
Tomorrow is the beginning of the E.A.C.H. campaign at 2WordStory.com. I hope you are ready to share your story...and His!
Some of you are not Christ-followers. I urge you to seriously consider Jesus. This is not about His teachings or miracles, it’s about His With all due respect to other religions, only Jesus died for you. Only Jesus demonstrated His love to you.
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. - Romans 5:8
Only Jesus conquered sin and death and the grave. Only Jesus’ tomb is empty.
Jesus said to Martha
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” - John 11:25-26
Jesus said
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. - John 10:10
He said
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. - John 14:6
He is the way, the truth, and the life.
Celebration!
Today is a day of celebration. On Friday we remembered the murder of an innocent man who was also God, Jesus Christ. Today we celebrate His resurrection. Today we celebrate life—His and ours. The word celebration means to make public and that’s what Jesus told us to do. He didn’t tell His followers to keep His life and resurrection a secret. He told them to go! He told them to go public! We celebrate in this building today, but the real celebration begins as we leave this place to go public. That’s what 2WordStory is about. That’s what Scio is about. That’s what the Church is about—letting the whole world know that Jesus is alive!
You can listen to the podcast here.
Few people argue that Jesus lived. Most acknowledge that He was crucified. Everything about our faith rises and falls on the resurrection. If Jesus is dead, we are wasting our time this morning. In fact, if Jesus is dead, we are wasting our lives!
The Account (Matthew 28)
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.
There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. - Matthew 28:1-4
The stone was like a giant wagon wheel. This particular stone is inside a track. What was the purpose of the stone?
- contain the smell
- contain the body
This was not an ordinary burial, though. Let’s go back a few verses to the previous chapter:
As evening approached, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who had himself become a disciple of Jesus. Going to Pilate, he asked for Jesus’ body, and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb. - Matthew 27:57-61
The next day, the one after Preparation Day, the chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate. “Sir,” they said, “we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, his disciples may come and steal the body and tell the people that he has been raised from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first.” - Matthew 27:62-64
“Take a guard,” Pilate answered. “Go, make the tomb as secure as you know how.” So they went and made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard. - Matthew 27:65-66
So Jesus’ dead body was placed in the tomb, the tomb was covered with a stone, the stone had a seal, and a guard was posted.
I’ve always found it fascinating that the chief priests heard Jesus say He would rise again after three days, yet His followers were clueless.
Back to the story...
The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” - Matthew 28:5-7
They entered the tomb. They saw where Jesus lay, yet He was not there!
So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.” - Matthew 28:8-10
Why were the women afraid?
The first thing Jesus says is “fear not.” This is the most common command in the Bible, given to us 366 times, one for every day of the year, including leap year! Fear not. Why? We’ll see in a moment.
While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day. - Matthew 28:11-15
Matthew tells us why some would not believe in the resurrection. A plan was devised to turn it into a myth.
For two thousand years people have been devising ways to explain away the resurrection. Maybe His body was stolen. One of my favorites is that maybe Jesus never died and just walked away (if you’ve ever seen “The Passion of the Christ” you know that was impossible, to say nothing of His heart being pierced and blood and water flowing out).
There’s one huge problem with anything that explains away the reality of the resurrection—hundreds of eyewitnesses with identical accounts. Some people have said it was just a hallucination on the part of His followers, but remember one thing: many of these people died for their belief in the resurrection. It’s one thing to make up a story or experience a vivid dream, but people don’t become martyrs over fairy tales.
Friends, the resurrection is not merely an important part of our faith. Everything rises and falls on it!
And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. - 1 Corinthians 15:14
Finishing our story, it says
Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” - Matthew 28:16-20
We recently looked at this passage as we talked about Jesus’ command to go and make disciples of all nations. Remember He told the women to fear not? Here’s why—I am with you always, to the very end of the age.
So what?
Some of you are Christ-followers. Without the resurrection there is no Easter, no Christianity, no church, no eternal life, no heaven, no hope, no joy, and no peace. Everything depends upon the resurrection. If we serve a dead God, our faith is no different than any other religion.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burial_places_of_founders_of_world_religions
There’s only one tomb that is empty!
If you are truly a follower of Jesus, He tells us two things—go and fear not. We are on a mission that as we are going through life, we are to make disciples. We are to let others know about the incredible life that Jesus offers.
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. - John 3:16
Tomorrow is the beginning of the E.A.C.H. campaign at 2WordStory.com. I hope you are ready to share your story...and His!
Some of you are not Christ-followers. I urge you to seriously consider Jesus. This is not about His teachings or miracles, it’s about His With all due respect to other religions, only Jesus died for you. Only Jesus demonstrated His love to you.
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. - Romans 5:8
Only Jesus conquered sin and death and the grave. Only Jesus’ tomb is empty.
Jesus said to Martha
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?” - John 11:25-26
Jesus said
The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. - John 10:10
He said
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. - John 14:6
He is the way, the truth, and the life.
Celebration!
Today is a day of celebration. On Friday we remembered the murder of an innocent man who was also God, Jesus Christ. Today we celebrate His resurrection. Today we celebrate life—His and ours. The word celebration means to make public and that’s what Jesus told us to do. He didn’t tell His followers to keep His life and resurrection a secret. He told them to go! He told them to go public! We celebrate in this building today, but the real celebration begins as we leave this place to go public. That’s what 2WordStory is about. That’s what Scio is about. That’s what the Church is about—letting the whole world know that Jesus is alive!
You can listen to the podcast here.