Resurrection is the foundation
of Christianity. I sort of hate to delve deeply into what might seam like the
theological weeds so quickly in an Easter sermon… but resurrection is the
theological hinge of Christianity. We don’t need to take a modern
theologian’s word for it; we go right to the Bible. The Apostle Paul wrote in 1
Corinthians 15:
12 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? 13 If there is no
resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14
And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is
your faith. 15 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. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then
Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ
has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.[1]
Resurrection Sunday, Easter, is the
Christian holiday. It is the culmination of Passion Week (Palm Sunday – King, Good Friday – Redeemer, Easter – Savior and Lord). But more than that – it is the basis of our
faith.
Christ’s resurrection:
·
Is evidence of the Father’s
acceptance of His work of redemption
·
Is victory over death and the
grave for all His followers
·
Is validation that the Gospel is
true – and that Jesus is the Son of God
·
Is a pledge and an earnest of
the resurrection of all believers
Death is conquered. Jesus is alive.
He
is Risen!
It is great for us to say that
Jesus is alive. We love to say it. It is easy to say. But does anyone remember
how strange that idea once sounded? Some here have just always known and
believed that Jesus is alive. Others, like me, came to faith as an adult. There
may be some sitting here today that are thinking “hey, wait a minute, that does
sound really strange. What do you mean that Jesus is alive?”
In simple terms, we mean that
God raised Jesus from the dead. He was dead, then made alive, never to die
again but “ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father.”
Jesus was made alive, and walked
among us, just as he did before his crucifixion, for over a month before He
ascended into heaven.
As I was reading through the
Biblical accounts of the Passion Week, and the days thereafter, I paid special
attention to the characteristics Jesus displayed as He walked with his friends
after resurrection.
Let’s take a few minutes and
walk through the scenes that followed His being made alive again, after his
resurrection.
First,
Jesus appeared to Mary Magdalene
First to a woman – in spite of
what her society,
religious or otherwise, might dictate, Jesus made Mary Magdalene first.
The Gospel of Mark reminds us that Jesus delivered Mary from seven demons. On
so many accounts, Mary was the least
of his followers, but Jesus made her first.
It reminds of the character of
Jesus, who always elevates the least, and the last, and the lost… making them
first in his eyes, meeting them first.
John 20:15-18
Jesus spoke to her, “Woman, why do you weep? Who are you looking
for?” She, thinking that he was the gardener, said, “Mister, if you
took him, tell me where you put him so I can care for him.” Jesus said,
“Mary.” Turning to face him, she said in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” meaning “Teacher!”
Jesus said, “Don’t cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the
Father. Go to my brothers and tell them, ‘I ascend to my Father and
your Father, my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene went, telling the news to
the disciples: “I saw the Master!” And she told them everything he said
to her.[2]
Mark 16:9-11
After rising from the dead, Jesus appeared early on Sunday
morning to Mary Magdalene, whom he had delivered from seven demons. She went to
his former companions, now weeping and carrying on, and told them. When they
heard her report that she had seen him alive and well, they didn’t believe her.[3]
Luke
24:25-27 - Appeared on the Road to Emmaus
Then Jesus said to them, “So thick-headed! So slow-hearted! Why
can’t you simply believe all that the prophets said? Don’t you see that these
things had to happen, that the Messiah had to suffer and only then enter into
his glory?” Then he started at the beginning, with the Books of Moses, and went
on through all the Prophets, pointing out everything in the Scriptures that
referred to him.[4]
Let’s not focus on the way Jesus
has to deal with the “thick-headed” and “slow-hearted.” That hits a little too
close to home… and probably only applies to a very few of us.
What I do want to point out is
how Jesus “went back to the beginning” and used the Scriptures to teach. The
Resurrected Savior points to God’s Word to bring clarity it His presence and
work.
John
20:19-22 - Appeared to the Disciples
Later on that day, the disciples had gathered together, but, fearful of
the Jews, had locked all the doors in the house. Jesus entered, stood among
them, and said, “Peace to you.” Then he showed them his hands and side.
The disciples, seeing the Master with their own eyes, were exuberant. Jesus
repeated his greeting: “Peace to you. Just as the Father sent me, I
send you.”[5] Then he
took a deep breath and breathed into them. “Receive the Holy Spirit,[6]
The first thing that Jesus
brought to his friends was peace… which was good since their
worlds were turned upside down.
Then there was proof.
“He showed them his hands and side.” Resurrected, yes, but scarred… bearing the
marks of his suffering. The suffering he bore for his friends (and he calls us,
those who believe, friends).
But most importantly, he brought
power.
When we read these accounts in the Gospels, and even more in Acts and the rest
of the New Testament, we realize that these who encountered the resurrected
Jesus were not the same.
·
They endured and followed his
commands and teaching
·
They tarried in prayer receiving
another filling, or baptism if you will, with the same Holy Spirit in the upper
room at Pentecost
·
They built the Church
·
They carried the message around
the then-known world
·
They died as martyrs
These same ones who just couldn’t
get it… and scattered when the going got rough… were changed by the power of
the Holy Spirit. When Jesus breathed on them, and into them, and they received
the Holy Spirit, everything changed.
John
20:27-29 – Appeared to Doubting Thomas
Jesus came through the locked doors, stood among them, and said,
“Peace to you.” Then he focused his attention on Thomas. “Take
your finger and examine my hands. Take your hand and stick it in my side. Don’t
be unbelieving. Believe.” Thomas said, “My Master! My God!” Jesus said,
“So, you believe because you’ve seen with your own eyes. Even better
blessings are in store for those who believe without seeing.”[7]
This scene reminds us that this
is a certainly a walk of faith, but the resurrected Jesus will deal with our
honest questions. We seekers and doubters can ask our questions of Jesus, and
He will answer.
John
21:1-7 – Fishing
Simon Peter announced, “I’m going fishing.” The rest of them
replied, “We’re going with you.” They went out and got in the boat.
They caught nothing that night. When the sun came up, Jesus was standing on the
beach, but they didn’t recognize him. Jesus spoke to them: “Good
morning! Did you catch anything for breakfast?” They answered, “No.” He
said, “Throw the net off the right side of the boat and see what
happens.” They did what he said. All of a sudden there were so many fish in it,
they weren’t strong enough to pull it in. Then the disciple Jesus loved said to
Peter, “It’s the Master!”[8]
It could mean that Jesus wants
you to go fishing.
But I think the better take-a-way here is that the Resurrected
Jesus intends to intersect the regular, day to day, ordinary lives of His
followers. We could be tempted to think that the Apostles were somehow superhuman…
but they weren’t all that different than the likes of you and me. They had
lives, and families, and jobs. And into these regular lives, the Resurrected
Jesus shows up.
Not only that, but when
believers receive His direction, even in the regular stuff, even in our
workplaces and homes, He blesses.
John
21:17-19 – Jesus Reinstates Peter
Peter was upset that he asked for the third time, “Do you love
me?” so he answered, “Master, you know everything there is to know.
You’ve got to know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Feed my sheep…
follow me.”[9]
The Resurrected Jesus was not
giving Peter a test here. Peter was right, the Master knew everything. But did
Peter? Did Peter know that Jesus could restore, and reinstate? Did Peter
understand that with the power of the Holy Spirit working in him and through
him, Peter, lousy, impatient, lying Peter, could do the work that Jesus was
calling him to do?
Here were reminded of important characteristics
of the Resurrected Jesus, that he forgives, and heals, and calls us to his
service, in spite of ourselves.
Matthew
28:18-20 - Great Commission
Jesus, undeterred, went right ahead and gave his charge: “God
authorized and commanded me to commission you: Go out and train everyone you
meet, far and near, in this way of life, marking them by baptism in the
threefold name: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Then instruct them in the
practice of all I have commanded you. I’ll be with you as you do this, day
after day after day, right up to the end of the age.”[10]
The Resurrected Jesus hands the
work of spreading the Gospel to his followers. He promised His presence… but
the work is now in the hands of his followers.
What is missing from the pages
that teach us about our living, resurrected savior? If we could write the
screenplay… is this how it would go? This is all marvelous
·
Validating the least and lowest
with Mary Magdalene
·
Teaching from Scripture
·
Empowering His Disciples
·
Patience with the Doubter
·
Restoring those Who Stumble
But notice that there is no
record of the Resurrected Jesus doing anything with those outside of his circle
of friends and disciples.
If
I were writing the screenplay, I’d have Jesus deal with some unbelievers.
Wouldn’t you? I would especially have him deal with those who dealt him his
death blows just days before. Wouldn’t you have him deal with Pilate? Caiphas?
The Pharisees?
Wouldn’t you like to see that
scene?
But that work, the work of
proclaiming the Gospel among unbelievers is now ours… the Resurrected Jesus
empowers his followers for the work of proclaiming the Gospel and leading
people into Christ’s Kingdom.
So
What?
What do we mean when we proclaim
He is Risen?
What does it mean for our regular day-to-day lives? What difference does it
make for those around us?
It has to be more than just a
saying… and it certainly has to be more than bunnies and eggs… even more than
ham and scalloped potatoes.
John
20:30,31 – Believe
Jesus provided far more God-revealing signs than are written
down in this book. These are written down so you will believe that Jesus is the
Messiah, the Son of God, and in the act of believing, have real and eternal
life in the way he personally revealed it.[11]
Easter, Resurrection Sunday, is
for believing!
Believing that Jesus is our
Savior.
The Son of God, risen from the
dead to be our Lord.
Resurrection Sunday is for life.
Real life. Eternal life.
So… if you are with us today and
you haven’t taken that step of belief, we are here to tell you that we want to
help you believe. We want to help you take that step. We want to introduce you
to the savior. It is our pleasure… and our obligation.
If you’re taking that step
today, here’s what you need to do: believe.
Believe that all that we’ve
proclaimed today is real. You don’t have to understand it all… you don’t even
need to believe it all, you can bring your doubts and questions. But I’m here
to tell you that if you will take this step of belief today, your life will
never be the same.
And believers… Resurrection
Sunday is so that we’ll all believe and live real life, eternal life, full
life.
There is no promise, of course,
that it will be easy… in fact, we should expect suffering. Our Savior is our
guide; His life is our pattern… he suffered, and we will too.
But his promise is that He would
be with us always. He is alive. Alive in heaven, interceding on our behalf and
preparing a place for us in eternity. He is alive. Alive in our hearts as He
breathes life into us by the power of the Holy Spirit.
He
is Risen!
Let’s pray together.