Victorious Over Death and the Grave
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Victorious Over Death and the Grave
Good morning everyone, I hope you have enjoyed the week!
it’s a special time, last Sunday morning we celebrated Palm Sunday with baptisms and worship.
Yesterday we celebrated with the children as we hosted our Easter egg hunt. It is always a blessings seeing the children and the smiles on their faces.
And I hope through the course of the week I hope you took time to reflect upon the last few days of the life of Jesus. Those deeds and words said as he approached the cross and ultimately gave His life as a ransom for sin.
And today, it is the first day of the week, Resurrection Sunday. We celebrate the truth that the grave is empty because the Father raised him from the dead making him both Christ and Lord over all things.
Today we are gonna pop back and forth through the gospels accounts of the resurrection as we look at the information given to us by the Lord.
Now we know this past Friday was good Friday, it was a bad day for Jesus but a good day for us. He was crucified on a cross, He suffered and died that we might have life.
They didn’t kill Him my friends, understand that Jesus came to die, to offer His life as a ransom for sin. He hung there as the world grew dark even though it was only noon.
There as He carried our sins upon His life, for three more hours, then he cried out to God after much suffering .. It is finished, and with that He gave up His Spirit and the world shook, the veil in the temple was tore into from top to bottom and many of the saints rose form the dead after his resurrection.
Before the Passover began, Joseph of Arimathea, and another secret disciple, Nicodemus came and took the body of Jesus, prepared it quickly and laid his body in the tomb.
3 days later, everything would change.... and is it here I want you to discover the risen Savior.
1. Faithful Ladies...
As we open the gospel on the morning of the resurrection, one of the first observations we can make is seeing the faithful ladies who loved Jesus.
Who were these women?
Women like his mother, Mary who is also called the mother of James and Salone. Then those who had been healed and forgiven like Mary Magdalene, Mark 16:9 tells us...
9 Now when he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons.
But that is not all the women, Luke mentions another ladies, one named Joanna and other unnamed women as we know from Luke 24:10.
They went early that morning to bring spices to anoint the body of Jesus as we see from Mark 16:1
1 When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him.
In their devotion they sought to come do a beautiful thing.
Now you might say why? didn’t Joseph and Nicodemus do this… ??
Well, yes they did so under the gun so to speak, they had to hurry as the Passover hour was soon starting and the law required that all burials be finished before it began.
Again, It is a beautiful thing to see these ladies come with love and admiration, devotion in their hearts to care for the Master. And if they did that while still thinking Jesus was dead, how much more would they do after knowing He is alive?
That’s a great question to consider my friends....
So on the first morning of the week they came early hoping to anoint the body of their Lord...
But when they got there the scene wasn’t as they expected to find it. Remember they were there when the tomb was closed Friday afternoon before the passover started.
Listen to Matthew 28:1-4
1 Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4 And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men.
As they came to the tomb that morning the tomb was being guarded. The religious leaders were afraid that Jesus disciples might steal his body away and make a claim that he had rose form the dead so they had guards posted at the tomb.
But this morning as those ladies come to anoint his body, the earth shook, and an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and rolled the stone away and sat upon it.
And the guards became like dead men, they were scared to death. We know they saw the angel, but did they hear his words, or what...
But there is the angel, sitting on the rock waiting to speak to the ladies as they approached the empty tomb..
Wow..
Could you imagine the scene with me, the earth quake, the angel rolling the stone away and then sitting there waiting to deliver a message...
it would be a message that would change the world my friends, that is what the message of Jesus does, it changes lives…
Do you know the message of Jesus...
Now lets move to our second thought today, and it is this...
2. A Wondrous Message....
The angel came to meet the ladies that morning, and this is truly important my friends, the message isn’t coming to the disciples first, no the ladies who were so devoted to Jesus before his death, I think are being rewarded for their faithfulness.
As the ladies came upon the scene they saw 2 things… first the stone was rolled away, and second was an angel, a messenger from God who was sitting upon the stone.
And he has a wondrous message for them....listen to His words this morning...
5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.
Man, what a comforting word for them that morning. They came looking to bless their Lord, Mark 16:1 tells us these ladies came seeking to anoint his body with various spices used to prepare the bodies of the dead.
They wanted to serve the Lord but the Angel offers them those words… Don’t be afraid, You came seeking Jesus, but He is not here.. He has risen...
Wow, that is a powerful message. You came looking for Jesus, literally his body. They had witnessed the lifeless, dead body of Jesus placed in the tomb, They had seen the stone rolled over the entrance and they even knew the Romans watched over it..
But sitting there on the stone that had been rolled away the angel offers them a powerful message… He has risen!
Do you hear that, He is risen, O’ the one the Jews crucified and killed, God has raised him up, He is alive
And with those powerful words, the angel offers a great invitation.... Come and see the place where He lay...
The angel didn’t want them to to just take his word as truth, He offers them the blessing of seeing the tomb for themselves.
So often we greet almost unbelievable words with … really, you’re kidding me… I can’t believe it … but the angel tells them to come and see the empty tomb for themselves...
Seeing increases faith, it empowers the ability to believe; it empowers the testimony of what one has seen.
They were to carry that message back to the disciples, one which would change their lives as well.. But let me share one beautiful thought here, Listen to verses 7-10 here in Matthew 28.
7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.” 8 So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”
How beautiful for Jesus to step into plain sight and allow the ladies to see him first…
He spoke to them and look at their response, the end of verse 9 says that these ladies “worshipped him.” Wow!
Seeing the risen Savior they took hold of his feet and worshipped him.
Friends, listen here to this… that is the only response to any encounter with our Lord, it is to fall down and worship the Lord.
Worship is a necessary component to one’s relationship with God…
Now as we close today, let me share this one last thought with you...
3. A Magnificent Meeting....
The angel told the ladies to go and tell his disciples the wondrous events they had been told, and even their own testimony of the empty tomb.
And you know what… they did!
The ladies went and told the ladies all they had seen and witnessed.
And through the course of that day there were some special things we have to take note of..
A. Peter and John...
Upon hearing the testimony of the women, Peter and John couldn’t just sit still, no! They took off running.. and the Scriptures even tells us that John out runs Peter there in John chapter 20.
But the get there and see exactly what the women said, there was nothing there but the grave cloths… And why are they are there… Listen the living don’t need grave cloths.
B. The Road to Emmaus
While many are hearing the news that Jesus has risen from the dead we know there are a couple guys making their way to the village of Emmaus, just 7 miles from Jerusalem.
And while they are walking about talking about that has happened over the last few days, Jesus appears and travels with Cleopas and the other man but they are unaware that it was Jesus
And Jesus asked them what are they talking about… and Cleopas, was like, where have you been, have you been hiding under a rock… and they told him about the events surrounding Jesus and his death and burial.
And Jesus, while still hidden from them began to teach them about the Christ beginning with Moses and all through the prophets and interpreted the Scriptures to them..
Now when the reached Emmaus, they asked him to stay and eat with them and listen...
28 So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, 29 but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight.
And the last thought I want you to see is that evening in Jerusalem...
C. The Upper Room Meeting....
In John chapter 20, that evening, I mean the evening of the first day of the week (Sunday)10 of the disciples and others where in the Upper room, only Thomas is not there.
And Jesus comes to them...
19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.
Could you imagine with me, they have heard the report that Jesus has risen. Some of them have even witnessed the empty tomb.
But that evening, nervous, scared and still wondering perhaps if they could be the next targets of the religious leaders they are together and have locked themselves in the upper room.
And Jesus appears to them, the locked doors and shut windows made no matter. He just passed through and stood in their midst.
And he speaks to them and shows them his hands and feet, and yes his side the guard pierced with the spear. He wanted to make sure they knew it was him… look here and see..
Now Thomas we know wasn’ t there that evening. Listen to John 20:24-25
24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”
Thomas, poor Thomas is like us so many times, unless we see something for ourself, we cannot accept it…
But just like Thomas, we are the same… but Jesus is patient with us … Thomas wouldn’t believe, so the Lord reveals himself to Thomas.
Look with me at John 20:26-29
26 Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” 28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” 29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
8 days later, while all 11 were together in the upper room, the doors locked, but that made no difference to Jesus, He simply appears and He calls out to Thomas
Thomas put your fingers here, your hand here.. stop disbelieving, but simply believe
What great love the Lord had for the one who doubted.. but listen to verse 29 again
29 Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Thomas believed because he saw, but later others would believe without having seen..
That is a future look to all those who would come and believer simply because of the testimony about Jesus.
My friends Jesus came, born of a virgin, lived a perfect sinless life, did many signs and wonders in this world to authenticate his message.
He was put to death by sinful men, and that death on the cross was to redeem all mankind from their sin. He was buried in a empty new tomb but death could not hold him and one the 3rd day Jesus rose from the dead, alive for evermore..
Do you believe Jesus came and died for the sins of the world?
Do you believer He came to die just for you, The Scriptures reveal greater love has no man than he lay down his life for his friends
And Jesus not only died for our sins, but rose from the dead to ensure that we would have eternal life. The Scriptures call him the first fruits of the resurrection, His resurrection means we will have eternal life as well.
Jesus came to save us… But salvation isn’t automatic for everyone. No, a person must come to Jesus and ask Him for Salvation… Ask him to be saved
9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.
Have you asked Jesus into your heart, do you know for certain that you are saved, that you are His, and if death came today.. heaven would be your home
Now is the day...