Ressurection Sunday

Good morning, Today we celebrate our risen savior. Over the last week we looked at His Triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Then on Friday we experienced the The Last Super and talked about his horrific death. But as the darkness has settled today we get to talk about His victory through His resurrection.

Easter is the beginning of God’s new world.

N. T. Wright

Easter did not mark the end but the beginning. Because of Easter, Jesus resurrection something radically shifted in the history of mankind. There was before only darkness and condemnation but now there is hope and forgiveness.

Maybe your with us this morning, and your here not because you believe the account but rather because grandma and grandpa or mom and dad asked you to attend. Maybe Easter is the only time that you attend church.

Maybe your kind of skeptical about all of this....

Maybe your hear today and you are thinking if I could have only experienced the Easter narrative for myself then I would be able to be believe the story.

So today, we are going to give you an opportunity to experience Easter for yourself.

So we went to a graveyard and brought up a body to resurrect. J/k Stick with me for the next few moments and I will explain how.

But first let’s take a look at the account of those that did experience Easter, this resurrection story.

Luke 24:1–12 CSB

On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came to the tomb, bringing the spices they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb. They went in but did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men stood by them in dazzling clothes. So the women were terrified and bowed down to the ground. “Why are you looking for the living among the dead?” asked the men. “He is not here, but he has risen! Remember how he spoke to you when he was still in Galilee, saying, ‘It is necessary that the Son of Man be betrayed into the hands of sinful men, be crucified, and rise on the third day’ And they remembered his words. Returning from the tomb, they reported all these things to the Eleven and to all the rest. Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them were telling the apostles these things. But these words seemed like nonsense to them, and they did not believe the women. Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. When he stooped to look in, he saw only the linen cloths. So he went away, amazed at what had happened.

The First thing I want us to notice is the Characters in the account.

I. Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary mother of James and other woman.

Normally, we don't think about these woman being skeptics . I mean this woman were the ones headed to the tomb. But what were they bringing with them?

They brought spices to embalm the body. They weren’t looking for or believing in a Resurrection. I mean they had obviously heard what Jesus had said, He would die and be resurrected but in their minds this was over.

But look what the angels said to them.

Luke 24:6 CSB

“He is not here, but he has risen! Remember how he spoke to you when he was still in Galilee,

Luke 24:7–8 CSB

saying, ‘It is necessary that the Son of Man be betrayed into the hands of sinful men, be crucified, and rise on the third day’ And they remembered his words.

I mean you don’t forget some claim like this one. Unless when you heard it, you didn’t believe it.

These women were going to the tomb fully expecting to find Jesus body dead, wrapped in cloth in an early state of decomposition. This is why they would bring the spices.

Just like some of you they had trouble believing that one could by himself raise from the dead. So much so they had forgotten His very claim.

But then there is a second group of skeptics mentioned in the account.

Jesus own disciples.

Luke 24:9–11 CSB

Returning from the tomb, they reported all these things to the Eleven and to all the rest. Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them were telling the apostles these things. But these words seemed like nonsense to them, and they did not believe the women.

So a whole group of woman run to the disciples and report what they have seen and heard. And what does scripture tell us about their response.

They thought it was all nonsense. I mean people don’t just rise from the dead on their own. I mean if I’m honest, I can’t blame them to much. They just say him crucified. Their were no I came back from crucifixion stories.

I mean it wasn’t a normal thing . This wasn;t the normal course for a Sunday morning. It wasn’t as if anyone woke up looked at their kids and said hey guys get up it’s Sunday, time for another resurrection.

I mean this wasn’t normal. So because the claim was hard to believe they to dismissed it and dismissed them.

But there was one disciple who hoped against all hope.

III. Peter

Luke 24:12 CSB

Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. When he stooped to look in, he saw only the linen cloths. So he went away, amazed at what had happened.

So why was Peter different than the rest. Why did Peter believe when all the other disciples along with the 12 doubted the veracity of the account?

Matthew 16:13–17 CSB

When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others, Elijah; still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” “But you,” he asked them, “who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Jesus responded, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father in heaven.

So then why did Peter believe when everyone else did not?

Because God had revealed it to him.

Now just a few moments ago I told you that we were going to give you a chance to experience the resurrection for yourself. How you might be asking? How can I experience it. I can’t go back in time and witness it.

No you can not but you can experience the same revelation that Peter did. That Jesus was who he claimed to be. That Jesus died and rose again on the third day to pay for the sins of the world.

Here is how I know that you to can experience the Resurrection.

John 12:32 CSB

As for me, if I am lifted up from the earth I will draw all people to myself.”

Because Jesus died and rose again and ascended to the Father. He is drawing all men to himself. You to can experience the power of the resurrection because just like Peter, God is revealing it to you. Are you listening…?

You see Peter didn’t need to see the resurrected savior to experience the power of the resurrection. God had revealed it him and that is all the proof that He needed. It is all the proof that you need.

So I say again, are you listening. Even now there maybe someone here to today were you can feel God drawing you. You feel his presence revealing the truth to you. Will you admit it? Will you turn your back on everything you thought you knew and like Paul say this today.

Philippians 3:7–10 CSB

But everything that was a gain to me, I have considered to be a loss because of Christ. More than that, I also consider everything to be a loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Because of him I have suffered the loss of all things and consider them as dung, so that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own from the law, but one that is through faith in Christ—the righteousness from God based on faith. My goal is to know him and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of his sufferings, being conformed to his death,

Jesus really died. Jesus really resurrected. Jesus is really living and Jesus is really revealing himself to you in this moment.

In His life he lived perfect, In His death he paid your price. In His Resurrection he defeated both sin and death. Anyone who will listen to the call of God, turn and repent of their sins and place their faith in Jesus Christ one day will experience Resurrection.

John 5:24 CSB

“Truly I tell you, anyone who hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not come under judgment but has passed from death to life.

Will you experience the resurrection today. Will you pass from death to Life in Jesus Christ. Will you put your faith in Jesus Christ today.

I will end with a historic Christian creed.

He is Risen. He is Risen indeed.