Risen: Celebrating the Resurrection

Good morning everyone, it is so good to be here this morning with you all. Welcome kids to go to their class and find me after service to tell me what they learned. Welcome those online as part of our extended spiritual family.

Last week we talked about Palm Sunday and about how that started the countdown to the greatest day in history. The day that Jesus Christ would conquer sin, death, hell, and the grave…They day that Jesus won the battle that you have no hope of ever winning…but how did all of that happen? Well, in order to understand how all of that happened, I want you to know why that happened, and why we do what we do…You see, Tedd Tripp says this about us and sin,

“We often are taught that man becomes a sinner when he sins. The Bible teaches that man sins because he is a sinner.” —Tedd Tripp

One of the things that I often bring up is why we do what we do. If you are new around here then I want to invite you to go back to Spotify and look back at a series called “Rooted” back in 2019, and actually I linked the first message in the series online so you can find that easily. This was a series that was all about why we do what we do…and what we saw through that series is that we do what we do because ultimately we actually want what we want. We are selfish and prideful beings, we read about that in the book of James towards the back of the Bible…that is called sin. We do what we do because of sin…that is exactly what Tedd Tripp is claiming when he said that we sin because we are sinners. Of course that means that we all start off on the same page…every single one of us in this room today or joining us online started off at the same point. But Palm Sunday started the countdown to the day when hope was proven…the day that Jesus actually came back proving his divinity and defeating sin, death, hell and the grave. Then of course all of history before that time and since that time we have had Satan trying to convince us that this was all a myth or that this wasn’t really that important because we are all basically good people deep down. Listen, Im sorry to burst your bubble, but you are not a good person deep down…you are simply more and more depraved unless you have a relationship with the only one who ever beat that depravity.

Thats what we are going to talk about today. Today I want to share with us all about the importance of hope that only comes from Jesus. I want to remind us about the importance and hope of redemption, and more than that…the promise of new life. Listen, I’ve told you guys before…but if it weren’t for that fulfilled promise of new life I would not be here today. I would likely be dead, if not physically, then definitely emotionally and spiritually due to the life I was living before I received this new life. If you don’t know what Im talking about then feel free to hit me up sometime and I’d be glad to tell you about it…almost everything that you can imagine, I was a part of…I stand here today because of the fulfilled promises of hope, redemption, and new life…So let’s take a look at that together today

First of all we need to see that there is

Hope in the Resurrection (John 20:1-10)

Now this morning we are going to be in John chapter 20…you can go ahead and open your Bibles there and settle in as we read this whole chapter together. Now let me give you a bit of a recap to where we are and then we will read a bit. Jesus has been born of a virgin, and three years ago he started his public ministry where he is teaching and preaching about the coming Kingdom of God. He is teaching about the promise of the Messiah who has come to take the sins away from the world. He has been preforming miracles and the authority with which he taught was unmatched by anyone ever…He taught that he was going to be killed, but that three days later he would come again. Now he has been in the grave for three days…now its time to put up or shut up, right…Let’s take a look at what happened that Sunday morning

John 20:1–10 ESV

Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes.

These ladies are scared and not sure whats going on here. I say ladies because in the other Gospels we read that there is another lady named Mary there also. So, they get there and the stone is gone…by the way the stone was placed there to cover the tomb, but more than that, they actually had Roman guards there to make sure that the disciples or no followers of Jesus came and stole the body in order to try and pretend that this was the Messiah. So they guarded to make sure that couldn’t happen…Yet…here we are. These ladies get there to use some spices and more appropriately prepare his body for the grave. They showed up expecting to ask the guards to move the stone so that they could get in and take care of Jesus. However, things just weren’t right…the guards were gone, likely hiding becuase they would have been killed. The stone was moved, and that was not an easy process…nothing seemed right so these ladies went back to tell the men to come back with them. They were likely afraid that they were going to be blamed for theft and be prosecuted, which would have meant death to them, so they went and got the guys to come back with them. Of course these men instinctively knew something was up. Maybe they were mad at the idea that someone would have stolen his body and tried to frame them…but I think there was something else going on…

You see, I think these two men finally got it…You know this whole time they are thinking this is some metaphor for repentance or sacrifices or something…but now that they’ve been told that the body is gone they take off running to see for themselves…They get it…then they are standing there looking at the place where they know for a fact Jesus was laid…now they get it! Now all of the things that Jesus had been telling them the last three years makes sense. All of the teaching that Jesus had shared with them privately connects with their soul. All of the conversations they had while they were walking from one place to the next all come crashing down and they just get it…Now its real. Now they finally see that there is hope because of the resurrection.

See if Jesus actually came back from the dead then death is no longer the end…it means that there is hope for a future apart from the death that they deserve. Ever since the beginning…way back in Genesis there was always death associated with sin. There has always been the need for blood to cover the price of sin…we talked about that last week some. So ever since the beginning there as blood that was shed for the sin of man…now however, the one who said he was going to take the sin of man on himself, who shed his blood just three days ago…is no longer dead…now there is hope. In the midst of hopelessness…there is hope. In the midst of despair…there is hope. In the midst of not knowing what to do next in life…there is hope. Of course that hope in the resurrection leads to

Redemption through the Resurrection (John 20:11-18)

Let’s take a look at what Mary Magdalene experienced. Just real quick though…let me tell you who Mary Magdalene was. See this Mary is a woman who has seen despair and realizes that she is living a hopeless life. See Mary Magdalene was a woman who was likely living an immoral life of prostitution. We don’t know this for certain, but there is alot of evidence that this is likely true. However, what is 100% true is that Mary Magdalene is a woman who Jesus freed from the possession of seven demons at one time. Mary Magdalene is a woman who knew what it meant to experience redemption through this man named Jesus. Take a look at what happened here…

John 20:11–18 ESV

But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.

How amazing is it that Jesus revealed himself as the resurrected Son of God to a woman who had a very troubled past…How amazing is it that Jesus does not hold himself off for those that are perfect and have life all together. It’s amazing because that means that Jesus is available for you and I…you know, people who have very troubled pasts. Let me also say for a moment that if you don’t believe you have a troubled past, I promise you that you do. Let’s just dispel that myth of a good person right now,

Psalm 14:3 ESV

They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one.

There is no one who does good…that means that from a Biblical perspective…you are not good…which of course means that you need redemption…the redemption that is only offered through the resurrected Jesus Christ. Mary Magdalene was chosen to go and tell others that Jesus had risen from the grave. Mary would have known those who needed redemption…you know those that are in need of redemption…you are in need of redemption. Jesus paid the price of sin by shedding his blood on the wooden alter shaped like a cross. Jesus paid the price of sin even though he did not owe that debt…Mary owed that debt…you and I owe that debt, but Jesus paid the debt. More than that…in order to prove that he was worthy to pay that debt…he broke free from the grave revealing his divinity…proving that his death was in fact powerful enough to pay the debt for every single person who trusted in him…who does trust in him. That means of course that his death 2000 years ago was powerful enough to pay the debt of sin that you owe this morning. You know the debt you owe due to looking at pornography, or the debt you owe due to your own lack of forgiveness of others. The debt you owe due to your selfish behavior at work…or at home. The debt you owe due to the fact that you feel you are better than others and you put yourself on a different level of sin…Listen, let me just tell you this…There is no Scripture that says sin is only worthy of death when you sin enough or your sins are bad enough. If you are sitting here and you have done so little as disobeyed your parents, which I guarantee that 100% of you have, then you deserve death in the same way that someone who murders another deserves death. Biblically speaking you both deserve an eternity in hell…The only difference is whether you admit you need Jesus or if you pretend you are good enough on your own. Jesus’ death burial and resurrection redeems the world and puts us back into right relationship with God…

Mary knew she needed Jesus…do you? Listen, believer…remember that you deserve death but Jesus exchanged your death for his life…sometimes we live life so hard that we forget what we deserve…Make today a day that you actively remember the redemption that you have been given. Of course that redemption truly leads to

New Life from the Resurrection(John 20:19-31)

You see, when you realize that you have been redeemed suddenly you don’t live your life the same way anymore do you? When your life has literally been saved from death and hell you will live your life differently. You deserve hell and eternal separation from God…but Jesus’ death and resurrection offered you a brand new start didn’t it. Let’s take a look at what happened with Jesus’ followers real quick.

John 20:19–31 ESV

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.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.” Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. 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.” 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.” 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.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.” Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

That by believing you may have life in his name…that by believing you may have new life in his name…in the name of Jesus Christ the living Son of God…that is what just happened.

Listen, Jesus came and appeared to the disciples here in a manner that was impossible. You see, they were sitting up in the room and they had locked the doors. They locked the doors because they were legitimately afraid that people were going to come and drag them out of the home and have them prosecuted or killed, just like Jesus had been. However, Jesus kind of just appeared in a locked room…Im not sure if you are aware, but thats not really normal…something was different here. Besides just showing up in the locked room, Jesus was showing them where he was crucified..I mean, you don’t have giant spikes go through your hands without it leaving a mark…so he is showing them the mark. But that’s not even it…that’s not a the big deal here. I mean, that is a big deal, but did you catch what Jesus said to them? Jesus said, “Receive the Holy Spirit”. That is called a new life.

Starting right there with the disciples that were in the room, and later with Thomas, there was brand new life for these early beleivers. Later when they are preaching they will be filled in a new way…but right here they have received the Holy Spirit. Right here, they have recieved a new life with the Holy Spirit. The same thing is available to you and I. You see, when we believe and place our trust in Jesus Christ then we receive the Holy Spirit and we are filled with grace and forgiveness of our sin…that of course leads to the ultimate transformation in our lives. Now our next step as believers is to walk according to this new life that we recieved. You see, the disciples could have pretended like this never happened and continued living their lives on their own…but they chose to walk according to their new life as followers not of the man named Jesus…but of the Messiah known as Jesus Christ, the living Son of God. You and I have that same decision to make in our lives…are we willing to live according to our true identity in Christ, or are we more comfortable living according to our old identity in ourself?

This is my challenge to you this morning. First of all if you are a believer…meaning that you have made a decision at some point in your life to follow Jesus and place your trust in his resurrection, then my challenge to you is to live your life as if that is true! Celebrate your hope in the resurrection. Celebrate your redemption through the resurrection. Celebrate your new life from the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Listen, I know so many of you here this morning or listening online would say something like, “but Pastor Billy, I don’t know how to do that. Like Ive tried and I just don’t know how to do it.” Ok, I hear ya…Im gonna tell you right now how to do it…get your head out of social media and into the Bible. Get your ears away from Oprah (or whoever the modern equivalent is) and into prayer. Get your butts off the couch and into church regularly. That’s how to do it…

Now, for those of you that are here today or joining us online and you are just curious about all of this stuff…You are intrigued by the idea of Jesus and you think you believe the historical accounts of the man named Jesus. The man who was crucified and buried, but whose body disappeared from the tomb three days later, just like he said was going to happen. The man that over 500 people witnessed walking around the region after he disappeared from the tomb…that guy. If that describes you then I want to challenge you to take a moment and put your hope in the resurrection that leads to redemption through the resurrection giving you a new life from the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the only one who could ever defeat sin, hell, death, and the grave. It’s easy to do…here’s all you have to do in order to put your hope in the resurrection. Admit that you have no other hope outside of Christ because you keep messing up, thats called sin. That you believe that your only hope comes from Jesus and then committ your life to follow after Jesus.

This morning I don’t care which camp you say you fit into…Im going to ask you to make a commitment that starting today you are going to live your life celebrating the truth of the resurrection. If this is a new commitment to you, then I wanna ask you to reach out and let me know so that I can encourage you and celebrate with you.

Let’s pray: pray that God will strengthen anyone that has made a new commitment today and that God will give them the courage to reach out.