Up From the Grave
Notes
Transcript
It’s impossible.
It’s impossible.
It is too good to be true.
He was dead and now he is alive!
What does this mean?
This is a recurring motif in the Bible.
Take for instance the story of Joseph.
Joseph’s brothers saw how their father Jacob favored him and they grew jealous. They plotted to kill him but instead, sold him to traveling slave traders. He was as good as dead - in fact, in time they assumed that he was dead. That’s what they told their Father Jacob - that his youngest son was devoured by a wild animal. Life went on. Years passed by. But guilt and grief plagued their home.
Then a famine struck the entire region and Joseph’s brothers had to travel to Egypt to seek grain in order to live. Little did they know what God had planned. Joseph had gone from slave to prisoner to governor of Egypt - the Pharaoh and put him in charge of the land.
When it was revealed to the brothers that Joseph was alive - they embraced and wept. They returned to their father and “They told him, “Joseph is still alive! In fact, he is ruler of all Egypt.” Jacob was stunned; he did not believe them. 27 But when they told him everything Joseph had said to them, and when he saw the carts Joseph had sent to carry him back, the spirit of their father Jacob revived. 28 And Israel said, “I’m convinced! My son Joseph is still alive. I will go and see him before I die.”
It’s impossible.
It is too good to be true.
He was dead and now he is alive?
What does this mean?
There is the story of God’s prophet Jonah. God commanded him to go and preach to the wicked people of Nineveh, the enemies of Israel - and Jonah refused. He boarded a ship to Tarshish - heading out in the opposite direction. A mighty violent storm tossed the ship around and threatened to demolish it. The sailors were freaking out - someone has angered the gods they reasoned - who is it?
Jonah could run but couldn’t hide. He fessed up - “it is I” - and told them to toss him overboard. They did so and the sea went calm.
A big fish erupted from the water and swallowed Jonah hole.
When the sailors reached port, told everyone the wild story - news spread - prophet of God swallowed by great fish - his obituary read “Jonah swims with the fishes.”
Imagine their surprise weeks later when news began to circulate. Jonah, man swallowed by fish, spit out of his watery grave after 3 days, preaches in wicked Nineveh and revival breaks out! Whole city repents and is spared destruction!
It’s impossible.
It is too good to be true.
He was dead and now he is alive?
What does this mean?
Another impossible story. Mary and Martha are watching their brother Lazarus decline rapidly in heath. Something is terribly wrong - they send messengers to go and find their friend Jesus - he will be able to heal their brother. The messengers travel a full day and finally find Jesus.
Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. So, when he heard that Lazarus was ill, he stayed two days longer in the place where he was. Then after this he said to the disciples, “Let us go to Judea again.”
A great example of how God’s time management differs from our own.
When Jesus finally shows up, Lazarus has been dead and buried for four days.
Jesus tells Martha, “Your brother will rise again.”
Jesus goes to the cave where Lazarus is buried, tells them to remove the stone sealing the entrance, and with a loud voice commands “Lazarus, Come Out!”
And the formerly dead man exits the grave.
It’s impossible.
It is too good to be true.
He was dead and now he is alive?
What does this mean?
In the case of Joseph, the main message is found in his response to his brothers…
Now, don’t be upset and don’t be angry with yourselves that you sold me here. Actually, God sent me before you to save lives.
In the case of Jonah, the main message is found in the unforgiving Jonah’s critique of God:
He prayed to the Lord, “Come on, Lord! Wasn’t this precisely my point when I was back in my own land? This is why I fled to Tarshish earlier! I know that you are a merciful and compassionate God, very patient, full of faithful love, and willing not to destroy.
And in the story of Lazarus, we hear from the author of the impossible, the one who brings the dead back to life, as he tells us the key to our own resurrection.
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?”
This is the gospel we celebrate on this beautiful Easter morning, 2024. This is the gospel that saves you.
Like Joseph’s brothers we can be jealous and self centered.
Like the people of Nineveh - we live in a land of violence which is the natural outcome of godlessness, idolatry and rejection of morality.
Like Jonah, we fail to be compassionate and merciful toward those we do not like or who are different than us.
Like Mary and Martha, we can question God’s timing and start to doubt his love.
Like Lazarus, we will end up in the grave. The penalty for our sin is death - and we are completely unable to save ourselves.
Our only hope is a God who is merciful and compassionate, patient and faithful, willing not to destroy.
Our hope is in Jesus Christ - the One who is the resurrection and the life.
The whole Bible points to this one truth: Resurrection changes everything.
God’s plan of redeeming humanity, beginning in Genesis and finding full completion in the pages of Revelation, is predicated on Jesus getting up and walking out of the grave.
This is what Apostle Paul is reminding the Christians in Corinth as we heard in today’s Epistle reading. Remember what you heard preached to you, what you received, what you accepted and believed -and don’t let go of it. This is what saves you. And if you believe it, your response matters.
In his writing, Paul breaks down the gospel message in a series of confessions - and with each confession he reminds them it is in accordance to the scriptures - what God said he would do, he has now done in Christ Jesus.
The confessions are as follows:
Christ died for our sins
Christ was buried
Christ was raised on the 3rd day
This is what we know and believe.
When Paul says Christ died for our sins - in accordance with scripture, he was referring to the implication of stories like Joseph, but also referring to passages like the description of the prophesied Suffering Servant found in Isaiah 53, written centuries before Jesus…
But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.
When Paul says Christ was buried - in accordance with scripture, he can be inferring to Jonah in the belly of the fish but he is also pointing back to the prophet Isaiah again…
His grave was among the wicked, his tomb with evildoers, though he had done no violence, and had spoken nothing false. But the Lord wanted to crush him and to make him suffer. If his life is offered as restitution, he will see his offspring; he will enjoy long life. The Lord’s plans will come to fruition through him. After his deep anguish he will see light, and he will be satisfied. Through his knowledge, the righteous one, my servant, will make many righteous, and will bear their guilt.
When Paul says Christ was raised on the third day - in accordance with scripture, he was pointing his readers back to Jonah 1:17
And the Lord appointed a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
But he was also looking back to Isaiah 26:19
Your dead shall live; their bodies shall rise. You who dwell in the dust, awake and sing for joy! For your dew is a dew of light, and the earth will give birth to the dead.
and most likely…
Hosea 6:2 when the prophet was looking forward to the time of reconciliation and restoration for Israel.
After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him.
Are you living before him? Have you been raised from the dead life of sin and do you now live as a new creation - restored and reconciled with God? Have you been confessed and been forgiven, allowing his sacrifice to cover your sins, and have you in turn, forgiven others?
Has God’s grand story, in accordance with Scripture, grabbed hold of you yet? Have your eyes opened? Do your ears hear?
If yes, that we rejoice together for Easter is here! If not yet, then I invite you to make today that day.
It may sound impossible - but nothing is impossible for the One who created all things.
It may sound too good to be true - and yet it is. The evidence is overwhelming…
He was dead and now he is alive!
What does this mean?
It means a decision must be made. Will you follow the One who gave his life for you? Call on the name of the Lord and be saved.
Let us pray.