Easter People

Introduction

What does it mean to be awakened to the power of Jesus Christ? What does it mean to be awakened to His presence, not just in a story that was told so long ago, but for us as individuals here today. This is not only an event that we remember once a year as a tradition, but it’s an event that changed the course of human history! The reason why we're here today is because of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This is why we celebrate Easter.

Easter People Celebrate by Bowing

Matthew 28:16–17 (HCSB)

The 11 disciples traveled to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had directed them.

When they saw Him, they worshiped, but some doubted.

Obedience is everywhere, but it isn’t loud. Lt. Amanda showed us this last week in the story of the triumphal entry. The owner was told to say ‘the Lord needs it’ and he did. A simple act of obedience meant to be an example, and so our text begins today.

It is so incredibly important as we celebrate this morning to focus.

It is imperative to not just focus on the Resurrection, but on the Resurrected One!

We mustn’t overlook the geography of this moment. To the mountain.

Recall, Moses met with God on a mountain.

Exodus 3:12 (HCSB)

He answered, “I will certainly be with you, and this will be the sign to you that I have sent you: when you bring the people out of Egypt, you will all worship God at this mountain.”

And He told Moses to bring the people back to the mountain to worship, to bow down, a traditional and common act of worship.

In Deuteronomy 34 God addressed Moses a final time on a mountain, so here Jesus delivers His final message to His apostles.

Mountain top experiences are found throughout this Gospel, and in those passages Jesus does the work or the preaching or the discipling. But now, following His resurrection, He turns it over to those He called - you are now to do the discipling.

What it meant to be called? There was a reflection for the disciples and the women gathered on Sunday morning about what they had been called to.

They had been called to follow Him. Closely. Why closely? His steps and his words

Because it wasn’t until the disciples personally met the Resurrected Jesus that they were consumed with a passion to go and tell others.

Do you, do we, bow because we are closely following the Resurrected Jesus? Do we pause and bow to worship, or have we given it a passing thought, or a passing affirmation?

Bowing in worship is the primary response in a believer’s heart to meeting with Jesus.

Easter People Celebrate by Clinging

Matthew 28:17 (HCSB)

When they saw Him, they worshiped, but some doubted.

Clinging doesn’t normally have a positive connotation.

Do you ever read right over this phrase in Matthew? I have. In John’s Gospel, we hear of Thomas and his doubting. Here, the text is vague and leaves us with questions.

Who was actually there? Who were the some? Etc.

Notice how Jesus solved their doubts.

Matthew 28:18 (HCSB)

Then Jesus came near and said to them, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.

Jesus took the step towards us, not telling us to figure it out for ourselves. As if to say, when you distance yourself from me, your doubts will arise. But,

Doubts can be a doorway to show others what it means to cling to Jesus and His promises.

In Matthew 1:23 we learn that Jesus’ name will be Emmanuel, God is with us, and now in Matthew 28:20, we hear the echo.

Matthew 28:20 (HCSB)

teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

This promise is not merely for individuals, in fact it mustn’t be! This is the promise for the group. This verse assures this group that He is in their midst and without His very presence and empowering, they could never even contemplate world-wide mission.

In our own lives events take place that cause us to doubt and worry. That is when we can cling to Jesus!

But have you ever contemplated how to live doubt-free?

One way to live doubt free is to live comfortably. Never be stretched or never step out into waters of unknown depths. These words are Jesus’ standing orders to the church. What’s the point of His available presence with us if we aren’t going to go to places where He goes? Where we must cling and be utterly dependent upon that very presence? If we become a comfortable club for the like-minded then we are committed to maintenance, not mission.

When we cling to the resurrected Jesus, we become a magnificent, well-organized tool for carrying His message to the world.

Easter People Celebrate by Adoring

In the early church, creeds were common. The earliest creed of the Christian church was “HE IS RISEN.’

In Scripture, we read of heavenly choirs singing anthems to the King. What do they sing? I don’t know about ya’ll, but the anthem I want to sing on this side of heaven is

HE IS RISEN!

Not was risen. Not as simply a historical event wits thousands of corresponding sources to prove its reality.

No, that HE IS STILL RISEN TODAY and that the single aim of our walk as believers is to sing songs of adoration to the only risen King. Luke’s Gospel tells us a bit about those early followers and their struggle with the reality of the resurrection.

Luke 24:9–12 (HCSB)

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 home, amazed at what had happened.

It is significant, I think, that the first witnesses of the resurrection were the women who had stood by him when the men fled out of fear. There is a sense in which their loyalty and devotion to Christ was uniquely honoured by their being the first to get the message of the resurrection. However, when they first passed on the news to the disciples, they weren’t met with excitement or acceptance of their message. When we first discover Christ and have the scales removed from our eyes, we can’t understand why everybody around us doesn’t share our excitement. We can’t understand the attitude of skepticism and cynicism, but think of it, Jesus’ own disciples rejected the news of his resurrection as nonsense.

So far as their perplexity is concerned, it is not only the empty tomb which they cannot understand. To judge from what the angels say to them (24:6–7), they can make nothing of all he has said about these things beforehand. Whatever has happened at the tomb, they can’t see the meaning in the event.

How about you today? Have you heard the words of Jesus before, but they haven’t made sense? Have you heard sermons on the resurrection and still live a life without awareness of its meaning for you?

Two thousand years later people come looking for Jesus. People come looking for Jesus all the time and in many places, frustrated when they don’t “find” Him. Church, when people come looking for Jesus, they should be seeing Him in the lives of the people who call Him Lord!! Our praise and adoration of Jesus should be the evidence people need in order to see what it means to be transformed from death to life!

Let people be amazed at the transformative power of the Resurrection in your life.

Let ‘em in and let them see the emptiness of our old lives that have died to sin and the new life that is found in total adoration of the Risen, Resurrected Savior.

Is the Risen Christ awakening your soul to live for His Kingdom today?