The Answer is Jesus - Easter Sunday

We have covered a ton of material in a short amount of time during the last few weeks. All towards one end. And really it might be towards one and a new beginning. Not only Jesus beginning to close the door on this world of death, but also Jesus making the way for new life and Jesus offering us new life.

The Kingdom that he said over and over that He is bringing…it is all about new life.

We started this series leading up to Easter, kind of investigating Jesus. Looking at how he entered his ministry (started His mission). We looked at what he said…what he talked about during his time of ministry, and we also looked at what he did during his ministry.

We found that what he said on the outset, that the Kingdom was coming and the way to enter it was through repentance (or being born again)…was the topic throughout. He said a lot of things but everything centered around this idea of new life.

A new life that could only come by us receiving it from God’s hand. And that involved, giving up ourselves in way …so that we could receive all that he had planned for us.

His words very much seemed to match what his intent was.

His actions, miracles of healing, miracles of nature (think of the food or the storm on the sea)…and the healing of those affected by demons…we saw that everything he was doing was showing us that, I guess in a way, a different authority was entering our reality.

Heaven was coming to earth in a very powerful way. It was like Jesus and Heaven were infiltrating our world in order to begin this recreation that He talked about.

Evil was being dealt with…not all evil but where Jesus was…evil there was being dealt with. It was like everywhere Jesus was, little bits of Heaven were breaking off of Him and affecting people and things around him. Pretty neat to think about it that way right?

All in order so we could see the Kingdom coming…this new creation coming. New life for all of us who make the choice to follow him.

And then last week we saw him come into Jerusalem…the Triumphal Entry or we might say Palm Sunday. And we looked at how many different assumptions there were as to why he was there.

Some wanted him to immediately push the Romans out of town. Some wanted him to bring glory and nationalism to the nation Israel. Some wanted Him to begin a revolt…a fight in a very real way. Some were watching him because they thought he was a threat to their religious leadership.

Some though, wanted to keep watching step by step because … they were in a very real way, watching him meet a bunch of OT prophesies...

He’d do or say something and they would look back and say…yeah…that matches Him.

He’d do something else and they would say…yeah that matches what we thought would happen.

He rode in on a donkey and taught and healed people…and well, yeah…that matches what our prophets wrote about.

So they were, step by step, watching to see if this guy was real....if what they were watching was real.

Good Friday - on Friday we remembered how Jesus was then arrested, as he said he would be…how he was beaten…as he said he would be…and how he was nailed to a cross…as he said he would be.

Did all of this match his mission?

So in our last couple of times together, looking at this account, we saw where people were making decisions about who he was based on his words and actions…based on what was happening to him.

And it very much did match…short of one thing. And I think this was the big question. If this king has just died…how does that bring a Kingdom? That’s the question. We know this is what is going through most of the disciples’ heads.

After the crucifixion…where do we find them. Locked away in the upper room…out of fear.

I’d like to read John’s account of what happens early Sunday morning. To give us an idea…listen for the emotions…the up and down roller coaster of events.

John 20 (CSB)

1 On the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark. She saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb.

Little side note here. I know I just started but this is really a cool thing to realize. We often think of this as a story. But this is an historical account. This happened.

So what we see here right away is that…there are witnesses right away to this tomb being empty…and they’re women. You might say, what do you mean women. Well, all four Gospels (historical accounts) all say women were there first. In that time period, if you were in a court of law trying to find truth, you would not have women as your expert witnesses. Sorry ladies…it just didn’t happen back then.

So for all four gospel accounts to have women as the first expert and very early..day three…witnesses, is huge…either the gospel writers are crazy for adding this…or they know its the truth. What they witnessed is the truth. These ladies witnessed an empty tomb.

2 So she went running to Simon Peter and to the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said to them, “They’ve taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they’ve put him!”

3 At that, Peter and the other disciple went out, heading for the tomb.

4 The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and got to the tomb first.

5 Stooping down, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in.

6 Then, following him, Simon Peter also came. He entered the tomb and saw the linen cloths lying there.

7 The wrapping that had been on his head was not lying with the linen cloths but was folded up in a separate place by itself.

8 The other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, then also went in, saw, and believed.

9 For they did not yet understand the Scripture that he must rise from the dead.

10 Then the disciples returned to the place where they were staying.

11 But Mary stood outside the tomb, crying. As she was crying, she stooped to look into the tomb.

12 She saw two angels in white sitting where Jesus’s body had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet.

13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “Because they’ve taken away my Lord,” she told them, “and I don’t know where they’ve put him.”

14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know it was Jesus.

15 “Woman,” Jesus said to her, “why are you crying? Who is it that you’re seeking?” Supposing he was the gardener, she replied, “Sir, if you’ve carried him away, tell me where you’ve put him, and I will take him away.”

16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” Turning around, she said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!”—which means “Teacher.”

17 “Don’t cling to me,” Jesus told her, “since I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and tell them that I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.”

....Jesus is making the distinction…this isn’t just about me....Your Father Your God…is doing this....and it’s not just about my life but this will be your life too!

18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them what he had said to her.

19 When it was evening on that first day of the week, the disciples were gathered together with the doors locked because they feared the Jews. Jesus came, stood among them, and said to them, “Peace be with you.”

20 Having said this, he showed them his hands and his side. So the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.

21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, I also send you.”

22 After saying this, he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.

23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

24 But Thomas (called “Twin”), one of the Twelve, was not with them when Jesus came.

25 So the other disciples were telling him, “We’ve seen the Lord!” But he said to them, “If I don’t see the mark of the nails in his hands, put my finger into the mark of the nails, and put my hand into his side, I will never believe.”

26 A week later his disciples were indoors again, and Thomas was with them. Even though 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 look at my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Don’t be faithless, but believe.”

28 Thomas responded to him, “My Lord and my God!”

This is a change…not just Teacher....Lord and God…he’s not just a witness now…he’s one who is putting everything together…he’s connecting the dots…

29 Jesus said, “Because you have seen me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe.”

30 Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples that are not written in this book.

31 But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Life in His name.

by believing…you may have life.

Does this match His mission. His words. His actions? Does this match His first entrance in the wilderness? Pushing back the wilderness in this life? Does this match?

His first words…a change is beginning…the Kingdom is coming. Does this match those words?

Does this match what Jesus implored us to do…repent…be reborn…give up everything about yourself so I can give you a new heart…a renewed mind…a new life? Does this match?

When we think about everything in this life…There is a lot we would change right?

It’s like we have this idea of what life is “supposed” to be. Or at minimum what life “shouldn’t be.”

Five-year-old Brian had a pivotal verse to recite in an Easter program: “He is not here, he is risen” (Luke 24:6). Unfortunately, he could not remember what to say, and the director had to quietly remind him of his line. He then confidently grabbed the microphone and triumphantly shouted, “He’s not here; He’s in prison!”

So in a way…it’s like we’ve been imprisoned. We’ve been captive to a way of life that was brought into reality via sin.

Things that don’t fit in this life:

We might say things like sickness - We have an idea of what normal health is. Even having the word health means we have some idea of how things should be within our bodies.

Anxiety/Fear/Worry - These things don’t seem to fit into life do they. We talk about them as though they are things we want to get rid of. We talk about them as though they are things that hinder true and fulfilled life.

Hatred or Anger - We either experience these things via receiving them or experiencing them ourselves…and they don’t feel right. It’s like…this shouldn’t be. We even teach (aside from the Bible) don’t act out in anger because you might do something don’t want to. Are you hearing the language we use.

Lying - It’s almost like we instinctively know…a lie is wrong…it kinda selfish...

Selfishness - that doesn’t seem to fit either in this idea of full life.

A frown. - A simple frown....we have the phrase turn your frown upsidedown.

Why do we even say that? Because we know a smile points to life…real life.

You could keep going and going here right? relationships, labor, natural disasters,

What about this one…death?

Death does not seem to fit does it?

I open up many funerals like this. We’re here to remember so and so…but we’re grieving…and grieving a loss through death doesn’t seem to fit this idea of full life at all.

All of these other things seem to be anti-life...

But death is like the ultimate anti-life. It doesn’t seem to work with our idea of a full and abundant life. Meaningful, productive, expressive, peace fill, joy filled life.

The story of the Bible is this. The story of how God brings us back to him. And how he doesn’t just sit back and waves a wand but enters this world with us and for us…Immanuel…God with us.

Swedish theologian Gustav Aulen wrote a little book which has had an enormous impact on the church, a book titled Christus Victor. He says: “However crude the form, the endeavor,(of these strange stories) is to show that God does not stand, as it were, outside the drama that is being played out, but Himself takes part in it, and attains His purpose by internal, not external means; He overcomes evil, not by an almighty fiat, but by putting in something of His own, through divine self-oblation.”

Story of Chinese convert. Read about Jesus....amazed at “your God came here to save you?” Nowhere else do I find this.

And here we have Jesus dying…to take care of something. To die for the sin of the world. To save the world. A perfect man dying…those two things don’t work either do they…but He did it willingly is how scripture says it. With joy he went to the cross is also what it says…so that …death could be swallowed up in victory

How was death …and this life, defined by death, how was it defeated.

Simple....He walked out of the grave.

Life.

Jesus, the whole time was saying…things are changing. I’m bringing change. I’m disarming the power of evil. I’m disarming death.

John 20:31 CSB

31 But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

And what John writes is so powerful for all of us. John said…I write everything here…so that you can believe…this is all true. I’m a witness....but not just so you can believe …so that you can also have LIFE in Him. In His name.

Just as Jesus walked out and away from death…you can have the same response to death. Yes, I know you might have me on this side of eternity. But you won’t have me forever. I’ll be walking out just like Jesus.

This can be your reality. John wrote so that you just maybe…might believe as he came to believe.

He is Risen -