Take it Back up Again

Scriptures: Matthew 28:1-10, Ephesians 2:4-7, John 20:19-23, John 12:12-13, John 3:16-17, John 12:25-26, Isaiah 61:1-3, John 13:31-35, Isaiah 53:5, John 10:17-18, 1 Peter 3:13-15, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26.

Good morning. Thank you, Tom, Julie, Jess, Billy. Just a week prior to today, Jesus of Nazareth was being hailed as the incoming king at the gates of Jerusalem which we find in three testimonies. (SLIDE) Matthew 21, Mark 11, and John 12:12-13. 12 … The great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13 They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, “Hosanna!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Blessed is the king of Israel!”

He didn’t come into Jerusalem on a war horse leading an army of zealots to overthrow the Roman empire. As more than 500 years earlier Zechariah prophesied the word of the Lord that their king came to them, full of righteousness, holding salvation is in hands, and humbly riding into Jerusalem. We have this image of Christ, on a donkey, the colt of a donkey that he didn’t even own, he borrowed from someone who lived outside of Bethany in Bethpage. That’s also a perfect picture of how Christ comes into our lives, and into our hearts when at some point in time we accept what Jesus has done for us. Is it not?

(SLIDE) We all understand, no matter where we are in our walk with God, that you can’t condemn, drown under water, burn at the stake, or threaten people into God’s kingdom. That’s never worked, ever since the fall in the Garden of Eden with Adam and Eve. Over the entire history of the Israelites and the ministry of Jesus and the foundation of our Christianity, not matter which building we attend in. The idea that we can somehow convince others that they should follow Jesus because they’re currently evil and going to hell otherwise, is not based on a scriptural definition of fear of the Lord. It’s a man made twisting of God’s word to instill human fear, and treat other children of God as less ourselves. It’s self-righteousness not holy righteousness.

(SLIDE) The scripture in any translation that we most often see quoted, and put on signs in football and baseball stadiums and at basketball games is John 3:16 right? (Slide) What it should be sharing is John 3:16-17 16 “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.

Now as we study God’s word in the four testimonies of what took place around and in Jerusalem the week leading up to where we are this morning you might not think the week was full of God’s love. I say four testimonies, not four gospels as we might more casually say. Mathew, Mark, Luke and John that share a single gospel. The Good News of Jesus of Nazareth. They just share the good news from different vantage points.

(Slide) Let’s look at the week that Jesus, the disciples, and those who believed in Jesus from their way of thinking, had before we get to today. Last Sunday Jesus of Nazareth, the healer, the teacher, the Son of Man, the Son of God, the Messianic term Son of David is praised as the New King of Israel by many of those in Jerusalem. Not something that would sit well with the Pharisees, Sadducees, the Sanhedrin, the Arabian ruler over the region, Herod Antipas, son of King Herod the Great, and of course, the Roman legions and local Roman governor Pontius Pilate.

(SLIDE) If you read John chapter 12, after Jesus has entered Jerusalem tells of his coming death by crucifixion, that He must be lifted up and die to bear much fruit. What does Jesus say? (Slide) John 12: 25-26 5 Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

(SLIDE) The Israelites are expecting Jesus to overthrow Rome. This doesn’t make any sense to them, and the crowd gets restless so he leaves for the temple as Mark remembers, but Jesus just looks around the temple where the presence of God should be, it should be a Holy place but then quietly returns to Bethany, where he and the disciples stayed all week.

(Slide)The next day the righteous anger of the Lord comes through Jesus in the temple. We all know he cleared out the moneychangers, those who were trying to make a financial profit off God. Different spelling than we could consider Isaiah as a prophet, and some mistakenly think of Jesus today, as just a spiritual prophet. The cursing of the fig tree in Mark, Matthew, and Luke ties back to Israel not bearing the fruit of the Lord. Like the parable of the new wine into new wine skins you might be familiar with as the old wine skins are no longer capable of holding what is sacred and holy.

(SLIDE) Matthew tells us that in the temple Jesus is healing the blind and the lame. Every day Jesus is teaching, and healing in the temple and retreating to Bethany at night. He’s stirring up the authorities, with a purpose. But let’s pay attention to whom Jesus is criticizing and condemning while he’s healing people?

(Slide) It's the religious leaders. There is a righteous indignation, and deep anger over the sin that’s all around Him. But it is not the sin of the tax collectors, the prostitutes, the broken, the poor, the sick, the addicted, the orphan, the widow, or the refugees. God’s anger is directed at those who consider them to be knowledgeable in His words. Those who hold themselves up as better than everyone else because they know God, and they know God’s word, and they will decide how you and I are to live.

The Pharisees and Sadducees are deciding who is worthy of God’s grace and mercy, and who is to be condemned. I am still talking about what was happening when Jesus entered Jerusalem for the final week of his human life on this earth. But we must be oh so careful, that today, and every day in the world that we live in now, that we are not the Pharisees and the Sadducees of 2024.

700 years before the birth of Jesus Isaiah prophesied the word of God that the Messiah could come, not just for Israel, but for all of God’s creation.

(Slide) Isaiah 61:1-3 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, (SLIDE) 2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, 3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion—to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.

(SLIDE) These are the same words of God that Jesus read in the Synagogue in Nazareth as you read the testimony of Luke 4. And here we are, as I expect, firm believers in God, but I wonder. Does the world see us as oaks of righteous that displays God’s splendor? Or as thorn bushes of self-righteousness who as Christian leaders spend more of our time condemning others instead of sharing the good news of the gospel by serving the poor, of binding and healing the broken hearted, the freedom that is available from any addiction, the oil of joy that comes from personally and intimately knowing Jesus.

(SLIDE) You know the testimonies of this week. Jesus teaches and heals at the temple on Tuesday and Wednesday. (SLIDE) Thursday at the last supper after Jesus and the disciples have shared the Passover meal and he establishes the instruction to take communion that we all celebrate to varying degrees. Judas leaves to accept his bribe and bring the Romans to arrest Jesus. But before they get to the Garden of Gethsemane just across the Kidron Valley from Jerusalem, Jesus gives the disciples, and all of us, a new commandment. (SLIDE) John 13:31-35 31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. 33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another.”

34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. 35 By this all people will know that you are my disciples if you have love for one another.”

(SLIDE) Brothers and sisters do your family, your neighbors, your community, the people you work with, or run across at the café or the park or the store. Do they sense God’s love, flowing through you by the power of the Holy Spirit? Or do they feel unworthy, and unloved because they look different, they like different foods, they have an addiction more people know about than they would like, they like different music, they go to a different church, or currently attend none? What did we used to sing? And they’ll know us by our love.

(SLIDE) 700 years before Jesus was born, the Lord proclaimed through Isaiah 53:5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed. On Thursday night or early Friday morning in the middle of the night Jesus was arrested because he was a threat to the religious establishment. (SLIDE) The government couldn’t find fault, it was the religious leaders who had completely missed what God called on them to do, that called for and then watched his execution. My God, my god, why have you forsaken me? Into your hands I commit my spirit. It is finished. The atonement, the shedding of blood, for the sins of all humanity was complete. But the story didn’t end there on Friday.

(SLIDE) As Jesus has foretold, Peter denied him 3x, and the disciples, as well as those who had followed Jesus all the way from Capernaum down to Jerusalem, heard the teaching, watched who knows how many people be healed, run to hiding for fear of their lives. Friday, the Jesus of Nazareth movement died. Saturday was silent.

(SLIDE) But Sunday morning. Sunday morning. Today. The tomb was empty. And you might be here wondering about the truth, the absolute historical truth of Jesus of Nazareth, by the power of God’s Holy Spirit being raised from the dead. And I would just tell you this, beyond knowing in my heart of hearts, and with every cell of my body, that God raised Jesus from the dead. Then we would not be standing here today, still talking about. And the hundreds of witnesses who saw the resurrected Jesus during the 40 days after the women found the tomb empty, and the angels appeared to them saying “He is NOT HERE. HE IS RISEN. As he told you three different times that he would rebuild the temple that is not a brick-and-mortar building, but the human body, the creation of an almighty and Holy God.

(SLIDE) John 10:17-18 17 For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. 18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

At the resurrection, Jesus of Nazareth becomes Jesus Christ. It is a historical fact, not just because my bible tells me so. Though certainly we hold the bible to be the inspired Word of God. It is a historical fact, because the disciples, and thousands of others gave their lives rather then deny the truth of the risen King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Jesus Christ.

So on this Easter Sunday, nearly 2000 years from that incredible gift of grace and mercy from the creator of the universe, where are you in your belief? Are you willing to lay down your earthly life, to take it back up again as a fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ? (SLIDE) Are you willing to be, as Simon Peter tells us 1 Peter 3:13-15 13 Now who is there to harm you if you are zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you will be blessed. Have no fear of them, nor be troubled,15 but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope, the joy that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.

For our Heavenly Father didn’t send Jesus to condemn the world, or for us to condemn the world, but to save the world. To heal, to teach, to love, that none should perish but all should have eternal life. What must I do to have eternal life, the prison guard asked Paul? Confess with your mouth that Jesus Christ is Lord, believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead. And today, salvation will come to your entire family.