He is Risen

Burlington – He is Risen. April 7th, 2024

Scriptures: 1 Peter 3:15, Esther 8:7, Luke 23:55-56, Luke 24:1-2, Mark 15:40-41, Luke 8:1-3, John 19:25, John 20:11-18, Matthew 28:8-10, 1 Corinthians 15:3-8, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26.

Good morning. He is risen! (He is Risen Indeed) Thank you Julie, Jess, Billy. God is doing a wonderful work in this congregation and community don’t you think? Amen? The power of the Holy Spirit is moving in and amongst us. And will if we as believers in Jesus Christ as our risen Lord and Savior continue to pray, to study the word, and to seek first the Kingdom of God. We will continue to see, if you want to use the term, a revival. Last month I had a phone from Mike who is part of Pastoral care out of Anderson and the Church of God as at the State and National level they continue to lift our congregation up in prayer.

During that conversation I, if you’ll forgive me, said we’re not ready for a revival here yet. And a couple of hours later I heard the Lord saying to me, “Jon, what is it you think I’m already doing in Burlington?” What HE’s already doing. (SLIDE) Our English language can be quite confusing at times, and often we think of a revival in the Church of God like a big tent meeting where people travel for hundreds of miles to spend every evening in praise and worship, hearing the word, and healing for a week. This is an Anderson Camp meeting from nearly 100 years ago. That we’re not ready for, but clearly the Lord is moving in our community and creating a revival of His Spirit moving.

(SLIDE) It’s our prayer life, the time in prayer that all of us engage with the Father that allows the Holy Spirit to work within us, within this space, within our community to fulfill His good and perfect will. That none should perish but all should come to a knowledge of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Amen? (PRAY)

That others may come to have the personal and intimate relationship with Jesus that many of us are so grateful for, we must follow the instructions of Peter. (SLIDE) 1 Peter 3:15 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. We’ve talked before about being prepared to have conversations about why we believe the Bible to be God’s word, why we believe that Jesus of Nazareth willingly went to the cross (SLIDE)and gave himself as a sacrifice, a blood atonement for the sins of all humanity. It’s not hard for someone to believe that in the first century the Romans crucified people. Crucifixion existed long before Jesus was born.

The Egyptians practiced crucifixion as far back as 1200 BCE. In Genesis 10 we read that Ashur left the land and built Ninevah. (SLIDE) Ninevah (image) was a major cultural and religious center in Mesopotamia for thousands of years. It was also known as the city of blood because of what they did even beforehand or besides crucifixion to captives, prisoners, and criminals. You may remember that Jonah didn’t want to go to Ninevah. The Assyrian empire falls and Ninevah becomes part of the Babylonian empire. The books of the Hebrew bible aren’t always chronological. In your bible, Esther comes before Jonah, but not historically. In history Jonah comes before Esther.

Not too long after Jonah, who was in a very unpleasant place three days before being brought back to life, in case that sounds familiar. A few hundred years later in Esther we read that because of Haman’s plot to exterminate the Jews. King Xerxes replied to Queen Esther and to Mordecai the Jew, “Because Haman attacked the Jews, I have given his estate to Esther, and they have impaled him on the pole he set up. (Esther 8:7).

Human beings being cruel to each other, mentally and physically, is not new. It wasn’t then and it isn’t now. Criminals being punished whether by isolation, torture or death has existed nearly as long as humans have. But what was Jesus of Nazareth crime? (SLIDE) Teaching? Healing? Raising people from the dead? Proclaiming himself the Son of Man, the Son of God, the Son of David? As part of the Father’s plan, Jesus was without sin, but that didn’t stop the religious authorities from wanting Him crucified, and the Roman authorities from carrying out that part of God’s plan to save His creation. To bring eternal salvation to His children.

It's what happened on Sunday that most folks get hung up on. They struggle with believing that the stone was rolled away (SLIDE). That Jesus was resurrected from the dead, three days later. Just as He had told the disciples, His followers and anyone else who would listen that He would lay down His life and take it back up again. That’s something we definitely should pay attention to, right? If someone predicts their own death, and tells you that they will be resurrected. And then it happens? Probably should listen to what they have to say.

You’ve heard me say before, and you will again, that we believe that He is Risen and sits and sits at the right hand of the Father interceding on our behalf even now not just because the Bible tell us so. Though we believe the Bible to be God’s inspired word, useful teaching, rebuking, healing and giving life to the dead. But if Jesus wasn’t resurrected and seen by hundreds, maybe even thousands, there wouldn’t be a Christianity today. There are too many witnesses, even outside of the bible in Jewish and Roman historians that confirm Jesus Christ. Did you know that there are sources outside of the Bible and Christianity that mention a resurrected Christ?

We’ll get to those but let’s look at the Word first beginning in Luke 23. In Luke after the crucifixion, we read Luke 23:55-56 55 The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. 56 Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes. But they rested on the Sabbath in obedience to the commandment.

Luke’s testimony continues in 24:1-2 24On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

We have many testimonies in the bible, not just Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, but I believe if we are to have that full understanding of the Word, and the confidence to share it with others, we have to be prepared. Luke just told us that women who had come with Jesus from Gallilee followed Joseph of Arimathea, and we know Nicodemus helped bring Jesus body to the tomb. What I want us to consider, is that the women aren’t all named and do we need to know how many women followed Jesus from Gallilee? Certainly, more than one, two, three or four.

Let’s go back to Mark on Friday night for just a moment at the crucifixion as Jesus is breathing his last breath. (SLIDE) Mark 15:40-41 40 There were also women looking on from a distance, among whom were Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James the younger and of Joseph, and Salome. 41 When he was in Galilee, they followed him and ministered to him, and there were also many other women who came up with him to Jerusalem.

Let’s put these in a chart for a moment because it’s clear the women are very important, but often overlooked, throughout the bible. Mary Magdalene was demon possessed and healed by Jesus. Mary, the mother of James the younger and Joseph. In some translations of Mark 15 you might see Joses instead of Joseph, which is just a name variation. I’m Jon without an H for example. Mary, mother of James is Jesus’ mother and two of his younger brothers, James, and Joseph. Jesus had four brothers and two sisters.

(SLIDE) Salome is the wife of Zebedee, the mother of James and John, the sons of Thunder. There is a medieval tradition and within Eastern Orthodox practices she’s also known as Mary Salome because some folks believe she is one of the three Mary’s. That’s a whole different discussion that in my heart isn’t worth our time. As the wife of Zebedee, Salome’s the mom who asked Jesus if her two sons could sit at his right and left hand when he came into power. If you remember that testimony in Matthew. If you’ve watched The Chosen, Season 1, she’s also the mother who said to her sons. “Boys, follow him and do what he tells you.” That’s great advice for all of us.

(SLIDE) Joanna, as mentioned in Luke 24 is first introduced to us in (SLIDE) Luke 8:1-3 8 After this, Jesus traveled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The Twelve were with him, 2 and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out; 3 Joanna the wife of Chuza, the manager of Herod’s household; Susanna; and many others. These women were helping to support them out of their own means.

Isn’t it interesting how throughout the New Testament, when a blind man is healed, or a cripple is healed, we don’t ever read of them following Jesus or helping to support His ministry and the disciples? But we do with the women. Men, there’s a lesson for us there. We need to step up our game in service to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords and not let women do all of the serving. Amen.

(SLIDE) I think it’s also interesting that the wife of someone who is trusted to run Herod’s household. This is a picture of Herod’s Jerusalem residence. Herod Antipas had 3 palaces her husband is running. Think of all the luxuries available to the wife of someone overseeing all of Herod’s wealth, palaces, and property. You’re not going hungry in that position and instead, Joanne leaves all of that privilege and wealth to follow Jesus.

(SLIDE) Both Luke and Matthew tell us that there were other women at the crucifixion and who witnessed the empty tomb and told the disciples what they had seen. John is more specific and adds our final name to this list. John 19:25 25 Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. So, you can see why some biblical scholars and some traditions would take this scripture in John, when you compare it to Mark 16 which includes Jesus’ mom, Mary the mother of James, Mary Magdalene and Salome, but here we have Mary’s sister and Mary the wife of Clopas. Sometimes that’s spelled with an e, as in Cloepas, by the way. Some folks who want something to argue about, or who need to justify their academic research have time to debate such things.

I’m going to stand on what Paul instructed Titus 3:9 9 But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and arguments and quarrels about the law, because these are unprofitable and useless. Some things we’ll leave to biblical scholars to debate things that don’t necessarily serve a purpose in the building up of God’s kingdom. What we know is that there were many witnesses, and the first of them were all women, that the tomb was empty, and Jesus wasn’t there anymore.

Sunday morning, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of Jesus and Salome, mother of James and John arrive to find the tomb empty. And Matthew tells us there was a violent earthquake as an Angel of the Lord came down to tell the women. He is Risen, Just as He said. Mark describes a young man dressed in a white Robe. In Luke’s thorough investigation there are two angels which isn’t a contradiction of either Mark or Matthew because Mark and Matthew are talking about an angel who was speaking. That doesn’t mean there wasn’t a second angel. Just that only one of them talked. Mary Magdalene is certainly running off to find the disciples to help find his missing body. John has the women running to the disciples to share the news of the empty tomb. The truth is being told from different perspectives, because each witness comes from their perspective.

Now we read John Chapter 20. (SLIDE) John 20:11-18 11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept, she stooped to look into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. 13 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.”

(SLIDE) 14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 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.”

Can you imagine. Mary was healed, delivered from seven demons by Jesus. From then on, she stayed close and ministered to both Christ and the disciples. She was there on Friday when He was crucified. Watched as He died, and all the disciples ran away into hiding for fear of their lives. Not the women because women aren’t a threat to authority here. Now Mary’s come to the tomb with Jesus’ Mother and Salome. There’s no Roman guards, the stones been rolled away and the body is gone. The anguish, pain, confusion and sadness she feels is so heavy that she doesn’t even recognize His voice.

That sounds like us doesn’t it. The times in our lives when we are hurting so badly, that we don’t recognize His voice either. That’s not a place to say Amen. It’s just how fragile we can be that often we let our emotions get in the way of God’s promises and God’s Word. Let’s continue.

(SLIDE) 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). 17 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.’” 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.

Mary Magdalene on Sunday morning has seen the risen Lord and runs to tell the disciples. In all the testimonies of the resurrection, she’s first, but His mother and Salome had gone to the tomb with her, and here we can see the difference between someone who has been through motherhood and raised childen.

Matthew 28:8-10 8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.” Jesus had told Mary Magdalene not to touch him yet, and she didn’t recognize him as the Lord at first. She thought he was a gardener. But His mother Mary, and Salome the mother of James and John, recognize Jesus immediately as their Risen Lord, and fall at His feet to worship. And the women are all running off to tell the disciples and anyone else who would listen.

Now let’s look at, within scripture, an overview of all the other testimonies of individuals who saw the resurrected Jesus Christ. Live, in person. The testimony of Matthew ends two paragraphs later with the Great Commission, so we won’t have any references there. Mark has only ten more verses before the end of his testimony as well, but includes witnesses.

(SLIDE) We already talked about the three Mary’s, as some would say. Let’s jump out to Paul’s testimony in 1 Corinthians 15:3-8 3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8 and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.

Would it not surprise you that Cephas, which is Aramaic for Rock, as Jesus had said you are the Rock upon whom I will build my church. Simon Peter before he was called to become a fisher of men, then known as Peter. He had believed in Jesus during his ministry, didn’t believe at the Garden of Gethsemane, denied Jesus three times as the Lord had told him. . . so I don’t find it surprising at all that Jesus comes to Peter specifically.

You’ll find this list in your bulletin this weekend. Most of your bibles have sub-chapter headings so if I haven’t listed the exact verses you’ll still find them. The resurrected Jesus appears to two of disciples on the road to Emmaus, who run to tell the others and they don’t believe. He appears to all the disciples except Thomas, and then again with Thomas a week later. You remember the testimony “Put your finger here”. He eats a meal with them.

On the sea of Galilee there is a second miraculous catch of fish with several of the disciples, and again he eats a meal with them. If you remember the angel at the tomb telling the women to have the disciples meet Jesus at the Mountain in Galilee, He does. He’s seen by more than 500 brothers and sisters, his brother James, has another meal with the disciples all before his ascension to the Father. (SLIDE) Then we have the Christ appearing before Saul. “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” which we read about in Acts.

As Paul writes in 1 Corinthians 15 from all of these multiple testimonies and witnesses, most of whom were still alive at the time Paul is instructing the church in Corinth, if you didn’t believe in the first century there were eyewitnesses you could ask. But the doubting Thomas, a common trait in many of us, says well this is all in the Bible, it’s one source, even it is many different witnesses. They just can’t believe in the resurrection. Let me tell you there are external sources as well.

(SLIDE) Not long after the resurrection Didache around 50 BCE wrote to what at that time would have been a sect of the Jewish religion that believed in Jesus instructions on celebrating communion and remembering Christ’s death and resurrection.

Thallus in 55 BCE wrote a history of the region that is discussed by Julios African around 230 BCE. (SLIDE) “On the whole world there pressed a most fearful darkness; and the rocks were rent by an earthquake, and many places in Judea and other districts were thrown down. This darkness Thallus in the third book of his History, calls, as appears to me without reason, an eclipse of the sun.”14 Sounds like the moment Jesus died on the cross doesn’t it.

(SLIDE) Clement was a first-century church leader in Rome who like Paul wrote to the church at Corinth about the teachings of Jesus, his death and resurrection. Papias wrote that he learned Christ’s teachings directly from those had listened to Jesus in person.

(SLIDE) Ignatius wrote a letter to Smyrna that Jesus was crucified under Pontius Pilate and Herod the Tetrarch and that “he suffered all these things for us; and He suffered them really, and not in appearance only, even as also He truly rose again” Ignatius become the bishop of Antioch, was arrested for his faith, and as you can see, for sport was fed to the beasts in Rome.

Quadratus of Athens wrote to the emperor Hadrian defending Jesus healing and the raising others from the dead and that such miracles continued in His name after the crucifixion. “Some of them are alive even to our day.” Eastern churches believe Quadratus was one of the 70 disciples Jesus sent out that we read about in Luke.

Pliny the Younger was a Roman Governor of Bithynia who wrote to Emperor Trajan asking advice on what he should do with these “Christians” who met before daybreak to recite hymns binding themselves to Christ with oaths to abstain from theft, robbery, adultery, breach of faith or spend money that had been placed in their trust. Personally, I’d say hire them, but that’s just me.

Roman historian Suetonius records a decision we also read about in Acts 18:2, as Emperor Claudius expelled Christians from Rome “Since the Jews constantly made disturbances at the instigation of Christ.”

Ancient historian Phlegon of Tralles, a freedman of the emperor Hadrian was, wrote that Jesus accurately predicted the future, was crucified during the days of Tiberius Caesar and rose again exhibiting the marks of his punishment and showing his hands that had been pierced by nails. There are several other documented sources outside of the bible but I want to read you specifically from Flavious Josephus in his book Antiquities of the Jews (Book 18, Chapter 3).

(SLIDE) Josephus born in 36 BCE and raised as a member of a priestly household in Jerusalem on his father’s side. His mother was of royal descent from the Hasmonean dynasty. He was highly educated and most likely sympathetic with the Pharisees. In 64 BCE Josephus traveled to Rome to negotiate with Emperor Nero for the release of Jewish priests. When he returned to Jerusalem the Zealots, as in Simon the Zealot decided to revolt against Rome and Joseph was appointed a military governor.

When Vespasian was appointed by Nero to squash the revolt, Josephus and 40 others were trapped in a cave, where everyone else drew lots to kill each other and then he surrendered after everyone else was dead. Change of mind. But while awaiting execution he convinces Vespasian that all Jews had the gift of prophecy and Vespasian would be the next emperor. Then he becomes a consultant to the Romans, who of course win, and he’s rewarded with a farm outside of Rome. Yes, Vespasian did become emperor.

(SLIDE) But here’s what Josephus writes in Book 18, Chapter 3, of Antiquities of the Jews. Now there was about this time Jesus, a wise man; if it be lawful to call him a man. For he was a doer of wonderful works; a teacher of such men as receive the truth with pleasure. He drew over to him both many of the Jews, and many of the Gentiles. He was the Christ. (SLIDE) And when Pilate, at the suggestion of the principal men among us, had condemned him to the cross; those that loved him at the first did not forsake him. For he appeared to them alive again, the third day: as the divine prophets had foretold these and ten thousand other wonderful things concerning him. And the tribe of Christians, so named from him, are not extinct at this day.

(SLIDE) Praise God, that 2100 years later, the tribe of Christians, to which you belong are not extinct to this day. Despite persecution. Despite execution. Despite the way human beings have tried to twist God’s word into their own personal profit and gain. Because the historical fact remains. The tomb was empty. He is risen. (SLIDE) (He is Risen Indeed).

Communion Scripture: 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.