Up from the grave He arose

It was Easter Sunday in a small country church and the Choir marched in from the back of the church to the front of the sanctuary singing “Up from the grave He arose.”

A woman’s heel got stuck in the air register in the floor. Without missing a step, she slipped out of her heel.

The man behind her squatted down, grabbed the shoe and kept walking, but the grate came up with the shoe.

The man behind him, disappeared in the hole in the floor.

In step and in tune, everyone that was behind him, stepped over the hole, closed the gap in line and marched on singing.

As the Choir got set in their place behind the pulpit they sang the last line, “Hallelujah, Christ Arose!” the voice from under the floor said, “I hope y’all are out of the way, cause I’m coming out now.”

Two people passed out, one man took off running out of the church and a little girl shouted, “Come on Jesus!, we are out of the way.”

Easter Sunday

Today is Easter Sunday, the day we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus from the dead.

This morning, we are going to look at a Jesus’ first appearing after His resurrection.

But first I want to look at the consequences of the resurrection:

After Jesus’ arrest, He appeared before the Sanhedrin

Luke 22:66–71 NASB95

66 When it was day, the Council of elders of the people assembled, both chief priests and scribes, and they led Him away to their council chamber, saying, 67 “If You are the Christ, tell us.” But He said to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe; 68 and if I ask a question, you will not answer. 69 “But from now on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power of God.” 70 And they all said, “Are You the Son of God, then?” And He said to them, “Yes, I am.” 71 Then they said, “What further need do we have of testimony? For we have heard it ourselves from His own mouth.”

Jesus Claimed a divine nature.

1 Corinthians 15:3–5 NASB95

3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.

Jesus rose from the dead

Watergate and the resurrection

1 Corinthians 15:13–14 NASB95

13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; 14 and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain.

1 Corinthians 15:16–17 NASB95

16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; 17 and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.

Consequences : We Identify with Christ!

Romans 6:4 NASB95

4 Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, so that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.

Romans 6:10–11 NASB95

10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Sam Gangee: “Is everything sad going to become untrue?

Revelation 21:2–4 NASB95

2 And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, 4 and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”

His First Appearing

Luke 24 The women find the tomb empty and an angel tells them that Christ has risen.

They go and tell the apostles.

Luke 24:13–31 NASB95

13 And behold, two of them were going that very day to a village named Emmaus, which was about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 And they were talking with each other about all these things which had taken place. 15 While they were talking and discussing, Jesus Himself approached and began traveling with them. 16 But their eyes were prevented from recognizing Him. 17 And He said to them, “What are these words that you are exchanging with one another as you are walking?” And they stood still, looking sad. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, answered and said to Him, “Are You the only one visiting Jerusalem and unaware of the things which have happened here in these days?” 19 And He said to them, “What things?” And they said to Him, “The things about Jesus the Nazarene, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word in the sight of God and all the people, 20 and how the chief priests and our rulers delivered Him to the sentence of death, and crucified Him. 21 “But we were hoping that it was He who was going to redeem Israel. Indeed, besides all this, it is the third day since these things happened. 22 “But also some women among us amazed us. When they were at the tomb early in the morning, 23 and did not find His body, they came, saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said that He was alive. 24 “Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just exactly as the women also had said; but Him they did not see.” 25 And He said to them, “O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! 26 “Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?” 27 Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures. 28 And they approached the village where they were going, and He acted as though He were going farther. 29 But they urged Him, saying, “Stay with us, for it is getting toward evening, and the day is now nearly over.” So He went in to stay with them. 30 When He had reclined at the table with them, He took the bread and blessed it, and breaking it, He began giving it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized Him; and He vanished from their sight.

Jesus had risen from the dead, but It wasn’t real to them until that moment.

Every one of us that follow Christ has had that moment when the resurrection of Christ became real to us.

We not only celebrate Christ’s raising from the dead, but we celebrate the day that He revealed himself to us.

Maybe for some of you, that’s happened in the past few days, or today.

I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ.

Matthew 10:32–33 NASB95

32 “Therefore everyone who confesses Me before men, I will also confess him before My Father who is in heaven. 33 “But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.

I want to give you the opportunity: