Resurrection Sunday

Because of the Resurrection

Luke 24:13–18

13 That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14 and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus Himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing Him. 17 And He said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. 18 Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered Him, “Are You the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”

A few days ago I was driving my two sons to school, and as we drove I noticed something on our windshield. My attention suddenly shifted from watching the road in front of me to focusing on this spot on the windshield and I almost wrecked my car because I was focusing on the wrong thing.

In Luke 24 we see two of Jesus’ disciples who were focusing on the wrong thing. All they knew was that Jesus died. Look at what they say in Luke 24:21

Luke 24:21 ESV

But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel.

Let’s read again Luke 24:18

Luke 24:18 ASV

And one of them, named Cleopas, answering said unto him, Dost thou alone sojourn in Jerusalem and not know the things which are come to pass there in these days?

The irony here of course is that Jesus is the only one who knew exactly what had happened. Today we are going to look at what Resurrection Sunday means for follower of Jesus.

John 20:1–10 ESV

1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.” 3 So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. 4 Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that He must rise from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went back to their homes.

Because of the Resurrection Our Faith is Firm

What does Paul tell us is the Gospel?

1 Corinthians 15:1–5 ESV

1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.

Our faith is firm because the death, burial, resurrection, and return of Jesus were prophesied in Scripture. Many people have died brutal deaths, including many people who died in the same humiliating fashion as Jesus. A few people have even been raised from the dead, both in the Old and New Testaments. Only King Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection was prophesied in Scripture!

Isaiah prophesied that Immanuel would be born of a virgin.

Micah prophesied that He would be born in Bethlehem.

Isaiah prophesied that the Suffering Servant would be despised and rejected.

David prophesied in detail in Psalm 22 about the crucifixion of Jesus (hands and feet pierced; surrounded by enemies and mocked; cast lots for His clothes)

Daniel prophesied that Jesus’ dominion will be an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom will never be destroyed.

In addition to all of this we have prophecies by Moses, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Malachi, and Zechariah.

Our faith is firm, not just because Jesus died, was buried, and rose again, but because the death, burial, resurrection, and return of Jesus have all been prophesied, and with the exception of the return of King Jesus, all of them have happened.

Let’s skip down to John 20:19 - 23

John 20:19–20 ESV

19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.

Because of the Resurrection We have Peace through His Presence

We who fear God have no need to fear anything or anyone else.

John 16:33 ESV

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

We have some very good friends, Stan and Ann Steward. Several years ago, Stan and Ann, along with their two children, Elle and Stanley, were living in California. Stan was working as a police officer for the San Diego police department. He was also serving as a deacon at his church and was part of the leadership of Teen Challenge. In the middle of all that God spoke to Stan and said, “I gave you a purpose. I want all of you. I want everything.”

So the family gave up their southern California lifestyle to follow God’s call. Stan said, “It’s very easy these days for American Christians to live a good life, to serve their church and their community and do good things, but sometimes there’s a big difference between living a good life and living the life God has prepared for you.” So they chose to live out their faith in the packed city of Istanbul. They learned the language, and then bought a four-wheel drive vehicle to take the Gospel to the villages along the dangerous roads of an area known as The Dark Canyon: villages with not a single Christian, not a single church, not a single Bible.

They made friends with those people. They saw miracles happen in their ministry. They saw blind eyes opened. They saw a woman healed of cancer, but they were not seeing anyone come to Christ, and after eight years of ministry they began to get desperate, spending two to five hours a day crying out to the Lord. One day Stan was praying and he said, “God, you’ve performed signs and wonders and miracles but none of our friends or neighbors have come to You. What will it take? Use us! We’re willing to pour ourselves out so that the lost will be found.”

Stan heard God speak to him and say, “Sometimes works of sorrow, loss and sacrifice speak louder than works of signs, wonders and miracles.” In August of 2012, as the family set out on an expedition to The Dark Canyon, they had a sense that there was something different about this trip. They felt something special and monumental was getting ready to occur. The day before they left Ann prayed, “God, we’ve yet to see our friends come to Christ. We’ve been here in Turkey now all these years. We’ve prayed. We’ve seen miracles. We’ve poured out our lives into this community as well as the villages we’ve run across but no one is being saved. What’s it going to take to change the hearts of our friends? We’ll do anything, God. We counted the cost before we ever came to Turkey. We wanted to go where no one was going. We’ve never looked for safety, God, only for You to use us. Can we see one person saved? Can we see one person decide to follow you? Whatever the cost we lay down our hopes and dreams.”

Then she felt the Lord ask her this question: “Are you willing to suffer?” She replied, “God, I thought we settled this a long time ago. I’m willing to suffer, no matter what the cost.” As she continued to pray she had a vision of her right hand bleeding profusely. She marveled at the sheer amount of blood coming from her hand. As she mulled over what this might mean a thought came with clarity: “Stan is my right hand. God, is this a vision of what will happen to Stan?” God’s response was: “If you abide in Me this will not cripple you.”

A few days after returning from their trip to The Dark Canyon, Stan began not feeling well. He went to the doctor and had been diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer. God spoke to Stan and said, “Stan, your friends are afraid of dying because they’re not guaranteed heaven when they die. I want them to see how a Christian faces death.”

When you are walking with Jesus, you have no need to fear death. For Christians, death is the doorway to the eternal presence of King Jesus.

The Great Commission:

Matthew 28:18–20 ESV

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

We go, but we don’t go alone. Obedience is the price we pay for the presence of Jesus, and it’s worth it a million times over.

Let’s go back to our text:

John 20:21–23 ESV

21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, even so I am sending you.” 22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”

Because of the Resurrection We have Powerful Proclamation

Jesus told the Apostles: Luke 24:49

Luke 24:49 ESV

And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”

Acts 1:8 ESV

“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”

Story of Peter & Cornelius (kutsalkitap.org)

Because of the Resurrection:

Our Faith is Firm

We have Peace through His Presence

We have Powerful Proclamation

We honor Christ’s resurrection by:

Planting Ourselves in His Word

Abiding in Him

Bearing Witness to His Death, Burial, Resurrection, and Return.