Resurrected

Good morning, family! I’m Andrew one of the pastors here and I'm excited to dive into the Word with you today. Also I want to acknowledge all of the family and friends, joining us online. Welcome.

Now before we get started we have to address what happened yesterday.

The nation that we live in is experiencing some turmoil. A political candidate, which I realize may not be your candidate, but his life and others was endangered yesterday. And thats indicative of pain and confusion happening in our world.

We as a church are called to be peacemakers despite what the rest of the world does.

So at this moment I want to invite you all to pray for our nation. As we head into the highly anticipated election, emotions, tempers, anxiety are running high. Let us be a people who can bring peace and still be in the midst of confusion.

So what should I pray for? You can pray for those who were hurt and lost their life. Pray for all leaders. You can pray for the families and the people who witnessed this and were there; pray for your neighbor (and yourself for that matter) that they will not be overcome with anxiety.

So I am going to give you 30 seconds to pray out loud and then I will lead us.

Father God help us

You hold it all together. Be sovereign over our nation

Calm our nation from bubbling over with anger

Your word says do not worry about anything but pray about everything

Lord gives us peace of mind, let us now worry about whats going to happen next

But let us be a people of peace makers amongst anxious world.

God we ask that you be with every victim and every family affected by yesterday and we ask that you help our nation not be divided by political agendas, but that we could unite under your Kingdom agenda.

In jesus name

I. Transition from Prayer

Lets commit to continue praying for our leaders, our nation, and our family.

Okay, so lets get into this message. Please stay with me in this message, I will try not to go to fast, but I do respond well to verbal feedback, AND that is one of the ways you can express our house habit of Participation is better than observation. (take notes/ pictures)

Today, we’re looking at Luke 24:1-12, but before we get there, let’s rewind to Luke 23. It’s been a terrible couple days for Jesus and disciples up to this point.

Jesus, the miracle worker, the teacher, the one who had given his people so much hope, is betrayed by one of his own. Then he is arrested, mocked, beat, spit on, and suffered the most horrific death in crucifixion.

Needless to say, his followers are devastated, many of them scattered, Peter who was supposed to be his ride or die, denied him three times including once to a little girl.

Now where the men scattered, the women who followed Jesus from Galilee faithfully saw where Jesus was laid and went to prepare spices for His burial.

Which brings us to Luke 24. So lets read as a congregation this passage of scripture.

<<READ>>

So lets point out some OBSERVATIONS from the text.

His believers truly thought he was dead. The men had scattered in fear that they would be next. The women were preparing the spices for a dead body. AND EVERYBODY was taken off guard when they DIDN’T see the body in the tomb. (they werent expecting a resurrection)

Women are recorded as the first witnesses. (come on ladies) It wasn't Peter the Rock; or the disciple whom Jesus loved (John). It was women.

In the Graeco-Roman world of the first century, the testimony of women was considered unreliable AND could not be used to settle legal disputes. For this reason, the mention of women being the first eyewitnesses of the empty tomb suggests that Luke is faithfully report what actually happened. This also give us strong evidence for the historicity of the resurrection accounts, because if the early church was making up stories to give itself credibility you wouldn't use a woman's word at this time to do it.

They found an empty tomb.

Now I realize I been a Christian for quite a while and I just accept the resurrection with little skepticism now. But this is a very hard thing to believe and YET the entire Christian faith rest on this.

So if there is a skeptic or two in the crowd, what I’m about to say might not make you a believer, but I to acknowledge in this moment your skepticism, and I want to challenge it by talking about the historical reliability of the resurrection.

I also want to comfort everyone in the room its okay to have doubts— even Jesus’ own disciples struggled with belief at first.

So let’s consider some minimal facts that even skeptics generally agree upon. Skeptics are not believers in the Christian faith but conceed to these things based on evidence (these are taken from the book Man, Myth, Messiah):

Jesus was crucified by Pontius Pilate.

Three days later, His tomb was found empty by a few of His female followers. (already told why important)

His disciples genuinely believed Jesus appeared to them following His death.

The message of His resurrection was proclaimed immediately after His reappearance to the disciples.

Saul, later known as Paul, the chief persecutor of killing Jesus' followers, became a believer himself.

Based on this Dr. Rice Brooks says, "A fourth minimal fact is the resurrection was proclaimed very early (just days after the actual event). Christianity started in the place where it was least likely to succeed, where it would have been easiest to disprove—IN Jerusalem three days after His death."

So, what does resurrection mean for us today? Thats what will explore today

Recently, I had a health scare with some chest pains. Ignorantly, I ignored it for a couple of days (weeks) because, well, I’m a man. Thank God for community! And my friend who shall remain nameless (Paul) insisted I get it checked out.

When I finally followed his advice, the doctors were heightened/ alarmed. So as they as they asked there questions, panic began to set in with me.

My dad use to say you cant get scared unless he got scared (and that was to help me see that he was in charge I could be safe under his protection), BUT here it is medical professionals sounding alerted. So yes I got scared too.

What if this was it for me? What if I was on the verge of an early heart attack? My dad recently had heart issues maybe this is happening to me. What if I have to stop doing ministry?

So we go through numerous tests (stress test, depression/ anxiety assessment, EKG, blood work, chest cavity xray) you name it. Then came the moment I was dreading, I had started to accept that life as I knew was over, so the results came back: perfect heart rhythm, normal blood pressure, normal cholesterol, and no abnormalities in the chest X-ray.

(Illustration) BUT then The doctor said, "but Mr. Jackson, you’ve gained a little weight (yes I know), AND that plus STRESS can cause acid reflux. Have you ever dealt with that?” (and the truth was I suffered with it alot as a child and thought I had grown out of it.

Then he hit me with “One of the best ways to combat this is to work out and lose weight." I said the DEVIL IS A LIAR. I’m too tired to work out lol.

Now I can joke about this now, but in all seriousness, I went in expecting the worst BUT instead received a pleasant surprise and relief.

Today, I pray you will see that there is relief, hope, and newfound purpose in what Jesus did through the resurrection.

1. Anticipating Defeat (Luke 24:1-4)

Our passage opens up with the women who went to the tomb being fully prepared to encounter a dead body.

They arrived with spices, ready to anoint Jesus' body. They’re in mourning, deep despair. These women and the disciples had no hope for a risen Savior. They felt that another good teacher who got their hopes up and perished.

I believe this highlights our tendency to accept and even identify with lives of DEFEAT.

We believe lies like "I've tried to kick this habit before, BUT it's still here, I guess I’ll never change".

“I don't even know why I try to stop being this way, this is just who I am”.

We live in defeat, when dwell on past experiences to be an indicator of what our future will hold.”This is how it always goes: another failed relationship, another dead end job, another fallen leader; another person disappointed me “

We believe that where we are; what we experienced; what we have seen; is all we are.

Just like the women at the tomb, we DONT expect the miracle in our lives.

Yet, could it be that the dead end that you have run into might just be the moment God wants to reveal his transformative power to you.

Could it be that your low expectation and failed dreams could be the exact place God could meet you in your brokenness.

For the women at the tomb and for us today this type of moment sets the stage for a transformative encounter with the divine.

It’s an invitation to recognize our moments of seeming defeat and uncertainty as opportunities for divine encounters.

But for many reasons, we look past the divine encounter with God and look for resolutions amongst places we know dont solve our problems.

2. Misplaced Searches (Looking for Hope in ALL the wrong places) (Luke 24:5-7) (yall know how yall do)

At verse 5 the women are caught off guard by two well dress men (think Danny just more glowy with light shining down from heaven on them I imagine).

The men were angels and they asked these women a perspective shaking question, "Why do you look for the living among the dead?"

What do you mean living? They might have asked. They saw him breath his last on the cross. They saw his lifeless body be taken down. They all cried when they put the body in the tomb. (Dead is dead they probably thought. It is what it is, and I just got to make peace with that.)

And BECAUSE they were willing to accept defeat, they were closing themselves off to the glorious surprise the resurrection had for them.

Where have you accepted defeat in your life? Where have you said it is what it is, it’s never going to change? (maybe its a child, maybe its your career; maybe its addiction.)

Now how do we often deal with this?

We often seek fulfillment in worldly pursuits—material wealth, success, or pleasure with hopes that these things will alleviate the awful truths that we are faced with in this life. That those worldly pursuits would give us the reprieve from this ghetto life;

Worldly things are not bad/ not sin in and of themselves, but when you create little gods out them (little idols) it is. When your life is consumed with obtaining a thing, getting the thing (by any means necessary), sacrificing yourself to get it, thats an idol/ thats a sin.

Romans 6 For the wages of sin is death. SO These pleasures we pursue, the lifestyles we indulge in to give us life; ACTUALLY does the opposite. (It brings us death).

And I think some of us know this. But we trust in old ways, old life, old sins because we know what we gonna get: (a little high, a little hit of dopamine, and a little excitement) to break up the bitterness of this life.

But I find it amazing that many times when we pursue these things to give us life, they ultimately leave us still feeling empty just a short time later; feeling regret for the choice; feeling shame.

So you know what we do? We go and find an article or an influencer who tells me I’m not wrong so that we can cover up our shame (just like Adam and Eve).

We’re looking in the wrong places for life.

Some of us don't necessarily look in bad places for a promised relief, some of us look at our own ability to following all rules of being a good Christian.

You think you pray more than everyone else, you tithe more than these people in this church, you serve every Sunday THAT you are GOOD, but you lack the most important thing in this faith AND thats a genuine relationship with Christ.

Jesus didn’t perform the miracle of miracles by raising Himself from the dead JUST FOR US to be the perfecter of our faith.

He rose so that HE could perfect our faith. So that we could have life and life more abundantly.

It took me way too long to realize that this life of faith was more than just not cursing, not having sex outside of marriage, coming to church every Sunday.

But it was meant to experience the living presence of God. To have God with me. To walk with me and talk with along life's narrow way. AND when I inevitably asked the question of how I know he lives. I can say I know him, I’ve experienced him AND He lives in my heart. (thank you for the old hymnals)

Have you experienced that kind of relationship with Jesus? Have you experienced that kind of Christianity?

Unfortunately, many of us have not because we are still seeking life amongst other things; things that are not life producing; things that we know are dead.

Where have you been seeking the living among the dead?

For some of us, we havent been seeking life, but we think this is all there is to this life.

Dwelling on past mistakes or unresolved issues WHICH hinders our ability to live resurrected lives.

The thing is, Every single person in this room got a past. Some of us just still living in it. Its more a current event for them.

But others of us may not be living it anymore BUT could be RELIVING it in their minds even though you have been called to live a new life.

You are afraid to share the good news about Jesus, BECAUSE you feel like your life so messy it makes it the bad news.

You wont serve on Sunday because you are afraid people might find out about who you actually were. (And with time and relationship we probably will but thats okay), because every single one of us in here were sinners at one time, who have been made saints NOT by our own doing but by Jesus who saved us.

And you may be thinking what does that have to do with anything.

(Illustration) When we hold onto past mistakes, it’s like dragging around a ball and chain that keeps us from running into freedom. Its unnecessary weights weighing us down so we cant see what God is calling us into.

We need to remember that in Christ, we are a new creation. The old has gone; the new is here! (and when that old life pops up, remind yourself I am not that anymore)(2 Corinthians 5:17). Letting go of the past allows us to embrace the new life Jesus offers.

It challenges us to shift our perspective from despair to hope, to go from being crushed past mistakes/failures to being created as a new resurrected creation. So lets explore what it means to live resurrected.

3. Live Resurrected (Luke 24:8-12)

The resurrection signifies Jesus' triumphant victory over sin and death. AND as I already told you, It's the foundation of Christian hope, AND its everything the Christian faith stands on.

As Paul states in 1 Corinthians 15:17, "And if Christ has not been raised, (we can get another thing to support christianity/ another thing to prove Jesus) your faith is futile; you are still in your sins." (theres no victory for you; you still cant get to heaven, you still cant be right with God)

You doing all these things to be a good Christian, BUT if Christ didn't raise from the grave, ITS POINTLESS. (and all the skeptics go yeah)

(Illustration) Some of may be little shaky now, well why is the RESURRECTION so important, - because it proves that Christ is HIM. That He is that guy. That he could Steph Curry your salvation from the other side of the court and know its going in as he walks out of the grave. (that you have been made right with God because of him/ set free from bondage/ made whole again)

It proves that he could do what he said. AND it proves that I am who he says I am.

Jesus had told his followers many times that he would rise from the dead (see Luke 9:22, 18:31–34)(Matt. 16:21; 17:22–23; 20:17–19).

And I wish that it was just the angels reminder, OR the women’s testimony, THAT WOULD SPARK the disciples to proclaim the good news again,

(Illustration) BUT unfortunately they all said I’m just gone see for myself. They were the first skeptics.

But once they encountered Jesus afresh, once they felt the goodness of God down to their very core again. Something in them rose so that proclaimed the good news that He is resurrected and I am, even if that meant That hard times were coming.

The encounter with Jesus After resurrection. was so impactful they felt that living for Jesus was worth dying for Jesus.

Some of us need a fresh encounter with Jesus again(to revive the message of the good news again/ To believe the promises of God again/ To remember that you are new creation and you are not the same). Anybody need a fresh encounter?

The resurrection WAS SO IMPORTANT that it became central message for the early church (it wasnt that Jesus is love, although hat is true BUT it was the resurrection):

At Pentecost (Acts 2:22-24)

When the gospel came to the Gentiles (Acts 10:38-43)

In Athens among intellectuals (Acts 17:30-32)

Before a governor (Acts 25:17-19)

Before a king (Acts 26:22-23)

N.T. Wright adds, "The only possible reason why early Christianity began and took the shape it did is that the tomb really was empty and that people really did meet Jesus, alive again... though admitting it involves accepting a challenge at the level of worldview itself, the best historical explanation for all these phenomena is that Jesus was indeed bodily raised from the dead."

AND thats good news for us. Everybody say Amen.

Thats good news because if he said he would rise after three days of being dead and he did it. I can believe everything else he said as well.

That he is the ONLY way to God and he makes us right with him.

That he gives us rest when we are weary

AND that he hears the cries of his people.

You dont have to suffer alone. You dont have to stay where you are. You can be made anew no matter how bad you think you are messed up.

Having new life in Christ means transformation, renewal, and purpose.

So that means the old has passed away BUT we have to choose to walk in new life afforded to us in Jesus

We must choose living daily in the power of the resurrection.

This looks like us praying and believing God hears our prayers.

This means believing God to move in areas of your life that you thought were dead.

This looks like, staying in community when its hard, and this looks like sharing your testimony.

Which brings us to the last point.

4. Sharing the Good News (No Matter Where We Start, We All Play a Part in the Resurrection) (Luke 24:8-12)

The women were the first to witness and share the resurrection. Their testimony spread the good news.

These women were not thought highly in society though. Their voice was non-existent to everybody else.

I want you to be aware that our enemy wants to silence your voice. By reminding you that your still the same; aint nothing changed. Who are you to talk about Jesus (i know what you did last night; what you looked at; who you were with).

But a life in Jesus reminds us, just like the angels reminded the woman that our voice matters to Jesus. That our plight mattered to him to.

These women DIDNT allow their circumstances or even past sins prevent them from sharing the good news.

They didn't even have all the details either, they just knew he wasn't there and that was enough to talk about this man who promised to do a thing AND had done it.

We should be bold in sharing our experiences of Jesus and His resurrection, regardless of our standing in the world. regardless of how much bible you know or dont know.

Don't count yourself out because you think you're too young, too broken, too messed up, or dont know enough.

Sitting there asking why me. WHY NOT YOU?

Just look in the bible we got lots of examples

David had an affair and killed the womans husband, yet he was a man after Gods on heart

The woman at the well saved her whole town yet she had slept with lots of men (who werent her husband)

Mary one of the women at the tomb (and became the first witness) yet had a troubled past

Whats your excuse?

Jesus cares about your voice and he'll use your story for his Glory and for your growth.

In living resurrected lives we are responsible for carry the message of good news to the world.

Its NOT just pastors, not just staff, but every single one of us has an opportunity to live resurrected and to share the resurrection with other people.

VI. Conclusion

As I close, some of you have been looking at the tomb of your life, seeking the same old things expecting a different result. (insanity)

Some of you look in that very same tomb and know nothing good is coming from it, but think thats all you can expect from life.

But let me assure you that because Jesus rose from the grave there is more for you.

That something that is missing in your life (cant quite put your finger on) is found and can only be fulfilled in Jesus. He is the way the truth and the life.

Seek Jesus and His life-giving presence. Not things that we know don’t give us life.

Deepen your relationship with Christ by joining up with Gods people, showing up for Sunday morning worship, and practice your spiritual disciplines.

And as we experience the resurrection and live resurrected, lets proclaim the good news of it.

Family, Live resurrected and stop looking for the living amongst the dead.

Lets pray

BUT before I do I want to give you an opportunity to respond to good news yourself.

If you know you have been looking for life amongst the dead and want to try this life giving power of a resurrected Jesus, I want you to raise your hand.

For everyone else, maybe you you wrote down dead things from the questions today AND want to leave them in the tomb.

Maybe you have identified yourself as a person who needs a fresh encounter, this prayer is for you.