What does the resurrection change?

HE IS RISEN! Amen?

Today is our victory day, for today is the day Jesus conquered death and the grave. On Friday He conquered sin, and now the two biggest enemies of humanity lay slain at our Risen Saviors feet, sin and death!

Thank you all for having me this morning, I am highly honored to be speaking to you all again. As always, I want to thank Deacon Gunter for allowing me to address you all on such a special day.

Today I want to spend time talking about what Jesus’ victory over sin and death means to us today, 2000 years later. History is rife with happenings that have been written down, but why is this one so special to warrant such glad tidings and so good to be called “The Good News” and gospel?

I hope to help answer that today!

But first, like we should always do before approaching God’s word, we should go to Him in prayer. Let’s pray:

Holy Father,

We praise your name and the name of your son, Jesus Christ. We recognize your strength, might, and love that you demonstrated resurrection Sunday almost 2000 years ago. As we remember Your victory we look to Your scripture to understand what this means for us today. We ask that You come into Your house this morning and bless us with Your presence. We ask You help us understand your word and help it settle deep into our hearts as we seek to serve You.

In Jesus Christ’s victorious name, Amen.

To answer the question of what does the resurrection change, we’re going to need to jump around a bit this morning. We’re going to take a look at three post-resurrection appearances of Jesus Christ, and see how they applied then and how they apply now.

Let’s get started!

The Resurrection Changes our Past (Luke 24:25-31)

Road to Emmaus (About 7 miles or 2 hours walk)

Cleopas and another disciple

Jesus walks up but prevents himself from being recognized. This isn’t just a different look, the disciples were prevented from recognizing him.

Jesus asked what they were talking about. They said they were sad about Jesus

Women discovered the tomb empty and saw Him, but could not corroborate the testimony

Luke 24:25–31 ESV

25 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself. 28 So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, 29 but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight.

In 2 hours Christ completely changed the OT without changing one word, jot, or tiddle.

It all pointed toward Him, all the way from Moses on! Jews still disagree to this day about that interpretation.

Jesus does the same for us, His resurrection reinterprets our past. Everything in our past points toward Him too.

Small recount of my sin of pride and rescue

John Newton Illustration

Lived in the mid 18th Century/1700s

Given to gambling, alcohol and blasphemy

Went beyond not believing but would try and persuade others against faith

Worse yet, he made his living in the slave trade, capturing, torturing, and selling humans like cattle.

March 21, 1748 John and the ship he was on met a storm, and that night he was reacquainted with God

Became disgusted with his own life, became an Anglican priest many years later. Wrote “Amazing Grace”

His work in the slave trade allowed him to speak about those horrors, teamed up with William Wilberforce, and in 1807 the British Parliament passed the Slave Trade Act, by 1833, it was abolished in the British Empire. It took us a few years longer in the United States.

Jesus’ resurrection made John realize his despicable past could help people here and now, and he did so

Because Jesus died and rose, our pasts are given purpose, they are rewritten without changing a word, but all the meaning shifts.

The resurrection gives our Past purpose.

The Resurrection changes our Present (John 21:15-17)

Jesus met his disciples some days after the resurrection on the seashore of Galilee.

Peter, John, and 5 others went, Peter decided to go fishing, and they all went with him.

They fished all night, and caught nothing, showing nothing for their toil and hard work.

They were only about 100 yards from shore and man there asked if they had fish. They didn’t

The man suggested dropping their nets on the other side of the boat, and when they did, they could not haul in the number of fish

John recognized Jesus, and Peter, who had his outer garment off because he was working, threw it on and jumped in and swam to Jesus

When he got there Jesus had a coal fire, and cooking fish, and had bread. The other disciples came and when the catch was in, this is where we pick up.

John 21:15–17 ESV

15 When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” 16 He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” 17 He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.

Peter denied Christ three times, and Jesus asked if Peter loved Him three times.

In the end, Peter relied on Jesus’ knowledge of everything to answer the matter.

Jesus told Peter to feed His lambs and to tend and feed His sheep.

Peter was the first with this charge, but we all have the same task. Its found in 5 places like Acts 1:8 and Matt 28:18-20, we call it the Great Commission

Shepherd Illustration

Read in a book about a Pastor in Schiehallion in the highlands of Scotland

Was out walking near the town when a man came up with something moving in his plaid, his kilt. He knew the man was a shepherd because he attended the Pastor’s services.

Pastor asked what it was, the shepherd replied it was a “poor forsaken lamb… and found it on the cold ground and it’s mother left it”.

The Pastor was concerned and ask what he was going to do with it. The shepherd simple replied “I will feed it, and it will soon become part of the flock”

We too are called to find Jesus’ lambs, who are struggling and search, left cold and alone by this world and it’s evil ruler. To have deep compassion and to strive to reach out to the lost.

Jesus’ resurrection makes our present life meaningful. We all have phones (distractions), but Jesus charge of Peter shows us what He calls us to be.

Jesus’ resurrection gives our present purpose in tending His lost lambs, wherever they may be.

The Resurrection changes our Future (John 20:15-18)

Covered this in the sunrise service, but short summary

The women found the tomb empty, told Peter and John, they also found it empty and left perplexed.

Mary went back and through her grief encountered two angels and it did not even phase her.

Jesus then shows up and speaks with her, she doesn’t recognize him at first and that’s where we pick up, with Mary grieving concerned for her dead friend and prophet

John 20:15–18 ESV

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.” 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.

Touching display of love from our living Savior. He stops her from clinging to Him because there was still work to do.

Notice something important, Jesus says that God the Father is Mary’s Father too, and the disciples.

Old Testament mentions of God being our father are few, less than 10

New testament over 200

It’s clear our understanding of that relationship has changed

What does it mean though?

It means we know where we are going to be at the end of this life.

When our journey is done, we know that we’ll be with our older brother Jesus and our Father in heaven.

We know we will find rest and joy everlasting.

It’s not going to be easy. We have a job to do, just like Mary did, and just like in Mary’s day there’s someone trying to foil us.

He has many tactics he uses.

In India, China, and Somolia he uses brute force to silence us and keep us from our mission.

Here in the states, he uses comfort, that if we dare speak out and proclaim the good news that this day commemorates that he’ll take our comforts and make us live awful lives.

He’s trying to hurt God because he couldn’t be God, but know this, he’ll only get away with it for so long. When our big brother shows up, then the score will be settled.

Jesus said it best in one of my favorite passages when I’m down. In Luke 21:16-18 Jesus is explaining the signs of the end times. He tells us we’ll be betrayed by family, and some of us even put to death. Yeah, in verse 18 he says Luke 21:18 “18 But not a hair of your head shall be lost.”

How can this be? Surely if I am put to death my glorious hair will also suffer no?

It’s because this is not the end, this is but a stepping stone to the true reality. The one where we are with our maker, where we are His people and He is our God and we rejoice with Jesus and the angels for eternity. Satan can’t touch that.

The resurrection changes our future from one of the grave where our last breath is all that there is, to one of a promise of rest and joy for eternity. It gives us our true purpose, to love and be loved by God forever.

The Revelation of the Resurrection

In each of the above scripture readings, I want you to notice something. Jesus did not reveal Himself immediately.

On the road to Emmaus Jesus gave his disciples wisdom and revealed Himself in fellowship

On the seaside, Jesus gave his disciples blessing and revealed Himself by His insight

By the tomb, Jesus gave Mary comfort and revealed Himself with His voice

We are the same.

Some of us are on the road of life, confused and perplexed and needing inspiration and insight. Others are by the seaside toiling and bringing nothing in, and yet others are by their own tombs, crushed by the evil this world can do to us.

In all these places, in dark times, Jesus revealed Himself, and He does so today, because of the Resurrection! We serve a LIVING GOD!

If you’re on the road, look to fellowship and find Jesus there.

If you’re by the seaside, listen out for his direction for blessing.

If you’re by the tomb, listen in the still small times for your Good Shepherd’s voice.

He’s there and still loves you, regardless of the world’s attempts to separate us.

The Call

If you’re here this morning and hear a still small voice, feel the lump in your throat, or your mind racing asking if this is even possible, I tell you it is! He is ALIVE AND RISEN… and calling you..

Don’t let another day go by for we don’t know what tomorrow brings, or even today. Today is the day of Salvation, do not neglect the call of the Good Shepherd.

As I ask our worship team to come back up for the closing hymns, I’ll stay close by up here. Find me, find someone, there are many mature brothers and sisters present, talk to someone. We serve a risen Savior, a King who is Alive and on His throne, and you can too!

Let’s Pray:

Loving and Victorious Heavenly Father,

We praise You again! We praise you Lord Jesus! You have conquered sin and death and have invited us to be with You now and for eternity. You reveal yourself to us in many ways, but we can rest assured of Your love. We know our painful pasts are rewritten to glorious triumphs because of You. We know our present struggles are purposeful and meaningful because of You. We know our future is secure though the world may hate us… because of You. Thank You Lord Jesus… Thank You…

Bless us as we go into the week, keep Your victory in our hearts and minds all week and all year long. Let us never forget Your great resurrection, for it changes everything!

In Jesus Christ’s mighty name, Amen!