The Easter Message

The Easter Message

(NKJV) 1  Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. 2  But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. 3  Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4  And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. 5  Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? 6  He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, 7  saying, 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.' " 8  And they remembered His words. 9  Then they returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. 10  It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them, who told these things to the apostles. 11  And their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them.

Easter is a time of great joy and thankfulness. God was pleased with His Son and raised Him from the dead. Jesus conquered death and the grave. He was the Sacrificial Lamb for the payment of sin, our sin! What happened on that first Easter morning Is the very foundation of the Christian religion. I want to look at four truths that stand out to me.

I want to look at four truths that stand out to me.

1. The Empty Tomb- Jesus Christ is Alive !!!

(KJV 1900)

3 And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.

3  Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4  And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. 5  Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee,

4 And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:

5 And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?

"Why do you seek the living among the dead?

6 He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,

"Why do you seek the living among the dead?

They were seeking to honor a dead Savior, a Savior who was as all other men are, frail and powerless to do anything about life and eternity. Their whole being—their thoughts, feelings, and behavior—were focused upon a dead Savior.

They were living just as the world lives—"strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world" ().

He is not here, but is risen!

Jesus was not there!! These two men in shining garments ask the question knowing that Jesus had already told them He would rise from the grave.

Every precaution was taken to  make sure Jesus stayed in the tomb. Pilate made sure that Jesus was dead before he released the body to Joseph of Arimathea.

(NKJV) 43  Joseph of Arimathea, a prominent council member, who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God, coming and taking courage, went in to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 44  Pilate marveled that He was already dead; and summoning the centurion, he asked him if He had been dead for some time. 45  So when he found out from the centurion, he granted the body to Joseph.

The Chief Priests and Pharisees even went to Pilate to take further measures to keep Jesus in the tomb.

(NKJV) 62  On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, 63  saying, "Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, 'After three days I will rise.' 64  Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, 'He has risen from the dead.' So the last deception will be worse than the first." 65  Pilate said to them, "You have a guard; go your way, make it as secure as you know how." 66  So they went and made the tomb secure, sealing the stone and setting the guard.

There is no greater hope in this life than what comes from Jesus' resurrection. Because He lives, we to will only experience physical death if Jesus does not come back in our lifetime, we can live forever after this life on earth.

Paul said in 1 Corinthians;

19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

2. The Eternal Destination

Jesus' work on earth was finished, He would return to sit on the right hand of the Father. He rose from the dead to return to Heaven, from where He came.

(NKJV) 22  who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, angels and authorities and powers having been made subject to Him.

(NKJV)

38  For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.

3. The Defeated Enemy

Jesus defeated Satan!!  Jesus defeated death and the grave.

(KJV)

55  O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?

We are born into sin, and sin leads to death.

(NKJV)

23  For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Our enemy is defeated by Jesus on the cross. We have victory. James tells us;

(NKJV)

7  Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

(KJV)

8  He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.

(NKJV)

2  And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his mark and over the number of his name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God.

The enemy, Satan, the Devil, is defeated forever.

(NKJV)

8  And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.

Jesus is the ultimate Authority, the Redeemer, King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Almighty God!

(NKJV)

20  Then the beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image. These two were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.

(NKJV)

10  The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.

4. The Easter Message

Christ's crucifixion, burial, and resurrection! 

(NKJV) 3 For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,  4  and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, 

The Easter Message

Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,

(NKJV)

28  And though they found no cause for death in Him, they asked Pilate that He should be put to death.

(NKJV)

8  But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

He was placed in a tomb!

4  and that He was buried

(NKJV)

29  Now when they had fulfilled all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb.

He was raised from the dead!

He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, 

He was resurrected. Without the resurrection we have no Savour. Paul said;

(NKJV)

13  But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen.

14  And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty.

15  Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up--if in fact the dead do not rise.

16  For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen.

17  And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!

God provided a way for us to have our sin debt paid and have eternal fellowship with Him. He wants us to worship and seek Him in our daily lives. He desires the best for us in this life and the life to come. No one will escape judgement;

(NKJV)

27  And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,

God gave us a free will to make our own choice!!

The Easter Message is this;

Christ is our Savour, do you know Him as your personal Savour? Have you ask Him into your heart?

(NKJV)

23  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

(NKJV)

23  For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

(NKJV)

20  Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.

(NKJV)

9  that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

10  For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

11  For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame."

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(NKJV)

34  Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.

(NKJV)

9  For to this end Christ died and rose and lived again, that He might be Lord of both the dead and the living.

(NKJV) 15  and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again.

(NKJV) 19  For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous.