Jesus Returns with Power to Complete the Mission
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Dear Congregation of our Lord Jesus Christ,
Irony and surprise that reveals real meaning to life! ie. imagine that - this whole time sitting on a gold mine, just had to have the eyes to see it. WHy one person looks into forest sees nothing - ugh icy dirty wild, but another sees a whole network of living communicating, network.
Well, even with the mysteries of Christ’s supernatural death and his supernatural entombment of his earthly body with the presence of God and entrance into paradise with salvation accomplished; His followers continued living as if nothing changed - for them life is tragedy, not comedy! Still living in the old world in the old covenant, They needed that eureka moment to the New world , the new creation , the new humanity, the New Deal. In the same way see forest with eyes opened to wonder, so too though they come to Easter Sunday with a honouring of Christ, they haven’t yet come with an embrace of the New Thing Christ came to bring!
What about you- you believe in God, that he created the earth, that Christ was dying for sins, and maybe even in the bare historical fact rose again and restored to life, but what you and I need is the eyes to see how He was being raised to live on to continue His earthly mission but now in new Resurrection power. But as you think of your future, your struggle, sin, and sickness and struggle - is life still just tragedy to you - or with the wonder of the Risen Christ, - can you see life is comedy - full most upside down twist that changes everything. More a fairy tale in its surprise, than a tragedy!! But a true one, not just historically, but it changes everything now, and in the future! We need to understand not only how Christ twists things upside down for this new beginning, but also how that twist, united to Him, happens in our live now already!
Key Truth: The Son of Man who fulfilled his earthly mission in lowly suffering, now returns to continue his mission in resurrection power!
And I am asking you do you have eyes to see it?
A) Open Your Eyes, Once Blinded by Tragedy, By God’s Interpreting WORD
Think of those women first of all, their first day of the week, means Sabbath rest is over - so they focus on their own work, even before dawn breaks, in the dark cold of the new day. We can bring the spices and wrap the body. Even with the miracle of the now sealed-stone rolled away - they are still looking for Jesus’ body - And what is the word when they can’t find that dead body - PERPLEXED!
While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel.
While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel.
What is the word Luke uses to describe how they feel even when the two men in brilliant white, like two men in white as Transfiguration, now at Resurrection, and soon at Ascension - two angels interpreting what’s going on with Jesus with WORD! They describe Jesus as the Living One, back from death to reign as the Son of Man. FRIGHTENED!
And what is the the question, that these angels would have them answer, in order to lead them away from the apparent tragedy of the Cross and their circumstances?
And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?
There is a mild rebuke there, isn’t there. Maybe you and I need to be asked that too - are you the Living - real one, answer to life, he who holds the key to wisdom, blessing, eternal life - are you searching for the answer to your life only in earthly things? Among this spiritually dead world? Are you searching for the answer as if heaven and hell don’t exists, as if forgiveness, and reconciliation with God, with each other, isn’t the biggest business of life? DO you settle for the dead kingdom of self - with God pushed to the perimeter of your life? Do you believe that suffering, evil and sin, just facts of life, never change and there can be no victory? DO you believe that Jesus just had a pipe dream, good moral teaching but that’s it? And he is gone, so we just try to live by his teaching and be inspired by his example of love?
Then I tell you in your life right now you are seeking a dead Jesus, not the One who died a supernatural death that absorbed all the evil out of your own death, who died in order to be utterly forsaken in the penalty of your sin, to put an end to sin domination and the curses power in your life. Whose heart broke, as he broke Satan power to condemn you and me … and to be outside of God’s forgiving, adopting accepting presence!
Oh, Listen to the angels punch line and let that message soak into the bewildered recess of your mind and heart:
He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee,
Not only is this Jesus you thought the dead Christ not here - no such Christ, but the real living Jesus who was humbled in earthly ministry for us, but who accomplishing our salvation - has Risen. Literally - a passive verb that means HE HAS BEEN RISEN BY GOD! The real transcendent Jesus is not in the tomb any more - but not only raised up to life, raised up in glory - raised up in power , raised up to RULE. As the Transcendent Rewarded Messiah and King of heaven and earth! You must go out from this tomb this morning and find that supremely LIVING ONE!
But there initial reaction was no different when they told the others disciples - in
but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them.
Jesus back from the dead? Better stop and think hard about that. Without understanding his mission or God’s prophesy about its significance is just nonsense, humbug as the word puts it idle tale. And so what is it the angel calls the women and these followers including you and me to do as we consider the announcement that JESUS IS RISEN Easter morning? Oh you may need to run to the tomb, check it out. JB Phillips - people way smarter but they never read NT accounts, never checked out historical evidence. But the angels’ message believed is like new eyes to a world where the Ever Risen Jesus is making all things new!
B. REMEMBER this Easter that the Son of Man Had to be Raised on the Third Day
The lead angel calls them to remember.
He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee,
To do what Jesus had already called them to do in the upper room when he instituted the Lord’s Supper. What was Jesus instruction then: DO this in remembrance of me - My death for you - for the forgiveness of yours ins. Remember I will eat this again - with you - in the kingdom , but not until die first. Remember this is the New Covenant in my Blood - It’s the same word, and the same action that the angel now calls us to in order to truly embrace the Risen One in Faith.
To remember - is more than just recall some facts. Like Scarborough Fair remember me to the One who lives there, she once was a true love mine. Sit at table remember some to someone else - like they are there, to recall and live into the relationship we have to them! Or think of some religions forbidden - to capture someones person their essence in an image - taking their soul - photograph - that’s the idea of remembering - re-presenting a person. To remember is re-present the facts but also the very person - their meaning and significance to you! And what is the reason the meaning the significance the angels calls us to represent:
that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.”
Hmm where have we heard that title before? Do you remember three days before, in his trial - official news of land - Jesus was asked in the Chamber of Hewn Stone - official court of Israel are you the Christ? - didn’t like how title misunderstood - agrees but then said: what?
But from now on the Son of Man shall be seated at the right hand of the power of God.”
Who was that Son of Man? Remember that is the point. They say you are claing to be God, the very Son of God equal in power and dignity sitting on His throne of the univrse. This figure in Daniel 7 given by the Ancient of Days, all authority in heaven and on earth to establish an everlasting kingdom. That was Jesus favourite title in his earthly ministry - I am the Son of Man and even in that Daniel 7 prophesy - it is foretold that he would COME UP TO, RAISED TO THIS THRONE IN HEAVEN.
Understand Jesus is not just resusictated and will live for a a few more years or decades, and then die like us. He is raised up in resurrection life, even as a human - the blood that he shed on the Cross - to reconcile us to God, that blood now pumps again through his veins, and he has desstoryed death, it has no power over him any more, and he will never die! He is the first-born from among the dead.
Not just back from death but transcend the clouds of this world, be raised up to the throne of heaven. And the angel is saying recall, re-present before your mind - Jesus as the Son of Man - all that means, claiming that like the OT says he would would be God himself making an atonement for his people like the OT says, that day of darkness would come when even whole creation grieving like lost the only Son, but he was buried and raised on the 3rd day according to the Scriptures.
When darkness of Day of the LORD’s wrath judgment day would fall and the sun would grow dark at high noon. Remember he said it was his mission to die as a ransom for our lost sinful human race. Remember what he said about what would happen after that - the only sign this world really needs is the sign of Jonah - that the Son of Man, after dying for our sin and destroying death’s power , after laid low and planted His victory flag in the grave, like Jonah coming out of the watery grave of the belly of fish in the bottom of the sea of chaos. The Son of Man would emerge raised up by God to bring salvation to apply this salvation not only to to His people, but even to the whole creation!
Yes on third day according to the Scriptures and this would mean our big change in life too as
After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him.
After two days he will revive us; on the third day he will raise us up, that we may live before him.
Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.”
And listen to how that would change us:
Let us know; let us press on to know the Lord; his going out is sure as the dawn; he will come to us as the showers, as the spring rains that water the earth.”
Think of it Satan had bruised Jesus heal, but now in Resurrection, Christ has the victory. Look now Christ in taking the bruise we deserved, now says Cyril of Jersualem: Jesus has taken his Sabbath rest in the tomb, for the tree of life must be planted in a tomb in fulfillment of Scriptures. On the third day, he shall bring the reign of his kingdom to all creation when he rises from the dead.
This is what the Scriptures mean by that word raised, resurrected: God, by His power, Father, Son and Holy Spirit in their essence raised the God-Man Jesus Christ, whose soul was in heaven, and his body truly died for us - in the greatest miracle of all, with the greatest power of all - at the centre of world history God raised Jesus Christ up and now He is alive to bring that very same resurrection power, this great new fact now in the world - greatest dynamic not available to us before - now he is bringing that power to all who will believe in him! And that is the corner stone of a whole new world!
Listen to Paul’s prayer for you and me, like the angels instruction to remember: I pray that God may give you the spirit of wisdom and of revelation - do you have that this morning as you look to the empty tomb?
having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints,
and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church,
Cyril of Jerusalem: Jesus has taken his Sabbath rest in the tomb, for the tree of life must be planted in a tomb in fulfillment of Scriptures. On the third day, he shall bring the reign of his kingdom to all creation when he rises from the dead.
This is what it means to believe in resurrection, not only that Christ rose, but the same power that rose Jesus from the dead, he has risen to breathe that from his heavenly throne by His Spirit into you! That’s how the NT uses this word raises:
And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power.
That’s also how Jesus used it:
And this is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.
Oh there will be a raising of our physical bodies on the last, day, but Jesus spoke of a resurrection that would happen before that great day: what is the first resurrection in a believer’s life? Listen to what Jesus happens now already before the great resurrection at the end of time.
Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.
“Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming, and is now here, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live.
And I plead with you this Easter morning, as you remember all the OT plan for the Messiah’s Resurrection and Jesus own words, that recognizing the meaning, not just back to life - but life with the new power of the Son of Man - ruler of eternal kingdom - that we too be filled with this resurrection power in hearing His word, raised to new spiritual life.
Do you have a head this morning, Couldn’t live whiteout a control center, giving life.. Well Christ is raised up as new marvelous head for you - we are His body. He is the first born of many many of us, - now have his life in us!
And Luke would personalize this even more. Listen to how Mark records it:
ἐξεγείρωa: ὁ δὲ θεὸς καὶ τὸν κύριον ἤγειρεν καὶ ἡμᾶς ἐξεγερεῖ διὰ τῆς δυνάμεως αὐτοῦ ‘God raised up the Lord and will raise us up through his power’ or ‘God caused the Lord to live again and he will cause us to live through his power’ 1 Cor 6:14.ἀνίστημιb: ἀλλὰ ἀναστήσω αὐτὸ ἐν τῇ ἐσχάτῃ ἡμέρᾳ ‘but that I should raise them to life on the last day’ Jn 6:39.
But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.”
The disciples AND PETER. Maybe that is for you this morning, for all of us and for you personally! Luke calls us to consider Peter’s response this morning. Imagine being Peter, told of Satan testing his own heart and commitment too - and that he would fall. All of us plural you will be sifted, but Peter I have prayed personally for you. But Peter has denied his Lord, even knowing Jesus was at this central act of humble service, powerful act of battling Satan, where he had pinned down most, Jesus goes to the mat. But the rooster crows and Peter’s eyes locked with Christ - silence and sadness. No, Messiah is crucified and sheep are scattered and the dream of God’s kingdom is over. And Peter with the others is as it were hiding. Depressed, despondent. And Luke so carefully and graciously records for us that resurrection not just some general truth but one to be personally embraced and applied. Can you put your name there today?
But Peter rose and ran to the tomb and looking in… he went home marveling at what had happened.
Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 262. as he calls us to consider Peter’s response this morning. Imagine being Peter, told of Satan testing his own heart and cmomtitment too - and that he would fall. All of us plurla you will be sifted, but Peter I have prayed personally for you. And then so personally Peter does deny knowing his Lord a tthis cetnral act of humble service, powerful act of battling Satan where he had pinned down most, Jesus goes tot eh mat - and the rooster crows and Peter’s eyes locked with Christ - silenece and sadness. No Messiah is curcified and sheep are scattered and teh dream of God’s kingdom is over. And Peter with the toehr is as it were hiding. Depressed, despondent. And Luke so cartefully and graciously records for us that resurreciton not just some gerneal truth but one to be personally embraced and applied.
But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened.
Can you imagine it - he gets up - does remember that after Jesus said he’d fall, after you returned strengthen the brethren. Is it possible third day raised, and I too might be returned and raised too. I have prayed that your faith would not fail!
Peter was on the edge of utter despair - but he was not alone. Who is that beside him, never left he side, perhaps would have given up had it not been for such a friend. John. John bolts after him , catches up - running and talking only a few hundred meters from city gate to the garden tomb! and passes Peter, but he doesn't go in. Peter duck his head and stands at the entrance - he sees the grave clothes by themselves -Hadn’t expected the grave clothes. Not just back to life - but raised in splendid glory! He enters and sees the head cloth - and what is this neatly folded and by its self. No one had taken his body and scattered the grave clothes in disarray and darkness. He had risen in glory - IN the middle of the darkness of the grave the miracle happened, - resurrected one - - stone rolled away to let him out.
But then as Peter is marveling over these realities, he must have left Jerusalem to join other hiding disciples wherever they had gone. Toward evening we know that Jesus actually appears again, not just to the women who had returned to the garden, but to Peter personally - as you can see in and
saying, “The Lord has risen indeed, and has appeared to Simon!”
Filled with penitence, correction, forgiven, thankfulness Peter rushes back to the 11 in Jerusalem and found them in a private room and must have been telling him about the Risen Jesus’ appearance - when lo and behold - Christ Himself, is Risen in glorified body enters through locked doors - and in the deep hush of wonder - with no judgement or correction, utter his first recorded words to them” Peace be with you. And we know the crucifixion of the Son of God has accomplished all that was planned for it. All who turn to him are not only forgiven but adopted and he breathes his Spirit on them.
But there is one last detail in our text with which Luke would have us leave with this Easter Morning.
Buthere is one last detail in our text with which Luke would have us leave this Easter Day.
C. Return to Your Old World Going & Telling of New Life in Jesus
It is remarkable that the Crucified Jesus chose a thief, and a centurion part of the wicked men putting him to death, and a Pharisee named Joseph to first get the Cross. You can be bet there testimony to the most important miraculous death and all it effects their witness would be heard. And it is remarkable that Jesus chose women in that society to be the first witnesses of the RISEN CHRIST, the first heralds of the New kingdom of the Son of Man in glory -
And they remembered his words,
and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.
And what is it that Jesus says in his resurrection appearance at the end of the day with all the eleven in the upper room:
Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”
Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.”
That was a word for all of them, he loved them all alike , there was no distinction between one another. AND PETER too, there was a spacial place for him in the heart of Jesus . And for you and me too - the Risen - by word and spirit appears to us reigning from heaven, an d he sends you and me out to testify of Life without condemnation, forgiveness adoption, of an everlasting kingdom - truths stand for time - love and joy and peace - Go and tell. The women couldn’t but speak of good news of the Risen Jesus so should we!
Even as the Father sent me - Jesus says - so now and with equal urgency and even more power now that His Spirit is sent upon us - he sends you women, he sends you men, sends you young adults - sends you personally Peter....
All who have begun to experience Jesus as the Risen Son of Man - - who reverses death, who grants a peace , who turn every apparent tragedy in our lives to be reconciled to his saving plan - this is the One who rose and longed to come back to his people to take up the throne from heaven and reign on behalf of his church - that they living by His resurrection power - might bring this good news of the kingdom to every creature, to every broken situation under heaven!
You have tragedy and brokenness and despair in your life, you know people with sadness , know people just living for this life, building up big barns, yet wrath awaits and they don’t want to think about it. But just like Jesus appeared to these people who were prepared just to get on with life in this broken world - we too can meet Jesus and we can meet others stuck in this old life - with the new message of Jesus . Amen.
Johannes P. Louw and Eugene Albert Nida, Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament: Based on Semantic Domains (New York: United Bible Societies, 1996), 262.