Easter Sunday 2019

Acts 26 NLT

1 Then Agrippa said to Paul, “You may speak in your defense.” So Paul, gesturing with his hand, started his defense: 2 “I am fortunate, King Agrippa, that you are the one hearing my defense today against all these accusations made by the Jewish leaders, 3 for I know you are an expert on all Jewish customs and controversies. Now please listen to me patiently! 4 “As the Jewish leaders are well aware, I was given a thorough Jewish training from my earliest childhood among my own people and in Jerusalem. 5 If they would admit it, they know that I have been a member of the Pharisees, the strictest sect of our religion. 6 Now I am on trial because of my hope in the fulfillment of God’s promise made to our ancestors. 7 In fact, that is why the twelve tribes of Israel zealously worship God night and day, and they share the same hope I have. Yet, Your Majesty, they accuse me for having this hope! 8 Why does it seem incredible to any of you that God can raise the dead? 9 “I used to believe that I ought to do everything I could to oppose the very name of Jesus the Nazarene. 10 Indeed, I did just that in Jerusalem. Authorized by the leading priests, I caused many believers there to be sent to prison. And I cast my vote against them when they were condemned to death. 11 Many times I had them punished in the synagogues to get them to curse Jesus. I was so violently opposed to them that I even chased them down in foreign cities. 12 “One day I was on such a mission to Damascus, armed with the authority and commission of the leading priests. 13 About noon, Your Majesty, as I was on the road, a light from heaven brighter than the sun shone down on me and my companions. 14 We all fell down, and I heard a voice saying to me in Aramaic, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? It is useless for you to fight against my will.’ 15 “ ‘Who are you, lord?’ I asked. “And the Lord replied, ‘I am Jesus, the one you are persecuting. 16 Now get to your feet! For I have appeared to you to appoint you as my servant and witness. Tell people that you have seen me, and tell them what I will show you in the future. 17 And I will rescue you from both your own people and the Gentiles. Yes, I am sending you to the Gentiles 18 to open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God’s people, who are set apart by faith in me.’ 19 “And so, King Agrippa, I obeyed that vision from heaven. 20 I preached first to those in Damascus, then in Jerusalem and throughout all Judea, and also to the Gentiles, that all must repent of their sins and turn to God—and prove they have changed by the good things they do. 21 Some Jews arrested me in the Temple for preaching this, and they tried to kill me. 22 But God has protected me right up to this present time so I can testify to everyone, from the least to the greatest. I teach nothing except what the prophets and Moses said would happen—23 that the Messiah would suffer and be the first to rise from the dead, and in this way announce God’s light to Jews and Gentiles alike.” 24 Suddenly, Festus shouted, “Paul, you are insane. Too much study has made you crazy!” 25 But Paul replied, “I am not insane, Most Excellent Festus. What I am saying is the sober truth. 26 And King Agrippa knows about these things. I speak boldly, for I am sure these events are all familiar to him, for they were not done in a corner! 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do—” 28 Agrippa interrupted him. “Do you think you can persuade me to become a Christian so quickly?” 29 Paul replied, “Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that both you and everyone here in this audience might become the same as I am, except for these chains.” 30 Then the king, the governor, Bernice, and all the others stood and left. 31 As they went out, they talked it over and agreed, “This man hasn’t done anything to deserve death or imprisonment.” 32 And Agrippa said to Festus, “He could have been set free if he hadn’t appealed to Caesar.”

Acts

Guys, I know that using this kind of platform to brag is in bad taste. But you know......well here goes...

It seems that, and I have an email to verify it..that I have been contacted by the prince, wealthy Prince of Nigeria, and he is offering me a heft sum, if I just write him a quick note with my bank information, and inviting him to my house.

I feel pretty secure in this and look forward to how my life is going to change when all this comes through!!

So, you know treat me nice.

PAUSE

When many people hear the gospel they probably think of it kind of like an email from a Nigerian prince!

When many people hear the gospel they probably think of it kind of like an email from an African prince!

You want it to be true but You would most likely dismiss it.

But the more you hear it the more information, the more you dig.

The gospel, this idea that the Son of God, the prince of Heaven, walked among us, as the Gospel of John says, and that whoever believes in him will have eternal life. A new life. A life that is defined by the love of God for you, and not what you can pull off.

That the creator of the universe knows you by name and wants to be in relationship with you and he only thing in the way of that our sin has been taken care of on the cross of Jesus Christ, and all we need to do to gain all the benefits of his death and resurrection is to place our trust in him!

At first glance that sounds like a scam letter!

But if you .....

If you received a letter in the mail, that had a return address of a relative, you would be more interested. If on the inside of the letter it said that your rich uncle, who passed away, would like to leave you a large sum of money, it would seem more probable.

Still might seem far-fetched, in this day and age there so many people scamming, you figure there’s probably a way that someone got this information. But, you would definitely want to look into it! The people around you would probably say it would be ridiculous and not to look into it.

The ongoing message of the early church, was that there is news, there is a historical event, something has happened, that affects you! Something amazing happened and you are the beneficiary if you so choose!

And the ongoing declaration of the early followers of Jesus Christ was look into this.

Even if there is a chance this is true, wouldn’t you want to know.

As one scholar says,..”Even if you don’t believe in the resurrection, the goos news of the Gospel, you should want it to be true!”

The first followers of the church made it their mission to explain the truth of the historical event of the resurrection, because if true. it changes everything!!

It changes how you view others, yourself, and God.

The Apostle Paul/or some may know him as St. Paul, had been in prison for two years in the city of Caesarea. He was in prison because he would not shut up about the fact that a man named Jesus had risen from the dead. A man that had made all sorts of amazing claims about himself, about how we understand God, and on top of that said, if you want poof about who Am, you just wait!

You will destroy my body and 3 days later, I will rise.

And Paul who one fought tooth and nail against this story soon learned the fact of the resurrection.

And everything changed.

And he has now found himself ....before two kings!!

Like a bit of entertainment he is brought before them, out of his prison cell to explain himself.

On this occasion,

Acts 26:25–29 NLT

25 But Paul replied, “I am not insane, Most Excellent Festus. What I am saying is the sober truth. 26 And King Agrippa knows about these things. I speak boldly, for I am sure these events are all familiar to him, for they were not done in a corner! 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do—” 28 Agrippa interrupted him. “Do you think you can persuade me to become a Christian so quickly?” 29 Paul replied, “Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that both you and everyone here in this audience might become the same as I am, except for these chains.”

Acts 26:24–29 NLT

24 Suddenly, Festus shouted, “Paul, you are insane. Too much study has made you crazy!” 25 But Paul replied, “I am not insane, Most Excellent Festus. What I am saying is the sober truth. 26 And King Agrippa knows about these things. I speak boldly, for I am sure these events are all familiar to him, for they were not done in a corner! 27 King Agrippa, do you believe the prophets? I know you do—” 28 Agrippa interrupted him. “Do you think you can persuade me to become a Christian so quickly?” 29 Paul replied, “Whether quickly or not, I pray to God that both you and everyone here in this audience might become the same as I am, except for these chains.”

When Paul was in front of Agrippa and Festus in , he was a prisoner. Festus and Agrippa were two royal personages, and they had Paul come out and explain his Christian faith. So he had an audience with these two kings. He starts to talk about the gospel, and he talks about Christ’s death and resurrection. When he’s in the middle of his discussion, suddenly Festus says, “Paul, your great learning has driven you mad.”

Festus recognized that Paul was a scholar. Festus recognized Paul’s teaching and preaching was tremendously academically sound, but he says, “You believe somebody died for our sins and was raised again from the dead? Your great learning has driven you mad.” He comes back and says this, and it’s an amazing statement. It shows you the in-your-face attitude of the heralds of the original Christian message. He says, “I am not insane, most excellent Festus, but what I say is true and reasonable. King Agrippa from Palestine knows about these things, for these things were not done in a corner.” That’s amazing.

BUT..an this is what I want you and I to think on this morning....and this is really what Resurrection Sunday or Easter Sunday is all about.....

He turns to Agrippa, because Agrippa was Jewish, and Agrippa lived in Palestine during the life of Christ and during the death and resurrection. What does Paul say? Paul doesn’t say, “Festus, if you want to understand Christianity, you have to apply the principles to your life and just simply live them out; then you’ll know.” He doesn’t say that. When Festus says, “You’re crazy, Paul. Nobody could rise from the dead,” he turns to Agrippa and says, “Festus, I am not insane. What I am saying is reasonable and true. Talk to Agrippa. He knows these things were not done in a corner.”

Christianity is not primarily a proclamation about a way of life!!

It is a proclamation about a historical FACT!

Hey you may not believe the facts but make no mistake, Christianity is not primarily out to proclaim a better way of life.

Hey you may not believe the facts but make not mistake, Christianity is not primarily out to proclaim a better way of life.

Christianity is primarily, and I mean primarily, the announcement of some historical facts.

It’s primarily the proclamation of certain world-changing historical events, and only secondarily is it a way of life. Only secondarily is it a philosophy. Only secondarily is it a set of principles for living.

PAUSE

When Paul writes about this event he says this in

1 Corinthians 15:3–11 NLT

3 I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. 5 He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. 6 After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. 7 Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him. 9 For I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God’s church. 10 But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me—and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace. 11 So it makes no difference whether I preach or they preach, for we all preach the same message you have already believed.

1 Corinthians 3:11 NLT

11 For no one can lay any foundation other than the one we already have—Jesus Christ.

What is he saying? He is NOT saying ultimately guys, live better and say it is because of a good teacher named Jesus!

He didnt say ultimately, live this way and you are a Christian.

He said…something happened in time and space.

You can point to the spot where this event took place on a map.

It meant a herald. One who gave you news. Who stood in town square and let you know the stuff going one that will affect you.

You can point to a date on the calendar!

This is not a philosophy or an ideology this is history!

Even the word preacher, used by Paul. Or the word preaching, was a strategic word, meant to differentiate Christians from those who offered a new philosophy.

It was very important to Early Christians that

They weren’t teachers, they were preachers. The word was important.

The word for preacher is the same as Herald.

In the time of the early church the heralds would come to the centre of town and they would yell out important news, news that would affect how they lived their lives!

Sparta is attacking! All first born men are being rounded up to serve in the military.

There is famine.

Taxes are rising.

Right!!?

Stuff that was important.

The Herald would not come into the town centre with suggestions!!

“Announcing 3 new principles to get the girl with the ringlets to fall for you!”

Heralds didn’t cover fashion!!

“Hey everyone, orange togas are now all the rage in Athens!!”

Paul and the other early Christians wanted to make sure everyone understood.

The Resurrection of Christ is actual historical news that WILL affect you.

When taxes are imposed you decide whether you will pay or not!

When the government imposes a draft, you decide whether you will hide or you will sign up and fight.

The resurrection is that kind of news!! The news that says.......THIS HAPPENED! WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT IT!!??

See philosophers gave advice and suggestions!

Preachers/heralds declared fact!

Paul says....look this is verifiable!

There were witnesses, and lots of them, elsewhere Paul says in ..This event of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus did not happen in a corner.. Everyone witnessed it!

This is faith based on fact.

It meant a herald. One who gave you news. Who stood in town square and let you know the stuff going one that will affect you.

Hard news is different than soft news because you can’t ignore hard news. Hard news doesn’t suggest; it affects you. If there’s a fire over here, if there’s a tax coming, if there’s a war on, if there’s a military action, this affects you. It’ll overtake you and run you down if you ignore it. Hard news.

In the news today on tv, in magazines, online, newspapers if you still get them, there is an mix

I the days of th. Church 5e herald only gave hard news!!

There was no and now ....wondering how to improve your look in that toga!!

Have you seen these new sandals they are all th rage in Athens!!

Only hard news was delivered by a herald

So saying he was a preacher and that the story of Christ was preached was a way of saying....

Paul and the early Christians specifically said the gospel, the message of Christianity, is hard news. It’s not a philosophy. It’s not a way of dealing with life. Only secondarily is it. Hard news is always this: Something has actually

Here is th point Pail and h apostles never gave the implied that th resurrection of. HIRST was soft news, that could be taken as advice or an improvement for your behaviour. It was hard news that meant it had an impact on how you would live you life!

Something has happen in history that changes everything!!

This is different than every other kind of religion.”

That is the difference between the claims of Christianity and other religious claims.

All other kinds of religions always say, “Here is a way you can live better. Here is a way to wisdom. Here is a way to deal with your problems. Here’s the way to relate to God. Here’s the way to come into unity with the infinite.”

Christianity says... something has actually happened. Something has happened in history you can’t ignore, that will overtake you if you ignore it. Something has happened that changes everything

And a Christianity that settles for a philosophy, that says…you know let’s get rid of the resurrection stuff. It is hard to believe!!

Here is the the thing. Many churches and many who call themselves Christians have said that the way to move Christianity forward to really give it a leg up in our culture, is if we take out the stuff that sounds miraculous!

Stick to the simple stuff that everyone can agree on.

Take the principle of the Gospel!

After winter comes spring.

Love perseveres!

Isn’t Christianity just about love.

All of that without the resurrection is not Christianity ANDit isn’t life altering in the way a resurrection is!

That is really all it is about!

But if you try to do that to Christianity you deny its historicity.

You deny the fact of the resurrection.

Fisherman and slaves did not become Christians because they learned about loving their neighbours!

The Roman empire was not turned on its head because a small group of people believed that love perseveres!

Imagine the apostle Paul preaching to slaves (as he did) and saying,

“Hey guys, do not worry, I know your lives have been stolen from you, your property taken, but the top philosophers in Athen have 5 ways to relieve stress!!

What are the slaves going to say?

The slaves are not going to say “Man this changes everything!!”

Now I can face the relentless oppression I face every day!

No!

Something happened in history that changed everything; whether a Roman ruler or a slave at the bottom of society!

Something happened in history that changed everything; whether a Roman ruler or a slave at the bottom of society!

Something has come into history. God has come from outside of history. He was born. He died for our sins. He was raised. It all happened in history, so everything has changed. Everything

Christianity transformed the ancient world because it was real news!!

News that really meant something!

God has shown up!, How will you deal with it.

He said here are the facts of History, God has shown up!, How will you deal with it.

That is the message of a preacher and the message of a herald!

Tim Keller says this…

“There is no hope unless God himself has punched a hole in the ceiling of the universe and our great Captain Jesus Christ, who has opened a cleft in the pitiless walls of the universe, bids us come to see him. He has entered in. He was born. He died for our sins. Now he’s raised again. He has risen from the dead. If all that’s true, then you can be saved, then there’s hope for the future, then your sins can be forgiven, then you can have a relationship with God, then the Spirit of God can come into your life and change you.”

In other words, “If the historical events happened, it calls us to respond!”

If Jesus rose from the dead....it means his words meant something!

It means his claims were validated!

Notice he says….(20 years after the resurrection) if you don’t believe me go talk to the people who say it.

How could we not!

“I have come that you may have life and life more abundantly!”

Should we love our neighbour in a community altering way?

“I and the Father are one”

“If you’ve seen me, you’ve seen God the Father”

“Only God can forgive sins”, as he forgives sins left and right!

Absolutely, how could we not!

“I am the way the truth and the life no one gets to the father except through me!”

If Jesus

These mean something because he backed them up with the historical, verifiable act of resurrection. Witnessed and proclaimed for 2000 years.

PAUSE/SLOWLY

So this morning, as a herald of life altering news! I declare to you that Christ lived, died and rose again!

News that calls out to you to respond!

Will you run, will you scoff, will you pursue and bow down.

PRAYER

Christ follower

given up, followed other philosophies, ideologies that, wandered from Christ- no other philosophy has been verified with such strength and power as the good news of Christ

news to this

the invitation is simple- the God of all creation, extends his love to you, his forgiveness, his acceptance through his son Jesus Christ!

How do you know, because his son stepped into time and space into the world he created and took on his shoulders the punishment we all deserve, and 3 days later burst out of the grave!

And all you need to do to accept this invitation is say yes to Him, to in faith say, all that you have offered me through the cross I accept. Forgiveness, acceptance, live, belonging.

I am done running, I am done doing things my own way, I want you to take charge.

Forgive me and make me new.