Blue Rocks Easter Chapel

I’m going to be giving you some information, but information is only as good as what you do with it. You can hear it, go a step further and investigate and verify it, and go a step further and apply it. Like a pitcher tipping pitches or a batters weakness, or a player cheating, it’s what you do with the information that matters, if it’s truthful and valuable, you’d be a fool not to apply it.

The Resurrection

I. Let’s review this past week

a week ago today we celebrated Palm Sunday

Jesus rides in on a donkey, symbol of king in peace

Palm branches laid before Him, symbol of rejoicing, triumph and victory

People shouting “praise God and Hosanna in the highest” which literally means “save now.” Calling Him the Son of David, who comes in the name of the Lord, praise God.”

2. We then, 2 days ago, celebrated “Good Friday”

Good Friday is the day historically celebrated for the crucifixion of Jesus.

Interesting title, Good Friday, but what makes it good is not the killing of Jesus, but what happens because of it.

What also makes it good, is today.

3. So today we are celebrating Easter Sunday or better called Resurrection Sunday.

Today is the day the tomb was discovered empty

Today is the day Jesus appeared to some of His followers

Today is the day that changed history forever.

II. Let’s rewind the clock and review some more history

Some prophecy

After Adam and Eve ate forbidden fruit, Adam and Eve will suffer punishment and consequences, but God also knows that there is evil behind the evil we do, so He judges it

Genesis 3:15 ESV

I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”

God’s promise that a descendant from Adam and Eve would one day crush evil and defeat satan

Some Evidence of His Arrival

Why? Because Adam and Eve’s rebellion brought sin and death into the world

And we have all participated in it.

Romans 3:23 ESV

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

Romans 3:

Romans 5:

A prophecy of a coming eternal king, God to David through Samuel when David desires to build God a house, a temple.

2 Samuel 7:13 ESV

He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.

2 Samuel 7:

2 Samuel 7:16 ESV

And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever.’ ”

2 Samuel 7:

a promised descendant of David to be King and sit on the throne forever bringing people back into a kingdom run by God

The suffering servant, Savior prophecy in Isaiah

Isaiah 53 ESV

Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all. He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth. Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.

The one ultimately to be the sacrifice for our sins

Some evidence and information and responses

Some Knowledge and Response

Some information

Matthew 2:2–5 ESV

saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him; and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:

The wise men search for this newborn king

The leading priests know about this info and stay

King Herod learns this info and then tries to kill Him

The Triumphal entry

Matthew 21:4–5 ESV

This took place to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet, saying, “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.’ ”

Matthew 21:8–9 ESV

Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”

The people are praising God, praising Jesus as the King, the religious establishment is furious and wants Him dead

Jesus before Pilate after His arrest

Matthew 27:11 ESV

Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, “Are you the King of the Jews?” Jesus said, “You have said so.”

matthew 27:11

Matthew 27:

Matthew 27:19 ESV

Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much because of him today in a dream.”

Matthew 27:21–23 ESV

The governor again said to them, “Which of the two do you want me to release for you?” And they said, “Barabbas.” Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” And he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” But they shouted all the more, “Let him be crucified!”

Matthew 27:24 ESV

So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood; see to it yourselves.”

Matthew 27:

Matthew 27:37 ESV

And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, “This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.”

Matthew 27:

Pilate had the info and did nothing

Matthew 27:62–66 ESV

The next day, that is, after the day of Preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, “Sir, we remember how that impostor said, while he was still alive, ‘After three days I will rise.’ Therefore order the tomb to be made secure until the third day, lest his disciples go and steal him away and tell the people, ‘He has risen from the dead,’ and the last fraud will be worse than the first.” Pilate said to them, “You have a guard of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can.” So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard.

Matthew 28:11–15 ESV

While they were going, behold, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had taken place. And when they had assembled with the elders and taken counsel, they gave a sufficient sum of money to the soldiers and said, “Tell people, ‘His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” So they took the money and did as they were directed. And this story has been spread among the Jews to this day.

The religious leadership anticipated His rising from the dead, took precautions to prevent it, when it happened they refused to properly investigate, and they denied it.

III. Implications of the Cross and the Empty Tomb

Sins paid for, punishment meted out, forgiveness available

Death has been dealt with, no longer prisoner of fear

Empty Tomb proves sacrifice accepted and Jesus is God

The disciples go from being in hiding to shortly after encountering Jesus proclaiming His resurrection in the streets and synagogues, and were put to death for it.

A movement started centered around a crucified Messiah who rose from the dead and has been continuing on for over 2000 years.

If this is true, which I am confident that it is, then it comes with some implications.

Jesus is God,

His words have tremendous weight to them,

He has called us to repent and follow Him,

He started a kingdom movement not a religion,

I am the way the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father but by Me.

it calls for a response.

So what will you do with it?