Cross Plumb Line III

Cross Plumb line 3 – Question the Line!; Easter NV 2008 Luke 24:36-49

OS:  1 Plumb line – how do you know that is the line? What if there are two? Sometimes the Line doesn’t look true to us – as with the disciples…(Jesus Tomb – Documentary)

I.      The disciples of Jesus must have been absolutely broken when He was taken and crucified before their eyes.

A.     He was, or so they had thought, the Messiah.

B.      He was the one who rode into Jerusalem just a week before on a donkey as the King of Peace.

C.     He was the one who was to restore the Kingdom of Israel, or so they thought.

D.     All their hopes and dreams were shattered in a moment.

II.   What a dreadful day that was.

A.     They had witnessed a mob come and take Jesus from the garden.

                      1.          They had witnessed mock trials, and heard the people cry out ‘crucify Him, crucify Him!’

                      2.          They had seen Him die on the cross of Calvary, along with their hopes and dreams.

                      3.          They had taken His body down from the cross and laid it in a tomb.

                      4.          A great stone had been rolled into place sealing the tomb, and guards had been placed there to ensure no one stole the body.

B.      During the morning hours of Sunday they had gone to the tomb to discover that the stone had been rolled away and Angels announced that He is not here, He has risen!

C.     The disciples were perplexed and afraid, but then they saw Him, ate with Him, and listened to Him once again and their fear was turned to joy, their doubt and brokenness turned to hope and faith.

TS] 2 3 4 Luke 24:36-49

III.           5 These disciples needed the stone to be rolled away from their heart.

A.     ‘Doubting Thomas’ Thomas has received a bad rap’. The disciples doubted.

                      1.          Doubt is a good thing. It is through doubt that we come to believe.

B.      And then Jesus appears to us in some way through the lives of His people, and touches our heart and rolls that stone away and the light shines in the darkness.

                      1.          Have you ever been in a cave?

                      2.          Ruby Falls – Dark! There is little hope, peace, security in the darkness…there is little life there.

C.     Maybe you are there this morning grasping for some peace, hope, or security in your life.

TS] Jesus offers some insight into rolling that stone away and allowing His light to shine in your life.

I.      6 The Stone is rolled away through questions.

A.   Is this a ghost?

                 1.     What if they had run away and never questioned?

                 2.     Ill – the little boy who asked so many questions. – Why do Tigers have stripes? Why do elephants have four knees? Why do birds have eggs? (“That’s okay, the only way you will ever learn anything is by asking questions.”)

B.    Tragedies

                 1.     It is tragic that so many people draw conclusions about God, Jesus, and Christianity, without ever opening up His Word, asking questions and seeking the answers.

                 2.     Likewise it is tragic that many Christians never question and thus never own their own faith. When someone asked how they know Jesus came from the tomb they have no answer.

                 3.     It is tragic that so many are so busy that they live their lives without ever asking questions about God, purpose, and meaning in their lives.

C.   So many breath their last breathe having never questioned the meaning of their life.

                 1.     They have lived in darkness.

                 2.     You can live in darkness and never realize it if you never ask or question the existence of light.

TS] So, like these disciples let us question, so that we can know and share in the light of Christ.

II.   7 The Stone is rolled away through Observations.

A.   Jesus provided observational material for His disciples.

                 1.     Questions are answered through observations.

                 2.     John 20:27, Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”

                 3.     Observe the facts and believe.

B.    What observations can we make today? “Peace that Passes Understanding is probably the most common external observation.

                 1.     When tragedy strikes we are hurting, yet there is peace that we cannot explain.

                 2.     Illu – The couple who lost two babies within one year.

                 3.     Observation – God’s greatness brings peace beyond all I could ever imagine.

C.   During the few years I’ve had as a fulltime minister I’ve observed the power of God in the lives of people many times.

                 1.     Alcohol and drug additions. Marriages made strong. Many broken hearts mended.

                 2.     Also, those who refuse to allow Jesus to be their living Lord, and their lives remain in that pattern of destruction.

TS] Make those observations as you live, roll that stone away, and build your faith in a risen Lord who lives today and who is involved in our lives. The risen Lord who still speaks to our hearts and says, “Peace be with you.”

III.            8 Stone is rolled away through courage to reach for Him.

A.   What courage it must have taken for the disciples to reach out and touch the One they doubted.

                 1.     When we question and make observations we discover God, yet then it takes courage to reach out to Him. It takes courage to roll that stone away and allow His light to penetrate our lives.

                 2.     :Acts 17 26 From one man He made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and He determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.  27 God did this so that men would seek Him and perhaps reach out for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.  28 ‘For in Him we live and move and have our being…’

B.    9 The message has always been the same.

                 1.     2 Chronicles 7 14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

                 2.     God wants His people, children, mankind - you to seek Him.

                 3.     Illu – Asking Daddy – Through Momma.

C.   It takes courage to come to the Father. With our heavenly Father we have a promise.

                 1.     10 James 4 8 Come near to God and he will come near to you.

                 2.     The joy of the world does not compare with the joy from God.

TS] 11 On this Easter Morning remember that we have a risen Lord who lives today, and follow the example of these disciples and question, observe, and muster the courage to draw near to God. Roll that stone away and allow the light of Christ to shine on your life.

Next Week - #4 – One of the most important things lining up with the cross will do for our everyday lives. Challenge for the week…

Jesus said, 7 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.  8 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. (Matthew 7)

Don’t try to live your life without a risen Lord. Roll that Stone away today.