It Is Finished: Risen King

IT IS FINISHED RISEN KING April 12th, 2020 FVCC LOGO SPLASH WELCOME/ANNOUNCEMENTS Welcome to Fox Valley Christian Church, where every member is a missionary. He is risen ... He is risen indeed. We have been leading up to today, we have been leading up to Easter. We have looked at Jesus, the Christ, our Savior. We said that “He is here, He is Savior, He is the one that stepped forward for us, and He conquered sin and He has done what is necessary for us to be restored to God.” Today … we are going to look at our Risen King, the Lord of Lords, our Prince of Peace. He is risen ... But first, let’s begin with prayer. PRAY EASTER IN YOUR HOME I don’t know about you, but I never would have guessed I would see this in my life. Churches’ physical buildings are closed. Easter morning and the Church has been scattered to our homes. If we are not meeting in a Church building, is it really Easter? If we are meeting digitally, is it still Church? If I can stand in my kitchen, sit on my couch, lay in my bed … is it still Easter? If I don’t see this recording until Tuesday … can I still celebrate and properly recognize that Jesus has risen from the dead, that Jesus is the Risen King, That Jesus is Lord, my Savior, my Redeemer? I want to start today with a simple encouragement. Yes. What Jesus did 2000 years ago, what Jesus has continued to do for the last 2000 years, what He is doing right now, and what He will do … they are of an incomparable and incomprehensible magnitude. Nothing will ever lessen what He did, nothing will cheapen His glory, and nothing will stand in the way of His praise. So whether we are physically gathered at a Church building, sitting in our homes, or watching this days, weeks or even months after Easter … God is still deserving of all praise and that is what we are gathered to do right now. On the same note … there is nothing that we can do in the Church building that will increase what Christ has done for us. Really, there is nothing in our lives that we can do that will increase what Christ did for us. We can respond to Christ, we can respond to His sacrifice, we can respond to His love for us, we can respond to the Cross … and we can respond to our risen Lord. Today … we hope to look at Christ and respond with a shout of praise and a shout of victory because of what His death on the cross has given us. THE FIRST AT HOME EASTER All that being said, what we are doing right now is more to the reality of what Easter was like than any Easter we have probably experienced. Let me explain … We have been looking at the Gospel of John. Last week we looked at Jesus’ crucifixion in John 19, this week we are going to look at Jesus resurrection in John 20. We are not going to read all of this, so I want to give you an idea of what is happening here and how this is cohesive with the rest of the scripture (the other Gospel accounts). FIRST – JESUS IS RISEN Women (including Mary Magdalene) go to Jesus’ tomb early in the morning and find that He is not there. They go and tell the disciples. JESUS SPEAKS TO MARY AND LATER TWO DISCIPLES Jesus speaks to Mary Magdalene. Later we see Jesus speaks to two disciples (not of the 12 Apostles) on the road to Emmaus. JESUS APPEARS TO HAVE SPOKEN TO SIMON Luke 24:34 gives us some information that Jesus also spoke to Simon, but we see no other mention than this brief verse. JESUS VISITS THE APOSTLES Finally … later that evening … as the Apostles are gathered (except for Thomas for whatever reason he was missing) … as the rest of the Apostles were gathered … Jesus appears to them. Let’s look at this account in John. JOHN 20:19-23 19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you." 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld." There is so much here that I want to look at, but let’s just look at what speaks so much to us right now. LOCKED IN BECAUSE OF THE FEAR OUTSIDE What are the Apostles doing? They are locked inside, they are locked in a home because of the fear outside. They had already heard the news that Jesus was risen. The Apostles (according to Luke 24:11), didn’t really believe what they had heard. These things seemed an idle tale to them. They are locked inside because of the fear outside. The Jews just killed Jesus, the High Priest and the Sanhedrin had Jesus crucified as the mobs of thousands shouted and cheered. These men were His closest friends. They are afraid they are going to be next … and this is genuinely an understandable fear. We can’t blame them for feeling the way they feel. And although they have heard that Jesus is risen … they don’t believe the good news. And then look what Jesus does? He comes and stands among them. How? Don’t know. It literally reads as if He was just there. It doesn’t say He opened the locked door, it doesn’t say He came down the chimney. It simply says “Jesus came and stood among them.” In Luke’s account, the two disciples who had just come from meeting with Jesus on the road were in the middle of sharing this news with the apostles and “Jesus Himself stood among them.” All of a sudden … there’s Jesus. Think about this. Jesus didn’t have to knock. He didn’t even have to open the door. He’s not a ghost, He’s just God. You are gathered in your home right now … we are all gathered in our homes because of this thing that is outside of our homes that we should rightfully be concerned about. Not an unhealthy, I don’t trust in God, kind of fear. But the healthy kind of discerning fear that God has created us with. But because of this event that is going on right now, we are locked in our homes on Easter. Just like the Disciples. And I want to encourage you that just like the Disciples, Jesus shows up in our homes. He can go where no one else can go. He is right now. He has the ability to reach you … He has the ability to reach into you anywhere, anytime. Jesus can go where no one else can go. He can break through barriers that no one and nothing else can. Praise God! Jesus is alive! He is here! He is capable to unimaginable! And on this Easter morning … when many who wake up typically find themselves in the rush of looking for eggs, preparing the food they are going to bring to their families houses, getting ready to meet others in Church and “show up for God” Instead … we have found the Risen King standing with us … showing up for us. He is the one that steps into our lives, He is the one breaking down barriers, He is the one making Himself known. Maybe you never thought you would step into a Church … because … well … God wouldn’t want you there. Well let me tell you … Jesus has just stepped into your home and I want to encourage you to welcome Him into your heart. Praise God! He is here and He is risen! PRINCE OF PEACE Next we need to look at this and say … “What is Jesus doing there? What was His purpose?” He is not really sending the Apostles for another 40 days. He is not empowering them with the Holy Spirit for another 50 days. He breathes on them, He speaks about His Spirit, His power and their purpose. But that is just to prepare them for what is to come. There is a greater purpose for this brief interaction. There is a greater reason why Jesus showed up among them this night. So why this first, brief interaction? Look at what Jesus says before He says anything else and He says it twice. "Peace be with you." 20When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. Peace be with you. Before Jesus does anything else … He wants to make His peace known to them. Jesus comes first with peace. Before giving any action, before giving any direction, He desires to bring peace. I don’t know about you, but amidst everything going on right now … It gives me great comfort knowing that God steps into my life, that He can step into my home or wherever I am at, and that He comes bringing peace. Paul, when talking about the division between Jew and Gentile, says that Jesus Himself is our peace (Ephesians 2:14). Later in verse 17 He says that EPHESIANS 2:17 17 And He came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near. IT IS FINISHED - PEACE Last week, when we said that Jesus accomplished His mission. That He finished what He came to do. We see Jesus pointing to that fulfilment right here in this scripture. Literally pointing at His wounds that brought peace. Jesus says “Peace be with you” and then “Peace be with you again”. What does He do between these two bookends of peace? JOHN 20:20 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Peace be with you … and then He points to the evidence of His crucifixion. This brought peace and gladness to the disciples … and then again He says Peace be with you. Look! Look at my wounds. Look at what I did to accomplish peace for you! It is finished! We said last week … if we trust God, if we really believe He is Lord, then we will respond in obedience to Him. When we trust God; our sins are forgiven and we are restored to God. When we trust God, we are given peace. HOW DOES GOD GIVE US PEACE? How does God give us peace? What does that peace look like? PEACE BETWEEN US AND JESUS That’s the first and most obvious meaning. Think about this. Really think about it. Jesus was abandoned and denied by the very men that are now hiding together in a room afraid of there enemies. In the midst of the fear of their enemies … Jesus shows up. And, well, unless He is God. Unless He is who He claimed to be … that’s just not possible. BUT … if He is God … they just abandoned Him and they just denied Him. And what is the first thing Jesus says? He doesn’t say, “why did you run?” … He doesn’t say, “Why did you deny me?” … He says, “Peace be with you.” He is not there to judge them … He is extending a hand of peace. This is a powerful moment. It doesn’t matter what you have done. Whether it is the hostility of sin you have thrown His way or the countless times you have denied Him and His power in your life … you need to know that Jesus is showing up in your home today and He is extending a hand of peace to you. PEACE BETWEEN US AND GOD Next we see peace between us and God. We talked about this last week right. We are reconciled to God when we trust Him and make Him Lord of our lives. That’s why God sent Him. To forgive our sins and to redeem us. To pay our price and take our penalty. By His wounds we are healed and By His wounds we are able to have peace with God. That’s why Jesus shows His wounds and then reiterates … Peace be with you. Do you understand? Do you understand that this isn’t just a, “don’t worry guys I’m not made at you.” I have accomplished what I came to accomplish, and you can have peace with God. PEACE BETWEEN US AND OTHERS WHO ARE IN CHRIST What is awesome about His peace is that it goes even deeper and spreads even wider. We do not just have peace with God, but He gives us His Spirit … He unites us with His Spirit and we are able to have Peace with each other. God breaks down every barrier of hostility and He continues to do that today. Paul describes His peace like this: GALATIANS 3:28 28There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. He breaks down the hierarchy that was present. Jews wouldn’t eat with Gentiles. They treated their women and children poorly and as lesser. And Jesus says, “Stop! I have come to bring peace. I have come to break down those barriers. Quit living in hostility and instead recognize me for who I am and treat each other with the love I have shown you.” Many people believe that the God of the Old Testament is different than the God of the New Testament. Not true! He is our unchanging God, He has always been love, and He has always had this purpose of reuniting us. Jesus didn’t come to change … He came to make God known because people had been so confused. And he brought peace to us, a peace that allows us to be in unity with each other. A peace that allows us to forgive each other because we too have been forgiven. God is in your home today. He has shown up. If there is hostility, hurts, and scars in your home. I want to encourage you to gather in His presence, to seek Him in prayer, and to follow Him. He can bring peace to your home, peace to your marriage, peace to your relationships … He is risen and He is here! PEACE BETWEEN US AND OUR OWN SOULS Praise God! I don’t know about you, but my sin has wreaked havoc on my heart. It has wreaked havoc on my conscience. It has given me guilt and shame. HEBREWS 9:14 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God. His blood doesn’t just bring us peace with God and others … it offers us peace with ourselves. It offers us inner peace. This is not a – your free to sin without the consequences of sin. Your free to sin without guilt and shame – How dare we treat His gift of grace and forgiveness like that. How dare we cheapen His sacrifice by thinking that it allows us to go on sinning … just because we think we can. No … this is Jesus saying … when you make me Lord of your life, when you trust in me and it is a trust that is displayed in obedience … then your sins are forgiven, you are restored to God, and you get peace. Real, penetrating, peace. We love John 3:16 JOHN 3:16 16For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, that whoever believe in Him should not perish but have eternal life. Praise God … now keep reading. Look a little further down … look at JOHN 3:63 63Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him. Peace with yourself doesn’t mean that you get to go back to your past sins and see them as desirable. Peace doesn’t mean that past sins cease to be painful. It means they cease to be paralyzing. The pain may not be taken away immediately, but the penalty is taken away immediately through Christ. And that makes it possible to heal. And to move on with hope-filled life while you do. Praise God! He is risen! EASTER IS DIFFERENT – BUT NOT FOR GOD Easter is different this year, I know. But not for God. Whether we are gathered at Church or scattered at our homes … nothing will stop God from breaking the barrier and offering peace. I just hope that you are willing to accept the peace that He is offering you and that you will turn to Him as Lord. PRAY OFFERING/ANNOUNCEMENTS It is time for our offering. EASTER OFFERING – ROCK RIVER CHRISTIAN CAMP Every Easter we have a special offering. That is no different this year. If you go to our website you will see where you can give to the general fund (this is your regular gift, it is your regular offering). We want to encourage you to still give there. You can also mail these checks in. But this week we have an additional offering. An above and beyond offering. Rock River Christian Camp is raising money for new mattresses and new mattress covers. They are estimating a need of around $15,000 for all of the mattresses and mattress covers that they need across their entire site. I know many are wondering if camp will happen this summer or not. I hope so and I know they do too, but it doesn’t lessen the fact that they will need these for future seasons as well. So, if you are able, we want to encourage you to give an above and beyond gift this year. You can give toward our Easter Offering online at fvcc.com/give … just choose Easter Offering. You can also mail in checks to the Church address and put Easter Offering in the note field. COMMUNION We are now going to transition here and join together in communion. I want to remind you during this season, it is not what you are eating and drinking that make this time significant. It is who we are gathered around and remembering. If you joined us for our Good Friday service … we read through the Good Friday account in Matthew. And when looking at the Last Supper and the prayers in the garden … God gives us incredible imagery. During the prayer Jesus references the task at hand as drinking from a cup. God I will do your will, I will drink this cup, I will suffer the penalty for many if it is your will. I will take it so they don’t have too. And during the last supper, He offers a cup of communion. One that has been extended to us for thousands of years. We get to gather together and drink from this cup knowing that our cup holds forgiveness and grace because He has taken the cup of punishment and shame that was due to us. Praise God. He is risen and He is our Prince of Peace. PRAY WORSHIP SONGS FVCC LOGO SPLASH