Holy, Holy, Holy...
Notes
Transcript
He is Risen!
He is Risen!
He is Risen!
This is not mere fantasy or wishful thinking. This is the truth! This is fact. This is history.
As we celebrate the resurrection today, before we dive into any of the scripture, lets pray.
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord, God Almighty, all the saints adore Thee, casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea; cherubim and seraphim falling down before Thee, which wert and art and evermore shalt be.
Lord Jesus we celebrate you today. We celebrate your life on earth - showing us the life we were created to live. We celebrate your loving sacrifice for us for our sins when we didn’t live the way for which we were created. And Lord, we celebrate your resurrection because that has opened the door to eternal life for each one of us. Lord Jesus fill our hearts so that we might understand all that you did on the cross and through your resurrection. Show us Lord, as we celebrate you this morning. In your Name we pray. Amen.
As we begin this morning, I’m going to read to you the Resurrection account from John’s Gospel. If you’d like to follow along, I’ll be reading from John 20:1-29
Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes.
But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.
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.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”
Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”
Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Different faith experiences and responses:
Let’s recount them quickly:
Mary’s initial reaction is to run and tells Peter and John that someone has stolen the Lord.
Peter and John run to the tomb, but initially John gets there first and sees the linen cloths lying there but won’t go in. Peter runs straight in. He sees the linen cloths and the face cloth neatly folded. Then John comes in and it says John believed (it’s unclear whether Peter does or not.) The Gospel writer points out “they did not yet understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead.” Then they simply go to their homes. It doesn’t sound like they quite understand what has happened yet.
Mary remains. She weeps and looking inside the tomb she sees two angels (the disciples had not seen them). They ask why she’s weeping. She says, “They’ve taken away my Lord and I don’t know where they’ve laid him.” she turns around and there’s Jesus. Mary Magdalene is the first to see Jesus in the resurrection and is recorded as such in all four Gospels. She is listed first in every listing of Jesus’ female disciples.
The Disciples - Even after hearing Jesus has risen, they are locked behind a door for fear of the Jews, and Jesus appears among them. Peter and John are there as well. He shows them his hands and side and THEN the disciples are glad when they saw the Lord. He breathes on them and says, “receive the Holy Spirit.”
Thomas - The disciples tell Thomas about Jesus appearing to them. But he won’t believe unless he sees the marks in his hands and puts his finger into the marks, and places his hand into his side. In other words he won’t believe without seeing it himself. Jesus appears to them again 8 days later and to Thomas specifically. It is then that Thomas says, “My Lord and my God!”
It’s in the midst of exile that the Apostle John writes of the vision given to him of the future. Its within the book we call Revelation that we read these words spoken of the ascended Jesus as he sits on His throne,
And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!”
Today, that is precisely what we celebrate. As you read through John’s Revelation you realize the one he is speaking of is no other than our Risen Lord Jesus Christ.
He was...
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.
We don’t often think of Jesus being at the beginning but John testifies as it does the Apostle Paul:
He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him.
Jesus was...
Not only WAS Jesus before the New Testament was written, but we know that Jesus was historically a real person. He is recorded in historical record as a “wise man”, “a doer of wonderful works”, “a teacher”, to name a few.
Even the jewish historian Flavius Josephus records Jesus as appearing to his disciples alive after he had been crucified!
But not only do we say Jesus was, we say Jesus is!
We say today, Easter Sunday, in particular, He IS Risen. Not he HAS, but He IS. It’s in the present tense. It’s continuing. Jesus resurrection continues for us today!
Unlike Lazarus (John 11:38-44), or the widow’s young son (Lk 7:11-17), or Jairus’ daughter (Lk 8:49-56) - all of whom Jesus raised from the dead only that they would once again die on earth. Jesus resurrection was permanent.
Jesus not only WAS alive, Jesus IS alive. The apostle Paul wrote:
And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent.
This IS who Jesus WAS; This IS who Jesus IS -
For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.
This IS who Jesus WAS; This IS who Jesus IS; and This IS who Jesus will be!!!
And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.
Jesus will appear a second time. He is to come, Jesus is coming back. And when he comes back, it is not like it was to deal with sin. NO! It is to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him.
Or as the NIV puts it:
so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.
So, I think that leaves us with a question. Are we waiting for Him? Are we expecting Jesus return?
We gather on Sunday mornings, or at least on Easter and we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. The sacrifice has been made and our sin is paid for, but more than that his resurrection means that death is conquered as well. Where o sin is your victory, where o death is your sting! We can live not fearing death…right?
Too many Christians live their lives as if Jesus WAS. Jesus lived (past tense), Jesus died (past tense), Jesus rose again (past tense). But that is a flawed faith.
Yes, Jesus lived. (Past tense)
Yes, Jesus died. (Past tense)
And Jesus IS risen. (Present Tense)
And we know he is coming again. (Future tense)
I know I’ve thrown a lot of Scripture at you today, but I want to close with a quick summary of the close of Matthew’s Gospel, he writes the resurrected Jesus speaking:
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.
teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Now there are some really important things between there, that we can cover another time, for today I want you to remember Jesus IS Risen, and if you are following him, he is with you always.
During our time at home perhaps we have time like we’ve never had before to consider the reality of Jesus and what that means in our own lives.
Are you like Peter and John - believe but just go home?
Are you like Mary who longs for the Lord and stays and see him?
Are you like Thomas that demands that he see the evidence himself?
Are you like the many disciples who have heard and responded to Jesus, following him and sharing about what he’s done, what he’s doing, and what he has promised to do?
It’s time to quit living on the fence.
Let’s pray:
Holy, Holy, Holy, Lord God Almighty! Tho the darkness hide Thee, tho the eye of sinful man Thy glory may not see. Only Thou art holy - there is none beside Thee, perfect in power, in love and purity. Holy Jesus, our Lord, our Saviour, because you died the debt of our sins has been paid for. Because you are risen and alive death no longer has a grip on our lives. We can choose life in you. Lead on Lord, and give us the courage to follow. Lead on Lord and remind us that you are with us. Lead on Lord as we press on to take hold of that for which you have already taken hold of us. To your glory, Amen.