Celebration of Hope

Introduction

How to celebrate Easter in the midst of loss, emotional, mental and spiritual disruption and distress.

Life has a way of beating hope out of us

Dreams and expectations

Desires

The modern world has sought hope in human effort and a belief in the inevitability of progress that assumed everything would naturally get better and better.

It is believed that because people are the source of the world’s problems they can also be the solution.

Hope

Expecting or believing something I desire will happen.

In grief, uncertainty and loss, there remains a flicker of hope for things to be made new. In these moments when we, in hope, seek a way to make sense of all that is happening.

My pain and uncertainty over what the future holds creates a constant need for hope.

COVID-19: Looking to medical experts to give us hope in the form of treatment, cure, vaccine.

Translation: hope in our intellect, resolve, efforts and belief that progress is going to happen and everything will get better and better. It’s our destiny.

Experiencing the Resurrection

Matthew 28:1–10 ESV

Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.” So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”

Can you imagine how the followers of Jesus felt on Saturday? Confused, Hopeless, Dissapointed, Angry, Alone...Frightened. Asking, “He was supposed to change everything?”

Jesus' resurrection is not described.

Faith hurdle is often around facts, evidence.

What’s recorded in the bible is written so that we would believe. It’s truth. Some facts are provided and history has confirmed, but...

The bible and this story is not concerned about “facts” but rather truth and its impact.

What we read about are its effects from two encounters:

First Encounter: Empty tomb

Not What I Expected

The Mary's went to the tomb in the early morning, just after dawn.

Visit the grave: Cemeteries: people want to see where the people they loved are buried, make sure it’s taken care of. It’s an experience.

28:1 - Mary's went to understand, experience, examine the tomb.

What happened wasn’t what they expected.

The Messenger

Angel visitation - deliver a message. Angels are spiritual beings serving primarily as messengers.

The Women

From visitors to witnesses

Women - unreliable witnesses

God chose them

The women are called to see that he has risen. The opening of the tomb was not necessary to allow him to rise as he was already risen. The opening of the tomb was for their benefit.

The women watched him be put in the tomb and now invited to see that he wasn't where he was put. No possibility of mistake. The one risen is the one crucified.

The Message

Raised up - (lit) caused to be awakened, restored, cause to wake up, restore (raise up what is torn down). Used metaphorically for raising from the dead;

Misunderstanding Christianity/What It’s Not

Not a political lobby

Not opposed to science, etc

Not built on an ideological/theological system

Not your view on any hot topic.

Resurrection of Jesus - Most important event in Christian culture. It is the foundation for Christian faith. Central point of Christianity.

Jesus: Kingdom is here; Rez confirms that promise.

What is Jesus’ Kingdom: Promise and hope of new life - not easier life but new life NOW and when Jesus comes again.

Promise and hope of all things made new:

Diseases healed, wounds from abuse healed, possibility of relationships restored

Heaven is not a place we go to when we die. Heaven and earth will be restored to its original state and this is where we will live for eternity.

Everything we read in the bible and experience of God is to be understood through the single lens of Jesus’ resurrection.

Impact of Truth (Hope Renewed)

Joy and Fear

They departed with (fear), panic, awe/reverence and joy.

Mix of emotions is natural

Running - they believed the angel

Hope has a sense of trust; of confidence in God, whose goodness, mercy, and promises can be trusted

Recognizing Jesus (Hope Fulfilled)

Encountering the risen Jesus (He met them on the way)

The disciples, unlike the women have to wait until Galilee to see the risen Jesus.

Expectation Worship

Second Encounter: His Disciples

Restored Relationships/All Things New BEGINS NOW

Incident in the Garden - scattered

Peter denying he knew Jesus

From Disciples to Brothers - Jesus restores, made their relationships new

Kingdom’s Gospel

AT YFC: Understand that God invites us into his reality and not the other way around.

What is that reality?

Heaven isn’t a place we go when we die.

Because of Jesus’ resurrection, the promise and hope that one day, all that is painful, uncertain, evil, broken, sad, diseased will be “swallowed up” when he returns. It will disappear.

What has been torn down will be raised up

And the dead, they will also be raised up.

His resurrection brings resurrection life to us right now, in the moment when we, like the Mary's hope for some way to make sense of what's happening and find what is true, encounter the reality and true experience with the risen Christ, and put our trust in what he’s done, follow his teaching - say yes to his invitation to follow him - restoration has begun.

Continuing Mission

The restoration of their relationship with him for the continuing of his mission.

The message of their witness: their experience of the risen Christ.

People to encountered the risen Christ were feeling the same things we are today. He told them: Go and tell.