He Lives

Matt 28: 1 - 6 - Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb. Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it. His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint. Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you.”

Today’s message, is simply, He Lives.

In our text it’s the day after the Sabbath and it’s been a rough weekend to say the least. For those who live for the weekend, this is not the one you were waiting on. But for the Saints of God there’s never been a more meaningful weekend before or since this one. This was the weekend that would change our lives forever. Jesus would do something that would forever change humanity.

Jesus stayed away for the time he did to signify the abolishing of the Jewish feasts and the other parts of ceremonial law. It was a sign that his people had to be dead to those observances, they were no longer necessary, because on the cross when Jesus said, “It is finished”, all the pomp and circumstance and rituals and feasts, and traditions were no longer necessary. He had come to fulfill the law and what they used to do; they didn’t have to do anymore.

The two Mary’s went to the tomb to finish prepping Jesus’ body for a proper burial. They didn’t have time to finish the day of the crucifixion, because Sabbath was coming so they did what they could, but these women loved Jesus and they were not about to let the job go incomplete or be done haphazardly.

Mark’s Gospel, records the women having a discussion about how they were going to move the huge stone the Romans had placed in front of the tomb, but they kept moving toward the tomb. They didn’t sit down to make a plan or consult with someone or even talk with the disciples, they didn’t give up saying we’ll never be able to move that stone so let’s not even go. They were on a mission and nothing was going to stop them, there was something they needed to do and somehow they knew it would be worked out.

So, while they were on their way to the tomb, there was an earthquake, it was an angel clearing the way for them. Not only did the angel roll the stone away, he sat on it. The angel scared the guards so bad, they fainted dead away. But when the women came, the angel told them, don’t be afraid, I know you’re looking for Jesus who was crucified, he’s not here he is risen like he said he would. Then the angel invited them in to have a look, come on in see where he was lying.

Jesus rose on the first day of the week which is why we attend church on Sunday, we acknowledge and celebrate his resurrection every time we come together for worship, and when we come together, whether it’s in a building, in the street or online, we celebrate, the Lord’s Day.

When Christ got up, he did it as the day was dawning, this is why we have Sonrise service, which we had this morning in front of our house. Satan may think he’s stopping something, but all that’s happening is just like the early Christians, we are finding ways to tell of the return of the soon coming King and the next time he comes, it won’t be as a baby…the next time Jesus returns he will be coming in all his splendor taking his place and forever casting Satan and his imps into the pit of hell where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Not only did the angel invite the women in to see, he modified their mission, he told them, come see, then go tell his disciples. The women were sent away with a message for Jesus’ disciples.

The disciples had gone back to what they were doing before they were called by Jesus. He told them he was going to make them fishers of men, but they seemed to have forgotten that. But when the Marys’ mission was changed, it caused a change in the disciples mission. Their message was a reminder of what they were supposed to be doing and it wasn’t being out on the lake fishing.

In this Christian walk, you have to be flexible, your orders can change, the mission may change, and you must be able and willing to not only adapt, but you must embrace the change. The Marys’ mission went from taking care of the dead, to being messengers with a message about the risen Savior.

They were to tell the disciples that Jesus had been raised from the dead, that he was going to Galilee and that he would meet them there. It was the greatest message there was, because in that message was the fulfillment of the promise Jesus had made. It was the realization that Jesus had done what he said he would do. While the Romans had destroyed the temple, he had indeed raised it back up in three days. They thought they had won, but the truth was, it was only the beginning. It was a new day, a new opportunity, a new chance for those who profess Jesus as Lord.

Sometimes we can better understand when we look at the natural things we experience here. A caterpillar folds into a cocoon, it dies and at the appointed time it bursts forth to be what it was meant to be, a beautiful butterfly. A seed falls to the ground, gets buried by the soil, it dies and at the appointed time, it shoots up becoming what it was meant to be. A tree sheds its leaves in the fall, it looks like its dead, but at the appointed time, it sprouts buds, then dazzles the world with newborn flowers and colors that light up the landscape. Jesus Christ, came into the world as a defenseless baby, he grew up and fulfilled his purpose here on earth, but then…

One fateful Friday, it looked like he died; after all they had beat him all night long, they had spit in his face and snatched out his beard, they had placed a crown of thorns on his head, they had hung him on a cross, they had pierced him in his side…but then, then they lifted him up.

• And when they lifted him up they opened the door for you and for me because Jesus said, “If I be lifted up, I’ll draw all men unto me”.

• When they lifted him up, it was an invitation for us to come, come just as we are, bruised, battered and broken.

• When they lifted him up it was redemption for you and me, it was a bridge for us to have fellowship with God the Father, a chance for us to have a renewed connection.

• When they lifted him up we were given the opportunity for salvation, for forgiveness, for everlasting life, for peace that surpasses all understanding, for joy unspeakable, for love like no other, for healing from all sickness and disease.

• When they lifted Jesus up, it opened doors that no man can close and closed doors that no man can open. It opened the doors to our future and closed the door to our past.

And then, Jesus died, and it looked like the end, but it was just a pause. Jesus had to go somewhere and do some things. But before I tell you about his trip, I need to let you know…Jesus died to show us there are some things in our lives that need to die. You see the Word of God says, “If any man be in Christ he is a new creature, old things are passed away, in other words the old stuff died.

• your old life died,

• what you used to do died,

• those unhealthy relationships died,

• those destructive habits died,

• those bad attitudes died,

• that foul mouth died,

• those feet that ran to trouble died

• jealousy died

• envy died

• strife died

• backbiting died

• gossip died

All those things that were not pleasing to God, those things that didn’t reflect the image of a holy God…died.

And then that verse finishes saying, “BEHOLD all things are become new”.

• I got a new walk

• I got a new talk

• I got a new mind

• I got a new life

• I got a new attitude

See, when they took him down off that cross and placed him in that borrowed tomb, it was borrowed because he'd only need it a couple days, he had some preaching to do, he had some captives to set free, he had to take the keys to death, hell and the grave and when he finished all that, he did what had never been done before and not done since, he left hell and made a 40-day stop to set some things in order, to give the disciples the rest of the plan, to show who he was, to show them his power, to show them that he was who he said he was, and that he did what he said he would do.

And then, at the appointed time, he ascended back to heaven, he went back to the Father, where now sits interceding for us, praying for us, defending us, covering us. His blood will never, ever, ever, lose its power.

There’s nothing you can do that negates the power of blood of Jesus, it’s powerful enough to cover any and everything you’ve done in your life so you can say with confidence I’ve been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb, my name’s been written in the Lamb’s book of Life, and I have eternal life in the heavenlies with Christ Jesus. So come what may, come what might, I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.

I can boldly declare that no weapon formed against me shall prosper and because I dwell in the secret place of the Most High God, and I abide under the shadow of the Almighty I can confidently say, the Lord is my refuge and my fortress so I will trust him. And because I trust him, he will deliver me from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. Then he will cover me with his feathers, his truth is my shield and buckler. So I will not be afraid of the terror by night nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that walks in darkness. I can fearlessly proclaim that while a thousand may fall at my side and ten thousand at my right hand corona virus will not come near me or my family. You gotta claim it for yourself. God has given his angels charge over me to guard me wherever I go.

So on this holy day, a day of celebration for the Saints of God all over the world, wherever you are, however you’re watching this, rejoice and again I say rejoice for we serve a risen Savior. He’s not dead, he lives, he lives, Christ Jesus lives today, he walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow ways. He lives, he lives, salvation to impart. You ask me how I know he lives, he lives within my heart.

He died for us and now lives with those who have accepted him as Lord. Have you?