The Power of the Resurrection

Opening

What a time in history. I would could have never imagined that this Resurrection Sunday would find me worshipping at home live streaming. I am reminded that it was in this time of setting in which Four Winds Christian Church was birth out of our home in the loft. He we are at this place again. It is easy to say that COVID 19 has caused all of this, but for one moment I want to possible hypothesize that what a time for God to not only get our attention but have our attention on this day. While there will be those who will not join in a service that is live streaming there will be many more that will because they understand the celebration behind today.

It has been interesting as I have watched the news and people are focused on children getting their Easter Eggs and yet today is not about Easter eggs and Easter Egg hunts it is about the celebration of life. Not just any life but the life that was given for us the blood that was shed for us and the forgiveness that we received in response to God’s love for us.

Today we do not only say that He is Risen but we say He is Alive!. It is not just enough that He rose, it is important that we realize that right now He is Alive and that He continues to speak to Father on our behalf.

This morning I want to present to you the thought:

The Power of the Resurrection! The Power of the Resurrection!

For a few minuets I want us to go back and realize that just a few days ago, Jesus was entering Jerusalem and as He entered the people shouted Hosanna. Then a few days later he was being betrayed by one who had travelled with Him for three years and yet did not really know Him and then we come to the place were Jesus is arrested and could be set free but those who had previously been a part of the crowd saying Hosanna were probably a part of the crowd saying Crucify Him, Crucify Him. What a difference a week makes from Hosanna to Crucify and here we stand today. Not just any day but a day in time that changed our lives forever.

This past week as we celebrated Holy Week virtually it has been a time to reflect on Christ and the place that we find ourselves, separated due to COVID 19, but hopefully in the midst of this waiting with expectation to see the hand of God and knowing that He is moving in our midst. So this morning I want us to stop and hear and see what happened that first day of the week that we call Sunday and celebrate as Easter Morning.

The Power of the Resurrection! again I say “The Power of the Resurrection!”

Let us go now to our scripture text:

John 20:1–18 NIV

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) Then the disciples went back to where they were staying. Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”). Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ” Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.

Amazed-- John 20:1-2 -- 1 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. 2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”

Bewildered and belief -- John 20:3-10 -- 3So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 4Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. 6Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. 8Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. 9(They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) 10Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.

Weeping and great sadness -- John 20:11-13 -- 11 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. 13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”

Questioning – John 20:14-15 -- 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. 15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”

Revelation – John 20:16-18 -- 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”). 17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.

These were the reactions at the tomb that day. I wonder in the midst of this pandemic what is your reaction as you hear what is going on. Are you amazed and thinking where is God, are you bewildered or do you believe, are you weeping and filled with great sadness or are you questioning where is God. However, the greatest reaction is found in John 20:16-18 when Jesus called Mary by name. She realized in that moment that the one she was speaking with was not dead He was alive.

Do you know that this morning that He is not dead, He is alive. The tomb is empty not because the body was stolen but it is empty because He fulfilled what was said in John 2:19 — Jesus answered them, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.”

Not only did He rise but He rose with all power in His hand. That is the Power of the Resurrection, that our Savior got up and continues to live and reign that we might see Him and the Father in Glory. The power of the resurrection is the response that Mary had I see and understand for you have revealed yourself to me. Today know, believe and trust that He has shown Himself to you and in this time of great trouble He lives and is with you,