July 26, 2020 - Jesus Risen
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Last week, if you were with us...
We looked at how THE EMPTY TOMB is something that each of us - MUST DEAL WITH
We saw how Peter and John, after hearing the news that Jesus’ body had been moved...
RAN to the tomb to see what was going on.
The bible tells us that John OUTRAN Peter to the tomb...
BUT that John DIDN’T ENTER the tomb when he got there...
And we read HOW - AS he stood OUTSIDE the tomb...
He was dealing with UNBELIEF...
We’re told that PETER then flies by JOHN and ENTERS THE TOMB...
Upon seeing Peter enter the tomb - JOHN THEN decides that he would enter the tomb...
and WHEN he did - the bible tells us…this
8 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed;
The question we asked last week was this:
Regarding the Empty Tomb - - Where do you stand?
Are you IN or are you OUT?
Are you IN THE TOMB… examining life in light of JESUS?
OR - are you standing outside the tomb…content to simply PEER in?
Getting only a PARTIAL view of reality?
It’s a question we ALL must ask - and it’s a question that HAS AN ASWER - for each of us
We spoke about it last week - Whether you’ve signed up to TEACH here at AFBC or not...
Every single one of you is - a teacher.
We ALL - teach those around us ABOUT JESUS CHRIST
Those around us - SEE IN US - that JESUS is...
Either WORTH it...
Or He’s NOT!
And so THINKING back to the EMPTY TOMB last week - it’s going to provide a solid FOUNDATION for what we’ll see today...
Let’s get to it...
11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb.
12 And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet.
13 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.”
14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus.
15 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.”
16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).
17 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.’ ”
18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.
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.”
So here we have Jesus APPEARING to Mary and then the disciples...
And in walking through this text - we’re going to SEE [3] Necessities of the Christian faith...
3 PILLARS of the Christian Faith...
WHICH MEANS - if you CLAIM to BE a Christian...
then these 3 things we talk about today will manifest themselves in your life...
If we were to SUMMARIZE the first 8 verses in our text today...
We would find MUCH Chaos and MUCH cause for concern WITHIN ALL those who knew and LOVED Jesus...
Mary comes to the tomb…but LIKE JOHN - she STAYS outside of it…NOT ENTERING...
11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb.
Remember what we learned LAST WEEK about John?
He STAYED OUTSIDE the tomb....and it WASN’T UNTIL he ENTERED the tomb…that he BELIEVED!
SO it seems HERE TOO - that Mary - who STAYED outside the tomb...
DIDN”T REALLY know what was going on...
We SURELY KNOW that she wasn’t CONVINCED…that Jesus was ALIVE...
Which is why we read this...
12 And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet.
13 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.”
She DOESN’T believe that He has - RISEN!!
She’s NOT BUYIN IT!!
And so - NO DOUBT - Fear has set in...
ANXIETY has taken ROOT....
But then...
14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus.
15 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.”
16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).
So now - She KNOWS that Jesus is ALIVE...
And He gives her instructions to carry out...
17 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.’ ”
So she goes and DOES what He wanted her to do...
But here’s the thing…
If someone told you they SAW your recently DEAD relative...
I don’t care WHO IT WAS - you’re not going to BELIEVE them UNTIL...
You - SEE THEM TOO....
and so we need to STAY in CONTEXT...
This ENTIRE TIME - for the disciples - was SATURATED in FEAR...
Think about what had just happened!
Their LEADER - their POWERFUL leader - was just EXECUTED before their eyes...
If HE could be TAKEN down - then SURELY they could be taken down!
But Jesus DOES SOMETHING here - that lays the foundation for when they would - TURN THE WORLD UPSIDE DOWN
We’re going to see that IN THE MIDST of worldly chaos...
SLIDE: The Risen Christ: Is Our Peace
The Risen Christ
The Risen Christ
NOW - if this was ALL there was - this would be a great blessing...
BUT - as we’ll see - this PEACE is not...
Lazy
Sedentary
Inactive
this PEACE has PURPOSE…and we’ll get there - BUT FIRST...
we are GRANTED peace...
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.”
Where were the disciples?
Behind LOCKED door...
WHY?
Because they were FEARFUL!
“If they GOT JESUS - they could surely get THEM!”
So DOORS are locked!
Remember what we said last week about the Empty Tomb?
The stone wasn’t ROLLED away so that Jesus could get out....it was rolled away so Mankind could get in!
The DOORS were locked!
Did it matter?
NO - Jesus didn’t NEED to knock!
He didn’t NEED an OPEN door!
He simply - APPEARS - and He WASN’T a ghost!
He COMES to His own - in the MIDST of the chaos and ANXIETY and FEAR....and says...
“Peace be with you”...
The FIRST GIFT that Jesus gives to His people - following His resurrection is this...
HIS PEACE...
He gives HIMSELF as their PEACE...
See - John Piper -
“WE don’t INITIATE peace with Jesus by our actions…He INITIATES peace with us”
BEFORE Jesus says anything TO THE DISCIPLES about POWER or PURPOSE in life - He establishes PEACE
See - the PEACE of God is HOLDING UP - ALL God-powered, God-honoring deeds...
And so Jesus goes THERE - first!
Listen to how the apostle Paul describes this...
14 For he himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility
15 by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace,
16 and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility.
17 And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near.
18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father.
This PEACE spoken of here - is a UNIQUE - PEACE...
This PEACE - is Jesus HIMSELF!
And did you notice how many ways - it IMPACTS the life of man?
I think a LOT of people - even CHRISTIANS - think of the PEACE of God - as having [1] EFFECT!
when in REALITY it has AT LEAST 3
The RISEN Christ brings the PEACE of God into 3 areas of life…for those who BELIEVE!
SLIDE: Jesus Christ As Peace: Peace Between Us and Jesus
Jesus Christ As Peace
Jesus Christ As Peace
This might SEEM obvious…but Jesus CAME to the disciples…NOT AS JUDGE...
But in PEACE...
Having risen from the dead - He brings PEACE
Did the Jewish Leaders in the 1st century have PEACE with Jesus?
NO - why?
Because they didn’t BELIEVE in Him...
They didn’t HAVE FAITH in Him...
WHO was Jesus at PEACE with during His ministry?....
Those who BELIEVED in Him...
Those who HAD FAITH...
And in HAVING FAITH - they saw themselves for WHO THEY WERE before Him!
AND TRUSTED in Him for ALL THAT HE DID!!
1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Which leads to the 2nd AREA in life...
- YES - The Risen Christ brings peace between Us and Jesus…but also
SLIDE: Jesus Christ as Peace: Peace Between Us and God
Jesus Christ as Peace
Jesus Christ as Peace
Now - OF COURSE Jesus is God -
But Jesus is NOT the Father!
The Father SENT Jesus...
WHY?
Jesus was sent because:
The requirement to get to GOD is - PERFECTION… The LAW needed to be FULFILLED!!
BUT
Because of MAN’s SIN - FORGIVENESS needed to take place…
Well what does the Bible say about - Forgiveness?
22 Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.
So think through those 2 REQUIREMENTS!
Perfection is needed to GET TO GOD…because MANKIND failed!
AND
the Shedding of Blood is NOW needed (forgiveness) - because MANKIND failed!!
SO - PEACE with God now requires - a PERFECT sacrifice - to be - KILLED
So who do you call?
THIS is why Jesus Christ was sent by the Father!
So FAR we’ve seen the Peace of God result in VERTICAL PEACE… (between US and Jesus, US and God)
What about HORIZONTAL peace?
SLIDE: Jesus Christ as Peace: Peace Between Us and Others
Jesus Christ As Peace
Jesus Christ As Peace
SLIDE:
To be reconciled to God is to be reconciled to all those who are reconciled to God
Jesus Christ brings peace that is not only VERTICAL - but also horizontal!
FIRST… - Horizontal in the direction of OTHER Christians!!
28 There 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.
We look out at the world TODAY - and we see - - CHAOS.EVERYWHERE
We see RACISM...
We also see RACISTS being racist - screaming for peace
We see Intolerance
We also see those who are Intolerant screaming for tolerance
We see Injustice
We also see Injustice - in pursuit of JUSTICE...
It’s CHAOS - EVERYWHERE
But what does this (verse) SAY?
START AT THE END!
IN CHRIST - there IS
NO RACISM...
No Ethnocentrism
No Classism
No SEXISM...
“neither Jew nor Greek, neither slave nor free, no male and female....for we are ALL ONE…IN CHRIST!!”
WHY?
BECAUSE NOW - on the basis of FAITH - there is now PEACE
The DIVIDING walls of Hostility have been BROKEN down (as we read in Eph 2:14)
BUT ONLY IN CHRIST!!!
IN CHRIST!!
SO - we hear - BLACK LIVES MATTER
Do BLACK LIVES MATTER...
YES - Black Lives Matter - BUT ONLY in CHRIST!!
Do we want to hear that??
“yeah but....yeah but....yeah but”
NO - ONLY IN CHRIST...
do Black Lives Matter
do White Lives Matter
do ALL Lives Matter
Because ONLY in Christ - does TRUE - LASTING - PEACE - actually EXIST!!
- And so - yeah - if you want to FIGHT racism…WHICH WE ALL SHOULD!!
And that starts with EACH OF US - regardless of color...
LOOKING INSIDE
- If you want to fight racism in a manner that IS NOT IN VAIN...
Then KNOW THIS - the fight STARTS with - The Peace of God IN JESUS CHRIST
If we try to FIGHT this thing STARTING ANYWHERE else...
“We’ll just TALK our way into peace” - How long has THAT been working?
“We’ll just PROTEST our way into peace” - How long has THAT been working?
Try to START THERE - and you reveal you’re not REALLY interested in TRUE CHANGE! True Peace!
HOW do I KNOW THAT?
24 And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil,
25 correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth,
26 and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.
The REASON i know that all pursuits of Racial Harmony - OUTSIDE of Jesus Christ - will not last...
IS BECAUSE - If Jesus is NOT your MASTER - then the DEVIL IS!
And Listen - Here’s the WILL of the devil:
To GET YOU - to
trade the PEACE of God - for false unity
confuse the PEACE of God - and Idolatry
The will of the DEVIL is NOT that you would EMBRACE the Peace of God in CHRIST...
But that you would EMBRACE a Worldly Peace - which is IDOLATRY!
That you would EMBRACE that which the WORLD embraces...
THAT’s idolatry…!
SEE - REMEMBER? - I said before that the PEACE of God in CHRIST - is NOT LAZY...
it’s NOT INACTIVE!
That’s why JESUS - in our text today - didn’t STOP with “Peace be with you”.....and then leave!
The peace of GOD - WORKS!!
BUT it does SO in a certain way!
We’re going to see that....
SLIDE: The Risen Christ: Is Our Power
The Risen Christ
The Risen Christ
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.
Jesus DOESN’T just stop with - PEACE be WITH YOU...
He actually EMPOWERS them to carry out His mission!!
HOW SO?
He said “Receive the Holy Spirit”...
And He says this IN RELATION to HOW the Father SENT Him out...
How did the Father do that?
Remember how Jesus started His ministry?
16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him;
Here is Jesus’ baptism...
He comes up out of the water and the Holy Spirit falls and rests on Him...
THIS is how Jesus kicks off His ministry…why?
38 how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. He went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.
Jesus performed His ministry in the power of the Holy Spirit!
AND so - back to our text - Jesus says - Just like the Father sent me out....
Just like I was EMPOWERED with the Holy Spirit...
SO I EMPOWER you!!
8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
SEE - apart from PEACE with God - there is NO POWER...
APART from the FOUNDATION of Peace with God - there is NO HOLY SPIRIT power!
But when there IS POWER...
WITH this power - COMES Purpose...
SLIDE: The Risen Christ: Is Our Purpose
The Risen Christ
The Risen Christ
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.”
This verse here - this IS our purpose...
OUR purpose in LIFE…FROM God...
Is to RECONCILE mankind -
TO GOD!! - it STARTS THERE!
The BIGGEST problem in our world TODAY - is not Racism...
It’s UNBELIEF
It’s THIS - REBELLION against Jesus - THAT is the worlds biggest problem RIGHT NOW
Jesus TELLS us our purpose here...
What does v23 say? (read it)
This is NOT teaching us that WE have the power to FORGIVE sins…in and of OURSELVES...
Jesus is saying - v22 - RECEIVE the Holy Spirit...
NOW -
I’m sending you to extend my peace and my light and my truth and my life in the world. I am going to my Father. But I give you my Spirit. I am the power in you. So go and glorify me in this world.
When you tell people about what I have done, speaking my word, about my work, in the power of my Spirit, I am the one speaking through you, (THAT’s WHY Jesus said - My sheep HEAR MY VOICE) so that if anyone believes your word, I forgive their sins. And if any does not believe your words, I don’t’ forgive them. And since you are my voice and my truth, I speak of you forgiving them, and you withholding forgiveness.
THIS is what Jesus has called us to...
To PROCLAIM His message to a world that HATES His message...
SUMMARY:
The Risen Christ
Is Our Peace
Is Our Power
Is Our Purpose
We PREACH - THE RISEN CHRIST - to bring others into HIS PEACE…His power…and His purpose....
When the disciples sat in that LOCKED room - 2000 years ago...
Their FEAR KEPT them from Proclaiming Christ...
They DIDN’T KNOW...
But THEN THEY DID KNOW!
And the result of that - was...
Jesus Christ as their Peace...
Jesus as their POWER....
and Jesus as their PURPOSE...
HAVE you - BY FAITH - received the Peace of God…IN Jesus Christ?
If not - TRUST in Him...
He’s the ONLY way to God...
If you HAVE put your faith in Christ and HAVE received His peace...
Then question:
Are you DISPLAYING the Peace of God to the world?
Do you DISPLAY to the world - that there is NO Jew or Greek, Neither slave nor free, no male and female…in Christ?
Because if we SAY the world should TRUST in Jesus...
But then we LIVE as though there IS a difference between Jew and Greek, Black and white...
If we LIVE our lives trying to BUILD those walls of hostility that Christ has TORN down…then we’re not PROCLAIMING the message of Christ...
Go before the Lord now - and examine your heart...
Ask Him to reveal to you all that prevents you from LIVING out and proclaiming His Peace, His power, and His purpose...
What is our message to this WORLD of Chaos?
Is THE RISEN CHRIST the foundation of our message…?
If not - then we’re simply not giving the world what it needs...
Worldly peace - is not peace at all...
May we trust Christ enough to live like Him, proclaiming what He proclaimed...
Let’s pray!