The Fact of the Resurrection

No Other King  •  Sermon  •  Submitted
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In the early morning hours of June 17, 1972, a night guard at a D.C. hotel and office complex was making his rounds when he noticed a suspiciously taped-open exit door. He quickly alerted authorities, setting off a series of events that would forever change the nation.
More than 40 years later, the word Watergate is synonymous with political crime and corruption. In fact, it has become so ingrained in our collective conscience that just adding “-gate” to the end of a word instantly signifies a scandal.
There is a lesser known story from the Watergate Scandal.
Charles Colson was one of those involved in the scandal.
SHOW - COLSON-NIXON SLIDE
As a new Christian, Chuck Colson voluntarily pled guilty to obstruction of justice in 1974 and served seven months in Alabama’s Maxwell Prison for his part in the Watergate scandal.
In his best-selling memoir, Born Again, Chuck wrote, “I found myself increasingly drawn to the idea that God had put me in prison for a purpose and that I should do something for those I had left behind.”
Colson emerged from prison with a new mission: mobilizing the Christian church to minister to prisoners.
SHOW - PRISON FELLOWSHIP SLIDE
1001 Illustrations that Connect Illustration 35: Triumphing over Conspiracy

Whenever Charles Colson, onetime Watergate-criminal-turned-founder of Prison Fellowship, is challenged about the truth of Christ’s resurrection, he responds, “My answer is always that the disciples and 500 others gave eyewitness accounts of seeing Jesus risen from the tomb. But then I’m asked, ‘How do you know they were telling the truth? Maybe they were perpetuating a hoax.’ ” Colson says, “My answer to that comes from an unlikely source: Watergate.” He writes:

Watergate involved a conspiracy perpetuated by the closest aides to the president of the United States—the most powerful men in America, who were intensely loyal to their president. But one of them, John Dean, turned state’s evidence, that is, testified against Nixon, as he put it, “to save his own skin”—and he did so only two weeks after informing the president about what was really going on! The cover-up, the lie, could only be held together for two weeks, and then everybody else jumped ship to save themselves. Now, the fact is that all that those around the president were facing was embarrassment, maybe prison. Nobody’s life was at stake.

But what about the disciples? Twelve powerless men, peasants really, were facing not just embarrassment or political disgrace, but beatings, stoning, execution. Every one of the disciples insisted, to their dying breaths, that they had physically seen Jesus bodily raised from the dead. Don’t you think that one of those apostles would have cracked before being beheaded or stoned? That one of them would have made a deal with the authorities? None did. Men will give their lives for something they believe to be true; they will never give their lives for something they know to be false.

The Watergate cover-up reveals the true nature of humanity. Even political zealots at the pinnacle of power will, in the crunch, save their own necks, even at the expense of the ones they profess to serve so loyally. But the apostles could not deny Jesus, because they had seen him face to face, and they knew he had risen from the dead.

No, you can take it from an expert in cover-ups—I’ve lived through Watergate—that nothing less than a resurrected Christ could have caused those men to maintain to their dying whispers that Jesus is alive and is Lord. Two thousand years later, nothing less than the power of the risen Christ could inspire Christians around the world to remain faithful—despite prison, torture, and death. Jesus is Lord: That’s the thrilling message of Easter. It’s a historic fact, one convincingly established by the evidence—and one you can bet your life upon.

—Charles Colson, BreakPoint Online Commentaries (April 29, 2002)

1. Jesus’s burial fulfills Scripture.

John 19:38–42 ESV
38 After these things Joseph of Arimathea, who was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus, and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took away his body. 39 Nicodemus also, who earlier had come to Jesus by night, came bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds in weight. 40 So they took the body of Jesus and bound it in linen cloths with the spices, as is the burial custom of the Jews. 41 Now in the place where he was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. 42 So because of the Jewish day of Preparation, since the tomb was close at hand, they laid Jesus there.
If the Jews had crucified Jesus on their own they would have taken him down before sunset and put him in a mass grave.
According to Deuteronomy 21:23,
Deuteronomy 21:23 ESV
23 his body shall not remain all night on the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is cursed by God. You shall not defile your land that the Lord your God is giving you for an inheritance.
a man hung on a tree was cursed and he must be buried the same day to prevent the land being defiled. The Jews took this serious and likely buried condemned criminals in a common grave as a purposeful shameful burial.
The romans on the other hand like to leave the bodies of the crucified criminals on display.
Since the Jews couldn’t carry out the death penalty they were at the mercy of Pilate to release the body.
In steps Joseph of Arimathea, a formerly secret disciple and Nicodemus who came by night secretly. Again, we see a perfectly orchastrated situation that is out of the normal rhythm, that fulfills Scripture.
Let’s look at Isaiah 53 again:
Isaiah 53:7–9 ESV
7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. 8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? 9 And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.
We see the sacrificial Lamb of God slaughter. We saw this part last week.
This week we see verse 9:
they made his grave with the wicked = His crucifixion - the Jews would have put Him in a criminal mass grave, the romans left Him on the cross
instead
with a rich man in his death = Joseph of Arimathea
Matthew tells us more about Joseph and about his tomb
Matthew 27:57–61 ESV
57 When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who also was a disciple of Jesus. 58 He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. 59 And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen shroud 60 and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had cut in the rock. And he rolled a great stone to the entrance of the tomb and went away. 61 Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were there, sitting opposite the tomb.
Alright, let’s look at the next section here:
John 20:1–10 ESV
1 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. 2 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.” 3 So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. 4 Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went back to their homes.
(Fake point: John is faster than Peter at running!)
This is a real account. John is just saying what happen.
We know that John is a little competitive:
Mark tells us that John and his brother asked Jesus to give the seats of honor in glory in Mark 10:35.
But I think Peter was just being nice:
Matthew is like, no, no they didn’t ask—those two momma’s boys had their mom ask Jesus:
Matthew 20:20–21 ESV
20 Then the mother of the sons of Zebedee came up to him with her sons, and kneeling before him she asked him for something. 21 And he said to her, “What do you want?” She said to him, “Say that these two sons of mine are to sit, one at your right hand and one at your left, in your kingdom.”
You don’t keep this kind of stuff in there if your are making up a story.
John is the elder of the church in Jerusalem, James is one of the first martyrs.
You don’t add bad stuff about the heroes! Especially not in the 1st century Judaism.
But here it is because of our real point #2:

2. The Gospels are Historical Narratives.

There historically has been much made of the different stories that the Gospels tell.
First of all, the Gospels are eye witness accounts. If they had been identical we’d know they had gotten together to make up a story.
They tell different aspects of the same story, they include only the details they want the reader to know.
This is the narrative side, they are writing with a purpose—they what you to understand who Jesus really is!
I’d like to quickly present a way all the stories could have gone, just so you can see one of many ways these stories all come together.
You don’t have to write this down.
If you are interested in last week of Jesus’s life before His crucifixion I will recommend a great book:
SHOW - THE FINAL DAYS OF JESUS BOOK SLIDE
The Final Days of Jesus by Andreas Köstenberger and Justin Taylor. The book is great and it leads you to a number of other sources in the back.
Here is one possible scenario:
1. The women mentioned in Matthew, Mark, and Luke all go to the Tomb.
2. John records that when Mary Magdalene SAW the stone had been rolled away she ran to tell Peter and John.
3. She tells them WE don't know where they’ve taken Jesus. Who is the “WE” her and the other women.
4. Meanwhile, the Synoptic Gospels tell us the other women go in the tomb and see two angels—one of which does all the talking.
5. He tells them Jesus is not here, he is raised from the dead. He also tells them to tell the other disciples.
6. They run to go tell them, not saying anything to anyone on the way, also perhaps passing Mary Magdalene on a side street in Jerusalem.
7. Mary gets to the tomb, goes in for the first time, the angels are there, on asks her why she’s crying. (REMEMBER she may have not heard the first things they said to the other women.)
8. She hears Jesus who she thinks is the gardener, He reveals Himself as Jesus, he tells her to tell the disciples that He will ascend.
9. Meanwhile the other women have come to the disciples, they’ve heard from Mary Magdalene and now these other women, so they take off running.
10. They arrive at the tomb, its empty but John believes, but can’t understand how this all fits in the Scriptures yet.
You may be saying, that sure is a lot of work to make these stories fit together.
I can tell you if you have small children and you are trying to go to the store then you can relate to multiple trips.
1. You get in the car, but where are Emery’s shoes?
2. You go help them find them, meanwhile Eisley’s come in to get a drink before we go.
3. You tell her to get her drink, then you get back in the car, where’s Micah?
4. She’s throwing away all the cups from yesterday that the kids left in the car
5. she back now, what happened to Eisley,
6. You go back in, she had to go to the bathroom.
This may or may not be a true story or stories.
Here’s the point: How much more confused, disoriented, just plain shocked are these disciples of Jesus?
They thought the Messiah was dead and all the hopes of God’s Kingdom with Him.
But now they see…He’s alive?!?! Can it be? I saw Him die! How can it be?
It is true Jesus is alive!!
Let’s look at it in John 20:11
John 20:11–16 ESV
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).

3. Do not let serving Jesus, replace knowing Him.

Mary had come to anoint the body of Jesus.
Mark tells us this in Mark 16:1
Mark 16:1 ESV
1 When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him.
Mary is so focused on find the dead body of Jesus, she doesn't recognize Him until He speaks her name.
The commentators think his body might have looked different, it may have but the danger is still there.
She is looking for Jesus, yet doesn’t realize when she finds Him.
This is so easy to do.
We get too focused on the work of the ministry that we miss the reason we started serving—Jesus.
It can be worse still, here is one of the scariest Scriptures in the Bible:
Matthew 7:21–22 ESV
21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’
John wrote about this in his letters too:
1 John 2:4–6 ESV
4 Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him, 5 but whoever keeps his word, in him truly the love of God is perfected. By this we may know that we are in him: 6 whoever says he abides in him ought to walk in the same way in which he walked.
We must know Him, then we show that we know Him by our actions.
This brings me to the last point:

4. We are more than servants—we are Family.

Look at John 20:17-18
John 20:17–18 ESV
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.
I want to concentrate on verse 17 for the remainder of our time.
John 20:17 ESV
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.’ ”
Jesus said in John 15:15 that the disciples were no longer servants but now friends.
Let’s look at it:
John 15:15 ESV
15 No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you.
Look at the wording here: for all that I heard from MY FATHER
But here in verse 17 Jesus elevates the disciples again, not just to friends but to brothers.
John 20:17 ESV
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.’ ”
But go tell MY BROTHERS
We need to be careful not to miss this distinction and think about siblings here the way we view them.
Joseph Hellerman in his book When the Church was a Family tells us this:
SHOW - JOSEPH HELLERMAN QUOTE 1

“Brother” meant immeasurably more to the authors of the Bible than the word means to you and me—it was their most important family relationship.

The relationship between siblings was greater than the relationship between husband and wife!

Keep this in mind when you read the Scriptures. It is not our American culture, we have to understand their culture and then apply it to our own when it comes to the way a family works.

But there is more here we will miss if we are not careful.
look at verse 17 again:
John 20:17 ESV
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.’ ”
Jesus wants Mary to tell His brothers that he is ascending to “MY Father and YOUR Father” to “MY God and YOUR God”.
Here’s the point:
In Christ we are not only servants, though we are because even Jesus says he came to serve.
We aren’t just friends of God, though we are because Jesus has revealed all the Father has for us in his Word.
We are also a part of a new family—the family of God.
James M. Hamilton Jr wraps this idea up beautifully, it is worth quoting him at length:
SHOW - JAMES HAMILTON QUOTE
He says,

“For the risen Lord Jesus to say these words—that those who turn from their sin and trust him are brothers, that they have the standing before the Father that he himself has, and that the Father is his Father and their Father—operates as a level that arguments cannot penetrate.”

“These statements are meant to grab us by the gut, to connect with us at a visceral level, to show us that we are accepted, that we are family.”

I echo the prayer Joseph Hellerman ends his book with:
SHOW - JOSEPH HELLERMAN QUOTE 2

“When the church was a family, the church was on fire. May God help us recapture Jesus’ vision for authentic Christian community in our churches today.

Can you see yourself in these passages?
Are you a Secret Disciple like Joseph of Arimathea or Nicodemus?
Maybe you are like Mary Magdalene, allowing your service of Jesus, replace your knowing Him.
Are you a skeptic who just can’t see how Jesus can rise from the dead.
It could be you believe but just can’t see how it all fits together.
We are all on a faith journey. We place our faith and trust in something. If it isn’t Jesus, then maybe its some unknown spiritual power, maybe its just yourself that trust.
Jesus is calling you to believe in Him and trust in His death and resurrection.
Next week we will look at Jesus’s appearance to the disciples.
If you still doubt Jesus resurrection, you’ll be in good company next week as we look at Jesus’s appearance to his disciple.
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