Easter Sunday: Why I believe #5

Believe #5

Jamey Mills

Northside Church

4/4/21

Testimony by…. Gary Eaton

Intro:

Thanks Gary…

Good morning, my name is Jamey Mills I’m the lead pastor here at Northside church.

Such an honor to have you guys here with us as we celebrate one of the most pivotal, prominent, and important events, not just in Christianity but I believe in the history of the world.

As I was thinking about what I want to share with you all this morning, I started to think about this... if my life had to be defined by one moment… like this moment would become that hashtag of my life. What would it be?

There are some great ones in history… Alexander the great… could you imagine introducing yourself… please… call me the great.

Ivan the terrible. Attila the Hun… evidently, someone ticked off a scribe in the late 6th century… and he became known as Eystein “the fart”… there is something you didn't think you’d hear at an Easter service.

I started to think about those moments in my life…

Nacho libre moment… 1 in a million… had such a good game they were chanting my name.

Maybe the college national championship moment…

Maybe my undergrad or masters degree

Becoming a father or marrying the most beautiful lady in the world…

I could live with Jamey the outrageously fortunate.

But the truth is… for every great moment that could define me, there are more I wish never would.

Jamey the unbelievably short, Jamey the moody, just doesn’t have the same ring.

Today we are going to be talking about a guy who had one moment that would go on to define him in infamy. His entire existence… in fact even today if you’ve heard of him, it’s likely tagged with this moment.

Let me set the stage a little.

On multiple occasions, Jesus tried to teach His disciples that the cross was coming, He would die. In fact, it's something the OT clearly points to… my favorite is Isaiah 53… incredible detail about what would happen… and it was written no less than 700 years before Jesus was even born.

And even though Jesus went out his way to tell them, the disciples never really got a hold of it… maybe they didn’t want to or didn't understand…

But there are some interesting conversations that Jesus had with them over their inability to understand.

And so when you read the biblical accounts of the crucifixion of Jesus and everything that happened it's no wonder that we sense this range of feelings… from fear to confusion.

There's this sense of shock and silence, not just from the disciples but from everyone who was there. Questioning what it is that they just saw. It says that the crowd went home in deep sorrow, and even the soldiers that inflicted so much of the pain, it says in a blink of an eye they change their mind about the reality of who Jesus is. Truly, he is the Son of God they said.

It’s interesting to try to put yourself in the shoes of the 12 that were closest to Jesus. For several days after the cross… can you imagine what they were feeling. They’d seen some things… things they didn’t really know how to process… They’d given up just about everything to follow Jesus… and now what? No doubt it was a very hard and confusing time…

Eventually, it was Peter who broke the silence. Not knowing what to do next Peter said I'm going fishing, it was what he knew best before he knew Christ.

So he and several other disciples went, one of them was Thomas, one of the disciples we know least about. That day on the lake… I am sure there was a lot of silence… some questions… some reflection.. One of them was mulling over a major mistake…

Mark 16:1–8 NLT

Saturday evening, when the Sabbath ended, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome went out and purchased burial spices so they could anoint Jesus’ body. Very early on Sunday morning, just at sunrise, they went to the tomb. On the way they were asking each other, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” But as they arrived, they looked up and saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled aside. When they entered the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a white robe sitting on the right side. The women were shocked, but the angel said, “Don’t be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Look, this is where they laid his body. Now go and tell his disciples, including Peter, that Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you before he died.” The women fled from the tomb, trembling and bewildered, and they said nothing to anyone because they were too frightened. Then they briefly reported all this to Peter and his companions. Afterward Jesus himself sent them out from east to west with the sacred and unfailing message of salvation that gives eternal life. Amen.

Saturday evening, when the Sabbath ended, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome went out and purchased burial spices so they could anoint Jesus’ body. 2 Very early on Sunday morning, just at sunrise, they went to the tomb. 3 On the way they were asking each other, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” 4 But as they arrived, they looked up and saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled aside.

5 When they entered the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a white robe sitting on the right side. The women were shocked, 6 but the angel said, “Don’t be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Look, this is where they laid his body. 7 Now go and tell his disciples, including Peter, that Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you before he died.” 8 The women fled from the tomb, trembling and bewildered, and they said nothing to anyone because they were too frightened.

That is a lot to take in. I know that there are many that struggle to know what to do with that. It works against what I know experientially and it doesn't really fit in the compartments of my brain.

It reminds me that if God is who He says he is… if He is worth considering… I should expect Him to be more…. than my mind can sometimes comprehend. He’s not confined to my understanding… His ways are higher His thoughts are greater.

At the same time, realizing that the resurrection is clearly taught in all four of the gospels. The OT clearly points to it, Jesus clearly predicted it. The resurrection… is a very clear and important part of what the Bible teaches and of the Christian faith.

1 Corinthians 15:3–8 NLT

I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him.

1 Corinthians 15:3–8 NLT

I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him.

3 I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. 5 He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. 6 After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, (Almost to say, don't just take my word for it, go and hear what they have to say) most of whom are still alive, though some have died. 7 Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him.

Paul reminds us that hundreds of people saw Jesus after His resurrection… it didn't happen in a vacuum… something happened… that has rippled through history… that causes us to gather today… that has caused millions to believe, that has changed their lives in amazing ways… I… am one of them.

Maybe I’m wrong… but I feel like this struggle is growing. In the chaos of our culture… doubting the existence of God is becoming more and more of a thing… doubting the resurrection… even more so.

But I hope you find comfort in this… if this is hard for you, if you have honest questions… if you’re sometimes not sure what to think…

You're not alone, in fact, you're in some pretty great company.

The guy… I was talking about earlier… with the unfortunate reputation in infamy… let's read about him.

John 20:24–31 (NLT)

John 20:24–25 NLT

One of the twelve disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), was not with the others when Jesus came. They told him, “We have seen the Lord!” But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.”

24 One of the twelve disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), was not with the others when Jesus came. 25 They told him, “We have seen the Lord!”

But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.”

Thomas was a guy who is most known for looking like someone else… and… doubt.

Can you imagine what it must be like in heaven as people meet him...OOOOO your that guy! If punching is a thing in heaven… don't make eye contact.

Thomas gets a raw deal no doubt… there was more to him than doubt. In John 11, Jesus had just found out that Lazarus had died, and he was getting ready to go back to Jerusalem and the disciples tried to stop that. Knowing that the religious leaders in Jerusalem wanted to do away with Jesus, it was Thomas who spoke up and said… then we’ll go too and die with you there. It was Thomas who expressed more faith than anyone in that moment.

No doubt Thomas had seen some stuff, his experience with Jesus for the three years of Jesus's Ministry I'm sure he had seen some stuff. But not this.

I'm guessing Thomas was there, he saw the reality of the Cross, he knew what happened to Jesus, he knew the reality of it. He saw it with his own eyes. Thomas was living out that silence that we talked about earlier at the cross, the confusion, the shock and the grieving.

A few of the other disciples came to him and said hey we have seen the resurrected Christ, Thomas just wasn't sure that he could go there.

In the midst of everything that was going on Thomas said I have to see it with my own eyes and touch it with my own hands. And with that… “Doubting Thomas” was born.

I think it was an honest reaction… from a raw heart. He wasn’t trying to start a conflict, he wasn’t doubting for social media cred, he wasn’t trying to shame or dissuade people from believing in Jesus… he wasn't becoming an activist against the cause of Christ…

Honest doubt… that wanted to know the truth… that wanted to understand and wanted to believe…

John 20:26–28 NLT

Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!” “My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed.

26 Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”

28 “My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed.

Jesus wasn't defensive, irritated, angry, condemning or intimidated… There was room for Thomas’ honest questions and honest seeking.

What did Thomas find in the middle of his honest doubt? The truth about Jesus. That Jesus lives. Thomas found the truth. Jesus met him right where he was, He was patient and understanding. He was kind and generous.

One incredibly important truth we learn from this is… What we do with our doubt matters. Thomas found that wrestling with doubt… can be productive.

We don’t bury it, we don’t hide it, we don't ignore it… we don’t allow it to become the thing that pushes us away from the church or away from Christ.

but in all honesty, in transparency, Hungry For Truth, open handed and open-hearted we bring it to Jesus. We lean into him. We pray about it. We honestly search for truth with a deep faith that God will meet us there.

He met Thomas right where he was at, right in the middle of his confusion and doubt. Jesus revealed himself to Thomas and what was his reaction?

Thomas didn't just say neat, or okay then. His reaction was…exactly what you’d expect from one that was truly rocked by the reality of the resurrection.

“My Lord and my God”...

Thomas’ story doesn't end there… through some very early church historians… we actually have an idea of how life went after this interaction… Thomas went on to become a missionary church planter. Planting at least 7 churches in India (several more than claim they came from Thomas). We also read that Thomas went on to die for his faith. He was speared to death while ministering in India.

Fairly recent archaeological finds have made questioning Thomas’ ministry in India pretty hard to deny.

What happened? What caused a man like Thomas to go from this place of doubt to literally traveling across the world to tell people about his experience…. eventually, even leading him to die for it.

Easter… is what happened. He saw the resurrected Christ. Jesus met him in his doubt and changed his life forever.

Invite Matt & worship team up

Today as we celebrate the resurrection… I hope you find some peace in knowing it was hard for Thomas too. I hope you find some direction… knowing it's okay to have honest doubt… and knowing what to do with it. Trusting He will meet you there.

Death… was devastated by life. Sin is consumed by mercy and grace… Hope is given real power… and doubt… doubt is met head on in the resurrection of Jesus… and… just like for Thomas… Easter… CHANGES EVERYTHING!

At the very end of this passage… everytime I read I feel like Jesus is looking on to our time… like it's directed at you and I.

John 20:29–30 NLT

Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.” The disciples saw Jesus do many other miraculous signs in addition to the ones recorded in this book.

John 20:29–31 NLT

Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.” The disciples saw Jesus do many other miraculous signs in addition to the ones recorded in this book. But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name.

29 Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”

Jesus knew it would get harder…

30 The disciples saw Jesus do many other miraculous signs in addition to the ones recorded in this book. 31 But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name.

He is Risen…

We wanted to give you the opportunity to take communion on Easter Sunday… there are a few stations around… and at any point during the next two songs, feel free to grab it and then spread out and take it when you're ready.

Jesus… on the night that he was betrayed… took the bread and the cup… and told them to do this very thing… remembering the reality of the cross… which even has that much more meaning living on this side of the resurrection.

Pray…

CLOSING

We want to thank you so much for joining us for our Easter Celebration… if you have any questions about Northside… or how to get involved… you can email us at [e-mail].

One great way to start is to come to enchiladas and info… which is April 10th at 6:30. Meet some staff… hear what Northside is all about… PLEASE RSVP with the info in the bulletin.

Jim: Where students will meet him.

Kapla… info for easter