A Risen Christ

Easter Sunday- Christ Resurrection

Good morning Ya’ll, as always, it is a pleasure to be walking through God’s word together this morning.

As we gather together this morning, I would assume that most of you do not need convincing of the resurrection.

What I mean is, I would venture to guess that most all of us believe on some level that Jesus did what he said he was going to do. That is, as Christ , who though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasp, (Phil 2:6) but rather came as a man, but not only a man, a king, and not only a king a Messiah.

We also believe that he came in the most unexpected way. As a King and a messiah, he did not come to rule as an earthly king, but as the King of Kings. That is a humble servant.

A humble servant who was betrayed, rejected by those who claimed to be Godly people, and ultimately crucified and buried in a tomb as any man.

There is more to our faith than that…or we wouldn't be out here this morning.

If that was the end, our faith would be as any other faith or religion. It would be a faith of wishful thinking.

No…there's more to the story and more to our faith than a good man and a prophet who was hung on a cross.

There is more because our faith is in and our service is to one and only risen KING.

We believe that, do we not?

If you don’t, please find me at breakfast and lets talk.

Given my audience and the assumption most if not all of you believe that Jesus came to live the life you and I could not, died the death we deserve at Calvary, was placed in the tomb, and rose three days later to overcome the curse of death and sit at the right hand of God; I want to take a different approach this morning with our walk through Scripture.

As Christians, we sometimes fall into categories within our faith. We have our mountain top experiences, we have our valleys of despair, and then we have the road we walk every single day.

When were on the mountain top, we see a big God. We see Jesus in his radiance, His glory, but sometimes, we miss the details. We breeze by them, we may consider something here or there, but we miss some very important details of our faith.

This isn't new to us, In Mark 9, Jesus takes his disciples up on the mountain and they see Him in all his glory as he is transfigured. They see Elijah and Moses and are in awe. But as they walk down the mountain, Jesus says to them, tell no one what you have seen, until the Son of Man is risen from the dead. (Mark 9:9) The disciples heard this detail, the questioned it, but they let it fall to the back of their minds as they began asking Jesus about the return of Elijah.

We also have times of despair. As we walk through these valley’s the same can happen. We are hyper focused on God and pray fervently for any sign of hope. As we travel these valley’s our heads are often down and we push upward.

The issue we find when were in the valley of despair is we lose sight of God’s plan, His perfect few of all thinks.

Take Martha for example, when her brother Lazarus died and Christ came to her home she cried, Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. While her heart and eyes were focused on the loss of her brother, she missed it when Jesus said, your brother will rise again.

She believed that Jesus would raise him again in the resurrection, but missed his point that he will live again today. This was his plan after all, in John 11, we read that Jesus heard the news that Lazarus was ill, but he waited two days to leave and then went the long way to Lazarus, through Judea.

Finally, where we spend most of our day to day lives, walking down the road of our faith.

If you have your Bibles, turn to Luke chapter 24 with me, we will begin in verse 13.

English Standard Version Chapter 24

On the Road to Emmaus

13 That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14 and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. 16 But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17 And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. 18 Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” 19 And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. 21 But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. 22 Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, 23 and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.” 25 And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

English Standard Version Chapter 24

So they drew near to the village to which they were going. He acted as if he were going farther, 29 but they urged him strongly, saying, “Stay with us, for it is toward evening and the day is now far spent.” So he went in to stay with them. 30 When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And he vanished from their sight. 32 They said to each other, “Did not our hearts burn within us while he talked to us on the road, while he opened to us the Scriptures?”

The day that Christ was risen from the grave, two men, Cleopas and another disciple were on the road to Emamaus.

These two disciples knew a few things, of which we should be aware.

First, and most important, they are aware of the empty tomb. As they encounter the man, who would be the Risen Christ, they tell Him about the women finding the tomb empty.

Second, the disciples identify the religious as being responsible for Christ death, The priest and rulers.

Third, They identify Jesus as a Prophet who performed mighty deeds before God and Man, and they hoped he would be the one to redeem Israel.

These three things are important, because although we are here to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, we too often fall into seasons where we know what it means to be a follower of Christ, we know to do what Scripture says, yet, because we are simply walking down the road of life, things are comfortable, we become complacent in our faith. It isn't sudden, but complacency begins to creep in slowly.

So let’s break these down, first, We know Christ rose from the grave.

Jesus not only told his closest disciples he would die and be raised to life, he told all of his followers. In Matthew 16:21, Jesus tells his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem, he must suffer and be killed and that on the third day he will be raised.

He tells those who witnessed the transfiguration in Matthew 17 and the 12 disciples in Matthew 20.

So, it was no secret to those who called themselves disciples of Christ, he foretold his death and his resurrection. .

While it didn't quiet set in at the moment, I want you to see something this morning. The Resurrection of Christ Jesus simply isnt real to the disciples… yet.

Is it real to you this morning?

Secondly, These two disciples identify their own religious leaders responsible for Christ suffering and his death. This is where our complacency in faith becomes dangerous.

If our faith, simply becomes religion and we are checking off boxes as religious people do, we fall into the same categories as the Pharisees and Priest who plotted to kill Christ. When this happens, our religious acts are no longer acts of faith in service to Christ, but acts of service to ourselves, acts in our best interest and not acts towards promoting the Kingdom of God.

Are you checking religious boxes this morning, or are you living to promote the Kingdom of God?

The disciples identify Jesus as a Prophet who performed mighty deeds before God and Man, and they hoped he would be the one to redeem Israel.

We see from the disciples description of Christ, that their eyes had not been opened to reality of the events which ultimately would be the most important event in the history of man.

These two men saw Jesus as a Godly Prophet whom they hoped would redeem Israel. They hoped he would free them from Roman rule.

Who do you see Jesus’ as this morning?

The very center of these three questions, Is Jesus real to you, Are you living to promote the Kingdom of God, and Who do you see Jesus as are all dependent on the answer to one more question.

What does Christ Resurrection mean to you?

Although these disciples and many others didn't get it in the moment, Christ responds in grace. He says, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.

Christ began to open their eyes, through scripture. These guys were so excited about their Bible study, they asked this random guy to stay with them for the night. When Christ fully reveals himself to them, they speak of their hearts burning as He spoke and opened the Scriptures to them.

For the Disciples of Christ, His resurrection was everything. We tend to focus on it only when it comes up in our readings or during the Easter season, but if you notices, the New Testament shows a radical change in the Disciples behavior. Once the resurrection became real, Once Jesus was seen for being the Risen Christ, King of Kings, and Messiah, everything changed.

Faith was no longer wrapped in religious acts, but Christ centered and Kingdom focused living. From Act’s 1 onwards, when a Disciple is teaching or Preaching, they are speaking of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Jesus’ death, his blood covered our sins, but it is through His resurrection that we are justified before an almighty God, and friends, this changes everything!

We read here, that  When he was at table with them, he took the bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them. 31 And their eyes were opened, and they recognized him.

As we take communion this morning, it’s my prayer this morning that our eyes would be opened to the significance of Christ resurrection. That it would be real to us, that it would drive us towards Kingdom living, and it would mean everything to us.

English Standard Version Chapter 11

the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.