Wait...what?! What does it all mean?

In in Epiphany we watched as Jesus set his face like flint to travel to Jerusalem.

In Lent we heard his plan to be arrested, handed over to the gentiles, be beaten, flogged and crucified and rise from the dead and we heard Peter rebuke Jesus to his face for saying those words.

On good friday we watched as Jesus’ plan unfolded exactly as he’d planned it. On Friday Pilate presented Jesus to the Cancel Culture with a face full of blood and a robe of purple.

Today we’ve awakened to the news that the women who went to finished the work of preparing Jesus’ body for burial and to see His face one last time. When they arrived they were met with the shining and grinning face of an angel bringing them news that Jesus, the crucified, had risen from the dead and then the women fleeing the tomb in astonishment and fear.

Wait…what?!?! that’s it. Couldn’t you elaborate just a little more. Afterall, we just heard, from an angel no less, that Jesus accomplished something that non of us have ever been able to accomplish, He came back from the dead.

What more is there hear. Were you expecting the Angel to preach a sermon? He’s delivered the exact words given to him to deliver, not one word more and not one word less.

But I have questions. I need to figure out how to wrap my brain around this… NO you don’t. Friday after noon Jesus gave up His spirit after suffering for 6 hours on the cross while bearing in His body your sins and mine. Shortly after Christ died his corpse was pierced by a Roman spear and blood and water poured out of the wound in his chest. His CORPSE was taken down from the cross and hastily buried in a rich man’s tomb. A stone was rolled in front of the tomb and sealed and a attachment of soldiers stood guard to guarantee that the disciples wouldn’t steal Jesus’ body and fraudulently claim that he’s risen from the dead. Thus perished Jesus of Nazareth.

But Jesus’ plan included one more tiny detail. That’d he’d raise from the grave on the third day after his death.

And just like God, whose word does not return to Him void but it accomplishes that for which He sends it, because God CANNOT lie, Jesus on the first easter morn, the first day of week, the first fruits of the New Creation, the second Adam came to life and his body began breathing.

Remember in Genesis when God formed Adam’s body and it lay lifeless in the Garden.

Genesis 2:7 ESV

7 then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.

The 1st Adam began as a corpse.

The Second Adam also began as a lifeless corpse.

Romans 5:12–14 ESV

12 Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned— 13 for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law. 14 Yet death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sinning was not like the transgression of Adam, who was a type of the one who was to come.

Do you get it yet? The angel didn’t NEED to say much because almost everything that needed to be said had already been said by God in His Word. The question is were you paying attention?

So, what does it mean?

It means we’re saved! It means the New Creation has already begun. Jesus is the first-fruits of the New Creation. The empty tomb PROVES IT!

1 Corinthians 15:20–26 ESV

20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. 24 Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

Acts 13:38–41 ESV

38 Let it be known to you therefore, brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you, 39 and by him everyone who believes is freed from everything from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses. 40 Beware, therefore, lest what is said in the Prophets should come about: 41 “ ‘Look, you scoffers, be astounded and perish; for I am doing a work in your days, a work that you will not believe, even if one tells it to you.’ ”

The Angel has delivered his message. The tomb is empty. The Apostles have seen the risen Jesus and have delivered the Gospel, the stunning good news to us that...

1 Corinthians 15:3–4 ESV

3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

Acts 17:30–31 ESV

30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

Here is how it is all going to go down.

Isaiah 24:1–23 ESV

1 Behold, the Lord will empty the earth and make it desolate, and he will twist its surface and scatter its inhabitants. 2 And it shall be, as with the people, so with the priest; as with the slave, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the creditor, so with the debtor. 3 The earth shall be utterly empty and utterly plundered; for the Lord has spoken this word. 4 The earth mourns and withers; the world languishes and withers; the highest people of the earth languish. 5 The earth lies defiled under its inhabitants; for they have transgressed the laws, violated the statutes, broken the everlasting covenant. 6 Therefore a curse devours the earth, and its inhabitants suffer for their guilt; therefore the inhabitants of the earth are scorched, and few men are left. 7 The wine mourns, the vine languishes, all the merry-hearted sigh. 8 The mirth of the tambourines is stilled, the noise of the jubilant has ceased, the mirth of the lyre is stilled. 9 No more do they drink wine with singing; strong drink is bitter to those who drink it. 10 The wasted city is broken down; every house is shut up so that none can enter. 11 There is an outcry in the streets for lack of wine; all joy has grown dark; the gladness of the earth is banished. 12 Desolation is left in the city; the gates are battered into ruins. 13 For thus it shall be in the midst of the earth among the nations, as when an olive tree is beaten, as at the gleaning when the grape harvest is done. 14 They lift up their voices, they sing for joy; over the majesty of the Lord they shout from the west. 15 Therefore in the east give glory to the Lord; in the coastlands of the sea, give glory to the name of the Lord, the God of Israel. 16 From the ends of the earth we hear songs of praise, of glory to the Righteous One. But I say, “I waste away, I waste away. Woe is me! For the traitors have betrayed, with betrayal the traitors have betrayed.” 17 Terror and the pit and the snare are upon you, O inhabitant of the earth! 18 He who flees at the sound of the terror shall fall into the pit, and he who climbs out of the pit shall be caught in the snare. For the windows of heaven are opened, and the foundations of the earth tremble. 19 The earth is utterly broken, the earth is split apart, the earth is violently shaken. 20 The earth staggers like a drunken man; it sways like a hut; its transgression lies heavy upon it, and it falls, and will not rise again. 21 On that day the Lord will punish the host of heaven, in heaven, and the kings of the earth, on the earth. 22 They will be gathered together as prisoners in a pit; they will be shut up in a prison, and after many days they will be punished. 23 Then the moon will be confounded and the sun ashamed, for the Lord of hosts reigns on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and his glory will be before his elders.

Isaiah 25:6–9 ESV

6 On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wine, of rich food full of marrow, of aged wine well refined. 7 And he will swallow up on this mountain the covering that is cast over all peoples, the veil that is spread over all nations. 8 He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken. 9 It will be said on that day, “Behold, this is our God; we have waited for him, that he might save us. This is the Lord; we have waited for him; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.”

Romans 8:18–24 ESV

18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope 21 that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. 23 And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. 24 For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees?