Easter 2004, 2006 - The Stone Is Rolled Away
Reading: Luke 24:1-12
They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. Luke 24:2-3 (NIV)
I. God Unlocks death’s prison
A. This was a One Way door
1. Everybody dies (unless the Lord returns first)
a. Few even think about this (or want to!)
b. It’s kind of depressing
c. It makes us evaluate our lives
2. Who can come back from the dead?
a. Death is greedy, never satisfied (Hab 2:5)
b. Once death comes, there’s no return
B. Jesus’ resurrection Unchains us
1. What does life mean, if this is all there is?
a. If life is hard and then we die, why live?
b. Why work for anything, if it’ll all be gone
c. Is it just all like chasing the wind?
2. The moved stone opens new possibilities!
a. The one-way door isn’t one-way any more!
b. Life makes sense now.
c. We are free to live for what’s best!
C. It seems too Good to be True
1. Did this really happen?
a. Did someone steal His body?
b. Is this just a myth, meant to teach truth?
c. If it happened, it changes everything!
2. Does it mean what we think it means?
a. Yes! It means Jesus’ defeated death!
b. Yes! We have hope of resurrection!
II. Jesus Destroys sin’s power
A. The wages of sin is Death
1. Thru sin, death entered our world
a. Spiritual death at the first sin
b. Physical death soon after
2. A life of sin is a living death
a. Sin promises life, but never delivers
b. It pretends to be spice, but is poison
c. It offers freedom, but only enslaves
3. The final penalty for sin is death
a. Everyone dies because all have sinned
b. When we die, we meet our Maker
c. The final death is judgement
B. Jesus Defeated sin’s power over us
1. By paying sin’s penalty for us
a. He paid the penalty of death by dying
b. He bore the wrath of God for us
c. The “second death” has no power over us
2. By the triumph of love on the cross
a. The cross is not a failure, but a victory!
b. Jesus’ love was stronger than suffering
c. His love was bigger than all hell’s fury
C. With Jesus We are raised to New life
1. Not only is Jesus raised, so are we!
a. And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, (Eph 2:6)
b. We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. (Rom 6:4)
2. We live the new life “already, and not yet”
a. We already have the new life in Jesus
b. There is still, much more to come
c. The new life “breaks in” thru us.
III. Heaven’s door Opens wide
A. Not by Human effort
1. Who will roll away the stone? (4 tons!)
a. The women ask themselves in Mk & Mt
b. The tomb was sealed and guarded
2. Who could roll away that stone?
a. That stone which sealed away our hope
b. That stone between us and Jesus
c. The stone that separates us & the dead
3. Can we even get rid of our little stones?
a. Our little blocks are hard to (re)move
b. They seem to keep rolling back in place
c. We need help!
B. By God’s Power
1. God’s power over death
a. Death does not have the final say!
b. Death is defeated by His mighty power
c. God is the giver & restorer of life
And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. (Ro 8:11)
2. God’s power over our enemies
a. His power over sin
b. His power over the world
c. His power over the devil & his hosts
3. God’s powerful love
a. His love rolls away the stone to heaven
b. God’s love is stronger than death
c. By the power of His forgiveness
C. Look for life from the Living One!
1. Why look for the living among the dead?
a. Who goes to a cemetery to find a friend
b. Don’t follow some dead guy!
c. He’s not dead, look for the Living One
2. Why look for life from dead things/people
a. We can’t find life from what brings death
b. Hope can’t be reaped from the seeds of hopelessness
c. Good doesn’t always come out of bad things (except for God’s people!)
3. Look for life from the Living One!
a. You want life? Look to the Living One
b. Give up your stones, grave markers
c. Let Him roll the stone away, so you can see: He is not here. He is risen!
d. The risen One comes to give us Life to the full!
The Bottom Line:
| Praise God for the New Life we have because He Died and is Risen! |
Illustration:
Scripps Howard News Service reports that most Americans don't believe they will experience a resurrection of their bodies when they die, putting them at odds with a core teaching of Christianity. 36 percent of the 1,007 adults interviewed by the Scripps Survey Research Center at Ohio University said "yes" to the question: "Do you believe that, after you die, your physical body will be resurrected someday?" Fifty-four percent said they do not believe and 10 percent were undecided. "This reflects the very low state of doctrinal preaching in our churches," said Al Mohler, president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. "I continually am confronted by Christians, even active members of major churches, who have never heard this taught in their local congregations." The poll has a margin of error of 4 percentage points. The findings surprised many top theologians since it seems to put Americans in conflict with both the Nicene Creed and the Apostles' Creed. The Nicene Creed concludes with the famous words: "We look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen." Similarly, the Apostles' Creed professes a belief in "the resurrection of the body."
Resurrection poll
By THOMAS HARGROVEScripps Howard News Service*05-APR-06
The following are selected results from a survey of 1,007 adult residents of the United States conducted Feb. 19 through March 3 at the Scripps SurveyResearch Center at Ohio University.
Here are a few questions whether you believe there is life after death. Let me start by asking whether you believe in God or a Supreme Being?
Yes ............................ 90 No .............................. 7 Don't Know ...................... 3
How certain are you that God or a Supreme Being exists? Are you absolutely certain, pretty certain or not certain?
Absolutely Certain ............. 65 Pretty Certain ................. 22 Not Certain ..................... 3 Does Not Believe in God ......... 7 Don't Know ...................... 3
Do you believe in an afterlife, that is, that you wil lhave some sort of consciousness after you die?
Yes ............................ 72 No ............................. 18 Don't Know ..................... 10
How certain are you that there is an after life? Are you absolutely certain, pretty certain or not certain?
Absolutely Certain ............. 47 Pretty Certain ................. 21 Not Certain ..................... 4 Does Not Believe in Afterlife .. 18 Don't Know ..................... 10
Do you believe that, after you die, your physical body will be resurrected someday?
Yes ............................ 36 No ............................. 54 Don't Know ..................... 10
(Contact Thomas Hargrove at HargroveT@shns.com.) <http://www.shns.com/shns/g_index2.cfm?action=detail&pk=RESURRECTION1-04-05-06>