Resurrection of Our Lord, Easter Day

The moment Adam and Eve sinned, nothing would ever be the same. Death was unleashed on humanity, and it reigned without mercy and without challenge from that point forward. It hung like a suffocating shroud over us all. It was a constant source of sorrow and shame. Death doesn’t just bring life to an end. It spoils every moment of life that leads up to it.

The moment Christ emerged from the tomb, however, nothing would ever be the same. Life was unleashed on humanity. The salvation that Christ earned for us on the cross is no consolation prize for the life would have enjoyed had death never entered the picture with our first parents. It is not a rescue from a physical world gone bad, but a resurrection for a physical world that will once again be very good.

The victory of Jesus Christ over death and the grave restores life to us now, and this victory march has begun. This we must understand because,

The way we live in the present is shaped by what we understand about the future.

So, to get a better understand of the events of this great day we are going to take a short journey to the tomb, we will see how the future expectation of life changed for everyone, and how life is lived as changed people of God.

To The Tomb

The women go to to the tomb expecting to find Jesus’ body and complete the burial custom.

The Sabbath was over, and “at early dawn” they go with spices to complete the embalming process.

The stone was rolled away. They went inside but didn’t see Jesus’ body.

Then two angels in dazzling glory appeared to them

"Why do you seek the the living among the dead?

He is not here, but has risen.

Remember when in Galilee when he said this will happen?

They remembered: and so returned to tell the apostles what had happened.

The apostles thought Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, along with some other women were crazy.

Peter, however, ran to the tomb

He looked inside. What did he see?

He saw the linen cloths by themselves. — In other words, Peter saw that Jesus had made His bed when He woke from His sleep.

Future Expectations are Changed

The women were changed;

They were eye-witnesses of Jesus’ resurrection.

They vividly remember the angels discussion with them

They also remembered Jesus’ instruction on His resurrection.

Peter is changed:

He saw that Jesus’ bed was made.

He knew the women could not roll the stone away—too heavy.

Later, Peter recalled what Jesus said about His death and resurrection.

We, too, are changed by Jesus’ Resurrection

We enjoy now and for all eternity—“Resurrection Blessings!” What are they?

The Sting of death is crushed and defeated

The Victory that God gives through Christ Jesus is ours for eternity

One Day Jesus will give us an incorruptible, non-decaying body and existence.

Right now, we look in the mirror and see a body that isn’t what it was 40 years ago.

I cannot do the things at age 63 that I did when I was 23, though my mind tells me otherwise.

All of eternity will be in a non-decaying mode!

All of this is an absolute fact. Unfortunately, many do not live with the confident assurance that Jesus’ Resurrection impacts my life.

We look in a mirror and lament that we could have taken better care of ourselves.

If I just had the right combination of medicine, I can hold off death a little longer.

The bottom line is we still fear death. We say, “I still have things to do here.”

We forget that this life is subject to decay — it’s going to happen.

My poor dog Oscar is suffering with the affects of congestive heart failure, and the symptoms are getting more pronounced as each week passes. The medicine he takes may delay the inevitable, but the inevitable will happen.

I wonder if the reason why some still fear death—yes, even Christians—is because they have no confidence in Jesus’ Word — “It Is Finished!”

Unfortunately, we cling to things in life—and to this life itself—that will never accomplish for which we hope.

“Death is swallowed up in victory.”

Today’s OT reading gave a promise, “The Lord will swallow up death forever!” And this was fulfilled in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Sin and death have been overcome by the death of Jesus Christ.

1 Cor 15:56-57 “The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!”

This means that death has been robbed of its power. Like an insect which has lost its stinger, it is helpless.

We still get stung by death, but there is no venom in the bite; it cannot hurt us.

Living as Changed People of God

The way we live in the present is shaped by what we understand about the future.

What does the future hold for us?

1 Cor 15:52 “In a moment, in the blink of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.”

The trials and tribulations of this life are over, because of Jesus death and resurrection — It is finished — Easter changes everything.

Sickness, disease, death, medicine, disabilities, will be over. — It is finished — Easter changes everything.

Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we, too, will be raise. And we will be raised imperishable. No more decay. We will become like Jesus in his glorified state. Everything will be made new, and we will put on immortality. All this is a gift of God, because of Jesus’ death and resurrection — It is finished — Easter changes everything.

Illustration:

Two women working the exact same mundane job. They will get paid at the end of the year.

—1 Thinks they will get paid $10,000

—2 Thinks she’ll be paid $10 Million

—1 Works with shoulders slumped hanging on to every fiber in this life, because she’s convinced that this is all she’s going to get.

—2 Works with a spring in her step, and whistling while she’s working.

The difference is in their perspective of their future.

Look at the women—Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, along with some other women.

They saw with their own eyes.

They remembered what they were told.

God’s messengers reminded them of Jesus’ promise

They couldn’t wait to get back to tell the others what they saw and heard.

And we know what ultimately became of Peter.

Seeing that Jesus took the time to make His bed had a dramatic impact, because He knew for a fact that Jesus is raised!

In the power of the Holy Spirit, the world was never the same.

What about you and me?

The way we live in the present is shaped by what we understand about the future.

Romans 6:3-4 “Do you not know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him by this baptism into his death, so that just as he was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too would also walk in a new life.”

Romans 5:1-2 “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we also have obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand. And we rejoice confidently on the basis of our hope for the glory of God.”

1 John 3:2-3 “Dear friends, we are children of God now, but what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when he is revealed we will be like him, and we will see him as he really is. Everyone who has this hope purifies himself just as Jesus is pure.”

What this means in our lives . . .

We know that Easter Changes Everything.

We know that Jesus’ words of, “It is Finished” tells me that the battle is over. That sin, death, and the devil are defeated. Though I will one day die, it is totally different death than what the non-Christian will experience.

Death for the Christian is nothing more than sleep, something I am looking forward to this coming week.

We know that what we experience in this life is temporary, and one day at the sound of the Trumpet of God, the Christians will be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, and we will be forever with the Lord.

And yes, reunited with our loved ones who died in the faith.

God gifts us with immortality.

My dear brothers and sisters in Christ, Easter changes everything in our life today in how we live our life because we know what the future holds.

It is never a life a fear of death, but of longing anticipation for the promises of God to be fulfilled.

Philippians 1:6 “I am convinced of this very thing: that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”