"REMEMBER, HE HAS RISEN"

Introduction

Let me welcome all you who are worshiping with us this morning both in-person and online. Happy Easter to you, and your family. We are gather here this morning to remember and reflect on the meaning of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus.

-If you were here last Sunday/ Psalm we heard about the parade into Jerusalem and how excited the people were.

-On Good Friday, we were also here and we heard the story told by gospel of John of the betrayer, the arrest, the denial, the flogging, the crucifixion and the burial in a tomb. Then we asked each other through the song “Were You There When They Crucified My Lord”

Today we here to commemorate the resurrection.

Today is not about some Easter bunny(no hard feeling toward bunnies) as a distraction from the central meaning of the day. Since we are all gather here to remember:

-What are you remembering about the resurrection of Jesus Christ?

-How are you appropriately responding to that knowledge in the present?

The Resurrection Of Christ

The resurrection of our Lord Jesus is the key foundation of our Christian faith. Without it our worship, service or prayers are in vain. The resurrection story is what set Christianity apart from all others and gives authority to the church witness to the world.

The resurrection helps us find meaning in great tragedy of our lives

The resurrection assures that Christ is alive and ruling His Kingdom. He is not a legend but alive and real.

Scripture Reading

Luke 24:1–8 (CSB)

1 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came to the tomb, bringing the spices they had prepared. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb. 3 They went in but did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men stood by them in dazzling clothes. 5 So the women were terrified and bowed down to the ground.

“Why are you looking for the living among the dead?” asked the men. 6 “He is not here, but he has risen! Remember how he spoke to you when he was still in Galilee, 7 saying, ‘It is necessary that the Son of Man be betrayed into the hands of sinful men, be crucified, and rise on the third day’8 And they remembered his words.

Remember

From these few verses, I want to speak to you on the subject “REMEMBER, HE HAS RISEN”

Sermon illustration About Remembering: Bought a apple Airpod because I forgot that I had plug my first earbuds in the wall.

In Bible, to remember- is not simply recalling information from the past, but also implies an appropriate response to that knowledge in the present. Isreal was repeatedly instructed to “remember” God. Num 15:39-40 “These will serve as tassels for you to look at, so that you may remember all the LORD’s commands and obey them and not prostitute yourselves by following your own heart and your own eyes. This way you will remember and obey all my commands and be holy to your God.” -Meaning Isreal was to live faithfully as God’s people. When it says in the New Testaments that God remember His covenant, it means that He hold Himself to the promises that He has made. Lk.1:72 (“to fulfil mercy with our fathers and remember his holy covenant,” )

“DO THIS IN REMEMBRANCE OF ME”

-When we part-take of the Eucharist, it serve as a reminder of Jesus’ life, and death, and Christians are to live rightly in light of that memory.(Not just cognitive memory but a change of behavior in our faith in Christ)

WHY ARE YOU HERE?

The Angels asked an astonishing question “why are you here looking for the living among the dead”? The women remember: He died on the cross. He was buried. They remember the location of the tomb. This was a tragic event that shock their faith. It is hard to remember anything else. Jesus has given His disciples advance knowledge of all that will happen when they get to Jerusalem(Psalm Sunday | remember that whole ridding on a donkey parade)

Jesus said they should count down three days after his death and He will be back to life.( Matt 17:23 “and they shall kill him; and the third day he shall be raised up. And they were greatly grieved.” )

The Angels reminded these women what Jesus said and where He said it. Luke 24:6 (“Remember how he spoke to you when he was still in Galilee”) These brave Women of faith got up early morning when they should have been sleeping late, show up at the gravel /tomb worrying and baffled because the tomb is open and the dead body of Christ is not counted among the dead.

All because they did not remember His word. Had they remembered His Words they would have stayed home and waited on Him.

Just as the Angels help the women remembered Jesus’ Word. All those we believe in the Lord Jesus also have the person of Holy Spirit to reminder us of the Word of God when we are showing up in the wrong places looking for God.

Christ is alive in the lives of the living in the world today. He reigns in the hearts of Christ loving Christians and is the head of His Church that you and I are part of today.

Look for His power all around you in the world not in the grave(Death)

Take Away

-To remember He Has Risen, we must do the following:

Have a Personal Relationship with the Lord Jesus- these women when to the tomb first thing in the morning because of the love for the Lord Jesus. Each of them had a personal relationship with love and respect.( they brought spices as we would bring flowers.

They heard Jesus’ Word. - We must develop daily Scripture reading habit as Christians. -Romans 10:17 says “So faith comes from what is heard, and what is heard comes through the message about Christ.”)

Application- faith is applying the Word of God to our situation or present reality. In other word remembering God’s word Yesterday in our today.

Finally, Let us remember in spite of the circumstances we are facing externally and internally that Christ has risen and is alive and we too can live, will live because our Lord lives.

Happy Easter and may the blessing of Christ be with you and your family