HOPE RESURRECTED

INTRODUCTION

In a real way the death of Christ, was more than just the death of a famous Rabbi, it was the death of hope for mankind. It has been famously said that “Man can live three weeks without food, 3 days without water, 3 minutes without air, but not three second without hope.”

We are reminded this morning of the resurrection by the very creation that surrounds us.

As the sunrises,its more than just the appearance of the sun that we appreciate but also the warmth and light it brings.

As spring comes, its more than just the change of season, but the reappearance of plant and animal life that we love to see.

And as Jesus resurrected it was more than just our Savior coming back to life, it was the hope that he brought with Him for all mankind.

TWO CLAIMS

Philippians 2:5–11 NKJV

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross. Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Jesus is fully God - He forgave sins, claimed preexistence, etc.

Jesus is fully man - He lived with our weaknesses

TWO DEATHS

DEATH OF GOD

Put yourself in the place of the disciples at Jesus’ death. We know how it ends they (and many today) do not know how it ends.

Nelson’s Complete Book of Stories, Illustrations & Quotes (Friedrich Nietzsche)

Nietzsche’s famous parable about this is called the Madman.

A madman appeared in the marketplace one morning, holding a lighted lantern in the bright daylight. He startled everyone by crying, “I’m looking for God! I’m looking for God!” The people made fun of him, saying, “Do you think God is lost? Is he hiding?” The madman leaped among the people, his eyes wild with alarm, crying, “Where is God? I’ll tell you where he is. We have killed him—you and I. All of us are his murderers. We have cut ourselves off from God as though we had unchained the earth from the sun, and we are wobbling out of control, plunging backward, sideward, forward, in all directions. We’re becoming cold and dark and empty. Don’t you feel it?”Then Nietzsche asked a profound question: “How shall we, the murderers of all murderers, comfort ourselves?”

The philosopher understood the implication of what he was advocating. In removing God from our lives, we were removing our source of comfort and stripping ourselves of hope and peace. We were crossing the line of despair.

DEATH OF MAN

1 Corinthians 15:16–19 NASB95

For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If we have hoped in Christ in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied.

TWO RESURRECTIONS

John 20:1–10 NASB95

Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came early to the tomb, while it was still dark, and saw the stone already taken away from the tomb. So she ran and came to Simon Peter and to the other disciple whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.” So Peter and the other disciple went forth, and they were going to the tomb. The two were running together; and the other disciple ran ahead faster than Peter and came to the tomb first; and stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings lying there; but he did not go in. And so Simon Peter also came, following him, and entered the tomb; and he saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the face-cloth which had been on His head, not lying with the linen wrappings, but rolled up in a place by itself. So the other disciple who had first come to the tomb then also entered, and he saw and believed. For as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. So the disciples went away again to their own homes.

1 Corinthians 15:3–8 NASB95

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one time, most of whom remain until now, but some have fallen asleep; then He appeared to James, then to all the apostles; and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also.

1 Corinthians 15:20–23 NASB95

But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming,

Today we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ