Why Look For The Living Among The Dead?
Notes
Transcript
Text:
Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. And they remembered his words, And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest.
Focus verse:
And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?
Main thought:
I want to setup our text for this morning if you would permit me.
Our spirit man at one point was alive, humanly speaking, when Adam and Eve were in the garden they had fellowship with God. They were created in the image of God, they walked with God in the cool of the day, and they were without sin. When Adam and Eve transgressed God’s commandment not to eat of the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, they became knowledgeable of sin. When they sinned, their fellowship with God was severed, they died a spiritual death and then latter died a physical death. I want you to remember “spiritual then physical”.
Death is the product of sin. Matter of fact, it is sin that lead to Jesus’ death. Not that Jesus committed sin, but it was the sins of the religious leaders that lead to Jesus, an innocent man, Jesus.....God manifested in the flesh, it lead to him being put to death. Sin produces death!
This is why twice in Apostle Paul’s writings both in Eph 2:1 and Col 2:13 he states that at one time (before the Lord saved us) we were dead in trespasses and sins. Because when you live in sin, you are dead spiritually, it is the spirit that enables us to have a relationship with God. When you are a sinner, when you’re sins haven’t been forgiven you, when you haven’t been regenerated, you cannot have a relationship with God!
But herein lies the good news! Jesus Christ came and died so that your sins could be forgiven! Jesus came and took on your sins, he took on my sins, and paid for all of our trespasses!
In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
Then Paul records:
And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight:
This is the reason why every believer should celebrate. This is the reason that every believer ought to live for the LORD. Because Jesus, when he hung there from the 3rd to the 9th hour.......IMAGINE THAT.....having nails in your hands, nails in your feet, on an wooden cross for 6 hours, in pain and agony! After being beaten and abused several hours prior......lost massive pints of blood.....but the blood that he loss, the bled that he shed, IT WAS TO PURCHASE YOUR FREEDOM!!!! The blood he loss, was to redeem you and for you to receive forgiveness of sins! The least you can do, is to give him praise, the least you can do is to love Him, the least you can do is to serve Him, the least you can do is to give your life to the LORD!!!
So after Jesus gave up the ghost. They stuck a spear in his side to make sure that he was dead. Then they took him off the cross and placed him in a borrowed tomb.
I want to recall to your mind a conversation that Jesus had with some doubters:
Then certain of the scribes and of the Pharisees answered, saying, Master, we would see a sign from thee. But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.
So there, Jesus laid......YES......three days and three nights (you won’t get that from a Friday). Remember, Jesus did not die on the feast day....it was the day before. Jesus’ body laid life-less for 3 days and 3 nights.
In our text we find Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and several other women who were disciples of Jesus headed to the tomb of Joseph from Arimathea where they had laid Jesus’ body to rest. They were on their way to the tomb to give Jesus a proper burial. Jesus was crucified on the day of preparation, the Bible records that when they crucified him, he died around the 9th hour.
Most likely, by the time the roman soldiers took Jesus down from the cross, it was nearing sundown and they had to get Jesus in the tomb before sunset because it was the feast of passover began at sundown. After the feast of the passover, was the sabbath, which did not give these ladies time to prepare Jesus’ body properly for burial. The Jews did not embalm their dead, therefore it was customary for them to take various herbs and spices and wrap the bodies of their dead. John’s gospel records that Nicodemus, brought a perfumed ointment made from myrrh and aloes, whereas the women (in Mark’s and Luke’s gospel) prepared spices and probably in addition, used the ointment that Nicodemus brought to prepare to rub on the dead body of Jesus, most likely to cut down on the smell of the decaying rotting corpse.
We find that on the first day of the week, after the sabbath that this group of women are on their way to tend to Jesus’ body. Mark’s gospel records that while they were on their way, they were discussing who would roll the stone away for us, because it was a very large stone. But when they got to the tomb, the stone was rolled away.
Something HAPPENED before these women could got to Jesus’ tomb. They were discussing who was going to roll the stone away, but the work had already been done! Before they had even arrived at the tomb.......EARLY SUNDAY MORNING.....before the sun came up......Matthew’s gospel records that there was a great earthquake (Matthew 28:2) for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. The angels countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow. And the Bible says “And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men” and Jesus came back to life, he was resurrected! John’s gospel records that Jesus took the napkin off of his face, wrapped neatly and put it on one side of the bed. Then, takes the linen clothes folds it neatly and places it in a different place. See, that was a sign to let them know that nobody came to steal his body away, because no thief would take the time to take off the napkin around his head, fold it neatly, and then go through all of the trouble of stripping his linen clothes off and then folding it neatly.
John’s gospel records the fact that when Peter and the other disciple (probably John himself) saw this, that the other disciple BELIEVED what Jesus said about his resurrection.
But I want to draw your attention to something. I hope you catch this....pay attention. Notice that Jesus died and then he was resurrected, he told his disciples what was going to happen but they did not believe it.
After all of the miracles Jesus had performed, they still didn’t believe. Matter fact John wrote at the end of his gospel:
And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:
You would think that by now, after all of the miracles he had performed they would get it. YOU WOULD THINK BY ALL OF THE MIRACLES HE PERFORMED IN YOUR LIFE......YOU’D GET IT TOO!!!! If God says He’s going to do something......YOU HAVE TO HAVE FAITH!!!
Matter of fact, the scriptures declare that Jesus upbraided them for their unbelief, because they did not believe that Jesus would come back from the dead (Mark 16:14).
There is a second thing that I want you to notice. So they (the disciples) initially did not believe. They did not believe because they went back to Jesus’ tomb and expected (someone say expected) him to still be there. The Holy Ghost raised Jesus from the dead. When the Holy Ghost raises you.....you shouldn’t expect to be in the same place either!!!
There are people or may there have been people in your life that expect you to be in the same place!!!! They expect you to still be a brawler, they expect you to still be a liar, they expect you to still be a fornicator, they expect you to still be an alcoholic, they expect you to still be a gang-banger. You use to be dead.......BUT WHEN THE HOLY GHOST RAISES YOU.....YOU WON’T BE FOUND IN THE SAME PLACE!!!!
You see when you receive the gift of the Holy Ghost and you begin to walk with Jesus. You realize that everyday you have to die to self. Everyday you have to die to the motions and desires of your flesh.
For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live.
The flesh is the part of you that wants to sin. The flesh is the part of you that doesn’t want to obey God. The flesh is the part of you that does not want to serve the LORD and if we want to be what God wants us to be.....the flesh has to die!!! The only way it can die.....is by the Spirit of God!!! You can’t self will it, you can’t do it by yourself, you can’t make self live right, you need the HOLY GHOST!!! You need the Spirit of God abiding on the inside and then you have to yield to the Spirit.
Everyday we have to die to the carnal man, but it is the Spirit of God that gives us spiritual life! That’s why, we can no longer stay in the same place that we were. Because we have the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead.....living inside us! That’s if you have received baptism of the Holy Spirit. That’s why most of us can testify of the fact.....that I’m not what I use to be! You’re still looking for me in the old spot......you’re still looking for me to be the old me.....but think God.....the old me has died.....and God made me alive!!!
AND it is ALL BECAUSE JESUS GOT UP!!!! Jesus got up, so that we could get up!!!
SPIRITUAL THEN PHYSICAL!!!!
I told you to remember that saying......spiritual then physical. Adam and Eve died a spiritual death first and then they died a physical death. Therefore, upon Jesus resurrection and ascension, Jesus deals with the sin problem in the same order that it dealt with Adam and Eve.
First, Jesus makes us alive spiritually:
And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: Among whom also we all had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others.
But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;) And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus:
When Adam sinned he died, he died first spiritually. But now we have “The Last Adam” who is Christ who knew no sin, he came, he died, he was quickened by the Spirit in order for us to be quickened by the Spirit.
But then secondly, Jesus will makes us alive physically.
But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
The hope for every believer is that if we believe that Jesus died, rose again on the third day, and ascended to heaven. We also believe that if or rather when we die, that one day the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead will raise us from the dead.
Listen what Paul says:
But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept. For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule and all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.
The fact remains that if Jesus hadn’t got up, we would still be in our sins. If Jesus hadn’t got up, then our being here is in vain, or worship is in vain, or service is in vain. But testify to about three people and tell them “I’m Glad Jesus Got Up!”
If Jesus hadn’t got up.....I’d have no hope, I’d have nothing to live for, I’d have nothing to look forward to. If Jesus hadn’t got up, then all of my family members that have died in the LORD, I’ll never see them again. Paul said it best when he said:
Let us eat and drink (let us have a good time, let us party and do whatever we feel like doing); for to morrow we die.
But I thank God that Jesus rose from the dead.
Close:
Rhetorical Dialouge:
How can you be so sure that Jesus was resurrected?
I am sure because Jesus lives in me; I have his spirit on the inside of me.
But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:
Then again Jesus said:
Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.
If Jesus was still dead, he wouldn’t be able to send the Comforter. But because Jesus got up, because Jesus ascended to heaven, and because he is seated at the right hand of God in power. He sent back the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost and every born again believer, every spirit filled believer has the evidence that Jesus is alive because we have Jesus living within us:
Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him.
Praise the LORD, I have the same Spirit living in me that rose Jesus from the dead. I have the life giving Spirit living in me. I got the Holy Ghost......and if I got the Holy Ghost I got power!!!
I got power, to be a witness
I got power, to walk right
I got power, to talk right
I got power, to treat my neighbor right
I got power, to heal the sick
I got power, to cast devils out
I got power, over my enemy
And these signs shall follow them that believe; In my name shall they cast out devils; they shall speak with new tongues; They shall take up serpents; and if they drink any deadly thing, it shall not hurt them; they shall lay hands on the sick, and they shall recover.
I got power!!! All because the Lord got up......you oughta give him praise!!!