Introduction: Swoon Theory – Read Crucifixion Described
Read Scripture/Pray
Background: Paul talking to those who deny the resurrection, still today, 4 consequences
Purpose Statement: If Christ is not raised from the grave…
I. Our Preaching is in vain
A. Preaching a Dead Christ won’t save anyone
B. If He’s not raised why waste our time
C. Sunday School Egg Illustration
II. Our Faith is Fruitless
A. It’s not faith that saves, but faith in Jesus
B. Heaven’s Gate Cult Illustration
C. A drowning man will grasp at anything
III. Forgiveness is Impossible
A. You are still in your sins/still separated from God
B. It all hangs upon Jesus
C. Good Friday is only “Good” because of Sunday
IV. Our Future is Fearful
A. 3 Eulogies Illustration
B. We have not been reconciled to God
C. We cannot trust God
Conclusion: Bukharin Illustration
Swoon Theory Illustration
One lady wrote in to a question and answer forum. "Dear Sirs, Our preacher said on Easter, that Jesus just swooned on the cross and that the disciples nursed Him back to health. What do you think? Sincerely, Bewildered.
Dear Bewildered, Beat your preacher with a cat-of-nine-tails with 39 heavy strokes, nail him to a cross; hang him in the sun for 6 hours; run a spear through his side...put him in an airless tomb for 36 hours and see what happens." Sincerely, Charles.
Crucifixion Described Illustration
First, the person is whipped with a leather strap interwoven with small pebbles 39 times. If they survive this the crossbeam is strapped upon their shoulders for them to carry nearly a mile to the place of the crucifixion. Once there the beam is assembled to the main member and the cross is placed on the ground and the exhausted man is quickly thrown backwards with his shoulders against the wood. The legionnaire feels for the depression at the front of the wrist. He drives a heavy, square wrought-iron nail through the wrist and deep into the wood. Quickly he moves to the other side and repeats the action, being careful not to pull the arms too tightly, but to allow some flex and movement. The cross is then lifted into place.
The left foot is pressed backward against the right foot, and with both feet extended, toes down, a nail is driven through the arch of each, leaving the knees flexed. The victim is now crucified. As he slowly sags down with more weight on the nails in the wrists, excruciating, fiery pain shoots along the fingers and up the arms to explode in the brain—the nails in the wrists are putting pressure on the median nerves. As he pushes himself upward to avoid this stretching torment, he places the full weight on the nail through his feet. Again he feels the searing agony of the nail tearing through the nerves between the bones of his feet.
As the arms fatigue, cramps sweep through the muscles, knotting them in deep, relentless, throbbing pain. With these cramps comes the inability to push himself upward to breathe. Air can be drawn into the lungs but not exhaled. He fights to raise himself in order to get even one small breath. Finally carbon dioxide builds up in the lungs and in the blood stream, and the cramps partially subside. Spasmodically he is able to push himself upward to exhale and bring in life-giving oxygen.
Hours of this limitless pain, cycles of twisting, joint-rending cramps, intermittent partial asphyxiation, searing pain as tissue is torn from his lacerated back as he moves up and down against the rough timber. Then another agony begins: a deep, crushing pain deep in the chest as the pericardium slowly fills with serum and begins to compress the heart.
It is now almost over—the loss of tissue fluids has reached a critical level—the compressed heart is struggling to pump heavy, thick, sluggish blood into the tissues—the tortured lungs are making a frantic effort to gasp in small gulps of air.
He can feel the chill of death creeping through is tissues. . .Finally he can allow his body to die.
All this the Bible records with the simple words, “And they crucified Him.” (Mark 15:24).
What wondrous love is this?
Sunday School Egg Illustration
Young Harold had a really bad case of Attention Deficit Disorder. On Palm Sunday, Harold’s Sunday School teacher sent empty plastic eggs home with each of her students. Mrs. Wilson told them to bring something back in the eggs next Sunday to represent Easter. She really didn’t expect Harold to bring anything, because he never listened in class. The next Sunday her children brought their eggs back. Susan had a pretty spring flower inside her egg. Joey had a little cross in his egg. Jackie had put a plastic butterfly in her egg. But, just as Mrs. Wilson suspected, there was nothing in Harold’s egg. She was surprised that he even remembered to bring it back! She had praised each of the other children for what they brought, but she didn’t say anything about Harold’s empty egg. Harold looked at her with anticipation and said, "Mrs. Wilson, you didn’t say anything about my egg!" Mrs. Wilson said, "But, Harold, you don’t have any reminder of Easter in your egg." Harold replied, "Uh-huh! It’s empty just like Jesus’ tomb!"
EULOGIES Illustration
3 Buddies were discussing death and one asked the group: What would you like people to say about you at your funeral?
… "He was a great humanitarian, who cared about his community."
… "He was a great husband and father, who was an example for many to follow."
… "Look, he’s moving!!"
Heaven’s Gate/ Hale Bopp Illustration
A mansion in Rancho Santa Fe, California became a grisly scene of death in late March of 1997. Thirty-nine bodies draped in purple diamond shaped shrouds were found inside. New Nike sneakers ornamented their feet and a bag packed with clothing was located at the foot of their beds. The most disturbing fact about this scene is that the group had committed suicide. Whether or not they committed suicide under their own will is questionable.
The thirty-eight men and women were part of a cult called Heavens Gate. Their leader, Marshall Applewhite, brainwashed the cult to believe that the way to cheat death was to physically ascend into another realm beyond Earth. At first the cult believed that a spaceship would land on earth and whisk them away. When that didn’t happen Applewhite changed his tactic.
The news of the comet Hale-Bop passing close to the Earth provided Applewhite with another opportunity. He then lead the cult to believe there was a spaceship following in the comets tail. That spaceship was the one they were supposed to board. This would be accomplished by leaving their earthly "vessels". Applewhite filled his follower’s heads with thoughts of a wonderfully privileged life somewhere beyond Earth. The idea of such an immortal life convinced his followers to commit suicide in order to leave their bodies and be brought onto the spaceship.
The 39 men and women died by ingesting poison mixed with applesauce. They packed their bags with clothes and each person carried $5 bills, quarters and their passport. This evidence proves they put faith into what Applewhite told them.
The fate of cults with such a strong belief and an influential leader is usually the sad fate chosen for them by the leader. Only those who have strong will power can leave the cult, and all the pleading of their family members do little good. A few members left the Heavens Gate cult when talk of suicide became more serious, but the 38 followers who were left had such enormous faith in what Applewhite was saying that they stayed and met their fate willingly.
Why would people join such a cult? Finding meaning in life lies at the center of religion. Always, people seek to satisfy their spiritual longings. With today’s rapid social change, traditional meanings are constantly challenged and sometimes uprooted. Most significantly, cult teachings are learned among a group of people who satisfy deep needs of belonging, who provide a life-enhancing sense of community. Newcomers are isolated, cut off from family and friends who would provide a balancing perspective on reality. Their sense of individuality is erased as well. In the case of the Heavens Gate Cult, Applewhite had everyone wear the same clothes, shaved everyone’s hair into the same short buzz cut, castrated some of the men, and stopped using personal pronouns such as "he" and "she". As the group’s views are regularly confirmed by people one has come to like and respect, the bizarreness of these beliefs gradually wears off. Instead, cult members come to be viewed as "insiders" who are privy to secret messages that lie beyond the grasp of "ordinary" people.
Bukharin Illustration
You probably do not remember the name Nikolai Ivanovich Bukharin nor should you. But during his day he was as powerful a man as there was on earth. A Russian Communist leader he took part in the Bolshevik Revolution 1917, was editor of the Soviet newspaper Pravda (which by the way means truth), and was a full member of the Politburo. His works on economics and political science are still read today. There is a story told about a journey he took from Moscow to Kiev in 1930 to address a huge assembly on the subject of atheism. Addressing the crowd he aimed his heavy artillery at Christianity hurling insult, argument, and proof against it.
An hour later he was finished. He looked out at what seemed to be the smoldering ashes of men’s faith. "Are there any questions?" Bukharin demanded. Deafening silence filled the auditorium but then one man approached the platform and mounted the lectern standing near the communist leader. He surveyed the crowd first to the left then to the right. Finally he shouted the ancient greeting known well in the Russian Orthodox Church: "CHRIST IS RISEN!" En masse the crowd arose as one man and the response came crashing like the sound of thunder: "HE IS RISEN INDEED!"
I say to you this morning: CHRIST IS RISEN! (Congregational response should be: HE IS RISEN INDEED!). I am convinced! I have faith that Christ was dead and he was buried. That I believe. But, this too I accept as true: He rose from the dead and will come again in glory
