Resurrection Morning
By Bro. David Rogers Pastor Bethlehem Baptist Church
Winona MS
Matthew 28:1-20
Prayer
Introduction
This morning we have celebrated the resurrection but how many of us live that resurrection? How many of us find it important in our lives? How important is it to us?
I heard a story about a family that tragically lost three of their four children within just two weeks to a deadly, virulent disease. One child was left – a four year old boy. The family had buried the third child just two weeks before Easter. On Easter morning the parents and the remaining child went to church. The mother taught her Sunday School class about the resurrection of Jesus and the father read the Easter story as he led the opening Sunday School devotion. People who knew about their great loss wondered how they could do it. One family of the church were in the car on their way home after church when their 16 year old asked his father, "Dad, that couple must believe everything about the Easter Story, don’t they?" "Of course they believe it," said the father, "all Christians do!" The young man then said, "But not like they do!"
That is a true statement. We say that we believe but do we live our lives like we do? This week I read a survey that stated that 74% of Americans believe in the resurrection. But do they believe like that family above? Do they understand what that resurrection we have celebrated this morning really means?
A father and his little girl were staying in a hotel. During the night the girl became very ill and without warning she died. The father was heart-broken. He had already lost his wife and now his precious little girl was gone. Only two people followed the body to the cemetery—the father and a minister. The father’s grief was great. At the grave he took from his pocket a key, unlocked the casket and looked on the face of his child once more, the silently closed the casket and handed the key to the keeper of the cemetery. On the way back to the city, the minister quoted Rev.1:18: “I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and hades.” “But what is that about the keys?” asked the grieving man. “It means this,” said the minister. “You think the key to your little girl’s casket is in the hands of the keeper of the cemetery. But let me tell you something. Its not true! The key to your little girl’s grave hangs at the side of the Son of God. And He will come some morning and use it to open that casket! Then the light broke through the man’s tears and he saw the glory of the resurrection.
I.Why did Jesus have to die?
1.Through one man sin and death entered the world.
2.The wages of sin is death.
3.We can not pay the debt we owe
4.a perfect sacrifice had to be made.
II.Who is the sacrifice for?
1.It is for you and me.
2.All sin was paid for that day
3.at the judgment seat (the Bema judgment) we will not be judged for our sin. No that day Jesus will hand our our rewards based on our works. Our bad works will burn up like the hay and stubble. Those are works for ourselves, things we done not for Jesus edification and glory but for ours. Our good works or the gold and jewels that will not burn up. These are the works we did for Jesus’ edification and glory.
1.There will not be any unsaved here. This is a judgment just for the saved. At the end of the 1,000 year reign the sinners will be judged not on their sins since they also were paid for on the cross but they will be judged because they did not believe on Jesus Christ.
III.What is the importance of the resurrection?
1.It is our assurance of salvation
2.it is our promise of resurrection
3.because of this promise we can go out and carry the gospel to the world.
IV.Conclusion
1.Edith Burns was a wonderful Christian who lived in San Antonio, Texas. She was the patient of a doctor by the name of Will Phillips. Dr. Phillips was a gentle doctor who saw patients as people. His favorite patient was Edith Burns. One morning he went to his office with a heavy heart and it was because of Edith Burns.
When he walked into that waiting room, there sat Edith with her big black Bible in her lap earnestly talking to a young mother sitting beside her.
Edith Burns had a habit of introducing herself in this way: "Hello, my name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" Then she would explain the meaning of Easter, and many times people would be saved. Dr. Phillips walked into that office and there he saw the head nurse, Beverly. Beverly had first met Edith when she was taking her blood pressure. Edith began by saying, "My name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" Beverly said, "Why yes I do." Edith said, "Well, what do you believe about Easter?" Beverly said, "Well, it’s all about egg hunts, going to church, and dressing up." Edith kept pressing her about the real meaning of Easter, and finally led her to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
Dr. Phillips said, "Beverly, don’t call Edith into the office quite yet. I believe there is another delivery taking place in the waiting room."
After being called back in the doctor’s office, Edith sat down and when she took a look at the doctor she said, "Dr. Will, why are you so sad? Are you reading your Bible? Are you praying?" Dr. Phillips said gently, "Edith, I’m the doctor and you’re the patient." With a heavy heart he said, "Your lab report came back and it says you have cancer, and Edith, you’re not going to live very long." Edith said, "Why Will Phillips, shame on you. Why are you so sad? Do you think God makes mistakes? You have just told me I’m going to see my precious Lord Jesus, my husband, and my friends. You have just told me that I am going to celebrate Easter forever, and here you are having difficulty giving me my ticket!" Dr. Phillips thought to himself, "What a magnificent woman this Edith Burns is!"
Edith continued coming to Dr. Phillips. Christmas came and the office was closed through January 3rd. On the day the office opened, Edith did not show up. Later that afternoon, Edith called Dr. Phillips and said she would have to be moving her story to the hospital and said, "Will, I’m very near home, so would you make sure that they put women in here next to me in my room who need to know about Easter."
Well, they did just that and women began to come in and share that room with Edith. Many women were saved. Everybody on that floor from staff to patients were so excited about Edith, that they started calling her Edith Easter; that is everyone except Phyllis Cross, the head nurse. Phyllis made it plain that she wanted nothing to do with Edith because she was a "religious nut". She had been a nurse in an army hospital. She had seen it all and heard it all. She was the original G.I. Jane. She had been married three times, she was hard, cold, and did everything by the book.
One morning the two nurses who were to attend to Edith were sick. Edith had the flu and Phyllis Cross had to go in and give her a shot. When she walked in, Edith had a big smile on her face and said, "Phyllis, God loves you and I love you, and I have been praying for you." Phyllis Cross said, "Well, you can quit praying for me, it won’t work. I’m not interested." Edith said, "Well, I will pray and I have asked God not to let me go home until you come into the family." Phyllis Cross said, "Then you will never die because that will never happen," and curtly walked out of the room.
Every day Phyllis Cross would walk into the room and Edith would say, "God loves you Phyllis and I love you, and I’m praying for you." One day Phyllis Cross said she was literally drawn to Edith’s room like a magnet would draw iron. She sat down on the bed and Edith said, "I’m so glad you have come, because God told me that today is your special day." Phyllis Cross said, "Edith, you have asked everybody here the question, ’Do you believe in Easter?’ but you have never asked me." Edith said, "Phyllis, I wanted to many times, but God told me to wait until you asked, and now that you have asked..."
Edith Burns took her Bible and shared with Phyllis Cross the Easter Story of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Edith said, "Phyllis, do you believe in Easter? Do you believe that Jesus Christ is alive and that He wants to live in your heart?" Phyllis Cross said, "Oh I want to believe that with all of my heart, and I do want Jesus in my life." Right there, Phyllis Cross prayed and invited Jesus Christ into her heart. For the first time Phyllis Cross did not walk out of a hospital room, she was carried out on the wings of angels.
Two days later, Phyllis Cross came in and Edith said, "Do you know what day it is?" Phyllis Cross said, "Why Edith, it’s Good Friday." Edith said, "Oh, no, for you every day is Easter. Happy Easter Phyllis!" Two days later, on Easter Sunday, Phyllis Cross came into work, did some of her duties and then went down to the flower shop and got some Easter lilies ecause she wanted to go up to see Edith and give her some Easter lilies and wish her a Happy Easter. When she walked into Edith’s room, Edith was in bed. That big black Bible was on her lap. Her hands were in that Bible. There was a sweet smile on her face.
When Phyllis Cross went to pick up Edith’s hand, she realized Edith was dead. Her left hand was on John 14: "In my Father’s house are many mansions. I go to prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also." Her right hand was on Revelation 21:4, " And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes, there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying; and there shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away."
Phyllis Cross took one look at that dead body, and then lifted her face toward heaven, and with tears streaming down here cheeks, said, "Happy Easter, Edith - Happy Easter!" Phyllis Cross left Edith’s body, walked out of the room, and over to a table where two student nurses were sitting. She said, "My name is Phyllis Cross. Do you believe in Easter?"
2.Do you believe in Easter? Is today your special day is God calling you?
