“The Resurrection Road”
Various Passages
- Easter season one of most important to Christians
- Why? Because Easter leads us down “The Resurrection Road”
- I just want us to journey that road this morning as we look together at why Easter is so significant to us as believers
- We will be using several passages of the bible to make this journey
- Pray
- TRANS: First we will go to Matt 21:1-11
- 1. THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY
- Jesus rides in on His royal chariot – DONKEY (Expound)
- The crowds are large and excited…spread cloaks…palm leaves
- Crowds shouted…Hosanna (save us) Jesus was the King to free them from Roman rule
- Whole city was stirred “Who is this?”
- Crowds answered, “this is Jesus, the prophet”
- They really had no idea Who Jesus was…like many today
- TRANS: But after a while, the excitement seems to fade and Jesus takes time to eat with His disciples as the road leads us to…
- 2. THE LAST SUPPER
- Go to Matt 26 starting in verse 17
- It’s the time of the Passover…no coincidence (Sacrifice of Lamb)
- Many things are discussed around the table as they were reclining together
- Jesus reveals there is a betrayer among them…and of course all say “Surely not I”
- But this betrayal must take place if we are to continue down the Resurrection road
- After he revealed it was Judas, Jesus then took the bread and broke it (Expound)
- Then Jesus took the cup and gave it to them (Blood shed for you)
- Then Jesus drops the bombshell…all will fall away (Ole Peter – expound)
- As we move down the road…we see Peter’s denial…all part traveling that road
- TRANS: Once Jesus is arrested, Pilate sets one man which leads us to…
- 3. BARRABAS SET FREE
- Barrabas has been charged with treason…band of rebels overthrow Roman gov’t
- He is a thief, a liar, a cheat, has had several convictions before
- But this was to be the last as he was set to be crucified
- But Pilate has the issue of Jesus…innocent blood
- Pilate, governor, can set one man free as was the custom
- He asked for the people’s choice…same crowd crying out “Hosanna”
- Now look what they say in Matt 27:21-26
- Crucify Him!!! He didn’t save us…Crucify Him!!!
- Pilate washed his hands…but people said “Let His blood be upon us and our children”
- Can you imagine being Barrabas? (Expound)
- TRANS: As we continue down the Resurrection Road, we see the horrid sight of what is taking place towards…
- 4. THE CRUCIFIXION
- The soldiers are mocking Jesus as the whole company gathered around Him
- They strip Him and put a scarlet robe on Him…twist together a crown made of thorns…set it on His head…gave Him a staff as His sceptor
- Mocked Him as “King of Jews” bowed in jest…they spit on Him
- They beat Him on the head with staff…AGAIN AND AGAIN!!!
- Then they stripped Him down again and took Him to be crucified
- He is already bleeding, beaten, spit on, face swollen beyond recognition, and yet even at the point of passing out…
- Jesus still walks down the Resurrection Road
- They nailed Him to the cross…at the place called Golgatha, “the place of the skull”
- After pounding the nails into His hands and feet, flesh tearing, bone breaking…they dropped the cross into a hole
- People all around gazed at Him and look what many said under their breath in Matt 27:42
- Then finally, Jesus cries out to God, after already asking forgiveness for those who have done this terrible thing…
- He cries out, IT IS FINISHED…Sin had been paid for…man can now be redeemed once and for all
- But it does not end there as we continue down the Resurrection Road and take a look at…
- 5. THE TOMB THAT SPEAKS
- Jesus was now dead…what was going to happen next?
- Peter…denied Jesus, how miserable He felt…What might he be thinking?
- Supposed to save us…He was suppose to be King…now He’s dead
- Jesus’ body was prepared for burial and placed in the tomb of Joseph from Arimathea
- How confused all of the disciples must have felt…they lost their leader
- As He was placed in the tomb a huge stone was rolled in front of it
- Then, soldiers were ordered to guard it…so His disciples don’t try to steal His body and say He has risen
- For three days…the clock ticked…and the tomb was silent
- But, after the third day…the day we call Easter…the tomb could be silent no more
- What was the tomb saying? HE HAS RISEN…HE IS NOT HERE
- In Luke 24, The angel asked Mary and Martha, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?”
- Go see for yourself…see what the tomb would say
- As they looked in and Jesus was not there…the linens were there but is body was gone
- Look at verses 6-8 of Luke 24
- “THEN THEY REMEBERED HIS WORDS”
- What words…”Tear down this temple and in three days I will rebuild it”
- The tomb was echoing the Words of Jesus…I LIVE, I LIVE, I LIVE!!!
- They were so overcome with grief at His death…they had literally forgotten and truly not understood His words
- But now they remembered…they had a sense of hope
- Before the resurrection…they had no hope but now…HOPE CAME TO LIFE and it welled up in them and they ran back to tell the others
- CONCLUSION
- As we approach Easter and as we celebrate this time together, may we examine ourselves as we walk down that Resurrection Road
- Because without the Resurrection, there would be no hope but Praise be to God because Jesus traveled that road…
- Because He rose from the dead like He said He would
- Because the tomb still speaks today that He is Risen
- We can walk that Resurrection Road and know we have the victory
- We can know that no matter what life may bring…we have the resurrection victory
- We too will one day rise again to be with Him
- O Death where is thy victory, O grave where is thy sting
- Because of the Resurrection road…we now have Hope and I pray it will RISE UP in everyone us this Easter season
- May we run out as did Mary and Martha, and tell all who will listen
- May we not forget as the world crashes around us…as we have stones in our lives and we ask “Who will roll them away” MAY WE NOT FORGET
- It may seem like Friday night…but as we travel down the Resurrection Road…SUNDAY IS ON THE WAY!!! AMEN!!!
- Pray
