What if there had been no Easter?
Introduction- (Some text taken from fellow coleagues of Sermoncentral)
Matthew 28:1-10 Text
The account of the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ
Prayer
We know the account of Jesus being on this earth.
Being sent from God the Father to die for the sins of mankind.
Jesus Christ carried the sin of the world on His shoulders when He hung on the cross.
That Jesus physically died on the cross, no swoon theory.
One of His last words, recorded in John chapter 19 is “It is finished” “And then He gave up His Spirit”
Then in our text,
This same Jesus who died on the cross, was buried in a tomb, (protected by Roman guards) is now resurrected and has risen from the grave- just as he said he would.
What are you…….. going to do with this information this morning?
Some believe it in their hearts and they rejoice on their personal savior being raised from the dead.
Some have heard it several times and will do nothing with the information and will treat it only as an event or story.
Some this morning, it may hit home for the first time and this Jesus will change your lives. He will become personal to you.
Just like Jesus resurrected, there will be newness of life for some this morning.
You………. have to do something with Jesus this morning!
Most Bibles being read this morning will not even have the word Easter in them.
I use a New International Version and Easter is only referenced in Acts 12:4.
“After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.”
King James version-
“and when he had apprehended him,(Jesus) he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quatrains’ of soldiers to keep him, intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.”
Easter by definition is “a feast celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ”
Easter Bunny is loved by the children for getting candy, but it is not Easter
Getting a new suit or new dress is nice, but it is not Easter
Getting together with family which is wonderful, but that is not Easter.
Easter is celebrating the resurrection of Christ!
I want to share with you for a minute about what if there were no Easter.
How would that play out in our lives?
I am an application kind of guy, information is good, but I want to know how it affects me, and then apply it if need be.
Illustration-(Sermoncentral)
Have you ever heard of Harry Houdini? Many have. He died in October 1926. His claim to fame was that he was a master magician, who made spectacular escapes. He was said to have laughed at locks. Said to have the flexibility of an eel. He had the lives of a cat. They did all kinds o things to incarcerate him. Sealed him in a coffin- he escaped. Locked him in a milk can- he escaped. Sewed him in a canvas bag, sealed him in a beer barrel, straight jacket upside down in water- he escaped. They even put him in a maximum security prison and he got out! But October 1926 Death got Harry Houdini, and put him in the grave. He told his wife before he died, “if there is anyway out, I will find it” If I get out, I will contact you on the anniversary of my death. For ten years she kept a light burning over his picture. Then one day she turned the light out. She admitted that death had Harry and he couldn’t escape.
Death laid hands on Jesus Christ. That is a fact!
They put a stone in front of the grave to seal the tomb. He rose from the dead.
He left the grave clothes and he walked out of that grave.
I don’t know how he did it, but I know that he did it. (It is supernatural-emphasis on super!)
The stone was not moved for Jesus to get out, it was so the disciples could see that Jesus had come back!
Jesus Christ is alive!
He is not behind us in the grave. He is before us on His throne! (repeat)
Suppose- humor me, that did not happen, suppose death had Jesus just like it got Houdini. Suppose, Jesus had tried to get out but couldn’t.
What would that look like for us today?
Apostle Paul talks about that. 1 Corinthians 15:12-19
“And if Christ be not risen, than our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.”
Let’s look at that:
I. Preaching would be vain
Vain means empty, futile, no purpose, a waste of time.
If there is no Easter, I’m wasting my time preaching and you are wasting your time listening.
If Christ is still in the grave- you are serving a dead God like all other religions of the world.
Jesus being alive separates Him from all the rest.
That Christ died for our sins,
that He was buried,
That He was raised on the third day.
That is the gospel!
No preacher can preach the gospel unless he preaches the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Heard a preacher say, Jesus body remains in the tomb, and His Spirit marches onward. Do you know what that man ought to do? Shut up! And give up that pulpit. Get another job. You don’t believe in the resurrection, your preaching is vain and empty.
II. Our faith would be foolish
“And your faith is also vain”
That means we put your faith in something that doesn’t deserve your trust.
Who wants to put their faith in Jesus if Jesus is dead!
Bible says
Believe in your heart the Lord Jesus,
confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus,
believe in thy heart that God raised Him from the dead, then thou shall be saved.
Other founders of religions
They lived. They died. They are dead.
Jesus lived. Jesus died. Jesus rose again and lives for evermore!
We do not serve a dead savior. A dead savior is nobody’s savior. Repeat!
Jesus Christ is alive!
My faith is in a risen savior!
My faith is not foolish because my faith is anchored in Jesus Christ.
III. Sin still has a hold of you
“and if Christ be not raised , your faith is vain, you are yet in your sins.”
If Christ is still in the grave. God did not accept payment for your sins. You are lost and helpless.
But because God raised Jesus, it is proof that Jesus paid the price in full.
“He was delivered up for our offenses, and was raised again for our justification.” Rom. 4:25
If Christ be not risen, the disciples bled, suffered, and died for a lie. They were false prophets.
A man may live for a lie, but few will die for a lie.
Last thing this morning,
IV. Death would control us
“Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ perish”
It means …mothers, fathers, loved ones, children who died in Christ we would not see again.
This is all there is. That would be disappointing!
That would steal our joy and hope of a future.
Death is a monster and it would win.
It would mean as hard as Satan worked to get Jesus to the cross, he would have won.
Death gets the victory instead of Jesus Christ.
I’m winding down, please listen closely,
“For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness, but unto us which are saved it is the power of God”
you know what I am talking about is true, because God’s Spirit is speaking to you this morning.
Telling you that this is the truth of God.
If there is no Easter, there is no resurrection. If there is no resurrection, it means we are still in our sins. We have no way out!
Good news!
He is risen! He is alive! He is alive forever more!
Because He lives, We can live also! Death has no hold on us!
Everyone of us has a moment of decision, a moment that is special before God.
It is the moment that He speaks to us and we choose to respond.
It is a time that we quit playing church and start a relationship.
It is the time we admit that we struggle and He has to intervene in our lives.
It is a time that you are determined that today you will allow God to do what He has wanted to do in your life.
You invite Him to do that.
That is going to take boldness!
God desires to do something supernatural and you going to let Him.
Everything changes today if you will let it. Jesus is asking you this morning to repent of your sins, say your sorry and turn away from them, and invite Him into your life. Today He becomes Savior of your life.
Boldness to acknowledge Him as Lord of your life. I am going to ask you this morning, if you have just received Him as Lord and savior to raise your hand this morning, all together because there may be more than one this morning. Lift it high, acknowledge Him this morning.
I am going to ask you to fill out that connection card either in the pew or in your visitors packet or completely sign the guest book that we might have all the necessary information to help you in your new walk with God. No one does this journey alone- we want to help you!
Maybe you’re here this morning and you would like to rededicate yourself to the Lord this morning- He is waiting for you this morning! God is doing a wonderful thing this morning!
Altar Call
