What the resurrection means to me
( Luke 22:63-65, Luke 23:26-56, Luke 24:1-3)
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Easter is an awesome time of the year. Spring is in the air. Flowers are all in bloom. The earth is coming alive again after a dead winter. I love the old saying you see on church billboards " It’s spring God did it again". But it is also a great time for us Christians. This is the time we celebrate the victory, the victory that gave us eternal life. The victory that will keep us from the depths of hell. The victory that we do not deserve. We celebrate a risen Lord, not a dead God. Many other religons celebrate the death of their leaders. But for us we get to celebrate the resurrection, the victory over death, hell, and sin.
What does the resurrection means to me. Sometimes to understand what the resurrection means we need to understand what Jesus went through. We need to understand the pain and the suffering that Jesus went through to truly understand the victory, the victory in Jesus.
(read Luke 23:26-38)
Beaten and tired dragging the heavy cross that he was about to be nailed to. I would have to imagine the knowledge of knowing what was about to happen would drive me crazy. But knowing some would care less about what he was doing had to be worse.The crown of thorns trickling blood down his swollen face. His tired and beaten back screaming with pain from the whips. The pain would be intolerable even with painkillers but he refused it. He wanted full mind even during the darkest hour. So dark that the sun would not even shine. The soilders casting lots for his clothes. People swearing and cursing him.They lashed out at him. People hurling insults
as he passed by with the cross. The cross you and I didn’t have to bear.
Let’s flip back to the 22nd chapter of Luke verse 63. The soilders put a blindfold on Jesus and started punching him while asking "Prophesy to us now Messiah! Who hit you?" In the book of Isaiah the prophet said the Messiah would be able to judge by smell. He felt the pain of the human kind. He felt emotions, heartbreak, and the tears. But even during trying times he still set our examples to follow. During tough times he still sought the father’s will. He wanted to do the father’s will no matter the cost. He willingly done God’s will.
Let’s look at the cross for a moment. Jesus was in between two thieves and in his moment of darkness he still reached out for others.
(read Luke 23:39-43) I can only imagine the joy or relief that the thief must of felt. "Today we will be in paridise." Jesus was forsaken so we wouldn’t. He paid our price. He took our sins on his own account. In 23:34 Jesus said"Father forgive them, for they know not what they do". They were not aware of their wickedness. They didn’t recognize him as the Messiah. 1Cor.2:8 says "For if they had understood it, they would not have crucified the lord of glory."
What happened when Jesus died. He looked up to heaven and said " Father, into your hands do I commit my spirit." The son of God gave up his spirit and died. Several things happened at this point. Matthew says (Matt 27:51-59) The earth began to shake and the rocks began to split open. Tombs were opened and the bodies of holy people who had died werre raised to life. What I belive to be the most significant was the curtian(veil) in the temple rippied into two. The temple was a dwelling place
where God might dwell among his people.(Luke 23:44-46)"For the sun stopped shining and the curtain of the temple was torn into two." The curtain blocked the entrance to the Most Holy place. The curtain was a barrier between us and God. Jesus in his death opened the curtain. The tearing symbolized that Christ had opened the gate to heaven. God at that instant moved out of the temple into our hearts. The fact that it tore showed that no man done it but God. When Christ entered into heaven he did not return. Instead he opened the way for us to follow. The good news of Easter is Jesus didn’t stayed down long.
The best part of Easter is Jesus is still alive. No more sin hanging around our heads. Our price has been paid. That my friend is the beauty of the resurrection. Jesus paid the price forever. During the old covenant sins wwere covered for only a year. The resurrection means that our sins are not covered but washed away. How many here has done something they are not proud of. Guess what they are forgiven Many say it’s hard to be a Christian. I’ll go to church when I straighten up. God wants you just the way you are. He clean you up. He will mold you into that person. The resurrection means that our sins are forgiven. that is good news. Good news that we should spread to others.
Let’s think about heaven a moment. The beatiuful place that we all desire. The streets of gold, gates of pearl, and the walls of jasper. No more sickness, no death, no pain, no schedules, no taxes. Do you know the differnces between death and taxes. Death doesn’t get worse everytime Congress meets.Thank God for the hope of heaven.
The resurrection also means Jesus is waiting on us. The nails didn’t hold him on the cross, love did. That is the good news of the resurrection love, forgiveness, and life eternal.
