When the Son came up!
Thesis: When the Son came up darkness and death went running for cover.
Video Clip of the resurrection of Jesus from the video “Jesus.”
Scripture Texts of the Resurrection of Jesus:
Matthew 28
1After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.
2There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
5The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”
8So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”
11While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. 12When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, 13telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ 14If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” 15So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.
16Then the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain where Jesus had told them to go. 17When they saw him, they worshiped him; but some doubted. 18Then Jesus came to them and said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Mark 16
1When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. 2Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb 3and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”
4But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. 5As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.
6“Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’”
8Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.
[The most reliable early manuscripts and other ancient witnesses do not have Mark 16:9-20.]
9When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. 10She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping. 11When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it.
12Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. 13These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either.
14Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen.
15He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation. 16Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. 17And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; 18they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.”
19After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. 20Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it.
Luke 24
1On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 5In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’” 8Then they remembered his words.
9When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. 10It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. 11But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. 12Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened.
13Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles£ from Jerusalem. 14They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16but they were kept from recognizing him.
17He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”
They stood still, their faces downcast. 18One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days?”
19“What things?” he asked.
“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.”
25He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26Did not the Christ£ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.
28As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. 29But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.
30When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”
33They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together 34and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.” 35Then the two told what had happened on the way, and how Jesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.
36While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
37They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. 38He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? 39Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”
40When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. 41And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 42They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43and he took it and ate it in their presence.
44He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.”
45Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46He told them, “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48You are witnesses of these things. 49I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
50When he had led them out to the vicinity of Bethany, he lifted up his hands and blessed them. 51While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up into heaven. 52Then they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy. 53And they stayed continually at the temple, praising God.
John 20:1-29
1Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. 2So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”
3So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 4Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. 6Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus’ head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. 8Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. 9(They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)
10Then the disciples went back to their homes, 11but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.
13They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”
“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.
15“Woman,” he said, “why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”
16Jesus said to her, “Mary.”
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher).
17Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
18Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.
19On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
21Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
24Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”
But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it.”
26A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”
28Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”
29Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
Introduction: Easter is the pinnacle moment for the Christian church and it gives authenticity to Christianity as the one true religion. Without Easter Christianity would be just like the other religions in the world. All the other religions in the world have a grave with their teacher in it. Christianity has an empty tomb, and empty grave, and empty cross. No other religion can testify that their leader, their founder is still alive today.
Of the four great religions of the world today all were built upon personalities leaders of the movement. Judaism was Abraham. But the Jewish nation even tells us that he is dead not alive. He did not ascend at his death and defeat the Black Death. The religion of Buddhism was founded by Buddha and his followers tell us that he died. He is in the grave he did not raise from the dead. The Islam religion was founded by Mohammed and he died in 632 A.D. and there are no witnesses or talk that he rose from the dead. There is only one person in all the major religions of the world who died – defeated death in its own backyard and rose from the grip of death. His name is Jesus.
Without the Son coming up we would just a have a religion based on theory and not on an actual person who defeated death. We would have no living savior who dwells in us and around us. We would have no living and breathing book of life. We would have no living message of hope and faith. Easter is the milestone – the keystone – the verification that Christ was the Messiah- the Anointed One - the living God in the flesh. His coming up set in motion the absolute truth as to who has the most powerful force and religion in the world.
Easter is a celebration about the One who is greater than death. The One who defeated the predator known as death. But if we believe in Him and what he did we also get victory over death. But the question that I throw at you this morning is, “ Do you believe in Easter and what it stands for?” Will you choose Easter’s message of the resurrected life or the message of death – no hope – no life!
Illustration: Do you believe in Easter?
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 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 because 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 14:2-3 "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?"
I received story via e-mail from a friend. The story is also found in Chuck Swindoll’s book, The Darkness and the Dawn. The e-mailer who started this story asked me a question. “If you believe in Easter forward this on to others.”
I. When the Son came up the spiritual world of darkness ran for cover. Death died the day the Son came up.
a. The plague of spiritual death had to flee in the face of the risen Son he was the one who had the antidote, the cure for death.
i. Story of “Black Death” told by Swindoll, pages 269-270:
The Great Plague of London in the seventeenth century was known to the people of that time as the “Black Death.” This epidemic crept through the dark streets of that vast city, an ugly, sadistic killer wreaking its havoc. In May 1664, when it claimed its first few victims, it was observed and ignored. By May of the next year 600 had died. By June it was 6,000. By July it was 17,000. By August 31,000 died in that month alone. People fled the city like rats from a sinking ship. By then, however. The vicious disease was already crawling across Europe. When it was over, about 70,000 people had died. This great plague was called the “Black Death” for two reasons: One, the victims were marked with large black splotches across their body; and two, the blackness of ignorance surrounded the cause of the plague. Many people at that time thought that the plague was caused by the polluted air that smothered the city of London. Today, we know that rats and fleas from the rats carried the disease. But in those days people believed it was caused by polluted air, and so physicians devised a strange ritual to bring about a cure. They would take the victims outside to a bed of roses. There, the patients would form a circle around the roses, holding hands. Then they would all walk around the circle, breathing in the fragrance of the blossoms, believing that this would flush the disease from their lungs. The fragrant air of the flowers would replace the diseased air. For those who were too ill to go outside, the physician would stuff rose petals in their own pockets, and as they made their calls, they would sprinkle petals around the patients in an almost liturgical fashion. For those who were near death, the physicians would burn the petals and bring the ashes up near the noses so the victims could breathe the ashes, hoping this would make them sneeze, and in that way flush out the old, diseased air. Of course none of the superstitious rituals worked; people with the plague died…thousands upon thousands of them. But this ritual gave birth to a rhyme that was first sung by the man who pushed the death cart. As he loaded the bodies high on the cart and made his way to the cemetery, he could be heard chanting:
“Ring around the roses, a pocket full of poises, Ashes, ashes, we all fall down”
Isn’t strange that what we know as an innocent little nursery rhyme would begin in such a way? And yet the truth in that one line is as real for us today as it was then: “We all fall down.”
· Play song again by Bob Carlisle “We all fall down”
ii. Many of us take the same approach the doctors did with the Black Death. Today we have come up with superstitions and rituals that we think will cure us of the Black Death.
1. We say so many prayers in unison.
2. We sing a certain way.
3. We chant a certain way.
4. We go to church.
5. We give money.
6. We try to be good.
7. We do good deeds.
8. We ______________?
a. But none of these are cures for the Black Death. Only Jesus Christ is the cure, the antidote for what hounds you.
iii. Others take the approach to ignore the Black Death. They pretend it does not exist. We then think somehow it will never visit us if we never acknowledge it. But it will seek you out. It has you in its sniper hairs and one day you too will face the creeping plague of death.
1. But here is the good news provided to us when the Son came up. Death was no longer able to steal men’s life away.
T.S.- The good news is when Christ arose from the grave he defeated death and if you choose to follow him you to can defeat the Grim Reeper.
II. When Christ ascended from the grave spiritual forces of evil lost the war for the souls of all men.
a. We no longer have to be slaves to sin and darkness. With Christ we have the power and the ability to defeat the Black plague of death.
i. We no longer are isolated from the presence of God.
ii. The curtain ripped in two at Christ’ s death. This action by God meant we have access into the very presence of God through Jesus Christ.
1. He has become the bridge between God and man and therefore we can now enter into God’s presence through Christ. Remember in God’s presence there is only life not eternal Black death.
T.S.- Jesus’ death and resurrection was the milestone which forever defeated the grip of death on mankind.
III. When we accept Christ the second death has no power over us to take our life. In essence when we die physically we enter the tunnel of ever lasting life provided through Jesus resurrection.
a. At the end of the tunnel of death is not a sting of death but a new spiritual life. Yes, a new beginning. It’s a glorious place filled with the beaming light and love of the Son.
i. Revelation 7:16-17
16. Never again will they hunger; never again will they thirst. The sun will not beat upon them, nor any scorching heat.
17. For the Lamb at the center of the throne will be their shepherd; he will lead them to springs of living water. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes."
1. Whew we die in Christ we get the privilege to go into the presence of God. We get to dwell with him in His city where there is no more death, darkness, torture, anguish, suffering, pain, tears, loneliness, despair, depression, or any other result of the forces of evil.
ii. Rev. 21:23,24 “The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the lamb is its lamp. The nations will walk by its light, and the kings on the earth will bring their splendor into it.”
1. God is the light in this place – there is no darkness.
2. No Black Death only light’s life.
iii. Rev. 22:4,5 “ They will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.”
1. Yes, we will see him literally in all his splendor!
2. There will be a name on our foreheads that will verify to the Universe that we are God’s children.
3. This placed will be filled with the light of God. Greater than the Sunshine states!
4. And we will reign with Him forever in the Son.
iv. In Revelation 21 and 22 we learn about this Holy City of life. Revelation 21;10 states, “And in the spirit he carried me away to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God.”
1. Moore makes this observation that I would like to expand on today, “In the verses that follow (Revelation 21 and 22), John describes the unique characteristics of that holy city. Now, the promise of Revelation is that, if you’re a believer (i.e. in the language of Revelation, you have had your “robe washed in the blood of the Lamb”), you will someday inhabit that holy heavenly city in the New Heaven!”
2. The Holy city’s first characteristic is God dwells in it (21:3).
a. God – Yes – Dwells, resides, lives, in this city LITERALLY!
b. In this city crying is done away with as God wipes away all the pain and sorrow and hurt caused by the butchery of evil and it’s evil people. (21:4).
c. In this city there is No death – only life - life with no crying, no pain. Death is no longer a concern only life! It’s a place that has chosen life over death, Love over hate, peace over war.
d. What is a city like when God glows and sits on the throne in a city? In this holy city there is a new way of doing things – the old is dead and gone – Love rules- not evil or the flesh- It means:
i. This city is not like the worlds - driven by pride, by greed, by people treading on top of others to get to the top, by people doing there own thing at the cost of someone else life or feelings.
ii. No this city is run with Love in absolute control. (21:4-10). Reflect on I Cor. 13 “The Love chapter!”
T.S.- In one account of the resurrection we are told that people who had died appeared on the streets of Jerusalem to attest to the fact that Christ Jesus had one the victory over death. They where on there way to the new city described in revelation and we could be on our way if we chose the path of life.
IV. We are told in one of the accounts of the resurrection that the people who had died in the Lord and suffered from the Black death of spiritual warfare were raised with the Son.
a. When He came up they came up and in essence we also came up.
i. Yes, during Christ time in the grip of death there was a battle raging in the underworld.
1. That battle was about what would happen to you and me when we died.
a. Where we would spend eternity?
b. Will the power of death have us forever? Or will the power of Love have us forever?
2. Could this be why there was an earthquake and darkness at the cross?
T.S.- Because of the crucifixion and the natural disasters which accompanied the cross many of followers of Christ felt death had won and they lost hope.
V. In the natural realm it looked as though darkness had driven out the light.
a. Many of disciples became despondent and depressed because it looked as though darkness had won.
b. The Light was gone and it looked hopeless in the natural world.
i. But in the grave of death Jesus entered the realm of Hell and the Bible tells he ripped the gates of Hell right off their hinges. He then set the prisoners free from it’s control. He defeated the enemy on his home field. He stripped him of his grip of power on mankind.
ii. He Jesus delivered the people who were waiting for their deliverance so they arose from the grave to testify to Jesus victory. They appeared on the streets of Jerusalem. They where excited deaths grip had been ripped open as a result of Jesus’ death and resurrection. And they were set free! And we are set free – if we choose to believe in Easter and accept life over death.
c. Satan’s sinister plan of death and destruction to mankind was enacted in the Garden of Eden. But at the cross it was thwarted, defeated, demolished, stomped on, crushed, and removed from mankind.
i. There would be no more sting of death.
ii. The Black death of the enemy was destroyed.
iii. Death held no power over the followers of Christ because death had no hold on Christ he defeated it. He took away its power – it’s fear-it’s raging destruction on others.
d. In essence the day Christ rose from the grave is the day death died.
i. R. Deem from sermoncentral.com has a great sermon called “The Day Death Died.”
1. He chronicles a biography of death and how it died the day Christ rose from the grave.
ii. Death the predator of mankind now faced it’s match-the giver of life took away the life of death and made it void, lifeless and powerless.
iii. Death had hounded the Jesus. Death thought ” I got him”, death inspired all the priests, and Pharisee’s and religious leaders to choose it’s path for this giver of life this worker of miracles. Death kept whispering, “Crucify Him!” They yielded and Death was laughing all the way to the cross, “I have Him, I have Him! I have the giver of life! I conquered the Great I am!”
1. But something went wrong when Jesus died he did not stay dead. Death tried to hold him but it could not. It held on with everything it had but it was to weak. He was to strong! Death screamed “Your dead!” Jesus said “No I’m not! I’m alive!” Death cried, “You can’t be!” Jesus said, “ I am the resurrection and the life!” Death screamed, “ But I am suppose to be more powerful than life- I take life.” Jesus said, “ I give life! Be gone you robber of life!” Death disappeared in a poof and was disintegrated into ashes for all those who chose life in Christ.
T.S. – When death died hope re-entered the picture of life.
VI. When the Son came up hope reentered the picture in the life of people of the earth.
a. There was hope – there was one who had defeated death and he let us know we could to.
i. Swindoll states:
1. When life hurts and dreams fade, nothing helps like hope.
2. Without hope, prisoners of war languish and die.
3. Without hope, students get discouraged and drop out.
4. Without hope, athletic teams slump and keep losing.
5. Without hope, fledging authors run out of determination.
6. Without hope, addicts return to their old habits, married couples decide to divorce, inventors, artists, entertainers, entrepreneurs, even preachers, lose their creativity (321).
a. This is why Thomas doubted he had no hope!
b. Jesus appeared to him and the others to give them back the hope they lost when they had to watch him die on the cross.
c. Did it work? Did it give them hope? Just read church history and you will see that it fueled a revolution were they preached the great message of hope and faith.
d. They not only preached about the resurrection it they died telling others about it.
e. Why? Because they knew that they would not face death but a resurrected life in the end
b. The hope we rely on and hold onto is that the Son came up over 2,000 years ago and he still shines everyday.
i. This Son never yields to darkness – it’s always shining day and night! It shines – and will continue to shine for all eternity.
1. Do you see the Son? Do you see what the Son is doing? Do you feel his rays of hope?
a. His warmth is felt in the heart of the man who takes off the covers and opens up his heart to, the rays of the Son.
b. His illuminating effects are available to the one who takes off the dark shades of death. When one lets the Son shine in they can see like never before.
c. His life giving power is available to all who soak in the rays of light from the Son.
i. When we open up our lives to hope – that is found when the Son came up we receive eternal benefits that are marvelous and wonderful.
1. What are they? The 1,000 of promises of the word that come with the Son’s resurrection.
Conclusion:
There is a time for everything under Heaven. Solomon tells us in Ecclesiastes 3:1-9:
1 There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:
2 a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,
3 a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,
4 a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,
5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,
6 a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,
7 a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,
8 a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.
Today is one of those times. Today you can choose life or death. You can choose to believe in Easter and therefore believe in Christ Jesus. But you do have the choice death and hopelessness or love and eternal life.
He came to bring us life – not death – so what do you choose?
When you choose life you believe in the Easter Sunday! And when we do this its party time!
Swindoll notes, “That’s it! Christ came back from the dead so we might live as He lived and claim the triumph he has provided. He didn’t just die to be studied and oohhed and aahhed over; He died and rose again to offer, through His blood and His life, new life-transforming power to live beyond the dregs of depravity’s leftovers’ (263)
He also states, “When there is no resurrection, there is no Easter. When there is no resurrection, there is no forgiveness. And when there is no forgiveness, you don’t have time for returning sons or repentant brothers. Your life revolves around you. You don’t forgive. You hold grudges. You get even” (329).
Let me ask the famous question of Edith Burns “Do you believe in Easter?”
