Satan’s D-Day – Easter Sunday!
Opening video Illustration from Blue fish TV – What’s Easter About?
Thesis: Satan had no clue that the first Easter Sunday would be his D-Day. Satan and his demons as the Germans thought they were invincible. But then D-day came and when the Sun came up that morning they saw their opposing army which quickly overran all there fortifications. They knew after the assault and their losses that their demise was imminent.
Scripture Text: Luke 24 (Each appearance of Jesus is a major defeat of the enemy)
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.
Introduction:
For many of us Easter is a nice holiday which is engulfed in fun fairytales and goodies for the kids. It’s a pleasant experience filled with candy and ham and fun filled fellowship. It’s always exciting because it marks the real beginning of spring and new flowers and green grass.
But the first Easter Sunday was marked with the signs that a war had been raging the week before and this was the Day of decision. The day of declaration of whether Jesus was who he said He was. Because at this point in time the disciples are in shambles, the followers of Jesus are defeated and depressed and feeling like there is no hope. They have been dealt a crushing blow of defeat – There leader was brutally beaten, tortured and nailed to a cross and He is dead. They saw how he died and heard him ask the Father why he had abandoned him. They saw and heard the he breathed his last breath of air and then died. Satan’s army was rejoicing over their seemingly great victory over this latest man of God being defeated. The first Passion Week was not marked by fun loving stories and laughter. It was marked with tears, and pain and depression. It was seared with disillusionment and distress. It was filled with violence and heartache. It was like war filled with all of its horrors and its stink of death.
As I read over this passage of Scripture and other parallel passages about Passion week and Easter Sunday my mind reflected back to the old war movie D-Day and the reaction of the Germans when they saw the massive fleet of ships and planes heading there way. They had woken up that Sunday morning on the 6th of June and thought we are unstoppable. But when they looked out into the Atlantic and saw the allied forces approaching they were astonished by the shear size and fire power bearing down on them. When the Sun came up on the morning of June 6th the power of the Allies became visible and terrifying for the Germans. They knew that there destruction was imminent! No one had ever seen this many forces and fire power assembled before in the history of the world.
D-Day’s Impressive Numbers
An invading army had not crossed the unpredictable, dangerous English Channel since 1688 -- and once the massive force set out, there was no turning back. The 5000-vessel armada stretched as far as the eye could see, transporting over 150,000 men and nearly 30,000 vehicles across the channel to the French beaches. Six parachute regiments -- over 13,000 men -- were flown from nine British airfields in over 800 planes. More than 300 planes dropped 13,000 bombs over coastal Normandy immediately in advance of the invasion.
War planners had projected that 5,000 tons of gasoline would be needed daily for the first 20 days after the initial assault. In one planning scenario, 3,489 long tons of soap would be required for the first four months in France.
By nightfall on June 6, more than 9,000 Allied soldiers were dead or wounded, but more than 100,000 had made it ashore, securing French coastal villages. And within weeks, supplies were being unloaded at UTAH and OMAHA beachheads at the rate of over 20,000 tons per day.
Captured Germans were sent to American prisoner of war camps at the rate of 30,000 POWs per month from D-Day until Christmas 1944. Thirty-three detention facilities were in Texas alone.
When the waves hit and kept hitting with huge powerful relentless blows it became obvious Germany’s fortifications were going to fall and it was not long that all there fortifications collapsed under the power of the invading allied forces. Many in history say this was the beginning of the end of the Nazi empire.
Easter morning brought the same kind of blow to the forces of evil in the earth. The army of darkness was most likely rejoicing at their great victory on Friday and thought we are the strongest. No one can stand in our way. But then the lifeless body of Jesus stirred and moved and the power of God surged through Jesus body and he rose up. Not only did he rise up in the power of the Holy Spirit but all those legions of heavenly warriors were right there beside Him to drive the forces evil back onto their heals. We need to remember that Jesus’ army is 2 times bigger and stronger than Satan’s demonic forces. We know from Scripture that when Satan tried to oppose God he was cast out of Heaven as quickly as the speed of lightening striking.
T.S. – Easter Sunday is not about bunnies and candy but it is about the truth that this was Satan’s D-day and it marked the day of imminent defeat.
1. What is the meaning of D-day?
a. The Meaning of the "D"
Ever since June 6, 1944, people have been asking what the "D" in "D-Day" means. Does it stand for "decision?" The day that 150,000 Allied soldiers landed on the shores of Normandy was certainly decisive. And with ships, landing craft and planes leaving port by the tens of thousands for a hostile shore, it is no wonder that some would call it "disembarkation" or "departed." There is not much agreement on the issue. But the most ordinary and likely of explanations is the one offered by the U.S. Army in their published manuals. The Army began using the codes "H-hour" and "D-day" during World War I to indicate the time or date of an operation’s start. Military planners would write of events planned to occur on "H-hour" or "D-day" -- long before the actual dates and times of the operations would be known, or in order to keep plans secret. And so the "D" may simply refer to the "day" of invasion.
i. This was the day that their destruction was set in motion. From this point the armies of the allies advanced across Europe and eventually overran the empire of Germany. It took about 11 months, from the day of the invasion on June 6, 1944 to May 8, 1945 Germany’s day of surrender, to crush and defeat this dominant world power. The beginning of the end for Hitler and his Nazis was set in motion on D-Day – Some have said that the D in D-Day means – Day of decision. Day of reckoning, or just the Day marking the point of invasion of an enemy. Easter Sunday or as many refer to it Resurrection Sunday was the point of invasion of the enemy’s territory – it was the beginning of the end for Satan and his evil forces – there ultimate defeat was set in motion the day that Jesus defeated death and rose from the grave to prove He had the power to defeat the enemy of mankind.
b. I believe Satan and His evil forces on the morning of the 1st Resurrection Sunday thought they were still in control and once again another man of God was snuffed out. Their biggest threat was eliminated. They were most likely wallowing in their pride saying “We are the greatest!” “Our evil force on the earth is the most powerful and we are in full control.” But then Jesus started to stir and the Heavens lit up with the power of God Almighty and His forces attacking the forces of darkness. I believe the evil forces heard the heavenly army singing “We will – We will Rock you!” The light went into action and the darkness was overrun by the sheer power of the Son of God and His army. When the rock was rolled away and Jesus resurrected “The heavenly hosts sang again “We rocked you!” What had taken them thousands of years to take God took back in a 3 day time frame.
i. The enemy Satan and his henchman spirits were pushed back on his heels and he has been losing ground daily since this day and the final day of reckoning is coming sooner than he or I expect. His D – Day and destruction are set in motion and the day is fast approaching when He will be totally wiped off the face of the earth.
ii. Easter Sunday is the celebration of Satan’s D-Day:
1. D - stand for the Day of his Destruction
2. D - stands for the Day of Decision
3. D – stands for the Defeat of Death
4. D – stands for the Day of Satan’s Demise
5. D - stands for the Day of Dismemberment of Satan’s evil empire.
6. D - stands for the Day of Disembarkation when the forces of good were unleashed against the forces of evil.
7. D - stands for the Day of Distress for the forces of evil.
T.S. – D- stands for the day of decision and the day of destruction. It is meant to remind us that Satan’s ultimate destruction was set in motion on D-day – that was the first Sunday after the death of Jesus. When Jesus rose that Sunday morning then Satan dove for cover!
2. Do you know why D-Day was and is a success?
a. The invasion of France on June 6, 1944 was a triumph of intelligence, coordination, secrecy, and planning. The bold attack was also a tremendous risk. Ultimately it succeeded because of individual soldiers’ bravery in combat.
i. Intelligence won the Day
1. They knew the plans of the enemy and how to outwit them and how to out strategize them.
2. God is said to know all things and His plan on resurrection Sunday succeeded because of His all knowing powers and abilities to outwit the great deceiver.
3. Holman Bible Dictionary:
a. OMNISCIENCE (ahm’ nih sshenke) The state of being all-knowing which theology ascribes to God. Though Scripture affirms God’s immeasurable understanding (Ps. 147:5), God’s omniscience is not a matter of abstract speculation. Rather, God’s knowing is a matter of personal experience. God knows us intimately (Ps. 139:1-6; Matt. 6:4, 6, 8). Such knowledge is cause for alarm for the unrighteous but for confidence for God’s saints (Job 23:10; Ps. 34:15-16; 90:8; Prov. 15:3; 1 Pet. 3:12).
ii. Coordination and cooperation created a strong alliance and a strong force united by a common goal.
1. This force worked as a TEAM to defeat the enemy.
a. 50 nations worked together for the Allies to defeat the Axis power of 8 nations.
2. This is why Jesus prayed that His followers would be united and that they would work as a team to defeat the evil forces of Satan.
a. Ephesians 4:3: 3Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.
b. Colossians 3:14: 14And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.
iii. Because of secrecy in executing the plan
1. The Allies kept D-Day’s execution a secret so that there would be the element of surprise.
a. They even used Patton as a decoy to keep the Germans guessing where the invasion would occur.
2. Many cannot see the truth unless Jesus opens their eyes to see it. I am amazed at how foolish Satan is that he did not realize that killing and innocent man would bring about his demise.
a. Many cannot see the truth until God reveals it to them.
b. Note our passage of Scripture from Luke 24
iv. Because of planning and preparation
1. Matthew 20: 17-19: 17Now as Jesus was going up to Jerusalem, he took the twelve disciples aside and said to them, 18“We are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death 19and will turn him over to the Gentiles to be mocked and flogged and crucified. On the third day he will be raised to life!”
a. Jesus knew the plan – He believed in the plan and he committed His life to the plan, he sacrificed his life so that the plan would succeed.
2. John 12: 20-36: 20Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the Feast. 21They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” 22Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus. 23Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. 27“Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. 28Father, glorify your name!” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” 29The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him. 30Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine. 31Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. 32But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.” 33He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die. 34The crowd spoke up, “We have heard from the Law that the Christ will remain forever, so how can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this ‘Son of Man’?” 35Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. The man who walks in the dark does not know where he is going. 36Put your trust in the light while you have it, so that you may become sons of light.” When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.
a. God had a plan and even he told others about his plan they still did not understand it or even believe it could be completed.
b. Reference Luke 24 – Some said that they did not believe the women.
3. Proverbs 16: 1-4:
1 To man belong the plans of the heart,
but from the LORD comes the reply of the tongue.
2 All a man’s ways seem innocent to him,
but motives are weighed by the LORD.
3 Commit to the LORD whatever you do,
and your plans will succeed.
4 The LORD works out everything for his own ends—
even the wicked for a day of disaster.
a. God is the ultimate plan maker and we need to follow his divine plan for our lives because his plans will always succeed.
i. Ephesians 1:11: “In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will.”
4. Satan did not even know that if he killed Jesus then he himself would set in motion his own defeat.
a. He did not know the plan of God!
5. Satan just thought he was getting rid of another prophet of God like he had done before but he was setting in motion the destruction of his evil empire.
v. The bold attack Sunday morning had very little risk because the risk of failure was defeated n the Garden a few days earlier when Jesus said, “Not my will Lord but your will be done!” So the attack succeeded because Jesus was willing to be the ultimate sacrifice for our sins.
1. He took the risk for us as we should take the risk to put our faith and trust in Him.
a. Poem: Illustration- Risks
i. To laugh is to risk appearing the fool
To weep is to risk appearing sentimental
To reach out for another is to risk involvement
To expose feelings is to risk exposing, your true self
To place your ideas, your dreams before a crowd is to risk their loss
To love is to risk not being loved in return
To live is to risk dying
To hope is to risk despair
To try is to risk failure
But risks must be taken, because the greatest hazard in life is to risk nothing
The person who risks nothing, does nothing, has nothing and is nothing
They may avoid suffering and sorrow but they cannot learn, feel, change, grow, love or live
Charmed by their attitudes they are a slave, they have forfeited their freedom
Only a person who risks is free
b. Risk taking should be an indispensable part of the Christian walk. When we look back over church history we see Christians who risked all to make a difference for the Kingdom of God.
c. These individuals had courage to begin something or take a stand for God in the midst of difficult circumstances. For some it meant ridicule, slanderous remarks, becoming laughing stocks in their community, it meant being condemned by their community, it meant imprisonment, it meant personal loss of family, friends, and finances. It meant facing a dangerous situation. For some it cost them their lives. But all these risk takers made an eternal impact for the Kingdom of God.
Yet, sadly, on the other side off the coin where the one’s who where Christians but refused or where to afraid to take a risk for God. They waited for a better time, a safer situation, or a guarantee of assured results which never came. These people we have never heard about their names are not known in the Kingdom of God archives. It’s a sad fact that throughout history their have been many opportunities to make a difference but individuals refused to step forward. They refused to take the risk for God. No names - nobody knows about - names lost in history forever!
vi. The battles that would in sue after the Eater invasion would speak of the individual bravery and sacrifice of the soldier’s in the army of the Lord.
1. Revelation 12:11: “They overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.”
2. Men like:
a. Charles Wesley 1707-1788 AD - A preacher and traveler until 1750’s when he took the risk to write more. He became a songwriter and a famous author of many hymns. He dictated his last hymn on his deathbed. Charles famous quote is "God buries his workmen, but carries on his work." Some of his more famous hymns are "Jesus, Lover Of My Soul", "Hark the Herald Angels Sing", "Christ the Lord Is Risen Today", O for A Thousand Tongues to Sing", and many more to be exact he wrote 8,989 hymns.
b. George Whitefield 1714-1770 AD- A risk taker who was considered the greatest evangelist since the apostle Paul. He preached four to three times a day outdoors. He preached in Great Britain but spent time also preaching in the colonies. He built two large churches in England and many in the colonies and a Orphan house in Georgia. He was the chief figure in the Great Awakening in America. His essential message is "Ye must be born again!" This risk brought on the wrath of many but he countered it with kindness.
c. William Carey 1761-1834 - This risk taker became known as the "Father of Modern Missions". He started the modern missionary movement which has had global impact in the world. His forty year veteran missionary stay in India set a powerful example of sacrifice for foreign missionaries of the future.
d. Charles Finney 1792-1875 AD - The risk taker who is most often remembered as a revivalist. He organized and worked at motivating people to get revived. He is noted as being considered one of America’s greatest revivalist preachers. Many noted that the first half of the 19th century in the U.S. is often called the Age of Jackson but many have commented it was also the age of Finney’s Revivals. His fundamental concern was to get sinners converted.
e. C.H. Spurgeon 1834-1892 AD- A risk taker who impacted 1,000 daily. In 1865 his sermons sold 25,000 copies weekly around world and England. He was considered "The Prince of Preachers."
f. D.L. Moody 1837-1899 AD- He birthed mass evangelism and the Sunday school movement. He is known for his three R Theology: A. Ruined by the fall B. Redeemed by the Blood C. Regenerated by the Spirit. When he was asked about his theology he replied, "My theology!" "I didn’t know that I had any." He is also known for reaching people across Many interdenominational lines.
g. Dietrich Bonhoeffer 1906-1945 - He risked all to openly criticize Hitler and the Nazi anti-Jewish policy which cost him his life on April 9 in a Flossenburg concentration camp. He preached for Christian ethics and the What it meant to be a disciple for Christ. His famous book the "Cost of Discipleship" has left a massive imprint on the minds of many Christians.
h. C.S. Lewis 1898-1963 - The best Christian author of all time. He risked much to write what he wrote he was often called a heretic for his writings.
i. Billy Graham 1918 - He risked all to serve Christ in the mid-twentieth Century, theological liberalism dominated the mainstream churches. The authority of the Bible was discounted, and a belief in the upward march of humanity was still in fashion. Yet along came Billy who has impacted our society beyond belief. Liberal theology was challenged and is on the decline, The Bible is coming back, humanism is slipping and Billy keeps on preaching.
3. Women like:
a. Esther – Was there for such a time as this and saved her nation from being wiped out.
b. Mary – The mother of Jesus
c. Priscilla – she along with her husband Aquilla help plant and disciple the church of Jesus in the book of Acts.
d. Lydia – she was the one
e. Susan Wesley – raised up two great men of God – Charles and John Wesley.
f. Mother Theresa – need I say more?
g. Elizabeth Elliot – Helped lead the tribe which killed her husband to the Lord.
h. Ann Graham Lotz – Following after her father’s footsteps.
i. Kathryn Kulman – Great evangelist and miracle worker for the Lord.
j. Joyce Meyer – Great Bible teacher of the word.
4. Reference the Baptismal Video Clip coming next weekend
5. Testimonies from the Youth this weekend
T.S. – D - Day was and is a success because of the intelligence of God, because of it’s unity and team work, because of it’s plan and because Jesus risk to sacrifice Himself for our sins. But God continues to bring victory to the Kingdom of Heaven because of the individuals who willingly sacrifice their lives for the good of mankind. The plan is progressing toward V day and we need to stay tuned in to its progression.
3. How did they and how do you today tune in to D-Day’s progression over the enemy?
a. In the pre-television era, Americans got their breaking news from their radios. London-based American journalist George Hicks made history with his radio broadcast from the deck of the U.S.S. Ancon at the start of the D-Day invasion. "...You see the ships lying in all directions, just like black shadows on the grey sky," he described to his listeners. "...Now planes are going overhead... Heavy fire now just behind us... bombs bursting on the shore and along in the convoys." His report, including the sounds of heavy bombardment, sirens, low-flying planes, and shouting, brought Americans to the front line, with all its chaos, confusion, excitement, and death.
b. Our reports come from the media, the Bible, the testimonies, and the spoken word of God across pulpit every Sunday morning.
i. Since the time of Jesus resurrection the church has grown from 120 to billions in the history of the world today.
Conclusion:
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. 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 any talk that he rose from the dead. There is only one person in all the major religions of the world who actually died and defeated death. There is only one person who rose from the grip of death and still lives today to talk about it. 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?” Easter is not about candy, eggs, chicks or bunnies it’s about life and death and how you will deal with you eternal future.
Easter’s message is about the resurrected life Jesus and the ability of all of us to experience the resurrection. Easter also tells us that death comes to those who do not believe in the risen Savior Jesus. It communicates to us that without Jesus there is no hope, no life and no future!
