SCARS OF EASTER
Jn 20:24-31
INTRO: 2000 years later & we are still talking, singing about Jesus
1. Movies, TV news, media, magazines newspaper articles politicians
2. He is the Central figure of ALL Human History
a. His crucifixion & Resurrection is the crucial events of
all time
*Some said that our redemption via the crucifixion and resurrection is more marvelous and amazing than creation. Creation was an act of power and wisdom. Salvation is that plus Love, Mercy and Grace
3. Look at an event a week after Jesus’ resurrection
I. Honest Doubts
A. following Sunday Jesus revealed himself to a doubter
named Thomas
1. How would you like to be remembered?
a. man or woman of integrity, faith, benevolence talent
1. How about a doubter? Thomas that is all we remember him for
2. Thomas called Didymus = Not Doubter but twin
3. Jesus rose on a Sunday revealing himself alive several
times to many different people
a. Thomas heard about the resurrection, but boasted he was
from Missouri show me state
1. He has to see to believe, feel the prints of the scars in his hand
even thrust his hand into the cavity of where the spear had gone
during the crucifixion
4. We can be very critical, but not before we do, he had
honest doubts, nothing wrong with honest doubts
a. After all a resurrection isn’t an everyday event
b. Sure Jesus had raise the widow’s son, and Jairus’
daughter and even Lazarus
b. But now He is dead who is going to raise Jesus?
5. This is the most remarkable event in human history
a. Nobody has ever come back from the grave
b. This is either true or the greatest hoax ever perpetrated
upon mankind
6. It is still honest to doubt, but be honest enough to
investigate. to examine the facts
7. The criticism due Thomas is unbelief of not hearing Jesus
a. Thomas had been with Jesus 3 yrs. seen Jesus perform
miracles, including raising the dead, calming the storms
1. He saw Jesus 1st hand dominion over nature & the spiritual realm
b. So when Jesus proclaimed the would rise from the dead
1. Listen to Jesus proclamations Mt 20:19 And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify [him]: and the third day he shall rise again.
Mr 9:31 For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day.
Mr 10:34 And they shall mock him, and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him, and shall kill him: and the third day he shall rise again.
Lu 18:33 And they shall scourge [him], and put him to death: and the third day he shall rise again.
2. Even Jesus’ enemies heard Jesus make this boast,
Mt 27:63 Saying, Sir, we remember that that deceiver said, while he was yet alive, After three days I will rise again.
a. They took precautions to stop it, But couldn’t
3. Should have been in the realm of possibilities for Thomas to
believe
c. The key is believing the Words of Jesus , Christ, scripture
1. As Jesus told Martha in Jn 11 believe and you will see the glory
d. That is not blind faith. not stepping out on nothing
1. The word of Christ of God is totally dependable trustworthy
B. Think of all the Witnesses of the Resurrected Lord
1. Thomas who doubted saw & believed, changed his mind
2. The rest of the scared, cowardly disciples who hid the
day of the crucifixion saw & believed
a. The Resurrection changed the disciples for ever
3. 1 Cor. 15:6 tells us over 500 people saw Jesus alive
4. Saul the persecutor, who hated Jesus, Christians
a. Did everything in his power to stop the Christian
movement by imprisonment and death
b. Saw the resurrected Lord, he became the great Apostle
Paul
5. If all the witnesses who claimed to have seen Jesus was put
on a witness stand in court to give their testimony for only 15min. It
would go from Mon Morning to Friday evening 129 straight hours
6. Think of the Threat of Death each of these faced & many
actually experience for their testimony of seeing Jesus alive
a. NONE recanted their story, none gave it up even when
tortured and murdered
b. All willingly suffered and died for a LIE?
B. Prophecies & History bear the Resurrection as fact not
fiction
1. Hundreds of years in advance Prophets told of one who
would live after dying a agonizing death
Is. 53:10-12 Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he hath put [him] to grief: when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see [his] seed, he shall prolong [his] days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. He shall see of the travail of his soul, [and] shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities. Therefore will I divide him [a portion] with the great, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.
Ps 16:10 For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
Ps 68:18 Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast received gifts for men; yea, [for] the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell [among them].
a. If one prophecy is wrong the we can throw away the
bible
b. Yet this the most difficult proclamation is gloriously
accomplished
2. Historians agree there is insurmountable evidence of the
resurrection of Jesus
a. Been said there is more historical evidence of Jesus’
resurrection that of the life of Julius Caesar
**Professor Thomas Arnold of Oxford University said the following “I have been used for many years to study the histories of other times, and to examine and weigh the evidence of those who have written about them, and I know of no one fact in the history of mankind which is proved by better and fuller evidence of every sort, to the understanding of a fair inquirer, than the great sign which god hath given us that Christ did and rose again from the dead.” Josh McDowell A Ready Defense
3. Do you understand to not accept Christ as your Lord &
Savior is to reject all the evidence and believe a false hood?
a. To say it didn’t happen
4. But to agree it must have happened, is only the beginning
a. We must ask why did it happen?
II. Proof of the Christ
*An old preacher was on a ship in which the wind was blowing over 100 miles an hour. He started to pray, “God send us the spirit of the children of Israel, the children of Moses, the children of the promised land.” Another brother started praying, saying, “Lord don’t send nobody. Come yourself, this ain’t no time for children.”
A. Easter is that great season to remember God is with us
1. Emanuel God with us
2. The resurrection proves Jesus’ deity
3. Every time we go to or by a cemetery we are reminded of
the mortality of man.
a. The pyramids of Egypt were built for tombs of the Pharaohs,
1. In Westminster Abbey lies the remains of English nobility.
2. Mohammed lies in a stone coffin.
b. All those that ever claimed to be of god or God himself
died but ONLY ONE rose
4. He fulfilled the prophecies and His own promises
B. Easter restores our Hope
1. All year round we are remind of sin’s conquest
a. We die daily when we loose friends & loved ones
2. But we are gloriously reminded of our hope that comes
only in Christ
a. All of us must die, but Jesus guarantees the Victory
Ro 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also [in the likeness] of [his] resurrection:
Ro 8:11 But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
1Co 6:14 And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power.
1Co 15:22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.
III. The Scars of Easter
**Scars of Mom There was a young boy who lived in south Florida who had a bad day at school. His house was on a lake and when he got home, he just hit the water and began to swim. When he was about half out into the lake, he looked up and realized he was nose to nose with an alligator. He made a U-turn and swam as hard & fast as he could, yelling the whole time. A neighbor saw what was happening and called 911. His mom saw him and dove into the lake. The alligator and his mom arrive at the boy about the same time. There was a tug-of-war, but his mom won. When he was released from the hospital the news media was there, and they asked to see his scars from the alligator. The young boy showed them the scars, then told them he wanted to see his other scars from where his mother wouldn’t let go.
**Seen the Passion of the Christ after the torture, the scourge, after the trip up Golgotha’s hill, after being nailed to the old rugged cross, after being hung between heaven and earth. where he bore our sins, after he died and a spear was driven through his side. Jesus arose, in that brief scene Jesus gets up from the grave & you see his hand and the scar.
A. Have ever you wondered why, when Jesus returned from the
grave, he still had the scars? v27
1. He was resurrected to a Perfect, healthy, Glorified body
a. Yet the scars remain
2. Could it not be for us?
a. He wanted us to know that God doesn’t let go even in
death.
3. Remember the Price paid
4. In that New heaven & new earth to be created
a. Everything perfect & clean, Nothing made by man
b. Except, the scars of Jesus
B. With love like that, why not give your heart to Jesus today
1. It’s not blind faith, see the word, the evidence, the love
a. Accept Christ by asking to forgive you of your sin
b. Ask him to come in to your heart & life to be your Lord
and savior for ever changed by God
