Jesus The Risen Lord Series

SIMPLY JESUS

JESUS THE RISEN LORD

HEBREWS 13:20-21

INTRODUCTION

-When you first started school they gave you the title student.

-When you finished school you got the new title, “graduate”.

-When you took on your first job you became an “employee” and throughout your career some of you also get to wear titles like, “supervisor”, “manager” or maybe even “owner”.

-As each of us travel down our life’s path we have the opportunity to wear many different titles.

-When you walked in today you were identified as a “visitor or a regular attender”.

-If you give birth to a child you are given the title “mother”.

-If your wife gave birth to a child, you still get a title! “father”…

which seems kind of unfair since she did all the hard work!

-Think about all the titles we wear.

-Mr. and Mrs. Husband & wife.

-Parent, grandparent, great grandparent!

-Senator, officer, voter, there’s even the title Slurpee guy @ 7-11

-We give all kinds of titles to all kinds of people for all kinds of achievements, accomplishments, & statuses.

-But what do we call Jesus?

-But what is the appropriate TITLE for the one man in all of history who raised himself from the dead?

-That’s why we’re here today…to consider who Jesus Christ is, in light of the resurrection.

-What title to get you for doing THAT? Lord! Jesus is the risen Lord

-Our passage today is just a little closing prayer from Hebrews 13.

-This passage tells us a few important things about our Risen Lord.

WHAT DID JESUS DO? (vs 20)

20 Now may the God of peace—who brought up from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great Shepherd of the sheep, and ratified an eternal covenant with his blood—21 may he equip you with all you need for doing his will. May he produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, every good thing that is pleasing to him. All glory to him forever and ever! Amen.

-You have probably heard the Easter story before.

-Vs 20 sums it up simply; it’s about Jesus being brought up from the dead!

-It almost seems like no big deal as read vs 20.

-It doesn’t seem like a major point in this little passage.

-But the resurrection of Jesus Christ is central.

-When Jesus was arrested he endured a series of unlawful trials.

-His accusers produced false witnesses and convicted him on trumped up charges.

-He was framed, condemned, and sentenced to die.

-DURING THE COURSE OF HIS EXECUTION HE WAS:

-Punched with fists by the guards.

-Slapped and spit upon.

-He endured a kind of whipping that often killed people.

-The cat of nine tails would shred the flesh from a man’s back.

-Throughout the tortures, trials, and humiliation he was mocked, paraded around, and even forced to carry his own cross.

-They shoved a crown of thorns down on his scalp, nailed him to the cross, put a sign over his head that said “King of the Jews…

-…and then left him to die.

-DURING HIS TIME ON THE CROSS:

-From noon until 3pm on that Friday the sky was dark.

-Everyone who witnessed his death knew something significant was happening. Something serious, something awful.

-This righteous man was hung among thieves.

-The people who’d put him on the cross, mocked him while he was dying. They were pitiless and ruthless.

-Matt 27:42 “He saved others,” they said, “but he can’t save himself! He’s the king of Israel! Let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him.

-And so he hung there & hung there, enduring ridicule and shame.

-When he finally died the earth shook, rocks crumbled, tombs burst open. And dead saints appeared and walked around.

-The temple veil that separated average people from the most holy place suddenly tore in half without anyone touching it.

-Even one of the guards who participated in Christ’s crucifixion proclaimed, “Surely he was the son of God.”

-BUT WHILE PEOPLE WERE STILL PONDERING ALL THIS…

-They buried him quickly because dark on Friday night began the Sabbath. There was no working on the Sabbath, not even burying!

-So from that time until Sunday morning all the followers of Jesus were crushed. Their hopes were dashed.

-They had left everything, given up everything to follow Jesus.

-They had quit jobs, moved from their homes, left family members behind.

-They’d given up everything to follow Jesus…the title that they used for him was Rabbi….teacher.

-But what title do you give a dead teacher?

-But after all they did to kill Him, JESUS ROSE UP FROM THE GRAVE.

-Jesus was just another prophet that God’s people killed…until he rose up from the grave.

-Until he rose he was just another religious leader who said some controversial things, gained a following, and then…died.