Because He Is Risen

“Because He is Risen”

“What Resurrection Sunday is really about”

Matthew 28:1-7 “In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first [day] of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre. And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow: And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead [men]. And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen,( WHY SEEK YE THE LIVING AMONG THE DEAD? HE IS NOT HERE, BUT IS RISEN LUKE 24:7) as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you”.

Today is a wonderful day of celebration. It is called Easter/Resurrection Sunday. Although the term Easter is a pagan term it is used to represent the day that Jesus raised from the dead. It is a time for families to get together and enjoy each other’s company. It is a day more importantly a day of celebration. A day to celebrate life, eternal life! Today all across this land people will dress up in new clothes and go to church many for the first and some for the last time this year. They say because it is Easter Sunday, but if you truly ask them what this day is all about many are unable to tell you. Some will say it’s about the Easter Bunny, colored eggs, marshmallow Peeps, and Jelly beans. Some will even say that that this is the day Jesus was raised from the dead but really don’t understand the importance of Jesus being raised from the dead has.

UNDERSTAND: - This weekend for the Jewish faith commemorates the Passover. When the Children of Israel were in captivity in Egypt and Moses was told to tell Pharaoh to let His people go. There were ten plagues that came upon Egypt. The 10th plague was the death of the first born of all creatures. The Children of Israel were told to kill a lamb and place the blood of the lamb on the door post and on the mantel of the door and when the death angel would see the blood he would pass over the Children of Israel as long as they were under the blood. As long as they stayed under the blood they didn’t have to fear death, they didn’t have to fear the Egyptians they didn’t have to fear anything as long as they stayed under the blood.

For the Christian faith this is the weekend that commemorates the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. It was on this week, some 2000 years ago, that Jesus, the only begotten of God, was beaten and crucified on Calvary’s cross. He shed his blood for you and for me so that the wrath of God would Passover us as long as we stayed under the blood.

On this past Friday we celebrated what we call “Good Friday”. It is commemorated as the Day Jesus Died.

LET ME GIVE YOU A LITTLE HISTORY LESSON: On this day Jesus was beaten all night long, they pulled the hairs from His beard, they punched Him in His face, they spit upon Him. Then they dragged Him out into the open court-yard and there He was tied to a whipping post. His hands were tied above His head and He was beaten repeatedly with a flagellum. A flagellum was a whip about 6’ long, about half way down there were pieces of bone made into the whip, at the end of the flagellum were pieces of metal. Every time this flagellum came down across the back of Jesus, flesh was ripped from his body, but he never said a mumbling word. He endured that beating because he looked down through time and saw you and me. Every time that whip came across his back I like to believe that He said that one is for Mel, that one is for _____________. I like to believe he said I am shedding my blood so the wrath of God will pass over you all you have to do is stay under the blood.

After they beat him all night long, after they pulled the hairs out of His beard, after they place a crown of thorns on His head, they placed upon His shoulders the crossbeam of the cross called a patibullium. This crossbeam weighed about 80 lbs, they made Him carry it up Golgotha’s hill, every time He stumbled from the weight of the cross He was kicked and beaten even more. Thank God for Simon of Cerene that for a moment was able to give Jesus a little rest. With His back bloody and open from the flesh being ripped from it they laid Him on the ground and nailed him to the cross. His hands began to draw up like claws his feet began to draw up. He didn’t have to go to hell because he had hell all in his body. At about 3:00 in the afternoon the Bible says he gave up the ghost. There on Calvary’s cross Jesus, the only begotten son died.