Has He Risen?

Has He Risen?

While driving to church on Easter Sunday two years ago, I told my children the Easter story. "This is the day we celebrate Jesus coming back to life," I explained. Right away, my 3-year-old son, Kevin, piped up from the back seat, "Will He be in church today?"

„X Prayer

„X Scripture Text: Luke 24:1-12

„X Title of Sermon ¡§Has He Risen?¡¨

This title may strike you in an odd way¡K¡K¡K¡K¡KHas He Risen? While we are so accustomed to hearing He Has Risen.

The reason I bring this title with a question mark vs. an accustomed exclamation point is because some of us in the church do not show a risen Christ:

1. In our lives

2. In our circumstances

3. In our faith

4. In our affairs

5. In our Christian walk

„X You may be thinking or pondering this question, how can I be in a church, walk through life, and call myself a Christian, yet still not portray Christ? (vs. 3 & 4)

The two angels (appearing as ¡§men in clothes that gleamed like lightning¡¨) asked the women why they were looking in a tomb for someone who was alive. Often we run into people who are looking for God among the dead. They study the Bible as a mere historical document and go to church as if going to a memorial service. But Jesus is not among the dead¡Xhe lives! He reigns in the hearts of Christians, and he is the head of his church. Do you look for Jesus among the living? Do you expect him to be active in the world and in the church? Look for signs of his power¡Xthey are all around you.

„X You may be asking: why is the resurrection of Jesus Christ so important?

The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is the central fact of Christian history. On it, the church is built; without it, there would be no Christian church today. Jesus¡¦ resurrection is unique. Other religions have strong ethical systems, concepts about paradise and afterlife, and various Holy Scriptures. Only Christianity has a God who became human, literally died for his people, and was raised again in power and glory to rule his church forever.

Why is the resurrection so important?

(1) Because Christ was raised from the dead, we know that the kingdom of heaven has broken into earth¡¦s history. Our world is now headed for redemption, not disaster. God¡¦s mighty power is at work destroying sin, creating new lives, and preparing us for Jesus¡¦ second coming.

(2) Because of the resurrection, we know that death has been conquered, and we too will be raised from the dead to live forever with Christ.

(3) The resurrection gives authority to the church¡¦s witness in the world. Look at the early evangelistic sermons in the book of Acts: the apostles¡¦ most important message was the proclamation that Jesus Christ had been raised from the dead!

(4) The resurrection gives meaning to the church¡¦s regular feast, the Lord¡¦s Supper. Like the disciples on the Emmaus Road, we break bread with our risen Lord, who comes in power to save us.

(5) The resurrection helps us find meaning even in great tragedy. No matter what happens to us as we walk with the Lord, the resurrection gives us hope for the future.

(6) The resurrection assures us that Christ is alive and ruling his kingdom. He is not legend; he is alive and real.

(7) God¡¦s power that brought Jesus back from the dead is available to us so that we can live for him in an evil world.

Christians can look very different from one another, and they can hold widely varying beliefs about politics, life-style, and even theology. But one central belief unites and inspires all true Christians¡XJesus Christ rose from the dead!

„X Text: Luke 24:13-34

„X You may be wondering: can doubt really be that detrimental in a Christian¡¦s life? (vs. 19-21)

The disciples from Emmaus were counting on Jesus to redeem Israel¡Xthat is, to rescue the nation from its enemies. Most Jews believed that the Old Testament prophecies pointed to a military and political Messiah; they didn¡¦t realize that the Messiah had come to redeem people from slavery to sin. When Jesus died, therefore, they lost all hope. They didn¡¦t understand that Jesus¡¦ death offered the greatest hope possible.

„X One may ask, is doubt and fear of Satan? Yes!!!

We cannot give in to the devil’s principal, deceitful tactic which makes so many Christians satisfied with an "Easter celebration" instead of experiencing the power of Christ’s resurrection. It is the devil’s business to keep Christians mourning and weeping with pity beside the cross instead of demonstrating that Jesus Christ is risen, indeed.

„X Even scientists are stumped by there own response to what is infallible proof¡K¡K