He Is Risen! - Easter

He is Risen! - Easter

1 Peter 1:3-5

Luke 23:55 - 24:12

April 12, 2020

START OUT WITH MAGIC TRICK - making candy appear out of an empty cup

Now, I don’t usually start messages with a magic trick, but I thought today would be the exception. Why a magic trick? Well . . . it’s Easter . . . why not? Actually, isn’t that what they were thinking after Jesus rose?

If I was really good, I would have done a trick like Houdini. I would have been tied up and escaped. But again, isn’t that what Pilate was afraid of? Look at what Matthew tells us in Matthew 27 - -

65 Pilate said to the chief priests, “You have a guard of soldiers. Go, make it as secure as you can.”

66 So they went and made the tomb secure by sealing the stone and setting a guard. - Matthew 27

After Jesus has risen, the guards tell the Jewish leaders about this amazing disappearing act. They essentially buy off the guards, saying -

12 And when the soldiers met with the elders and taken counsel, the counsel gave a sum of money to the soldiers

13 and said, “Tell people, ‘His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.’ - Matthew 28:12-13

Isn’t that what we do when we can’t explain something away? We make up a story and pass it around. They were hoping this would stick and everyone would forget about this Jesus guy. But that didn’t happen . . . and we thank God for that. Isn’t that what we do when we can’t explain something . . . well, it’s just an illusion.

But this time it wasn’t! It was real, Jesus was alive. I want to share two passages with you this morning. The first is really the Easter story. I believe it’s important to share the story as it was recorded in the Bible. So, I want to firstly read from the last 2 verses of Matthew 23 and continue in Matthew 24 - -

55 The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed and saw the tomb and how His body was laid. 56 Then they returned and prepared spices and ointments. On the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment. 1 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. 2 And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but has risen. Remember how He told you, while He was still in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” 8 And they remembered His words, 9 and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. 10 Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, 11 but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. 12 But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened. - Luke 23:55-24:12

I’m really not going to talk much about this scripture except to remind us of verses 6-7. Again, we read the angels saying - 6 He is not here, but has risen.

That’s got to be one of the most comforting 7 words in the Bible. Think about it? Drink it in? HE IS NOT HERE, BUT HAS RISEN! Isn’t that great news? Keep reminding yourself of this great news! He is not contained in some tomb. He’s not here! He’s alive!!

And the angels remind the women, because in our grief we so easily forget. Saying,

6 Remember how He told you, while He was still in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.”

Jesus told them He would rise again on the 3rd day. I think they kind of believed Him, but again, maybe it’s just an illusion, a slight of hand trick. Yet, they were witnesses to the miracles. Not just healings but Jesus brought 3 people back to life! Nobody had that power . . . nobody! But Jesus!