He Is Risen!

HE IS RISEN!

LUKE 28:1-7

Today as we all know is Easter. Today literally millions of people all over the world will be celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Celebrating that fact that some 2000 years ago, on that Sunday morning, the tomb of Christ was empty.

There was a once a man who decided to start a new religion. He came to the French diplomat Charles Maurice Talleyrand complaining that he could not make any new converts. He asked Talleyrand what do you suggest I do?

Talleyrand replied, “I should recommend that you get yourself crucified and then die, but be sure to rise again on the third day.”

We must understand that the whole of the Christian faith rests on the resurrection of Jesus Christ. If Christ did not rise from the dead we are wasting our time this morning. Not only would I say that Christianity rest on the resurrection but that it is the most important event in all of history. If you look down through time you can see how it as effected the lives of people.

This one event has certainly changed the course of history, and it continues to do so.

Just think of your own lives. I know if Christ were not risen I would not be married to Darleen right now. If I were not married to my wife I would not have had children with her. So Brooke and Andrea and Bethany would not exist if Christ were not risen. So just my life would be totally different if Christ had not risen from the dead.

So the resurrection is an important to not only myself but to the world. But why is that so? Why is the resurrection of Christ so important to me, to us? Today I want to look at some reason.

First I want to look at how it all began. Please turn with me to Luke chapter 24:1-7,

“Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus.

And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? "He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, “saying, ’The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’”

There it is. The words that change history “He is not here, but is risen!” Let us take a look at why the resurrection is important to us.

First it tell us that Jesus died. It is quite obvious that if Jesus rose for the dead, then he had to have died. But why did Jesus die? Why was it necessary for the Son of God to be killed?

Some of you may have seen this weeks “U.S. News and World Report.” I found it ironic that it asked that very question, “Why Jesus was Killed.”

Now may say that you may as well save your money and not buy this magazine because the scholars that it mentions are all for the most part, a bunch of, (for want of a better word) flaming liberals. They come to the conclusion that and I quote one of these scholars, “He’s putting the kingdom of God up against Caesar, and he’s going to get squashed.” In other words Jesus was put to death for political reasons. WRONG!

What this articles ignores is first of all Jesus taught that we should be submissive to the government, not over throw them. He further stated that his kingdom was not of the this world. And lastly what these so called scholars never mentions is the fact that Pilate found Christ innocent of any crime, listen to Pilate’s words,

“Then Pilate, when he had called together the chief priests, the rulers, and the people, said to them, "You have brought this Man to me, as one who misleads the people. And indeed, having examined Him in your presence, I have found no fault in this Man concerning those things of which you accuse Him; "no, neither did Herod, for I sent you back to him; and indeed nothing deserving of death has been done by Him. I will therefore chastise Him and release Him"

This statement makes this whole article, meaningless and pointless. Jesus was not looked upon as an enemy of the Roman state, Pilate say no fault in Him what so ever.