He Not Only Stated It…he Did It! (Easter Sermon)

A silversmith named Paul Revere, and a friend of his named William Dawes, found out about a mission the British troops had, to steal the guns and gun powder from the Americans living in Lexington and Concord.

They decided to act quickly.

We are told by some historians that at 10:00 at night, Revere and his friend got their horses and started off to Lexington. They wanted to warn the people that the British were on their way.

Paul Revere is credited for those famous words, “The British are coming! The British are coming!”

Some historians say that is not an accurate account. They say that as Revere and Dawes were traveling to warn the people, the British soldiers caught them and quickly arrested them.

However, while they were being arrested, a man named Dr. Samuel Prescott got past the British soldiers. Prescott got to Concord, and the townspeople were ready for the attack.

These historians say that Samuel Prescott was the hero, but everybody has always given Paul Revere the credit for his midnight ride.

WHAT CAUSED THE CONFUSION?

The historians say that the reason Paul Revere receives the credit for delivering this life saving message, was because of a poem written by a man named Henry Wadsworth Longfellow called, “The Midnight Cry of Paul Revere”.

Longfellow named Paul Revere as the man who warned the people of Concord that the British were coming. So, even today many believe that Paul Revere is the main hero.

We probably never will know who REALLY delivered that very important message.

Every day our mailmen or mail lady delivers all kinds of messages to us daily THROUGH THE MAIL.

But the most important message that has ever been delivered is the message of the resurrection.

Did you know the most important message that has ever been delivered to mankind was delivered by a woman named Mary Magdalene.

WHO WAS MARY MAGDALENE?

Mary was a Jewish woman from the fishing town Magdala on the western shore of the Sea of Galilee.

Also did you know her name is mentioned 12 times in the Gospels, more than most of the apostles?

But God chose her to be the first person to report that Jesus was ALIVE!

Look at Matthew 28:1-6 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, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.

This is the most important message that has ever been delivered to mankind. “HE IS NOT HERE: FOR HE IS RISEN…”

This was not a long message, only eight words, but it is the most important message that has ever been delivered by anyone!!!

Never has so much depended on this one solitary message that, CHRIST AROSE FROM THE GRAVE AND IS NO LONGER THERE.

WHY IS THIS THE MOST IMPORTANT MESSAGE THAT HAS EVER BEEN DELIVERED?

Paul gives us the answer to that question?

Look at 1 Corinthians 15:14-20 And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.

Illus: A house painter in Columbia, S.C. spent two weeks painting a house why a family was on a two weeks' vacation.

• He finally got through with the paint job in almost two weeks and was looking forward to receiving a paycheck.

• When the family got home, they were pleased with the good he had done but there was one problem. He painted the house the wrong color and had to paint it all over again.

I mention that to mention this as a pastor for many decades: