Missing Believed To Be…risen!

SERMON OUTLINE:

(1). The Women (vs 1-4)

(2). The Angelic Being (vs 5-8)

(3). The Disciples (vs 14)

SERMON BODY:

Ill:

• Recently (14 March 2018),

• The English theoretical physicist, cosmologist Stephen Hawkins died,

• He was a very clever man, but he was also a committed atheist.

• On one occasion when Hawkins was alive,

• The press interviewed Professor John Lennox;

• In that interview Lennox commented:

"Stephen Hawkins was just ahead of me at Cambridge, I can remember him quite well although I did not know him. I was rather amused when the Times interviewed him about religion;

he said:

'Religion is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark'.

I was asked to comment, so I said;

'atheism is a fairy story for people afraid of the light'."

(John Lennox is Professor of Mathematics in the University of Oxford, Fellow in Mathematics and the Philosophy of Science, and Pastoral Advisor at Green Templeton College, Oxford. He is also an adjunct Lecturer at Wycliffe Hall, Oxford University and at the Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics and is a Senior Fellow of the Trinity Forum.)

• TRANSITION: The resurrection story of Jesus:

• Is either the biggest fairy story ever invented;

• Or the greatest miracle and the most significant event in human history!

I believe it is the greatest miracle that the world has or will ever see!

• I don’t know if you have noticed this observation.

• But in the Old Testament when talking about the power of God;

• The writers always refer to creation.

• The miracle of God creating the world out of nothing.

• In the New Testament when talking about the power of God;

• The writers always refer to the resurrection of Jesus from the dead!

• Because there is nothing greater that you can compare with it!

Now one word you have to associate with Jesus Christ is ‘miracle’.

• He entered our world in a miraculous way;

• Conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary.

• During his three years of ministry, the four gospels record 37 miracles of Jesus.

• Most scholars tend to agree with this number.

• John the apostle tells us (John chapter 21 verse 25);

• Jesus performed many other miracles to these 37 that were not recorded.

• So Jesus entered our world in a miraculous way;

• He lived a miraculous life;

• And even in death, he has that word ‘miracle’ attributed to him!

Quote: I like what Peter Larson writes:

• "Despite our efforts to keep him out, God intrudes.

• The life of Jesus is bracketed by two impossibilities: a virgin's womb and an empty tomb.

• Jesus entered our world through a door marked 'No Entrance';

• And left through a door marked 'No Exit’”

Notice: the response the words of the angelic being (vs 7):

‘You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here.

See the place where they laid him

• We do not normally look for the dead among the living.

• So why would you look for the living among the dead?

• That is the enquiry the angels posed to the women who came to Jesus’ tomb;

• That first Easter morning.

• And that is the enquiry we are considering this evening.

(1). The Women (vs 1-4)

“When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. 2 Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb 3 and they asked each other, ‘Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?’. 4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away.”

(a). The Day (vs 1a): “When the Sabbath was over”

• In Jesus’ day the Sabbath, our Saturday was the most significant day.

• Sabbath is the last day of the week and commemorates the rest of God after creation.

• But from this moment on, for the followers of Jesus;

• The first day of the week – which is Sunday would replace it in importance!

• Sunday would forever take precedence among Christians;

• Signifying and memorating the resurrection of Jesus.

(b). The Task (vs 1b) – embalm the body.

• Notice: with the Sabbath day ended the women waste no time;

• “Very early on the first day of the week”;

• They went to embalm the body of Jesus with spices.

• John in his gospel (chapter 19 verses 38-42) tells us that:

• This anointing process had been started by Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimithea;