INTRO.- ILL.- In 1173 the Italian architect Bonnano Pisano began work on what would become his most famous project: A separately standing eight-story bell tower for the Cathedral of the city of Pisa. The tower was to be eight-stories and 185-foot tall. There was just one "little" problem: builders quickly discovered that the soil was much softer than they had anticipated, and the foundation was far too shallow to adequately hold the structure!
And sure enough, before long the whole structure had begun to tilt... and it continued to tilt... until finally the architect and the builders realized that nothing could be done to make the Leaning Tower of Pisa straight again.
It took 174 years to build the Tower of Pisa and during that time many things were done to try and compensate for the "tilt." The foundation was shored up; the upper levels were even built at an angle to try to make the top of the tower look straight. Nothing worked. The tower has stood for over 800 years, but it leans 18 feet away from where it should be (10 degrees from the vertical, for all the engineers). One day, experts say, it will fall and all because it wasn’t built on the right foundation.
And this may well happen. Things do crumble in this life and especially, if they don’t have the right foundation. But it’s not just buildings that crumble and fall. It’s lives as well.
ILL.- For example, in recent months we have been bombarded with news about the life and death of Anna Nicole Smith. And it seems that it was almost inevitable that she was going to die an early death because of her drug usage and seemingly wild way of living.
I am not happy that she died an early death at the age of only 39 but apparently, her foundation was not good. I don’t know if she claimed to have any faith in Christ at all, but without that foundation no one is ready for death.
John 11:25-26 Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"
ILL.- Now here’s the other side of the coin…another testimony. One lady said: “As a young girl I put God first in my life, when my biggest concern was how to fix my hair. As I grew into an adult my concerns became much greater. I lived through my oldest child’s severe head injury, a broken marriage, poverty, and both my parents’ tragic deaths in a tornado.”
How could a person endure such difficult things in life and continue to live? JESUS.
She said, “Although I do not understand it all, I have held onto my foundation - Jesus. I continue to realize that God IS faithful. He loves me and I need him to be first in my life.”
ILL.- A little over a month before he died, the famous atheist Jean-Paul Sartre declared that he so strongly resisted feelings of despair that he would say to himself, “I know I shall die in hope.” Then in profound sadness, he would add, “But hope needs a foundation.”
Our hope lies in the death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. Outside of Christ there is little hope. The world offers no hope. Hollywood can’t produce it. Science can invent it or find it. It is found only in Jesus. He is our hope and the foundation of our hope.
PROP.- Let’s reconsider the hope that we have in Jesus by looking once again at the death and resurrection of Jesus. 1- the excruciating death 2- the exhilarating resurrection
I. THE EXCRUCIATING DEATH
Matthew 27:45-50 45From the sixth hour until the ninth hour darkness came over all the land. 46About the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"—which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" 47When some of those standing there heard this, they said, "He’s calling Elijah."48Immediately one of them ran and got a sponge. He filled it with wine vinegar, put it on a stick, and offered it to Jesus to drink. 49The rest said, "Now leave him alone. Let’s see if Elijah comes to save him."50And when Jesus had cried out again in a loud voice, he gave up his spirit.”
Darkness came over all the land. Why? It seemed to be a dark time and God wanted to get everybody’s attention. One writer said it was as though all of creation was sympathizing with the Creator.
I know that from the human perspective we should sympathize with others in their hurt and pain.
Rom. 12:15 “Rejoice with those who rejoice; weep with those who weep.”
If we have the heart of Christ how can we not sympathize with hurting people?
ILL.- Recently it was announced that Elizabeth Edwards’ cancer had returned, only this time in the bone or the rib. And when they showed John Edwards and his family, his small children, we felt sympathy for them. HOW COULD WE NOT?
All of creation was broken over the crucifixion of Christ.
Jesus cried out “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani,” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” That was the excruciating death of Jesus.
ILL.- Have you ever had a prodigal child? Did you ever have one just went wild; carousing, drinking, drugging, etc.? What did you do? How did you feel about them?
You may have done like one father did his son by literally dragging him out of a bar one time and letting him know in no uncertain terms that HE WAS NOT GOING TO LIVE THAT WAY! Or like another father I heard say that the first time his son came home drunk, he threw him against the wall and read him the riot act. I guess he never had trouble with him after that time.
Even though there are times when we may not like our children for what they do or how they live, WE DO NOT FORSAKE THEM! So in some ways it’s hard to understand how God the Father could forsake His son in His darkest hour on earth.
Do you know why He forsook His son? It’s because Jesus became Adolf Hitler, Charles Manson, Timothy McVeigh, and Saddam Hussein…all wrapped up in one flesh!
How so? You know that if you had all those men wrapped up into one man he would be the worst of the worst. He would be the most hateful and hated man of all time and would deserve death and Hell.
II Cor. 5:21 “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.”
On the cross, Jesus became the worst of the worst of all sinners. In fact, HE BECAME THE SIN OF ALL MANKIND, all the Hitler’s of the world and even worse! And that is why God forsook His son. God the Father, God the holy one, could not stand to look on sin so He turned away and Jesus suffered the worst pain of all; separation from God.
Some people talk about hell on earth. Or that war is hell. No! The closest thing to hell on earth was the death of Jesus.
And what makes it so bad is the fact that you and I put Him there! We would like very much to lay it on the Hitler’s of the world but it was you and me. It was our sin that caused God to forsake His son. JESUS BECAME OUR SIN ON THE CROSS.
But it was done for a purpose and that was so we could ultimately be saved and forgiven by putting our trust in Jesus and His death on the cross!
God took excruciating evil and turned it into the greatest good of all time! He opened the door so that all mankind could be saved, be forgiven of their sins, and live forever in heaven! PTL!
II. THE EXHILARATING RESURRECTION
ILL.- Lights, camera, action! He’s coming back! They are resurrecting him. Who’s that? Anticipation is mounting for the next "Indiana Jones," (#4) but for every year that passes there is some concern that Harrison Ford may not be able to play the role physically.
The 63-year-old actor is frank about his age and doesn’t hesitate to point out that he’s as physically fit as ever. Indiana Jones has been resurrected from the grave, so to speak. While that’s all well and good (I guess), we know of a better resurrection, an exhilarating resurrection.
Matthew 28:1-10
THE ANGEL SAID TO THE WOMEN. Why the women? Because they were there! And it often seems like they are there even when the men are not.
ILL.- One lady said, “ONE DAY my housework-challenged husband decided to wash his sweatshirt. Seconds after he stepped into the laundry room, he shouted to me, ‘What setting do I use on the washing machine?’ ‘It depends,’ I replied. ‘What does it say on your shirt?’ ‘University of Oklahoma,’ he yelled back.”
Are women smarter than men? Are they smarter than men when it comes to washing clothes? What about spiritual things?
I have heard that there have been many churches kept alive in the past by the women of the church. The men didn’t go but the women did. And I have known of many women in churches who were superior spiritually speaking to the men.
But we all can learn from these women and become more attentive to the things of Jesus, whatever they are: worship, praise, service, etc. I’ve known of a lot of women who would serve while the men just sat.
5The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.
DO NOT BE AFRAID. Those were the words of the angel to the women. And fear is common to all. It is the common denominator that humbles and disarms us all. If we fear we are worth little to ourselves, to others and to the Lord.
Fear paralyzes people. The women at the tomb feared their hope was gone; their Savior was dead. To lose hope is to lose motivation for living. If we can’t hope for a better day, a better future then it’s hard to go to work every day.
ILL.- I wouldn’t go fishing if I didn’t HOPE to catch something or if I didn’t think I would catch something. I wouldn’t spend long hours preparing sermons if I didn’t HOPE to get some results from some people. And I guess I wouldn’t go to church if I didn’t HOPE to gain something. Perhaps that’s why some people don’t come to church. THEY DON’T HOPE TO GAIN SOMETHING THAT WILL HELP THEM IN LIFE.
The angel said, “Do not be afraid.” In a sense, the angel was saying, “There is hope for a better day and a bright future. Your Savior is not dead.”
ILL.- Preacher Ed Bousman is probably 80 years old now. For 50 years (and maybe longer) he has been preaching at the Kiamichi Men’s Clinic in Oklahoma. One time a man who always attended the clinic said to Ed, “I don’t know what we are going to do when you die. We need you.” Ed replied, “The clinic will go on and be just fine. God got along just fine before I came into this world and He will get along just as well when I am gone from this world.”
This is true for us all. We are needed by family members and friends but we are not indispensable. When I talk of leaving this world most people don’t vote in favor of it. (a few do) But Elaine has threatened me, saying, “If you die on me I’ll kill you!”
However, Jesus is completely indispensable and irreplaceable! Without Him we’re lost! And without His resurrection from the dead, we’re doomed!
And brothers and sisters, there is no scientific mystery about the resurrection of Jesus. It’s just a truth, a fact. God raised Jesus from the dead! God is all-powerful! He can do everything He wants that is good and this is probably the greatest good He ever did, at least, on our behalf! The resurrection of Jesus from the dead means that He will do what He says! He will give us eternal life! THE CEMETERY IS NOT THE END OF THE STORY!
ILL.- Hank Hanegraff who heads up CRI (Christian Research Inst.) wrote this: “The Resurrection is not merely important to the historic Christian faith — without it there would be no Christianity. It elevates Christianity above all other world religions. Through the Resurrection Christ demonstrated that He does not stand in a line of peers with Abraham, Buddha, Confucius, or Muhammad. Jesus Christ is utterly unique. He had the power not only to lay down His life, but also to take it up again.”
Thank God, praise God for the exhilarating, exciting, eye-popping, gladdening, resurrection of Jesus Christ!
CONCLUSION-------------------------------
ILL.- It was said that Henry Ford was an automotive genius. He came up with great ideas and handed them to researchers for development. One of his ideas was the concept of an engine in which the pistons were set at an angle to each other rather than in a straight line. He sketched out his idea for the V-8 motor and took it to his engineers. After he left they looked it over and shook their heads for the boss’ ignorance of basic engineering. Somebody volunteered to tell that his idea was impossible. Ford said, “Do it anyway and stay at it until you succeed.”
It took over one year and many designs but eventually Ford’s researchers came up with the design of the most powerful automobile engine known to us today. His refusal to acknowledge the impossible laid the foundation for turning an idea into a working design.
Ah ha!
Ford was indeed something of an automotive genius, but God is the greatest genius of all! Who would have ever thought that the death of His son on a cross would be the ultimate victory over sin, Satan, death, and hell? And then to bring Him back from the dead; that was frosting on the cake!
When time is no more (no matter how it comes), all that really matters is that we truly believe and put our trust in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. And today, all that truly matters is our faith in Christ. Everything else is frosting on the cake. Rejoice! Do not fear! Praise the Lord! Live in Him and for Him!
