EASTER SON-RISE
A message for Easter. The hope we have in the resurrection, in Christ.
This Easter Sunday is the first day of the rest of your life.
Jesus wants it to be the first day of the rest of your eternal life.
Scriptures Referenced
Dramatic Reading: Matthew 27:50-51, 54-66
Matthew 28:1-7a
John 1:1
Rev 1:17b-18
John 11:25-26
John 3:16
1 Peter 1:3-5, 7-8
Begin with DRAMATIC reading…
Matthew 27:50-51, 54
50 Then Jesus shouted out again “It is Finished”, dismissed his spirit, and died.
51 And Look! The curtain secluding the Holiest Place in the Temple was split apart from top to bottom; and the earth shook, and rocks broke.
54 The soldiers at the crucifixion and their sergeant were terribly frightened by the earthquake and all that happened. They exclaimed, ‘Surely this was GOD’S SON.’
57 When evening came, a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph, one of Jesus’ followers,
58 Went to Pilate and asked for Jesus’ body. And Pilate issued an order to release it to him.
59 Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth,
And placed it in his own new rock-hewn tomb, and rolled a great stone across the entrance as he left.
62 Then, the chief priests and Pharisees went to Pilate,
63 And said to him ‘Sir, that liar, they were referring to Jesus, said ‘After three days I will come back to life again.’
64 So we request an order from you sealing the tomb until the third day, to prevent his disciples from coming and stealing his body, and then telling everyone he came back to life!
65 “Use your own guards” Pilate told them.
66 So they sealed the stone and posted guards to protect it from intruders.
Matthew 28:1-7a
Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to the tomb.
Suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and rolled aside the stone and sat on it. His face shone like lightning and his clothing was a brilliant white. The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and fell into a dead faint.
Then the angel spoke to the women. ‘Don’t be frightened!’ he said. ‘I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified, but he isn’t here! For he has come back to life again, just as he said he would. Come in and see where his body was lying…
And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he was risen from the dead…
MESSAGE...
Easter Son Rise!
He is Risen…He is Risen, Indeed!
This is truly a special day.
This morning we woke in the dark.
Yet we could here a few birds were singing.
As we drove to Beachmont for the 6:30am sunrise service, the light of the sun was beginning to light up our drive.
Once we arrived, we made our way down to the pond area. A light fog was floating just inches over the water.
Then as the sun began to rise, it was as if the whole earth was waking this blessed morning. Even with the night, and its darkness, there is Joy that comes in the morning. The new day has awakened. All of nature comes to life! As the Sun rose in the sky, we realize that each day, and Today is a New Beginning!
But this day has even more significance then the morning rising of the sun.
Last Sunday we saw Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into the city. This week and on Thursday, we saw Jesus betrayed, arrested, denied, falsely accused, beaten, and put on the cross to be crucified.
IF we Jump Back to the Cross…
When the women and the disciples left the cross, they were saddened, and had probably lost hope. Their Savior, their King, died! They did not understand because they only knew what they were experiencing.
And oh if they only new what was coming…
When they started for the tomb, they were still in darkness, still with the knowledge that their savior died.
The angel of the Lord came upon the rock and moved it off the tomb. His face shined as Lightning and his clothes were a brilliant white. The guards experienced it and trembled and fell faint as dead men. They knew that it was real. They had to be bribed to not say a word.
Then when the women and disciples arrived at the tomb! What they saw both frightened, and amazed them, and then there was Joy!
They were both afraid and joyful, when they heard that Jesus was no longer in the grave. That Meant That He is Risen! That meant that JESUS WAS REAL!
Jesus during his life here on earth, showed and explained himself as God, but people didn’t understand that he WAS God
In our memory verse, John 1:1 that says In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning.
John had a vision in which he saw Christ who said to him …
In Rev 1:17b-18
Fear not; I am the first and the last; I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive forevermore, Amen…
In John 11:25-26 Jesus said to Mary and Martha at the grave side of Lazarus…“I am the resurrection and the life, he that believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whosoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
John 3:16 God loved us so much that he sent Jesus that WHOEVER BELIEVES in Jesus Christ shall have eternal life.
The Living Hope
1 Peter 1:3-5
All honor to God, the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; for it is his boundless mercy that has given us the privilege of being born again, so that we are now members of God’s own family.
Now we live in the hope of eternal life because Christ rose again from the Dead.
And God has reserved for his children the priceless gift of eternal life; it is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay.
And God, in his mighty power, will make sure that you get there safely to receive it, because you are trusting him. It will be yours in that coming last day for all to see.
So be truly glad! There is wonderful joy ahead, even though the going is rough for a while down here.
7 These trials are only to test your faith, to see whether or not it is strong and pure. It is being tested as fire tests gold and purifies it—and your faith is far more precious to God than mere gold; so if your faith remains strong after being tried the test tube of fiery trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honor on the day of his return.
8 You love him even though you have never seen him; though not seeing him, you trust him; and even now you are happy with the inexpressible joy that comes from heaven itself. And your further reward for trusting him will be the salvation of your souls.
This morning, and every morning when we witness the sun to rise. It is a reminder of the day that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, rose from the Grave. And he gave us more than a new day, he gave us a new… eternity.
This Easter Sunday is the first day of the rest of your life.
Jesus wants it to be the first day of the rest of your life…for eternity…
He IS the Resurrection. He IS the Life
Do you believe?
Let us pray
Father we thank you…for the gift of eternal life that you provided for each and every one of us. Father we thank you for the empty tomb…for your resurrection. And Lord we know that…we too may live because you live.
And Father now we ask your blessing upon each one... As we go from this place, may each one go rejoicing in you...knowing you as Lord and savior. In Jesus precious name we pray amen…and amen.
If you … don’t have that assurance and that peace this morning…it’s no better time than to receive Christ…then right now.
God Bless You.
HE IS RISEN. HE IS RISEN INDEED. AMEN.
