This is Easter morning, a time to remember the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
To appreciate resurrection, must His understand death
w/o- death, there could be no resurrection
w/o- resurrection- death not significant
In all human history … Jesus the man, who was Christ the God, was the only one qualified to die
for the sins of mankind.
There will never be another Messiah other than Jesus.
2Co 5:19 For God was in Christ, reconciling the world to himself, no longer counting people’s sins against them ... NLT
The empty cross of Christ- speaks of resurrection- can be viewed from several perspectives …
1. The empty cross is a picture of sacrifice
OT- sacrifice was a common means of removing a man’s sin so He could stand before God.
An animal would die in place of a man.
Through the death of the animal, a man would be released from his sin and reconciled to God.
1 Pet 3:18 For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; NASU
2. The empty cross is a picture of forgiveness
Basic to Christian faith- mankind needs reconciliation.
First man Adam sinned- every man since has carried this original sin that separates him from God.
Under the law of God, every man/woman stands guilty of sin, and the penalty for sin is death.
Rom 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, NASU
Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death …
Death of Jesus on the cross was payment for our sin.
Acts 10:43 "Of Him all the prophets bear witness that through His name everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins."
A man/woman who has humbled themselves before God and appealed to Christ, has been set free
from the penalty they should pay for their sin.
Not only set free from penalty, but also the guilt of sin
3. The empty cross is a picture of how we are to live
Christ accepted willingly a difficult/undeserved death.
Rom 5:8 But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. NASU
This demonstration of love should in turn motivate us to repent of our sins and join our hearts to God.
Peter Abelard (1079-1142) …
The Son of God took our nature, and in it took upon himself to teach us by both word and example even to the point of death, thus binding us to himself through love …
Jesus encouraged His disciples to follow His example-
Lk 9:23 … " If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me. NASU
Peter said …
1Pe 2:21 For God called you to do good, even if it means suffering, just as Christ suffered for you. He is your example, and you must follow in his steps. NLT
4. The empty cross is a picture of victory
The death of Christ in both the eyes of the world and the disciples, appeared at first to be a defeat.
Lk 24:18-21 Road to Emmaus
But the death of Christ was necessary for Jesus to gain victory over sin, death, and the devil.
Once Jesus was resurrected the hold of sin, death, and the devil were broken over mankind.
1 Cor 15:56-57
56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law;
57 but thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. NASU
Conclusion
This Jesus, who died in our place, for our sins, took the impossible and made it possible.
Through Jesus, God brought life out of death.
Perhaps that is why Jesus, when speaking about how a sinful man could stand before a Holy God, said …
Mk 10:27 … "With people it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God." NASU
God has done the impossible work of cleansing us of sin so we can stand in the presence of a Holy God.
God, however, does not just want to set us free from sin- He wants to inhabit us.
His goal is not just to save us from destruction, but to conform us into the image Christ.
He died not just so we will be safe from His judgment, but to perfect us and make us like Him.
He wants to fill us with His eternal, resurrected life, so we can do the work that He did while on earth.
Jn 14:12 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father. NASU
Today we are in the middle of a great battle for the hearts and minds of people.
There is a personal devil with his host of demons, deceiving and tormenting men/women today.
There are always men, empowered by the lies of darkness, trying to prove the resurrection- a fraud.
Last year it was “The Da Vinci Code,” a movie based on fiction, yet presented as fact.
This year- documentary, “The Lost Tomb of Jesus.”
A movie that claims Jesus bones have been found in a box- disproving the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Attempts to discredit the resurrection go all the way back to the guards placed at the tomb …
Mtt 28:11-13
11 … some of the guard … reported to the chief priests all that had happened.
12 … they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers,
13 and said, "You are to say, ’His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.’ NASU
Bill Yerkes- discussing Easter w/friend …
They (the disciples) had an attitude of disbelief and they lacked faith, even though they had hung out with Jesus for three years and had witnessed his ministry and miracles first hand. But then they had a change of attitude and were willing to die for their beliefs. What happened to change them? It was the resurrection of course. In light of recent news reports about the graves uncovered in the archaeological dig, the question is: Who would die for a box of bones?
The disciples were ready to die for Jesus because they knew He had been resurrected.
· Jesus did die on a cross- that is an established historical fact.
· Jesus was resurrected from the dead/seen by over 500 people- that is an established historical fact.
· The Tomb today is empty- no bones have been found in it- that is an established historical fact.
The question you and I must reckon with today is …
is Jesus your resurrected Lord,
is Jesus alive in your life,
is He your God,
does He sit on the throne of your heart,
does He rule your life?
I like the statement made by Pastor Amos Dodge of Capitol Church in Virginia …
Make no bones about it.
The tomb is empty!
Jesus is alive!
That says it all.
He is alive! --- NOW, is He alive for you today?
Heb 4:7 He again fixes a certain day, "Today," saying
through David after so long a time just as has been said before, "TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS." NASU
Additional Information
· Power/wisdom of God is released in the cross
1 Cor 1:23-24
23 but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness,
24 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. NASU
· Out of death (cross) comes life (resurrection)
a pattern God built into- fabric of the universe
Jn 12:24 "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.
Mk 10:45 "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many." NASU
Jn 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. NASU
Heb 2:14 Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, He Himself likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, NASU
John 8:32
32 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." NASU
Romans 8:2
2 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. NASU
The Jewish leaders wanted Jesus dead …
He was a threat to their position/religious belief
The Roman authorities wanted Jesus dead …
He was a political/social troublemaker.
The Romans crucified many people- what made the crucifixion of Jesus more significant than others?
Speaking of the devil, Jesus says …
Jn 8:44 … He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies. NLT
Our battle today is not with men …
Eph 6:12 For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. NLT
Basic to the Christian faith is that mankind needs to reconciled to God.
The Bible says the Devil tempted the first man Adam, and sin entered the world.
Adam- cast out of the garden- separated from God.
Every man/woman, since Adam, carries this original sin that separates them from God.
Ro 5:12 When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned. NLT
But through the death of Christ on the cross and His resurrection, man has been given eternal life.
