1 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. 2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. 5 The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Matt 28:1-6 (NIV)
Easter – the most important day for Christians – more than Christmas.
Christmas is to Christianity what …
- Mawlid is to Islam (birthday of Muhammed)
- Janmashtami is to Hinduism (birthday of Krishna)
- Hanamatusuri is to Buddhism (birthday of Buddha)
- Teacher’s Day is to Confucianism (birthday of Confucius)
Accepting the idea of Christmas doesn’t make you a Christian. Most of the world believes that Jesus was born. But Easter – that’s a different story!
Muhammed, Krishna, Buddha, Confucius – all dead. But Jesus is Risen!
Today, I want to talk about being a Christian… Not saying you are a Christian – but really being a Christian. Are you really a Christian? Can you celebrate Easter?
I want to talk to you about four perspectives of Easter… Each perspective is a step in the right direction, and I hope that you will move with me from faith to faith…
- The history of Easter – Is Jesus risen?
- The theology of Easter – Jesus is risen. He is up where he belongs.
- The hope of Easter – Jesus is risen! We can be up where we belong!
- The celebration of Easter – Jesus is risen! I am up where I belong!
What kind of a Christian are you now? What does Easter really mean to you?
RISEN? (Historical)
Easter is the day when most Christians celebrate the resurrection of Christ, which they believe happened on the third day after his crucifixion. The date is not fixed in the calendar, but is calculated based on a number of Christian and non-Christian factors, including Passover, the full moon, and the vernal equinox (the day when the sun is positioned exactly over the equator).
At first, Easter was celebrated by many Christians on Nisan 14 of the Jewish calendar, which is supposedly the date of the first full moon in the north after the vernal equinox. In the second century, it was officially moved to the Sunday following Nisan 14, to coincide with the practice of celebrating the Lord’s Supper on Sundays.
The real controversy in the world is not the date, though. The real question is – is Jesus actually risen?
There is no doubt that Jesus was born. There is no doubt that he lived and taught in Israel. There is no doubt that Jesus died. There is no doubt that Christianity exploded within a few weeks of this event, with Christians claiming that Jesus has risen from the dead.
Skeptics offer the following theories:
· Wrong tomb (authorities could have produced the real)
· Disciples were seeing things (over 500 having the same hallucination? – why wasn’t the body produced?)
· Jesus fainted (Roman scourging, crucifixion, buried and tomb sealed – yet well enough to get out when he “woke up”, and convince his disciples that he was healthy)
· The body was stolen (Peter had denied Christ, now he’s overcoming soldiers and moving a 2.5 ton stone)
The greatest proof is in the lives of the apostles. These men went all over the world, and maintained their story to their dying day. All of them except John were martyred – for a lie?
Are you a historical Christian? ______________
Since you are here today, I trust for you this holiday is more than a study in history – as it is for most. You’ve already taken a great step in the right direction.
RISEN! UP WHERE HE BELONGS.
So you believe that Jesus is risen. What does that mean?
It means that He was more than just a normal man. Actually, the story of Easter is not just about a good man that lived 2000 years ago. It is a about God coming to earth in flesh. John 3:16 says that “God so loved… He gave…”. Because of our sin, we were doomed to die. So Jesus came, and lived a sinless life. He didn’t have to die – he chose to. Why? He died for us. He took our punishment upon himself.
But because he had no sin – death could not hold him. He rose again on the third day, and having conquered death for us, he ascended back into heaven.
Great indeed, we confess, is the mystery of our religion: He was manifested in the flesh, vindicated in the Spirit, seen by angels, preached among the nations, believed on in the world, taken up in glory. 1 Tim 3:16 (RSV)
He is now at the right hand of the throne of God, interceding for us.
21 …It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ, 22 who has gone into heaven and is at God’s right hand--with angels, authorities and powers in submission to him. 1 Peter 3:21-22 (NIV)
That is the Theology of Easter. Jesus is risen! He is now where He belongs!
Are you a theological Christian? ______________
RISEN! UP WHERE WE BELONG.
Now we’re getting somewhere… We’re getting to the place where the story of Easter begins to make a difference. If God did all that – came in flesh, died, was buried, and rose again – I must ask myself why!
Man had been made in the image of God, a child of God. He had been given dominion over all of the earth. He lived in perfect peace – perfect purity. He walked and talked with God…
But then he made a fateful mistake… He decided to try to do things his own way. God had told him – “you better leave the whole right and wrong thing to me”, but man said “I want to make my own decisions about what is good and evil”.
Man allowed Lucifer to plant the lie… The question of “Who is God, really?”. With the lie came death. Man lost his dominion, and became a slave to sin. Lucifer was not the prince and power of the air until we gave that position to him.
The problem is – we can’t get out of this mess… For 6000 years, man has been suffering the same fate as Lucifer. Sin had eternally separated us from God. We’re dead.
But Jesus was called the last Adam. He did not have an earthly father, so he was not born a slave. Living by the power of God, he remained sinless. He didn’t have to die, but he did if for mankind. He took our sins to the grave with him. He carried them all the way to hell.
But remember – he was not born a slave. And he had not given up his authority, as Adam had. So while Jesus went to hell, hell could not hold him! He still had his dominion – his position above the angels. So he walked up to Lucifer and said, “Give me the keys…”
13 When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. Col 2:13-15 (NIV)
You see – when Jesus came back from the dead, he left a gaping hole in hell’s wall. He paved the way for mankind to live again. To have his peace back. To have dominion once again. To live victoriously. To live abundantly! To live eternally?
51 Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed… 54 … then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." 55 "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?" 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Cor 15:51,54-57 (NIV)
Are you a hopeful Christian? ______________
RISEN! UP WHERE I BELONG!
Do you believe that Jesus really did all of that? Then let me ask you…
- Why are you still struggling with you addictions?
- Why don’t you have peace in your house?
- Why are you sick?
Now we’re really getting to the place where faith can make a difference. It’s easy for many to say that Jesus did this for mankind… But they fail to move to the celebration level. The place where they say, Jesus is risen – Therefore I am up where I belong!
You might say – It’s too late… There’s too much water under the bridge. I’ve tried, I’ve failed. I’m doomed. Let me ask you this, to clarify… What you’re saying is, I’ve already been kicked out of my Garden of Eden…? Of course!
What does the resurrection mean to us? That too late is not actually too late!
You might wonder what it takes to be risen with Christ… Well, first you have to settle the issue that was raised in the Garden. The question of – Who is god in my life? The current “god” has to die…
4 For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives. Romans 6:4 (NLT)
The real meaning of Easter is for you to be able to say…
8 Do not rejoice over me, my enemy; When I fall, I will arise; When I sit in darkness, The Lord will be a light to me. Micah 7:8 (NKJV)
Are you a celebrating Christian? ______________
