Acts 10:34-43 Isaiah 25:6-9
On this day, Easter Sunday, we commemorate the resurrection of Jesus, the Christ, from the dead. It’s a subject of the utmost importance to the church; and, not just this church; but, to the Church of Jesus Christ in all of its various expressions! Sometimes, I think that we’ve gotten so used to saying it, that the actual reality of what we’re talking about somehow gets lost in the process! We’re talking about the only-begotten Son of Almighty God, who was nailed to the Cross atop Golgotha’s Hill; and, who experienced complete and total death; but he literally came back to life again!
The body that rose from the dead was none other than the body of Almighty God in human flesh, who died three days previously, for the sins of the entire world. He’s "The Lamb of God which takes away the sin of the world!" Now, if we can’t get excited about that, somebody better check our pulses.
The Christian author Dr. Warren Wiersbe once said, "Easter is the Truth that turns a church from a museum into a ministry." (SermonCentral.com) The most fundamental Truth of the entire Holy Bible – the written Word of Almighty God – is that Jesus, the Christ, rose from the dead! Without the resurrection, the rest of the Holy Bible becomes pretty much meaningless! In point of fact, when we read about the "Early Church" in the Book of Acts, we discover that the resurrected Christ was the topic that the Church was to proclaim throughout the world!
In this morning’s text, the Disciple Peter was talking to Cornelius, a Roman Centurion, a captain of a Roman regiment, and others; and, what he proclaimed so many years ago, is the same thing that we need to be proclaiming today! If we can get a handle on two basic concepts, this will be the best Easter Sunday ever: (1) What we need to know! and (2) What we need to do!
There are three specific things that we need to know, whether we are already “true believers” or if we’re thinking about becoming one!
First, Jesus died for each and every one of us!
Jesus Christ went through an extremely horrible death voluntarily. He chose to die that way. He made the choice because He knew that one day you and I would be here – lost in our sins and in need of a Savior!
The Apostle Peter, in 1 Peter 2:24 (NLT), tells us: "He personally carried away our sins in His own body on the Cross so we can be dead to sin and live for what is right. You have been healed by his wounds!"
Now this is a wonderful Truth to know - that Jesus Christ, being the sinless Son of Almighty God, took every sin that you and I would ever commit upon His own shoulders, and took the punishment for those sins that you and I deserved.
Let me put this in perspective for you. You and I both sinned and that has separated us from a God who has never sinned! Almighty God, being a just God, had no choice but to punish us for the sins we commit; but, at the same time, Almighty God who never sinned wanted to close the gap and bring us into a right relationship with Himself!
So, He decided that instead of punishing us, He would punish His Son, who had done nothing wrong, so that the price would be paid, and we could come into a right relationship with Him.
Jesus Christ was our substitute on the Cross at Calvary - the death that we deserved for our sin, was placed on Him! We were placed on trial for our sins, and we were found guilty! The punishment for those sins was death; but, even though we were guilty, God "took the hit" for all of us!
Because of Jesus, we can walk out of the "Eternal Courtroom" as free men and women without the stain of sin on our records! That’s something that God really thought we needed to know today!
Secondly, Jesus Christ rose for us! Easter, contrary to our modern-day society, is not about a furry quadruped hiding painted chicken eggs. It’s about Almighty God - in human flesh - literally rising from the dead; and, proving that He is exactly who He claimed to be! After Jesus was removed from the cross and entombed, the women went to His tomb and met two angels there! Did you see it? Were you listening? The women went to the tomb. So where were the men?
We’re told in Luke 24:6-7 that an angel said: "He isn’t here! He has risen from the dead! Don’t you remember what He told you back in Galilee, That the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and that He would rise again the third day?"
It’s a question that we need to ask ourselves – "Do we remember?" Do we remember that this same Jesus of Nazareth, who died for us, has also risen for us? Do we remember that His victory over death is proof positive that everything else He claimed about Himself is true? The birth of Jesus was amazing and prophetic. The life of Jesus was divinely inspirational, but the resurrection of Jesus from the dead bore God’s royal seal on it all.
Thirdly, Jesus Christ cares for us and about us!
I’m reminded of a small town that had three churches: Presbyterian, Methodist, and Baptist. All three had a serious problem with squirrels in the church. Each church in its own fashion had a meeting to deal with the problem.
The Presbyterians decided that it was predestined that squirrels be in the church, and that they would just have to live with them. The Methodists decided they should deal with the squirrels lovingly in the style of Charles Wesley. They humanely trapped them and released them in a park at the edge of town. Within 3 days, they were all back in the church.
The Baptists had the best solution. They voted the squirrels in as members.
Now they only see the squirrels at Christmas and Easter.
On Easter Sunday, the church always has people in attendance who don’t usually come to church. Some preachers might be disappointed at not seeing them each week, but I think the cup is half full! I think it’s great to see each of you here!
There’s no way that I could possibly know what everyone’s daily schedules are like; and, I can’t possibly imagine what each of you believes about God! However, no matter where you are in life today, I can’t impress on you enough that whether you’re a committed believer in Jesus Christ; or, an atheist or agnostic, or someone who’s tried to please God your entire life, – none of those things has any bearing on the fact that Jesus Christ cares for you!
This God - in human flesh - who died on the Cross at Calvary and rose from the dead, is the same God who wants us to know that there’s nothing we could possibly do or say that would change the fact that his greatest desire is for an intimate relationship with each of us! If you need proof that He cares for you? Just look at the Cross at Calvary. Isn’t that enough?
It should be; but, if it’s not, consider His love for the disenfranchised and helpless of his day; consider His care for those who were caught up in the most vile acts of sin; consider His provision for those who had nothing to eat, no place to stay; consider His miracles performed for those who were blind, lame, and oppressed by the society in which they lived!
If that still isn’t enough to prove that Jesus Christ cares for you, consider the promise that He makes to you right now: that if you will only believe, He’ll wash away every sin you ever committed; every bit of guilt that has plagued you from your past! He promises that He not only loves and cares for you now; but that He wants to love and care for you for Eternity!
John 3:16-17 says: "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that who so ever believes in Him will not perish but have Eternal life. (v. 17) God did not send His Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it." The Lord thought that this was something we really needed to know today! Now, let’s examine what we need to do.
First of all, we need to die to ourselves! This is the hardest thing that we could ever do, yet, it’s doable! And more than that, it’s something that Jesus Christ calls all His followers to do! In other words, it’s a necessary part of being a committed Christian - and, what Jesus Christ calls us to accomplish, He also gives us the power to do!
In Matthew 16:24 Jesus said: “If any of you wants to be My follower, you must put aside your selfish ambition, shoulder your cross, and follow Me.” To "shoulder your cross" means to die to self – and to "die to self" means that we’re no longer going to be number one!
Theologically speaking, it’s an act of identifying with what Jesus Christ did at Calvary! Practically speaking, it’s coming to the realization that Jesus Christ is Lord – and allowing Him to take first place from that point forward!
Secondly, we need to live for Jesus Christ! To live for Christ means that we consider him first – consider what He wants, what His desire is for our lives – what kind of person He expects us to be. We must acknowledge by the way that we live our lives that Jesus Christ should rightfully be in charge.
Thirdly, and finally, we need to rise with Jesus Christ!
I don’t know if any of you knew this; but, the great Prime Minister and British Statesman, Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (1874 - 1965), arranged his own funeral. There were stately hymns in St Paul’s Cathedral, in London, England, that day; and, there was an impressive liturgy. But, at the end of the service, Sir Winston Churchill had an unusual event planned. When they said the benediction, a bugler high in the dome of St. Paul’s Cathedral on one side, played "Taps," the universal signal that the day is over! There was a long pause – then a bugler on the other side played "Reveille," the military wake-up call! It was Sir Winston Churchill’s way of telling that, while we say "Good Night" here, it’s "Good Morning" up there!
Winston Churchill believed Jesus Christ when he said: "...I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in Me, even though they die like everyone else, will live again. They are given Eternal life for believing in Me and will never perish..." That’s God’s promise . . . and our hope.
As I conclude this morning, I leave you with this question to ponder, "Have you come to your own decision concerning Jesus Christ?" It’s the most important decision that you will ever make. After all – Jesus Lives! And this we remember today!
Please join with me in prayer: Heavenly Father, you know our lives and our hearts. You know our needs and our wants. And we know, O Lord, that only in your grace and glory can we be made whole. Make us new, we pray, free from sin and death through the blood of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen.
May Almighty God richly and abundantly bless each and every one of you!
