The Arrival Of Easter
I want to begin this morning by stating a historical fact:
Christ is RISEN – Christ is risen indeed!
Because Christ has risen – because of this historical fact – we as Christians – throughout the world join together – on this day – and every Sunday to worship a Risen Savior. If this event had not taken place – if Christ had not been resurrected from the death – we who are Christians would have no hope – our faith in Christ would be useless. Paul said it best when he spoke to the church at Corinth saying:
“Now if Christ is preached, that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised; and if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain, your faith also is vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:12-14 (NASV)
I like the way the Message Bible states verse fourteen – it says:
“Face it--if there’s no resurrection for Christ, everything we’ve told you is smoke and mirrors, and everything you’ve staked your life on is smoke and mirrors.” 1 Corinthians 15:14 (MSG)
False hope – false faith – No! – not if Christ has risen from the dead. Our faith is based on a historical fact. Our faith is in a Risen Savior – Our hope is in a Risen Lord. Because Christ has been raised from the dead we can sing:
Up from the grave He arose – with a mighty triumph over His foes.
He arose a victor over the dark domain – and He lives forever, with His saints to reign.
He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!
We are a people not be pitied. We are a people not feel sorry for. We are a people that you don’t have to worry about. We have a hope – and our hope is founded in a historical fact. Jesus Christ was crucified – He died – He was buried – BUT on the third day – He rose from the grave – He is alive – He is seated at the right hand of the Father – and He will come again to judge the living and the dead – and He will reign forever – and ever – and ever.
You know the story – you have heard it before. This morning we are going to look at it again. It is found in Mark chapter sixteen. Would you follow along with me as I read:
“And when the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, bought spices, that they might come and anoint Him. And very early on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen. And they were saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?" And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away, although it was extremely large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting at the right, wearing a white robe; and they were amazed. And he said to them, "Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen; He is not here; behold, here is the place where they laid Him. "But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ’He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, just as He said to you.’" Mark 16:1-7 (NASV)
Today I want to look at seven points of arrival in the resurrection story. Let’s look at point one:
1. They arrived with a PURPOSE
These three ladies came to the grave because they had unfinished business to take care of. They brought spices to anoint the body of the one that they loved. They had seen Him crucified – they knew He was dead – but there had not been enough time to anoint the body. The situation was out of their hands – the proper anointing had not taken place and to make matters worse – the Sabbath had delayed the process of the anointing – so they arrived that day with a purpose. They had to take care of the body. They had a mission in mind. They came to the grave with a purpose. They had to give Him a decent burial.
And so…
2. They arrived EARLY
I’m sure that they had some sleepless nights. They had seen Him die. They had watched His body be taken down from the cross of crucifixion. They had seen the body taken to the empty tomb – a borrowed grave – unused up to this point. They had seen Joseph of Arimathea take the body and wrap it in linen cloth – and they had seen the large stone rolled in front of the entrance. In fact the stone was the topic of discussion along the path to the cemetery that early Sunday morning. Who will roll away the stone? How will we get it moved?
They had gotten up early that morning – before the sun had risen – gotten dressed – gathered the spices – met together and started the journey. As they traveled the sun was just coming up on the horizon – they arrived at the tomb early.
And…
3. They arrived EXPECTING
What would you have expected that day – if you were in those ladies shoes? If you had been there on Friday and seen all the events that had taken place – what would you have expected? Jesus – dead and buried? A sealed tomb? A stone still in place? What do you expect to find at a graveyard? We expect that there will be more tears shed. We expect that there will be more grieving. We expect that there will be a flood of emotions and memories. That is what we expect at a graveyard.
But that is not what happened on this day.
Instead…
4. They arrived at AMAZEMENT
They had discussed their dilemma along the way, “How are we going to move the stone? How are we going to get inside the tomb to anoint the body? We know that none us are strong enough to move the stone – what are we going do?”
But as they approached the tomb – they could see that things were not as they should be. Something was just not the way that they expected it to be. What? – the stone has already been moved – what has happened here? The questions raced through their minds. “Who has done this? How can this be? What is going on here?” A wellspring of emotions filled their thoughts – confusion being one of them. Things were not as they should be!
Someone has rightly said that the stone was moved – not to let Jesus out of the tomb by to let the ladies in. No wall of stone could hold Him in. Christ is risen – Christ is risen indeed – yet at this point the women did not realize this fact. They stood there filled with questions and filled with confusion.
But, God gave them access to an empty tomb. But, God had opened the way for them. They arrived and found no stone – they arrived to find no body – they arrived at an empty tomb and…
5. They arrived at a REVELATION
Christ was no longer in the tomb. Jesus is RISEN – Jesus is risen indeed.
As they entered the tomb – scripture tells us that they saw a “young man sitting at the right, wearing a white robe.” A messenger from God – an angel that was sent with a message – a powerful message – a life changing message – a message of hope – a revelation – Jesus is risen – Jesus is risen indeed.
And he said to them, "Do not be amazed; you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who has been crucified. He has risen; He is not here; behold, here is the place where they laid Him. "But go, tell His disciples and Peter, ’He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him, just as He said to you.’" Mark 16:6-7 (NASV)
Go ahead and circle – “Just as He said.” He told you it would happen. He told you it was coming. The resurrection is no surprise to God – but it is a revelation for you. He who was dead – is now alive! He who was brutally killed – is now up walking around among the living. No grave could hold Him. No tomb could seal Him in. He is not here – look at the place where they laid Him – do you see a body? – NO! – He is risen – just as He said He would.
What a way to leave a grave! What a way to leave a cemetery! We don’t usually leave graveyards excited? But they did! We usually leave the grave with pain still in our hearts. The death of a family member or friend still hurts when we turn to leave. But not on this day – not today. Christ is RISEN – Christ is risen indeed!
Excitement is not an emotion we usually feel after leaving the graveyard – yet, these ladies were excited! Something has changed – something is different. Christ is RISEN – Christ is risen indeed!
The resurrection of Jesus Christ has happened. Things have changed – things are different. And so…
6. They arrived at a new HOPE
Let me ask you a question – it is not a trick question – but it is a theological one. Here it is:
How many people have been resurrected from the dead?
Think about it:
How many people have been resurrected from the dead?
I can see some of you thinking. You are starting to count all the people in the Bible who have been raised from the dead. Believe me – there are many. Probably the most famous one is Lazarus – the friend of Jesus. You know the story – Lazarus was sick – on his death bed – and word was sent to Jesus to come quickly. Jesus didn’t. He tarried. He waited. Lazarus died. When Jesus arrived – people were in mourning. There were tears – there was sadness. Martha – one of the two sisters of Lazarus heard that Jesus was coming – she ran out to meet Him and said: “Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.” John 11:21 (NASV)
They spoke of the resurrection – Jesus told her that He was the resurrection – then they cried together. They went to the grave where Lazarus was buried. There was no doubt in any-one’s mind that Lazarus was dead. The stone had sealed the tomb. And when Jesus asked for the stone to be removed – they said: “Are you kidding? There will be a stench – because he has been dead for four days!” (John 11:39) But the stone was removed anyway. Jesus prayed to the Father – and then said: "Lazarus, come forth." John 11:43 (NASV)
You know what happen. Lazarus came out of the grave – still bound hand and foot and wearing his burial clothes. And Jesus said: "Unbind him, and let him go." John 11:44 (NASV) Tears of pain – now turned to tears of joy. Lazarus who was dead and buried is now he is alive. But let me ask you again:
How many people have been resurrected from the dead?
The answer may surprise you – the answer may shock you. There has only been One who has been resurrected from the dead. No – it is not Lazarus. You see Lazarus was raised from the dead with a body that would decay again – that is not the RESURRECTION from the dead. Lazarus was given a second chance at life – he was brought back to life but he had to die. His body became alive again – only to face death again. How can I say this? Because the Bible says:
“But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive.” 1 Corinthians 15:20-22 (NASV)
Christ is the “First Fruits” to receive a resurrected body. He has been resurrected from the dead and He will never, never, never die again. Paul tells us later in the 1 Corinthians:
“There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is one, and the glory of the earthly is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body.” 1 Corinthians 15:40-44 (NASV)
Christ is the “first fruits” to receive the heavenly body. When Christ arose from the dead THAT was the first of the resurrection of the dead. He was the first to appear with a heavenly body. He was the first to appear with an imperishable body. He was raised in glory. He was raised in power. He was raised with a spiritual body. Jesus has been resurrected from the dead and He will never, never, never die again. It is a fact – a historical fact.
Christ is RISEN – Christ is risen indeed!
Folks – people are brought back to life everyday in emergencies rooms across the country. That is not resurrection – that is resuscitation. The people who are given a second chance at life by resuscitation – will eventually die. That is not what we are talking about with the resurrection. If you are in Christ you will be given a heavenly body. You will be given an imperishable body. You will be raised in glory. You will be raised in power. You will have a spiritual body and you will never, never, never, die again. You will live forever with an imperishable body. And we will say as Paul said:
"O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR VICTORY? O DEATH, WHERE IS YOUR STING?" 1 Corinthians 15:55 (NASV)
Christ is the “first fruits” to receive a resurrected body - BUT He will not be the last. On the first Easter – everything had changed. They had a new revelation – they had a new hope – and…
7. They arrived at a new reason to WORSHIP
John understood under-stood what the resurrection meant when he wrote in the book of Revelation:
“He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there shall no longer be any death; there shall no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away." Revelation 21:4 (NASV)
A historical event changed the theology on that first Easter morning but it changes my theology today too. My eternal life is in God’s hands. I live with an Easter hope. I live with an Easter promise. I live with an Easter faith.
Christ is RISEN, Christ is risen indeed!
How about you? Do you have this hope? Do you have this faith? Do you have enough faith to trust God with your eternal life?
Christ is RISEN, Christ is risen indeed!
Believe in Him – trust in Him – rely on Him – put your faith in Him this Easter Sunday.
(I want to thank Mike Turner for his sermon “Easter Sunrise Sermon” that inspired this sermon.)
