It’s fun to look back at certain dates in history and see what happened. Let’s take today’s date, April 8th. April 8th, 1974, Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth’s career home run record by hitting number 715. April 8th, 1960, Mabry Harper caught a world record 25-lb. walleye in Tennessee. That’s a keeper! On a serious note, on April 8th, 1945, Lutheran pastor Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a man who denounced Adolf Hitler, who even joined the plot to assassinate him, was hanged in a POW camp only days before the Americans liberated it. The last words of this brilliant and courageous 39-year-old were "This…for me, is the beginning of life." Why? Why did he view his death as the beginning of life? Why will you be able to say those same words on the day of your death? Bonhoeffer knew what all believers know: On Easter God said Yes!
God said yes to the events of Good Friday. Jesus claimed He was the Son of God; He claimed that by His death God would forgive the sins of the world and give eternal life to believers. God would judge our sin by punishing His only Son in our place, like a condemned criminal standing before a judge, about to be sentenced. All of a sudden a man steps up and says, “Your honor, I’ll take this man’s place.” The judge considers the request, condemns the new man and frees the other. Jesus said that’s why He came to this earth - to die in our place. Then it happened.
Good Friday is the torture and death of Christ. Good Friday doesn’t prove that our sins are forgiven. After all, anyone can die. How do we know Jesus is the One who forgives? Easter is the proof that God accepted Jesus’ payment for our sins. Easter is God’s YES to Good Friday. ROMANS 1:4 “Jesus was declared with power to be the Son of God by His resurrection from the dead.” Jesus resurrection shows He was who He said He was. The Son of God, our Savior. He brings eternal life. Good Friday is the payment for our sins, Easter is the receipt. On Easter God said Yes! I accept the sacrifice of My Son for the sins of the world by raising Him from the dead. Through faith in Christ, all who believe are forgiven. The day a person dies is the day they begin eternal life in Heaven. Jesus said to the thief on the cross, “Today you will be with Me in Paradise.” Today, the day of your death, in Heaven. No long journey, no place of suffering first. Instantly in the presence of the Lord. That’s the Biblical truth of the death of a Christian. Next Sunday we start a 3-week sermon series and a 5-week Bible study on what Heaven will be like. Everyone is invited to come and grow in our understanding of our future home.
The Gospel is such great news. Then why do people often reject it? A few weeks ago Americans were stunned by the news that an American soldier in Afghanistan apparently killed 17 Afghan civilians. Friends and teachers of Robert Bales describe him as caring, gregarious and self-confident before he just "snapped." One childhood friend told the New York Times: "That's not our Bobby. Something horrible, horrible had to happen to him." I thought the words of one of the commentaries written about this tragedy were right on: “Any of us would be shocked if someone we knew and admired killed children. But these days it's especially hard to think through these situations because of the worldview that prevails in our culture. According to this view, most people are naturally good, because nature is good. The monstrosities of the world are caused by the few people, like Hitler, who are fundamentally warped and evil.
This worldview gives us an easy conscience, because we don't have to contemplate the evil in ourselves. But when somebody who seems mostly good does something completely awful, we're rendered mute or confused.”
Today’s world is confused. Many people reject Christ because they think they don’t need Him. After all, they’re by nature good, or at least good enough. If God grades on the curve, I’ll be OK. I’m not a mass murderer. I’m not a cheater. I pay my taxes. How about the customer who gave a struggling waitress a $12,000 tip last year? A mother of 5, working 2 part-time jobs and waitressing full time at the Fryin’ Pan restaurant in Moorhead. It’s a miracle. Surely that generous person is near the top of God’s Heaven list. But what does the Bible teach? Romans 3:23, “All have sinned and fall short of God’s glory.” Romans 6:23, “The wages of sin is death” (eternal physical and spiritual separation from God in Hell). God’s word says that we’re born enemies of God. That’s original sin. Anybody who denies original sin needs to come over to our house and watch our girls for about 2 minutes. Cute, loveable…scheming! They’re bonding with each other - that’s great. But it also means they’re ganging up on mommy and daddy, kind of like those teenage flash mob attackers in the cities. One incites the other to mutiny. You don’t have to teach kids to not obey, to not share, to not be nice to each other, do you? It’s all natural! Of course, it comes naturally for mommy and daddy too!
There’s something in us that’s broken. The article on the soldier was titled, “A Monster lurks within every soul.” Pastor, that sounds awfully dark and deep for Easter. Come on lighten up - show us a few Easter bunnies on the screen, will you? I wish that’s all we needed - then Christ wouldn’t have had to suffer and die a cruel death on the cross. Easter bunnies can’t take away sin. Forgiveness is what all of us need - only the Son of God can do that. On Easter God said YES to Good Friday, yes to forgiveness, yes to eternal life. Everything starts to makes sense if Jesus is alive, if He’s really the Son of God. Bonhoeffer’s statement makes sense: death is the beginning of life, eternal life in Heaven. God says yes to eternal life. *A few days ago I visited the oldest member of our congregation, 95-year-old Elizabeth. I asked her, “Elizabeth, when you think of Easter, what comes to mind?” She said, “Pastor, do you remember when you did the memorial service for my husband Walter?” “Yes,” I said. “I’ll never forget the three words at the bottom of the bulletin cover: Welcome Home Walter. That’s what Easter means to me.” Easter is God’s yes to eternal life.
Easter is also God’s yes to a transformed life here on earth. Look at the people who went to the tomb on that first Easter: (Mark 16:1) “When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint Him.” Listen to what Scripture says about Mary Magdalene: (Luke 8:1,2) “Jesus travelled about from one town and village to another, proclaiming the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve were with Him, and also some women who had been cured of evil spirits and diseases: Mary (called Magdalene) from whom seven demons had come out…” Nothing Mary did could have gotten rid of those demons. Only the power of Jesus. She went from being possessed by the devil to living in her right mind, in peace, following the Savior. God said yes to Mary Magdalene. God also said yes to Peter. After the angel told the women that Christ had risen, look what the angel told them to do: (Mark 16:7) “Go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee.” Notice the order of the sentence: the disciples and Peter. Peter was the leader of the disciples, but something had happened. This is the only time in Scripture Peter’s name is mentioned after, not before, the other disciples. Why? Peter had denied Christ 3 times. He was a fallen brother with a grieving, broken, repentant heart. Perhaps he felt that he was no longer worthy to be part of Jesus’ disciples. He felt outside of the band of brothers. The angels’ words reflected Peter’s state of mind and heart. God wanted the women especially to tell Peter, the fallen one, the Good News. Peter, the sinner, needed God’s assurance that he was forgiven. Go, tell…Peter! What an encouraging message to receive from the Lord. It gives hope to all of us as we struggle with sin and the consequences of sin in our lives. God forgives, God restores through Christ.
Peter’s life was transformed by the forgiving grace of the resurrected Christ. He became a fearless leader filled with hope, hope based on the truth of Easter. His life on earth ended when he was crucified because of His faith in Christ. Jesus has the power to change our lives as well. Don’t ever give up in your fight against sin. Easter is God’s yes to forgiveness and a changed life. You have the power of the living God to change: “I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.” All things! Help me, Lord, to change my life.
You say yes to me - help me to say Yes to You. A few days ago Seattle resident Russ Berkman hit the jackpot, winning 4 tickets to the practice rounds of the Masters Golf Tournament in Augusta, Georgia. He and his buddies were all set to go until he came home to find that his dog, Sierra, had eaten all four of his tickets. Guess his dog didn't appreciate being left out of the trip! Masters trip canceled, right? Wrong. Berkman ended up feeding his dog something that made him throw up, to try to get Sierra to give back the tickets, if you know what I mean. The trick worked, leaving Berkman with a pile of ticket pieces, mixed with other stuff. He reassembled the tickets, took a picture and emailed Augusta. They were so impressed, and grossed out, they gave him 4 fresh, whole tickets. They finally arrived in Augusta, only to learn that the practice round had been rained out!
Berkman is dedicated to the Masters! Lesser men would have stayed home. People go to great lengths to do what makes them happy. But in the end, there’s only one path to true peace. Jesus said, “Peace I leave with you; My peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid” (John 14:27). What’s His message? Don’t live for the Masters. Live for the one Master, the crucified and resurrected Lamb of God. He alone gives us real peace. Say yes to the One who said Yes to you! Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Amen.
