Because He Got Up!
Scripture: Matthew 28:1-4; Philippians 4:13
Introduction:
When I was a child Easter was about the new clothes, the Easter play and the annual Easter egg hunt. There was a lot of time and planning that went into those two events. Our Church would have sunrise services followed by breakfast. The services would start at 6 a.m. so we always had the opportunity to attend more than one Easter service. Regardless of all the “churching” we did on those Easter Sundays, when I was younger it still came down to the new clothes and Easter egg hunt. I was not thinking about the reason for the season, I was thinking about how my new suit would match up with all the other boys. I have shared with you in previously how my parents struggled sometimes to ensure that we had everything that we needed and often their finances were tight. I remember this one Easter when my parents could not afford to buy us new clothes so my mother decided to make our Easter suits so we would have something new. She made my brother and me a matching suit out of double knit. The coat was red and the pants were blue. I was very proud of the outfit until I got to Church that Easter morning and some of our friends made fun of the suits my mother made as their parents could afford to buy a suit from the store. I was so embarrassed that I did not want to wear the suit again and I know that hurt my mother’s feelings at the time. Her response was not like some of the mothers today, she made me wear it because she had spent time making it. You understand what I am saying? I was not focused on the reason for the season, but the extra activities that through traditions had been added to it. I do not want us to miss that. It’s not about the clothes – it’s about the fact that Jesus got up!
When I went into the Air Force at the age of twenty, I joined the chapel choir because I loved to sing. One of the additional benefits of being in the chapel choir was it got me out of weekend kitchen detail (I had never washed so many pots and pans the one time that I did it.) One of the songs that we sung in the choir was “Because He Lives.” This song was written by the Gaithers in 1971. If you’ve never heard this song, I want to share the chorus with you. The chorus says “Because He lives, I can face tomorrow; because He lives, all fear is gone; because I know, He holds the future, and life is worth the living just because He lives.” This song held a special meaning for when while I was in basic training. This was the first time that I have been away from home on my own and every thing that I did was being evaluated. There were many things that I had to learn in a very short period of time and there were many days that I was lonely and concerned about whether I had what it took to complete the training. The words to this song gave me hope that because He lived I had a reason to be – to be whatever God wanted me to be. Because He lives my fear could be turned over to Him. Because He lives I can face whatever tomorrow brings because He already knows my tomorrow. Because He lives my life, with all of the mess; mistakes; willful sins; and disobedience is worth living! Why – because He lives and He lives in me!
This Easter morning I want to encourage you with a simple message – Because He Got Up! If you need a reason for doing anything in this life your reason is – Because He Got Up! If you’re wondering how you’re going to make it understand you’re going to make it – Because He Got up! “Because He Got Up, You Can Do…….!” You fill whatever you want to place in the blank because He got up you can do it! There is nothing you can’t do because He got up! Turn with me to Matthew chapter twenty-eight.
I. The Stone
Matthew 28:1-4 says “Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave. And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it. And his appearance was like lightning and his clothing as white as snow. The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men.”
I want to spend some time this morning talking about the purpose of that stone. You see, some of us have some stones in our lives that are blocking us or keeping us entombed. Our focus is on the stone versus the One who can bring us through it. We’re trying to deal with the stones, but because He got up, the stones should not be our focus. In the Scripture we read we find that very early on Sunday morning while the guards were guarding the outside of Jesus’ tomb, an angel came down from heaven and rolled the stone away. When the guards saw the angel, they became as dead men. The stone was put there to keep Jesus in and His disciples out. Do you have some stones in your life keeping you locked in and other out? However, the stone was not enough as the chief priests and Pharisees also placed guards at the tomb as insurance that it would not be disturbed because they remembered Jesus said He would rise up after three days (Matthew chapter 27). They placed guards at the tomb to keep the disciples from coming and stealing the body and then telling everyone that Christ had risen from the dead when He had not. We know that this was something the disciples would not have done because they were in hiding and were too afraid for their own lives to risk something like this. Remember on the night that Jesus was arrested how Peter denied three times that he even knew Jesus? There was no way that these scared men would come and try and steal Jesus body.
But let me tell you my side of what motivated them. I personally believe that the priests had another reason for placing the guards at the tomb. Now this is Rodney’s view of what could have been the other motive for the placing the guards outside of Jesus’ tomb so you will not find this in Scripture but I am providing this to give you something to think about. First, remember the chief priests and Pharisees had witnessed Jesus raising several people from the dead while He was alive so it would be totally believable in their minds that He could do the same for Himself. He said He would rise up on the third day and I believe they suspected that He would. By placing the guards outside the tomb they guaranteed that if Jesus was to rise up He would not come out of the tomb and the disciples would not be in a position to let Him out. The stone itself was too heavy for one man to move so they assumed that if He got up He would be locked inside the tomb and the end result would be the same. The guards would ensure that no one from the outside would help Him “escape.” You see, they did not understand – He did not need the stone rolled away! He did not need for anyone to move the stone so He could get out. When He finished what He had to do in hell, He came back, got His body, and left the tomb with the stone still in place! They did not understand that when He got up He had everything that He needed and what He did not need was someone moving the stone. He just walked out! Can you see it? Can you see Jesus walking through the stones in our lives?
Think about this physical image from our spiritual perspective. There are many stones that have been placed before us. Sometimes we try to move those stones ourselves so we can continue on our journey. Sometimes we have become so comfortable with those stones that we drag them from place to place with us. Sometimes God tries to removes the stones but hold on to it because they have been such a critical part of our lives that we cannot imagine our lives without them. Sometimes those stones block us in such a way that we adapt to the enclosures and resist ever being free. Our personal issues; fears; and concerns acts like the stone they place in front of Jesus’ tomb to keep Him in – but it did not work! Because He got up, we too can move beyond the stones in our lives. Because He got up, we have everything we need to deal with the stones. Everything that comes against us that we have to work our way through can be done successfully “Because He Got Up!” Because He got up I can do all things! Look at Philippians 4:13.
II. I Can Do All Things
Philippians 4:13 says “I can do all things through Him (Christ) who strengthens me.” Who strengthens you? Christ! How is He able to do that? Because He got up! Why does He choose to do it – because He got up! We quote this Scripture all the time and even as we quote it we are thinking about things we cannot do. We say all things but we do not mean all things. We’re facing a job situation and yet we are concerned about what will happen. We have an interview and yet we’re concerned about if we will get the job. We have bills to pay and yet we’re concerned about how they will get paid. We have things that we want to do and we pray about them and then we establish our backup plans just in case it does not happen. We examine our gifts and talents and we determine if we are able to do something based on what others believe about us regardless of our being able to do all things. While doing all of this we quote the Scripture “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me!”
How do you define all things! All things is more than “some things!” All things is more than “a few things!” All things is more than “a thing!” All things literally and figuratively means ALL THINGS! Whatever you can think of, it covered under the banner of “I can do all things!” I do not care how far fetch it seems, if you’re walking with Christ and you believe it, you can do it! Just like R Kelly’s song says “I believe I can fly! I believe I can touch the sky. If I can see it, then I can do it, if I just believe it, there’s nothing to it!” Do you believe this? There is nothing that I cannot do because He got up! When we understand this our lives will be changed. I am faced with the same concerns, fears, frustrations and weaknesses that you are. We all have areas in our lives where we could be strengthened and made stronger. We all have moments when we are not at our best. But through it all we have a steadfast hope in Christ that He is able and willing to help us through all things. He is the one who strengthens us. Surely I can do all things through Christ because He got up!
Consider this for a moment. Because Christ got up, He is alive today. He did not died and go to heaven as all of those believers who have gone on before us have done. No, He died, went to hell and freed some souls, and then went and took His seat on the right hand of the Father. (1 Peter 3:18-20) Jesus freed souls while He walked the earth and He freed them from hell after He died. After He got up He freed some more and is still freeing souls to this very day! Why is this important? In our lives when a Christian dies we have a funeral to say goodbye and celebrate their life. We reflect on the things they did for God in how they treated others. Everything we say about them is in “past tense.” We recognize that they have lived their life and they are no longer able to interact with us. They are in heaven waiting to return with Christ. They are at peace and are no longer working. Yes this means that they are not up there interceding for us who remain down here – they are at peace. When we lay their bodies to rest we are saying our final goodbyes. We may visit their graves from time to time but we know that where we are visiting is not the person but the physical house where their spirit dwelled while they were here on earth. This is not the case with Jesus!
He died, went to hell and preached there and when He was done freeing some souls there, He came back into the tomb, re-entered His body, folded His grave clothes and walked through the walls; through the stone covering the opening out of the tomb. The stone could not hold Him and neither could the tomb! When we talk of Jesus we talk of His past actions; His present actions: and what He will be doing in the future. We are able to do this because He got up and is alive and well. He is not dead! He did not stay in the tomb! Because He got up I can do all things!
• If you’re struggling with something in your life – anything – recognize that He got up to help you with your struggles!
• If you’re hurting – remember He got up to ease your pain!
• If you’re sick – remember he got us to heal your diseases. By His stripes you are healed and I claim it for you and for me!
• If you’re worried about tomorrow – remember He got up for all of our tomorrows and they are as today for Him!
• If you’re feeling really blessed this morning just remember we are blessed because He got up!
Conclusion
I woke up this morning with my mind stayed on Jesus! I thought about Him last night and I was still thinking about Him this morning. There is not a day that goes by that I do not think about Him. Why do I spend so much time with Him on my mind? Because He got up! The reason that we serve Christ is because we believe that He rose from the dead and is alive for ever more. We believe that when He died on the cross He died for my sins and for your sins. He died so that we would be able to live forever in the presence of God the Father. I think about Jesus because had He not gotten up I would not be standing before you this morning. You see I know for myself that He got up. I heard about it and then He revealed Himself to me. I am a believer. I can lose everything that I own and ever person that I care about but that will not stop me from being a believer? Why? Because He got up and because He got up I can endure everything that I must in order to do what He has called me to do. Because He got up I am more than what you see standing before you. Because He got up, you are more than what I see sitting before me! Your failures are has been. Your sins forgiven! Your hurt, although the pain might still be present, are going to be eased! Everything that you face you can face it with confidence because He got up!
So from this day forward when someone asks you why you serve Him just tell them…because He got up. When they ask you how you can smile in the midst of the pain tell them…because He got up. When they ask you how you make it through, tell them…because He got up! When it looks like all hope is gone and your friends are worried about you, tell them you’re going to be okay…why, because He got up.
Your life is not your own because He got up. There is more to you than you know because He got up. Accept Him this morning and allow Him to reveal Himself to you. May God forever bless and keep you is my desire and my prayer.
