“He is not here…then tell me where”
By
Bishop M.L. Maughmer, Jr.
HE IS NOT HERE, FOR HE IS RISEN
If Christ was still there:- His Divinity is Disproved - He is a fraud in His person, his position, his practice, and his pronouncements.
If Christ was still there:- His Death is Dismissed - He is a martyr, but nothing more: - so :- Our preaching would be false, Our prayers would be futile, Our pardon would be a fraud, and Our peace would be a forgery.
If Christ was still there:- His Dominion is Dissolved - He would no longer Lord over sin, over sinners, or over salvation. His Deliverance would be Disqualified He would not be able to deliver from Death - no resurrection to eternal life, The Devil - Satan would oversee the throne, overthrow the church, and overcome the power of God.
If Christ was still there:- Man’s Depravity - the skeptic is ratified, the sinner is justified (for sin), and the satanist is glorified.
If Christ was still there:- His Declarations are Distrusted. His Authority, Authenticity, Accuracy, and Application of the word of God is suspect.
If Christ was still there:- His Dialogue is Destroyed.
If Christ was still there:- There can be :- No Acceptance of the Saviour, No Access to the Saviour, or No Acquaintance with the Saviour.
If Christ was still there:- Our lives would be miserable.
If Christ was still there:- All hope is gone.
But I came here to tell you. He is not there for He is risen!!!!!!
The Resurrection account is in all 4 Gospels, in Matthew, Mark, and Luke the statement He is not here He is risen is contained, but in John the question tell me where, is stated. Today my intention is not to preach the traditional Resurrection Sunday sermon for if He was still there our all hope would be lost.
TEXT:- Mark 16:1-6 “And when the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him And very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun. And they said among themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? And when they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great. And entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted. And he saith unto them, Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here: behold the place where they laid him”.
John 20:15 “Jesus saith unto her, Woman, why weepest thou? whom seekest thou? She, supposing him to be the gardener, saith unto him, Sir, if thou have borne him hence, tell me where thou hast laid him, and I will take him away”.
Luke 24:5 “And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead”.
Today I want to combine Mark 16:6 & John 20:15 to read like this:- “Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he is not here, so tell me where”.
With the combination of these two portions of scripture we have a prophetic revelation, an angelic declaration and a profound question.
HE IS NOT HERE - the angel declares. HE IS RISEN is the prophetic revelation fulfilled.
TELL ME WHERE - is a profound question asked my Mary. It is a question of passion and a desire for.
I want to point out a few things this morning and compare these women with people today.
Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome, these three women had a desire for Jesus. They all had an experience with Jesus while He was alive. They had love for Him and a deep yearning to serve Him. They were present at the Crucifixion. They came to honor Him in His death. They had no idea of what to expect early that Resurrection morning. What they experienced was another matter altogether.
Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome were on their way to the tomb to anoint Jesus’ body. These women although with the greatest of intentions were stuck in the past. They were going to the tomb expecting one thing, but experienced something totally different.
No doubt many came to church today expecting to have a nice Easter service, to say they went to church today, and maybe to show off their new clothes, but when they got here they experienced God.
It is amazing when God surpasses your expectations.
The three women were still focused on Friday. They were going to the tomb expecting to find Jesus dead. They were on their way wondering how the stone would be rolled away in order for them to get into the tomb and anoint Jesus body but when they saw the tomb the stone was already rolled away.
Have you ever been at a place in your life and you were wondering how a certain situation was going to work out and when you finally got to that place God had already taken care of all the obstacles in the way.
Miracle #1 the stone was moved and the guards gone.
They look in the sepulchre expecting to find the body of Jesus because what they had witnessed just a few days ago, but when they looked in the tomb was empty. Their first reaction was one of fear. Where did they take Jesus? The women assumed that someone had come to the tomb and taken Jesus’ body overnight.
It wasn’t until they saw the angelic messenger that they realized the reality of a past experience had been eclipsed by a new reality. The angel stood before the women and proclaimed: “He is not here! He is risen!” A new reality has taken place. Jesus is resurrected. The prophecy of his death and resurrection was true.
Many people are just like these women, they are stuck in the past, they are looking for Jesus in the tomb of alcohol, but he is not here.
In the sepulcher of drugs, but he is not here.
In the crypts of promiscuity, but he is not here.
In the graves of homosexuality, but he is not here.
You may have been looking for the living among the dead, but I came today to tell you here is not here.
SOMEONE MAY SAY BISHOP TELL ME WHERE.
There is a fountain filled with blood, Drawn from Immanuel’s veins, And sinners plunged beneath that flood Lose all their guilty stains.
The dying thief rejoiced to see That fountain in His day; And there have I, though vile as he, Washed all my sins away.
Dear dying Lamb, Thy precious blood Shall never lose its pow’r, Till all the ransomed church of God Are safe, to sin no more.
E’er since by faith I saw the stream Thy flowing wounds supply, Redeeming love has been my theme, And shall be till I die.
When this poor, lisping, stamm’ring tongue Lies silent in the grave, Then in a nobler, sweeter song, I’ll sing Thy pow’r to save.
AT THE CROSS
Alas! and did my Savior bleed? And did my Sov'reign die?
Would He devote that sacred head For such a worm as I?
At the cross, at the cross, Where I first saw the light,
And the burden of my heart rolled away - It was there by faith I received my sight,
And now I am happy all the day.
Was it for crimes that I have done He groaned upon the tree?
Amazing pity! Grace unknown!
And love beyond degree!
Well might the sun in darkness hide And shut its glories in,
When Christ, the mighty Maker, died For man the creature's sin.
Thus might I hide my blushing face While His dear cross appears;
Dissolve my heart in thankfulness, And melt mine eyes to tears.
But drops of grief can ne'er repay The debt of love I owe:
Here, Lord, I give myself away - 'Tis all that I can do!
AT THE CROSS:- The Turning Away of God’s Wrath, At The cross God’s Justice happens, At the Cross Sin is Punished, At the Cross God’s Grace is shown, At the Cross Jesus Stood in My Shoes, At the Cross Jesus became sin for us, At the Cross we become the righteousness of God, At the Cross Heaven declares Victory, At the Cross Death to the old life, At the Cross death to self happens, At the Cross death to the flesh occurs, At the Cross death to the world takes place.
He is risen.
Why seek ye the living among the dead.
Stop looking in all the wrong place for He is not there He is Risen.
Bishop M.L. Maughmer, Jr.
