He is Risen!
Selective Scriptures
Introduction-
Today we celebrate the most important event in the life of a believer, the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
What separates the tortured and abused Christ from others that have died for a cause is that Jesus Christ was resurrected from the dead.
This is not a presumed act; it is a documented fact by over 500 people living during that time period, some that wished that it would not have been true.
There is another theory that was circulated during that time and according to scientist it was called the swoon theory.
They believed that Jesus never really died but at some point went un-conscience and was thrown into the borrowed tomb. They think that in the coolness of the tomb that Jesus miraculously regained consciousness and the disciples moved that mighty stone and took the body of Jesus out.
This also is a proven fallacy because of the tight security that the Romans put on the tomb of Jesus Christ. They could not afford to have Jesus body taken and prove that His prophecy would become true. They secured the tomb and sealed it with the seal of emperor. Fun Fact- The guard that pierced Jesus side at his death at the cross is a factor proving that Jesus of Nazareth was dead. By the guard piercing Jesus and water and blood coming out proved that before he left that cross that He was dead. From the extreme beating that Jesus took fluid builds up around the heart and around the lungs. Proven fact by Doctors today. The fluid buildup is called pleural effusion and it put Jesus in hypo polemic shock and when the guard pierced his side, it was conformation that he was dead.
I want to look at a number of Scriptures this morning, but here is our text.
Matthew 28:1-15
The tortured and abused Jesus, they buried him in a tomb and a guard was placed at the opening of the tomb and 3 days later our Jesus was not there.
3 days, Good Friday to Resurrection Sunday.
They did not need to break Jesus out, the angels of God needed to show the world that he was no longer there.
Remember last week
We talked about Jesus weeping at the gate of the city of Jerusalem. Why?
Because they did not get it.
Instead of seeing what Jesus did, they saw what he didn’t do.
They were too busy complaining how much God had forgotten them.
Ever watch a 3-D movie?
I think the last one that Becky and I saw was a Shriek movie with our grandkids. You have those glasses on and the movie seems to jump out at you. You watch without the glasses on and it is dull, boring. Why?
Because you are looking at the event through the wrong lenses.
The event of Jesus resurrection has to have meaning in our lives or we don’t look at it in the right way.
This event or image will come alive! Why? Because we become identified with Christ.
For a believer to grasp what Jesus did, they need to know and recognize that Jesus lived, died, and was resurrected.
The resurrection separates Jesus from all others. Buddha, Mohamed, Confucius, all died and in a grave.
They were never resurrected. They died and never came back to life.
Death is an absolute truth for each one of us. If the resurrected Christ does not return before we die, we will all one day die a physical death.
Hebrews 9:27-
“It is appointed to all men to die and after that the judgment.”
Ecclesiastes 7:2b-
“For death is the destiny of every man; the living should take this to heart.”
Death was the destiny of man, but it was not the destiny of Jesus Christ (repeat)
Because Jesus was God in the flesh, and God the Father resurrected His Son Jesus- death had to step aside for Him. (Amen.)
“Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you while he was still with you in Galilee. The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful man, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.”
Jesus is the only way that death had to step aside.
We have the resurrection power because we are identified with Christ.
No resurrection- No Salvation
No resurrection- No eternal life
No resurrection- No power over death.
No resurrection- No power to live a victorious life here and later.
1 Cor. 15:19-
“If we have hope in Christ only for this life, we are the most miserable people in the world.”
Without Jesus there is no hope for a meaningful life today or for eternity.
Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life.
You may not keep a good man down, but I know that I know that I know that you cannot keep my Jesus down.
The majority of people today are looking for politics, education, science to find the solutions to life’s problems and they do not look to Jesus Christ.
We have preached weak messages from our pulpits, watered down the gospel message of Christ.
We have allowed people to spit on the Holy Word of God and try to take its authority away.
Christ has been robbed of His deity.
We have created a God that is limited to the walls of our churches and restricted to Sundays.
We don’t read His Word and it is not allowed to change us.
This is not the Jesus of the Bible! He is too weak, too small, he would be irrelevant.
The resurrected Jesus changed the world, and He can change your life too if you will let Him.
Hebrews 4:15-
“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, But we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are-yet was without sin.”
That is why he can become our savior!
You need to know the resurrected Jesus!
It ought to strike fear and praise on our lips. The fearful reverence of who Jesus is and praise because he has paid a debt that none of us could pay.
The benefits of knowing that Jesus
I. We have Hope
Because of our sin we are lost. Because of His sinless life, and because of the resurrection, we have hope.
We can be right with God through Jesus Christ.
He came to seek and save the lost, and because of Jesus, we can be reconciled to a Holy God.
Salvation is found in no one else.
“There is no other name under heaven given to man by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:12
“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ in His great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil, or fade- kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.”
This hope is the anchor of our souls!
II. Power to live for Today
Because Jesus is a living savior, He can empower us to live each day for Him. Know that this life is not all there is! Amen. If this is all there is, life would be short and disappointing. Culture has a lot of ideas of what heaven will be like. They try to make it an extension of what life on earth is. It will be better! Not only do we have the power to live today in Jesus Name, but it will be better when we get home.
Power to live for today, and hope for eternity!
No more Sickness
No more Sadness
No more Suffering
No more Sin
No more death- Amen. Amen. Amen.
“He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain.” Rev. 21:4
Let me move toward a close,
The only hope for a sinful world is sinless Jesus!
The only power that can change your life is the power of God.
You ask 5o random people “How do you get to heaven” and they will mostly tell you to do more good things than bad, Do your best, as if heaven is a reward for being good. Rick Warren tells a story one time of a person coming to him and asking what can I do to get to heaven and his reply shocked him. He said that you are too late! “You’re about 2000 years too late, what needed to be done for your salvation has been done already. You don’t get to heaven by what you do; you get to heaven by what Jesus has done for you already. You just accept His gift.
There may be some here this morning that do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. You know that your sins are not forgiven because you have never asked Him to forgive them.
Or you here this morning, and you just keep trying to be good, and it is not working that well for you. You’re too late. Jesus has paid the price, and you must acknowledge that you are a sinner in need of a savior.
Let me tell how you do that this morning. You acknowledge that your sins have offended a Holy God. You must believe that your sins sent Jesus Christ to the cross and that his death and resurrection is the payment for your sins. You must confess those sins and ask God to forgive you this morning. The bible tells us that upon our confession and being repentant that Jesus Christ forgives our sins and you can have a relationship with God almighty beginning right now!
I do not want to beg or plead with anyone this morning because it is a God moment. If you are serious God knows your heart and today He can change your life forever. If you would like to have me pray with you I would like you to raise your hand and we will close in prayer.
Prayer
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.
