BECAUSE HE LIVES
JOHN 20:1-18
MARCH 27, 2016
RESURRECTION SUNDAY, YEAR C
HARRISBURG, AR FARM HILL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
INTRO. Gloria Gaither tells the story of how the song, “Because He Lives,” was written:
“I am a wife and a mother. It was in the middle of the upheaval in the sixties that we were expecting our third baby. The drug culture was in full swing, existential thought had obviously saturated every area of our American values, the cities were seething with racial tension, and the God-is-dead pronouncement had worked its way all through our educational system.
“On the personal front, Bill and I were going through one of the most difficult times in our lives. Bill had been discouraged and physically exhausted by a bout with mononucleosis, and in that weakened condition had little reserve to fight the psychological battle brought on by some external family problems. Someone whom we had cared about a great deal had hurled some accusations at us and at the fellowship of believers and at the whole idea of the existence of God.
“It was on New Year’s Eve that I sat alone in the darkness and quiet of our living room, thinking about the world and our country and Bill’s discouragement and the family problems - and about our baby yet unborn. Who in their right mind would bring a child into a world like this? I thought, The world is so evil. Influences beyond our control are so strong. What will happen to this child?
“I can’t quite explain what happened at that moment, but suddenly I felt released from it all. The panic that had begun to build inside was gently dispelled by a reassuring presence that engulfed my life and drew my attention. Gradually, the fear left and the joy began to return. I knew I could have that baby and face the future with optimism and trust. It was the Resurrection affirming itself in our lives once again. It was LIFE conquering death in the regularity of my day” (posted on www.tanbible.com).
The thing about the Resurrection is that is just as real today as it was 2,000 years ago! Jesus is just as real, he is just as alive, he is just as powerful, he brings just as much meaning to our lives now as he did back then. What does the Resurrection of Jesus tell us? The Resurrection means:
I. WE CAN FACE TODAY WITH CONFIDENCE. Norman Vincent Peale was a strong champion of positive faith in Jesus Christ who preached and spoke during the middle part of the last century. He wrote,
“Confidence is a word we all use but many of us barely think about. I will say that the surest way to live confidently is to have what I call ‘a big God.’ Many of us at different times in our lives have a very little God. And make no mistake: It is we who have limited him.
“But if you think of a big God, if you pray to a big God, if you act like there is a big God, you will grow big spiritually and in every other way and big results will (happen). You will be a partner of a big God” (www.guideposts.org).
Is there anyone here today who would argue that they do not need confidence for today? When it comes to the world around us, we see countries like Russia and China doing all they can to tear down America and our way of life, and we see ISIS doing its best to destroy all we stand for. When it comes to the economy, we see a ton of insecurity about retirement and jobs and debt. When it comes to our politics, we face many fears, fears about the Supreme Court, the future of Biblical marriage, fears about what kind of president we will end up with. And then there are the personal challenges to confidence we face. Insecurity. Depression. Anger. Dependency. Bullying. Addictions.
Folks, we can pile up all those challenges that we face on a personal level and above, we can think of a million more, we can throw in those faced by our family and neighbors, our friends and enemies, and the counsel we hear from the Scriptures is that Jesus is enough! Remember that the disciples struggled with having confidence for today as well.
Hear what happened in John 20:10. The disciples had been through so much with Jesus, and Jesus had repeatedly told them that he would rise again, but they just didn’t get it. And now, on Easter Sunday, they had heard the report from Mary - the tomb is empty! Peter and John had seen the evidence for themselves - the tomb is empty! Verse 8 tells us, that when John went into the empty tomb and saw, he believed - the tomb is empty! It is empty! He lives! Yet what does verse 10 tell us? “Then the disciples returned to their homes.” Can you believe it? When faced with the most earth-shaking, life-changing fact of history, they all went home with their tails between their legs, cowering in fear! They needed confidence for today, and they got it when Jesus showed up in the flesh. Friends, Jesus has shown up here this morning as well, and the message is still the same - because he lives, we can face today with confidence!
II. WE CAN FACE TOMORROW WITH FAITH. “A twelve-year-old (boy) became a Christian during a revival. The next week at school his friends questioned him about the experience. ‘Did you see a vision?’ asked one friend. ‘Did you hear God speak?’ asked another. The youngster answered no to all these questions. ‘Well, how did you know you were saved?’ they asked. The boy searched for an answer and finally he said: ‘It’s like when you catch a fish, you can’t see the fish or hear the fish; you just feel him tugging on your line. I just felt God tugging on my heart’” (Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited, 188). When you feel God tugging on your heart and you respond, it makes facing tomorrow a whole lot easier!
It took a while for this to sink in with the disciples. They didn’t have the faith to believe - the tomb was empty! They couldn’t face tomorrow because they did not see that - the tomb was empty! For a period of several hours and days, they were like:
“A tourist (that) came too close to the edge of the Grand Canyon, lost his footing and plunged over the side, clawing and scratching to save himself. After he was out of sight and just before he fell into space, he encountered a scrubby bush which he desperately grabbed with both hands. Filled with terror, he called out toward heaven, ‘Is there anyone up there?’ A calm, powerful voice came out of the sky, ‘Yes, there is.’ The tourist pleaded, ‘Can you help me? Can you help me?’ The calm voice replied, ‘Yes, I probably can. What is your problem?’ ‘I fell over the cliff and an dangling in space holding to a bush that is about to (come out and drop me to the bottom of the Grand Canyon!) Please help me.’ The voice from above said, ‘I’ll try. Do you believe?’ ‘Yes, yes, I believe!’ ‘Do you have faith?’ ‘Yes, yes. I have strong faith.’ The calm voice said, ‘Well, in that case, simply let loose of the bush and everything will turn out fine.’ There was a tense pause, then the tourist yelled, ‘Is there anyone else up there?’” (Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited, 480).
Before we can be too rough on this tourist or even on the disciples, we have to take a look inward. How much faith do I have in God for tomorrow? How much faith do you have in God for tomorrow? It’s always easy to jump on the other person for that struggle, isn’t it? But to be truthful, I am often no better than the disciples, and maybe you are in that boat as well.
But because he lives, I can face tomorrow with faith! I can have faith in God everywhere at all times! The empty tomb means that I never have to have an empty heart that does not have faith in God for today and tomorrow.
III. WE CAN FACE ETERNITY WITH PEACE. Here is what history tells us about the deaths of the Twelve Apostles. Simon Peter - crucified upside down. James the son of Zebedee - killed with a sword. Andrew - hanged. Philip - tortured and crucified. Bartholomew - flayed and crucified. Matthew - beheaded. Thomas - speared, tortured with red-hot plates, and burned alive. James the Lesser - thrown from the Temple, stoned, clubbed to death. Simon the Canaanite - crucified. Jude - beaten to death with sticks. Matthias - stoned while hanging on a cross. John - died a natural death, but was thrown in boiling oil years before, which he survived. Add to that Paul, who was persecuted on a regular basis, then beheaded (Death of the Twelve Apostles PDF, posted at credohouse.org). What does this tell us? That, after the Resurrection, they scattered across many lands, preaching to countless people, bearing up under great opposition, embracing the Cross of their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. They all knew they would enter into eternity some day, but they were at peace with the idea, because they knew the one who held all eternity in his hand, and their hope rested squarely on him! Where does your hope rest?
Over a hundred years ago, “an American tourist paid a visit to a renowned Polish rabbi, Hofetz Chaim. He was astonished to see that the rabbi’s home was only a simple room filled with books, plus a table and a cot. “The tourist asked, ‘Rabbi, where is your furniture?’ Hofetz Chaim replied, ‘Where is yours?’
The puzzled American asked, ‘Mine? But I’m only a visitor here. I’m only passing through.’ The rabbi replied, ‘So am I’” (Hewett, Illustrations Unlimited, 173).
This is what the apostles knew as well. They were only passing through, soon enough they would move off the small stage of life into the vast landscape of eternity, and they were prepared for that event, and so they were at peace. Do you have the same peace they did?
In John 14:27, Jesus gives us this promise: “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.” The disciples heard these words, and a few short days later, they were on the journey of a lifetime where life was rarely good, but God was always good. They had little of financial security, popularity, praise, or the stability of a permanent home or job. But they had Jesus, and Jesus was enough! Friends, if we have the risen Jesus, that is enough! No matter what else we do or do not have in life, Jesus is more than enough. He is all I need and all you need. His peace he gives to us for all eternity.
CON. Hear the words of that classic Gaither song, “Because He Lives”:
God sent His Son, They called Him Jesus,
He came to love, Heal, and forgive;
He lived and died To buy my pardon,
An empty grave is there to prove My Savior lives.
Because He lives I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives All fear is gone;
Because I know (I know) He holds the future.
And life is worth the living Just because He lives.
How sweet to hold A newborn baby,
And feel the pride, And joy he gives;
But greater still The calm assurance,
This child can face uncertain days Because He lives.
And then one day I’ll cross the river,
I’ll fight life’s final War with pain;
And then as death Gives way to victory,
I’ll see the lights of glory and I’ll know He reigns.
Because He lives I can face tomorrow,
Because He lives All fear is gone;
Because I know (I know) He holds the future.
And life is worth the living Just because He lives.
Jesus is alive! The tomb could not hold him! And because he lives, we do not have to fear today, tomorrow, or eternity!
Johnny Cash was raised in a devout church-going family. Once he got to singing, he drifted away from what he knew. “Show business pressures drove him to take pep pills, and soon he was addicted. His first arrest came in 1965, when he was caught holding more than one thousand pills. He went from a healthy 200 pounds to 140 pounds... Then on May 9, 1971, Johnny Cash sat in the pew of a small church in his hometown. The pastor finished his sermon and appealed too the congregation to come to the Lord and make things right with God. Johnny Cash stood up and walked to the wooden altar” (May, Story File, 286), found Jesus, and his life was never the same! Jesus died, and rose again, and is the Savior today of all who will admit their sins to him, believe that he died for them, and come to Jesus! Because he lives, you can be free! Folks, I have chosen to follow Jesus and be free! How about you?
