THE UNSTOPPABLE RESURRECTION
Acts 2:24
INTRODUCTION
A. HUMOR
1. Kevin Ramsdell is an airline agent specializing in customer service. While on duty at Detroit Metro Airport, he was approached by a woman so upset that he assumed she must have missed a flight or lost a child.
2. “I left a book on a plane!” she told him frantically. Kevin assumed it must be a rare first edition worth a lot of money.
3. “Okay,” he said, “can you describe the book to me?”
“Yes,” she said, “it’s a paperback and the title of it is, “Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff.”
4. We shouldn’t sweat the small stuff, but what we’re talking about today is anything but the “small stuff!”
B. TEXTS
Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. 3 His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. 4 And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men. 5 But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. 7 And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.” Mt. 28:1-7, NKJV.
36 Now as they said these things, Jesus Himself stood in the midst of them, and said to them, “Peace to you.” 37 But they were terrified and frightened, and supposed they had seen a spirit. 38 And He said to them, “Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.” 40 When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. 41 But while they still did not believe for joy, and marveled, He said to them, “Have you any food here?” 42 So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb. 43 And He took it and ate in their presence. 44 Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” Lk. 24:36-44, NKJV.
C. ILLUSTRATION
1. Today we celebrate one of the most important days in human history, a day the secular world wants to forget about: the Resurrection of Jesus Christ! But they can’t escape its power!
2. Nikolai Ivanovich Bukharin, during his day, was one of the most powerful men on earth. As a Russian Communist leader, he took part in the Bolshevik Revolution in 1917.
3. He was editor of the Soviet newspaper Pravda (which by the way means ‘truth’), and was a full member of the Politburo. His works on economics and political science are still read today.
4. This man Nikolai Bukharin, traveled from Moscow to Kiev, Ukraine, in 1930 to address a huge assembly on the subject of atheism.
5. He aimed his heavy artillery at Christianity hurling insults, argument, and proof against it. An hour later he was finished. He looked out at what seemed to be the smoldering ashes of men’s faith.
6. “Are there any questions?” Bukharin demanded. Deafening silence filled the auditorium, but then one man approached the platform and mounted the lectern standing near the communist leader.
7. He surveyed the crowd first to the left then to the right. Finally he shouted the ancient greeting known well in the Russian Orthodox Church: “CHRIST IS RISEN!”
8. In-mass the crowd arose as one man and their response came crashing like thunder: “HE IS RISEN INDEED!” The communist retired in defeat!
D. THE ROLL OF RELIGIONS CALLED:
1. MANY PLACES ARE FAMOUS for what they contain:
Pyramids of Egypt -- mummified remains of pharaohs;
Westminster Abbey -- nobles, scholars, writers;
Mohammed's tomb -- stone coffin and its bones;
Arlington Cemetery, D.C. -- honored Americans.
2. But there is one burial place that is famous for what it does NOT contain: the tomb of Jesus Christ of Nazareth! He is not there because He is risen!
3. General Gordon, who discovered the Garden Tomb, had its dust of the tomb of Jesus swept up and tested for any trace of human remains. There were none, because Jesus is Risen!
4. Go to the tombs of the founders of the great world religions. Call the roll:
Mohammed … “Here!”
Moses … “Here!”
Buddha … “Here!”
Confucius … “Here!”
Jesus Christ … … .
No answer! Because he is not there. The tomb is empty!
E. SIN HAS A TERRIBLE PRICETAG
1. 3 THINGS SIN DOES TO US:
a. Power of Sin – enslaves & controls us;
b. Impurity of Sin – contaminate, corrupts, defiles;
c. Penalty of Sin – alienates, separates us from God. The wages of sin is death.
2. Q – Is there no solution? Yes! Someone must pay the price of sin; either you will die for your sins or someone else for you – Jesus.
3. Sin cost God the death of His Son. “John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!” Jn. 1:29. “…and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin” 1 Jn. 1:7. But most ignore this incredible event/ love.
4. ILLUS. Two weeks ago on a New York Subway, about noon, a woman got her head stuck between the doors of the train, and people walking by didn’t seem to notice or care.
5. How could people ignore her? Where is our humanity, our concern for others? Yet people did the same thing to Jesus when He was dying on the Cross, and we ignore it and brush off God’s sacrifice today as well.
6. 90% of Americans know the facts about how Jesus suffered, but never connect it to their personal lives.
F. THE RESURRECTION NECESSARY
1. HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE
a. There was no question by anyone present at Jesus’ crucifixion that Jesus was completely & unalterably dead.
b. The Jewish leaders were sure He was dead.
c. Roman soldiers made sure – they put a spear through His heart to make sure.
d. The disciples took down His cold, stiff, lifeless form. They didn’t believe He would rise. They had to be convinced of His resurrection.
2. Luke says that after His suffering He “showed Himself alive by many infallible proofs” Acts 1:3.
1). Over a period of 40 days;
2). 12 different appearances/ visits;
3). Once to more than 500 people at one time.
3. THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS PROVES:
a. That He’s the divine Son of God (Rom. 1:4);
b. His sacrifice was accepted by the Father Act 2:33);
c. He has power over SIN & its consequences;
d. Pledge of our own Resurrection; “Because I live, you also will live” John 14:19.
4. According to Rom. 10:9, you can’t be saved unless you believe in the Resurrection of Jesus!
5. So I want to tell you why the resurrection of Jesus was Unstoppable! “But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him” Acts 2:24, NIV. WHY?
Death had no legal right to hold Him.
I. JESUS OVERCAME & DISARMED DEATH
A. OUR DREADED ENEMY
1. Since the Fall, Death has been our dreaded enemy. Job referred to Death as “the King of Terrors,” (18:14).
2. Modern depictions = a hooded & cloaked skeleton, carrying a scythe – the Grim Reaper.
3. When Jesus died, Death came to claim its greatest prize – the Son of God.
4. Isa. 14:9-11 describes the celebration in Hell when the King of Babylon descended into it. Imagine the uproar & mocking when Death led the Son of God in!
5. But just as Samson broke his bonds when the Philistines cheered his capture (& killed a 1,000 of them), so Christ was filled with infinite power and…
Broke the chains of Death,
Overthrew the power of Hell,
Mortally wounded the Prince of Darkness!
6. But how could His victory help us?
B. JESUS PULLED OUT THE STING OF DEATH
1. “‘Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?’ The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.” 1 Cor. 15:55-56. This was Jesus’ victory cry over the powers of Hell!
2. The only legal grounds Death had for taking Christ was our sins. Having no sins of His own, after death, Death could not keep its hold on to Him. And since He died for our sins, we’re released too!
3. ILLUS. A father & son were riding along in their car. A bee flew into the car. The boy was terrified because he was deathly allergic to bees. The Dad caught the bee with his hand, held it for a moment, then he let go.
4. The boy was terrified again. His father said, “Son, you don’t have to worry any more. It can’t hurt you.” “Why?” “Because it only has one sting and I took it!”
5. That’s what Jesus did for us; He took the sting of Death!
Why is the resurrection unstoppable?
II. IDENTITY: JUST WHO IS THIS JESUS?
A. THE DEVIL GOT A SURPRISE
1. When Jesus met demon-possessed people, the demons came out crying, “You are the Holy One of God! You are the Son of God!” Mk. 1:24; 3:11.
2. 1 Cor. 2:8 says, “…which none of the rulers of this age knew; for had they known, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory!” (NKJV)
B. THE ALL-SWALLOWER
1. Jesus couldn’t stay dead because He is the source/ generator of all Life.
2. Acts 3:15 calls Him the “Author of Life.” In John 11:25 Jesus said, “I Am the Resurrection & the Life….” Heb. 7:16 says He has “the power of an indestructible life.”
3. Life is stronger than death; it existed first. 1 Cor. 15:54, “Death is swallowed up…by life” Everybody knows the bigger fish always swallows the smaller fish (not vice versa). Life swallowed up Death! Glory!
3rd reason His resurrection was unstoppable:
III. THE SCRIPTURES FORETOLD HE WOULD RISE
A. THE NATURE OF THE WORD
1. What God says always happens. It’s impossible for what God predicts to fail to come to pass! Once spoken, it’s set in motion. The Word of the Lord runs swiftly!
2. Matt. 5:18, “For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished” NIV. Isa. 55:11.
3. Some have a problem with the story of Jonah and the whale, saying that a whale can’t swallow a man. But I’ll tell you, If the Bible said that JONAH SWALLOWED THE WHALE, I’d believe it!
B. HIS RESURRECTION – UNSTOPPABLE!
1. The Guards at the tomb couldn’t stop it.
2. “ Jewish Leaders “ “ “
3. Pontius Pilate “ “ “
4. Caesar & his legions “ “ “
5. Not the ATHEISTS, the LIBERALS,
Not the DOUBTERS, nor the SCOFFERS,
No PRESIDENTS, No POTENTATES, PARLIAMENTS, POLITICIANS, or PREMIERS could stop it;
6. No POWER in the Universe, HEAVEN, or HELL could stop it. The Resurrection was Unstoppable!!!!
7. It happened on this morning, 2000 years ago:
a. The ground began to rumble;
b. A nuclear blast shook the foundations of Hell;
c. The devil was overcome;
d. The Saints of Old were liberated from Death;
e. Life reigns triumphant!
CONCLUSION
A. ILLUSTRATION
1. In 564 B.C., the spectators of the Olympic Games saw the most incredible athletic victory of all time. Arrichion was competing for his third consecutive championship in ‘pankration,’ an event that combined boxing & wrestling.
2. During the match, Arrichion’s opponent got him in a suffocating stranglehold. In a desperate attempt to escape the life-threatening chokehold, Arrichion dislocated his opponent’s ankle.
3. In great pain, Arrichion’s opponent released him from the death hold and raised his hand in defeat. Just as the rival conceded defeat, Arrichion died.
4. Due to the sequence of events, Arrichion was ruled the winner and he became the only Olympic athlete who has ever won by dying!
5. On that first Good Friday, Jesus pulled off a similar type of victory. When in the throws of death, he dealt his opponent a decisively defeating blow and then died the victor.
6. Unlike Arrichion, Jesus also defeated death and arose three days later with the Victor’s Crown on His head. [McHenry’s Stories, “Calvary”]
B. THE CALL
1. Jesus’ resurrection means something today; it means:
a. We can have a New Life;
b. We don’t have to be afraid of the Future;
c. You can live forever!
2. God is in control of history: the past, present, and future. Turn your future over to Him. Trust Him.
3. On Easter morning, Jesus began a new life; would you like to start a new life this morning? You can have the same resurrection life inside you!
4. For the Disciples, Easter meant their lives entered the dimension of the miraculous. Would you like to know the God who is “alive?”
5. Prayer for salvation.
