Let HOPE Rise!
Easter 2020
I want to start off today with some powerful words that Paul put to paper 2000 years ago,
NOT ONLY for a bunch of believers who were living in the city of Corinth…
BUT ALSO - for (you and I) today, at this very moment on April 12, 2020.
Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand.
By this gospel you are saved,
if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance:
First importance = Greek word protos
It’s the same word that Jesus used in Matthew when He told us to seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness…
SO – what Paul is saying is, ‘hey, listen up because what I am about to say is the most important thing… Like nothing in your life will ever be AS important as this is…
OKAY – so what is so important Paul?
that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
Died for whose sins? Ours
Understand – Jesus paid a debt that He did not owe because you and I owed a debt that we could never pay.
Listen – the wages sin is death
And Jesus paid those wages for all who believe and surrender their lives to Him
that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
AND ALSO – according to history…
UNDERSTAND – the evidence in favor of the resurrection of Jesus is extremely compelling
LIKE – there are a number of things that can only be accounted for by the literal, bodily resurrection of our Lord.
• The conversion of 3000 people on the Day of Pentecost, so close to the time and place of Jesus death
• The transformation of Peter and Paul
• The martyrdom of the Apostles (like people rarely if ever die for something they know to be a lie)
• The day of worship changed from Saturday to Sunday
• The continued sacraments of the Lord’s Supper and Baptism
• The unswerving testimony of the early church from the first century onward that this event actually happened
• The inability of Jesus’ enemies to produce a body and end the movement
• The changed lives of millions of Christians throughout history
• And the fact that all time revolves around this man Jesus.
LISTEN – every time you date a check, every time you create an event on your goggle calendar… every time this unbelieving world puts a date on a newspaper (like the New York Times or Wall Street Journal) or a magazine cover (like People or Time) they are (whether they realize it or not, whether they admit it or not) bearing witness to the truth that Jesus lived, Jesus died and Jesus rose again…
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance:
that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried,
that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,
and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve.
After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.
– 1 Corinthians 15:1-8
Paul said…
For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance:
THAT – Jesus lived, Jesus died and Jesus rose again!
AND LISTEN – one of the things that make Easter (Jesus’ resurrection) so important and so powerful is that it causes HOPE to rise in some extremely unexpected and unlikely places.
AND – that is what I want to talk about this morning Easter 2020, in a conversation I am calling, “Let Hope Arise.”
YEAH – hope, I think a lot of us could use some to rise in our lives right now, AMEN!
Prayer
NOW – I think most of you know that I love sports.
AND – one of the things that I find most exciting in sports is when a team makes a dramatic and unexpected comeback.
YOU KNOW – those times when it is looking like ‘game over’ and where there is little if any hope of things turning around…
SO – this week I went online and searched for the greatest comebacks in sports history.
AND NO – I am not going to mention the great comeback made by the Patriots in Super Bowl LI.
Sunday – July 29,2001
Bottom of the 9th – 2 outs and nobody on
And the pirates are down 8-2.
But after scoring 3 runs… Brian Giles… hits a walk off Grand Slam (9-8)
This next one I remember watching in my friends living room when I was 12 years old… divisional playoff game in Dec 1972 between the Raiders and Steelers (being from Baltimore we were pulling for the Raiders)…
23 seconds left on the clock.
They are loosing 7-6… 4th 10 from their own 40.
Terry Bradshaw throws a pass that bounces off the safety Jack Tatum flies over 10 yards and is scooped up by Franco Harris before it touches the ground… 13-7 Victory
1995 Game one of the Eastern Conference semi finals
Knicks 105- Pacers 99
With 18.7 seconds left
NOW – here is another game I watched live.
UVA vs L’Ville March 2018
66-59 with 11 seconds left
Final score 67-66
UVA would score 5 points in the final .9 seconds
Miracle in the Meadowlands
November 1978
Giants 17 Eagles 12.
Less than 30 seconds on the clock
Giants have the ball all the QB has to do is take a knee
Instead he tries to hand the ball off – fumbles and the Eagles recover and run into the endzone
Dec 9, 2018 (watching on my phone)
7 seconds left on clock
Pats 33- Dolphins 28
The ball is on the Dolphins 31 yard line
Short pass, lateral, second lateral 52 yard TD run
NOW - if you think about it…
THERE’S - a common denominator with all of those final innings and last second comebacks…
AND ITS THAT - it all looked pretty hopeless and game over yet hope came out of it.
And you better believe that those who left early—were greatly disappointed.
SO - I want to ask you a question.
WHEN - was the last time that you were hopeless?
LIKE WHEN - was the last time that you looked at the scoreboard in some area of your life where it felt like it was… Game Over?
WHEN - it felt like there was no hope of a comeback.
NOW - If you’ve ever felt that way—or if you’re feeling that way right now… you’re not alone.
IN FACT – on that first Good Friday so many years ago, that is exactly how every one of the followers of Jesus felt.
YEAH IT - felt like Game Over…
UNDERSTAND – when Jesus died, it was not just His body that was buried, but so was their hope.
BUT THEN – 3 days later Jesus came back from the dead.
He conquered the grave.
AND LISTEN – not only did HE walk out of that tomb alive m but so did HOPE!
AND SO - what we are going to do in the next few minutes is look at the last 2 chapters in John (chapters 20 and 21)…
AND AS WE DO – we are going to see the Risen Christ, having encounters with four different people,
Four people who at the time were most definitely feeling like it was GAME OVER with zero hope of a comeback
AND YET – in each encounter as soon as Jesus comes onto the scene, we see their hope rising in some very unusual and unexpected places…
LIKE – if you were looking for hope they would be the last places that you would look.
YOU KNOW – this week as I was asking myself
“what is there about the resurrection that causes hope to rise…”
THE ANSWER - I came up with is that the resurrection has the power to shift our perspective even in some of the most hopeless of situations.
OKAY – let’s do this…
NOW – in this first encounter we will see HOPE RISING…
I. In A Place Of Grief And Loss
QUESTION – have you ever experience grief and loss?
So in John 20 it begins early on Easter morning, and Mary Magdalene has gone to the tomb.
She is there to grieve over Jesus’ death and the anoint His body with spices, but she gets to the tomb and finds that the stone has been rolled away.
That the tomb is empty, and she thinks someone has stolen the body.
SO - runs back to town and finds Peter and John and tells them about it.
AND – the three of them run back together and Peter and John go inside of the tomb and find only the strips of linen that had wrapped his body…
THEN - Peter and John head back home.
…but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.
They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”
“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.”
At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.
He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”
Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).
Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers
(note – Jesus had never called them that before)
and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her. - John 20:10-16
SO – Mary is heartbroken; she is upset, and in her grief she doesn’t initially realize it’s Jesus who’s speaking to her.
AND THEN - Jesus asks a question that seems unusual to ask in a cemetery: He says, “Why are you crying?”
LIKE - You don’t usually need to ask someone in a cemetery why they’re crying. You know why they’re crying.
They’re grieving the loss of someone that they loved.
In John 20, Jesus meets Mary in her place of loss.
He speaks her name and he brings hope into her hopelessness.
AND SO - when we read this account of Jesus with Mary, we begin to understand that Jesus is not just a powerful God but He is a personal God. Who cares about you, and about what is taking place in your life.
UNDERSTAND – if you are in a place of grief and loss in your life, Jesus wants to express that same care and concern for you this Easter—just as He did for Mary on that first Easter.
Where He comes into your place of loss wanting…
• to know why you’re crying, and wanting
• you to know that He cares and that He knows your name.
UNDERSTAND – your sorrow, your grief and your loss matter to Jesus… And He wants to meet you there, and listen when He comes He always brings hope with Him.
A hope that reshapes our perspective about grief and loss…
Perspective Shift: because of the resurrection, there is something more permanent than your grief and loss – your forever in heaven
And Paul explains this way in 1 Thessalonians chapter 4 that as Christians we will grieve, but we grieve differently than others do.
Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope.
For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.
According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep.
For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.
After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.
– 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18
You see, as Jesus-followers we always have something to look forward to.
This life is temporary.
We have forever in heaven ahead of us.
So because of Easter we see hope rising in a place of grief and loss…
AND NEXT – in John 20 we see HOPE RISING…
B) In A Place Of Fear
QUESTION – have you ever been afraid?
NOW – there are literally hundreds of fears out there… and they are sometimes called phobias, which comes from a Greek Word that means ‘fear or horror…’
OKAY – try to guess what the following phobias are referring to…
Arachnophobia
(spiders)
Hydrophobia
(water)
Nyctophobia
(dark)
Arithmophobia
(numbers)
Coulrophobia
(clowns)
Pogonophobia
(beards)
Venustraphobia
(beautiful women) Laurie
YOU KNOW – I think one of our greatest times of fear is when we are in a place of uncertainty where we don’t get to control what’s going to happen next.
NOW - most of us know what that’s like, right?
Where there’s something that is about ready to happen or you can see it coming and it is beyond your power or beyond your ability to do anything about it.
Can you say COVID 19?
I MEAN LIKE - there is no button that you can push to make everything okay.
AND SO - there’s this fear; there’s this anxiety
because you can’t do anything about it.
AND LISTEN – that is exactly where Jesus’ disciples were on that first Easter Sunday…
NOW THEY - have been back and forth to the empty tomb, but they are still unsure about what’s going on.
AND SO – they lock the doors and hide in a room (in a self-induced lockdown) in fear for their lives.
THINKING - that at any moment the very next knock at the door is gonna be somebody showing up with a cross with their name on it.
AND UNDERSTAND - it’s into that setting that we see the risen Jesus showing up beginning in John 20:19…
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”
How did He get it?
Now I see the locked room as being symbolic of their fear.
After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” - John 20:19-21
AGAIN - the very first words that Jesus says to His disciples are: “Peace be with you!”
NOW - how awesome is that?
I MEAN – the very thing they were lacking is the very thing that He offered.
Which by the way is so typical for Jesus.
YOU SEE - He always delivers what no one’s expecting, and yet everybody needs.
AND LISTEN - I want you to think about the transformation that is about ready to take place in this group, right?
They are huddled together in this room.
They are filled with fear.
BUT UNDERSTAND - these are the same followers that would be used to literally change the world.
YEAH – in John 20 they are afraid to leave this room.
The doors are locked.
BUT ONCE - they would see risen Christ,
ONCE - they are convinced that Jesus had risen from the dead, their hope begins to rise, replacing their fear with faith.
IN FACT – these men would go onto be such bold witnesses for Jesus (as we read in the book of Acts an din early church history) that a number of them
(that are now hiding in this room) would be martyred for their faith.
YOU SEE – having an encounter with the risen them a shift of perspective that lead to a rising hope.
Perspective Shift: because of the resurrection, you are not alone in your fear - someone stronger stands with and beside you.
B/S – if you like the disciples are locked in a room of fear, Jesus wants you to know that you are not alone.
A few verses… that speak to that.
Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff
protect and comfort me. – Psalm 23:4 (NLT)
The one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world. – 1 John 4:4
Jesus is > your fear
Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last!” – Revelation 1:17
AND SO - because of The Resurrection we see hope rising in some unusual and unexpected places.
• in a place of grief and loss,
• in a place of fear, and
III. In A Place Of Doubt
NOW John 20:24 tells us that one of the disciples named Thomas was not with the other disciples when Jesus showed up in the room.
So when Thomas comes back around, the disciples…his friends…they try to tell him what they experienced, what he missed out on.
AND - Thomas…he’s just…I mean, he’s just not buying it, right? LIKE - he hears them; he listens to what they witnessed, BUT - in his mind I think it all seems like wishful thinking.
AND SO - Thomas expresses his doubt.
Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe. - John 2:25
AND YOU NOW - I actually like this about Thomas, because he was honest about his doubts.
UNDERSTAND - it’s okay to be honest about your doubts and questions.
UNFORTUNATELY - I think sometimes we have this idea that in church we have to pretend…
• that we don’t have any questions
• that we don’t have any doubts
• that we have this faith that can’t be shaken.
HOWEVER - the truth is most of us have some doubts or at least seasons where we’re just not sure about some things.
IN FACT – I believe that the church needs to be a place where we can come (with our doubts) and search for truth and ask questions.
AND LISTEN – the appears to be the attitude of the disciples.
LIKE - they seem okay with Thomas wanting to see Jesus for Himself
(I mean they didn’t kick Him out of the group).
AND SO - I want you to catch this about Thomas.
IT WASN’T - that he didn’t want to believe, right?
He wanted to believe; he is just uncertain and needed some evidence for himself.
Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” he said.
Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”
28 “My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed.
29 Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”
John 20:26-29
So Thomas had his doubts,
But his doubts cause Him to give up and leave, instead and stayed around seeking the truth…
And 8 days later Jesus met Thomas in a place of doubt… and hope began to rise.
Thomas became convinced.
Church history tells us that Thomas would go onto preach the Gospel as far out as India, where he would eventually be martyred for his faith.
AND JESUS - I think, would probably want to meet some of you in the same place where he met Thomas on that first Easter (a place of doubt)
AND HE - would just challenge and say to you,
“Sure, go ahead seek the truth, weigh the evidence…and then Stop doubting and believe. Yes, there is much in this world to be uncertain of – but you can be certain of WHO I AM!
He was declared to be God’s Son with great power by rising from the dead. – Romans 1:4
Perspective Shift: because of Resurrection there is a truth of which you can be certain - Jesus is your Savior and your God
And so because of The Resurrection we see that hope rising
• in a place of grief and loss
• in a place of fear
• in a place of doubt, and
IV. In A Place Of Failure
QUESTION – have you ever been in a place of failure?
Where you felt like Game Over – no hope of a comeback?
Not exactly a place where you would expect to find hope.
NOW – there are two words in the message that the angel at the tomb said to the woman who came to prepare Jesus body with spices, that I have always found to be extremely encouraging.
“Don’t be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Look, this is where they laid his body. 7 Now go and tell his disciples, and Peter, that Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there, just as he told you before he died.” - Mark 16:7,8
Do you know what those 2 words are? “And Peter…”
I MEAN – it’s as if all of heaven watched Peter fall (as he denied him 3 times) – and it’s as if all of heaven wanted Him to help him get back up again.
“Be sure and tell Peter that he’s not left out. Tell him that a failure does not mean that it’s over.”
YEAH – no wonder they call it the Gospel of second chance and new beginnings… AMEN!
When they had eaten breakfast, Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” he said to Him, “You know that I love You.” “Feed My lambs,” He told him.
A second time He asked him, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” “Yes, Lord,” he said to Him, “You know that I love You.” “Shepherd My sheep,” He told him.
He asked him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love Me?” Peter was grieved that He asked him the third time, “Do you love Me?” He said, “Lord, You know everything! You know that I love You.” “Feed My sheep,” Jesus said. – John 21:15-17
Perspective Shift: because of Resurrection, your failure no longer needs to have the final word - because forgiveness is always available.
Brothers and Sisters the resurrection of Jesus causes hope to rise
in places of grief
in places of fear
in places of doubt, and
in places of failure
Are you in any of these places this morning?
Understand, Jesus not only wants to, but Jesus can bring you hope this morning...
The only question is, whether or not you will let Him.
