Introductory Comments
1. Illustration - little village in Austria - about to be taken by Napoleon’s army. It was Easter morning. At dawn bells pealed out across countryside, celebrating that Christ was risen. Napoleon though bells were celebrating arrival of Austrian army and so he retreated. Instead of Napoleon, peace reigned in the Austrian countryside. They won a victory without even fighting a battle.
2. Today bells are ringing again, celebrating that Christ has risen. We do not have Napoleon’s army threatening us. Our struggle is with sin, death, and life itself. Struggles from without and struggles within. Struggles that often make us feel defeated.
Teaching
1. That would make us feel like women on that first Easter morning. They came to place spices on their Lord’s body. But when they came, His body was not there. And the angels said to them "Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; He has risen." In other words - "Why do you feel defeated - when Christ has won the victory?. Have you not heard the victory bells of Easter?"
2. This morning I ask you - Are you celebrating the victory? Not just today - but each day of your life? Are you celebrating the victory that Christ won for us? Or are you living a defeated life?
3. This victory is unlike any other victory we experience on earth. These victories are short-lived. A nation’s army may be victorious and win control over some land. But within years, or maybe not till centuries later, that victory is overturned as a stronger army takes over - history is full of this happening. Or today, in North America - we celebrate a World Championship victory. We are on top of the world! But within a year there is a new champion and we again feel like losers and are defeated.
4. But the victory that Christ won for us is forever. Not one can take it away from us or from Him. As the angel said to Mary before Christ’s birth.
Luke 1:33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.
5. As we see this morning, we share in that victory. The Heidel berg Catechism (No. 45) tells us how we are victorious. First we have victory over death.
"by His resurrection, he has overcome death, so that He might make us share in the righteousness he won for us by His death"
6. Death is something we have experienced much in the past few years. In the short time I have been your pastor we have had 12 deaths in our church. 12 funerals. Some might say we are a dying church. That we are being defeated. But I say we are a victorious church. For we have had 12 people experience victory over death. Why - because Christ defeated death when He rose from the cross.
7. The cause or the sting of death is sin.
Rom 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Because of our sin, we are subject to death. The justice and holiness of God cannot allow sin to go unpunished. And so Christ bore our sin on the cross.
Isa 53:4-5 Surely he took up our infirmities and carried our sorrows, yet we considered him stricken by God, smitten by him, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.
8. Christ defeated the power of sin, the power of Satan by which we were subjected to sin. And so we can say with Paul:
1 Cor 15:54-5 "Death has been swallowed up in victory." "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?"
9. We have the victory! Christ paid the price for our sins! We do not need to fear death.
Heb 2:14 Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death--that is, the devil— and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death.
10. And the proof that Christ’s death was sufficient to overcome death, is seen in His resurrection. If He had not been raised, it would seem that the victory belonged to death. But it belongs to Christ and now belongs to us as well. Praise be to God. Paul says in Rom 6:9-11:
For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
11. Today we celebrate our victory over death and over sin which leads to death. Thanks be to Christ for allowing His righteousness to be credited to us.
12. We have victory over the power of sin to death, but we also have victory over the presence of sin in this life. The Heidelberg says "by His power we too are already resurrected to a new life."
13. Its too bad that many people see religion of Christianity or faith as something that is important for the life hereafter. They think they can put off dealing with God until before they die. I remember one man who had lived this way. He had little to do with God throughout his life. But when he discovered he had cancer and that there was nothing that could be done about it, he realized it was time to turn to God. As he read the word and prayed, the Lord was gracious and merciful. He repented of his sins and put his trust in Christ. The last three months of his life were the best three months of his life. Even though he knew he was dying. He became a different person. He had more peace, more love, more joy. Someone asked if he had any regrets. "Just one," he said. "I though Christianity was a set of rules and obligations that made life a burden. I know realize that instead it is something that is joyous and victorious. I thought I was happy living as I wanted to, but I had been a slave, a servant to sin - to anger, to greed, to selfishness. I wish I had become a believer many years ago. My life would have been so much richer and I would have know the experience of knowing the joy of victory."
14. As the HC says, we can already be resurrected to a new life here on earth. Because Christ rose, He sent the Holy Spirit to dwell within us. He gave all who believe in Him a new heart. He gave us power to overcome sin. The victories may at times be small but we become changed from one degree of glory to another. We need to realize that this victory has already be attained through Christ.
15. We are free from sin, we are free to be holy. I talked to someone who had been filled with years of bitterness. But God put it in her heart to forgive and to seek forgiveness. Now that person lives in the joy of knowing the power of God over sin in her life. That is Easter living. That is celebrating the victory.
16. We still all have sins to deal with. But I ask you to look back over your life and see how God has victory over many sins. - over discouragement, over fear. As Paul says it is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me. Before we were believers, we were prisoners to sin.
17. Illustration of General Wainwright (Bible Illustrator) "No, I am in command here." We too can say to sin "No, Christ is in charge here."
2 Cor 5:17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
18. Friends, I ask you, have you already been resurrected to a new life? What is that is making you feel defeated? Pray for God’s healing of those sins. Pray for Him to hold on to His word and His promises. Pray that He will give you joy.
19. Christ is risen. He died but He rose. To experience the resurrection in the next life and in this life, we also must first die. As we said last week, we must be willing to loose this life so we can receive eternal life. To admit that we need Christ. To admit our sin and our inability to do anything about it. Only them will we be raised with Christ:
Rom 6:22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.
20. Take hold of that eternal life. Stop looking at the past and what you have done wrong. Instead come to the tomb and see that it is empty. Empty of the power of sin and death. If we have been raised, our tomb is also empty. Gone are past sins, and the power they have over us.
21. We have victory! The Easter bells are ringing. Christ is risen! And we are risen with Him.
22. Paul puts it this way.
Rom 4:25 He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.
Rom 5:1-5 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God hrough our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we rejoice in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us.
23. Praise be to God for victory!
