Near the end of the nineteenth century a little church high on the cliffs at the entrance to the English Channel was destroyed by a hurricane. A few weeks later, a British Admiral came to ask the pastor if they intended to rebuild the church. The clergyman explained that they were a poor congregation and they couldn’t afford to rebuild. "Well," said the Admiral, "if you can’t rebuild, our seamen will do it for you. That spire is on all our charts and maps as the landmark by which our ships steer their course through the Channel."
On this Easter Sunday, 2001, I remind us that Easter is the landmark by which all other Christian doctrines sail. The spire of the cross and the hill of the empty tomb stand to this day in the chart of God’s Word as the confirmation of our faith. But, it was not so in the beginning. The night Jesus was arrested brought fear and sorrow to his followers.
After his Last Supper in Mary’s upper room, Jesus and all his disciples except Judas walked toward his favorite place of prayer, a private garden called Gethsemane. It was on the side of the Mount of Olives, among olive trees that were 1,000 years old then; and many of them still stand today. As they walked, Jesus said, "In a little while you shall not see me, and in a little while you shall see me." His disciples didn’t understand what he meant; so Jesus, knowing their thoughts, spoke the words of John 16:19-20. Let’s read that as one of my texts for today.
Now, keep your finger at John 16, but turn to Luke 24. The title of my Easter sermon, "Surprised by Joy," comes from Luke 24:41. It tells of the fulfillment of the verses I read from John. After Jesus appeared to some of his family members in Emmaus, they rushed back to Jerusalem to tell his disciples they had seen Jesus. While they were talking, Jesus appeared. He showed them the nail prints in his hands and feet and allowed them to handle him to see that he was not a ghost. Then, Luke 24:41 makes an unusual statement: It says, "they believed not for joy." Surprised by Joy!
You might think John 16 is an unusual text for an Easter sermon. It’s certainly not the usual sunrise-at-the-tomb setting. But, it contains all the elements of the Easter story and much more. Even though he had told them of his coming death and resurrection, when it happened it slipped up on them. Luke said, "They believed not for joy." That’s not unbelief, but disbelief. There’s a difference: Unbelief means they didn’t believe in Jesus, but they did! Disbelief means what was happening was so incredible, it was hard for them to accept it. Then, in the midst of their disbelief, they were surprised by joy - not just any joy, but the greatest degree of joy. They realized the "Easter Miracle," our children sang about last Sunday night. I want us to think again about the implications of Easter joy.
I. They Would Not See Him: His Death
In John 16:19, Jesus said in a little while they would not see him. Sometimes, when Jesus spoke of "a little while" or "soon" he spoke in the light of eternity. What is a little while for him is a long time for us mortals! Many of his predictions of things that would happen "soon" are references to the last days before he comes again. But, this time when he said, "in a little while" twice, he was speaking in earth-time! He said in a little while they would not see him. That was a reference to the very next day when he would be put to death and laid in a borrowed tomb.
That night, while he prayed in Gethsemane, Judas came with a band of temple soldiers and arrested him. He was hastily tried by Caiaphas and the Jewish Sanhedrin. Then, he was put in the dungeon prison beneath Caiaphas’ house and kept until the early morning when he was taken to Pilate. On our Holy Land trips we have visited the prison where Jesus was kept. I thought it was strange when our guide told us this was the place Jesus was kept in prison. The gospel accounts don’t mention his being in prison. However, I found that Isaiah 53:8 predicted that Messiah would be taken from prison and his judgment cut short because he got such a hasty trial.
About 9 o’clock the next morning Jesus was being put on the cross and by 3 PM he was dead. It usually took much longer to die by crucifixion, but it wasn’t the cross that killed Jesus. Men cannot kill God! While on the cross he commanded himself to die. The King James records him as saying, "Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit." But, a better translation would be, "I command my spirit." Jesus had said no one would take his life; he would lay it down. And, he did just that when he commanded his spirit to leave his body. He voluntarily died to pay our sin debt.
An article in a National Geographic magazine provides a penetrating picture of God’s love for us. After a forest fire raged through a section of Yellowstone Park, one of the rangers found the charred body of a bird at the base of a smoking tree stump. When he knocked it with a stick, three tiny little birds scurried from under their dead mother’s wings. The remains of a half burnt nest nearby told the rest of the story. When the raging flames spread up the tree, the half burnt nest fell to the ground and the mother lit near it so her young birds could find protection under her wings. As the flames flared around her, she gave her life that her babies might live.
That’s what Jesus did for us. His prediction came true: In a little while his friends didn’t see him, because his body was sealed in a tomb.
II. They Would See Him: His Resurrection
The second "little while" was the third day later. The Jews have an idiomatic expression, "three days and three nights," which simply means the third day. It may or may not include three nights. On that third day, Easter Sunday, some women came to the tomb to pay their final tribute to Jesus. Then, Mary Magdalene met Jesus alive. Later, Peter and John ran to the tomb and saw the evidence of the grave clothes lying still in the shape of a human body where Jesus had vanished from them. That same day Jesus appeared to Peter, to his family at Emmaus, and then to them all in Mary’s upper room that night.
Young Harold had a really bad case of Attention Deficit Disorder. On Palm Sunday, Harold’s Sunday School teacher sent empty plastic eggs home with each of her students. Mrs. Wilson told them to bring something back in the eggs next Sunday to represent Easter. She really didn’t expect Harold to bring anything, because he never listened in class. The next Sunday her children brought their eggs back. Susan had a pretty spring flower inside her egg. Joey had a little cross in his egg. Jackie had put a plastic butterfly in her egg. But, just as Mrs. Wilson suspected, there was nothing in Harold’s egg. She was surprised that he even remembered to bring it back! She had praised each of the other children for what they brought, but she didn’t say anything about Harold’s empty egg. Harold looked at her with anticipation and said, "Mrs. Wilson, you didn’t say anything about my egg!" Mrs. Wilson said, "But, Harold, you don’t have any reminder of Easter in your egg." Harold replied, "Uh-huh! It’s empty just like Jesus’ tomb!"
The second "little while" came true when the disciples saw their resurrected Lord that first Easter Sunday. That’s when they were surprised by joy.
III. Their Sorrow Would Turn to Joy
When Oliver Cromwell ruled England, a young soldier had been tried in military court and sentenced to death. He was to stand before the firing squad at the ringing of the curfew bell. When England was under military rule, the cathedral bell tolled at 8 PM meaning that everyone was to be in their houses. However, that night at curfew time, nothing but muted sounds came from the bell tower. Unknown to anyone, the soldier’s fiancee had climbed the bell tower and lashed herself to the huge bell clapper. As the ropes were pulled, her own body stopped the bell from ringing. When Cromwell’s soldiers brought her to the General, she was bruised and bloody. He was so impressed by her willingness to suffer for her lover that Cromwell freed the soldier and spoke the famous words, "Curfew shall not ring tonight."
To know that Jesus was bruised and bloodied for our transgressions and that it is by his stripes we are healed, turns our sorrow into joy. To further realize that we will be freed in God’s Court because of what our Lover did for us brings us even greater joy. Look at the next few verses of John 16 and you’ll see some characteristics of the joy Jesus promised.
A. This Joy is Permanent, V. 22
Jesus spoke about his disciples being sad. This must have seemed strange because they were not sad at that time. They had just concluded Passover which was a celebration of Moses’ victory over Egypt. They even sang a hymn of praise when they left the upper room. However, Jesus said they would be sad but their sadness would soon turn to joy; and that joy would be permanent.
Two Wall Street business executives met at the local coffee shop. Gene asked about Ed’s health. Ed said, "I feel great! My ulcers are gone, and I don’t have a care in the world!" "That’s wonderful," Gene responded, "how did that happen?" Ed said, "Well, you know my doctor told me my ulcers were caused from worrying; so, I hired myself a professional worrier. Whenever something comes up that I start to worry about, I turn it over to him, and he does all my worrying for me?" "Boy," Gene said, "I’d like to hire someone to do that for me! How much does he charge?" "One hundred thousand dollars!" Gene asked, "How in the world can you afford to pay him so much?" "I can’t," Ed responded, "but, that’s not my problem; I let him worry about that!"
When we let Jesus take all our worries and put them to death on his cross, it gives us a joy that can carry us through anything. Christians have bad days and calamities like everyone else, yet we can have peace and joy on the inside because we know our God is in control. He’s promised that all things will work for our good. Romans 5:10 says we are saved by Jesus’ life. That means as long as he lives he will keep us saved! That gives us a permanent joy.
B. This Joy is Powerful, V. 23
Verse 23 starts by saying, "In that day." I think that has an immediate reference to his resurrection appearances, but it’s also a prophecy about the Church Age. All our prayers are now made in Jesus name. We know that he’s the Son of God and that he intercedes for us before the Father. The prayers we make in his name are powerful and receive his personal attention. He told us, "All power is given unto me...and lo, I am with you always." That gives us a powerful joy!
C. This Joy is Plentiful, V. 24
When Jesus said in verse 24 that our joy would be full, he meant plentiful. We will have everything we need to continue his work when we claim it in his name and for his glory. But, there’s so much more here. Our joy will not only be plentiful on earth, it will be even more plentiful when we reach Heaven. There, indeed, our joy will be full to overflowing. We will celebrate around the Throne and praise Jesus because he’s the First and Last, the Beginning and the End.
"He’s the Creator of the universe and the Keeper of it all. He always was, always is, and always will be unmoved, unchanged, undefeated, and never undone. He was bruised but he brought healing; he was pierced yet he eased pain. He was persecuted but he brought freedom; he was dead yet he brought life. He is risen and brings power; he reigns and brings peace. He comforts and brings joy. The world can’t understand him, the armies can’t defeat him, the schools can’t explain him, and the leaders can’t ignore him. The Pharisees couldn’t confound him, Pilate couldn’t kill him, and the grave couldn’t hold him. When I fall he lifts me up; when I fail he forgives; when I am weak he is strong; when I am lost he is the way; when I am afraid he is my courage; when I stumble he is my strength. When I hurt he heals me; when I am broken he mends me; when I am hungry he feeds me. When I face trials he never leaves me; when I face problems he comforts me; when I face loss he provides for me; when I face death he carries me home. My Heavenly Father can whip the father of this world. So, if you’re wondering why I have joy in spite of sorrow, understand this: He said it; I believe it; and that settles it. God is in control; I am on his side; and that means all is well with my soul!" (adapted)
I have a perfect peace and joy because Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega and everything in between. He is the Amen, Bridegroom, Cornerstone, Door, Emmanuel, Friend, Gilead’s Balm, Healer, I Am, Jehovah-Jireh: the Lord our Provider, King of Kings, Lion of Judah, Morning Star, Nazarene, Offspring of David, Prince of Peace, Quickening Spirit, Redeemer, Savior, Truth, Unchangeable God, Vine, Word of God, Exceeding Great Reward, Yokefellow, and Zion’s King. All of Creation will one day fall before him and every tongue will confess his majesty. (Tom Lovorn)
The joy he gives is permanent, powerful, and plentiful. Do you have his joy? You can have it today by receiving his gift of eternal life provided that first Easter, and with it you’ll be surprised by joy.
