"Who will Roll the Stone Away?"
Text: Mark 16:1-3;Mt.28:1-10 & Selected
Cross Creek Community Church
Pastor Dave Martin - Easter Sunday, April 15, 2001
www.crosscreekcc.org
God’s Word is Powerful, Relevant, and Life Changing!
Mark 16:1-3 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, "Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?"
We all go through life collecting, sorting, and storing information, which comes into our lives. Our brain is wonderfully complex, which is able to digest things or reject things.
What was capturing the thoughts of the women that first Easter Sunday? I’m sure they had many thoughts of Jesus running through their minds early that morning. Let’s look at what might have been running through their minds...as they were walking toward the tomb...
They may have been Pondering...
The miraculous Birth of Jesus.
* Born of a virgin, born in a stable in Bethlehem. Unlike a pompous king.
* Lowly shepherds visited by the angels, the Wisemen coming from afar.
* As the Christ child, we see how King Herod tried to kill Him.
* Their minds were full of the many things, which has transpired...
The miracles and ministry of Jesus.
* He actually walked on water. He calmed the storms.
* He fed 5000 people with 5 loaves and 2 fish.
* He healed the blind, the lame, and the sick. He even raised people back from the dead!
* Why even Mary Magdalene remembers how Jesus drove 7 demons out of her.
* I’m sure it was all racing through their minds that morning.
The growing tension and adversity against Jesus.
* They remembered how the religious people kept trying to trick Him.
* How the religious people even said He was possessed by a demon.
* Jesus was accused of blasphemy because He rightly claimed that He was God in the flesh.
* I’m sure it was all racing through their minds that morning.
The triumphal entry into Jerusalem of Jesus.
* Millions of people in Jerusalem for the Passover.
* Just a few days earlier Jesus rode into Jerusalem.
* Not on a stallion but a donkey. The King of kings, the Creator of the universe.
* Why if the people don’t cry out then the stones would.
* Wow - what a wonderful day that was. So much hope and excitement.
* I’m sure it was all racing through their minds that morning.
The arrest and suffering of Jesus.
* Probably hearing about the Last Supper and how Judas betrayed Him.
* Wondering about the agonizing time of prayer in the garden - then his arrest.
* Talking with Peter and how he denied Him three times, others scattered.
* The scourging, the stripping of His clothes, the purple robe, the mocking, the crown of thorns, the spitting, I’m sure it was all racing through their minds that morning.
The Crucifixion and burial of Jesus.
* The pain, the awfulness of a crucifixion, the suffering Jesus went through.
* They could hardly recognize Jesus because of the cruel beatings He received.
* The Son of God being treated this way - sinful man slaying the Lamb of God.
* Standing back watching the soldiers nail Him to the cross at 9am in the morning.
* Thinking of the sun going dark from noon until 3pm.
* With Jesus crying out, they remembered His last dying words upon the cross.
* They remembered the quaking of the earth, rocks splitting open. It sure was a scary time.
* Even the Roman centurion guard, said, "surely this is the Son of God!"
* They were thinking of Jesus’ burial late Friday. With two secret followers burying Him.
Now early Sunday morning as they neared the tomb, with all these thoughts swirling around in their heads, they ask each other, "Who will roll the stone away?"
Most people thought Jesus was "dead and gone"...
Pilate thought Jesus was "dead and gone".
Herod thought Jesus was "dead and gone".
Satan himself thought Jesus was "dead and gone".
Religious Pharisees thought Jesus was "dead and gone".
The demons thought Jesus was "dead and gone".
Many of Jesus’ followers thought Jesus was "dead and gone".
"Who will Roll the Stone Away?" - (The song "ARISE, MY LOVE" is played - using sub woffer) Very moving song!
The POWER of the TRINITY is seen in the RESURRECTION!
Gal. 1:1; Jn. 10:17-18; 1Pet. 3:18
On Easter Sunday about 2000 years ago Jesus Christ was resurrected. He is not dead, He is ALIVE! If there was no resurrection, we are still lost in our sins, without hope in this world. The resurrection means many things, this morning we will look at a few.
THE RESURRECTION...
1. Proves Jesus is absolutely TRUSTWORTHY!
John 14:1 "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.
* Jesus is God, who knew no sin, became sin for us.
2 Cor. 5:21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
* Jesus what did you say when you were still alive?
Matthew 17:22-23 "...The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into the hands of men. They will kill him, and on the third day he will be raised to life." And the disciples were filled with grief.
* Jesus accomplished what He said he would, He is reliable, dependable. Jesus can be trusted
* We can have full confidence in Him - what He has said can be trusted, God’s Word.
* Jesus proved He was not a false prophet, a mystical person, or an impostor.
Empty Tomb - proves Jesus is who He said He was.
* In spite of sealing the tomb & posting guards - the tomb was empty. He arose.
* Jesus said He would rise from the grave.
Eyewitnesses - accounts of many people.
* He arose from the dead, with over 500 eyewitnesses.
* Historians wrote about Him, Jesus is who He says He is!
1 Cor. 15:5-8 "...he (Jesus) appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. 6After 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. 7Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, 8and last of all he appeared to me (Paul) also..."
Changed Lives - A literal miracle happens when we are born again!
* Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God - the one person in all of History who changed the world.
2 Cor. 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
* Christ changes lives. We see millions of martyrs who gave their lives for Christ. WHY?
* Because He is real, He is alive, He is our Savior, He is who He said He was!
* Many over the years have tried to disprove Christ & the resurrection - they could not!
* Why couldn’t they? Because it is true - Jesus is absolutely trustworthy!
2. Proves God was pleased and accepted the SACRIFICE of His Son!
Ephesians 5:2 "and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God."
* Jesus bore our sins in His own body upon the cross.
Romans 3:25a "God presented him (Jesus) as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood."
* The empty tomb proves God accepted His Perfect Son as payment in full for my sins!
Ephes. 1:7 "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace"
* Jesus defeated Hell, death, sin and the grave.
3. Resurrection POWER is available for you and me!
Philippians 3:10 "I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection..."
* God tells us we are dead in our trespasses and sin - Eph. 2:1
* Our first birth gave us physical life, our second birth gives us Spiritual life.
* That is what Jesus meant when He said in John 3:3 "You must be born again!"
* Get a glimpse of the awesome power of the resurrection. In what it means for us today.
* The resurrection has broken the shackles of sin!
All the resources of Heaven are on our side!
Power to enter into a new relationship with God.
Power to be born again through faith!
Power to live a victorious life in Christ. Victory over addictions, bondage to sin!
Power to overcome difficulties, hurts, and pains.
Power of the stresses & worry of life!
Power to understand our purpose for living, meaning to life - sets us in a new direction!
Power over our enemy - Satan and his hordes of demons - the unseen world is alive with activity!
Resurrection Power affords us protection!
Power to witness to others, to be a living testimony of God’s Grace.
Power over darkness, we’ve been translated into the Kingdom of Light.
Power to be resurrected someday ourselves.
Power to live with Christ throughout eternity!
Experience Resurrection Power Today!
The apostle Paul spoke of the Resurrection Power this way...
1 Cor 15:3-4 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance; that Christ Jesus died for our sins according to the scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the scriptures...’
GOSPEL - the Good News!
The death, burial, and the resurrection of our Lord Jesus!
Resurrection Power begins the moment you give your life to Christ. You may have never understood the resurrection this way before.
But you desire to have resurrection power in your life today.
What do you need to do?
You need to understand four simple facts:
1. I am a sinner.
2. The penalty for my sin is death.
3. Jesus died to pay the penalty for my sins.
4. By faith call upon the Lord to be saved from sin.
"Father, thank you for what Jesus did at Calvary. Today I admit that I am a sinner. I realize the penalty for my sin is death. But I also realize that Jesus died in my place, He bore my sins to bring me forgiveness and to make me right with you. Father, forgive me. I turn away from my sins to follow you. In Jesus’ name, Amen."
Let’s Pray
