"Good News From The Graveyard"
March 31, 2002
Introduction: Welcome to New life in Christ. It is our normal teaching practice to go through books of the Bible verse by verse. Currently on Sunday mornings we are going through the Gospel of Luke but since this is such a special day I will not be teaching in my normal manner. Rather I will be bringing you a special message entitled "Good News From The Graveyard."
Opening prayer
Read Luke 24: 1-8
Everyone longs for and needs to hear some good news. In a year’s worth of time, since Easter 2001 we have certainly had a year of bad news. It has been a year of tragedy, terrorist, and trouble, not only for us as a nation but also for many of you personally. Many of you have experienced troubles in your relationships. Some of you have experienced financial and business struggles. Others as you have experienced major health problems, spiritual dilemmas and so forth. For a few you this has been a year of loss, hurt, and grief. This is the way the world is-a lot more bad news than good. The early disciples could relate to such a situation for they were filled with defeat and despair.
Because of the abundance of bad news most of us are always ready and are overjoyed to receive some good news. Certainly the women disciples or followers of Jesus could use some good news as they were going to the burial place but they did not have any reason to expect to receive any good news at the graveyard. This just is not the place for good news. This is as a place for sorrow, grief, and hopelessness, but God has a way of working and bringing good news in the worst possible circumstances. On that first Easter morning they heard the greatest news of all, "He is not here-He is risen!" Jesus is alive!
That is good news from the graveyard. In fact this good news is so great that it far supersedes any tragedy or trouble we have ever faced or will ever face.
Why is the resurrection of Jesus such good news? What does it mean for you and me today, some 2000 years later? To be sure it was the greatest miracle of all. A miracle that was validated and proved beyond any reasonable doubt. It is a marvelous and miraculous thing that a man can be beaten with 39 strikes, have his beard pulled out, struck with fist, nailed to a cross, pierced with a sword in his side, wrapped in burial cloth, and then placed in a tomb for three days and then come to life. There can be little doubt that this was a marvelous an amazing miracle.
This miracle was also validated as genuine. The eyewitnesses of Jesus crucifixion and resurrection, the Roman Guards who supervised that punishment, and the totally and radically committed disciples, even unto death, all attest to the reality of the miracle.
Without Easter Sunday, the name of Jesus Christ would be about as recognizable as the name Theudas. Who, you may ask, is Theudas? That’s my point. He lived in Israel several years before Jesus. He was, in his time, a popular prophet and teacher. He attracted hundreds of followers, and when he offended the wrong people, he was put to death. Sound familiar so far? Then why haven’t we ever heard of him? Because after his death his followers scattered and went on to other things, and the world soon forgot about Theudas.
When Jesus died, it looked like the same thing would happen--before he was even dead the overwhelming majority of his followers had deserted him. In fact, do you remember the Apostle Peter? He was one of Jesus’ key disciples. Jesus had said to him sometime earlier, "You are a rock, and on this rock I will build my church." But Peter the rock crumbled like sand when Jesus was facing death--he deserted him, he denied ever having anything to do with him, and he disappeared—he went back to his fishing boat. When Jesus died, it appeared that his cause would die with him, and that he would become as obscure as Theudas.
But oddly enough, it didn’t happen that way. The followers of Jesus didn’t fade into oblivion. In fact, they all came back bolder and more courageous than ever before. What happened? What made the difference? The only explanation is the resurrection. The resurrection is not a religious myth. It is not an invention of man meant to inspire us with hope and positive thinking.
The resurrection of Jesus is good news for his followers, that is Christians, because it brings some wonderful assurances into our lives. His resurrection makes some very important things very certain, so much so that we are not left to guess or have wishful thinking about these important life issues. Some things are just too important to not be sure of. For example, I want to know with reasonable degree of certainty that the Roosevelt Ridge will not collapse when I drive over it. When I invest money, which right now is all invested in raising four kids, I do not want to invest it in such a way as to take a risk. I like to play it safe. I am not a gambler in any sense of the word. I especially do not want to take a chance on spiritual issues such as Jesus identity and my eternal destiny. There is just too much at stake to be uncertain. The good news is that none of us has to be in doubt about these important issues. The resurrection of Jesus gives us some wonderful assurances. Three assurances in particular I wish to share with you today.
First: The resurrection of Jesus assures us that we are truly following the right person.
Read Romans 1:1-4
I want you to especially note that last phrase that says, "(Jesus) was declared with power to be the son of God by his resurrection from the dead." In other words God did not leave us without real evidence. He did not leave us without a declaration of who was the genuine person we were to listen to, commit to and follow. This is vital because you just don’t want to make the mistake about such an issue. There are so many people and philosophies that claim to be the truth or the way to God. It is sort of like a Star Trek episode I saw as a child.
Illustration: In this episode alien imposters had taken the identity of Captain Kirk so that Scotty or Spock did not know who to shoot with their phasers or who to listen to. They needed the real Captain Kirk to say or do something to prove that he was the real deal.
That is what Jesus resurrection does for us today but this is not science fiction rather it is a spiritual fact. Jesus was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead. He has done something that could only be done if what He said and claimed were true. This is part of the good news from the graveyard.
First: The resurrection of Jesus assures us that we are truly following the right person.
There are many voices out there claiming to know the truth and clamoring for you to listen to them. There is the voice of other religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, etc. but we know to follow Jesus because only His grave is empty.
There are many philosophies or approaches to life all trying to gain your attention and your commitment. There is atheism that says, “there is no God” and its appeal is freedom from the rules. There’s humanism that says, “man is the measure of all things or the pinnacle of the universe”, which appeals to our human pride, and there is hedonism which basically says to "eat, drink, and be merry" which appeals to our human desire to engage in selfish indulgence.
Despite all these philosophies and their appeal we know to follow Jesus because he has proven that he is the Son of God through His resurrection from the dead. This one act validates everything He said and everything He commanded. His resurrection brings assurance to us that we are not on the wrong track or path.
First: The resurrection of Jesus assures us that we are truly following the right person.
Second: The resurrection of Jesus assures us that we are truly forgiven.
Read 1 Corinthians 15:17
In this passage the Apostle Paul is dealing with the importantance of the resurrection of Jesus. One thing he states is that " if Christ has not been raised... You are still in your sins." Which is another way of saying, "you are not really forgiven." If Jesus had remained in the grave it would have meant that God had not found Jesus sacrifice acceptable for the forgiveness of everyone’s sins. The resurrection was not only proof of who Jesus was but also of what he had done.
Second: The resurrection of Jesus assures us that we are truly forgiven
Illustration: I am sure all of you remember the presidential election in November of 2000. There were weeks and weeks of agony. Most of us were very up and down in our emotions because we were never really sure of the results until the vote was certified in Florida and the United States Supreme Court declared the certification valid. Then we could be certain. Then we could rest assured. There would be no more appeals. There was no higher court to go to. There would be no more recounts. We had received the final answer.
This is what Jesus resurrection does for us in the issue of truly being forgiven. We do not need to wonder or to waiver about the forgiveness of our personal sins because the true Supreme Court, the Judge of the entire Universe has made His decision. Jesus sacrifice was enough to remove the guilt of our every wrong and the resurrection is proof that God has fully accepted his payment for our sins. I am fully forgiven! I have zero doubts! We don’t have to live with uncertainty as to our status as citizens of Heaven.
Illustration: As an immigrant, my mother lived in constant fear of deportation. You could miss up to four questions on the citizenship test, and Mom missed five. The question she flunked on was: "What is the Constitution of the United States?" The answer she gave was: "A boat." Which wasn’t entirely wrong. The USS Constitution was docked in Boston. But the judge instantly denied her citizenship. My father stormed up to the judge. "What is this? Let me see the test! She’s not wrong-the Constitution is a boat!" The judge rolled his eyes and said, "No, the Constitution is our basic governing-" "It’s also a boat in Boston! The Constitution! Same thing! Come on!" The judge finally couldn’t take any more. He said, "Fine. She’s a citizen. Now get out of here!" So my father said to my mom, "you passed!" "No, I didn’t pass," she whimpered. "They’re going to come after me!" From then on, any time my mother was even in the proximity of a policeman, she quaked with fear. When I took her to Scotland in 1983, she asked me, "Will I be able to get back in?" "Ma! Don’t worry! That was 50 years ago!" It never ended. -Jay Leno
Some people have those same remaining fears about forgiveness, but they are unnecessary because the resurrection of Jesus makes forgiveness a certainty.
There is good news from the graveyard this morning. You do not have to live with uncertainty. You do not have to be uncertain about who Jesus was and you do not have to be uncertain about your standing with God because...
First: The resurrection of Jesus assures us that we are truly following the right person
Second: The resurrection of Jesus assures us that we are truly forgiven
The resurrection of Jesus also brings assurance to another important area of our lives - our deaths.
Third: The resurrection of Jesus assures us that we truly have hope beyond the grave
Illustration: According to the Associated Press and the Chicago Tribune, in the span of one-year tragedy struck twice in one family. In 1994 Ali Pierce, the fourteen-year-old daughter of John and Anna Pierce of Massachusetts, was diagnosed with liver cancer. She fought the disease bravely for two years, but in November 1996 she passed away.
Her parents of course were grief-stricken. To deal with his loss, the father sought a constructive way to help others. He started running and set the goal of entering the 1998 Boston Marathon. He intended to take pledges for his run in support of the cancer center where his daughter had died.
On October 11, 1997, Pierce entered a half marathon of thirteen miles in Hollis, New Hampshire. It was the longest race he had ever run. He was fifty-one years old, and so before the race he had a medical exam and was given a clean bill of health.
He almost finished the race. Just ten feet short of the finish line, wearing a baseball cap that said, "In Memory of Ali Pierce," John Pierce crumpled to the pavement, dead of a heart attack.
Death--what a terrible enemy!
Choice Contemporary Stories & Illustrations For Preachers, Teachers, & Writers
Craig Brian Larson, Baker Books, p. 60.
You may wonder why I am telling you such a terrible and tragic story? The reason is to remind you what a terrible thing death is and how hopeless it would be except for the fact that Jesus death and resurrection assures us that death does not have the final word. We have hope beyond the grave. Hope that is more than wishful thinking! Jesus proved by his own resurrection that the grave need not be the end and that it need not be feared because He has proven that He has power over death.
Read 1Corinthians 15: 18-20, 55
Paul’s point here is that because Jesus was “indeed” raised from the dead he has achieved victory and shown that He has power over our worst and most dreaded enemy, which is death. He is the "first fruits of those who have fallen sleep”, that is those who died as Christians. This is another way of saying that His resurrection was the first of many. His resurrection is evidence of many more to come like the early fruit at harvest time was evidence of the full harvest to come later.
Even though death still occurs it no longer has the “sting” it once had because Jesus has achieved victory and given us assurance of hope beyond the grave. As we sang earlier, Jesus has indeed "broken the chains." One of my favorite ways of illustrating the truth of Jesus removing the power of death to harm us in found an illustration I have used before, but one that still has the ability to convey this true very powerfully.
Illustration: A boy and his father were driving down a country road on a beautiful spring afternoon, when a bumblebee flew in the car window. The little boy, who was allergic to bee stings, was petrified. The father quickly reached out, grabbed the bee, squeezed it in his hand, and then released it. The boy grew frantic as it buzzed by him. Once again the father reached out his hand, but this time he pointed to his palm. There stuck in his skin was the stinger of the bee. "Do you see this?" he asked. "You don’t need to be afraid anymore. I’ve taken the sting for you." We do not need to fear death anymore. Christ has died and risen again. He has taken the sting from death.
First: The resurrection of Jesus assures us that we are truly following the right person.
Second: The resurrection of Jesus assures us that we are truly forgiven
Third: The resurrection of Jesus assures us that we truly have hope beyond the grave
Illustration: In the United States, each of the 50 states has a nickname. Florida is known as "The Sunshine State." New York is called "The Empire State." Ohio is "The Buckeye State" and Missouri is known as the "Show Me State." Missouri’s nickname can be traced to a speech made by one of her congressmen named Hillard Duncan Vandiver. Speaking in Philadelphia in 1899, Vandiver said, "Frothy eloquence neither convinces nor satisfies me. I am from Missouri. You have got to show me!"
For those of us who are not willing to take a risk about such issues we can now rest assured. Jesus has given us more than words, He has “shown us” and in the process given us assurance. We have truly received Good News From The Graveyard.
Closing prayer
