Hallelujah! Christ is risen! This is the Christian anthem at Easter. Why? Because the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ is central to our faith.
How many of you came here today expecting to hear a sermon about Easter?
Well, you won’t be disappointed!
As you do your Bible reading next week, you will read about the betrayal of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane when Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss. Judas led a mob to where Jesus was praying in order to arrest Him.
In Luke 22:49-50 we read:
When Jesus’ followers saw what was going to happen, they said, "Lord, should we strike with our swords?" And one of them struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his right ear.
You ever pray like that? Someone does you wrong and you pray, “God should I let this person have it ? – You know they deserve it!” and before you get an answer you’re jumping all over their case.
51 “But Jesus answered, "No more of this!" And he touched the man’s ear and healed him.”
Jesus was not going to use political means to usher in His kingdom. He would not inflict violence on others to achieve His goals.
He could have called down fire from Heaven, He could have commanded His angels to attack. He could have just spoken the word and all his opponents would have fallen dead – but that was not His plan.
A mere political victory would not have achieved what Jesus came to accomplish.
What is it Jesus wanted to accomplish?
Imagine a time line where Easter is the central point in history. There is a time before Easter and then there is the other side of Easter, the time period we are in right now.
Human beings have a basic fundamental problem that started with Adam. This problem is so severe that it prevents people from enjoying a loving, healthy and vibrant relationship with God.
What is this problem? SIN! Sin is the barrier that separates us from God. Since God is a pure and holy God, He cannot dwell with evil, wicked and wretched sinners. We have to get cleaned up and be made presentable before we are ushered into the presence of ALMIGHTY GOD!
Now let me tell you about a guy with a huge sin problem. No, he wasn’t on drugs, no, he wasn’t a hardened criminal, he wasn’t even a tax evader – he was just a person in denial. His name – Peter.
Jesus was arrested and Peter followed the mob back to the Chief Priest’s house where he warmed himself by the camp-fire in the courtyard.
First he is recognized by a servant girl as being “one of them” and he denied it.
Then he was recognized by someone else as being “one of them” and he denied it for the second time.
Then he was recognized yet again by someone else as being “one of them” and he denied it the third time.
It was at this point that Jesus looked straight at Peter and Peter remembered what Jesus said to him, “Before the rooster crows today, you will deny me three times.”
The Bible tells us that after this, Peter went out and wept bitterly.
There are many of us here today who, like Peter, have disowned Jesus many times.
Some of us disowned Him a lot more than three times before we finally made a total, 100% commitment to Him.
Some of you here are still in denial about Jesus.
Listen, today Jesus is looking straight at you. (pause)
He’s looking through your eyes and into your heart!
Will you deny Him again? Or will you make a decision to become His disciple, to become sold out to Jesus?
Before Easter people would bring an animal without spot or blemish to be sacrificed as a sin offering. They would lay their hands on the animal, confessing their sins. The priest then killed the animal and sprinkled the blood on the alter. In this way, the sins of the person were symbolically transferred to the sacrificial animal, and the person was, temporarily, pardoned from sin.
The problem with this sacrificial system was that it was only temporary. The next time someone sinned, they had to go through the process all over again. The important lesson to be learned from this is that there is a price to be paid for sin.
Then came Jesus, the Lamb of God, who offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice, once and for all. Jesus was the only human being ever born who was without sin. When Jesus died on the cross and shed his blood, it was for a divine purpose, and that divine purpose was to provide us - YOU and ME - forgiveness for our sins. No longer must we offer a sin offering, because Jesus Christ paid the price - Jesus died in my place, Jesus died in your place.
I don’t know about you, but I get excited when I think about what happened that first Easter morning some 2000 years ago! You see Jesus was brutally crucified, nailed to that old rugged cross at 9:00 am, and there He hung suspended between heaven and earth.
The Devil thought he had silenced the Son of God once and for all. I imagine that all the demons of hell were celebrating as darkness overshadowed the land and Jesus took His final breath. The disciples of Jesus were shocked, horrified and depressed; Peter denied Christ, Judas committed suicide, and the other disciples were scattered or watched from a safe distance.
In great pain and agony, Jesus uttered His last words: "It is finished. Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit." And with that He gave up His life and died on the cross of Calvary.
The earth shook violently and the centurion exclaimed, "Surely He was the Son of God."
After this, the soldiers broke the legs of the thieves hanging next to Jesus to hasten their death, but seeing that Jesus was already dead, they pierced His side with a spear, just to be sure.
The Apostle John tells us in his gospel that Jesus was then buried in a nearby tomb secured by a large stone and sealed. And if that wasn’t enough, Matthew’s gospel tells us that the Chief Priest posted a guard at the tomb to prevent anyone from stealing his body.
On the morning of the third day after his death, Easter morning, a violent earthquake shook the graveyard as angels from heaven appeared on the scene. One of the angels rolled back the stone of the tomb and then took a seat on top of the stone. And by the way, they did not roll the stone away to let Jesus out, He was already out. The purpose for rolling the stone away was to show the public that Jesus was risen from the dead! The angel’s appearance was like lightening and the guards were so afraid that they trembled and passed out.
Mary Magdalene and Mary (the mother of James) came to the graveyard hoping to get permission to embalm Jesus. When they arrived an angel spoke to them and said, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; He has risen, just as He said, Come and see the place where He lay. Then go quickly and tell His disciples: He has risen from the dead..."
The women went back and reported this to the disciples. Peter and John ran to the tomb and found it empty, and as John admits in his gospel, neither he nor Peter understood that Jesus had to rise from the dead. Even though Jesus told them numerous times He was going to rise from the dead, they still didn’t get it. You know, Jesus has spoken to some of you many times about salvation, but you just didn’t get it. For some reason you’ve resisted turning your life over to Him.
John and Peter departed the cemetery leaving Mary Magdalene there alone. She was understandably upset and began to cry. Through her tears, Mary saw Jesus and mistook Him for the gardener. Jesus said, "Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?" She responded, "Sir if you have carried Him away, tell me where you have put Him, and I will get Him." Then Jesus did something He does to all of us, He called her name - MARY - and immediately she recognized Him.
If you listen to your heart, He’s calling your name today! Do you recognize His voice?
Jesus then appeared to the two disciples on the road to a small village called Amaus. After that He appeared to the disciples in Jerusalem who were hiding behind locked doors for fear of the Jews. Fascinating, with His resurrected body he could appear and disappear at will anywhere He wanted. Jesus had a glorified body; the kind of new body you and I will get when we go to be with the Lord for eternity.
Jesus continued to appear to His disciples for a period of 40 days until He ascended into heaven. During this time He was tying up loose ends and preparing the disciples for the day of Pentecost and their future role as apostles of His Church, of which we are members.
It is a wonderful blessing to be on this side of Easter. You see, if we have accepted Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior through the prayer of faith, we live in grace. Our sins have been forgiven and even when we stumble and commit additional sins, we don’t have to sacrifice an animal to achieve forgiveness, no, we merely ask Jesus to forgive us and it’s done. Now that’s grace; isn’t it wonderful? Amen!
Christians, I want to make sure you get this. If you were to suddenly die today, say of a heart attack or an automobile accident, and let’s say that you committed a sin that you hadn’t gotten around to settling with God, then would that sin keep you from going to Heaven? Absolutely not! When you receive Jesus as your personal Savior, your name is written in a book in Heaven. The book is called, The Lamb’s Book of Life. It’s the Lamb’s Book, and who is the Lamb? That’s right, Jesus is the Lamb. And since Jesus the Lamb gave Himself as a sacrifice on the Cross for our SINS, You are already forgiven, because He knows your heart, that you love Him and that your motives are pure. He is faithful and just to forgive you of your sin. Now that’s GRACE!
Christians, I don’t recommend waiting too long before settling accounts with God, because the devil could use it to pull you away from God. Live moral and upright lives before the Lord, and when you do sin, and be quick to seek forgiveness.
Yes, it’s a wonderful thing being on this side of Easter, because this side of Easter is the beginning of eternity. The Bible teaches that we are eternal beings. Like it or not, we are eternal, our souls will live forever. It doesn’t matter if you’ve been good or bad, if you are a Christian or not, your soul will live forever. This world is not our home; we’re just passing through. There IS a Heaven and there IS a Hell. Jesus believed in Heaven and so should you. Jesus also believed in Hell and so should you!
We’re all going to spend eternity somewhere; the question is where will YOU spend eternity?
On Easter morning, Christ overcame the power of death when God raised him from the dead. "Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your sting? ... Thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ." Amen?
As Christians we are joyous today because HE IS RISEN! This is our hope of glory, to spend eternity in Heaven with Jesus and all our Christian brothers and sisters who have died before us, including our family members who knew the Lord and accepted Him as their personal Savior.
If you don’t know Jesus as your personal Savior,
Let this be the day that you enter into His kingdom through the prayer of faith!
Christians, please be in prayer as the invitation is given.
Gentlemen, ladies, young men and young women, boys and girls, listen to the gentle calling of the Holy Spirit in your hearts.
We want to spend eternity in Heaven with you.
Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity?
Would you like to?
Have you accepted Jesus as your personal Savior?
If you haven’t prayed the prayer of salvation, we want to give you the opportunity to express your faith and pray the prayer of faith to receive Jesus as your personal Savior.
We invite you to get up and come forward where you will be met by a Christian brother or sister who will lead you in this prayer of faith.
Now is the time. Don’t leave here today without the assurance that when you die, you will spend eternity with Jesus. Please come: we’ll wait for you.
Some of you need to come forward, but you’re not sure you want to come down here. The Holy Spirit of God is speaking to your heart right now. That tugging you feel in your heart is Jesus speaking to you, calling you. This is the time, today is the day, do it now, just get up and follow your heart down here to the front of the alter and receive Jesus. COME
Friend, this is a spiritual battle for your very soul. Eternity is in the balance, make the right choice. Don’t delay, come forward and receive Jesus.
Rededication:
There are also some of you who need to make things right with God. You’ve already prayed the prayer of salvation, but you need to rededicate your life to God. You need to receive forgiveness for sins you’ve committed since you’ve become a Christian. You need a spiritual refreshing. Please, we invite you to come now, that we might pray with you. Just step out from where you are and come.
Those of you with special needs, healing, finances, relationships, a crisis in your life, come now and let us pray with you and then we’ll dismiss in prayer.
