The Power and the Passion. Easter Sunday pm, 11/4/4
Luke 23:44-24;12, 24:36-40
A Sunday School teacher had just finished telling her third graders about how Jesus was crucified and placed in a tomb with a great stone sealing the opening. Then, wanting to share the excitement of the resurrection, she asked: "And what do you think were Jesus¡¦ first words when He came bursting out of that tomb alive?" A hand shot up into the air from the rear of the classroom. Attached to it was the arm of a little girl. Leaping out of her chair she shouted out excitedly "I know, I know!" "Good" said the teacher, "Tell us, what were Jesus first words." And Extending her arms high into the air she said: "TA-DA!"
Contributed by: Ken Kersten on www.sermoncentral.com
PASSION?
But first- before we get to the Power bit- there are some questions that need answering: about the Passion
- ¡§why all that violence?¡¨ ¡§why all the Passion and the pain?¡¨
o ¡§is it just ¡¥life¡¦¡¨. ¡§one of life¡¦s injustices?¡¨
o ¡§maybe it was a mistake?¡¨ Jesus thought His Father would bail Him out- and He was surprised. ¡¥left hanging on the wheel of fate¡¦
o ¡§was it God¡¦s vindictiveness?¡¨ ¡§Is that what was behind all this¡¨
There ARE answers
and no- it wasn¡¦t God¡¦s vindictiveness. THIS (believe it or not) is a demonstration of God¡¦s love
o Illustr: asked one of my friends ¡¥how do you feel that god did that for you?¡¦ ¡¥Well- I don¡¦t think I understand. I don¡¦t think God did. But maybe Jesus did¡¦
„X Explained about Jesus being God in the flesh. When God wanted to visit earth to SHOW us how much He loved us- He came as Jesus
„X Explained- I know God loves me and understands because of Jesus
And it wasn¡¦t a mistake
- the Bible tells us that God the father planned this for a LONG time. From the beginning of the world, actually (Rev 13:8 ¡¥slain from the creation of the world)
o from the moment man went astray¡K
- and Jesus planned and accepted it, too
o film Jn 10:18 No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."
THIS passion was God¡¦s PLAN to save mankind
- = the only way we could be saved
o film: ¡§father¡K if it is possible¡K let this cup¡¨
- but it couldn¡¦t be done any other way
o ¡§there was no other good enough¡¨
- and Jesus willingly chose the cross (rather than it being thrown on Him)
o Illustr: Film: ¡§Father, I am ready¡¨ before whipping
„X Whole sense of purpose is portrayed well- in Mary, too
You see- our sins¡K wrongdoings¡K
- have separated us from God
- have wrecked our relationship with God (as He is holy)
- Necessitate punishment (we¡¦d agree with that, in principle, for OTHERS, for certain things ¡V but applies across the board)
o In fact- even more Rom 6:23 23 For the wages of sin is death,( but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.)
For 2000 years the Jews understood this (in part)
- that¡¦s what all the animal sacrifices were about
- but were really looking forward to the perfect sacrifice who would come and somehow pay the price, penalty and punishment for our sin
It¡¦s a mystery how it all works- but that¡¦s the message of the passion. - - To me the simplest & most profound picture of it is in The Lion, Witch & Wardrobe (can¡¦t wait for the films!)
- Edmund is realising to his horror the evil he has allied with (the witch). The other three children meet Aslan. There is a parley with the Witch, which results in the ashamed Edmund being released. It later transpires that the price for this is that Aslan has agreed to forfeit his own life. The requirement that a life be paid is described as "Deep Magic from the Dawn of Time". Aslan is slaughtered by the Witch and her minions on the Stone Table. But as dawn breaks, a "Deeper Magic from before the Dawn of Time" raises Aslan from the dead, and the Stone Table is broken in two.
It¡¦s a profound picture- with the stone table representing the OT way of doing things- but God¡¦s plan for redeeming the children from the witch¡¦s power being even older than the stone tablets of the OT law.
Illustr: powerfully portrayed in the Passion: Satan stalking, teasing and tempting Jesus. Wants Him killed- but His death is the thing that blow¡¦s Satan¡¦s kingdom apart
And that¡¦s what Jesus does- the price, penalty, punishment is paid- and the children go free
- it¡¦s not trivial
- the problem¡K our sin¡K is not trivial
- In the passion: it¡¦s not just the prospect of pain that makes Jesus sweat blood¡K and cry out on the cross
o It¡¦s the weight of the sin of the world on His shoulder
o My sin. The things that separate You from God
So- why the Passion? I hope I¡¦ve answered a bit of it. It was the ONLY way of dealing with the severity of the problem:
If our greatest need had been information, God would have sent an educator. If our greatest need had been technology, God would have sent us a scientist. If our greatest need had been money, God would have sent us an economist. But since our greatest need was forgiveness, God sent us a Saviour.
Roy Lessin
But it doesn¡¦t end there
- it does in Godspell
- doesn¡¦t in the Passion
- CERTAINLY doesn¡¦t in the gospels¡K real life
POWER
You see- you just can¡¦t keep a good man down! Seriously!
- you and I would die and stay dead
- but not so Jesus! You see
o he had never sinned- death could not hold Him. Had no power over Him
o He¡¦s the Immortal God. ¡§Tis mystery all, the immortal dies¡¨
„X But he can¡¦t STAY dead!
Some think He did (dealt with that this morning)
- who had the body? (nobody!)
- maybe he just swooned
- One lady wrote in to a question and answer forum: QUESTION- Dear sirs, Our preacher said that on Easter Jesus just swooned on the cross and that the disciples nursed Him back to life. What do you think? Sincerely Bewildered. ANSWER- Dear Bewildered, Beat your preacher with a cat-of-nine-tails 39 times, nail him to a cross; hang him in the sun and elements for 6 hours, run a spear into his side, put him in an airless tomb for three days and see what happens. Sincerely Charlie. from: Kim Huffman 4/11/4 Goshen Christian Church Faces Around the Cross #7 ¡§THE THORN SCARED FACE OF JESUS¡¨ John 19:1-5 on www.sermoncentral.com
But Simon Peter, then 10 disciples, then the 11th (Thomas)¡K then 500+ others¡K then James (Jesus¡¦ brother)
¡K said¡K saw¡K OTHERWISE (see 1 Cor 15:5f)
- it¡¦s brilliantly portrayed in the film- the hole in hand as He rises
And BILLIONS of others (now) would say- he¡¦s still alive. Changing lives!
- ¡§I know Him. He lives!¡¨
- (it¡¦s for anyone and everyone)
¡§Jeremy was born with a twisted body and a slow mind. At age 12 he was still in the second grade. His teacher often became exasperated with him as he squirmed in his seat, drooled and made grunting noises. His teacher called in Jeremy¡¦s parents and told them that Jeremy really belonged in a special class with kids with learning problems. Jeremy¡¦s mother, Mrs. Forrester cried into her tissue because she knew there was no school like that nearby. After Jeremy¡¦s parents left Mrs. Miller, Jeremy¡¦s teacher was sad. But she new that keeping Jeremy in her class wasn¡¦t fair to Jeremy or the other 18 second graders. Mrs. Miller tried hard to ignore Jeremy¡¦s distractions.
Jeremy would yell out in class, ¡§I love you, Mrs. Miller.¡¨ The other kids would snicker and Mrs. Miller would turn red and ask Jeremy to please sit down.
Spring came and Mrs. Miller came up with a way to relate the Easter story to her Christian School class. She told the story of Jesus¡¦ death and resurrection and related her story to new life that could be seen coming forth everywhere. She gave each child a large plastic egg. She explained that she wanted them to take the egg home and bring it back the next day with something inside that showed new life. She asked the children if the understood their homework. Everyone said they did but Jeremy. Mrs. Miller thought to herself that she would call Jeremy¡¦s parent that evening and explain to them the assignment. But she got busy and forgot. The next morning as the children arrived they each put their plastic egg in the basket on Mrs. Miller¡¦s desk. After lunch it was time to open the eggs. In the first egg there was a flower. ¡§That is certainly a sign of new life,¡¨ Mrs. Miller said. The second egg was opened and out came a plastic butterfly. The third egg was opened and it contained a rock with moss growing on it. ¡§These are all fine examples of new life,¡¨ Mrs. Miller said as she opened the forth egg. The egg was empty. She knew it had to be Jeremy¡¦s and that he had not understood the instructions. She quickly laid the egg aside and went on to number 5. But Jeremy yelled out, ¡§Mrs. Miller, aren¡¦t you going to talk about my egg?¡¨ Mrs. Miller said, ¡§But Jeremy, your egg is empty.¡¨ Jeremy looked into Mrs. Miller¡¦s eyes and said, ¡§Yes, but so was Jesus¡¦ tomb.¡¨ Timed seemed to stop. When Mrs. Miller could speak again she asked Jeremy, ¡§Do you know what the empty tomb means Jeremy?¡¨
¡§Oh Yes!¡¦ Mrs. Miller. ¡§Jesus was killed for me. They put Him in a tomb, but God raised Him up again.¡¨ Just then the afternoon recess bell rang and the kids all hurried outside to play while Mrs. Miller sat at her desk crying. Two weeks later Jeremy had a seizure and died. Those who came to the funeral home to pay their respects were surprised to see 19 empty plastic eggs on top of the casket.
from: Kim Huffman 4/11/4 Goshen Christian Church Faces Around the Cross #7
¡§THE THORN SCARED FACE OF JESUS¡¨ John 19:1-5 on www.sermoncentral.com
What does the Resurrection¡K the empty tomb mean?
1) Jesus IS who he said He was
- He¡¦s the truth! It¡¦s true. He is the way! The life! The judge of all men.. The only one who can save us
- He is ¡§just what it says on the tin¡¨ . Just who He said
o (not just a nice man)
RO 1:1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God-- 2 the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures 3 regarding his Son, who as to his human nature was a descendant of David, 4 and who through the Spirit of holiness was declared with power to be the Son of God by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.
He is the most significant man of history and eternity. He is how God stepped into time to rescue us
2) Jesus DOES just what he said He would (does just what he says on the tin)
- he really did take and carry all our sins¡K and your old self¡K and all kind of things you have yet to discover¡K on that cross
- He IS able to save completely all that come to Him
So- it shows His power to save but also
3) the way is open
Folks- the way to heaven is open to you. The tomb IS empty. The path is clear. The opportunity is REAL and NOW.
Years ago a man was searching his family roots and visited several cemeteries and read many inscriptions on the tombstones. There was one tombstone on which was engraved "Pause now stranger as you pass by; as you are now, so once was I. as I am now , so soon you will be. Prepare yourself to follow me!"
Next to the tombstone someone placed a piece of wood engaged with this note... "To follow you I am not content until I know which way you went."
Contributed by: David Whitten on www.sermoncentral.com
He went before us to show & prepare the way
Max Lucado, in his book, ¡§Six Hours One Friday,¡¨ tells the story of a missionary in Brazil who discovered a tribe of Indians in a remote part of the jungle. They lived near a large river. The tribe was in need of medical attention. A contagious disease was ravaging the population. People were dying daily.
A hospital was not too terribly far away ¡X across the river, but the Indians would not cross it because they believed the river was inhabited by evil spirits. And to enter its water would mean certain death.
The missionary explained how he had crossed the river & was unharmed. But they were not impressed. He then took them to the bank & placed his hand in the water. They still wouldn¡¦t go in. He walked into the water up to his waist & splashed water on his face. It didn¡¦t matter. They were still afraid to enter the river.
Finally, he dove into the river, swam beneath the surface until he emerged on the other side. He raised a triumphant fist into the air. He had entered the water & escaped. It was then that the Indians broke into a cheer & followed him across.
Isn¡¦t that what Jesus did? He entered the river of death & came out on the other side so that we might no longer fear death, but find eternal life in Him.
SOURCE: Max Lucado, "Six Hours One Friday.¡¨ Contributed by: Melvin Newland on www.sermoncentral.com
PERSONAL
Now- here¡¦s the thing the Passion won¡¦t tell you- but the Bible DOES
- how to make this happen¡K for you
„« you have to make it ¡¥personal¡¦. ¡§take it personally!¡¨
o you have to make this YOURS
Jn 1:12 Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God-- 13 children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.
How do I receive Him?
- 1) believe in His name. THINK about it. Find the facts and then ¡¥act as fact¡¦. (go on Alpha?)
- 2) TURN- from living life just for yourself¡K and your way- and start living His way¡K ¡¥acting on these facts¡¦
- 3) TAKE it- receive it, like a gift. Unwrap it and make it yours. (there are billions of gifts on new life left unwrapped)
- 4) THANK- thank God for Jesus!
- 5) TELL- tell someone of your new-found priority
