Resurrection Morning

Resurrection Morning

By Bro. David Rogers Pastor Bethlehem Baptist Church

Winona MS

Matthew 28:1-20

Prayer

Introduction

This morning we have celebrated the resurrection but how many of us live that resurrection? How many of us find it important in our lives? How important is it to us?

I heard a story about a family that tragically lost three of their four children within just two weeks to a deadly, virulent disease. One child was left – a four year old boy. The family had buried the third child just two weeks before Easter. On Easter morning the parents and the remaining child went to church. The mother taught her Sunday School class about the resurrection of Jesus and the father read the Easter story as he led the opening Sunday School devotion. People who knew about their great loss wondered how they could do it. One family of the church were in the car on their way home after church when their 16 year old asked his father, "Dad, that couple must believe everything about the Easter Story, don’t they?" "Of course they believe it," said the father, "all Christians do!" The young man then said, "But not like they do!"

That is a true statement. We say that we believe but do we live our lives like we do? This week I read a survey that stated that 74% of Americans believe in the resurrection. But do they believe like that family above? Do they understand what that resurrection we have celebrated this morning really means?

A father and his little girl were staying in a hotel. During the night the girl became very ill and without warning she died. The father was heart-broken. He had already lost his wife and now his precious little girl was gone. Only two people followed the body to the cemetery—the father and a minister. The father’s grief was great. At the grave he took from his pocket a key, unlocked the casket and looked on the face of his child once more, the silently closed the casket and handed the key to the keeper of the cemetery. On the way back to the city, the minister quoted Rev.1:18: “I am the Living One; I was dead, and behold I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and hades.” “But what is that about the keys?” asked the grieving man. “It means this,” said the minister. “You think the key to your little girl’s casket is in the hands of the keeper of the cemetery. But let me tell you something. Its not true! The key to your little girl’s grave hangs at the side of the Son of God. And He will come some morning and use it to open that casket! Then the light broke through the man’s tears and he saw the glory of the resurrection.

I.Why did Jesus have to die?

1.Through one man sin and death entered the world.

2.The wages of sin is death.

3.We can not pay the debt we owe

4.a perfect sacrifice had to be made.

II.Who is the sacrifice for?

1.It is for you and me.

2.All sin was paid for that day

3.at the judgment seat (the Bema judgment) we will not be judged for our sin. No that day Jesus will hand our our rewards based on our works. Our bad works will burn up like the hay and stubble. Those are works for ourselves, things we done not for Jesus edification and glory but for ours. Our good works or the gold and jewels that will not burn up. These are the works we did for Jesus’ edification and glory.

1.There will not be any unsaved here. This is a judgment just for the saved. At the end of the 1,000 year reign the sinners will be judged not on their sins since they also were paid for on the cross but they will be judged because they did not believe on Jesus Christ.

III.What is the importance of the resurrection?

1.It is our assurance of salvation

2.it is our promise of resurrection

3.because of this promise we can go out and carry the gospel to the world.

IV.Conclusion

1.Edith Burns was a wonderful Christian who lived in San Antonio, Texas. She was the patient of a doctor by the name of Will Phillips. Dr. Phillips was a gentle doctor who saw patients as people. His favorite patient was Edith Burns. One morning he went to his office with a heavy heart and it was because of Edith Burns.

When he walked into that waiting room, there sat Edith with her big black Bible in her lap earnestly talking to a young mother sitting beside her.

Edith Burns had a habit of introducing herself in this way: "Hello, my name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" Then she would explain the meaning of Easter, and many times people would be saved. Dr. Phillips walked into that office and there he saw the head nurse, Beverly. Beverly had first met Edith when she was taking her blood pressure. Edith began by saying, "My name is Edith Burns. Do you believe in Easter?" Beverly said, "Why yes I do." Edith said, "Well, what do you believe about Easter?" Beverly said, "Well, it’s all about egg hunts, going to church, and dressing up." Edith kept pressing her about the real meaning of Easter, and finally led her to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.