Rock N Roll Ressurection

GAVE THEM A LONGING – OPENED THEM UP TO AN IDEA

JESUS DID NOT LEAVE THEM HANGING

Because of their hope, because of the faith that the rolling away of that stone gave them, they were as open as that tomb to the possibility of an encounter with the risen Christ.

And Jesus did not disappoint that hope and that faith.

MARY’S NEED TO SEE HIM (ALIVE)

As He appears to Mary, she was still weeping. (John 20:15a) Woman why are you crying he asks.

Her hope had made it possible, but that hope had not made her complete. It did not take away the despair that only seeing him again could fill.

CHRIST FULFILLS HER HOPE

And so, knowing her hope and her faith, he appeared to her.

And that was what she needed.

Any doubt now would have been gone.

And questions would not even have to be asked.

Once Mary had encountered Christ after his resurrection, a new life was given her.

The rock rolled away was evidence that Christ had risen. An encounter with him after that resurrection was what sealed it for Mary.

IMPACT SUMMARY OF MARY”S ENCOUNTER

To Mary in despair, the simple answer to their grief would have been to find Jesus alive.

For her the empty tomb revealed that there was a chance he was alive.

The encounter afterwards gave her a new life.

She was resurrected that morning almost as much as Christ himself.

PETER’S NEED TO SEE HIM (FORGIVENESS)

The same would have been true for Peter, but for different reasons,

The rolled away stone gave him a hope of forgiveness. It did not answer the question.

HE APPEARS TO PETER

The apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:5 tells us specifically that Christ appeared to Peter first and then to the others.

While you were being beaten, crucified I denied I ever knew you.... I was only thinking of myself and not you..." You could almost hear those thoughts.

And then Peter felt a hand on his shoulder-- and he looked at the hand and he saw that it had been pierced....

His heart stopped beating and as he turned to fall to his feet, He heard the voice of the one he loved more than life itself say , "PETER"

PAINT PICTURE OF APPEARANCE

If you have ever been so overcome with emotion that you can’t talk... the tears just won’t stop, and the sobbing chokes off all words, that’s how I picture this meeting of Jesus with Peter.

The big strong fishermen -- kneeling before Jesus AS HE weeps intensely....

And I picture Jesus his hand on Peter’s shoulder saying "IT’S ALL RIGHT PETER, I KNOW, IT’S ALRIGHT I FORGIVE YOU PETER..."

IMPACT SUMMARY OF PETERS ENCOUNTER

True life could now start. AN open empty tomb gave him hope of forgiveness; an encounter with the resurrected Christ gave him life.

INTRO TO SONG

The resurrection of Jesus means that you too can have a resurrection.

It means you can you desperately long and hope for something, but it also means that you can encounter Christ and see it happen.

It means that you can start over.

It means that you can begin again.

It means you can be born again.

GO SONG

MINISTRY BEGINS – LINK QUESTIONS AND STATEMENTS

You may have come here today because you have a rock in your way.