The Message Of The Easter Angel

Pastor Allan Kircher

Shell Point Baptist Church

Easter 20 April 2014

Mark 16:1-8

THE MESSAGE OF THE EASTER ANGEL

Intro: Throughout the Bible, God used angels to make special announcements to humans.

For instance, He used an angel to:

• Send a message of destruction to Lot/Sodom – Gen. 19

• Announce/birth of Samson – Jgd. 13

• birth of John the Baptist – Luke 1

• conception of Christ – Luke 1:11

• birth of Christ – Luke 2:8-14

Seems/when God/announcement/extreme importance

• He often sends that message through an angel.

• From reading the Bible

• makes you wonder if angels ever get a day off!

In our text/presented/angel made an announcement still echoes throughout the universe almost 2,000 years later.

• Special message/Easter angel/I want us/consider/morning

On that first Easter morning

• dawn was breaking on a world that was forever changed

• special angel delivered a special message

• Message/still vital today.

• Take just/few moments to hear/message/Easter angel.

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Fear and dread filled/hearts/band of woman/ made their way through/still/dark streets of Jerusalem early/Sunday morning

• Going/tomb/man they/all believed/Messiah

• Man/whom they had left all other things behind

• Going/tomb/man who had promised life/all who came unto Him

• but who was now, Himself, dead

Certainly, they were confused/confounded/came near the tomb.

• They were concerned/huge stone/covered/door/tomb.

• How would they ever gain access to the body?

How could these three women ever hope to move a stone that weighed several hundred pounds?

• Yet they proceeded, carried along by their tender mission, that of finishing the preparations for burial of the body of Christ.

As they came within sight of the tomb/they were astounded tosee

• Stone rolled away

• Roman guards lying like dead men all around/mouth/tomb

They ran to the tomb and looked in, only to find that the body of Jesus was gone.

• What fear must have gripped their hearts!

• Jewish rulers/the Romans/taken/body to prevent His Disciples from faking His resurrection.

• Maybe/grave robbers had taken/body

• Would use it in some extortion plot.

Whatever the doubts and concerns that may have filled their hearts, they were short lived.

• Suddenly, the women noticed a "young man" sitting upon the stone, Matt. 28:2-3

• Angel sees their fear/begins to speak to them.

• He delivers a message of hope still has the power to change lives this morning.

• Let’s listen in and hear for ourselves

• "The Message Of The Easter Angel."

It is a message of:

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I. v. 6a PEACE ("Be not Affrighted")

Fear these ladies must have felt upon seeing the angel

• What grace/first words from his lips are words of peace.

• Yet, this/how/Lord always deals with His people 2 Tim. 1:7.

Very appropriate/His resurrection should be attended with a message of peace.

• Because after 2,000 years, His resurrection from the dead

• Still bringing same message/peace/hearts/all/believe in Him!

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Notice just a few/area of life where His resurrection gives peace:

• Salvation – Heb. 7:25

• Death – John 11:25-26

• Eternity – John 14:1-3

• John saw a glimpse/glorified Christ/ He is doing well!

• Listen….Rev. 1:13-18.

• He is alive and waiting on His children to come home!

• And in Life Itself – John 14:16-18

I don’t know about you folks, but those things give me true peace of heart!

It is not only a message of Peace, but it is also a message of:

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II. v. 6b POWER "He is Risen!"

Jesus wasn’t the first man to get up from the dead

• Lazarus – John 11; The Widow of Nain’s son – Luke 7

• Jairus’ daughter – Mark 5

• but He was the first to ever get up to die no more!

• All the others were just resuscitations

• Jesus accomplished a true resurrection.

Because He/able to conquer death, all those who receive Him as their personal Savior become partakers/same resurrection power

• At the very moment of salvation

• His resurrection is imputed to us

• We become alive in Him, Rom. 6:8; 2 Tim. 2:11.

• This "abundant life" which Jesus spoke of, John 10:10

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All this great resurrection power will be ultimately realized when Jesus returns and raises the dead in Christ.

Imagine…..all those departed saints resurrected from the dead

• Glorified to live forever with Jesus!

• 1 Thes. 4:13-18

• What a day that will be!

If God’s people will take the time to look around them

• See what/Lord has done in saving/lost

• Changing/lives/the redeemed

• It becomes plain/resurrection power/Lord Jesus is active all around us today.

Every redeemed sinner/testimony/life-changing/life-giving power of the risen Christ.

After all, a dead man doesn’t have the power to change anyone!

But a living Lord can work miracles in any wrecked and ruined life, 1 Cor. 5:17.