Up From The Grave He Arose

Up from the grave He arose

Matthew 28:1-10

Introduction-

Matthew 28:1-10- (Have them stand for the reading of the Word)

We have all watched on TV the devastation of tornadoes in Texas. You see tractor trailers flying through the air like toys. You see it on TV, but have a hard time grasping the devastation because you are not there.

While I lived in Corpus Christie Texas, a few times I had to board windows and pick up anything loose sitting in my yard because a storm was coming in from the Gulf of Mexico.

How can it be beautiful 0ne day and next being warned that for our safety we were to head up the coast to San Antonio, Texas? Now, I never doubted people when they told me of such winds, but until I saw it, it had no credibility.

Seeing is believing right?

How many times have we heard that?

Science and technology today wants to prove everything. Show me validation!

We come to another Easter celebration and we read and consider the story of what happen with Jesus on that resurrection day.

We are told to believe the most amazing story and event ever!

Jesus was tortured, crucified, left for dead on the cross, then buried in a borrowed tomb and resurrected from the dead.

What would it take to believe that happened if you are an unbeliever this morning?

What did it take for you to believe that as a believer this morning?

If you are skeptical this morning, if you saw the resurrection with your own eyes, would that do it for you?

Would that take away any doubt?

John has something to say about that in Johns account in john chapter 20.

John’s gospel account is about seeing and believing. What does it mean to believe?

Throughout the gospel, many people saw who Jesus was. They witnessed Him doing amazing things!

Blind healed

Lame people were walking

They saw a man raised from the dead

Not to mention all the great teachings.

It would seem logical to think that all these hands-on people that were with Jesus all believed. They did not.

John makes it clear that many people seeing Jesus do these things had faith in Him as the Son of God, but he also makes it equally clear that some heard the same things and did not believe.

Don’t believe me!

Many disciples and women ran to that tomb Easter resurrection morning. They saw the empty tomb. But they had different conclusions!

Someone has stolen His body

They have moved him.

He has risen like He said

Perhaps it is possible to see yet not really see, seeing is not necessarily believing.

Different responses to seeing the same thing.

A little while later John is hiding behind closed doors with the disciples scared and none of them understand what was going on.

They all witnessed the empty tomb, but it did not change their lives.

They believed the tomb was empty, they saw it, but they did not understand the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

There is a big difference between believing something happened once upon a time and believing that Jesus is alive now and present with us everyday of our lives.

Truth is the presence of Jesus will make all the difference. They saw the empty tomb, but it was not enough until they understood what the resurrection meant.

Seeing with our eyes is not what the Christian faith is all about.

It is about seeing it with our heart.

The story of Jesus life, death, burial, resurrection is good, but it does not make a difference in your life

The belief that Jesus Christ is alive, God raised Him from the dead, and the fact that Jesus Christ dwells within me every moment of every day of my life gives me hope and power that His resurrection has changed my life forever!

So the bottom line is Do you Believe?

It is more than seeing or having it proved to you.

It is moving the story of Easter, account of Jesus life from your head to your heart.

It is about Jesus taking up residency in your heart to bring forgiveness, peace, and most assuredly hope.

Faith is the substance of things not seen- as we believe, we see the risen savior for who He is.

Faith pushes out doubt and unanswered questions.

They are wrapped up in faith until God reveals that truth to us. AND WE ARE OKAY WITH THAT!

We don’t need “other signs” we hold unto the truths we are given.

Doubters think the bible is nothing but a book of empty promises because they never read it. I will agree with them that Jesus made some empty promises.

1. He promised that the tomb would be empty- AND IT WAS!