What If?

What If…

(an ancient solution)

Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb 3 and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?” 4 But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. 5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.

6 “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’” 8 Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb… Mark 16:2-8

THEY – were looking for Jesus who was crucified. Jesus who was:

• arrested

• bound

• beaten

• bruised

• battered

• mocked

• insulted

They were looking for Jesus who was…

• Stripped naked

• Nailed to a blood stained cross

• Crucified

• Suspended for 6 hours

• Who bowed his head at 3 pm and returned to the Father (It is finished, Father into your hands I commit my spirit)

They were looking for Jesus was who crucified…

NOW – the crucifixion that was Friday…

BUT LISTEN – from the moment the Roman soldier pounded the first nail into the flesh of God Sunday was coming.

AND - on Sunday morning Jesus with GREAT POWER burst forth from grave…

The tomb is empty. Jesus is Alive! The enemy has been defeated, death couldn’t hold Him down!

“Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here…”

NOW UNDERSTAND – Jesus said that this (that what happened on that first Easter weekend – the betrayal/the arrest/the denials/the crucifixion/His death/ and His resurrection) were going to happen.

WHEN – Jesus came into Jerusalem to begin his ministry (after over turning tables – and driving the money changers out of the Temple) He said, “Destroy this Temple, and I will raise it up in three days…” (John 2:19).

HE SAID – (in Matthew 12:40, to some religious leaders who were challenging him after He had cast out a demon) as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of a huge fish, so the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

AND JESUS – said to His guys as He prepared to go to Jerusalem for the last time in (Matthew 16:21), after He got that identity thing squared away, “You are The Christ, The Son of the Living God), Jesus said that - he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, chief priests and teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.

UNDERSTAND – from the beginning to the end of His ministry Jesus said that He would – suffer, die and rise again … AND HE ALSO SAID – that His resurrection would be irrefutable proof that he was exactly who he said he was… God in the flesh. The bread of life. The light of the world. The Great I Am. The Savior King.

CHECK OUT – these words from the pen of Paul… He was declared to be God's Son with great power by rising from the dead. Romans 1:4

(Tim/Laurie) HIS RESURRECTION - is meant to remove any doubts whatsoever as to who Jesus is.

MAPLE GROVE…

THE JESUS - that we Love, Follow, Serve, Sing to and worship…

THE JESUS – we gathered in this place to honor this morning - is not just a prophet, a great teacher or a really nice guy – No, Jesus is God!

• HE IS - the Alpha and the Omega… the beginning and the end.

• He is Creator of all that we see

• JESUS - is before all things, over all things and He holds all things together… AND LISTEN - Jesus if holds all things together… that means HE can hold our lives together…

Jesus is huge… holy… mighty… is God

AND – because He is God this means…. that JESUS

• Has all the answers

• Can deliver what he promised

• Bring peace to any conflict

• Conquer any problem

• Calm any storm

• Defeat any enemy

• What He said is true

• What He said He would do… He will do, or HE has already done.

Jesus is God!