What If There Had Been No Easter

What if there had been no Easter?

Introduction- (Some text taken from fellow coleagues of Sermoncentral)

Matthew 28:1-10 Text

The account of the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ

Prayer

We know the account of Jesus being on this earth.

Being sent from God the Father to die for the sins of mankind.

Jesus Christ carried the sin of the world on His shoulders when He hung on the cross.

That Jesus physically died on the cross, no swoon theory.

One of His last words, recorded in John chapter 19 is “It is finished” “And then He gave up His Spirit”

Then in our text,

This same Jesus who died on the cross, was buried in a tomb, (protected by Roman guards) is now resurrected and has risen from the grave- just as he said he would.

What are you…….. going to do with this information this morning?

Some believe it in their hearts and they rejoice on their personal savior being raised from the dead.

Some have heard it several times and will do nothing with the information and will treat it only as an event or story.

Some this morning, it may hit home for the first time and this Jesus will change your lives. He will become personal to you.

Just like Jesus resurrected, there will be newness of life for some this morning.

You………. have to do something with Jesus this morning!

Most Bibles being read this morning will not even have the word Easter in them.

I use a New International Version and Easter is only referenced in Acts 12:4.

“After arresting him, he put him in prison, handing him over to be guarded by four squads of four soldiers each. Herod intended to bring him out for public trial after the Passover.”

King James version-

“and when he had apprehended him,(Jesus) he put him in prison, and delivered him to four quatrains’ of soldiers to keep him, intending after Easter to bring him forth to the people.”

Easter by definition is “a feast celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ”

Easter Bunny is loved by the children for getting candy, but it is not Easter

Getting a new suit or new dress is nice, but it is not Easter

Getting together with family which is wonderful, but that is not Easter.

Easter is celebrating the resurrection of Christ!

I want to share with you for a minute about what if there were no Easter.

How would that play out in our lives?

I am an application kind of guy, information is good, but I want to know how it affects me, and then apply it if need be.

Illustration-(Sermoncentral)

Have you ever heard of Harry Houdini? Many have. He died in October 1926. His claim to fame was that he was a master magician, who made spectacular escapes. He was said to have laughed at locks. Said to have the flexibility of an eel. He had the lives of a cat. They did all kinds o things to incarcerate him. Sealed him in a coffin- he escaped. Locked him in a milk can- he escaped. Sewed him in a canvas bag, sealed him in a beer barrel, straight jacket upside down in water- he escaped. They even put him in a maximum security prison and he got out! But October 1926 Death got Harry Houdini, and put him in the grave. He told his wife before he died, “if there is anyway out, I will find it” If I get out, I will contact you on the anniversary of my death. For ten years she kept a light burning over his picture. Then one day she turned the light out. She admitted that death had Harry and he couldn’t escape.

Death laid hands on Jesus Christ. That is a fact!

They put a stone in front of the grave to seal the tomb. He rose from the dead.

He left the grave clothes and he walked out of that grave.

I don’t know how he did it, but I know that he did it. (It is supernatural-emphasis on super!)

The stone was not moved for Jesus to get out, it was so the disciples could see that Jesus had come back!

Jesus Christ is alive!

He is not behind us in the grave. He is before us on His throne! (repeat)

Suppose- humor me, that did not happen, suppose death had Jesus just like it got Houdini. Suppose, Jesus had tried to get out but couldn’t.

What would that look like for us today?

Apostle Paul talks about that. 1 Corinthians 15:12-19

“And if Christ be not risen, than our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.”

Let’s look at that:

I. Preaching would be vain

Vain means empty, futile, no purpose, a waste of time.