You Can't Keep A God-Man Down

(based on a message by Aaron Burgess)

SPECIAL DAY: EASTER

TEXT: LUKE 24:1-8

TITLE: “YOU CAN’T KEEP A GOD-MAN DOWN”

INTRODUCTION: A. Rudyard Kipling, The Jungle Book: Mowgli, the man cub, asks the animals what’s

the most feared thing in the jungle. He’s told that when two animals meet on a narrow

path that one must step aside and let the other pass. The animal that steps aside for no

one would then be the most feared.

Mowgli wants to know what kind of animal would that be? One tells him it’s an

elephant. Another tells him it’s a lion. Finally the wise old owl exclaims, “The most

feared thing in the jungle is death. It steps aside for no one.”

1. We find that statement to be so true

a. It doesn’t matter how physically strong, financially rich, fantastically popular or

overwhelmingly powerful

b. Death is an absolute truth for all of us

2. No one is exempt from death

a. Heb. 9:27 – It is appointed to all men once to die and after that the judgment.

b. Ecc. 7:2 – …for death is the destiny of every man.

B. But death was not the destiny of Jesus Christ

1. Since He was God in the flesh, death had to step aside for him

2. Lk. 24:1-8 – On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women

took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. They found the stone

rolled away from the tomb, but when they entered, they did not find the body of the

Lord Jesus. While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes

that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. In their fright the women bowed

down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look

for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he

told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: ‘The Son of Man must be

delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised

again.’ ” Then they remembered his words.

3. Like a coward steps aside for the brave, death cowered in the presence of the power

of Jesus Christ.

a. Rom. 6:9 – For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot

die again; death no longer has mastery over him.

b. Today we celebrate Easter

--A celebration that death could not keep a God-man down!

I. AN EXPLANATION OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE RESURRECTION

A. What is it that separates Jesus from all the other religious leaders of the world?

--It’s that death stepped aside for Him and not them.

1. Death did not step aside for Muhammad or Buddha or Confucius

a. Their religious teachings made an impact on the world but they died never to be seen alive again.

b. But Jesus was more than a great teacher, more than a man, He was God and He proved His

superiority over all religious teacher by conquering the grave.

c. Stan Jantz: “To this day, hundreds of millions of people put their faith in Muhammad, Buddha or

Confucius, but they all died centuries ago. Not one of them rose from the dead – none even claimed

that they would come back from the dead. Of all the great spiritual leaders who walked the earth,

Jesus is the only one who died and then rose again from the dead.”

2. Jesus’ resurrection is the most important and crucial part of our faith.

a. If the resurrection did not happen, then the claims of the New Testament are nothing more than a lie

b. Arthur Ramsey put it bluntly: “No resurrection, no Christianity.”

c. Without the reality of the resurrection, our Bible is just a collection of good sayings and good

advice

--Even the worst counselors give good advice every now and again

3. The resurrection is important to our faith because it’s what guarantees the absolute validity about who

Jesus was and the truth of His teachings

--If there was no resurrection of Christ, then our faith is based on the teachings of a mere man.

B. Consider with me the inherent difficulties if the resurrection of Jesus is just a story

1. If there’s no resurrection then there’s no life after death

a. If Jesus stayed in the grave, then so will we.

b. If His work on earth ended at the cross, He can’t give eternal life to anyone because you cannot give

away what you do not possess yourself.

2. If there was no resurrection then there’s no meaning in life

a. This world is a pretty meaningless place without the hope of eternity

b. 1 Cor. 15:19 – If we have hope in Christ only for this life, we are the most miserable people in the