Today is Easter!
There are all sorts of things in this life of which we are skeptical - and many of them justifiably so. Pretty much anything you read on the internet should be thoroughly researched before you believe it. Any video you watch online should cause you to question - is this real or is it AI? Any late night infomercial selling the latest gadget that promises to perform miracles and change your life - you should be skeptical. Any time a politician opens his mouth - you should be skeptical.
But there is one thing of which I am absolutely certain – and that one thing makes all the difference. Jesus is not dead! Jesus is alive! That's the Easter story – the story of Resurrection Sunday. That's what it's all about today – the fact that Jesus died on a cross, for your sins and mine, and then rose again on the third day.
The Church - God's Church - was born in the very city where Jesus was publicly killed and buried. The belief in a resurrected Jesus had to be genuine to take root in Jerusalem and grow to reach the whole world! That would have been impossible if the resurrection was just a made up story.
As many of you are perhaps going over last minute details in your head about big lunch plans with family or friends – I want to remind us again of why we're here. I want us to 'zoom out' a bit and look at…
I. The larger picture
We've talked about the events from Jesus' Triumphal entry into the city of Jerusalem last Sunday, to the crucifixion on Good Friday all pointing to the Resurrection this morning. - Basically the events of one week in scripture that represent the Easter story. But I want to expand the story a bit this morning. We know that this story is so much bigger, but I think we forget just how much bigger as we get drawn into the individual events of that one week.
We know that the resurrection of Jesus was the culmination of a plan thousands of years in the making. The events that we focus on and celebrate were also being celebrated in Heaven, outside of our ability to even comprehend. Think about it – the angels were with Jesus before He came as a baby, they watched as He stepped down from Heaven and became a man. They watched Him as a baby, as a toddler – they watched as He grew and began His ministry. They saw Him heal the sick and give sight to the blind. They witnessed Jesus bring Lazarus back from the grave!
Those same angels watched as Jesus was whipped and beaten. They saw Jesus crucified… But can you imagine the anticipation, the excitement of the angels on that third day! Picture the celebration and the shouts of victory in Heaven when the angels got to say those words to the women at the empty tomb, "He is not here! He is risen!"
You see – in the larger picture, the early disciples didn't see the events of the crucifixion and the resurrection coming. But those events weren't a secret in Heaven. For the larger picture, let's jump back to…
A. Before Jesus' birth
The details of that event may have been a surprise to mankind, but the angels were well informed about Jesus' birth. They prepared for it. They were the messengers of the Good News. They understood the passage from Isaiah 9:6-7. Now I know this is more of a text that we read at Christmas, but let's look at that passage…
Isaiah 9:6-7 (NIV)
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given, and the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (7) Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness from that time on and forever. The zeal of the LORD Almighty will accomplish this.
The angels understood the full implications of this passage written 700 some years before Jesus' birth. In fact, think about it, they would have been with Jesus in Heaven when Isaiah wrote this down. Perhaps they discussed this exact passage with Jesus in preparation for their announcements of His coming.
The Easter story started way before the empty tomb. God's plan, ever since Adam and Eve's choice of disobedience back in the Garden, was to come down and give His life for His children. Those in Heaven understood the events of Jesus' coming as they unfolded and why He came. And they even understood the promise of the resurrection…
B. Before Jesus' death
Even before Jesus went to the cross - the angels knew that Jesus would defeat death. Again, they were present when King David, the same one who killed the giant Goliath, wrote down many of the Psalms. Dozens of generations before Jesus' birth, David wrote this down, about 250-300 years even before that passage from Isaiah…
Psalms 16:9-10 (NIV)
Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices; my body also will rest secure, (10) because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your Holy One see decay.
Did David know that one of his descendants would fulfill this prophecy when it was made? Did he understand the details of the cross and the resurrection? - Probably not. But again, those in Heaven, from their perspective - they understood completely what it meant – 'the Holy One would not see decay'. It meant Jesus wouldn't stay dead!
All of Heaven mourned when Jesus hung on the cross. All of Heaven wept as they saw Him placed in the tomb. But all of Heaven waited - until that third day.
When Jesus conquered death and rose again – all of the sadness of Heaven turned to uncontrollable joy! They witnessed all of the events of Jesus' life. They saw the plan unfold. They saw the events work out exactly as The Father had planned. They believed beyond a shadow of a doubt the reality of Jesus' death, His burial and His resurrection!
Those in Heaven believe, but the big question really is…
II. Do you believe?
Of course you're here – so, you believe. But what I'm talking about is a real, tangible belief – a confidence in Jesus that absolutely changes everything about you; how you think and act and talk. - A belief that allows you to see beyond just this life. - A belief that affects everything else in your life. – A belief that gives you strength and assurance to live a life of peace and joy and hope despite circumstances, despite what the world may think and say. – It's a belief that allows you freedom from the garbage of this world that drags everyone else down.
When I talk about belief in that way – do you believe? Are you so confident in the resurrection of Jesus that you don't fear death anymore? Are you so confident in the resurrection of Jesus and His power to save you that no longer chase after the same things the rest of the world does? Are you so confident in the resurrection of Jesus that you aren't afraid to share the Good News of the Gospel with anyone? Do you believe?
I touched on this last week - but let's get specific. - All but four of the major world religions are based on mere philosophical propositions, 'ideas of men' of how to get to Heaven. Of the four that are based on people rather than philosophies, only Christianity claims an empty tomb for its 'founder'. Around 1900 B.C. Judaism's Father Abraham died as recorded in scripture. In 483 B.C. Buddhist writings say Buddha died "with that utter passing away in which nothing whatever remains behind." On June 6th, 632 A.D. Mohammed died. In 33 A.D. Jesus died, but came back to life and appeared to more than 500 people over a period of 40 days!
I do not preach the superiority of 'Christians', but the superiority of Christ! Christians are just fallible people trying their best to follow Jesus. Jesus is who He said He is – Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah, The Son of the living God!
The Apostle Paul wrote the following in Philippians 3:10-12 (NIV)...
I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, (11) and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. (12) Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
That's the kind of belief and confidence that drives the life of a believer. Do you believe?
But let's face it – we all have doubts along the way. We didn't see the events of the cross and the resurrection firsthand. We have to rely on the eyewitness testimony that Jesus died and rose again. And even those who are regular 'church going folk' will have questions. And you'll have others who will question the truth of scripture. Do you believe…
A. That God is big enough?
Could God really have done all of the miraculous things recorded in the Bible? Science appears to tell us that those things simply couldn't have been true. And as reasonable, intelligent people - we're tempted to believe it.
"There was a satirical letter published in Christianity Today's question and answer forum back in the 60's. A lady wrote in and asked, "Dear Charles, Our preacher suggested that Jesus just swooned on the cross and that the disciples nursed Him back to health. -That that explanation makes more sense. What do you think? Sincerely, Bewildered."
To which the moderator responded – "Dear Bewildered, I'd suggest this - Beat your preacher with a cat-of-nine-tails with 39 strokes, nail him to a cross; hang him in the sun for six hours; run a spear through his side, wrap him in tight burial clothes and then put him in an airless tomb for 36 hours and let's see what happens. Sincerely, Charles."
Of course the resurrection doesn't make sense. Dead people don't come back to life. But do you believe that God is big enough to do the impossible? And if you don't – your understanding of God is way too small.
We're told by many that if we believe what the Bible says about a literal six day creation, if we believe that God spoke everything into existence – that's impossible and we're idiots for believing it. We're told that there is absolutely no way that Jonah could have survived for three days in the belly of a fish. 'It's just a kid's story to make a point'. We're told that no thinking person could possibly believe the Biblical account of Noah's 'world wide flood'. Again, 'it's a silly story told to children'. We're told 'you can't turn water into wine, you can't feed five thousand people with five loaves of bread and two fish, and you can't walk on water and there's certainly no such thing as a virgin birth'.
Some say, 'Anyone who believes any of those things is obviously a religious nut and shouldn't be taken seriously. We've grown in our knowledge and don't believe in myths and fairy tales anymore.'
Why would people think like that? Because they don't really believe that God is 'big enough' to do any of those things. And some would ask, 'But does it really matter what you believe about all those stories?'
- What you believe about the truth of scripture does matter. Because, if God is not 'big enough' to do any of those miracles - He's not 'big enough' to have raised Jesus from the dead. - If you pick and choose what parts of scripture you think are believable or not – why would you believe in the resurrection?
Do you believe in…
B. The real Jesus?
You see – if you read scripture, Jesus believed in all of those impossible things. I find it interesting – we see in John chapter 5, Jesus said, "If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me. But since you do not believe what he wrote, how are you going to believe what I say?" If you want to accept Jesus, the real Jesus – not just a 'made up' image of an 'easier to accept' version of Jesus – you have to take Him for who He is.
The events of Easter can't just be reduced to stories, or traditions or even a creed. It's not that I'm asking you to believe in a doctrine that will save you; as if what I teach here at Deep River alone will save you – that 'if you just think like I do' that you'll be saved. That's not it!
The events of Easter call us to reach out in faith to a real person who came back from the grave! We're not even asked to simply believe in the doctrine of the resurrection. We're called to believe in the resurrected Christ! Without faith – the events of Easter are ridiculous, preposterous – impossible! It's only by faith that we move from religious beliefs in a doctrine to a personal relationship with a risen Jesus.
Jesus' own words to Martha, the sister of Lazarus – we read this passage just last week…
John 11:25-26 (NIV)
Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; (26) and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?"
The only thing that really matters – do you believe Jesus?
So What?
The cross was not the end of the story. The grave could not hold Him. Death could not defeat Him. Jesus didn't just survive the cross - He conquered it! Jesus didn't just escape death - He defeated it, once and for all! And that means something for you.
It means that whatever you're struggling with is not beyond His power to fix. It means no one's sin is too big; no one's past is too broken, no one is beyond redemption through the blood of Jesus! No one! It means that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is still at work - still bringing life out of what looks like death. Easter is not just a story we remember - it's something we respond to!
The question isn't, "Did Jesus rise?" The empty tomb, the eye witness testimonies prove that He did. The question is, "What will you do in response to the risen Christ?" Will you treat this as just a story… or will you receive it as your salvation? Will you let Him change you into who He wants you to be for His purpose? Don't walk away unchanged. Because Jesus is risen – and that changes everything!
So fully surrender to Jesus and then tell someone else about Him!