First Baptist Church
Fairbanks, Alaska
805 Sixth Avenue
(907) 456-4923
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Fairbanks, Alaska 805 Sixth Avenue (907) 456-4923 |
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Easter Sunday 2008 “He is Risen!!”Luke 24 Mark Howdeshell (March 23, 2008) Luke 24:6 “He is not here; He is RISEN!” Introduction The morning dawned full of grief and gloom. Jesus had been wrongly accused, betrayed, brutally punished, crucified, and hastily buried in a tomb. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to the tomb to properly prepare and anoint Jesus’ body. Can you imagine the sadness? Thus began the start of that first Easter morning. During my last sermon, I discussed what happened on the night before He was betrayed. Like anyone that knows they’re about to die, Jesus taught some very valuable lessons on that eventful night. In order to fully appreciate the nature of the Easter celebration, the celebration of Christ’s resurrection, we must fully grasp what happened in the course of His death. During this morning’s message, I want to start by discussing the event that led to the EVENT. Heart of the Matter He is Risen………for you and for me!!! The Meat of the Message
i. Mark 14:50 Then everyone deserted him and fled. ii. Matthew 26:56 Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.
i. “Are you the Christ, the Son of God?” 1. Yes and you’ll next see me at the right hand of the Father. ii. “Are you the King of the Jews?” 1. “Yes, it is as you say.” iii. His mission on earth to Pilate.
John 18:35-37 35 "Am I a Jew?" Pilate replied. "It was your people and your chief priests who handed you over to me. What is it you have done?" 36 Jesus said, "My kingdom is not of this world . If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jews. But now my kingdom is from another place." 37 "You are a king, then!" said Pilate. Jesus answered, "You are right in saying I am a king. In fact, for this reason I was born, and for this I came into the world, to testify to the truth. Everyone on the side of truth listens to me."
i. His answers to each of us remains the same ii. We, like Pilate, have to search our own hearts to the validity of Jesus’ claims…….and how we’ll respond to them iii. Responses…….. 1. Pilate--I find no basis to charge this man…but I’ll let you kill Him anyway (afraid of the crowd) 2. Us—“I cannot find anything to refute His claims, but I don’t believe Him anyway.” (afraid of what the crowd will think) 3. OR—“I believe, and I don’t care what the crowd thinks.” iv. What is your verdict in your personal trial of Jesus? (it’s the most important verdict of your life!)
i. Blindfolded, struck with fists, spit on, and mocked and told to prophesy who hit Him (what would they have done if He told them?) ii. Flogged Him iii. Taken to the Praetorium where a whole company of soldiers watched as He was stripped, a scarlet robe put on Him, twisted a crown of thorns on His head, mocked Him, spit on Him, struck Him repeatedly on the head with a staff, flogged Him, humiliated Him, and made Him carry the cross to the hill
i. One of the most brutal forms of punishment ii. Almost everyone passes out from the sheer pain and loss of blood
i. Offered wine mixed with gall ii. Acts as a pain killer iii. He refused
i. As the weight of your body sags against the outstretched arms, the rib cage collapses against the lungs making it hard to breathe ii. Take weight off of your hands by “standing” on the nails through your feet iii. As you get weaker, you can no longer do this and most die from not being able to breathe 1. That’s why they came and broke the legs of the other 2 men crucified with Jesus 2. He was already dead so they did not break His legs but pierced His side and prophecy was fulfilled iv. Slow and very painful—(sometimes took days)
John 20 1Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. 2So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!" 3So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 4Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. 6Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. 8Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. 9(They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.)i. This morning started off with more anguish and grief as Mary found the tomb empty. ii. Peter and the other disciple saw the empty tomb and the grave cloths iii. Why does the scripture make specific mention as to the burial cloth that had been around Jesus’ head? 1. In order to understand the significance of the folded napkin, you have to understand a little bit about Hebrew tradition of that day. 2. The folded napkin had to do with the Master and Servant, and every Jewish boy knew this tradition. When the servant set the dinner table for the master, he made sure that it was exactly the way the master wanted it. The table was furnished perfectly, and then the servant would Wait, just out of sight, until the master had finished eating, and the servant would not dare touch that table, until the master was finished. 3. Now if the master had finished eating, he would rise from the table, wipe his fingers, his mouth, and clean his beard, and would wad up that napkin and toss it onto the table. The servant would then know to clear the table. For in those days, the wadded napkin meant, "I'm done". But if the master got up from the table, and folded his napkin, and laid it beside his plate, the servant would not dare touch the table, because the servant knew that the folded napkin meant, "I'm not finished yet." The folded napkin meant, "I'm coming back!"
John 20 10Then the disciples went back to their homes, 11but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. 13They asked her, "Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away," she said, "and I don't know where they have put him." 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. 15"Woman," he said, "why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?" Thinking he was the gardener, she said, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him." 16 Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher). 17Jesus said, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, 'I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.' " 18Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: "I have seen the Lord!" And she told them that he had said these things to her.
i. Mary so grief stricken that she couldn’t rationally realize what was taking place 1. 2 angels in the tomb that asked why she was crying a. She had been told that He had to rise again on the 3rd day b. Couldn’t remember in her grief 2. Saw the “Gardener” a. Again asked why she was crying b. Said that she would go get the body if the “Gardener” knew where it was i. No way she could have physically carried the body ii. Personal devotion and love moved her to make the statement 3. Jesus called her name, “Mary” a. At the mention of her name, Mary recognized Jesus b. Jesus calls us by name c. In her exuberance and sudden release of grief and agony, she grabbed hold of Jesus and wouldn’t let go! d. Is your love that deep for Jesus? 4. She went and told the disciples the news a. Have you told anyone? b. Are you as exuberant as Mary about Jesus’ resurrection? c. Is this just any other day or is it one that is special beyond comparison?
The Bottom Line Through the betrayal, the punishment, the shed blood, the crucifixion, and the death, Jesus was suffering for us. He endured every form of humiliation and punishment to show the Father His love for us. Death was Satan’s attempt at victory over God. Jesus was willing to die for you and for me. BUT ALAS, HE IS RISEN! His resurrection was God’s act of defeating death…of defeating Satan. Through His resurrection, we have the atonement of our sins so that we too can be resurrected into a new life with Him. The bad had to come before the good. The pain before the glory. The death before the resurrection. We celebrate life eternal today…..a life guaranteed and paid for by the blood of Christ and secured by the resurrection for tomorrow. Hallelujah…..HE IS RISEN! INVITATION The invitation this morning is simple. To accept the free gift of Jesus, you have to ask Him for it. He wants to pay for your sins and the Word says that ALL have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Ask Him for your salvation and you will be saved. Don’t ask and you’re condemned to Hell. You will live eternally………either in torment where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth or in paradise with Jesus. It is your choice. Come to the front of the sanctuary this morning if you have not accepted Jesus and settle it once and for all.
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