Risen Lord

Risen Lord (Matt. 28:1-10, Eph. 2:4-9) The tomb had been carefully sealed and guarded by the enemies of Jesus (Matt. 27:62-66) The guards saw what occurred and were terrified by it. What do you think was going through their minds? Yet, despite knowing the truth, they later chose to deny it by their words and actions. (Matt 28:11-15) How could they? How can we? How can I? He is risen, as He said (Matt. 28:6) Jesus predicted his resurrection (Matt. 12:40, 16:21, 17:9 & 23, 20:19, 26:32, 27:63, Mark 8:31) All 4 Gospels affirm the fact of Jesus resurrection. He appeared to over 500 people (1 Cor. 15:3-6) According to the book of Acts, the resurrection was the dominant theme of the preaching of Peter, Stephen and Paul. (Acts 4:33) The resurrection of Jesus is the foundation of Christianity, as Paul writes in 1 Cor.15:14, "If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.” Why did the women go to the tomb? The women went to the tomb with burial spices (Mark 16:1) Why did the angel move the stone? As Max Lucado wrote, "The stone was moved - not for Jesus - but for the women. Not so Jesus could come out, but so the women could see in." Angel appearance, announcements, commands Fear Not (Matt. 28:5, Gen. 26:24, 46:3, Deut. 1:21, 20:3, 31:6-8, Joshua 1:9, 8:1, 10:25, 11:6, 2 Kings 1:15, 2 Chron. 20:15, 2 Chron 32:7, Judges 6:23, Isa. 35:4, 41:13-14, Jer. 1:8, 42:11, Ezek. 2:6, Ps. 23:1-6, 27:1-3, Matt. 14:27, Matt. 17:7, Luke 12:4, John 6:20, Acts 18:9, 27:24, 1 Pe. 3:14)

New Testament word for “fear”, phobas, Gk. which means to panic and take flight. To fear not therefore means to stand fast and not “cut and run”. God is in ultimate control (Matt. 10:24-30) Greater is He who is in you, than he who is in the world (1 John 4:4, John 16:33, 2 Tim. 1:7, James 4:7, Rom. 8:31) How does fear affect us, our decisions and our actions? Fear imprisons, faith liberates; fear paralyzes, faith empowers; fear disheartens, faith encourages; fear sickens, faith heals; fear makes useless, faith makes serviceable-and, most of all, fear puts hopelessness at the heart of life, while faith rejoices in its God. Fear or anxiety chokes out the word of God (Matt. 13:22) Tell the disciples. (Matt. 28:7 & 10, Mark 16:7) Why specifically the disciples? To comfort, reassure, encourage them. Rejoice. (Matt. 28:9, Rom. 5:1-2) Why should we rejoice in Christ’s resurrection? “When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." "Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?"The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1 Cor. 15:5457) When He died so did our sin – When He rose so did our hope. The resurrection was done by the power of God (Eph. 1:20-23), as an act of love and mercy, on our behalf. (Eph. 2:4-9) We are saved by grace, through faith (Eph. 2:8), not by our works (Eph. 2:9) We will also be “called out” of the grave (John 5:28-29) Rejoice in the Lord Always (Phil. 4:4, 1 Thes. 5:16)

Even in hard times "Although the fig tree shall not blossom, neither shall fruit be in the vines; the labor of the olive shall fail, and the fields shall yield no food; the flock shall be cut off from the fold, and there shall be no herd in the stalls; yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will joy in the God of my salvation." (Hab. 3:1718) There is a story about a particular family who was watching the Easter story on television. Although the entire family had seen the movie before one little girl was particularly moved by the movie. As Jesus was tortured and crucified tears came streaming down her cheek. She remained completely silent, with the exception of a few sobs, until they put Jesus body into the tomb. At that point she suddenly smiled and then she shouted, "Now comes the good part!" Michelangelo once said to a group of artists, "Why do you keep filling galleries with endless pictures on the theme of Christ in weakness, Christ on the cross, and most of all, Christ hanging dead? Why do you concentrate on this passing episode as if it were His last work? That dreadful scene lasted only a few hours, but to the unending eternity Christ is alive; He rules and reigns and triumphs!" There is a story told of a young mother who escaped on the last train out of Poland during World War II. She had here first born toddler and her nursing baby with her. The train came under severe attack many times as it tried to escape. A trip which would have usually taken a few hours ended up taking a few days. The food ran out and so did all forms of liquid. When they finally arrived at their destination the infant was starving, and ill. A group of nuns took the baby to the hospital to nurture it back to health. The mother was relieved at the apparent reprieve. But her blessing was short lived. That night the hospital was attacked and bombed by the third Reich. She woke up the next day to the devastating news that the hospital had been leveled and her baby was missing. She went to the hospital and the searchers gave her a flashlight to look for the infant’s body. What a tragic scene this portrays. Death was everywhere! Piles of rock and debris are everywhere-- under that rock is her infant son -- in her eyes there is no hope -- the word is he’s dead! He is buried in his tomb of rocks and debris. The questions are racing through her mind, why? Why God? What did my little boy or I do to deserve this? She starts going through the “what ifs” of life. What if I would have not let him go to the hospital? What if? What if? What if? This mother desperately roots through the rubble moving away all the rocks looking for her dead lifeless son’s body. Remember there are others all around crying with her all because death and destruction has taken their children’s and loved ones lives. She has watched as others have pulled there lifeless loved ones from the rubble. She thinks there is no hope only death and despair. Then she hears a cry -- could it be? She runs over to where the cry comes from. She rolls back the stone and there in an air pocket under all the rubble is her son. He’s alive, He’s alive she yells! Pulling him out from his tomb she picks him up holds him high up in the air then hugs him tightly. She is feeling an incredible surge of relief, mingled with joy. All the questions she once had need not be answered now, all the what ifs don’t matter any more. Her baby is alive!