You Have A Risen Lord

You Have a Risen Lord! (Luke 24:5b-8, 36-48) God gives us the ability to understand the scriptures (Luke 24:45; Matt. 16:17) He is risen, as He said (Matt. 28:6) egeiro {eg-i'-ro}Gk. Aroused, awaked, raised up Mohammed died, Buddha died and Confucius died. Their followers never claimed that any of these rose from the dead. A former Muslim in Africa who became a Christian was asked by some of his friends why he had converted. He answered: Well, it is like this: suppose you were going down a road and suddenly the road forked in two directions. And you didn’t know which way to go. If you met two men at the fork – one dead and one alive – which one would you ask to show you the way?” 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 His resurrection. He appeared to over 500 people (1 Cor. 15:3-6) Jesus was not the first to be raised from the dead, but He was the first to be raised to eternal life (Rev. 1:18) 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.” The resurrection of the dead is a main theme of the New Testament, which mentions it some 42 times. Rejoice. (Matt. 28:9, Rom. 5:1-2) chairo {khah'-ee-ro}Gk. Be exceedingly glad. Why should we rejoice in Christ’s resurrection?

Because the living Lord Jesus has been given exousia {ex-oo-see'ah}(Luke 5:24; Matt. 28:18-20, John 10:18; 17:2) (overwhelming power, privilege, command, authority, liberty (Luke 15:5)), by God (Rom 13:1) to accomplish God’s perfect will for us and for all. “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. 15:54-57) When He died so did our sin – When He rose so did our hope. Like the song says, Our Redeemer lives! As Jesus Himself said, because He lives, we shall also live (John

14:19)

The news of His resurrection gives believers a reason to turn from despair and grief to hope and joy (John 16:20) 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!" During the “Battle of Waterloo” there was a man who was set at a post in England’s Winchester Cathedral anxiously awaiting the signal as to whether or not his country had won the war. As the lighted signal began to shine, fog began rolling through. The watchman read the signal which said, “England defeated”. He signaled the news to the other watchmen and it spread along the countryside and all were devastated by the tragedy. Then the fog lifted. And the watchman discovered the true signal said, “England defeated the enemy” Joy and happiness overflowed because England had won! On Good Friday it seemed the message was "Christ defeated". But three days later we discover that the message had not been receive in full. The resurrection reverses what we initially thought and declares "Christ defeated the enemy” 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!"

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! “Philip’s Empty Egg” A young boy named Philip with Down’s syndrome attended a Sunday school class. While the other kids didn’t mock his problem, they also did not include him either. One week before Easter, the teacher gave all of the children plastic eggs and instructed them to go home and fill the eggs with something that represented Easter. The next week all of the children gave their eggs and the teacher opened them one by one and they discussed how each thing represented Easter. One had a flower petal, another had a leaf and so on all representing spring and new life. The teacher then came to an empty egg. Assuming it was Philip’s, she put it aside thinking he must not have understood the project. Philip objected saying, “Why won’t you talk about my egg?” The teacher said, “But Philip, your egg is empty.” To which he replied, “So was the tomb”. Philip became accepted by his classmates that day. A few months later Philip died from a simple infection that most kids would have just shrugged off. Inside his casket were 19 empty plastic Easter eggs, one from every child in his class. The greatest fact of history is that empty tomb The resurrection was done by the power of God (Eph. 1:20-23; 1 Cor. 6:14), as an act of love and mercy, on our behalf. (Eph. 2:4-9) The touch of His hand confirms that Jesus is both alive and present among His disciples (John 20:27)

Have you felt the hand of Jesus? In forensic science, there is a rule, known as the Lockyear principle, that simply stated, says that "every touch leaves an impression." OLD TESTAMENT PROPHECIES THE LORD JESUS FULFILLED IN ONE DAY The main events preceding the actual crucifixion began the evening before in a special room where the Lord and His eleven disciples had the first Lord’s Supper (Luke 22:11). Beforehand, after the Passover Feast, Judas left to make plans for the betrayal. Following, the others went with the Lord Jesus to the Garden of Gethsemane where He prayed (Matthew 26:36). Very late that night, maybe midnight or after, Judas came and betrayed the Lord. Immediately, Christ Jesus was arrested (John 18:12). Very early the morning of the crucifixion, the Lord went through His trials and received His sentence of death (Luke 22:54; Mark 15:1; Luke 23:6-10,11,23-24). At nine o’clock (the third hour) that morning He was placed on the cross (Luke 23:33): "And it was the third hour, and they crucified Him" (Mark 15:25). The Lord Jesus Christ was on the cross for six hours, until three in the afternoon. However, after three hours on the cross, at noon (the sixth hour), there was total darkness for three hours: "And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour (three o’clock, P.M.)" (Mark 15:33). 1. Christ Jesus is betrayal by a close friend, Judas: Psalm 41:9 — Mark 14:10; Luke 22:47,48. 2. The Lord is forsaken by disciples: Zechariah 13:7 — Mark 14:50. 3. Christ is rejected by His own people, the Jews: Isaiah 53:3 — Luke 23:18; John 1:11. 4. Price to be paid to Judas, thirty piece of silver: Zechariah 11:12 — Matthew 26:14,15. 5. What will be done with the money: Zechariah 11:13 — Matthew 27:3-7. 6. The Lord is shamed, reproached, and dishonored: Psalm 69:9,19-20 — Matthew 27:28; Romans 5:3. 7. Accused by false witnesses at His trial: Psalm 35:11 — Mark 14:56-58. 8. The Lord does not speak in His own defense at the trial: Isaiah 53:7 — Matthew 27:13-14; Mark 15:4,5. 9. He falls beneath the physical weight of the cross: Psalm 22:17 — Matthew 27:32; John 19:17. 10. Our Savior’s crucifixion: Psalm 22; Isaiah 50:5-7; 53:5,6,10 — Luke 23:33; John 19:16. 11. Christ Jesus is a smitten Shepherd: Zechariah 13:7 — Matthew 26:31. 12. He is spit upon, scourged (beaten), and struck with the hand: Isaiah 50:6 — Matthew 26:67; 27:26,30. 13. Mocked and sneered by the people: Psalm 22:7,8; 109:25 — Matthew 27:39-40; Luke 23:35. 14. He is hated without a reason: Psalm 35:19 — John 15:24,25.

15. The railing, hatred, and taunting by the mob: Psalm 22:8 — Matthew 27:43. 16. They stare at the Lord on the Cross: Psalm 22:17 — Matthew 27:36. 17. He is crucified and numbered with malefactors: Isaiah 53:12 — Mark 15:27,28; Luke 23:33. 18. The soldiers gamble for His robe and divide His garments: Psalm 22:17,18 — Matthew 27:35-36; John 19:24. 19. He thirsts for water: Psalm 69:3 — John 19:28. 20. What they give Christ to drink: Psalm 69:21 — Matthew 27:34; John 19:29. 21. Our Lord’s mother and friends at the cross: Psalm 38:11 — Luke 23:49. 22. Christ’s hands and feet are pierced: Psalm 22:16; Zechariah 12:10; 13:6 — Matthew 27:35; John 20:23. 23. Christ’s pierced side: Zechariah 12:10 — Luke 23:35; John 19:34; 20:27. 24. His broken heart: Psalm 22:14 — John 19:34 (extra-vasation of the heart). 25. His intercession and prayer for the transgressors: Psalm 109:4; Isaiah 53:12 — Luke 23:34. 26. Great Calvary Miracle, the sun darkened at noonday: Amos 8:9; Matthew 27:45. 27. His intensive, lonely cry during His suffering: Psalm 22:1 — Matthew 27:46. 28. Christ is forsaken by God the Father for our sins: Psalm 22:1 — Matthew 27:46. 29. His marred visage: Isaiah 52:14 — John 19:5,14. 30. He is the slaughtered Lamb: Isaiah 53:7 — John 1:29. 31. Christ Jesus is the Vicarious Sacrifice: Isaiah 53:5 — Romans 5:6,8. 32. His cry of victory and triumph: Psalm 22:31 — It is Finished! John 19:30. 33. Christ Jesus commends His Spirit to His Father: Psalm 31:5 — Luke 23:46. 34. As the Passover Lamb, not a bone is broken: Exodus 12:46; Psalm 34:20 — John 10:33,36; 19:32,33,36. 35. The Messiah is cut off, but not for Himself: Daniel 9:26 — John 11:50-52. 36. Oldest prophecy recorded: Genesis 3:15 — Galatians 4:4; John 12:31-33; 19:18; Romans 16:20. The heel of the Lord Jesus (Seed of the woman) was temporarily bruised on the cross with nails in His feet. Satan will be permanently bruised in the head in the future. 37. The place of the burial of our Lord’s Body after death. He is buried with the rich: Isaiah 53:9 — Matthew 27:57-60; Luke 23:50-53.

We too will be “called out” of the grave (John 5:28-29; 1 Cor. 6:14) I am inclined to believe that He will call us each by name, for me know that he knows us each by name and that he has called to others by name, even calling Lazarus by name from the tomb. And we, His sheep, know his voice. Arise (Isa. 60:1, Eph. 5:8-14, Rom. 13:11-14) Hebrew; Koom - to stand up, to be strengthened. What do you arise from? Rest, Sleep, Death The imperative to arise calls for faith and obedience (Gen. 13:17, Abraham, Gen. 19:15, Lot, Gen. 21:18, Hagar, Gen. 31:13 & 35:1, Jacob, Deut. 9:12 & 10:11, Moses, Judges 7:9, Gideon, 1 Sam. 16:12, Samuel, 1 Sam. 23:4, David, Matt. 2:13 & 2:20, Joseph, Matt. 9:5-6, Mark 2:9-12 & Luke 5:24, Paralyzed Man, Luke 7:14, Son of the Widow of Nain, Luke 8:54, Daughter of Jairus, Luke 17:19, Leper , John 11:4344, Lazarus, Acts 8:26, Philip, Acts 9:6, 22:10 & 22:16, Saul, Acts 9:11, Ananias, Acts 9:34, Aeneas, Acts 9:40, Tabitha, Acts 10:20, 11:7 & 12:7, Peter) Shine (Isa. 60:1, Matt. 5:14-16 & 13:43, 2 Cor. 4:3-6, Philip. 2:14-16, 1 John 2:8-11) Hebrew; OWR, refers to the brightness of the sun or the joy of laughter. Share the joy. Proclaim freedom and release from the darkness (Isa. 61:1) British minister W.E. Sangster contracted an incurable disease that slowly caused his muscles to waste away, his voice to fail and his throat to become unable to swallow. He continued in ministry, right up until the point where his voice had gone and he could barely hold a pen. On Easter morning, just a few weeks before he died, he wrote in a letter to his daughter: "It is terrible to wake up Easter morning and have no voice with which to shout "He is risen!" - but it would be still more terrible to have a voice and not want to shout. This world is filled with people under bondage to all sorts of evil who need to be set free (John 8:32-36, Gal. 5:1) Comfort those who mourn, exchange a crown of beauty for ashes, oil of gladness for mourning, a garment of praise in place of spiritual despair (Isa. 61:2, Ps. 30:11, John 16:20)