Easter Day Reflection. He is not here, he is risen! Either Jesus is a nobody. Or there was NO BODY at the tomb

Transcription

1 Easter Day 2012 Reflection He is not here, he is risen! Either Jesus is a nobody Or there was NO BODY at the tomb and that would mean that far from being a nobody he was actually God visiting our planet, and he is who he said he was he was raised from death he died for our sin he was raised for our life That little space makes all the difference! What do you think? Jesus is a nobody? Or there was NO BODY?

2 My fear is that for many Australians, there is an inconsistency between what people make of Jesus and how they live. So many of us SAY there was no body He rose from the dead He s God s Son He matters Yet many of us LIVE as if he was a nobody just some famous religious figure from another time but largely irrelevant now So is it true there was no body? As the women approached the tomb that Sunday morning, the huge stone had been rolled away from the tomb entrance. On the one hand that was relief because they d been asking each other who was going to do that.

3 But on the other it must have raised suspicions who would have done that? after all they were there late Friday night and back early Sunday morning had someone been there on the Sabbath? So stone rolled away. And then a young man in a white robe was sitting in the entrance way to the tomb the man knew they were looking for Jesus who had been crucified and he has some staggering news for them he has risen! He is not here see the place where they laid him. No body. Empty tomb. + - there were people who saw Jesus alive. In the opening words of the service I read words of the earliest Christian creed penned within a couple of years of Jesus - that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. 6 After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time. People saw Jesus alive Those reading the document could go and find eye-witnesses and talk to them.

4 We have all the evidence you d expect if Jesus rose from the dead. No body. People who saw him. He is not here He has risen. What do you think? Jesus is a nobody? Or there was NO BODY? If Jesus was a nobody; just a - teacher - Healer - Miracle worker - Founder of a new religion - Martyr for his cause Then he s a fascinating, interesting, engaging man And he s good to study, to read up on, to philosophise about, to compare with other such figures, why; even to put some of his

5 teaching into practice But no more than that. But no more He s dead and gone. He s of historical value And religious curiosity Good for books and films and departments of history Actually there is more, because if he is a nobody than he s also a pretender, a liar... claiming to be Messiah and Son of God and King of the Jews but not maybe even a loser as Ted Turner (founder of CNN) claimed for allowing himself to be arrested and killed But if there was NO BODY Then That changes everything Because if there was no body God has turned up Jesus IS God

6 If there was no body his death was not martyrdom It was sacrifice If there was no body Then EVERY thing he said matters If there was no body Not just the bits I like And he took my place And paid my debt And dealt with my sin And saved me from death he gives me life he proves his love he s on my side he s utterly FOR me./// and maybe he has my best interests at his heart maybe he has more to give than I have to lose And maybe maybe he deserves more attention than I ve been giving ///

7 If there was NO BODY Then there is Life Hope Forgiveness A fresh start There s fulfilment and joy There s perspective and peace There s purpose and direction There s a future There are answers. If there was NO BODY Jesus is Lord, he s King He calls the shots The world revolves around him and not me If there was NO BODY

8 He s more important Than Me My job My plans My family My bank balance He matters more than Getting ahead Making my mark Enhancing my reputation Building my career What do you think? Jesus is a nobody? Or there was NO BODY?

9 Which story does YOUR life tell? That Jesus is a nobody Or that there was NO BODY? We fool ourselves that there s something in between. As if Jesus can be just a little bit important Or important sometimes like at Christmas Or important for kids Or just for women Or old people Or church people But there s nothing in between. Either he s a nobody Or there was NO BODY

10 And if there was NO BODY and people saw him - than he is risen!! If he is RISEN. we are risen with him if HE IS RISEN our sin has been forgiven if HE IS RISEN eternal life is ours if HE IS RISEN he cannot possibly be just a little bit important!! Friends Start a conversation this Easter A conversation with me about who Jesus is and why he matters Start a journey this Easter A journey back to Jesus or a journey to him for the first time. Start an investigation this Easter About all that God has in store for you which you ve been missing out on up till now

11 There was NO BODY. People saw him alive That changes everything.