0 Why Do You Seek the Living Among the Dead? Luke & Today we celebrate Easter! This is the event of the Death, Burial, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. He is Risen! No other religion has an Atoning Death and a Resurrection Event. The Gospel is the daily Receiving, Living, and Proclaiming the Power of Easter to the world around us. So let us now turn to our text and look at what the Lord has to say to us today. We will look at our text today in two parts. Luke :0-0 And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just: (The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God. Luke :0- This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. And he took it down, and wrapped it in linen, and laid it in a sepulchre that was hewn in stone, wherein never man before was laid. Luke :0- And that day was the preparation, and the sabbath drew on. And the women also, which came with him from Galilee, followed after, and beheld the sepulchre, and how his body was laid. Luke :0- And they returned, and prepared spices and ointments; and rested the sabbath day according to the commandment. The Lord needs people, just like Joseph of Arimathaea, to be His instruments in this world. This was a dark time. The promised Messiah just was crucified. Jesus was the hope for the redemption of Israel over Rome. What would be next? Carmen s Sunday s on the Way Lyrics: On Friday night, they crucified Christ on that tree, But he said, "Don't worry, three days' later I'll live again, you'll see!" When problems try to bury you, make it hard to pray, It may seem like Friday night, but Sunday's on the way!
0 Luke :- Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre. Luke :- And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: Luke :- And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, Luke :- Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. And they remembered his words, Luke :- And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest. 0 It was Mary Magdalene and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles. Luke :- And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not. Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass. Verses - Things in life can take unexpected turns. But this does not mean that the Lord is not in charge. Romans : And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. Verses The one question that each of us must continually ask ourselves- Why do we seek the living among the dead? Why do we keep going back to the old way of living and thinking and not living this NEW life in Christ? Corinthians :
And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. The empty tomb declares that there is no life in the Cemetery. Life is in the Sanctuary! Verses - Remember! We need to Remember Christ s Words! Corinthians :- By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: Verses - We are witnesses! You and I! Corinthians :- And that he (Jesus) was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve: After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time. Hebrews :- Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. It is up to us to share this news! To share the Lessons Learned. Corinthians :- So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory Corinthians :- O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord. To encourage our trust, the Lord often intervenes in mighty ways on behalf of His people. Sometimes He allows an opposing force to arise, so that at precisely the right moment He can raise up a more magnificent pillar of remembrance to Himself. This pillar will stand in the very ruins of that which contested his power. Thus, when He intervenes all must say,
Almighty power was here! 0 By William Gurnall, The Christian in Complete Armour, Volume One, The Banner of Truth Trust, A.D., page. What does the Death and Resurrection of Christ truly mean? Romans :- What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? Romans :- God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein? Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Romans :- Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: Romans :- Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. Romans :- Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. Romans :- 0 For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans :- Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. Romans :- For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. Invitation ( Parts): For Salvation? Corinthians : Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. Invitation ( Parts): To Daily Walk in the Power of Easter- the Death, Burial, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Romans :
0 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. Let Us Pray.