He Has Risen! Introduction: I. Today is Easter!

He Has Risen! Introduction: I. Today is Easter! A. This is the day that many different religious groups celebrate the Lord s resurrection as a special spiritual holiday! 1. The Lord s church attempts to remember the Lord s resurrection just as the Bible has directed, not one particular day in the year but every first day of the week. 2. Stephen last week did a wonderful job in reminding us of the important of the Lord s Supper and challenged us to make every Sunday a very special remembrance of Christ. 3. As Christian we know that Jesus desires for us to live for him every day but also to pause every Lord s Day too specially remember Him. 1 Corinthians 11:23-25 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me. In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me. 4. This is why the Lord s church does not do anything any different on Easter as we do any other Sunday. Because every Lord s Day ought to be a very special day as we remember the Lord s birth, life, death, and his resurrection! B. Yet, many times we also believe that the day that the Lord s resurrection is unknown. 1

1. This is true about the Lord s birth, however we can know fairly certain when the Lord s resurrection took place. 2. And by the way, it is not today! 3. We determine the day in which the Lord was resurrected from the grave because we know when Passover Feast takes place by looking upon the Jewish calendar. a. We know that the 22 day of Nissan (Aviv) on the Jewish calendar is the Feast Day for the Passover. b. This would have been the night that Jesus and His Apostles celebrated the Passover Feast and the night that Jesus was betrayed, his mock trial took place, and then the next morning his crucifixion. c. Three days later He arose from the death, that would be on the 25 day of Nissan (Aviv) and this year on your Roman Gregorian calendar of that date would be May 1. 4. There might be some discretion about this particularly day however we can know that this is fairly accurate. II. In our lesson today I want us to recognize that the Lord s resurrection from the grave. A. Paul on one occasion was emphasizing the important of the resurrection of Christ and related that if there is no resurrection then our faith would be nothing. I Corinthians 15:14, 17 And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! B. Yet, because of the Lord s resurrection then we can have complete assurance that our sins can be washed away and that we will be resurrected and can live with Him forever in Heaven. I Corinthians 15:20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. C. As Christians each one of us should be able to say along with the Apostle Paul that I may know Him (Christ) and the power of His resurrection! 1. The resurrection of the Lord is indeed the crutch of our faith and therefore our hope of eternity. 2. Yes, the Lord s perfectly sinless life is extremely important. 2

Yes, the sacrifice upon the cross is extremely important. 3. Yet, if your Lord did not overcome the grave, if He was not resurrected from the grave then all the other things that our Lord did for us would have been for nothing. III. So, today, as the religious world celebrates Easter or the day they believe Jesus arose from the grave, let us also take a view moments and turn our attention of the Lord s resurrection, for indeed, He Has Risen! Discussion: I. First, let us recognize that the Lord s resurrection of foretold. A. I am always astonished by the fact that the Lord s Apostles and disciples did not understand that Jesus was going to be killed however three days later He would arise from the grave. 1. The reason why this astonishes me is because Jesus told them often that this would be the case. 2. Now, I understand that they were thinking that a physical kingdom was about to begin, I understand that their minds were focus upon the environment in which they were in, and I understand that they had already had some preconceived ideas in their heads; yet several times the Lord told His followers what was going to take place and they just could not accept this truth. B. However this was the plan of Deity from even before the beginning of the world and Jesus did clearly teach that He would be killed and then resurrected from the grave. 1. As the Lord and His disciples were traveling to Jerusalem He teaches them what would take place in Jerusalem. Matthew 20:17-19 Now Jesus, going up to Jerusalem, took the twelve disciples aside on the road and said to them, Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes; and they will condemn Him to death, and deliver Him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify. And the third day He will rise again. 2. Before this occasion, Jesus sat down with His Apostles and asked them who the people believed He was and then turn the question to them, who do you say I am? 3

a. Of course Peter related very boldly that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the living God. (Matthew 16:16) b. Because of this truth Jesus blesses Peter and relates that he would be the one that would open up the doors of the church to the people of the world. (v17) c. Yet, then the Bible relates that from this point forward Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. (Matthew 16:21; Mark 8:31) d. Mark s account relates that Jesus taught them this truth openly. Folks He did not hold it back, it was a regular part of his teaching. 3. It is so interesting that the Truth of Jesus teachings was not really completely accepted and understood by His disciples until after His resurrection. a. On one of the occasions where Jesus cleansed the Temple the people asked him to show them a sign of His authority. b. Jesus related that the sign of His authority would be His resurrection from the grave. John 2:19 Jesus answered and said to them, Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. Then the Jews said, It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days? But He was speaking of the temple of His body. c. The Jews seemed to think initially that Jesus was talking about the Temple building, however it is interesting that they also understood that He was talking about His body. We know this because after His death upon the cross the chief priests and Pharisees came to Pilate asking him to set a guard before the tomb of Jesus because they understood what Jesus meant when he made this statement. Matthew 27:62-63 On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, saying, Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, After three days I will rise. d. Yet, it was not until Jesus arose from the dead that His followers began to put the pieces together. John In his account of the Lord s statement about raising up the Temple in three days, then states that they remembered what the Lord had taught them after the fact. 4

John 2:22 Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said. 4. After the Lord s death and resurrection Jesus then reminded them of what He had taught as He commissioned them to teach others. Luke 24:44-48 Then He said to them, These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me. And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures. Then He said to them, Thus it is written, and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And you are witnesses of these things. C. Once it happened, once they saw Jesus, they remembered what He had taught them; they remembered that He had foretold them of His resurrection. II. The Bible provides the information about concerning Christ s death and His resurrection. A. Jesus was killed by the Romans in a most cruel yet effective manner. 1. He was scourged to the very edge of His life, plus they hit Him on the head with rods, they spat upon Him, and then place the matted crown on thorns on His head. (Mark 15:15-20) 2. Jesus was so weak from the beating which He had taken that He was unable to carry the cross to Golgotha; Simon from Cyrene carried it for Him. (Mark 15:21) 3. And then the Roman soldier nailed Jesus hands and feet to the cross and there He died. 4. These Roman soldiers knew what they were doing! They knew that Jesus was indeed was dead, that was their job. There is no other possibility! B. Several events took place when the Lord Died. Matthew 27:50-54 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, 5

and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many. So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was the Son of God! 1. The Bible states that Jesus cried out and then His Spirit left Him. He died! 2. And then all these things happened as a demonstration that the Lord of Heaven, a Divine being from Heaven that came to this earth in a human body, died a very horrifying and difficult death. C. Then two men, Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus, took Jesus body and placed it in a tomb. John 19:38-42 After this, Joseph of Arimathea, being a disciple of Jesus, but secretly, for fear of the Jews, asked Pilate that he might take away the body of Jesus; and Pilate gave him permission. So he came and took the body of Jesus. And Nicodemus, who at first came to Jesus by night, also came, bringing a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about a hundred pounds. Then they took the body of Jesus, and bound it in strips of linen with the spices, as the custom of the Jews is to bury. Now in the place where He was crucified there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb in which no one had yet been laid. So there they laid Jesus, because of the Jews Preparation Day, for the tomb was nearby. 1. Joseph and Nicodemus would have easily found out that Jesus was still alive if indeed He had only fainted and was not really dead. 2. Plus, they prepared Jesus body with the mixture of a hundred pounds of myrrh and aloes and then they wrapped Jesus body in the burial linen. If He was not dead this would indeed have caused Him to suffocate and dye in his very weakened body. D. These accounts of Jesus scourging, beating, His crucifixion, the events surrounding the crucifixion, and even His burial; all indicate that Jesus had truly died! E. Then three days after His death, and burial; the tomb was found empty. Luke 24:1-8 Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 6

And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, 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. 1. We can be assured that nearly 2,000 years ago, approximately around the date of May 1; the most incredible and amazing event took place. 2 Jesus was resurrected from the grave! He Has Risen III. So, we see that Jesus resurrection was foretold and we also see that His death and His resurrection took place; now let us look at the reasons for His death and the importance of His resurrection! A. When Jesus died upon the cross, He bore our sins (all man s sins) so that we could live for righteousness. I Peter 2:21-24 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: Who committed no sin, Nor was deceit found in His mouth ; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness by whose stripes you were healed. 1. Jesus became our sacrifice for sin! He told our sins to the cross so that we might have the hope of forgiveness. 2. Only the physical death of Jesus, a divine being, could pay the debt due because of our person sins. Hebrews 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone. 3. What an absolutely awesome accomplishment that Jesus did for us! 4. Be assured that by Jesus death, He tasted death for all mankind; and no matter how many or how bad we believe our sins might be, Jesus death is able to pay the full debt. 7

5. Let each and every one of us never take lightly what He has done and let us all be challenged to live for Him. Let us all live in righteousness or obedience to His Message, so that we might have redemption from our sins. Colossians 1:14 in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins. 6. Jesus died so that we might be saved! B. His resurrection completed His role in our salvation! Hebrews 12:1-2 Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance 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 has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 1. The grave (death) could not hold Jesus! Jesus power and His Strength were able to overcome death putting down the powers and principalities of this world. Colossians 2:11-12, 15 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sinsfn of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. 2. We can know that we have the power to gain victory over Satan, we can overcome the evil and difficulties of this world; and we can gain eternal life with Christ. Romans 8:37-39 Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord. C. The resurrection of Christ guarantees a day of judgment will come. 1. Just as Christ foretold of His death and resurrection, He has also foretold of His return and judgment. 8

2. Jesus has said that no one will know when that day will come. He has actually said it would be like a thief in the night, it will come when no one is expecting. Matthew24:36; 44-45 But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect. II Peter 3:10 But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night, in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will melt with fervent heat; both the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. 2. We do not know when; however notice that the Holy Spirit had Peter to write that the day of the Lord will come. It is for certain that Jesus will return and he will judgment the world to how they have lived by His Word. 3. This is true because of the resurrection of Christ is true. Acts 17:31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead. Conclusion: I. The truth: He has Risen! A. Jesus taught His Apostles and disciples that He would be raised from the dead. B. The Scriptures offer proof that indeed the Lord lived, died on the cross, and was raised three days later. C. And such was done so that we might obtain eternal salvation with Him in Heaven. II. Have you responded to the fact that Jesus arose from the dead? A. When Christ returns He will judge the World by His Word. John 12:48 He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. 9

B. On that last day there will be another resurrection, there will be a resurrection of all that are in the grave and then there will be a division between those that have obeyed the Word of God and those that have not. John 5:28- Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. C. Nearly 2000 years ago Jesus arose from the dead giving lost mankind hope for eternal life. 1. Sometime in the future there will be another resurrection of all who are in the graves and at that resurrection there will be a judgment of the faithful and obedient, plus those that do not believe and have not obeyed. 2. This is just as certain as the Lord s own resurrection! 3. So are you ready? a. If not then allow us to assist you in studying God s Word and learning what you must do to accept His marvelous grace and salvation. b. If you know what you need to do and just have been waiting, putting it off; let me and everyone else encourage you not to wait any longer. c. If you are a child of God s yet fallen back into sin, return to Christ and His love, mercy, and forgiveness. 4. If we can help you today, let it be known as we stand and sing! 10