Introduction
This past week is what is known as the Passion Week, leading up to Jesus death on the Cross. On the Sunday before his death, Jesus began his trip to Jerusalem, knowing that soon he would lay down his life for our sins. Nearing the village of Bethphage, he sent two of his disciples ahead, telling them to look for a donkey and its unbroken colt. The disciples were instructed to untie the animals and bring them to him. Then Jesus sat on the young donkey and slowly, humbly, made his Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest!” (Matt 21:9). On the Monday morning Jesus enters the Temple and turns over the tables of the moneychangers. “My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers” (Matt 21:13). Tuesday was a day filled with challenge. A withered fig tree. Confrontations with the religious leaders – woe to you… Jesus went to the Mount of Olives and spoke of the times of the end. Wednesday was believed to be a Holy Day of preparation for the Last Supper on Thursday. “When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. 15 And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God” (Luke 22:14-16). Later in the evening Jesus prays out drops of blood in the Garden of Gethsemane, only to be betrayed by Judas Iscariot. Good Friday is the most horrific day of the Passion Week. Jesus experiences the pain and shame of false accusations leading to a guilty verdict and the cross shouting, “Crucify Him, Crucify Him.” There are the horrors of his torture and the crucifixion itself. Jesus breathed his last. The sun was darkened, the Temple curtain is torn in two from top to bottom, there is an earthquake. The Son of God has died. Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathea lay Jesus body in the tomb. On Saturday Jesus' body lay in its tomb, where it was guarded by Roman soldiers throughout the Sabbath day, which ended at 6 p.m. While his physical body lay in the tomb, his followers mourned and wept for this tragic loss.
Sunday Morning
After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. 2 There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. 5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” 8 So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9 Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”
Matthew records his eyewitness account of the morning of Jesus resurrection. Although there are some differences in the resurrection stories found within the Gospels, there are also foundational similarities that tie them all together in truth, truth from different points of observation.
No gospel tells the complete story of Jesus’ resurrection. Each author puts their thoughts together, pulling from the various people involved. No two people are going to interpret something the same exact way. The disciples explanations may vary slightly, however the order of events and how they happened are exactly the same.
· Jesus died and was buried.
· Several women left for the tomb very early in the morning (including Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James).
· They found the stone rolled away and the tomb empty of Jesus' body.
· An angel spoke to them.
· The women fled from the tomb.
· The disciples were not prepared for his death and were confused about his resurrection, what it meant, and the words Mary spoke to them.
The Hope of the Resurrection
Today we celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. The resurrection is the cornerstone of our Christian faith. A key verse for this morning is found in 1 Peter 1:3 - Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. There is a lot of emphasis put of being born-again in the context of Christian faith. This rebirth of hope is possible through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Before I knew Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour I was lost and wandering through life. The effects of sin and poor choices followed me and made my life a hopeless mess. I remember the day I was shown mercy. I knew that I had made a lot of mistakes in my life. Mistakes that I could never correct. I felt overpowered by the guilt and shame of my sins. When God’s mercy filled my life it was like an explosion of thoughts and feelings. I was undone, overwhelmed. I was born-again, given a new birth and life worth living. I was filled with a sense of hope and felt like I had a future. I did not understand everything that was unfolding in my life. But this is what I have learned from this passage in 1 Peter 1…
· I have a living hope because of Jesus’ resurrection.
· I have an inheritance that is protected by God’s power.
· My life would not be free from struggle, and I would go through times of trial and testing.
· I believe in Jesus and am receiving the goal of my faith, the salvation of my soul.
How is all of this possible? Jesus Christ paid the penalty for sin by offering the perfect, spotless sacrifice. He conquered death, both spiritually and physically, securing my eternal salvation. “For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect” (1 Peter 1:18-19).
In Conclusion
The power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ must be proclaimed through out the world today. People are living in a topsy turvy world, where evil is good and good is evil. There are famines, plagues and wars that are sapping the strength and love out of the strongest of us. This world is passing away. The effects of sin and death have produced decaying of society. No amount human effort can save a lost soul or the world itself. We need the help of our Creator. Jesus the Resurrection and the Life is our hope.
In Application
I was meeting with a high friend while in Vernon recently. We had a great time reconnecting and chatting about our faith and families. Bob spoke of a message he had heard years earlier in light of sharing one’s faith. The message was very simple. There are two kinds of religion in the world today. The first is Do! Religion is all about Doing something in order to be saved. The second is Done! Jesus fulfills the Done. Jesus said on the Cross, “It is finished.” His resurrection is the only was to new birth. It is time for people to put their faith in Jesus for their hope and salvation. “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
Let’s put our trust and faith in Jesus as we follow after him in all godliness and holiness.