He is Risen! dated 20.4.14

Introduction

You cannot live life to the full unless you know what is going to happen to you at the end.

The Gospel writer’s purpose in writing (John 20:31) involves a twin dimension to the key words in the verse: “these are written” – 

•  telling us about the words of Jesus (the claims of Jesus) but also telling us about the works of Jesus which backed up or accredited his words
•  the word “believe” involves a conviction Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and it also involves a commitment to follow him 
• the last word is life is both qualitative and quantitative. It’s qualitative in that if you come to believe in Jesus on the basis of the evidence, you will have access to the family of God. It is quantitative as this family life goes on forever - it is eternal.

John writes to provide evidence of the words & works of Jesus, that you may believe, that you may develop a conviction and commitment to him, and finally that you may have a new quality of life and a life which never ends.

Fact of Jesus’ Death

3 essential points:

1 The dead body of Jesus was certainly buried (Lk 23:50-56).

 Jesus was executed by professional Roman soldiers. His burial was supervised by a senior establishment figure: Joseph who is a member of the Sanhedrin council, a good & righteous man. All of these were observed by a group of women.

2 The occupied tomb of Jesus was clearly empty (Lk 24:1-12).

The empty tomb discovered by the same group of women who witnessed the burial. The women are named: Mary Magdalene the prostitute, Joanna wife of King Herod’s household manager, and Mary the mother of James.

Now anybody can die!

3 The physical body of Jesus was physically raised from the dead (Lk 24:36-42).

Mary, Peter & John come to the tomb where Jesus is laid but he’s not there. Jesus then appears to Mary Magdalene in the garden.

They saw him – not once. They not only saw the empty tomb but they saw him 3 times. Jesus appeared on numerous occasions over 40 days and also to 500 people at the same time.

The compelling evidence of the words of Jesus: I am the resurrection & the life; the works of Jesus: he is raised from the dead.

Meaning of Resurrection (Lk 24:44-46)

What does the resurrection actually mean?

The essential meaning is that he is the Christ, which means Anointed King: anointed by God with all power and authority as God’s declared Ruler, Lord, King over everybody - Absolute King with universal dominion.

We see what Jesus is saying of himself: he is the one who has lived a life of perfection, he’s the one who has come down from heaven, he’s the one who has displayed the glory and goodness of God, he’s the one who ruled the waves, ordered the fish, fed the hungry, healed the sick, raised the dead. He’s the one with all God’s authority and power, he’s the one who gave his life to death to pay for our sin and rose again never to die. He’s the Christ – he’s the one about whom the Old Testament Scriptures speak. He’s the Christ of God – God’s anointed, appointed, authoritative Ruler and King.

God has visited his world, he has come down, such is his love that his perfect Son has given his life, the Christ must suffer and die and on the third day be raised from the dead never to die again – only One.

Christ of God: your King, your Ruler.

Apostle Paul could now say: Death is like a bee but it’s a bee that had its sting of death extracted because of what Jesus Christ has done.

Live the New Life

A new Creation – we start living the new life now.

Look around you & you’ll see people that have been changed. Lives transformed. Who is changing them?  We believe on the basis of the evidence that the Lord Jesus was raised and he has not died. We believe that he has poured out his Holy Spirit and Jesus is changing us right now.

Return as Judge of living & dead

Are you ready to meet Jesus, the Judge of the living and the dead?

How do you know he is the Judge? Jesus is declared the Judge by his resurrection.

Appropriate Response

Repentance & Forgiveness Luke 24:47

Repentance means to turn back to God from living my life my own way and ignoring God.

As we turn back to God, what can we expect? We will see the open arms of God’s forgiveness.

What does it mean to be a Christian?

It means to lose control of your life to Jesus!

The Lord Jesus is much better equipped to control my life than I am. Why? He knows the end from the beginning and he’s expert at it.

You cannot live life to the full unless you know what is going to happen to you at the end.

This life is not a café, but a dressing room before the big event.