The Difference the Resurrection Makes
A Walk with Christ to the Cross • Sermon • Submitted
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“Easter Sure is a Big Deal”
“Easter Sure is a Big Deal”
Recently, I had a friend say to me that I “sure seemed to make a big deal about Easter.” Well, Easter is a big deal!
For the Christian, there are 3 major parts of Easter. There is the arrest and mock trial of Jesus, the crucifixion of Jesus, and the resurrection of Jesus.
In our world today, there often seems to be reports of people being wrongly arrested having committed no crime. It seems to be prevalent in the news of social injustice and people being falsely accused and falsely convicted. So really that in itself does not make Easter a big deal.
We also learn about many in our world that are crucified or given some horrific death perhaps also done unjustly and undeserved. As horrible as this is that Christ died such a death, it also in itself does not make Easter a big deal.
What makes Easter a big deal, is the very fact that there has only been one true resurrection. I can hear you thinking, “Well I know there was that time in scripture that Lazarus rose from the dead.” True, but he eventually died again. What makes Easter such a big deal, is that Jesus, the Son of God, the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, not only was arrested, falsely accused, unjustly convicted, and crucified as a criminal, HE ROSE FROM THE GRAVE AND ACCORDING TO SCRIPTURE SITS AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD ALMIGHTY!
That’s the reason that Easter is a BIG DEAL! All of the Gospels reflect the fact that Jesus was resurrected. Today, we are going to examine what Mark has to say about this:
When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”
But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.
“Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’ ”
Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.
In this incredible passage, we can learn several things about the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. What you and I can learn from this passage, should indeed help you make Easter a big deal and why the Resurrection has made a difference for you and me!
I want to share with you this morning five difference makers, if you will, that the Resurrection makes for you and I.
Because of the Resurrection, the obstacles to God are gone!
Because of the Resurrection, the obstacles to God are gone!
Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Salome are going at first light, when the sabbath had ended to put spices on the body of Jesus. They are on their way and begin to think about the huge obstacle that was in the way. You see, a huge stone had been rolled in front of the grave and was guarded by at least Roman soldier. The Bible tells us that they asked each other about this:
and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?”
Mark 16:
I wonder why they didn’t prepare for this. I mean they had to know that huge stone had been rolled into place there. Could it be that they took it for granted that they would automatically have some access? Sometimes I think you and I think like that. We think that doing the right thing, being a good person and staying out of trouble will automatically gain us access to the throne of God. Well, it’s not like that. Even in the days of the Old Testament, the temple was designed so that the ark of the covenant that was supposed to hold the glory of God was separated from the rest of the temple. A huge curtain made of think material, hung at a height that no man could reach, and was used to separate the people from the Holy of Holies. In order to gain access, sacrifices had to be made and presented by the high priests.
Because of the Resurrection, that curtain in the temple was torn in two from the top to the bottom which allowed the people to have access. When these women went to the tomb to prepare Jesus for His final burial, the big stone was rolled away and the tomb was empty. Because of the Resurrection, the obstacles that prevented us from having access to a Holy God are now gone! In other words, you and I don’t have to go through some priest, make some sacrifice, or worry about how we are going to get to the body of Christ because of some big ole rock, the path has been made clear!
WE HAVE ACCESS TO GOD THROUGH CHRIST!
Because of the Resurrection, we don’t need to be afraid!
Because of the Resurrection, we don’t need to be afraid!
The Bible tells us that when the women approached the grave, they saw a young man dressed in white and they were very alarmed. A few verses later in verse 8, we learn they were “trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone because they were afraid.”
What makes you afraid? At our house at any given moment, you will here someone yell immediately someone else will scream in fear. It has become a game at my house to see who can scare the “heebeejeebees” out of the other. It’s all fun and games for the most part in our house, but their are times when it is not. I am prone to react a certain way when I am scared. Sometimes I will flee, sometimes I will react by hitting that which scares me!
Unfortunately, we live in a world that is often surrounded by fear. We often don’t understand that we can totally trust Jesus and we are afraid to take that next step. We can’t seem to trust Him at His word. Incidentally, there are 365 places in scripture where God says in His word, “Fear not!” Actually that means we have one for every day! Do you think that is a coincidence?
Because of the Resurrection, our greatest fears are relieved! We don’t have to be afraid because if Jesus can conquer the grave, then by golly He can conquer your little fear!!!
Because of the Resurrection, the most rascal of rascal sinners can be reunited with Jesus!
Because of the Resurrection, the most rascal of rascal sinners can be reunited with Jesus!
Did you catch what happened in this story? In all of the Gospels, we learn that Jesus was crucified with two criminals. One of them, as disgusting as he was, turned to Christ and placed his faith in Him. Jesus responded to him by saying “tonight you will be with me in paradise.”
Peter, at the time of the arrest of Christ, was ready to fight for His Savior. Yet during the trial and crucifixion, Peter openly denied Christ 3 times just as Jesus had told him he would! Yet this angel at the tomb tells these ladies to make sure that they go tell the disciples and especially Peter the good news of the risen Christ!
Do you see what happens here? It doesn’t matter have far you are away from Christ, because of the resurrection your past mistakes are forgiven and you can be reunited with Christ! No matter what you have done, where you have been, or how you have denied Christ in the past, Christ the Great Shepherd is ready and willing to bring you back into His fold!
Because of the Resurrection most rascal of rascals can be reunited with Christ!
Because of the Resurrection, Christ has gone ahead of us.
Because of the Resurrection, Christ has gone ahead of us.
Right there in verse 7 we read:
But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’ ”
If Christ has gone ahead of us, don’t you know that He has taken care of all the problems we might be facing? Years ago I was in Boy Scouts and we would go hikes through the woods. We had a code of safety and of course a motto of being prepared. As I became a patrol leader and a senior patrol leader, I learned that on those hikes I was to help make sure the path was clear. I remember one time we were hiking and came across a copperhead laying on the side of the trail. I was able to get our guys safely around it so those more earthy than me would be happy that I didn’t kill that sucker!
Christ has gone ahead of you and me. He has conquered death, paid the penalty for our sin, and clears the way for you and I to have access to the Father! Glory Hallelujah! Christ is in front of you!!!!!
Because of the Resurrection, you and I have the assurance of New Life, Truth and Liberty that in that indeed we have been redeemed and are reconciled!
Because of the Resurrection, you and I have the assurance of New Life, Truth and Liberty that in that indeed we have been redeemed and are reconciled!
Wow.
Did you catch that?
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.
2 Corinthians 5:17-
A friend of mine and somewhat a pastor to pastors, Dr. Joe McKeever shared this with me:
(The account of the cemetery on the border between Free and Occupied France comes from Etta Shiber’s book, “Paris Underground,” published in 1943 by Press Alliance.)
A door in the back of the cemetery.
A small French village was situated right on the border between the two Frances. The Nazis did everything they could to seal the border to make sure no citizens escaped. However, the population of the town kept dwindling. Something was happening, but the Germans couldn’t figure what.
What had happened is that the villagers had remembered something about the ancient cemetery. While the entrance to the graveyard lay inside the town, and the huge wall seemed to seal it off, in the rear was an old gate that had been sealed up for as long as anyone could recall. So, the villagers unsealed the gate. Thereafter, when they held funerals, they walked into the cemetery as though they were mourners, but kept walking right on out the back, into the land of the free.
Think of this as an illustration of resurrection. When Jesus died and rose again, He opened a door on the back side of the cemetery. We still make that sad trek into the graveyard, but we don’t stick around. We keep on walking right out the back side into the land of life and liberty!
Jesus said, “Because I live, you too shall live.”
Because of the Resurrection, this is available right now to you and me.
Because of the Resurrection, this is available right now to you and me.
Is this Easter a big deal for you? It should be!