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Title:  14. Easter Sunday - and so?

       

Readings : Acts 2:22 -24,32,33 / Rom 8:8-17

   

       

1. Introduction

 

  •   Notices (see Appendix below) give the background to Easter week
  •  the focus is on the FACTS – it happened
  •  this morning I want to focus on the outworking
  •  i.e . what it means for us today

 

 

2. The Resurrection – a door to a new life

 

  •  remember first, it was an historical fact
  • i.e. it happened! ( Acts 2:22-24 etc.)
  •  Jesus came back and affirmed the disciples
  •  suddenly life was no longer the same again
  •  it would never be the same again!
  •  They had walked with God!
  •  He had loved them, forgave them, sent them
  •  Pentecost simply confirmed all that had happened
  •  Paul focuses on the Spirit but everything flowed out of Easter
  •  the Cross paid the price
  •  the Resurrection confirmed that truth and released HOPE

 

3. The Resurrection – leaving the past behind 

  

  •  Rom 8:8-13 we walk away from the past
  • we walk away from self-centred, sin-orientated lives
  • yes the Spirit energises but the Resurrection says, “There's a new life to be lived!”
  •  the Resurrection says there is a new HOPE, something better to come

 

4. The Resurrection – power observed

  •   Rom 8:11 the resurrection power is in us
  •  as it transformed Jesus, so it will transform us
  •  it brought Jesus to a new life
  •  it brings us to a new life

 

5. The Resurrection – new relationship possibility

   

  •  the Resurrection showed God in control
  •  it wasn't all about us and our failures
  • it was God revealing His Son & His power
  •  Jesus with them meant an ongoing relationship
  • his death looked like the end
  • his resurrection meant he continued with them
  • today the relationship is continued through the Spirit
  • Rom 8:14 those who are led by the Spirit of God
  • now we can talk about being led by the Spirit
  • Rom 8:14 are sons of God
  • Rom 8:16 are children of God
  • now we are called son's children of God

 

6. The Resurrection – a whole new future possibility

  •  Jesus alive meant, “What's next?”
  •  Rom 8:17 heirs of God
  • An heir is an inheritor
    •  that means there's stuff to be received.
    •  purpose – direction – guided destiny – power

 

 

Appendix : The Facts of Easter

   

1. Maundy Thursday – the Last Super

 

  •  After a week of teaching in the Temple precincts, Jesus gathers with the disciples in the upper room to partake of the Passover meal.
  •  After the meal Jesus takes them out to the Garden of Gethsemane where he prays about the coming ordeal.
  • Judas leads a party of soldiers and they arrest Jesus.
  • He is taken to the High Priest's palace where a show trial is conducted.

 

2. Good Friday 

   

  •  Early morning they take Jesus to the Roman Governor, Pontius Pilate, and demand he be executed
  •  Pilate tries to let him off and sends him to Herod but after questioning he is sent back to Pilate
  • The crowd, at the prompting of the religious leaders, scream for Jesus to be crucified.
  • Eventually Pilate caves in and washes his hands of the whole thing and sends Jesus to be crucified.
  • He is crucified alongside two thieves at about 9.00am .
  • At noon , for three hours, Jerusalem is in darkness.
  • Eventually he dies about 3.00pm
  • They take his body down and hurriedly bury him in a borrowed tomb, before the Sabbath starts at 6.00pm (Jewish days ran from 6.00pm to 6.00pm .)

 

3. Saturday

    

  •  It is the Sabbath – nothing happens
  • The tomb is sealed
  • Guards are posted to ensure nothing happens
  •  The disciples are hiding in fear

 

4. Easter Sunday  

   

  •  The women followers go to the tomb in the early morning to embalm the body (Lk 24:1).
  •  Then they realised they had a problem: “they asked each other, "Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?" (Mk 16:30)
  •  When they arrive they find the stone rolled away and an angel speaks to them (Mk 16:6).
  •  They return to the men and tell them but they won't believe (Lk 24:9,10)
  •  Peter goes to the tomb followed by John (see Jn 20:3-10)
  •  The women who follow encounter Jesus (Mt 28:9,10).
  •  Later in the day two of the disciples encounter Jesus on the road to Emmaus (Lk 23:13 -)
  •  Again later that evening he appears to the disciples back in Jerusalem (Lk 24:36-39)

 

5. Later Appearances

   

  •  A week later he appears to them again (Jn 20:26,27)
  •  Afterwards he meets with the disciples in Galilee (Jn 21)

 

6. Summary

 

The apostle Paul summarises what happened: For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also. (1 Cor 15:3-8)

 

Consider the reality of what happened:

  •  The terrified disciples were transformed
  •  Fear-filled disciples become a bold church
  •  Of the 11 remaining 10 died for their faith
  •  Nothing but the resurrection can possibly explain the transformation of these men.
  •  The facts speak clearly for themselves!