I serve a risen Savior

I Serve A Risen Saviour!

John 20.1-20

From the pit of despair to being overjoyed!
You talk about a roller coaster of emotions! Arguing who was going to be the greatest, even the mother of James and John putting in a word for her son’s’ positions in the kingdom, the Triumphal Entry on Palm Sunday.

Then the arrest in the Garden of Gethsamene, the crucifixion the next morning, hiding for fear of the Jews over the weekend. Then this! He is alive!
It is hard to capture the full gambit of emotions those 11 disciples and the women had that day. Mary went to the Tomb thinking He was dead. She was looking for His dead body. The disciples were in between shock and despair and not knowing what to do.

Out of the tomb He came with grace and majesty, He is alive!!!

Hymn #289 Christ the LORD is Risen Today
1. The Resurrection Is A Fact.

The Tomb in Jerusalem is empty! Jesus is alive!
Q
We take it by faith with a great blessing. Jesus told His Disciples that.
John 20.24 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”
But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in His hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe.” In other words,  “I am not taking your word. I need to see for myself and I need to touch Him.”
26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Stop doubting and believe.”
28 Thomas said to Him, “My Lord and my God!”
29 Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen Me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”


What we take by faith, the early followers of Jesus took by seeing, by fact.
Some apologetics have reasoned out the ridiculous proposal by the Jewish Leaders to the Roman Guard.
Matthew 28.11 While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. 12 When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, 13 telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’14 If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” 15 So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.


First the disciples were in hiding for fear of the Jews.
There was no way they would even think about being seen, no less risk their lives to perpetuate a fraud.
It was the feast of Passover and unleavened bread. They would never touch a dead body. Peter maintained this until Acts 10.
They were emotionally exhausted.
They would have had to face the Roman Guard with the seal.
Peter denied him three times out of fear. He would not venture out a few hours later.
There is no reasonable way this could have been done.
An empty tomb is there to prove my Savior lives. But that is not all!
Hymn#299 He Lives!

2.  The Resurrection Is A Daily Reality.
He walks with me and He talks with me and He tells me I am His Own.

We walk in His Spirit, the Spirit that raised Christ Jesus from the dead
Romans 8.11
The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, He will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.

Power
Eternity
Focus

Walking with Jesus the newness of life and in the power of His resurrection does not exempt us from deep problems in life. Many times these problems are painful beyond description as we join in the sharinga in the fellowship of His suffering.
Paul, the apostle wrote to the Philippians 3.10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of His resurrection and participation in His sufferings, becoming like Him in his death, 11 and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.

Deep problems, complicated life issues, unspeakable pain come to us as we travel on our journey. The best gift we can receive from others is for them to just listen. How I appreciate and love my listening friends!

While I try and be there as a pastor and as a friend to those who need someone, I know I fall short at times.
Jesus is the best listener ever! He is there today.

Because He Lives
Hymn# 292

3. The Resurrection Is Our Future Hope.

Our Blessed Hope.
Titus 2.11 For the grace of God has appeared that offers salvation to all people. 12 It teaches us to say “No” to ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives in this present age, 13 while we wait for the blessed hope—the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, 14 who gave Himself for us to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are His very own, eager to do what is good.

Our future and those who have died believing
I Thessalonians 4.13 Brothers, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. 14 For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in Him. 15 According to the LORD’s Own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the LORD, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the LORD Himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the LORD in the air. And so we will be with the LORD  forever.18 Therefore encourage one another with these words.

Our Longing
II Timothy 4.8 Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the LORD, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day—and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for His appearing. NIV

in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing. NASB

Our Welcome into our Eternal Home
II Peter 1.11
and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
New Living Translation
Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Berean Bible
a lavish reception
Contemporary English Version
a glorious welcome
Weymouth
a triumphant admission
Message
Way wide open

When We All Get To Heaven
Hymn# 123






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