He Is Risen

He Is Risen

April 08, 2007

Introduction

There is a certain excitement and joy about today. Today has come to be known as Easter. The word “Easter” comes out of pagan customs and celebrations. As a result we have the Easter eggs and the Easter bunny left over from paganism. They have nothing to do with the resurrection of Christ, but are left over from paganism which celebrated the productivity of the chicken and the rabbit.

However, today, and every Sunday, we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. For the past three Sundays, we have been preaching about Jesus Christ and Him crucified. This morning, we turn our thoughts to the joy of His Resurrection.

Body

I. He Is Risen!

(Luke 24:1-8 NKJV) "Now on the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they, and certain other women with them, came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. (2) But they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. (3) Then they went in and did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. (4) And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. (5) Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, "Why do you seek the living among the dead? (6) "He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, (7) "saying, 'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.'" (8) And they remembered His words."

A. Notice the events of verse seven.

'The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.'

1. He died to pay the price of our sins.

2. Paul summed up His death and resurrection this way.

(Romans 4:25 KJV) "Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification."

B. Now let’s consider His resurrection: "Why do you seek the living among the dead?

1. Where is Christ in your life? Is He living or dead?

2. Does He make a difference in the way you live from day to day?

3. We serve a living Savior, and as one song puts it, “He lives within my heart.”

C. "He is not here, but is risen.” -- What difference does it make?

1. His resurrection is our hope of a resurrection.

(I Cor 15:17) And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! {18} Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. {19} If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. {20} But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. {21} For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead

2. How do we relate to His resurrection?

II. God gave us two great ways that we have part in the joy of His resurrection.

A. We experience a form of death to sin and being raised to a new life in baptism.

(Romans 6:3-4 NKJV) "Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? (4) Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life."

1. This newness of life relates to our life here on earth now.

· It’s new in that we have a right relationship with God.

· We live by a different set of rules than the world around us.

· We have hope of life eternal with God.

2. His resurrection also gives us our hope of eternal life in the world to come.

(Romans 6:8-11 NKJV) "Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, (9) knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. (10) For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. (11) Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord."

B. Each Sunday, we partake of the Lord’s Supper.

(1 Cor 11:23-29) For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; {24} and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me." {25} In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." {26} For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes. {27} Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. {28} But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of the bread and drink of the cup. {29} For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself, not discerning the Lord's body.

III. Why is His resurrection so significant?

A. His resurrection is significant because it proved He was the Son of God.

1. His enemies, the Jewish leaders, were afraid that it would be said He rose from the dead.

(Mat 27:62-64 NKJV) On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, {63} saying, "Sir, we remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, 'After three days I will rise.' {64} "Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day, lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the people, 'He has risen from the dead.' So the last deception will be worse than the first."

B. Paul tells us that without the resurrection our faith would be in vain.

(1 Cor 15:13-22 NKJV) But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. {14} And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. {15} Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up; if in fact the dead do not rise. {16} For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. {17} And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! {18} Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. {19} If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. {20} But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. {21} For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. {22} For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.

C. Paul also told us in his letter to the church at Rome how important the resurrection is.

(Rom 4:25 KJV) Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

D. What is our hope in Christ? What will we be like?

(1 John 3:1-4 NKJV) Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God! Therefore the world does not know us, because it did not know Him. {2} Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is. {3} And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. {4} Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.

Conclusion

I. It’s spring. Is is cold today, but things all around us are coming to life, but are we alive in Christ Jesus?

II. Is there hope for us? Have you put on Christ in baptism and had your sins washed away?

Bible Study with Harley

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