Today is a very special day on which we celebrate the Resurrection of Christ. I’m going to talk about one of the most important issues in Christianity, I’m going to talk about Easter!
Today’s Word: Easter – Victory Over Death
Matthew 28: 1-10
1 “Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb. 2 Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it. 3 His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. 4 The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint. 5 Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. 7 And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you.” 8 The women ran quickly from the tomb. They were very frightened but also filled with great joy, and they rushed to give the disciples the angel’s message. 9 And as they went, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they ran to him, grasped his feet, and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t be afraid! Go tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there.”” Matthew 28:1-10
The best news the world has ever heard came from the empty tomb of Jesus Christ. In fact, the history of Easter doesn’t end with a funeral, or with the crucifixion, but with a party!
A Christ overcome by death, or a Christ constricted by the power of the grave could never be the saviour of the world. The glorious truth of Jesus Christ’s resurrection is the “cornerstone” of Christianity. It is the greatest, most excellent, most extraordinary truth on which our faith is based upon!
That is why the Bible is so explicit and so clear about the glorious truth of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world, who overcame death and rose again.
You may have heard of the great religious leaders in the world such as: Confucius, Buddha, Muhammad, Alan Cardec. If you go to visit their graves, their bones will be there. But the tomb of Jesus Christ of Nazareth is empty! He broke the chains of death, He defeated death, He was resurrected! He is Alive, He Reigns and has promised to come back!
This truth is our greatest hope and also the great difference between true Christianity and all other religions.
Jesus went to the Cross to kill death, to destroy the sting of death and overcome it.
“Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? ” 1 Corinthians 15:54-55
We do not preach of a Christ who is dead! We preach of a Christ who has been dead, but is now alive forever and ever.
Death produces fear in many people. Death is the king of terrors, but Jesus is the King of kings, and He defeated death, he conquered death, he won over death, he took away its power and today death is conquered and it soon it will be thrown into the lake of fire.
I want to start by talking about the importance of Christ’s resurrection. For Christ’s resurrection is the most extraordinary fact of history. The church was born because of the resurrection of Christ and without the resurrection of Christ the church would not exist.
There is no Christianity without the truth of Christ’s resurrection. Let’s see some causes of Jesus’ resurrection
– Our sins were forgiven because Jesus resurrected.
– We have a faith based on a solid foundation because Jesus is risen.
– Our preaching is powerful, fruitful and effective because Jesus resurrected
– Our testimony about this fact is true because Jesus resurrected.
– Those who died in Christ will be resurrected in glory because Jesus was resurrected.
– We have guaranteed joy in this life and eternal salvation after death because Jesus is risen.
– Our work for God is not in vain because Jesus is risen.
– Our last address will not be our headstones because Jesus is risen.
– Death does not have the last word because Jesus is risen.
– The empty tomb is the cradle of the church because Jesus resurrected.
– All the martyrs will not die in vain because Jesus is risen.
– We have a living hope in our hearts because He is risen.
The resurrection is the most important point of the Christian faith.
Just look at the religions that exist all around the world, they don’t have this hope! If you research you will see all that all the religions of this world have no victory over death. You will not hear or read of any religious leaders who died and rose again.
Our faith are based on a living hope.
We do not adore a Christ who is trapped in a crucifix, we do not adore a Christ whose bones are in the tomb, we adore a Christ who is risen, overcame death, is alive and is Life.
We worship a Christ who is on the throne, who governs the heavens and earth, who will seek his church in the Rapture and one day will return gloriously.
You may ask: What are the evidences of His resurrection?
Jesus’ resurrection is an indispensable and indisputable fact, because after his resurrection Jesus appeared several times.
(Ingrida , I’m not going to read the verses , just quote it )
He appeared to Mary Magdalene (John 20:16), He appeared to another group of women (Matthew 28: 8), He appeared to Peter (Luke 24:34), He appeared to two disciples on the road to Emmaus, (Luke 24: 13) He appeared to the apostles when Thomas was not present (Luke 24:36), He appeared again to the apostles when Thomas was present (John 20:26), He appeared to 7 apostles there in the Sea of Galilee (John 21: 1) , He appeared to more than 500 people at one time (1 Corinthians 15: 6).
He appeared to James (1 Corinthians 15: 7), He appeared to Apostle Paul (Acts 9: 5), He appeared to Stephen (Acts 7:56), He appeared to John on the island of Patmos (Revelation 1:12).
There were many appearances. But on the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit was poured out, Peter’s message was the resurrection of Christ.
Acts 2: 22-24
““Fellow Israelites, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by God’s deliberate plan and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross. But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him.” Acts 2:22-24
Peter declared: Whoever you killed, God raised Him from the dead and made Him Lord and Christ.
Dear ones, if Jesus had not resurrected Christianity would have died, it would have ended by now. If Christ had not resurrected, it would have been enough for the Romans and religious leaders of the time to go to His tomb, open the door, take His body out and walk it around the streets of Jerusalem and Christianity would have ended right there.
Why didn’t they do that? Why didn’t they bring out His body from the grave to counter argue Peter’s preaching?
For Peter confronted them, but they had no way of doing the same, because Jesus was not in the tomb, he had conquered death, He overcame death with His own death and resurrection.
Beloved, after Jesus’ death, we see all the disciples locked up, afraid of the Romans who had killed their master, they were intimidated.
But once they saw the empty tomb, after Jesus appeared to them, these men are no longer afraid, they are no longer intimidated, they face the authorities, they face whips , prison, they face death and they keep on preaching the message of the resurrection with all their might.
They were afraid, but the resurrection brought hope, faith, boldness and courage.
Death was conquered, death had its backbone broken, death died when Jesus rose from the dead.
This truth is so glorious because we can understand that death is no longer a nightmare, death has no power to terrify us, because the sting of death has been uprooted, destroyed.
For those believes in the Lord Jesus, the One who is the resurrection and life, dying is profit, dying is a state of bliss!
The bible says: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’, “That they may rest from their labours, and their works follow them.” ” Revelation 14:13
The bible says: “Precious in the sight of the LORD Is the death of His saints.” Psalms 116: 15
The Bible also says that: “We are confident, yes, well pleased rather to be absent from the body and to be present with the Lord. II Corinthians 5: 8
“For to me, living means living for Christ, and dying is even better.” Philippians 1:21
The Bible says that when you die, your soul goes to the Lord in the very second, but your body is buried as a seed that will rise in an immortal, incorruptible, glorious, powerful way, as the glorious body of the Lord Jesus.
We will have a new body where there will be no more tiredness, fatigue, disease or death.
God will wipe away every tear from our eyes and we will be with the Lord reigning forever and ever.
Paul said: “If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable.” I Corinthians 15:19
You can have money, you can be healthy, you can be successful, you can have fame, you may have a sculptural body, you can have physical beauty, you can have the world at your feet, but life is short and we will all have to appear before God one day.
If all your hopes are limited to this life only, your hope is empty, it will not give you any security.
But if you believed in Jesus, if you believed in Him, and have repented of your sins, if you are born again, then you have a Living Hope.
The best is still ahead, life here on this earth is not easy, you will face trials here, but soon you will be before the living God, and you will live and reign with him forever and ever.
The resurrection is the foundation, the base, the anchor of our Faith!
Because He Lives, we are no longer afraid of death!
Because of the indisputable truth of the resurrection, the Church of Jesus was established, people of every tribe, race, language and nation were called to the gospel, congregating as the church of Christ, believing in the Saviour, believing in Christ, forming a great Body , which is the Body of Christ, the Church of Jesus.
Your nationality does not matter, your language doesn’t matter, your financial condition doesn’t matter, the colour of your skin doesn’t matter, your past doesn’t matter, your sins don’t matter.
If you believe in Jesus who died and rose, if you repent of your sins and confess Jesus Christ as Lord of your life you have Eternal life!
If you give your life to Jesus, you will be part of this great family, this body that is the church of Jesus.
Jesus’ empty tomb is the cradle of the church, of this great family of every tribe, language, people and nation.
Because of our sins Jesus was crucified, Jesus died for us on the cross. That Friday was a terrible day for all of Jesus’ followers, a day of sadness, pain, suffering.
There are many people who are still living the Good Friday of Christ’s passion.
Maybe that is you, with no joy, never a smile on your face, you don’t have a living hope, you walk without enthusiasm, you see your life as a failure, you live in pessimism, in sadness.
Maybe your heart is full fear, maybe you are sad about some loss, maybe your soul is anguished, afraid for the future, afraid of death!
I am here to tell you that the resurrection Sunday is coming for you!
Because He is risen, because He lives, we can believe in tomorrow.
Because Jesus Christ lives death does not have the last word, because Jesus is risen we have hope and a guarantee of eternal life.
We are not afraid of tomorrow! We are not afraid of the future! We are not afraid of death!
John 11: 25-26
“Jesus said “ I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this? ” John 11: 25-26
Jesus is the resurrection and the life! Stop fearing death, stop fearing the future.
Jesus said that everyone who lives and believes in Him shall not die! Do you believe that? Death died with the resurrection of Jesus!
If you believe in him, you will never die, you will just close your eyes to this life and move on to Eternity and be with the Lord forever and ever.
You need to understand this, you may be living a Friday of Passion, but you need to pass on to the Resurrection Sunday!
You need this revelation and you must take possession of this glorious truth, that Jesus is alive, Jesus overcame death, he is risen, he is the resurrection and the life and you have to walk in this glorious hope!
We need to have a revelation of the power of resurrection.
This revelation comes from studying the word of God. If you do not study the Bible you will be a Christian with your eyes closed, you will not see the truth, you will be a Christian who will listen but will not understand the truth.
You will only have revelation of God through the scriptures! It is through the scriptures that you will have faith!
Do you want to know Jesus? Search the scriptures, for the Bible will bring revelation, faith, light, holiness.
The truth of the resurrection has to set your soul on fire so that you will feel the joy of living with Jesus.
Because He is risen there is hope for us, death does not have the last word, the grave is not our last address.
I want to challenge you to live intensely for Jesus, I want to challenge you to experience the power of the resurrection!
Have a moment of prayer and talk to our beloved Jesus.
Tell Him: Jesus I believe in You, the Lord who died for me and for my sins. I want to live for You Lord, to serve you, to love, honour and respect you.
I want to live each day with this living and glorious hope of eternal life. In Jesus Name !