5 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7 ‘The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of sinners, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’
May our joy abound… that no matter how we have come this morning… this we know. Death has been defeated!
Paul’s words: “If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith . . . if Christ has not been raised then you are still in your sins” (1 Cor. 15:14, 17).
Let us read from the book of John 20
The Empty Tomb
20 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. 2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”
3 So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 4 Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7 as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. 8 Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. 9 (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) 10 Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.
Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene
11 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.
13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”
“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.
15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”
16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.”
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).
17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.
Jesus Appears to His Disciples
19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
Jesus Appears to Thomas
24 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus[a]), 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.”
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.”
Every Easter or Resurrection day , one prominent thing comes to my mind is this:
It is amazing to think about the fact that Jesus never wrote a book, in fact he never wrote anything down, and yet there are more books written about Jesus than any other subject in the world.
Jesus never composed a song, but there is more music written about Jesus Christ than any other subject, bar none, in history.
Jesus never drew any pictures or did any sculpture, but more art has been made about Jesus Christ than any other subject in history.
Jesus never travelled more than 100 miles from where he was born, and yet, you can find followers of Jesus in every nook and cranny of the planet.
So what brought this change? The Resurrection of Jesus changed the entire course of history.
The resurrection of Jesus changed everything.
- No other event has impacted the world so much as the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The Resurrection challenged many of them but it was their response which mattered the most in the end.
I thing we have a fair idea of what happened during the Resurrection Day. Means, you know the events a bit . Could you please share those events which you are aware of or what we read or what we sang to our neighbour.
This Morning , I believe God want to challenge our response as we also live in Post Resurrection Era.
Today’s message is titled as Post Resurrection: Reality check
All the four gospels records the events after resurrection. We will look from the book of John this morning..
Post Resurrection : Meeting the Dead
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance
Jesus spoke many times with his disciples that he has to die and will rise again on the third day.
In another Gospel, it is written that the women went there with some spices.
Mark 16:
16 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.
So what to do with spices when Jesus already spoke that he will be risen. They lived with him, they believed him, they ate with Jesus, They also saw healing and at the most they also saw a great miracle of Jesus raising Lazarus from Dead.
But now they are going to meet the Dead. They did this after Jesus was resurrected.
Are we in a state of meeting the Dead. Are we believing the lies of the enemies which challenges the plan of God in your lives. Are we in a dead end where we don’t believe in the word of God because it did not happen for years.
6 “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here.
This resurrection can change your life this morning. He is risen , he is not here.
- But if the world might be offering us empty promises…
- The promise of Easter is an empty tomb full of promise!!
Don’t search the Dead but believe the one who is alive.
Post Resurrection : Running the Race
3 So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 4 Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7 as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. 8 Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. 9 (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) 10 Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.
There was a Mini marathon here, Peter and John ran to the tomb and one of them outran and it says verse 8 He saw and believed and in verse 9 it says they still not understand the scripture.
We have been called to run the race, they ran to that place when the heard that the tomb is empty.
We have been called to run the race, we need to believe that he has called us . Many times we may have not understood fully but still he asks us to run the race.
Post Resurrection : Encountering Jesus
11 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.
13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”
“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.
15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”
16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.”
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).
17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.
In 2023 it’s been the 4th month. How many times did we encounter Jesus. Did he drawing his attention towards him.
Are we meeting Jesus, Do we experience his presence. When is the last time you experienced his presence or you felt God is with You and you experienced his power, comfort. So remember the tomb is empty , he is here among us.
Jesus called her by name and when she heard that he started crying and she said Teacher.
Jesus grabs our attention when we try to meet the Dead, It can be anything in life other than then Jesus.
If he calls us today and Says “Virjil”. And I believe he calling you. You know Mary wept because she knew her heart condition when Jesus called her. Will you break down this morning when he calls your name. I will certainly because I know how much I need him today.
God says In Revelation 3:20
Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.
Post Resurrection : Responding Fear
19 On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
They locked themselves in fear, but Jesus meets them in midst of their fears and he says peace with you.
The Resurrection Sunday or Easter Sunday will only make sense if we hear and acknowledge of what we are hearing from last 20-30 minutes. Jesus meets us in midst of the fear.He shows himself to them. Do we see Jesus in midst of our Fears.
Post Resurrection : Great Commission
21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
What a promise we have in Jesus. He breathed that Spirit of God and the same spirit which we read in the book of Acts which was poured out in the first church and it’s poured out in our church. He is sending you, he is sending you among the street children , he is sending you to redeem worship, he is sending you to your offices, neighbourhood, city, our nations.
How did 12 peasant fishermen, tax collectors, farmers – how in the world did they multiply – 12 followers of Jesus to Christianity being spread all over the earth? How?
And the reason Christianity spread is because of the power of Resurrection.
Post Resurrection : Beyond Doubt
24 Now Thomas (also known as Didymus[a]), 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.”
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.”
Thomas, one of Jesus disciple was not present in the room in which Jesus met. Other’s told him We have seen the Lord. But he said I don’t believe you. He had certain conditions to be satisfied to believe in JESUS.
What conditions have we kept , we know our Lord is resurrected but our hearts , lives have been filled with so much doubt and we still so reluctant to believe.
Jesus puts this to him
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.”
It’s like Thomas, my son & daughter Stop doubting and believe. Don’t forget I am alive
And he says this
“Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”
The message of Resurrection I believe it’s incomplete without the below
- New Life
The Resurrection promises new life, Christ not only died for us but also he was resurrected on the third day. So I will never be same. I look forward towards things differently.
- Eternal Hope (Life beyond death )
1 Corinthians 15:54-55
54 When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”[h]
55 “Where, O death, is your victory?
Where, O death, is your sting?”[i]
You know how these men who locked themselves in fear in the room died.
A son and Dad driving… son was terrified by a bee that had got in the car!
- The dad was ninja quick and grabbed the bee, pulling its stinger out! He then said, there is no need now to be afraid…
- The bee was still in the car, but the sting was now gone!
- And similarly, we don’t need to live with the fear of the sting of death… it is still something we will all face… but its sting is gone.
- Great Commission
Romans 8:9-11
9 You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. 10 But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. 11 And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.
In other words the same power, the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead is now alive in us!
- You know powerless Christianity is like a beautiful yacht caught out to sea with no wind! It is not going anywhere…
- But then when the breath of God comes and breathes on you, like a mighty wind catching your sails… you receive power!
- And that is the promise of Easter! The same power that raised Jesus to life now lives in us, meaning we have power to live transformed lives!
Virjil Selvan is Pastoring the Renewed Hope Community. The Renewed Hope Community is situated in the heart of the city between Old and New Panvel. We can confidently share that Renewed Hope Community is a Church in Kamothe, Church in Khandeshwar, Church in Khanda Colony, Church in Karanjade, Church in Panvel, Church in New Panvel, Church in Karanjade because we are centrally located and these places surround our church Venue.
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