He Has Risen

Let us now turn to the Gospel according to Mark, chapter 16, and reading again at verse 6.

Mark 16 · chapter mention

! And he said to them, that is, the angel said to the women, do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified.

Now here's a question for everyone. How many of us this evening came to this building seeking Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified?

Answer the question in the secrecy of your own heart.

He has risen. He is not here. See the place where they laid him.

And particularly the sentence, he has risen.

There is a biblical truth that states that humiliation brings exaltation.

From the teaching of Jesus, you may remember how he taught,

whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

It is a theme that you find running through Scripture.

And we have read in chapter 15 of Mark's Gospel of part of the cosmic dimensions of Christ's humiliation.

And in chapter 16, Mark tells us how in an explosive moment, the grave could no longer hold Jesus of Nazareth.

If you are familiar with the Book of Acts, you may remember how that book tells of a conversation between a Roman governor by the name of Festus and King Agrippa.

Festus reported that Felix, another Roman governor, had left Paul imprisoned.

Festus stated that the Jews had certain points of dispute with Paul about their own religion.

And then he went on to state,

And about a certain Jesus who was dead, but whom Paul asserted to be alive.

That point of dispute is still contested to the present of.

It was something that the Apostle Paul argued strongly for because of its paramount significance to the Christian faith.

If it were disproved, that is, if the resurrection were disproved,

there would be no relevant Christian message to proclaim.

Resurrection is the hinge upon which the story of the world pivots.

You know, to claim that a person actually expired, was buried, and three days later again rose from the grave without any human intervention,

seems too fantastic and unbelievable.

Many at the time of the death of Jesus found it difficult to believe.

Yet, the factual, biblical evidence for the resurrection is substantial.

And that is important.

It is a bigger topic than one might think.

Not only has to do with the resurrection of Jesus Christ in the past,

The Christian doctrine of the resurrection includes the belief that Jesus rose from the dead,

but also that all believers who have slept in Jesus will also be raised when he comes in the glory and majesty of his second coming.

And that event has yet to take place.

Paul writing to the Thessalonians,

For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so through Jesus,

God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.

For this we declare to you by a word from the Lord,

that we who are alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord,

will not precede those who have fallen asleep.

For the Lord himself will descend from heaven with a cry of command,

with the voice of an archangel,

the sound of the trumpet of God,

and the dead in Christ will rise first.

The second advent is the terminus,

the point at which everything is completed and consummated.

It is simultaneous with the resurrection of the dead,

the final judgment,

and the regeneration of heaven and earth.

The gospel writers were careful to report the fact of the resurrection.

Without it being a factual, supernatural event,

then there'd be really no point in the message of the gospel.

Without the resurrection,

Christian ministry is pointless.

Personal faith is ineffective.

God's character is called into question.

So you find that each of the four gospels

record something of the resurrection story.

Each gospel has its own emphasis,

and you could argue that each gospel is catering

for different groups of people.

For the early church,

the message,

the Lord has risen indeed,

was the message that excited,

inspired,

and filled them with anticipatory hope.

It was the joyous message

communicated by the two travelers

on the Emmaus Road,

who had such a marvelous encounter

with the risen Lord,

an encounter that lifted

their deep gloom,

filled them with renewed,

vibrant hope.

They had gone through the whole gamut

of great despair

and deep disappointment,

without even a glimmer of hope.

without the resurrection,

that deep darkness

would have remained.

The Saturday,

prior to the first day of the week

on which the Lord rose from the dead,

was for the followers of Jesus

a day of desolation,

a day of shattered dreams,

of gloom

and inertia.

For Mary at the cross,

a sword had pierced her soul.

Peter was probably paralyzed

and even tormented

by his denial

of the one whom he truly loved.

Think of John,

the beloved disciple,

and Mary Magdalene's heartache.

For those followers of Jesus,

it was indeed a time

of deep gloom.

Many people in society

are living in the despair

and darkness

of dark Saturday.

In fact,

one writer terms

our present generation,

Saturday's children.

Our cities and towns

teem with pools of human misery.

In the midst of an increasingly

godless world,

despair grips

people's hearts

everywhere.

Here then is truly good news.

He has risen.

What can we deduce

from this marvelous

scripture of truth

he has risen?

Three thoughts.

First,

the fact

of the empty tomb.

Second,

the feet

of Jesus.

The feet

of Jesus.

Not

F-W-E-T

but F-E-A-T.

The feet

of Jesus.

And then thirdly,

the focus

on personal experience.

First,

the fact

of the empty tomb.

Until the early church

was confronted

by the empty grave,

the expectation

of a resurrection

was virtually nil.

The women

who had on Friday

watched the crucifixion

of their beloved Jesus

left their home

early on Sunday morning

while it was still dark.

They had a particular

purpose in mind.

They wished to wash

and perfume

the body

of the Lord.

They did not anticipate

a risen Christ.

Resurrection

was clearly

not on their minds.

You could say

that in

going to the grave

early in the morning

they were motivated

by love

in what

they intended

to do.

And Mark

in the context

of our text

writes

of their

particular worry.

Very early

on the first day

of the week

when the sun

had risen

they went to the tomb

they were saying

to one another

who will roll away

the stone for us

from the entrance

of the tomb?

Who will roll away

the stone for us

from the entrance

of the tomb?

The stone

was very large.

The implication

being that

it was too heavy

for the women

to roll away.

It could not

be easily moved.

Matthew

in his account

writes of a conversation

that took place

between the chief

priests and Pharisees.

Possibly

none of that

was known

to the woman.

We remember

how that imposter

said while he

was still alive

after three days

I will rise

therefore order

the tomb

to be made secure

until the third day

lest his disciples

go and steal him

away and tell the people

he has risen

from the dead

and the last fraud

will be worse

than the first.

Pilate said to them

you have a guard

of soldiers

go make it

as secure

as you can

so they went

and made the tomb

secure

by sealing the stone

and setting

a guard.

And yet

regardless

of their anxiety

the women

pressed on

with their mission

saw the gospel

writers make plain

the obstacles

or the cause

of their anxiety

had been removed

when they arrived

at the tomb.

Matthew

in his account

reports

what happened.

Behold

there was a great

earthquake

for an angel

of the Lord

descended from heaven

and came and rolled

back the stone

and sat on it

his appearance

was like light

in his clothing

white as snow

and for fear

of him

the guards

trembled

and became

like dead men.

The stone

was rolled

away

an angel

of the Lord

had

rolled it

away

but let no one

be under

the impression

that the stone

was rolled

away

in order

to let

Jesus

out from

the grave.

That was not

the purpose

of rolling

away the stone.

The purpose

of rolling

away the stone

was to let

the church

and the world

know

that the grave

that had once

been filled

was now empty.

Until then

no grave

had ever

been opened

from the

inside.

There were

those

who were

resuscitated

to life

by the power

of Jesus

but this

grave

was unlocked

from within.

Jesus

required no

stone

to be

rolled

away

to come

out.

Here

was one

who removed

the keys

from the

locks of

death.

and he

testifies

to that

in the

book of

Revelation

in the

first chapter.

He

testifies

that he

died

that he

became

dead

and behold

he is alive

forevermore

he has the

keys of

death

and

hates

he possesses

the keys

of the

unseen

world

and of

death

he has

absolute

control

over

everything

connected

with man's

departure

from this

life.

The

separation

of our

soul and

body

and our

subsequent

eternal

condition.

And then you

ask yourself

should we

consider

the

sealed

stone

to

symbolize

anything?

Well could I

suggest

that the

grave

until

the

rising

of

Christ

from

the

dead

was

like

an

impregnable

fortress.

No one

had been

able to

breach

its

walls.

Generation

after

generation

after

generation

had

passed

into

the

grave

creating

its own

grief

and sorrow

in the

lives of

those

left

behind.

And you

may be

present

this

evening

or

listening

online

and that

parting

has left

you

almost

in a

state

of

limbo.

You

feel

inconsolable

so

difficult

to face

each

day

without

those

who are

such

an

integral

and

intimate

part

of your

life.

Let me

ask

do you

know

the

friend

who

sticks

closer

than

any

brother?

Have you

some

experience

of the

warmth

of his

ultra

sympathetic

comfort?

If not

will you

ask him

to come

into

your

life

to

soothe

your

grieving

heart?

Here

then was

a grave

opened

from

within.

The

stone

that

symbolized

the

finality

and

undefeated

power

of death

was

rolled

away.

The

grave

was

opened

and

the

power

of

death

and

the

grave

conquered.

The

lion

of

the

tribe

of

Judah

has

conquered

death

and

the

grave.

And

you

may

remember

how

John

the

disciple

came

to

believe

that

marvelous

truth.

He

had

run

you

remember

to

the

grave.

Twenty

saw

the

linen

cloths

lying

there

and

the

face

cloth

which

had

been

on

Jesus'

head

not

lying

with

the

linen

cloths

but

folded

in

our

place

by

itself.

And

then

John

goes

on

to

write

he

saw

and

believed.

You

might

say

when

he

went

into

the

tomb

and

saw

for

himself

the

evidence

nobody

but

the

cloths

lying

there

and

the

face

cloth

folded

in

a

place

by

itself

the

light

dawned

his

understanding

was

illuminated

and

he

believed

it

was

for

John

I

believe

a

penny

dropping

moment

or

an

aha

moment

you

know

when

you

do

not

grasp

or

understand

something

and

then

all

of

a

sudden

you

see

it

that's

an

aha

moment

he

understood

that

Christ

had

risen

and

although

he

still

had

much

to

learn

of

the

consequence

of

his

rising

so

let

me

ask

are you

here

this

evening

like

John

did

that

penny

dropping

moment

take

place

in

your

life

are

you

present

and

understood

the way

of

salvation

through

faith

in

Jesus

Christ

and

when

that

happened

did

you

wonder

that

you

did

not

see

it

before

then

I

think

many

were

like

that

and

as

you

reflect

on

the

empty

tomb

tonight

can

you

say

with

John

we

have

seen

and

testify

that

the

father

has

sent

a

son

to

be

savior

of

the

world

whoever

confesses

that

Jesus

is

the

son

of

God

abides

in

him

and

he

in

God

so

we

have

come

to

know

and

believe

the

love

God

has

for

us

the

Christ

who

entered

the

grave

was

under

the

power

of

death

for

a

time

has

risen

he

was

stronger

than

death

Jesus

of

Nazareth

says

the

angel

who

was

crucified

he

has

risen

he

is

not

here

see

the

place

where

they

laid

him

yes

the

grave

where

he

lay

was

empty

but

his

very

emptiness

bore

ample

testimony

to

the

fact

that

the

Lord

of

life

had

proved

his

lordship

over

death

and

the

grave

the

cloths

in

the

empty

grave

a

categoric

assurance

of

his

triumph

and

power

the

fact

of

the

empty

tomb

undisputed

even

by his

enemies

the

fact

of

the

empty

king

!

the

empty

tomb

death

is

no

longer

king

light

reigns

the

power

of

the

grave

has

finally

been

shattered

that

brings

me

to

my

second

thought

the

feet

of

Jesus

ask

the

question

what

was

the

feet

of

Jesus

and

the

answer

of

the

Bible

he

is

risen

what

a

remarkable

story

death

and

the

grave

were

unable

to

hold

him

the

Bible

reports

for us

that

there

were

those

who

saw

the

risen

Christ

Luke

tells

how

two

of

the

followers

of

Jesus

had

such

an

uplifting

and

illuminating

encounter

on the

road

to

Emmaus

with

the

risen

!

Christ

and

then

subsequently

in

the

breaking

of

bread

and

he

tells

in

his

account

how

they

retraced

their

steps

to

Jerusalem

there

they

met

the

eleven

disciples

and

others

and

they

found

the

eleven

and

those

who

were

with

them

gathered

together

say

the

Lord

has

risen

indeed

it

has

appeared

to

Simon

then

they

told

what

had

happened

on

the

road

and

how

he

was

known

to

them

in

the

breaking

of

bread

and

in

the

very

middle

of

their

of

recounting

their

unexpected

uplifting

and

wonderful

experience

there

was a

sudden

entrance

by

one

who

stood

among

them

even

although

the

doors

were

closed

as

they

were

talking

about

these

things

Jesus

himself

stood

among

them

and

said

peace

to

you

but

they

were

startled

and

frightened

and

thought

they

saw

a

spirit

and

this

little

wonder

Luke

places

emphasis

on

the

identity

of

this

intruder

into

their

gathering

by

the

use

of

the

words

Jesus

himself

Jesus

himself

stood

among

them

the

Lord

gave

them

the

assurance

that

it

was

none

other

than

himself

in

his

risen

body

he

presented

them

with

irrefutable

evidence

see

my

hands

and

feet

and

so

on

and

at

one

level

it

was

fulfillment

of

his

own

promise

to

the

disciples

given

in

the

upper

room

a

little

while

he

had

said

to

them

and

you

will

see

me

and

as

they

pondered

what

he

meant

then

he

went

on

to

say

truly

truly

I

say

to

you

you

will

weep

and

lament

but

the

world

will

rejoice

you

will

be

sorrowful

but

your

sorrow

will

turn

into

joy

and

he

went

on

to

use

the

illustration

of

the

birth

of

a

child

so

also

you

have

sorrow

now

but

I

will

see

you

again

and

your

hearts

will

rejoice

and

no

one

will

take

your

joy

from

you

oh

how

they

rejoiced

when

they

did

see

him

how

they

rejoiced

when

they

did

see

him

their

sorrow

and

even

their

terror

turned

to

joy

their

troubles

and

doubts

removed

as

their

great

high

priest

he

had

gone

into

the

holy

place

with

his

own

blood

he

had

paid

the

price

demanded

by

a

holy

law

the

offering

was

accepted

by

a

holy

and

a

righteous

God

and

now

as

the

returning

high

priest

he

greets

them

with

a

benediction

shallow

could

be

shortened

for

the

Aaronic

benediction

the

Lord

bless

you

and

keep

you

the

Lord

make

his

face

to

shine

upon

you

and

be

gracious

to

you

the

Lord

lift

up

his

countenance

on

you

and

give

you

peace

he

is

the

basis

of

their

peace

and

he

preached

!

peace

to

them

they

were

presented

with

visible

evidence

of the

!

he

had

risen

indeed!

And so

to prove

that he

wasn't

some

apparition

figment

of their

imagination

you find

written in

John's

gospel

he showed

them his

hands

and his

side

and in

that

passage

it is

recorded

that

Jesus

said

behold

my

hands

and feet

that it

is I

myself

handle

me

and see

for a

spirit

does not

have

flesh

and bones

as you

see I

have

when he

had

said

this

he

showed

them

his

hands

and his

feet

he

showed

them

his

hands

and his

feet

in other

words

he

was

showing

that

the

piercings

and the

marks

of his

crucifixion

were still

visible

you could

say

it was a

silent

argument

but also

a very

powerful

and effective

argument

and to

further

assure

them

of his

identity

he ate

in their

presence

so

when he

appeared

in that

locked

room

he had

a physical

body

not like

ours

the same

yet

different

he was

simply

there

in spite

of the

locked

doors

and from

that I

think we

can make

at least

this

deduction

tonight

in your

life

the risen

Christ

can go

where no

one else

can go

can go

where no

minister

can go

can go

where no

doctor

can go

he can

go

where no

teacher

or youth

leader

can go

he can

go

where no

friend

can go

he can

reach

deep

into your

life

anywhere

and anytime

there is

no place

where you

are

no depths

which constitute

you as a

person

which Jesus

can't

penetrate

Jesus

resurrection

from the

dead

equips

him

to do

what no

one else

can do

there is

no one

else like

him in

all the

universe

he is

alive

Jesus

can reach

into your

life

however

broken

you may

feel this

evening

however

distressed

however

upset

however

difficult

your

providence

however

much

alone

you may

feel

however

despondent

however

dependent

and subject

even to

the forces

of any

kind of

addiction

he can

reach

into your

life

touch

you

and change

you

do you

find

comfort

in that

I

certainly

do

and I

hope

that you

do

too

he is

the true

servant

of God

and the

Bible

tells us

of his

character

traits

a bruised

reed

he will

not break

and a

smouldering

wick

he will

not quench

a bruised

reed

a smouldering

wick

you know

that's a

picture of

of you

and me

by nature

broken

reeds

smouldering

wicks

and this

Jesus

the risen

Jesus

he takes

us

in our

brokenness

in our

loneliness

and he

heals

and restores

the message

of the

risen

Christ

is

I

live

it was

sufficient

to convince

a doubting

Thomas

prompt him

to speak

from his

heart

words of

reverential

law

my

Lord

and my

God

God

remember

as I

said

how the

message

of

Jesus

is

alive

is

reinforced

in the

first

chapter

of the

book

of

Revelation

in the

vision

that was

given

to

John

and

Patmos

when I

saw him

wrote

John

I

fell

at his

feet

as

though

dead

but

he

laid

his

hand

on

me

saying

fear

not

I

am

the

first

and

the

last

and

the

living

one

I

died

and

behold

I

am

alive

forever

more

I

am

alive

forever

more

many

believers

despite

knowing

that their

sins

are

forgiven

live

in the

terror

of

sin's

power

because

of

their

own

felt

weakness

in the

face

of

temptation

the

savior

who

rose

from

the

dead

has

that

same

resurrection

power

to give

to his

people

remember

the

prayer

of

Paul

in the

letter

to the

Ephesians

in the

first

chapter

where

you read

these

words

what

is

the

immeasurable

greatness

of his

power

toward us

who

believe

according

to the

working

of his

great

might

that he

worked

in

Christ

when he

raised him

from the

dead

is that not

the power

that enables

the believer

to continue

in faith

to turn

away from

sin

and offer

your life

in worship

and service

to God

Jesus

is alive

he is

able to

conquer

every

ruler

and open

hearts

that are

filled

with

prejudice

against

him