Jesus and the Kingdom Demands of Easter Sunday

So let's begin our worship by singing to God's praise from Psalm 72 in the Scottish Psalter on page 312.

! Psalm 72 on page 312.

It is a psalm about the Lord Jesus, the Messiah, and rejoicing in Him and in the peace that He brings and in the endurance of His reign.

We're singing at verse 1.

O Lord, Thy judgments give the King, the Son, Thy righteousness. With rightly shall Thy people judge, Thy poor with uprightness.

The lofty mountains shall bring forth unto the people peace. Likewise, the little hills, the same shall do by righteousness.

And we're going to sing from verse 1 to the end of the verse marked 7, and we're singing to the tune Evan.

So we stand to sing to God's praise.

O Lord, Thy judgments give the King, the Son, Thy righteousness. With rightly shall Thy people judge, Thy poor with uprightness.

The lofty mountains shall bring forth unto the people peace. Likewise, the little hills, the same shall do by righteousness.

The people voyque, the people voyque, the people voyque, the people voyque, the people voyque, the people voyque, the people voyque, the people voyque, the people voyque, the people voyque, the people voyque, the people voyque, the people voyque, the people voyque, the people voyque, the people voyque, the people voyque, the people voyque, the people voyque, the people voyque, the people voyque, voyque, voyque, voyque, voyque, voyque, voyque, voyque, voyque, voyque, voyque, voyque voyque, voyque voyque, voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque voyque

They shall be feared while sun and doom do last wages all.

Like rain on moon grass he shall grow or search on earth that fall.

The just shall flourish in his days and prosper in his reign.

He shall while the moon endure a hundred feet maintain.

Let's join together in prayer. Let's bow our heads in prayer.

Almighty and most gracious God, we rejoice once more in the worship of your name.

We rejoice in your word that we have sung together.

We rejoice in the knowledge that your son is crowned as king.

We rejoice in the knowledge of the peace which he has secured by his saving work.

We rejoice in the knowledge that his kingdom knows no end, that it shall endure forever.

We rejoice in the knowledge of the salvation that is freely offered to us in the gospel of Jesus Christ, your son.

We rejoice in the knowledge that that gospel offers to us a pathway into your everlasting kingdom

to be the kingdom of God, to be citizens in the kingdom of heaven,

to have you as our father here in this world, caring as I'm watching over us

and rejoicing in the knowledge that such care will lead us safely through this world

amidst of all of its turmoil and uncertainty

and will bring us at last into your everlasting kingdom.

We give thanks to you for this day, for the Lord's day.

We give thanks to you for the significance of this Lord's day, of this Easter Sunday.

We give thanks to you that your son was raised by you from the dead.

We give thanks to you for the way in which you received his finished work.

We give thanks to you for the way in which your plans succeeded

in his life and his death and in his resurrection.

And we rejoice in the knowledge tonight that the glory belongs to him

and that you have indeed crowned him with glory and with honor.

And help us as we reflect on these things during the whole of this day.

Help us with faith, we do pray.

Help us so that we would not treat the story of the resurrection of your son

like any other story.

Save us from dismissing it when we close this day and move on to another day.

Help us to understand the reality of the resurrection of your son

as the great moment of the work of your redemption.

As a great moment in which the destiny of this world has been changed

and has been secured forever.

And help us, O Lord God, to understand

that on this Lord's day, like every other Lord's day,

the gospel demands our attention.

That it demands our faith.

That it does demand our wholehearted commitment.

Commitment to you as our God.

Commitment in discipleship to follow your son.

And commitment to serve you here in this world

as long as we are in it.

So bless your word to us tonight, O Lord our God.

Instill within us that deep desire

to respond in love to the news of the death and resurrection of your son

and understanding its personal significance

to be able to speak of it with joy and with gladness

and to speak of it with love to those who are around us in life

who, although today may be interested in the story,

have no interest in the real meaning of it.

So bless our hearts, we do pray in that way this evening together.

Bless to us this whole day.

And bless all those who came under the sound of the gospel,

not only in our own congregation here,

but across our island communities

and even throughout our land on this Easter Sunday.

We give thanks to you for every mention of the death and resurrection of your son.

And we pray that all who heard would know something of the power with which

you did raise your son,

that power working in their hearts

to bring about new life,

to bring about new birth,

and to bring about a new hope

and the hope of a new and a greater and a better day.

And so we pray that you will follow

the message of Easter and the preaching of your word

with the power of your Holy Spirit,

that it may indeed bring forth fruit in the lives of all those

who came in contact with your word today,

and that we may truly see your kingdom coming

and evidence of your work,

that you are indeed building your church

around us in our congregations,

around us in our families and in our communities,

that you are making your name great,

and that you are causing people who are far from you

to be near to you

and to walk with you

and to find peace and rest in you

as their God and as their Saviour.

I give thanks to you for all those who

gather with us this morning.

I pray that you will bless all of our homes

and our families and all of our people.

I give thanks to you for all who have gathered together here

this evening as well for this time of worship.

I pray that you will bless each and every heart

before you, O Lord your God.

From the youngest to the oldest,

you are the God who,

as a word for each and every one of us,

help us to understand the gospel tonight,

we do pray,

and help us to hear your voice

and your claims upon us,

and help us to recognize

the authority of your word

and the authority of your voice,

and give it to us, we pray,

a heart that will respond

in obedience to your call

and your claims upon us,

and bless every heart and life

with their own different experiences in life,

their burdens, their concerns,

their anxieties,

their joys, and their sorrows.

We commit all to your care,

and pray that all would know

in the midst of whatever their experience

and circumstance might be,

that they would know that you are the God

who is suited to their every need,

who is rich in your grace,

and who is able to supply their needs

from your riches in glory

by Jesus Christ,

your Son.

We pray for your blessing

to be upon all of the homes

of our congregation.

We remember them before you this evening.

Be with the homes

where there are people

who are unwell,

people who are frail and weak,

who are confined in their homes.

We remember also those

who mourn and grieve,

and we pray your comfort for them,

that you will be near to them,

O Lord your God.

Continue to remember

Ian Faragey and his family

in their time of grief and sorrow.

I pray that you will bless

and comfort them today,

that you will near to them

and give to them

a sense of the hope of the gospel,

giving them joy in their hearts

in the midst of their loss,

and pray that they may know

your comforting presence

at this time,

O Lord your God.

We pray for your blessing

to be upon all the nations

of the world today.

We ask you, O Lord God,

to enter in and to intervene

and to even interrupt

the course of the destiny

of the people during these days,

and the peoples of the world,

different ways in which

there is chaos

and there is disorder.

We pray you to come

and cause your light to shine

in people's hearts and minds,

and especially in those

who are leaders,

who make important decisions

that affect not only

their own nations,

but other nations as well.

We pray you for wisdom

and for grace

and for light

in all of the decisions

that they do make,

and pray that you will indeed

restore order and peace

to the lives of people

across the world,

and that on this Easter Sunday

you will cause your power

to be sent to every corner

of this world,

and that in the personal power

of your Holy Spirit

that you would work

and bring the benefits

of the resurrection

of Jesus Christ

to reach the hearts

and lives of the people

in every corner of this world,

to relieve the oppressed,

and to comfort those

who are broken,

and to restore order

in communities

and the nations of the earth.

We pray you to have mercy,

O Lord of God.

We pray for your blessing

to be upon us

as a congregation

of your people.

We continue to look to you

and to wait upon you.

We recognize that you are

the God whose church it is,

and we pray for your leading

and for your guiding.

We pray that we would have

that spirit of prayer

which engages with you

and which leaves us

sensitive to your direction

and to your hand upon us.

And so we pray that you will

bless us and provide for us

a pastor that will be over us

in the gospel

along with Reverend Calamurda

that you will bless and guide

and lead us during these days

and to make provision

of the person of your choosing

and of you preparing

to lead this congregation

in the ongoing service

of the gospel

and in the missionary work

of the kingdom of heaven.

So bless us, we pray,

as we commit ourselves to you.

Bless us, we gather later on

for the Easter praise and quiz.

Pray that you will bless to us

to continue to reflect

on the resurrection

and on Easter.

And pray that you will bless

the hearts of all those

who gather

and help us to rejoice in you

in all that we do

on this Lord's Day

and all the days of our lives

to find our joy in you

as the great God

and Saviour that you are.

So help us as we continue

before you.

Bless to us your word

as we come to read it

and to share in it

as we continue to sing from it.

We pray that you will give to us

freedom and joy

in doing so we do ask

and keep from us

anything that would spoil

our attention

and that would distract us

in the short time

that we are together.

Here I pray,

we ask unto mercy

that we ask these things

for Jesus' sake.

Amen.

We return to praise God

this time in Psalm 34

in Sing Psalms.

It's on page number 40.

Psalm 34 at verse number 15

is on page 41.

And we're singing

at verse number 15.

And we come to verse 20

and the reference there

to the fact that

their bones

shall not be broken.

These verses are referred to

when we read of Christ Jesus

on the cross at Calvary.

So once more,

the Psalm refers to

the Messiah,

to the Lord Jesus

and to his redeeming work.

We're singing at verse 15

down to the end of the Psalm.

The tune is Bedford.

The Lord,

the Lord's eyes

are upon the just.

He listens to their plea.

The wicked he rejects

and blots

from earth

and their memory.

We stand to sing

from verse 15

to the end of the Psalm

to God's praise.

The Lord's eyes

are upon the just.

He listens

and blots

from earth

their memory.

The righteous

cry

the Lord

responds

and frees

them

when

dispressed.

The Lord

throws near

the broken

heart

and rescues

that he

pressed.

From all

the

davels

of the

just

the Lord

the Lord

will set

them free.

The

Lord

protects

His

every bone

and broken

none

will be.

The

wicked

are

dark

condemned

to

death

all

those

who

hate

the

just.

God

saves

His

own

they're

not

condemned

for

in

the

Lord

they

die.

God

to

hear

the

word

of

God

and

we

read

from

the

New

Testament

from

the

gospel

according

to

John

and

in

chapter

number

20.

John

John 20 · chapter mention

chapter

20

and

we're

reading

at

verse

number

19.

John

John 20:19

20

verse

19.

Let

us hear

the

word

of

God.

On the

evening

of that

day

the

first

day

of

the

week

the

doors

being

locked

where

the

disciples

were

for

fear

of

the

Jews

Jesus

came

and

stood

among

them

and

said

to

them

peace

be

with

you

when

he

had

said

this

he

showed

them

his

hands

and

his

side

then

the

disciples

were

glad

when

they

saw

the

Lord

Jesus

said

to

them

again

peace

be

with

you

as

the

father

has

sent

me

even

so

I

am

sending

you

and

when

he

had

said

this

he

breathed

on

them

and

said

to

them

receive

the

Holy

Spirit

if

you

forgive

the

sins

of

anyone

they

are

forgiven

if

you

withhold

forgiveness

from

anyone

it

is

withheld

now

Thomas

one of

the

twelve

called

the

twin

was

not

with

them

when

Jesus

came

so

the

other

disciples

told

him

we

have

seen

the

Lord

but

he

eight

days

later

his

disciples

were

inside

again

and

Thomas

was

with

them

though

the

doors

were

locked

Jesus

came

and

stood

among

them

and

said

peace

be

with

you

then

he

said

to

Thomas

put

your

finger

here

and

see

my

hands

and

put

out

your

hand

and

place

it

in

my

side

do

not

disbelieve

!

believe!

Thomas

answered

him

my

Lord

and

my

God

Jesus

said

to

him

have

you

believed

because

you

have

seen

this

blessed

are

those

who

have

not

seen

and

yet

have

believed!

Now

Jesus

did

many

other

signs

in the

presence

of the

disciples

which

are not

written

in this

book

but

these

are

written

so

that

you

may

believe

that

Jesus

is

the

Christ

the

Son

of

God

and

that

by

believing

you

may

have

life

in

his

name

Amen

that

is

the

word

of

God

we

bless

to

us

our

reading

from

it

we

turn

now

to

sing

in

Psalm

number

118

and

we're

singing

at

verse

number

22

and

we're

on

page

399

Psalm

118

at

verse

number

22

and

in

my

view

at least

there is

the

greatest

Easter

Sunday

Psalm

that we

have

in

the

whole

of

the

Psalter

Psalm

118

and

we're

singing

from

verse

number

22

and

it's

all

really

about

what

has

happened

to

the

Lord

Jesus

and

how

God

has

reversed

the

judgment

of

men

and

has

made

his

son

the

cornerstone

that

stone

is

made

head

cornerstone

which

builders

did

despise

this

the

doing

of

the

Lord

and

wondrous

in

our

eyes

so

sing

verse

22

to

the

end

of

the

psalm

and

the

tune

is

martyrdom

!

that

stone

is

made

in

cornerstone

which

builders

did

despise

!

this

is

the

doing

of

the

Lord

and

wondrous

in

our

eyes

this

is

the

day

God

made

in

it

will

joy

triumphantly

save

now

I

pray

thee

Lord

I

pray

send

thy

prosperity

blessed

is

thee

in

God's

great

name

that

cometh

us

to

save

we

from

the

house

which

to

the

Lord

pertains

you

blessed

God

God

is

the

Lord

to

unto

us

have

made

light

to

our

eyes

bind

thee

unto

the

altars

short

with

forth

the

sacrifice

thou art

my

God

I

thee

exalt

my

God

I

will

thee

praise

give

thanks

to

God

for

he

is

good

his

mercy

lasts

always

amen

let's

turn

together

to

John

John 20 · chapter mention

chapter

20

and we

can read

again at

verse

number

19

John

John 20 · chapter mention

chapter

20

and at

verse

19

John

on the

evening

of

that

day

the

first

day

of

the

week

the

doors

being

locked

with

the

disciples

were

for

fear

of

the

Jews

Jesus

came

and stood

among

them

and said

to his

disciples

peace

be

with

you

and so

on down

through

the rest

of

this

chapter

now we

all love

a good

story

and some

people are

better at

telling story

than others

George

Whitefield

was

wrongly

accused

of being

a great

preacher

because he

was before

he was

converted

an actor

and he

had a

very special

poetic way

of preaching

the gospel

and people

would listen

to him

forever

but he

was able

to preach

like that

because

he

understood

the

reality

of the

truths

of the

gospel

that he

preached

and we

come to

the story

of Easter

and we

want to

make sure

as we

do so

that as

much as

we like

a good

story

we don't

simply

want to

hear a

story

we want

to understand

the reality

and the

truths

that are

in the

story

and that

are so

important

to each

and every

one of

us

and when

we reflect

on Easter

weekend

and Good

Friday

and Easter

Sunday

these are

perhaps the

defining

moments

and events

in the

kingdom of

God

that God

has worked

in a special

way on both

of these

days to

bring us

we heard

this morning

to bring

his plans

to the

point at

which the

goal has

been achieved

and God's

kingdom is

now being

built

I want

to look

at these

verses

this evening

and to

in a sense

continue

with the

theme of

the morning

that there

is a

plan

and to

remember

especially

that as

we read

through this

story and

the story in

the gospel

according to

Luke

what we do

understand

more than

anything else

that as much

as it is

great to

see things

the important

thing that

Jesus himself

reminds the

disciples in

Luke 24

the important

thing is

that we

understand

what the

Bible says

and we

understand

the

Old Testament

promises

behind the

cross on

which Jesus

died

we come to

understand

the Old

Testament

promises

that lie

behind the

resurrection

and the

power with

which Jesus

was raised

it's coming

to understand

our Bibles

and when we

come to

think of

believing what

the Bible

says

we believe

with our

minds

and we

take to

heart

what we

begin to

understand

we don't

simply

parkour

our

understanding

and our

intellect

when we

come to

receive

Jesus

and the

gospel

it's

something

that we

do

understanding

what we

are doing

and this

evening I

want us to

bear that

in mind

as we

go through

this passage

because it

highlights a

lot of

these things

and I

want to

see the

way in

which

John

in writing

and the

way with

Jesus

in interacting

addresses

the needs

of the

disciples

and

going on

to look

at these

things

we bear

in mind

and remind

ourselves

the significance

of the

resurrection

of Jesus

that it

is the

final

turning

point

in God's

plan

and from

the moment

of the

resurrection

of Jesus

that we

have a

clear

pathway

for the

first

time

from the

resurrection

to the

eternal

kingdom

of God

the way

is now

clear

sin has

been dealt

with

death

has been

overcome

and we

have this

pathway

so how

this evening

can we be

on this

pathway

and how

can we

believe

and have

faith

and ensure

that we

are going

to the

best

and the

correct

destination

so this

evening

I want

us to

think of

Jesus

and the

kingdom

demands

of Easter

Sunday

I want

to think

first of

all of

the

peace

and there

is a

moment

here in

this

passage

from

verse 19

and it's

a moment

that's

really

significant

and it's

a moment

where

Jesus

himself

on the

evening

of that

day

the first

day of

the week

the day

on which

he has

loosened

the doors

were locked

for the

disciples

were for

fear of

the Jews

now we

can understand

why they

were afraid

we can

understand

why the

door was

locked

because their

master

their lord

the person

whom they

had trusted

had been

captured by

their enemies

he had been

put to

death

and we

can understand

why they

may be

in fear

of their

own lives

and therefore

they are in

this room

and the

door is

locked

and into

that room

comes

the lord

jesus

he comes

and he

stands

in the

midst

and his

very

appearance

is the

first signal

that we

have

that something

is different

about the

lord jesus

now after

his

resurrection

and there

is that

sense in

which he

is able

to stand

in the

midst of

this people

without coming

in the

door

he is able

because of

who he

is to

stand in

their

midst

but as

he comes

to stand

in their

midst

and to

say to

them

peace

be with

you

i want us

to notice

that there

are two

particular

moments

that the

disciples

have

experienced

here

and the

first moment

is that

this is a

god moment

because as

soon as

jesus says

to them

peace

be with

you

it reminds

them

and it

should

remind us

of the

way in

which

down through

the old

testament

at particular

times

when the

angel of

the lord

god himself

appeared to

the people

of god

and they

recognized

that it

was the

angel of

lord

they were

afraid

and we

see that

happening to

to gideon

and judges

Judges 6 · chapter mention

chapter 6

the angel

of the lord

spoke to

him

and he

was afraid

because he

had seen

the angel

of the lord

face to

face

it's something

that should

not happen

and somebody

live

and in that

moment

the angel

of the lord

says to him

peace be

with you

do not

fear

you shall

not die

this is

a god

moment

who has

suddenly appeared

in this room

behind locked

doors

it is

nothing

less

than the

son of

god

who has

been

raised

from the

dead

and as

soon as

he stands

before them

it is a

god moment

for them

and as we

reflect and

think of the

resurrection of

the lord

jesus

we need to

remind ourselves

that as he

does appear

to them

and as he

appears to

us here in

the gospel

this is a

god moment

it is a

simple story

of something

miraculous

it is a

moment when

they come

face to

face with

the son

of god

who is

the equal

with god

who is

god of

himself

it is

a god

moment

and along

with that

it is also

a peace

moment

or a cross

moment

because when

he

says to

them

peace

be with

you

it is a

reminder

to us

that he

is the

one

in the

words of

paul

that he

god is

making peace

through the

blood of

the cross

and so

in this

moment

when he

stands

with them

the jesus

who has

promised

them

my peace

i give

to you

not as

the world

gives to

you

here he

is

speaking

to them

of that

peace

god

has

demanded

peace

in his

relationship

with a

lost

world

god

has

demanded

he has

asked

that this

peace

be

accomplished

through the

work of

jesus christ

who goes

to calvary's

cross on

good friday

the demand

is there

there must

be the

sacrifice

there must

be the

substitute

there must

be the

death of

a son

in order

to establish

peace

and so

in this

upper room

in the midst

of all

the fears

it becomes

a cross

moment

as well

as a

god

moment

the peace

has been

secured

god's

demands

have been

met

and as

soon as

they

recognize

that jesus

is here

then it is

peace for

them

and it is

peace for

the whole

world

and we

ourselves

need to

recognize

that the

very

resurrection

of jesus

is both

of these

things for

ourselves

that

easter

sunday

has the

god

moment

and it

also has

the

cross

moment

that

lying

behind it

is the

finished

work of

the lord

jesus

on good

friday

at three

o'clock

in the

afternoon

he said

it is

finished

and peace

has been

secured

the ransom

price has

been paid

and on

easter

sunday

it is

the

declaration

that god

has accepted

the ransom

that the

demands of

justice

have been

made

and there

is peace

with a

lost

world

and

tonight

we celebrate

once more

the

resurrection

of the

lord

jesus

because

it does

speak to

us

of the

very

peace

with

god

of which

we all

have such

a great

need

and paul

in writing

to romans

and in

chapter 5

speaks of

the way

in which

being justified

by faith

we have

peace

with god

and so

because jesus

is no longer

on the cross

and no longer

living under

the shadow

of the cross

he is now

proclaiming the

peace

that he has

secured

through the

cross

and that

comes to

light

on this

great

morning

there is

peace

and tonight

we want

to experience

the reality

of that

peace

the shush

that comes

from

knowing

that we

have peace

with god

and as we

wonder at

the glory

of the lord

jesus christ

on this

resurrection

morning

on this

first day

of the

week

that the

peace

that flows

from the

fact that

he stands

with his

disciples

that peace

may descend

upon us

and we

may experience

that peace

in our

hearts

and when

these moments

become

living and

real to

them

what do you

think they

need more

than anything

what they

need more

than anything

is the

confirmation

that this

indeed is

the jesus

of nazareth

who was

crucified

on calvary's

cross

on friday

afternoon

they need

the confirmation

the evidence

that he is

one

and the

same

person

so what

did jesus

do to

drive home

the point

what did

jesus do

for them

when he

had said

this

he showed

them

his hands

and his

side

there's

the evidence

what they

were looking

for and

what they

needed

was

continuity

between

the son

of god

who came

into the

mansion

in bethlehem

who lived

his life

as a young

child

who began

his ministry

when he

was 30

who performed

a powerful

ministry