Resurrection: The Foundation of Transformative Hope

 

Summary

In today's Easter message, we explored the profound significance of the resurrection of Jesus Christ, a cornerstone of Christian faith that transcends mere tradition or emotionalism. Many skeptics view Christianity as a crutch for the weak, a religion based on emotional experiences rather than intellectual rigor. However, the resurrection is a historical event that challenges these misconceptions. The Gospel of Luke recounts how the women who visited Jesus' tomb found it empty, a fact that was unexpected even by Jesus' closest followers. This unexpected event was not a fabrication but a transformative reality that reshaped the lives of those who witnessed it.

The resurrection was not anticipated by Jesus' disciples, who had spent three years with Him, witnessing His miracles and teachings. Despite their close relationship with Jesus, they were baffled by His resurrection, which underscores the authenticity of the event. The resurrection was not a cleverly devised story; it was a reality that exploded into the world, compelling those who experienced it to share the good news, even at the cost of their lives. This message spread rapidly, not through social media or coordinated efforts, but through the undeniable truth of the empty tomb and the appearances of the risen Christ to many witnesses.

The resurrection redefines hope, offering a new life and a new reality. It signifies that God's new world has already begun, inviting everyone into this transformative story. Unlike other religious leaders who remain in their graves, Jesus is alive, having conquered death. This truth challenges us to respond to the living Christ, who is not just a figure from the past but a present reality calling us to a new life. The resurrection is not just about life after death; it is about living a life transformed by the power of the risen Christ today.

Key Takeaways:

- Christianity is not a crutch for the weak or an emotional experience; it is grounded in the historical reality of the resurrection, which challenges both skeptics and believers to reconsider their understanding of faith. [02:09]

- The resurrection was unexpected by Jesus' closest followers, highlighting its authenticity and the transformative impact it had on their lives, compelling them to share the good news despite the risks. [05:43]

- The rapid spread of the resurrection message, despite the lack of modern communication tools, underscores its truth and the profound impact it had on those who witnessed it, leading many to sacrifice their lives for this belief. [09:34]

- The resurrection redefines hope, offering a new life and a new reality that begins now, inviting everyone into God's transformative story, which is not limited to life after death but encompasses a new way of living today. [17:32]

- The resurrection challenges us to respond to the living Christ, who is not just a historical figure but a present reality, calling us to a new life and a new purpose, grounded in the truth of His victory over death. [25:40]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:40] - Christianity: A Crutch or Reality?
- [02:09] - The Historical Fact of the Resurrection
- [02:57] - The Empty Tomb
- [05:01] - Disciples' Unexpected Surprise
- [06:27] - The Resurrection's Impact on Followers
- [08:03] - The Spread of the Resurrection Message
- [10:16] - The New Life Offered by the Resurrection
- [11:43] - Women as First Witnesses
- [13:07] - Theological Implications of the Resurrection
- [14:36] - Eyewitness Accounts and New Reality
- [16:07] - The Empty Tomb and Historical Challenges
- [17:32] - Redefining Hope Through the Resurrection
- [19:50] - The Cost of Belief in the Resurrection
- [21:14] - The Resurrection's Transformative Power
- [25:40] - Responding to the Living Christ

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide: The Significance of the Resurrection

Bible Reading:
- Luke 24:1-11

Observation Questions:
1. What was the initial reaction of the women when they found the empty tomb, and how did the angels address their confusion? ([03:39])
2. How did the disciples respond to the women's report about the resurrection, and what does this reveal about their expectations? ([04:23])
3. What does the sermon suggest about the authenticity of the resurrection based on the disciples' initial disbelief and later transformation? ([05:01])

Interpretation Questions:
1. Why might the resurrection be considered a historical event rather than a myth, according to the sermon? How does this challenge common misconceptions about Christianity? ([02:09])
2. How does the unexpected nature of the resurrection among Jesus' closest followers support its authenticity? What does this imply about their subsequent actions? ([06:27])
3. In what ways does the resurrection redefine hope and offer a new reality, as discussed in the sermon? How does this new reality begin now rather than just in the afterlife? ([17:32])

Application Questions:
1. Reflect on a time when you viewed Christianity as a crutch or an emotional experience. How has your understanding of the resurrection as a historical event changed your perspective? ([02:09])
2. The sermon mentions that the resurrection message spread rapidly despite the lack of modern communication tools. How can you share the message of the resurrection in your own community today? ([09:34])
3. Consider the transformative power of the resurrection in your life. What specific changes have you experienced, or do you hope to experience, as a result of this truth? ([25:40])
4. How does the resurrection challenge you to respond to the living Christ in your daily life? What steps can you take to live out this new reality? ([25:40])
5. The sermon emphasizes that the resurrection is not just about life after death but about living a transformed life today. What practical steps can you take to embody this new way of living? ([17:32])
6. Reflect on the idea that Jesus is not just a historical figure but a present reality. How does this understanding influence your relationship with Him and your purpose in life? ([25:40])
7. How can you engage with skeptics or those who view Christianity as a crutch, using the historical reality of the resurrection as a foundation for your conversations? ([02:09])

Devotional

Day 1: Christianity's Foundation in Historical Reality
The resurrection of Jesus Christ is not merely a story or an emotional experience; it is a historical event that forms the foundation of Christian faith. Many skeptics argue that Christianity is a crutch for the weak, but the resurrection challenges this notion by presenting a tangible event that demands intellectual engagement. The Gospel of Luke describes how the women who visited Jesus' tomb found it empty, a discovery that was unexpected even by His closest followers. This unexpected event was not a fabrication but a transformative reality that reshaped the lives of those who witnessed it. The resurrection invites both skeptics and believers to reconsider their understanding of faith, grounding it in the reality of an empty tomb and a risen Savior. [02:09]

"Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised." (1 Corinthians 15:12-13, ESV)

Reflection: How does the historical reality of the resurrection challenge your current understanding of faith, and what steps can you take to explore this further?


Day 2: The Unexpected Nature of the Resurrection
The resurrection of Jesus was not anticipated by His disciples, despite their close relationship with Him and their witness to His miracles and teachings. This unexpected event highlights the authenticity of the resurrection and its profound impact on the lives of those who experienced it. The disciples, who were initially baffled by the resurrection, were transformed by the reality of the risen Christ. This transformation compelled them to share the good news, even at the risk of their own lives. The unexpected nature of the resurrection serves as a powerful reminder of the authenticity of the event and its ability to transform lives. [05:43]

"And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus." (Luke 24:2-3, ESV)

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you need to be open to the unexpected ways God might be working, and how can you prepare your heart to be transformed by these experiences?


Day 3: The Power of the Resurrection Message
The message of the resurrection spread rapidly, despite the lack of modern communication tools, underscoring its truth and the profound impact it had on those who witnessed it. The early Christians were compelled to share the good news of the resurrection, even at the cost of their lives. This message was not spread through social media or coordinated efforts but through the undeniable truth of the empty tomb and the appearances of the risen Christ to many witnesses. The power of the resurrection message lies in its ability to transform lives and inspire individuals to share the good news with others, regardless of the risks involved. [09:34]

"And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all." (Acts 4:33, ESV)

Reflection: How can you share the message of the resurrection in your own life, and what steps can you take to overcome any fears or obstacles that may be holding you back?


Day 4: Redefining Hope Through the Resurrection
The resurrection of Jesus redefines hope, offering a new life and a new reality that begins now. It signifies that God's new world has already begun, inviting everyone into this transformative story. Unlike other religious leaders who remain in their graves, Jesus is alive, having conquered death. This truth challenges us to respond to the living Christ, who is not just a figure from the past but a present reality calling us to a new life. The resurrection is not just about life after death; it is about living a life transformed by the power of the risen Christ today. [17:32]

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead." (1 Peter 1:3, ESV)

Reflection: What does living a life transformed by the resurrection look like for you today, and how can you actively embrace this new reality in your daily life?


Day 5: Responding to the Living Christ
The resurrection challenges us to respond to the living Christ, who is not just a historical figure but a present reality. Jesus' victory over death calls us to a new life and a new purpose, grounded in the truth of His resurrection. This call to respond is not limited to a future hope of life after death but encompasses a new way of living today. The living Christ invites us to participate in God's transformative story, offering us a new identity and purpose. As we respond to this call, we are invited to live in the reality of the resurrection, experiencing the power and presence of the risen Christ in our lives. [25:40]

"For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his." (Romans 6:5, ESV)

Reflection: How is the living Christ calling you to a new life and purpose today, and what practical steps can you take to align your life with this calling?

Quotes

so today is Easter again As an as and as a pastor every Easter and every Christmas you think I'm going to say the same message again and again and again Why because it hasn't changed Christ rose from the dead Christmas time He was born around that time whatever time that was But you feel kind of constrained because you don't have the flexibility to move around But in this morning what I want to do is focus on the Christmas message and in a way that will speak not only to our hearts to our feelings but also to our minds. [00:00:03]

Every time I talk with people that are non-believers they say "You know what christianity or you Christians you guys are weak right you can't deal with life So you need a crutch." And this crutch becomes religion right you can't focus you can't win you don't know how to approach life So because of that uh you need something to help you get along or or or move forward So that's why like oh uh if I know that I'm going to heaven after I die my suffering is less. [00:00:40]

Others believe that it's just a big fairy tale because how could a man that lived 2,000 years ago die and resurrect from the death that doesn't make sense So they call Christians weak They call pe uh Christians that need a a crutch or a help or support to go through life But also they will say sometimes and I know I don't know if you have have had this or not but oh Christians they only work on emotions right and I don't know about you but I've been to churches. [00:01:26]

I've been to gatherings and everything is emotional People are crying hands are raised and uh people are falling down And it's such an emotional experience And if you're somewhat uh somewhat pragmatic or somewhat more um uh focused on in the intellect you go "This is off This is awkward I don't like it." So I'm here to say this morning that no we don't need crutches to go through life And no Christianity is not an emotionalism uh self-pity or something that uh is for weak weak people. [00:02:00]

Christianity is actually something for each and every one of us Why do I say that because we know that what happened 2,000 years ago is a fact If you have your Bibles uh we can open it in Luke Luke 24:es 1-11 So if you have your Bibles Luke 24:E 1-1 And this is what the word of God says On the first day of the week very early in the morning the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb They found the stone rolled away from the tomb. [00:02:32]

But when they entered they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus While they were wondering about this suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them In the fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground But the man said to them "Why do you look for the living among the dead?" "He is not here He has risen Remember how he told you while he was still with you in Galilee The Son of Man must be delivered over to the hands of the sinners be crucified and on the third day he will be raised again." [00:03:11]

Then they remembered his words When they came back from the tomb they told all these things to the levan and all the others It was Mary Magdalene Joan Joanna Mary the mother of James and the others with them who told this to the apostles But they did not believe the women because their words seemed to them like nonsense This is the word of the Lord I like this passage because when you look at the gospels Matthew Mark Luke and John all of them account to this the resurrection of Jesus Christ. [00:03:59]

And if you look at this passage you will see that when they're writing the gospel writers are writing this notice how none of them expected this to happen None of them You get okay you have Matthew Mark and Luke synoptic gospels that are kind of one line but John was a living eyewitness and he wrote his gospel many many years later Not once in the gospel of John he writes you know what guys I knew what was going to happen I knew all along that Jesus Christ was going to ra be raised from the dead. [00:04:41]

I knew but I kept it to myself None of them put themselves in a good place in the story They were all baffled They were all surprised None of them expected this to happen So when you look at this and these were people that lived with Jesus for three long years Every single day they walked with the son of God They saw him They talked to him They interacted with him They saw the miracles the multiplication of bread walking water raising people from the dead healing people They saw all of this. [00:05:14]

And then last week in the Gospel of John we see that Jesus even raised Lazarus from the dead Who was that for three days And yet they could not imagine how Jesus Christ would come back to life They didn't figure it out Perhaps you're here this morning and you're thinking you know what i gave Christianity a try once I gave Christianity a try a long time ago in Sunday school I was uh the most um the most uh um present student in my early years I went to church and I didn't understand. [00:05:47]

And for some reason I walked away I don't look back anymore because I did not get it Welcome to the club Here are the disciples who are who have been taught by Jesus for three years and they too didn't get it They just didn't get it So now the uh the women go to prepare the spices They went to prepare the body and they get there and Jesus is gone Um four points that I want to bring this morning and that is the resurrection wasn't invented it exploded Here are the disciples. [00:06:21]

Here are the women Here are the followers of Jesus None of them expected this to happen But now it happened and now they had to do something with it Now that the good news came a forth what happened was they knew that something extraordinary happened in their life and they couldn't keep quiet They could not shut up about it And every time I hear skeptics talking about this they think you know what this was something done in cahoots uh in some backwood because they wanted to get attention to themselves. [00:06:56]

Just think about this A whole bunch of lay people tax collectors fishermen common everyday people that had no knowledge no experience no um power in their life They you think and they were living in Galilee which at the time was the Roman Empire's uh the armpit of the Roman Empire and here they make this up make up the story and so many people say would you be willing to die for a madeup story So even if you say the 12 disciples were willing to die for this madeup story one could actually say you know what maybe it did happen. [00:07:33]

Or maybe it didn't happen But when we look at three the first three centuries of Christianity how many people died because of this it wasn't just the 12 for over three centuries just to name a few Steven in book of acts Onimus died uh the slave that Paul mentions as well as Timothy people that are not mentioned in the Bible Ignatius of Antio Antioch Polycarp Polycarp of Smyrna and Justin the martyr just to mention a few who died um 9000 BC 110 uh sorry 90 AD 110 AD 120 AD. [00:08:12]

So these people died about a 100red years later and They still believed this message to be true This wasn't some coordinated wellplanned event prior to social media Right today in social media put you put a blast out there's a party at this place everybody finds out instantly if you have a cell phone Back then you didn't even have a telephone or even a telegraph But yet this message exploded everywhere because they knew this was true I like this quote from Entright The idea that the disciples made up the resurrection doesn't hold. [00:08:52]

Something happened that completely transformed their ver world view overnight What would you do if you had the best message in the world what would you do if case something you were at home doing a few things and say you discovered the cure for cancer what would you do you would keep it to yourself right you wouldn't tell anybody It's okay In case I ever do get cancer I'm healed I don't care about the rest of the world right i'm good Is that how you would act you would want what everybody in the whole world to know. [00:09:31]

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is way above that because now this means that everyone has new life Not just select few not just the Jews not just the people that look right or act right or say what's right Everyone has been invited into this new life Second point and that is nobody was expecting this This was a shock not only to them but to everyone As mentioned the women went with spices to prepare the body They didn't go out there with thing notepads saying "Okay we're going to go there and Jesus is going to be resurrected. [00:10:10]

And we're going to start taking notes." No no no He died on the cross A gruesome death And they knew that he was dead And because the man had put them away now the women came after the Sabbath to prepare the body And when they get there they were shocked They were amazed They were surprised And why do I know it's true because again Luke accounts here that the women for were the first witnesses of this event Women were not witnesses back then at all in the Jewish culture In other cultures if somebody did something against you and only a woman saw your case was lost. [00:10:50]

Because women were not good witnesses Even a bunch of women were not good witnesses But Luke tells this story and he says you know what the women were the first ones to see this and they went to the disciples and they said guess what guys he's risen He's not there And I like how we read the passage and um in Luke where he says and to them this babbling seemed like nonsense Have you ever heard somebody say talk to you nonsense gibberish type of thing the only thing you can think is when is this going to end right so here are the women going oh my goodness he resurrected. [00:11:30]

This is awesome And they're like yeah I don't know what you're talking about All I want you to do now I will shut up because this doesn't make any sense at all Of course they didn't say that but we know that they themselves were not expecting this In ancient Jewish world resurrection was supposed to happen to everyone at the end of times and not just to one man in the middle of history So the Jews knew that the resurrection would was going to happen Until this day if you talk to a Jewish person they will say resurrection will happen one day to everyone but not just a single person. [00:12:12]

This cannot happen So they had their theology they knew their theology they thought that they knew it properly But Jesus here comes and he says "You know what this is the new reality." Which leads us to third point An empty tomb plus eyewitnesses means a new life Just imagine walking with Jesus for three years and he's talking about the new kingdom He's talking about a new life He's talking about the power of the Holy Spirit with you and they're going like I have no idea what he's saying but he does give us bread and fish so I'm good. [00:12:52]

Or perhaps like Judas as many historians believe that he betrayed Jesus because he wanted to force uh the kingdom of Jesus in Israel to get rid of the Romans So I got to help around I I got to help along I got to make it happen That's what some historians believe That's why he sold Jesus for 30 pieces of silver He wanted to see Jesus overtake the Romans But Jesus is like "No that was never my message I am the king I am the king of a kingdom." But it's not what you think It is a new life a new reality. [00:13:32]

An empty tomb by itself means little but when paired with appearances to hundreds of eyewitnesses it sparked the birth of Christianity This is interesting because actually uh this morning I was listening to a um Muslim uh theologian talk and um his point was that Muslims believe in in Jesus as a prophet but they don't celebrate Easter because they do not believe that he rose from the dead So they will bend history to say that who was actually crucified on the cross was Judas because he deserved it because he betrayed the son of God So he died they put him away somewhere. [00:14:12]

And Jesus just ascended into heaven without being crucified and without dying and resurrecting The problem with that is uh there is an empty tomb The problem with that is and we see now that not only did uh he resurrect but he appeared to many which we will see later on He talked with them he had bread with them and he died and if you know anything about history just like today back then they did not like killing wrong people So here is Jesus doing all these things the religious leaders take him before the go the Roman governor say kill him crucify him he does so. [00:14:52]

And uh in a magician's swipe of hands all of a sudden Jesus is gone and Judas is there and he's going wait a minute I didn't sign up for this they were not in the business of wrongdoing and once you were a Roman prisoner you were a Roman prisoner there was no getting away kind of like today imagine if you go to visit someone in in jail and uh they're the same age as you they look the same as you and next thing you know you're in jail and they walk out Does that happen today no it did not happen back there either So they don't believe in this because they cannot fathom that there was an empty tomb. [00:15:32]

Which then leads to why are we Christians the resurrection redefes our hope When the disciples saw this empty tomb they knew something extraordinary happened They knew that something out of the ordinary Something miraculous happened They saw the women saw the religious leaders saw the people saw Jesus die on the cross There was no way around it And they knew that they buried him in this tomb And they knew that the tomb was empty So what does that mean that means now this hope that we have is found in Jesus Christ. [00:16:12]

So the resurrection didn't just mean life after death It meant God's new world had already begun If you look at every other religious leader in the world they are dead and buried Ours is alive The tomb is empty He conquered death And I know it's sometimes hard to understand It's hard to believe And you would think you know what we're much more intelligent now than people were back then I don't think so I believe we have more gadgets I believe we have more technology I believe our lives are much easier But uh my goodness you open up any chat room on social media. [00:16:52]

Oh my goodness Like how can people write and talk and say things like this or you talk to anybody and you wonder like did you ever go to school like how did you graduate high school i I cannot understand And people think that oh we are so smart today People back then they were dumb right they Oh they didn't know how to drive They didn't know they couldn't fly They couldn't do things But here's the thing They had skeptics back then too They had people that did not believe in anything just like we have today And yet when they saw that Jesus Christ rose from the dead they saw that something had changed. [00:17:32]

They knew that this new life had already begun As I mentioned earlier these 12 disciples later on with Matias they were willing to die for this And not only them but imagine Christians for 300 years willing to sacrifice their life because of this event Do you still think it's a hoax do you think still think that these 12 fishermen could have pulled this together without any influence without any uh power just simply by telling this story and retelling it and making it embezzling making it better and embellishing it in a way or another it's impossible. [00:18:12]

uh skeptics that don't believe in the Bible later on and they start doing research and there's many many professors PhDs universities around the world that they want to discredit the word of God They want to discredit the Bible archaeologists geologists all kinds of people And it's interesting because many times the further they dig in the more the more they come to realize that this is actually true As said many times here um over 30 36,000 manuscripts have been written about the life of Jesus There's maybe two or three or I think at at the most eight that were written about a thousand years later. [00:18:52]

About Julius Caesar A thousand years after Julius Caesar lived some some historians started writing his life Jesus Christ 10 years after his death they were willing to put the pen on paper and say he rose from the dead And you know why they were so confident to say this because they knew it was true Because anybody back then and didn't uh Paul in Corinthians says that uh over 500 500 people saw him and Luke when he puts his account he says listen these people are still alive he starts mentioning name You can go and talk to him and you can talk to them They saw the risen Christ. [00:19:32]

You can't make a story with outside witnesses that you haven't paid You haven't said anything and so many around So we know that this already uh this new life begun and to conclude if it's true it does change everything So the witnesses saw it they wrote about it they were willing to sacrifice their lives They were ready ready to be shunned uh ready to be persecuted ready to be flogged because they knew it to be true They were just as skeptic as many of us are today They were perhaps just as intelligent as many of us are today and they said "You know what this really happened. [00:20:12]

If Jesus truly rose from the dead then the world has a new ruler and everything including you is invited into this new story." Why are we a Christian because we like singing hymns on Sunday morning Because we have nowhere else to go Because we like putting on suit and tie and dressing up and looking pretty shaking a few hands getting a coffee a cupcake or something like that why are we a Christian because I don't swear I don't smoke I don't drink I don't like doing all these things That's why I'm a Christian No no no We are a Christian because he Jesus Christ has given us new life. [00:20:52]

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