Easter 2019: Ain't No Grave
Easter Sunday 2019 Ain’t No Grave
I had planned to be encouraging you to Grow Deep
with Part 3 of the series, but as I was putting it together, nothing was
falling into place, it happens once in a while, I call it sermon block. When I
am hit with sermon block I’ve learned that the Holy Spirit wants me to go in a
different direction. So today instead of teaching, I am going to do some
preaching. I am more of a teacher than a preacher. Hopefully, you guessed from our series I tend
to be more left brain in my approach to life; logical, analytical, objective.
Preaching is more right-brained, more subjective, more intuitive, more visceral,
more fluid, and more visual. I’m going to try to do little preaching.
It is Easter, the tomb is empty, death defeated, He
is risen. There was never a grave that could hold Him down and if Jesus walked
out of the grave, then I am walking out too.
The scripture says God loved you so much He sent
his one and only Son to become your atonement that if you believe in Him you will
not perish (John 3:16). God sent His one
and only Son into this world to suffer, die and rise again for your sake. In
Him there is no shame, no guilt, no penalty, and no punishment. In Him, there
is grace, mercy, forgiveness, and love. The scripture reveals that there is no
grave able to hold my Savior down. If Jesus walked out of the grave, then I am
walking out too.
On the way to heal Jairus’ daughter, the little
girl died. Jesus took the dead girl’s hand in his and said “Little girl, I say
to you, get up!” and she did. (Mark 5:41). In a town called Nain, the widow’s son is being
carried out to boot hill, and Jesus said: Young man, I say to you, get up! And
the dead man did. In the town of Bethany Mary and Martha are weeping over the
death of their brother Lazarus. Four days Lazarus has been entombed. Jesus
stands in front of the grave and says “Lazarus, come out!” and the dead man
walks out. (John 11:43). There is no grave that can hold my Savior down. If
Jesus walked out of the grave, then I am walking out too.
I’m walking out because Jesus is “the author of
life” (Acts 3:15); in Him is life (John 1:4) and He has set me free from the
law of sin and of death” (Romans 8:2).
Jesus said: I am the light (John 8:12); I am the
gate (John 10:9); I am the way (John 14:6); I am the resurrection (John 11:25);
I am the life (John 11:25); "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd
lays down his life for the sheep” John 10:11 (NIV); I am the door (John 10:9); I am
the vine (John 15:5); I am the truth (John 14:6).
There is no grave that can hold my Savior down. If
Jesus walked out of the grave, then I am walking out too. I’m walking out because I believe Jesus is the way
the truth and the life (John 14:7). Jesus is the only road to redemption.
Jesus said: “Destroy this temple and I will raise
it again in three days” (John 2:19).
Jesus said “I lay down my life—only to take it up again (John 10:17).
Jesus told his followers that in Jerusalem that he would suffer and be killed
and be raised again on the third day (Matthew 16:21). There is no grave that
can hold my Savior down. If Jesus walked out of the grace, then I am walking out
too.
I’m walking out because I have confessed with my
mouth and believed in my heart that God has raised Him from the dead (Romans
10:9).
On Friday they took the Lamb of God who takes away
the sins of the world (John 1:29) and nailed him to a cross (John 19:18). Jesus
said, “Father forgive them, for they know not what they do (Luke 23:43). Jesus
said, “Father into your hands I commit my spirit” (Luke 23:46). Jesus said “It
is finished” (John 19:30). Jesus died. It’s Friday, Jesus is dead and the Devil
is laughing. The disciples are scattered and the demons are dancing. Death
claimed a victory and the disciples are in
defeat. But there is no grave that is
going to hold my Savior down. And if Jesus walked out of the grave, then I’m
walking out too.
I’m walking out because it was for me that Christ
died, Jesus made atonement for my sin that I could be reconciled to God. (1
John 2:2). I acknowledge my sin, knew myself to be a sinner and brought my
mess to the Master.
“Joseph [of Arimathea] took His body, wrapped it
in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out
of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and
went away” (Matthew 27:60). They laid him in the grave because that’s what you
do with dead bodies. "Take a guard," Pilate answered. "Go, make
the tomb as secure as you know how." So they went and made the tomb secure
by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard” (Matthew 27:65). But
there isn’t a grave that is going to hold my Savior down. If Jesus walked out
of the grave, then I’m walking out too.
I’m walking out because “death has been swallowed
up in victory” (1 Corinthians 15:54 (NIV) God gives me that victory through my
Lord Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:57 (NIV). I believe Jesus secured my pardon
and my victory.
It’s Sunday, as the sun begins to rise, the women
come and find the missing guards, a broken seal, and the stone rolled
away. To Peter and John, they report
"They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they
have put him!" (John 20:1-2 (NIV). There was no grave that could hold my
Savior down. And if Jesus walked out of the grave, then I’m walking out too.
I am walking out because the tomb was empty;
“Christ has been raised up, the first in a long legacy of those who are going
to leave the cemeteries”
1 Corinthians 15:20 (MSG). I am committed to
following Him in life, I am committed to following Him in death.
Two disciples walking to Emmaus; on the road, they
encounter a risen Savior. He said to them, "How foolish you are, and how
slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Christ
have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?" (Luke 24:25-26
(NIV). Then with 10 of the appointed ones Jesus appears: "This is what is
written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and
repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations,
beginning at Jerusalem” (Luke 24:46-47 (NIV). To his disciple Thomas Jesus said
"Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into
my side. Stop doubting and believe." John 20:27 (NIV). “After that, he
appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time” (1
Corinthians 15:6 (NIV). There was no grave that could hold my Savior down. And
if Jesus walked out of the grave, then I’m walking out too.
I’m walking out because
“salvation comes no other way; no other name has been or will be given to us by
which we can be saved” (Acts 4:12 (MSG). I asked God to save me and He lifted
me out of the drowning waters and set me on a rock, on the firm foundation of
Christ crucified, raised and coming again.
“…They took him down from the tree and laid him in
a tomb. But God raised him from the dead…” (Acts 13:29-30 (NIV). “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 2:24 (NIV). “God has raised
this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact” (Acts 2:32 (NIV).
“You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are
witnesses of this” (Acts 3:15 (NIV). “They killed him by hanging him on a tree,
but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen” (Acts
10:39-40 (NIV). “We know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot
die again; death no longer has mastery over him” (Romans 6:9 (NIV). There was
no grave that could hold my Savior down. And if Jesus walked out of the grave,
then I’m walking out too.
I’m walking out because “Christ Jesus, abolished
death and brought life and immortality to light…” (2 Timothy 1:10). If I am following
now, I will follow then, heir to life eternal.
Jesus tells us “The time is coming when everyone
dead and buried will hear his voice. Those who have lived the right way will
walk out into a resurrection Life” (John 5:28-29 (MSG). “For my Father's will
is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal
life, and I will raise him up at the last day" (John 6:40 (NIV). There was
no grave that could hold my Savior down. And if Jesus walked out of the grave,
then I’m walking out too. What about you?
The Scripture reveals: “God has not only raised [Jesus] but will also raise us up through His power” (1 Corinthians 6:14). “Behold, I
tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, in a
moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will
sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For
this perishable must put on the imperishable, and this mortal must put on
immortality” (1 Corinthians 15:51-53
). “For the Lord, Himself will descend from heaven
with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and
the dead in Christ will rise first” (1 Thessalonians 4:16). There was no grave
that could hold my Savior down. And if Jesus walked out of the grave, then I’m
walking out too. What about you, and you?
The Apostle Paul wrote “I identified myself
completely with Jesus. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ” (Galatians
2:20 (MSG). Paul wrote “If we have been united with him like this in his death,
we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection” (Romans 6:5
(NIV). He wrote: “By his power, God raised the Lord from the dead, and he will
raise us also” (1 Corinthians 6:14 (NIV). There was no grave that could hold my
Savior down. And if Jesus walked out of the grave, then I’m walking out too.
What about you, and you, and you?
One day I’m going to die (Hebrews 9:27) but there ain’t
no grave going to hold me down. Jesus walked out of the grave I am walking out
too.
One day they will account me dead and gone, but at
that trumpet sound (1 Corinthians 15:52), there ain’t no grave going to hold me
down. Jesus walked out of the grave and I am walking too.
One day I will be forgotten, just a name on a
headstone, but on the last day, Jesus is going to call my name and ain’t no
grave going to hold me down. Jesus walked out of the grave and I am walking
too.
What about you?
Selah Ain’t No Grave
Comments
Post a Comment