Sermon Synopsis for March 23, 2008

John 20:1-18 “Our Testimony: Jesus Lives”

I’m sure you’ve heard about the time the Sunday School teacher asked about the true meaning of Easter.
The first child to respond said, “It’s when we color eggs and our parents hide them and we look for them.”
The Teacher politely responded that there is more to it than that.
The next child told her, “It’s when we find a basked full of goodies that the Easter Bunny brings and we eat lots of chocolate and candy.”
The Teacher again asked for something more.
Little Joey responded, “It’s when we remember that Jesus rose out of the tomb …”
“Wonderful,” thought the Teacher.
Joey continued, “and if he sees his shadow there is 6 weeks more of winter.”

Easter means different things do different people.

James MacDonald, a pastor in Chicago, said, “For those of us who are followers of Jesus Christ and take the Gospel seriously, this is our Big Time. Sports fanatics have the Super Bowl, but if you are a follower of Jesus Christ, this is our weekend.”

As Christians we’ve celebrated the triumphal entry, the mystery of Jesus in the Upper Room (washing the feet of his disciples, giving them his broken body and shed blood), the horror of Good Friday, and now we arrive at Easter – Resurrection Day.

Apostles Creed (An important confession of the early believers) states, “I believe in . . . Jesus Christ . . . on the third day he rose again from the dead, he ascended into heaven and he is seated at the right hand of the father.”

Did you ever play the game of Jenga? You pull out the blocks until the stack falls – hopefully for the other person playing. Pulling out the block of the resurrection is what would make the whole thing, we call Christianity, fall.

WE LIVE IN A WORLD THAT QUESTIONS THE RESURRECTION
It’s interesting – George Barna Reports – 30% of self described evangelical born-again Christians don’t believe in the physical resurrection of Jesus from the Dead.

Time Magazine (March 2004) was dedicated to “The Search for Jesus.” According to “The Jesus Seminar,” The descriptions of the trial, crucifixion and resurrection in the Gospels have been deemed inauthentic. Unbelievable. Jesus couldn’t have risen from the dead.

These teachings are what led Sigmund Freud to declare, “Religion is the Opiate of the People” and Frederick Nietzsche, “God is Dead”

Our founding father, Thomas Jefferson, cut the resurrection stories out of his personal version of the Bible, dismissing them as too astonishing to believe. His version of the Gospel ends with “There laid they Jesus, and rolled a great stone to the door of the sepulchre, and departed.” (Jefferson Bible, chapter 17, verses 63-64 http://www.angelfire.com/co/JeffersonBible/)

Is it possible to be a Christian and not believe in the Resurrection of Jesus?

Not if an empty grave is the pivotal reason for our faith.

FOR OUR FAITH
The Apostle Paul wrote. “If Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.” (I Cor 15:14) “And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile.” (I Cor 15:17)

As Christians, without the resurrection, we have nothing to live for, no purpose for our existence. Our Faith – what we firmly believe in – is useless and futile.

"Futile" (Greek, canos – empty) – a great waste of time.

Church, worship, programs, activities, tithes and offerings – useless.
Loving others, community outreach, missionary work - all secular humanism.

JESUS APPROACH
Jesus didn’t make a big show out of the resurrection. If he did, it could have changed everything.

If it were me … I’d jump out and say, “Ta - Da!” I would have shown off to as many people as possible. They would have known right away: The newspapers, the press, CNN, FOX News.

Jesus, on the other hand, went and spoke with those closest to him, in a mysterious way.

If only he had appeared to Pilate, Caiaphas, Herod, or even Caesar – everything would have been different. But he sought out those closest to him – his friends and followers. It would never have stood up in a court of law. These witnesses have a vested interest.

Ultimately, Jesus was interested in his followers … not in the Pilates, Ciaphas, or Caesars. His followers: these were the ones who had followed him, trusted him, put their faith in him.

OUR RESPONSE
Would you recognize Jesus, if you saw him?

Recognizing Jesus is key to the Easter story.
The first time Mary Magdalene saw the risen Jesus, she thought he was a gardener.
Peter, John, the other disciples all were amazed when they saw the risen Jesus.
Thomas needed to feel his wounds to believe it was him.
Jesus appeared to two people on the road to Emmaus (today’s Sunday School lesson)
I’m sure they would have acted different if they knew it was Jesus.

Mary thought he was a gardener.

I’ve had my share of embarrassing and odd experiences of talking with people that I should have known who they were.

As a college student, I was walking to class, complaining with another person about what I heard about the new professor - it was him. Oops!

At the Cochabamba, Bolivia Airport, I saw a humble looking man sitting alone in the waiting area. I asked him about his perspective on the current social problems affecting Bolivia. I talked about the role of faith in our response to the present riots and that I was on my way to a church meeting to decide how to react to the current wave of political unrest. The person turned out to be Evo Morales, who is presently the President of Bolivia. Oops!

Mary, talking to a gardener in the garden near Jesus’ tomb, “They have taken my Lord away and I don’t know where they have put him.”

Jesus / Gardner, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?

Mary, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”

Jesus, “Mary”

The sound of her name – in that familiar voice - was all she needed.

Mary went to see a tomb with a body; the other gospels tell us she went to put spices on the body.
Mary found the risen Lord.

I showed the children an empty Easter basket. They were disappointed. Easter is the holiday we celebrate finding nothing. The tomb was empty. We can stay in our disappointment in an empty basket (tomb), or, like the disciples, we can rejoice in seeing the resurrected Jesus.

OUR HOPES
They had hoped that Jesus would be the one who would redeem Israel.

What are your hopes about Jesus? Jesus wants to speak to you in a personal way.

Every Easter morning in Bolivia the protestant evangelical churches march to the Coronilla Hill after an all night prayer vigil (sort of a wake for Jesus). At the Coronilla they celebrate the resurrection!

One year I noticed my friend Jaime Goytia sitting in the crowd of about 20K. Jaime’s father was the 8th protestant Christian in Bolivia. Jaime had seen the believers grow in number from a handful to a great multitude. God is doing things. The risen Jesus is still revealing himself to people going all sorts of places.

Mary didn’t recognize Jesus.
Maybe what’s most important is that Jesus recognized Mary.

Mary felt that God had left her. She (and the other disciples) were without hope and discouraged in the way things turned out.

In the midst of her despair, she was reassured by Jesus presence – He was alive!

Like Mary, we may feel discouraged in the way things have turned out. Jesus presence can assure us as well. Jesus wants you to recognize him. He calls out your name. Are you listening? :I died for you …. Will you live for me?”

Don’t wait for an announcement on the evening news, a CNN newscase, a proclamation from the White House. Look for Jesus; you’ll find him. “Seek and you will find, knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7) You will be surprised what you find.

Mary was looking for a sealed tomb. She found Jesus.
Mary’s testimony to the others (John 20:18) was, “I have seen the Lord!”

Our testimony is the same – whatever we’re looking for, we need to feel the Lord’s presence in our lives and our testimony is our personal experience with Jesus. That’s enough.

Jesus wants to have a personal relationship with you. It’s the only way you can say, “I have seen the Lord!”