Easter Sunday 2023

He is not here You Are

He is risen (He is risen indeed)

• Easter is my favorite holiday EVER!

• I love the signs of new life beginning around us,
• I love the colors and excitement.

• I love the anticipation of summer.

• The spring fever and spring cleaning.

• Something about this season just screams LIFE and HOPE!

• In the church, Easter Sunday is the day we set aside to celebrate the fact that HE IS RISEN, Jesus LIVES the tomb is emptied.
• We spent forty days on the journey to the cross and those of you that came to the good Friday experience had just a taste of the weight of that day!
• Jesus died to give us LIFE and lives today to give us HOPE
• Today we are going to talk about what we do with that hope, because He is not here...but you are

Matthew 28:1-7 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first dayof the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at thetomb. 2There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came downfrom heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat onit. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were whiteas snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook andbecame like dead men. 5 The angel said to the women, “Do not beafraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see theplace where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘Hehas risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. Thereyou will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

• That first Easter Sunday
  • women come to the tomb to anoint Jesus’ body
  • Jesus burial was rushed because of the Passover Festival and Sabbath day (Saturday) the Jewish laws did not allow the touching of a dead body

• Can you imagine the women waiting…
  • Jesus died in the afternoon on Friday, I don’t imagine the women or any of Jesus’ disciples and followers got much sleep Friday
  • Friday night was one of shock
    • “How could this have happened”
    • “Were we wrong”
    • “Wait...Jesus meant he would literally die?”
    • “Why is this happening”
    • “Could I have done something to prevent this”
  • Saturday was a day of waiting and grief…
    • I imagine they were desperately wanting to go to Jesus’ body
    • To properly prepare him...to see him just one more time
    • They got together and collected the items they needed
    • And as soon as Sabbath ended (very very early...as early as possible) they headed for the tomb
  • Jesus was not in the tomb
    • They came looking for Jesus at his burial site, but he is gone
    • An angel has to tell them “He is not here” (repeat with me)
    • Jesus was not in the tomb
    • Jesus was not on the cross
    • HE IS RISEN

Thefocus we give during the Lenten season is very important,

-rememberingthe journey Jesus took to the cross...It was your sin and my sin thatJesus paid the price for on the cross.

-Knowingthat Jesus truly died and was buried is also an essential of ourfaith.

-Butthe fact that he is not there anymore...that is even more essential!

-IfJesus was still on the cross or in the tomb there would be no hope ofsalvation from our sin

-Thesalvation Jesus brought was not completed at the cross or in the tomb

-but...somebelievers live in this place, in the tomb of no hope

-theychoose to focus on the guilt and weight of their sin...and they staythere

--howcould God love me

--whydid I hurt Jesus like that

--Ican never forgive myself

-BUTto do that is to miss EASTER...you see Jesus in not in the tomb, heis not on the cross

-Heis not here he is risen, hope therefore is not only possible butgraspable

-“I am free” song

--thesalvation Jesus brought is not just that we don’t die in sin butthat we LIVE

-Weremember Jesus paid the price of our sin on the cross and then WEHAVE LIFE...we are free to LIVE for you

HEIS NOT HERE...the tomb and the cross are empty

Acts 1:6-11 6 Then they gathered around him and asked him,“Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom toIsrael?” 7He said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates theFather has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive powerwhen the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses inJerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of theearth.” 9After he said this, he was taken up before their very eyes, and acloud hid him from their sight. 10 They were looking intently up intothe sky as he was going, when suddenly two men dressed in white stoodbeside them. 11 “Men of Galilee,” they said, “why do you standhere looking into the sky? This same Jesus, who has been taken fromyou into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him gointo heaven.”

• Jesus’ last words and our mission
  • This is one of my FAVORITE passages ever
  • one because...well it’s a bit funny to imagine a bunch of guys standing around staring at clouds
  • but also because it is Jesus last recorded word spoken on earth
  • The disciples have been with the risen Jesus for about a month-ish now
  • In this time Jesus eats with them, speaks with them...but he does not go into Jerusalem
  • I briefly shared this last week, but the Tuesday before his crucifixion was the last time Jesus was in the temple of Jerusalem
  • Jesus...doesn’t go back to the temple, doesn’t even enter into the capital city of Israel after his resurrection AT ALL
  • This...must have perplexed Jesus disciples
    • if there was ever a chance to kick out Rome and get Israel back on top...now was the time right?
    • I mean...they cannot even kill this guy
    • Who could deny his claim to be the Son of God now
    • Now for sure is the opportunity...right?
    • Maybe they thought “yeah your right Jesus...we didn’t get it before, you had to rise from the dead and show how powerful you were...now right...now? Mmmmk now? … okay NOW?
  • Finally they just come right out and ask him “Now”
  • TO which Jesus says...you don’t get to know when I’m gonna make the new heavens and the new earth
  • In the mean time...BE HERE
  • Then...Jesus leaves the earth

HEIS NOT HERE

-Likethe disciples we often look for signs that Jesus will be coming back,be returning

-Wewatch the news and try and fit it into the signs

---lookat that weather

---lookat the wars and rumors of wars

---lookat that pandemic

---etc.etc

-Asdangerous as it is to constantly live at the cross, thinking of theweight and guilt of sin and your unworthiness...it is equally if notMORE dangerous to keep your eyes on the clouds watching

-Dowe believe Jesus will return? ABSOLUTELY

--Thesalvation Jesus brought was also not just for when he returns...it isfor right now!

-Wewant Jesus. We want that new perfect heavens and earth!

-Welike Jesus’ disciples are tempted to constantly ask…“okay...now?”

-AndJesus’ words hold as true today as they did for the disciples then…

-Receivethe power of the Holy Spirit and … BE HERE

--bemy witnesses wherever you go, weather you stay close to home ortravel far

--bemy witness to those who have everything in common with you, and thosewho have almost nothing in common with you

--BEHERE...because Jesus is not here

• Jesus ascension
  • Jesus leaves…
  • Just imagine this...the disciples ask, is this it? Now? New Kingdom happening? Jesus rules?
  • And Jesus says...you don’t get to know when the end is coming...I’m outta here...do your job!
  • And the disciples are in such a state of shock...they world literally has been filled on it’s head upside down and backwards...they just *STARE*
  • What were they thinking…
    • “really”
    • “what do you mean it’s up to us”
    • “weren’t YOU the messiah”
    • “this was not what I thought would happen”
    • “weren’t we sapossed to be WITH YOU?”
    • “You just leaving us here...”
  • However long this starting happens, God eventually sends some angels down to reinforce…
  • HE’S NOT HERE… someday he’ll come back yeah...but stop looking at the sky
  • He is not here YOU ARE (repeat with me)

John 17:11-19 Iwill remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world,and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power ofyour name, the name you gave me, so that they may be one as we areone. 12 While I was with them, I protected them and kept them safe bythat name you gave me. None has been lost except the one doomed todestruction so that Scripture would be fulfilled. 13“I am coming to you now, but I say these things while I am still inthe world, so that they may have the full measure of my joy withinthem. 14 I have given them your word and the world has hated them,for they are not of the world any more than I am of the world. 15 Myprayer is not that you take them out of the world but that youprotect them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, even asI am not of it. 17 Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. 18As you sent me into the world, I have sent them into the world. 19For them I sanctify myself, that they too may be truly sanctified.

CONCLUSION

-HEIS NOT HERE...YOU ARE...NOT ALONE

--Thisprayer is what Jesus was praying in the garden before his arrest

--Thisprayer is FOR YOU

--Hespeaks with God about the fact that he will be leaving you behind

--Heis going...you are to stay

--Andin this staying Jesus’ recognizes the help we will need

---helpto not live looking at Jesus on the cross or the tomb...God is notthere

---helpto leave not with our eyes on the sky...God is not there yet either

---butinstead to be sent to LIVE HERE...with the power God has giventhrough the Holy Spirit

LIVESEEING THOSE AROUND YOU...BLESSING THOSE AROUND YOU...being in theworld and standing out by not being OF the world

---untilGod builds the new heavens and new earth OR---until you leave thisearth

...doyour job---be the witness

HEIS NOT HERE - He has risen...YOU ARE HERE

–Be here, be in theworld...be sent