The Easter Season
Preaching
Lectionary Preaching Workbook - SERIES C
The Name of Easter
Easter is the old English adaptation of the pagan name, "Eastre," which was the name of a Teutonic goddess of spring and dawn. Her festival occurred annually at the vernal equifox. The original name for Easter was Pascha, a Hebrew word for Passover. The death and resurrection constituted a new passover for the people of God, a deliverance from the slavery of death. Before Easter became popular as a name, the day was known as "The Lord's Day of Resurrection" and "Paschal Day of the Resurrection."
A History of Easter
Easter is the oldest Christian festival and is the source of the rest of the church year. On the first day of the week, Jesus rose from the dead. This was the apex of Christian fact and devotion. Each Sunday thereafter was celebrated as a "little Easter." Eventually the resurrection's being observed on the frist day of the week, changed the day of worship from the Sabbath (Saturday) to the Lord's Day (Sunday). For the Eastern church Easter marked the beginning of the church year.
The ancient church celebrated Easter for an octave, (eight days) each day through the following Sunday. Those baptized on Easter were required to attend the services. They wore white baptismal robes and consequently the first Sunday after Easter was known as "White Sunday." Originally Easter was one unit from Easter to Pentecost, but later it was divided into resurrection, ascension, and pentecost. The new lectionary (1970) returns to making Easter a season of fifty days, from Easter to Pentecost with Ascension Day considered a part of the Easter celebration. As a result, we now refer to the "Sunday of Easter" rather than "Sundays after Easter."
Easter has always been for Christians the feast of feasts. There is no event more important to the Christian. Its primacy was shown by the fact that the resurrection was celebrated each Sunday, and for that reason each Sunday of the church year is considered a festival. The importance of Easter can be seen in the fact that Easter is preceded by a period of preparation - the Lenten season of forty days. Likewise, Easter is observed for a season of fifty days. Moreover, Easter is so important that the entire church year revolves around it. Other festivals and seasons depend upon the date of Easter which varies from year to year.
Easter Day opens the Easter season, but does not close the Lenten season . Thinking that it does is a common mistake in our time. If it did, the Easter season would be a let-down in church attendance, work, and interest. If Easter closes the Lenten season, then the church feels the "show is over," and it is time to go back to business as usual. This is rooted in a misunderstanding of the Lenten season which for some is the chief season of the year. Rather, Easter, based upon the supreme act of God in raising the Son from the dead, is the chief event for the Christian. If this were understood, the church would have its greatest period of interest and activity during the Easter season.
The Date of Easter
Christians are still not agreed on the date of Easter. In ancient times non-Christians lampooned Christians for not being able to decide upon the date of their chief event. As early as the middle of the second century, the church disagreed about the date. The issue was supposedly settled by the Council of Nicea in A.D.325. All Christians were ordered to accept this date: "On the first Sunday after the full moon on or after the first day of Spring, March 21, or if the full moon is on Sunday, the next Sunday after." Thus, Easter may fall between March 22 and April 25. In spite of this, western and eastern Christians have different dates for Easter. The West lives by the Gregorian calendar and the East uses the Julian calendar which is ten days behind the Gregorian. Today there is a movement afoot to have all branches of the church accept April 8 as the date of Easter for all Christians.
The Mood of Easter
Needless to say, Easter is the highest of the high days in the church calendar. Easter is the queen of feasts. True Christians everywhere celebrate the resurrection. On Easter morning it is an ancient tradition for Christians to greet each other as follows: "Christ the Lord is risen!" Answer: "He is risen indeed!"
Joy. Easter is prime time for rejoicing. It is the church's happy day. The "alleluia" dropped for Lent is heard once more. The Lenten fast is ended, and there is rejoicing not only for a return to normal eating but for the fact that now there is no reason to fast. This joy is expressed in a fourteenth century hymn: "Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia!"
Life. Easter means eternal life for the believer in Christ. This is symbolized by the abundance of flowers used on Easter.
Newness. The risen Christ is a "new" being with a glorified body. He is now the exalted Christ, the eternal Christ not touched by death. This newness for a Christian through dying and rising with Christ is expressed in the custom of wearing new clothes on Easter.
Hope. Easter brings hope to those who have dead loved ones and to the dying. The resurrection brings assurance that we too shall live with Christ forever. Death has been conquered by the resurrection.
Victory. Jesus is delivered from the worst of the world and the worst of Satan - the power of death. Like a mighty warrior, Christ comes forth from the grave as victor. Christians express their joy over this victory of Christ and participate in his victory by faith. This note of victory is expressed in a seventeenth century Latin hymn: "The strife is o'er, the battle done; now is the Victor's triumph won ..."
The Color of Easter
The mood of Easter is reflected and expressed in the liturgical color. It is white because it expresses celebration, festivity, joy, and victory. Gold may be used as an alternate color for Easter Day to express the special prominence of the greatest day of the church year.
AN OVERVIEW OF THE EASTER SEASON
Lesson 1: Easter 1 to 7 - from the Book of Acts. (Except for Easter Day in the Lutheran series, there is no Old Testament Lesson during Easter season.)
1. Acts 10:34-43 - God raised Jesus who ate and drank with the Disciples.
2. Acts 5:27-32 - The Apostles witness that God raised Jesus.
3. Acts 9:1-20 - The risen Jesus appears to Paul on the road to Damascus.
4. Acts 13:15-16, 26-33 - In a sermon Paul declares to the Jews that God raised Jesus.
5. Acts 14:8-18 - At Lystra Paul and Barnabas are taken for gods.
6. Acts 15:1-2, 22-29 - The Council of Jerusalem does not require circumcision for discipleship.
7. Acts 16:16-34 - Paul and Silas are delivered from the Philippian jail.
Sermon Series on Lesson 1: Theme - Witness of the Church to the Risen Christ
1. Through Peter the Church witnesses to the Gentiles.
2. The Apostles witness to the Councilors of Jerusalem.
3. The witness leads to a conversion.
4. The witness of the resurrection in a synagogue.
5. The witness of a miracle results in a city's repentance.
6. The Apostles witness to the truth of the Gospel.
7. The witness in a Philippian jail.
Lesson 2: Easter 2 to 7 - from the book of Revelation
2. Revelation 1:4-8 - Christ is the alpha and omega.
3. Revelation 5:11-14 The hosts of heaven worship the Lamb.
4. Revelation 7:9-17 - The multitude in heaven serves before the throne of God.
5. Revelation 21:1-6 - The vision of a new heaven and earth.
6. Revelation 21:10, 22-27 - A description of the new Jerusalem.
7. Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20 - Christ declares he will return soon.
Sermon Series on Lesson 2: Theme - Visions of Heaven.
2. A vision of Christ in heaven.
3. A vision of worship in heaven.
4. A vision of the saints' serving God.
5. A vision of the coming new Jerusalem.
6. A vision of a heavenly city without a temple.
7. A vision of the return of Christ.
Gospel:
Easter 1 to 7 - from the book of John.
1. John 20:1-18 - The risen Christ appears to Mary Magdalene.
2. John 20:19-31 - The risen Christ appears to the Disciples.
3. John 21:1-14 - The risen Christ appears again to the Disciples at the Sea of Galilee.
4. John 10:22-30 - The Good Shepherd gives eternal life to his sheep.
5. John 13:31-35 - Jesus gives the new commandment to love.
6. John 14:23-29 - Jesus promises to send the Spirit.
7. John 17:20-26 - Jesus prays that his followers may be one.
Sermon Series on the Gospel: Theme - Experiences with the Risen Lord.
1. The Risen Christ and a Devoted Woman.
2. A Group Experience with the Risen Christ.
3. With the Risen Christ at breakfast.
4. Meeting with the risen Good Shepherd.
5. The Mark of a Risen Christ's Disciples.
6. Parting Gifts of the Risen Christ.
7. The Continuing Prayer of the Risen Christ.
THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD
Easter Day
The Lessons
Acts 10:34-43 (C)
Acts 10:34, 37-43 (RC)
Peter tells Cornelius and his friends that God raised Jesus from the dead.
A very devout Roman centurion, Cornelius, sends for Peter to preach to him and his friends. In his sermon, Peter reviews the ministry of Jesus including the crucifixion and resurrection. It is to be noted that Peter says that God raised Jesus; he did not raise himself. Note also that Peter explains that the risen Christ did not appear to people in general but to a few chosen ones whom he commanded to preach the good news.
Exodus 15:1-11 (L)
A song of victory after crossing the Red Sea.
1 Corinthians 15:19-26
By his resurrection Christ destroyed death. Paul faces the problem of the Corinthians' accepting Jesus' resurrection but not the resurrection of the dead. For them Jesus' resurrection was only one step in his immortal spiritual essence. The people did not relate this to their own lives in terms of a resurrection. Paul holds that Jesus was the first-fruit and then comes the resurrection of believers. Easter marks the beginning of God's victory over all evil powers including the worst, death.
1 Corinthians 15:1-11
The post-resurrection appearances of Jesus.
Colossians 3:1-4 (RC)
John 20:1-18 (C)
John 20:1-9 (10-18) (L)
John 20:1-9 (RC)
Those raised with Christ seek and think about heavenly things.
Mary Magdalene has an experience with the risen Lord.
According to John only Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early on Easter day. When she saw that the stone at the grave was not in place, she ran to tell Peter and John that Jesus' body was stolen. The two raced to the tomb and found it empty. After the two Disciples returned home, Mary Magdalene remained at the tomb. Jesus came to her but she did not recognize him until he said, "Mary." Then in her return to the Disciples she had the good news, not only that the tomb was empty, but that she had seen the Lord.
Prayer of the Day
"O God, you gave your only Son to suffer death on the cross for our redemption, and by his glorious resurrection you delivered us from the power of death. Make us die every day to sin, so that we may live with him forever in the joy of the resurrection."
Hymn of the Day
"Christ Jesus Lay in Death's Strong Bands"
Theme of the Day: Christ is Alive!
Lesson 2 - The resurrection is a fact.
Lesson 1 - The Risen Christ ate and drank with the Disciples.
Gospel - Mary Magdalene talked with the risen Christ.
Easter day is celebrated as a day of victory and joy. This is possible because the resurrection is real. Paul says it is a fact. (Lesson 2) To show how real the risen Christ is, Peter reports that he and the other Disciples ate and drank with the risen Jesus. (Lesson 1) Mary Magdalene's deep sorrow and anxiety were changed to ecstasy when she talked with the risen Christ. (Gospel) This is indeed the Lord's day and we can rejoice in it. (Psalm) The prayer reminds us what the resurrection accomplished for us: "You delivered us from the power of death." The hymn causes us to praise God for Jesus' victory over death.
Theological Reflections
Gospel: John 20:1-18
1. The Empty Tomb. This Gospel deals with the empty tomb. There is no explanation by an angel. There is no appearance except to Mary Magdalene. Mary, Peter, and John found an empty tomb and
grave clothes. The empty tomb is a sign of the Resurrection. It is a negative witness to the Resurrection. It has significance only in the experience of the living Christ as Mary Magdalene had. While our faith is not based on the vacant tomb, it does indicate that our faith is based on concrete, historical reality. It also says that Jesus did not rise only spiritually but also physically. The crucified body became the glorified body.
2. Eagerness. John's Easter account displays eagerness to see what happened. Mary Magdalene cannot wait to come to the tomb - she comes before sunrise. She runs to tell that the stone was rolled away. Peter and John race to the tomb to check out her story. Easter is a time of excitement and eagerness to see and know. It is not an everyday occurrence to have a dead man walk out of a tomb. It is fantastic; could it be true?
3. Lack of Understanding. For Mary Magdalene the empty tomb meant only that Jesus' body was stolen. Peter saw the empty tomb and grave clothes, but he did not put two and two together that Jesus was raised from the dead. He failed to understand the Scriptures concerning the Resurrection. With this we can identify, for we usually do not understand the meaning of great events or crises in our lives at the time of their happening, such as Confirmation, Wedding, or Ordination.
4. Faith andfacts. In this gospel we are given circumstantial evidence - empty tomb, grave clothes, and napkin. These constitute concrete evidence of a risen Christ. The Resurrection is based on concrete historical evidence. The Resurrection is not a myth, a faith, a figment of the imagination. It is not a story manufactured by disappointed and disillusioned disciples. The faith is grounded in facts.
Lesson 1: Acts 34-43
1. Universality. In this lection the universality of Jesus, together with the cross and Resurrection, is emphasized. The life, death, and Resurrection have cosmic dimensions. Jesus is the Savior of all human-kind, not for any specific group, race, or nation. Though Jesus was a Jew, though the Jews rejected him, though the Romans crucified him, Jesus suffered, died, and rose again for the entire world. This emphasis is seen in this Lesson: "In every nation any one" (v. 35), "Lord of all" (v. 36), "Judge of the living and the dead " (v. 42), "Every one who believes" (v. 43). Easter gives an imperative to share, witness, and evangelize - "Go and tell."
2. Kerygma. The importance of Easter is seen in this summary of the kerygma: baptism, public ministry, death, and resurrection. The key to it all is the resurrection to which the Apostles testified. Because of the resurrection, the Apostles were commanded to preach the cross and resurrection. Jesus is therefore proclaimed the judge of the world. Through him forgiveness is offered to all believers. Without the resurrection as the keystone, the arch of the Christian religion would fall. Paul taught that if Christ had not risen, our faith would be in vain.
3. God's Work. In this pericope, Luke assures us that God is the one responsible for Jesus: his coming, death, and resurrection. The cross and resurrection were not the work of Jesus, nor of man. This was solely God's work of grace in saving the world. God sent Jesus, the Word, to earth (v. 36), anointed Jesus as Messiah (v. 38), raised him from the dead (v. 40), and ordained Jesus to be the judge of the world. (v. 42)
Lesson 2: 1 Corinthians 15:19-26
1. In Fact (v. 20). Paul considers the resurrection a fact. It is not a theory, not a wish, not even a faith. Thinking, wishing, or believing does not make anything a reality. The resurrection is a hard, cold fact - the fact of an empty tomb, the fact of an angel's message, the fact of the presence of the risen Christ. If it is not a fact, the Christian religion has no foundation. If the church has no resurreclion to proclaim, it has no message of hope or salvation for the world.
2. Alive (v. 22). The risen Christ makes believers alive. Each person can have a resurrection of new life. Here Paul is referring to a resurrection from the dead, even as Jesus rose from the dead. But the resurrection is not limited to life after death. The resurrection can take place before death. In baptism we die and are buried with Christ and we rise in newness of life. Here is a resurrection before the resurrection. Easter has a contempory application. Believers can experience a resurrection with Christ here and now because in Christ they become new creatures.
3. Death (v. 26). If in Christ's resurrection death was destroyed, why do all people still die, even believers? Physical death is normal and natural. God never intended us to live forever physically. Birth and death are natural in all creation and people are a part of God's creation. Death here means spiritual death. Separation from God spells death, because we by unbelief separate ourselves from life and love which are in God. Though we physically die, we do not die in the sense of being cut off from God who is our life.
Lesson 2: Colossians 3:1-4
1. Death and Resurrection. Easter can mean nothing without the cross. How can there be a Resurrection without a death from which to rise again to life? The Easter celebration means little to those who do not experience Good Friday. People often talk about and yearn for new life, but they are unwilling to pay the price, death. "For you have died" (v. 3) is the basis for a Resurrection. It, of course, is not a physical death but a death of the old Adam - the proud, selfish, wicked self. Out of the ashes of the old self comes the phoenix of a new life in Christ. How does one's old self die - of old age? natural causes? We are to put to death the old Adam - we kill the old self by our own hands.
2. Contemporary Resurrection. The Easter experience of Resurrection was not only for Jesus as an historical event. Each Christian has a Resurrection to a new life in Christ. Because of this, Easter can be not just a celebration of a past event, but of a present experience. "If then you have been raised with Christ" means to duplicate Jesus' rising. This death and Resurrection take place in baptism -a drowning of the old self, and the emergence of a new self, rising from death to life. This new life is a life in Christ, a participation in the life of Christ.
3. The Christian dimension oflife. Death has a downward direction: we bury the dead. Resurrection is going up from the depth of death. Life calls for an upward motion. Down means doubt, depression, death - all that is negative and sinful. Up is symbolic of heaven, Christ, Resurrection, glory, goodness. Because of a Resurrection experience, Christians continue to live with an upward look -heaven is their destination. They think of heavenly things - goodness, truth, love, peace.
Preaching Possibilities
Problems of Preaching on Easter Day
1. Faith in the resurrection. Before one can preach on Easter with its message of the resurrection, one must be convinced of its historical reality. Was it merely a matter of faith on the part of disappointed and disillusioned disciples who spread rumors of Jesus' resurrection to save their faces after following an apparently deluded "messiah," or was their faith based upon an historical rising from the dead? Was their purported experience with the risen Lord only hallucination? The answer to these questions is all-important, because the uniqueness of Christianity and the truth of Christ as Son of God depend on the resurrection. Do we profess to believe in the real resurrection because we know that the whole Christian faith depends on it? The resurrection is the basic good news of the gospel. Without it, Christianity has nothing to say that the other religions have not already said.
2. Understanding the nature of the resurrection. To preach on Easter requires that we understand the nature of the resurrection. Below are some characteristics of Jesus' resurrection:
a. Jesus' resurrection was a resurrection of the body - not a soul leaving the body at death.
b. Jesus' resurrection was not a physical resurrection like Lazarus', but it was a resurrection of a spiritual body that could not die again because of its immortal nature. (1 Corinthians 15:32-44)
c. This risen body was both recognizable and unrecognizable. Jesus could eat and still be spiritual enough to pass through closed doors. (Luke 24:42; John 20:19)
d. The resurrection was an act of God. Jesus did not rise on his own power or desire. God promised through the prophets that he would destroy death and save his people. He sent his Son to die and rise again. It was God who raised Jesus from the dead. (Acts 11:30)
e. The resurrection is not a happy ending to a tragic story to make people feel good. The resurrection is an integral part of the cross. The two are inseparable - death and resurrection. The resurrection confirms Jesus as Son of God, and assures man that Jesus is the Christ. The resurrection confirms the words and promises of Jesus. It gives hope to mortals that death was destroyed and life with Christ was made possible for all eternity.
3. The lack of people's belief in the resurrection and life after death. How can one preach the Easter fact to people who may not believe in the resurrection? To bolster one's faith consider the following supports for acceptance of the resurrection:
a. The reliability of the Bible. It is God's book of truth and not lies. The words of Jesus are trustworthy in all matters including his promise to rise again.
b. The integrity of the witnesses. They were honest, God-fearing, reliable men and women who gave their lives for their faith in the resurrection. Men do not usually die for a legend. If they had manufactured the story, they would not have been surprised by the resurrection. Even the Apostles had to be convinced by Jesus that he was really alive again.
c. A variety of reports. The accounts have many variations but they do agree on the essentials of the resurrection story. If this were a composite creation of the disciples, they would have worked out their disagreements and conflicting stories.
d. The power of God. The resurrection was God's work, not man's. It was the miracle of mirades. With God all things are possible.
e. The witness of the church through the ages. The church has lived, served, and died on the fact of the resurrection. The life of the church bears witness to the living Christ who works in and through the church.
f. Personal experience. Christ lives because he lives in me. Or, am I a deluded fool? Do I really know Jesus, talk to him in prayer? Am I giving my life to a corpse? Ultimately the resurrection is not something of proof, demonstration, nor argumentation. It is a matter of personal faith based upon personal experience with the risen Christ.
4. Making Easterpersonal and contemporary. The problem is to take something that is 2,000 years old and which happened to another and make it live for each person today. In our time few use Lent as a time to die to self with Christ. If our people have not died with Christ, how can they raise in newness of life on Easter? This constitutes a challenge to the Easter preacher to make Easter more than a celebration of the past but a meaningful experience for the present.
Gospel: John 20:1-18
1. No Jogging on Easter! 20:1-4
Need: Today millions are jogging for their health. It is not uncommon to see individuals or couples slowly running alongside a street. The first Easter was not a jogging at a slow pace, and there was no interest in personal health. The first Easter was a foot race from the Disciples' home to Jesus' grave. Should we be as anxious to get to Jesus' tomb to see if he is there? We should be, for so much depends on the resurrection. Like Mary Magdalene who could not wait until sunrise to go to the tomb; like Peter and John racing to the tomb, we need to be eager, anxious, and excited to see if the tomb is empty and Christ is alive.
Outline: Why we rush to the tomb of Jesus -
a. To learn if there were really a resurrection
b. To see if God vindicated his Son
c. To be sure there is life after death
2. The Sign of the Tomb. 20:1-9
Need: The tomb is no proof of the resurrection. The body of Jesus could have been removed and destroyed. The empty tomb only says, "He is not here." The tomb is a sign of the resurrection. At Christmas a sign was given of the Incarnation - "And this shall be a sign to you. You shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger." Faith in the resurrection is not based on the empty tomb but in the living presence of Jesus as Mary Magdalene experienced him. It is when one experiences the living Christ that the empty tomb takes on new significance.
Outline: What the tomb signifies -
a. Empty tomb - signifies the resurrection
b. Grave clothes - signifies that Jesus is alive
c. Napkin - signifies that the resurrection was peaceful, planned
3. How Close Dare you Come? 20:1-9
Need: There is something scary about death. We tend to keep our distance from a corpse or a grave. We proceed with caution when we tread on unfamiliar or dangerous ground. On the first Easter, three people come to the tomb with three different approaches. How much are we like them?
Outline: How close are you to the Easter tomb?
a. A distant position - Mary Magdalene
She saw from a distance that the stone was rolled away. Assuming that the body was stolen, she rushes to tell Peter and John. We can take the same position - look at the resurrection from afar; doubt, misunderstanding, non-involvement.
b. A close position - John
John stood at the opening of the tomb but was afraid to enter. He looked into the tomb, but he was too timid to enter by himself. in our time, we get close to the resurrected Christ, but we do not enter into Christ. We are content to be spectators of the drama.
c. A direct position - Peter
Impulsive, daring, brazen Peter rushes into the tomb. He is not afraid to enter where angels may fear to tread. He sees the absence of Jesus' body, the grave clothes, and the facial napkin. But, the evidence does not lead him to believe Jesus has risen. His bravado is fruitless. Only timid John, now in the tomb, senses the meaning of the evidence and believes.
Lesson 1: Acts 10:34-43
1. Blame Easter on God! 10:34-43
Need: From beginning to end, from birth to re-birth, Jesus was the work of God. The Incarnation was God's work. The cross had to be because it fulfilled the Scriptures. God raised Jesus from the dead. (v. 44) God was responsible for the resurrection - the faith of the Disciples did not create the resurrection. They believed because Jesus was raised by God.
Outline: Consider
a. What God did - God rolled away the stone, sent an angel to explain, raised Jesus - v. 40
b. Why God did it
1. Jesus is to be judge of the world - v. 42
2. Believers are to have forgiveness - v. 43
2. The Keystone of the Arch of faith. 10:40-43
Need: Our people need to realize and appreciate the indispensable place the resurrection holds in our Christian faith. If Christ did not rise, there would be no gospel. If Jesus did not rise, our faith would be futile. Preachers need to face the fact that not all believe in the resurrection. In this sermon we see what would happen to our faith if there were no resurrection. The resurrection is the keystone in the arch of Christianity.
Outline: If there were no resurrection -
a. There would be no gospel to preach - v. 42
b. There would be no Jesus to judge - v. 42
c. There would be no forgiveness of sins - v. 43
Lesson 1: Exodus 15:1-11
An Old Easter Song
When the Israelites crossed the Red Sea and God gave them victory over the Egyptians, their response was a song. The resurrection is the Christian's exodus - a victory of God over the slavery of sin and death. Easter is a time for rejoicing in song. There is something to sing about. The Israelites can show us how to sing a victory song for something greater than freedom from physical slavery:
... A song of victory - v. 1
... A song of salvation - v. 2
... A song of praise - v. 11
Lesson 2: 1 Corinthians 15:10-26
1. The Reality of the Resurrection. 15:20
Need: Is the resurrection as real as a fact? Some deny the historical reality of the resurrection. It is held that the resurrection was a matter of faith on the part of the Disciples who passed on the myth to later generations. Because something is believed to exist does not prove it exists. Faith is not enougn. Faith must be based on facts. Paul is certain that the resurrection is a fact.
Outline: What are the facts?
a. The fact of an empty tomb?
b. The fact of a resurrected Jesus?
c. The fact of a living Lord in the church?
2. Victims of Victory! 15:24-26
Need: When Khomeini of Iran was returned to power, he ordered women to return to Islamic law which took away many of the rights they won under the previous regime. The women took to the streets to protest. The media referred to them as "Victims of Victory." In a far greater and more wonderful way, Christians are the victims of victory.
Outline: What are the victims of Christ's victory?
a. Despair is the victim of hope
b. Hatred is the victim of love
c. Death is the victim of life
Lesson 2: 1 Corinthians 15:1-11
A Personal Easter Experience - 1 Corinthians 15:3-8
Easter can be only a matter of history - of what happened to others. It can tell us of various appearances of the risen Christ to people of the past. Paul in the text brings Easter up to date, involving him and his own personal experience. Today we can add a far longer list of resurrection appearances to people through twenty centuries, hut can we, with Paul, say, "He appeared to me also?" As far as you are concerned, Easter never happened until you personally have an experience with the risen Lord. If Easter is to be real to you:
... You need a contemporary experience, not only historical - vv. 3-7
... You need a personal experience, not only a vicarious one - v. 8
Lesson 2: Colossians 3:1-4
A Contemporary Resurrection 3:3-4
Need: Easter is not only an event of two thousand years ago. Easter is for this year. Easter is for each person - a contemporary experience. This is the meaning of Lesson 2. A true Christian is one who has had his own Easter, his own Resurrection. Without it, he experiences Easter only as a church service, a set of new clothes, an Easter flower, or an Easter egg hunt. Easter in this case has nothing to do with his inner life.
EASTER 2
The Lessons
Acts 5:27-32 (C)
Acts 5:12, 17-32 (L)
In order to obey God, the Apostles disobey the order not to preach.
Regardless of the cost, the Apostles are determined to witness to the resurrection. They defy the governmental order to stop preaching the Gospel because they recognize a higher law than the State. They must obey God who in Christ ordered them to witness. In defense of this position, Peter accuses the officials of having crucified Jesus who was later raised and exalted by God to be Leader and Savior so that the world could have repentance and salvation. To this truth the Apostles and Holy Spirit gave witness.
Acts 5:12-16 (RC)
Converts are added to the young church.
Revelation 1:4-8 (C)
Revelation 1:4-18 (L)
Revelation 1:9-13, 17-19 (RC)
The eternal Christ in heaven will come again.
This is the first lesson in a series from the book of Revelation during the Easter season. Today's lection is a part of the letter (1:4-19) sent to all seven churches in Asia Minor followed by a letter to each of them. Revelation was written for the times of the first century when the church was persecuted and the world appeared to be in control of evil powers. Because our contemporary world seems also to be the "end time" threatened with extinction by nuclear weapons and a materialistic society, Revelation is a book for our day. The Lessons from Revelation avoid passages that lend to speculation and give us visions of the glory and power of the ascended Christ to assure us that God is still in control of the world and thereby we have hope for the living of these years.
John 20:19-31
The risen Christ meets with the Disciples. In this gospel lesson we have two appearances of the risen Lord with his disciples. The first occurred Easter night with Thomas absent. A week later Jesus returns and Thomas is present. The two appearances show that the risen Jesus is both spiritual and physical. He can come through closed doors and yet he can be touched. On his first visit, Jesus gave the Disciples peace, a commission, and the Spirit. This is John's Pentecost. In the second encounter Jesus shows Thomas that faith does not depend upon physical appearance.
Prayer of the Day
"Almighty God, we have celebrated with joy the festival of our Lord's resurrection. Graciously help us to show the power of the resurrection in all that we say and do."
Hymn of the Day
"O Sons and Daughters of the King"
Theme of the Day: Faith in the Risen Lord
Gospel - Faith without seeing Christ.
Lesson 1 - Faith that is fearless.
Lesson 2 - Faith gives hope.
Today's Lessons focus on faith related to the resurrection. Faith does not require a physical appearance to believe Christ lives. (Gospel) This faith proclaims the resurrection regardless of the cost. (Lesson 1) We have faith that Christ now lives in heaven and will return to judge the world and gather his people. This is the basis of hope during anxious times. (Lesson 2) The hymn re-tells the encounter Thomas had with the risen Jesus. We pray for the power of the resurrection to give us faith.
Theological Reflections
Gospel: John 20:19-31
1. Shut (v. 19). The Disciples shut the doors to keep out their Jewish enemies. Behind the shut doors, they met in fear, worry, and despair. It is not likely that the shut doors would have kept out the enemies, for locks are made to be broken. They locked themselves in a room with open doors. Certainly their shut doors could not keep Jesus out. Fear and worry only lock us in and do not lock foe nor friend out.
2. Peace (vv. 19, 21, 26). Three times Jesus greets his followers with "Shalom." It was more than a casual greeting such as "Hello." The men were in need of peace. They were troubled and worried about their future. Peace is a gift and not an attainment nor a product to be purchased. Peace is the result of a harmonious relationship in which both parties are one.
3. Breathe (v. 22). As God breathed into Adam and he became a living soul, Jesus breathes upon the Disciples. The Hebrew word for "spirit" is "ruach," meaning "Breathe." At this time, according to John, the Disciples received the Holy Spirit. This identifies the Spirit with the spirit of Christ.
4. Yet (v. 28). People do not see the risen Christ but "yet believe" in him. "Yet" refers to all the reasons for not believing: no evidence, nothing tangible, no sight. True faith is believing in spite of all reasons not to believe. If the evidence is on hand, there is no reason to believe. When we cannot see, when the future is unknown, we have faith that the unseen and unknown truly exist.
Lesson 1: Acts 5:27-32
1. Rather (v. 29). Christians have a twofold responsibility to obey: God and State. Which would we "rather" obey? Ideally there should never be a time when a choice was necessary. The State should require only what God commands. In the event that the State orders us to do or not to do what opposes God's commands, the Christian takes a stand with the Apostles and would rather obey God than "man." When does the State require what a Christian dare not do? It is ultimately a matter of conscience.
2. Tree (v. 30). Peter boldly accuses the Jewish governmental leaders of killing Jesus on a "tree," the cross. He did not blame the crucifixion on the people, nor on the Roman officials, nor on the "systern," but on them. For the Jews to be hanged on a tree was a curse. By crucifying Jesus, they cursed him, but God changed the curse to a blessing through the resurrection.
3. Holy Spirit (v. 32). It was not only the Apostles that gave witness to the truth of the Gospel but also the Spirit. Word and Spirit are inseparable because the Spirit infiltrates the Word. The Word without the Spirit is dead. The Spirit without the Word results in extreme emotionalism and irrationality.
Lesson 2: Revelation 1:4-8
1. Witness (v. 5). John refers to Jesus as a "faithful witness." This seems to be a turn-about, for we usually think of believers as witnesses of Christ. How can Jesus be a witness? He gave his witness by revealing to us in his ministry and life the truth of God. By his death he witnessed to the love God has for us. By his resurrection, Jesus witnessed to the power of God to overcome evil and death.
2. Priests (v. 6). By his sacrificial death, Christ has made us a kingdom of priests. It is a case of the priesthood of believers. Priests are not only those ordained to be such in the church. A priest is one who has access to God, who intercedes for others in prayers, and who serves others by love and forgiveness.
3. Wail (v. 7). When Jesus returns, John writes that all people ("tribes") will wail. When Jesus comes again, he comes to judge all nations. Why will they wail? Because they "pierced" him. John holds all of humanity guilty of the crucifixion. We cannot blame the Jews only. Anyone who sins crucifies Christ. Since all of us sin, we have reason to wail.
Preaching Possibilities
The Preaching Situation
The Easter Slump. Practically every church experiences a post-Easter Day slump in church attendance and activity. Easter 2 is generally called "Low Sunday," a contrast in church attendance from the previous Sunday's "standing room only" to empty front pews of Easter 2. The new lectionary may help to overcome this decline by teaching us that Easter is a season and not a Sunday or Festival only. The Sundays are now called "Sunday of Easter" rather than "after Easter." Easter is now a season of fifty days coming to a close on Pentecost. Between Easter and Pentecost there should be a plateau of continuing interest and activity in the church. If Easter is real and the resurrection is a fact, church activity should increase rather than decrease. Preaching may be the leader in this new activity through lively preaching on the risen Lord. It may be helpful to have a series of sermons during the Easter season to stimulate and maintain interest.
Gospel: John 20:19-31
1. What Happens if You Miss Church. 20:19-25
Need for this sermon: The sermon recognizes the problem of the decrease in church attendance on this Easter 2. Now it seems that we are back to "religion as usual." The preacher yearns, "O, if we could only have Easter every Sunday!" The truth is that every Sunday is an Easter, a celebration of the resurrection. The danger of this subject is the temptation of the preacher to scold the faithful for the lack of interest of the absentees. This is not fair and will do no good. The subject should be handled in terms of preventive absenteeism. If one is ever tempted to miss church, one needs to realize what he will miss. Thomas was absent from the gathering of the other disciples on Easter night.
When you are not in church, like Thomas:
a. You miss being with Christ - vv. 24, 25
b. You fail to receive the Spirit - v. 22
c. You do not get your commission - v. 21
2. Believing is Seeing. 20-29 - "Blessed are those who have not seen but yet believe."
Need for the sermon: Ultimately the Resurrection is a faith experience. We cannot explain it; cannot demonstrate it; cannot comprehend it. On Easter Day we rejoice in and celebrate the fact of the Resurrection. On Easter 2 we deal with the need to believe the fact. In his prayer Kierkagaard expresses this need for faith: "God in heaven, I thank Thee that Thou hast not required of man that he should comprehend Christianity; for if that were required, I should be of all men most miserable. The more I seek to comprehend it, the more incomprehensible it appears to me, and the more I discover merely the possibility of offense. Therefore I thank Thee that Thou dost only require faith, and I pray Thee to increase it more and more. Amen."
Sermon: The average person today asks, "Can I believe in the Resurrection without a personal experience with the risen Christ?" Like Thomas, many may want evidence of his existence. The world says, "Seeing is believing." The Christian says, "Believing is seeing." If we have sight, there is no need for faith. Christians walk by faith and not by sight. Faith is the evidence of things unseen. In Clearwater Bay, Florida, there is a sandbar which cannot be seen when the tide is in. When you are told that there is a sandbar out there and you should not take your boat in that direction, you need faith to believe the report. When the tide is out, you can easily see the sandbar. Then there is no need for faith in anyone's word. Today we cannot see the risen Christ with the naked eye; we need faith in the word of the church's witness through the ages. At some future day when the tide of life runs out, we will then see face to face the risen Christ.
3. Doubt's Not All That Bad! 20:24-25
Need: There are many in the congregation who feel guilty about their doubts. They hesitate to ad-mit their doubt because they fear it proves a lack of faith. They need to know that doubt is normal and can be a good thing.
Sermon: Thomas is known as the doubter in the New Testament. He demands evidence before he is willing to believe in the risen Lord. Jesus answers this need for him, but immediately points out that it is a greater thing to believe without any evidence. For Thomas and for us, doubt can be a good thing:
a. Doubt makes us seek the truth.
b. In seeking the truth, we gain deeper insights.
c. Doubt may lead to a personal, first-hand experience: "My Lord and My God!"
4. Easter - It's Unbelievable! 20:24-25
Need: Easter can be totally unacceptable because it is totally unbelievable. For modern people Easter may be considered a myth or an idle tale that gathered credibility through the centuries. This sermon would stress the fact that the Easter event is from our viewpoint unbelievable. This is the way Thomas felt about it. Though Easter is unbelievable, it can be acceptable when we look at the event from God's viewpoint.
Sermon: Thomas found the report that Jesus was alive unbelievable. He was determined not to believe it unless he had concrete evidence, to the point of touching the risen body. Today many may consider the Easter story to be unbelievable.
a. Unbelievable that death can turn into life.
b. Unbelievable that a body can be both physical and spiritual.
c. Unbelievable that a believer in Christ can have the same experience.
Lesson 1: Acts 5:27-32
1. Are there Limits to Obedience? 5:29
Need: As a general rule we are to obey those who have been rightfully put over us by God. Are we as Christians to obey at all times and in all things? This is a very controversial subject in our day. The Apostles faced the question when they were commanded by the State to stop preaching. They teach us that there are times when disobedience to the State is obedience to God. In the final analysis the decision to obey or not to obey "man" depends upon one's conscience.
Outline: Obey God or man?
a. Parents or God?
Case: incest
b. Taxes or God?
Case: taxes for nuclear defenses
c. Laws or God?
Case: racial discrimination
d. War or God?
Case: conscientious objection to war
2. What is Your Witness? 5:30-32
Need: A study of the average congregation reveals that 95 percent of the members have nothing to say about their religion to others. Christians are called to be witnesses and empowered by the Spirit to witness. Do we fail to witness because we do not know what to say? Take a look at the text and see the content of the Apostles' witness to their world.
Outline: What is your witness?
a. We all killed Jesus - v. 30
b. God raised Jesus to glory - v. 30
c. You can have forgiveness - v. 31
Lesson 1: Acts 5:12-16
Let's Get Growing!
Need: The picture of the first church, following the resurrection of the Lord, is one of growth, enthusiasm and excitement. There is no reason to see this as a one-time, first-time-out-of-the-chute sort of phenomenon. The church can and must continue to grow today, and needs to recover the spirit of the first community.
1. Growth is God's plan for all life
a. When we stop growing, we start to die
b. Just as we expect our bodies to grow, we ought to expect our congregation to grow
1. In numbers
2. In grace
2. Growth results from opening to God
a. The first Christians felt the immediacy of God in life
b. Results of God-in-us include healed, whole, healthy lives - as we are well, the "healthy contagion" spreads to others
c. We need to invite God to take hold of us and do a powerful thing in our day, as was once done in the first church
Lesson 2: Revelation 1:4-8
1. The Christ Without End. 1:4-8
Need: For some Jesus came to an end on Good Friday when he died on a cross. The world is accustomed to leaders being here today and gone tomorrow. Here is One no one can avoid. He is the eternal Christ who has a past, present, and a future. Every person will some day confront him either for judgment or salvation.
Outline: The man you must meet some day -
a. The Christ who now lives in heaven - "Who is"
1. He lives to bless us - see: "I know that my Redeemer Lives."
b. The Christ who lived on earth - "Who was."
1. What he did for us while on earth - vv. 5, 6
c. The Christ who will come again to earth - "Who is to come."
1. His purpose in coming - v. 7
2. What's in Christ for Me? 1:5-7
Need: Before we join a group, take a job, enter school, we ask, "What's in it for me?" Is it worth the price? Before we consider the "how" or methods and before we even consider the cost, we want to know about the benefits. A person, who is interested in becoming or being a Christian, will ask the same questions. Our text tells us what the eternal Christ has to offer.
Outline: What's in Christ for you?
a. Freedom from guilt - v. 5
b. Position of priest in God's kingdom - v. 6
Easter is the old English adaptation of the pagan name, "Eastre," which was the name of a Teutonic goddess of spring and dawn. Her festival occurred annually at the vernal equifox. The original name for Easter was Pascha, a Hebrew word for Passover. The death and resurrection constituted a new passover for the people of God, a deliverance from the slavery of death. Before Easter became popular as a name, the day was known as "The Lord's Day of Resurrection" and "Paschal Day of the Resurrection."
A History of Easter
Easter is the oldest Christian festival and is the source of the rest of the church year. On the first day of the week, Jesus rose from the dead. This was the apex of Christian fact and devotion. Each Sunday thereafter was celebrated as a "little Easter." Eventually the resurrection's being observed on the frist day of the week, changed the day of worship from the Sabbath (Saturday) to the Lord's Day (Sunday). For the Eastern church Easter marked the beginning of the church year.
The ancient church celebrated Easter for an octave, (eight days) each day through the following Sunday. Those baptized on Easter were required to attend the services. They wore white baptismal robes and consequently the first Sunday after Easter was known as "White Sunday." Originally Easter was one unit from Easter to Pentecost, but later it was divided into resurrection, ascension, and pentecost. The new lectionary (1970) returns to making Easter a season of fifty days, from Easter to Pentecost with Ascension Day considered a part of the Easter celebration. As a result, we now refer to the "Sunday of Easter" rather than "Sundays after Easter."
Easter has always been for Christians the feast of feasts. There is no event more important to the Christian. Its primacy was shown by the fact that the resurrection was celebrated each Sunday, and for that reason each Sunday of the church year is considered a festival. The importance of Easter can be seen in the fact that Easter is preceded by a period of preparation - the Lenten season of forty days. Likewise, Easter is observed for a season of fifty days. Moreover, Easter is so important that the entire church year revolves around it. Other festivals and seasons depend upon the date of Easter which varies from year to year.
Easter Day opens the Easter season, but does not close the Lenten season . Thinking that it does is a common mistake in our time. If it did, the Easter season would be a let-down in church attendance, work, and interest. If Easter closes the Lenten season, then the church feels the "show is over," and it is time to go back to business as usual. This is rooted in a misunderstanding of the Lenten season which for some is the chief season of the year. Rather, Easter, based upon the supreme act of God in raising the Son from the dead, is the chief event for the Christian. If this were understood, the church would have its greatest period of interest and activity during the Easter season.
The Date of Easter
Christians are still not agreed on the date of Easter. In ancient times non-Christians lampooned Christians for not being able to decide upon the date of their chief event. As early as the middle of the second century, the church disagreed about the date. The issue was supposedly settled by the Council of Nicea in A.D.325. All Christians were ordered to accept this date: "On the first Sunday after the full moon on or after the first day of Spring, March 21, or if the full moon is on Sunday, the next Sunday after." Thus, Easter may fall between March 22 and April 25. In spite of this, western and eastern Christians have different dates for Easter. The West lives by the Gregorian calendar and the East uses the Julian calendar which is ten days behind the Gregorian. Today there is a movement afoot to have all branches of the church accept April 8 as the date of Easter for all Christians.
The Mood of Easter
Needless to say, Easter is the highest of the high days in the church calendar. Easter is the queen of feasts. True Christians everywhere celebrate the resurrection. On Easter morning it is an ancient tradition for Christians to greet each other as follows: "Christ the Lord is risen!" Answer: "He is risen indeed!"
Joy. Easter is prime time for rejoicing. It is the church's happy day. The "alleluia" dropped for Lent is heard once more. The Lenten fast is ended, and there is rejoicing not only for a return to normal eating but for the fact that now there is no reason to fast. This joy is expressed in a fourteenth century hymn: "Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia!"
Life. Easter means eternal life for the believer in Christ. This is symbolized by the abundance of flowers used on Easter.
Newness. The risen Christ is a "new" being with a glorified body. He is now the exalted Christ, the eternal Christ not touched by death. This newness for a Christian through dying and rising with Christ is expressed in the custom of wearing new clothes on Easter.
Hope. Easter brings hope to those who have dead loved ones and to the dying. The resurrection brings assurance that we too shall live with Christ forever. Death has been conquered by the resurrection.
Victory. Jesus is delivered from the worst of the world and the worst of Satan - the power of death. Like a mighty warrior, Christ comes forth from the grave as victor. Christians express their joy over this victory of Christ and participate in his victory by faith. This note of victory is expressed in a seventeenth century Latin hymn: "The strife is o'er, the battle done; now is the Victor's triumph won ..."
The Color of Easter
The mood of Easter is reflected and expressed in the liturgical color. It is white because it expresses celebration, festivity, joy, and victory. Gold may be used as an alternate color for Easter Day to express the special prominence of the greatest day of the church year.
AN OVERVIEW OF THE EASTER SEASON
Lesson 1: Easter 1 to 7 - from the Book of Acts. (Except for Easter Day in the Lutheran series, there is no Old Testament Lesson during Easter season.)
1. Acts 10:34-43 - God raised Jesus who ate and drank with the Disciples.
2. Acts 5:27-32 - The Apostles witness that God raised Jesus.
3. Acts 9:1-20 - The risen Jesus appears to Paul on the road to Damascus.
4. Acts 13:15-16, 26-33 - In a sermon Paul declares to the Jews that God raised Jesus.
5. Acts 14:8-18 - At Lystra Paul and Barnabas are taken for gods.
6. Acts 15:1-2, 22-29 - The Council of Jerusalem does not require circumcision for discipleship.
7. Acts 16:16-34 - Paul and Silas are delivered from the Philippian jail.
Sermon Series on Lesson 1: Theme - Witness of the Church to the Risen Christ
1. Through Peter the Church witnesses to the Gentiles.
2. The Apostles witness to the Councilors of Jerusalem.
3. The witness leads to a conversion.
4. The witness of the resurrection in a synagogue.
5. The witness of a miracle results in a city's repentance.
6. The Apostles witness to the truth of the Gospel.
7. The witness in a Philippian jail.
Lesson 2: Easter 2 to 7 - from the book of Revelation
2. Revelation 1:4-8 - Christ is the alpha and omega.
3. Revelation 5:11-14 The hosts of heaven worship the Lamb.
4. Revelation 7:9-17 - The multitude in heaven serves before the throne of God.
5. Revelation 21:1-6 - The vision of a new heaven and earth.
6. Revelation 21:10, 22-27 - A description of the new Jerusalem.
7. Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20 - Christ declares he will return soon.
Sermon Series on Lesson 2: Theme - Visions of Heaven.
2. A vision of Christ in heaven.
3. A vision of worship in heaven.
4. A vision of the saints' serving God.
5. A vision of the coming new Jerusalem.
6. A vision of a heavenly city without a temple.
7. A vision of the return of Christ.
Gospel:
Easter 1 to 7 - from the book of John.
1. John 20:1-18 - The risen Christ appears to Mary Magdalene.
2. John 20:19-31 - The risen Christ appears to the Disciples.
3. John 21:1-14 - The risen Christ appears again to the Disciples at the Sea of Galilee.
4. John 10:22-30 - The Good Shepherd gives eternal life to his sheep.
5. John 13:31-35 - Jesus gives the new commandment to love.
6. John 14:23-29 - Jesus promises to send the Spirit.
7. John 17:20-26 - Jesus prays that his followers may be one.
Sermon Series on the Gospel: Theme - Experiences with the Risen Lord.
1. The Risen Christ and a Devoted Woman.
2. A Group Experience with the Risen Christ.
3. With the Risen Christ at breakfast.
4. Meeting with the risen Good Shepherd.
5. The Mark of a Risen Christ's Disciples.
6. Parting Gifts of the Risen Christ.
7. The Continuing Prayer of the Risen Christ.
THE RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD
Easter Day
The Lessons
Acts 10:34-43 (C)
Acts 10:34, 37-43 (RC)
Peter tells Cornelius and his friends that God raised Jesus from the dead.
A very devout Roman centurion, Cornelius, sends for Peter to preach to him and his friends. In his sermon, Peter reviews the ministry of Jesus including the crucifixion and resurrection. It is to be noted that Peter says that God raised Jesus; he did not raise himself. Note also that Peter explains that the risen Christ did not appear to people in general but to a few chosen ones whom he commanded to preach the good news.
Exodus 15:1-11 (L)
A song of victory after crossing the Red Sea.
1 Corinthians 15:19-26
By his resurrection Christ destroyed death. Paul faces the problem of the Corinthians' accepting Jesus' resurrection but not the resurrection of the dead. For them Jesus' resurrection was only one step in his immortal spiritual essence. The people did not relate this to their own lives in terms of a resurrection. Paul holds that Jesus was the first-fruit and then comes the resurrection of believers. Easter marks the beginning of God's victory over all evil powers including the worst, death.
1 Corinthians 15:1-11
The post-resurrection appearances of Jesus.
Colossians 3:1-4 (RC)
John 20:1-18 (C)
John 20:1-9 (10-18) (L)
John 20:1-9 (RC)
Those raised with Christ seek and think about heavenly things.
Mary Magdalene has an experience with the risen Lord.
According to John only Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early on Easter day. When she saw that the stone at the grave was not in place, she ran to tell Peter and John that Jesus' body was stolen. The two raced to the tomb and found it empty. After the two Disciples returned home, Mary Magdalene remained at the tomb. Jesus came to her but she did not recognize him until he said, "Mary." Then in her return to the Disciples she had the good news, not only that the tomb was empty, but that she had seen the Lord.
Prayer of the Day
"O God, you gave your only Son to suffer death on the cross for our redemption, and by his glorious resurrection you delivered us from the power of death. Make us die every day to sin, so that we may live with him forever in the joy of the resurrection."
Hymn of the Day
"Christ Jesus Lay in Death's Strong Bands"
Theme of the Day: Christ is Alive!
Lesson 2 - The resurrection is a fact.
Lesson 1 - The Risen Christ ate and drank with the Disciples.
Gospel - Mary Magdalene talked with the risen Christ.
Easter day is celebrated as a day of victory and joy. This is possible because the resurrection is real. Paul says it is a fact. (Lesson 2) To show how real the risen Christ is, Peter reports that he and the other Disciples ate and drank with the risen Jesus. (Lesson 1) Mary Magdalene's deep sorrow and anxiety were changed to ecstasy when she talked with the risen Christ. (Gospel) This is indeed the Lord's day and we can rejoice in it. (Psalm) The prayer reminds us what the resurrection accomplished for us: "You delivered us from the power of death." The hymn causes us to praise God for Jesus' victory over death.
Theological Reflections
Gospel: John 20:1-18
1. The Empty Tomb. This Gospel deals with the empty tomb. There is no explanation by an angel. There is no appearance except to Mary Magdalene. Mary, Peter, and John found an empty tomb and
grave clothes. The empty tomb is a sign of the Resurrection. It is a negative witness to the Resurrection. It has significance only in the experience of the living Christ as Mary Magdalene had. While our faith is not based on the vacant tomb, it does indicate that our faith is based on concrete, historical reality. It also says that Jesus did not rise only spiritually but also physically. The crucified body became the glorified body.
2. Eagerness. John's Easter account displays eagerness to see what happened. Mary Magdalene cannot wait to come to the tomb - she comes before sunrise. She runs to tell that the stone was rolled away. Peter and John race to the tomb to check out her story. Easter is a time of excitement and eagerness to see and know. It is not an everyday occurrence to have a dead man walk out of a tomb. It is fantastic; could it be true?
3. Lack of Understanding. For Mary Magdalene the empty tomb meant only that Jesus' body was stolen. Peter saw the empty tomb and grave clothes, but he did not put two and two together that Jesus was raised from the dead. He failed to understand the Scriptures concerning the Resurrection. With this we can identify, for we usually do not understand the meaning of great events or crises in our lives at the time of their happening, such as Confirmation, Wedding, or Ordination.
4. Faith andfacts. In this gospel we are given circumstantial evidence - empty tomb, grave clothes, and napkin. These constitute concrete evidence of a risen Christ. The Resurrection is based on concrete historical evidence. The Resurrection is not a myth, a faith, a figment of the imagination. It is not a story manufactured by disappointed and disillusioned disciples. The faith is grounded in facts.
Lesson 1: Acts 34-43
1. Universality. In this lection the universality of Jesus, together with the cross and Resurrection, is emphasized. The life, death, and Resurrection have cosmic dimensions. Jesus is the Savior of all human-kind, not for any specific group, race, or nation. Though Jesus was a Jew, though the Jews rejected him, though the Romans crucified him, Jesus suffered, died, and rose again for the entire world. This emphasis is seen in this Lesson: "In every nation any one" (v. 35), "Lord of all" (v. 36), "Judge of the living and the dead " (v. 42), "Every one who believes" (v. 43). Easter gives an imperative to share, witness, and evangelize - "Go and tell."
2. Kerygma. The importance of Easter is seen in this summary of the kerygma: baptism, public ministry, death, and resurrection. The key to it all is the resurrection to which the Apostles testified. Because of the resurrection, the Apostles were commanded to preach the cross and resurrection. Jesus is therefore proclaimed the judge of the world. Through him forgiveness is offered to all believers. Without the resurrection as the keystone, the arch of the Christian religion would fall. Paul taught that if Christ had not risen, our faith would be in vain.
3. God's Work. In this pericope, Luke assures us that God is the one responsible for Jesus: his coming, death, and resurrection. The cross and resurrection were not the work of Jesus, nor of man. This was solely God's work of grace in saving the world. God sent Jesus, the Word, to earth (v. 36), anointed Jesus as Messiah (v. 38), raised him from the dead (v. 40), and ordained Jesus to be the judge of the world. (v. 42)
Lesson 2: 1 Corinthians 15:19-26
1. In Fact (v. 20). Paul considers the resurrection a fact. It is not a theory, not a wish, not even a faith. Thinking, wishing, or believing does not make anything a reality. The resurrection is a hard, cold fact - the fact of an empty tomb, the fact of an angel's message, the fact of the presence of the risen Christ. If it is not a fact, the Christian religion has no foundation. If the church has no resurreclion to proclaim, it has no message of hope or salvation for the world.
2. Alive (v. 22). The risen Christ makes believers alive. Each person can have a resurrection of new life. Here Paul is referring to a resurrection from the dead, even as Jesus rose from the dead. But the resurrection is not limited to life after death. The resurrection can take place before death. In baptism we die and are buried with Christ and we rise in newness of life. Here is a resurrection before the resurrection. Easter has a contempory application. Believers can experience a resurrection with Christ here and now because in Christ they become new creatures.
3. Death (v. 26). If in Christ's resurrection death was destroyed, why do all people still die, even believers? Physical death is normal and natural. God never intended us to live forever physically. Birth and death are natural in all creation and people are a part of God's creation. Death here means spiritual death. Separation from God spells death, because we by unbelief separate ourselves from life and love which are in God. Though we physically die, we do not die in the sense of being cut off from God who is our life.
Lesson 2: Colossians 3:1-4
1. Death and Resurrection. Easter can mean nothing without the cross. How can there be a Resurrection without a death from which to rise again to life? The Easter celebration means little to those who do not experience Good Friday. People often talk about and yearn for new life, but they are unwilling to pay the price, death. "For you have died" (v. 3) is the basis for a Resurrection. It, of course, is not a physical death but a death of the old Adam - the proud, selfish, wicked self. Out of the ashes of the old self comes the phoenix of a new life in Christ. How does one's old self die - of old age? natural causes? We are to put to death the old Adam - we kill the old self by our own hands.
2. Contemporary Resurrection. The Easter experience of Resurrection was not only for Jesus as an historical event. Each Christian has a Resurrection to a new life in Christ. Because of this, Easter can be not just a celebration of a past event, but of a present experience. "If then you have been raised with Christ" means to duplicate Jesus' rising. This death and Resurrection take place in baptism -a drowning of the old self, and the emergence of a new self, rising from death to life. This new life is a life in Christ, a participation in the life of Christ.
3. The Christian dimension oflife. Death has a downward direction: we bury the dead. Resurrection is going up from the depth of death. Life calls for an upward motion. Down means doubt, depression, death - all that is negative and sinful. Up is symbolic of heaven, Christ, Resurrection, glory, goodness. Because of a Resurrection experience, Christians continue to live with an upward look -heaven is their destination. They think of heavenly things - goodness, truth, love, peace.
Preaching Possibilities
Problems of Preaching on Easter Day
1. Faith in the resurrection. Before one can preach on Easter with its message of the resurrection, one must be convinced of its historical reality. Was it merely a matter of faith on the part of disappointed and disillusioned disciples who spread rumors of Jesus' resurrection to save their faces after following an apparently deluded "messiah," or was their faith based upon an historical rising from the dead? Was their purported experience with the risen Lord only hallucination? The answer to these questions is all-important, because the uniqueness of Christianity and the truth of Christ as Son of God depend on the resurrection. Do we profess to believe in the real resurrection because we know that the whole Christian faith depends on it? The resurrection is the basic good news of the gospel. Without it, Christianity has nothing to say that the other religions have not already said.
2. Understanding the nature of the resurrection. To preach on Easter requires that we understand the nature of the resurrection. Below are some characteristics of Jesus' resurrection:
a. Jesus' resurrection was a resurrection of the body - not a soul leaving the body at death.
b. Jesus' resurrection was not a physical resurrection like Lazarus', but it was a resurrection of a spiritual body that could not die again because of its immortal nature. (1 Corinthians 15:32-44)
c. This risen body was both recognizable and unrecognizable. Jesus could eat and still be spiritual enough to pass through closed doors. (Luke 24:42; John 20:19)
d. The resurrection was an act of God. Jesus did not rise on his own power or desire. God promised through the prophets that he would destroy death and save his people. He sent his Son to die and rise again. It was God who raised Jesus from the dead. (Acts 11:30)
e. The resurrection is not a happy ending to a tragic story to make people feel good. The resurrection is an integral part of the cross. The two are inseparable - death and resurrection. The resurrection confirms Jesus as Son of God, and assures man that Jesus is the Christ. The resurrection confirms the words and promises of Jesus. It gives hope to mortals that death was destroyed and life with Christ was made possible for all eternity.
3. The lack of people's belief in the resurrection and life after death. How can one preach the Easter fact to people who may not believe in the resurrection? To bolster one's faith consider the following supports for acceptance of the resurrection:
a. The reliability of the Bible. It is God's book of truth and not lies. The words of Jesus are trustworthy in all matters including his promise to rise again.
b. The integrity of the witnesses. They were honest, God-fearing, reliable men and women who gave their lives for their faith in the resurrection. Men do not usually die for a legend. If they had manufactured the story, they would not have been surprised by the resurrection. Even the Apostles had to be convinced by Jesus that he was really alive again.
c. A variety of reports. The accounts have many variations but they do agree on the essentials of the resurrection story. If this were a composite creation of the disciples, they would have worked out their disagreements and conflicting stories.
d. The power of God. The resurrection was God's work, not man's. It was the miracle of mirades. With God all things are possible.
e. The witness of the church through the ages. The church has lived, served, and died on the fact of the resurrection. The life of the church bears witness to the living Christ who works in and through the church.
f. Personal experience. Christ lives because he lives in me. Or, am I a deluded fool? Do I really know Jesus, talk to him in prayer? Am I giving my life to a corpse? Ultimately the resurrection is not something of proof, demonstration, nor argumentation. It is a matter of personal faith based upon personal experience with the risen Christ.
4. Making Easterpersonal and contemporary. The problem is to take something that is 2,000 years old and which happened to another and make it live for each person today. In our time few use Lent as a time to die to self with Christ. If our people have not died with Christ, how can they raise in newness of life on Easter? This constitutes a challenge to the Easter preacher to make Easter more than a celebration of the past but a meaningful experience for the present.
Gospel: John 20:1-18
1. No Jogging on Easter! 20:1-4
Need: Today millions are jogging for their health. It is not uncommon to see individuals or couples slowly running alongside a street. The first Easter was not a jogging at a slow pace, and there was no interest in personal health. The first Easter was a foot race from the Disciples' home to Jesus' grave. Should we be as anxious to get to Jesus' tomb to see if he is there? We should be, for so much depends on the resurrection. Like Mary Magdalene who could not wait until sunrise to go to the tomb; like Peter and John racing to the tomb, we need to be eager, anxious, and excited to see if the tomb is empty and Christ is alive.
Outline: Why we rush to the tomb of Jesus -
a. To learn if there were really a resurrection
b. To see if God vindicated his Son
c. To be sure there is life after death
2. The Sign of the Tomb. 20:1-9
Need: The tomb is no proof of the resurrection. The body of Jesus could have been removed and destroyed. The empty tomb only says, "He is not here." The tomb is a sign of the resurrection. At Christmas a sign was given of the Incarnation - "And this shall be a sign to you. You shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger." Faith in the resurrection is not based on the empty tomb but in the living presence of Jesus as Mary Magdalene experienced him. It is when one experiences the living Christ that the empty tomb takes on new significance.
Outline: What the tomb signifies -
a. Empty tomb - signifies the resurrection
b. Grave clothes - signifies that Jesus is alive
c. Napkin - signifies that the resurrection was peaceful, planned
3. How Close Dare you Come? 20:1-9
Need: There is something scary about death. We tend to keep our distance from a corpse or a grave. We proceed with caution when we tread on unfamiliar or dangerous ground. On the first Easter, three people come to the tomb with three different approaches. How much are we like them?
Outline: How close are you to the Easter tomb?
a. A distant position - Mary Magdalene
She saw from a distance that the stone was rolled away. Assuming that the body was stolen, she rushes to tell Peter and John. We can take the same position - look at the resurrection from afar; doubt, misunderstanding, non-involvement.
b. A close position - John
John stood at the opening of the tomb but was afraid to enter. He looked into the tomb, but he was too timid to enter by himself. in our time, we get close to the resurrected Christ, but we do not enter into Christ. We are content to be spectators of the drama.
c. A direct position - Peter
Impulsive, daring, brazen Peter rushes into the tomb. He is not afraid to enter where angels may fear to tread. He sees the absence of Jesus' body, the grave clothes, and the facial napkin. But, the evidence does not lead him to believe Jesus has risen. His bravado is fruitless. Only timid John, now in the tomb, senses the meaning of the evidence and believes.
Lesson 1: Acts 10:34-43
1. Blame Easter on God! 10:34-43
Need: From beginning to end, from birth to re-birth, Jesus was the work of God. The Incarnation was God's work. The cross had to be because it fulfilled the Scriptures. God raised Jesus from the dead. (v. 44) God was responsible for the resurrection - the faith of the Disciples did not create the resurrection. They believed because Jesus was raised by God.
Outline: Consider
a. What God did - God rolled away the stone, sent an angel to explain, raised Jesus - v. 40
b. Why God did it
1. Jesus is to be judge of the world - v. 42
2. Believers are to have forgiveness - v. 43
2. The Keystone of the Arch of faith. 10:40-43
Need: Our people need to realize and appreciate the indispensable place the resurrection holds in our Christian faith. If Christ did not rise, there would be no gospel. If Jesus did not rise, our faith would be futile. Preachers need to face the fact that not all believe in the resurrection. In this sermon we see what would happen to our faith if there were no resurrection. The resurrection is the keystone in the arch of Christianity.
Outline: If there were no resurrection -
a. There would be no gospel to preach - v. 42
b. There would be no Jesus to judge - v. 42
c. There would be no forgiveness of sins - v. 43
Lesson 1: Exodus 15:1-11
An Old Easter Song
When the Israelites crossed the Red Sea and God gave them victory over the Egyptians, their response was a song. The resurrection is the Christian's exodus - a victory of God over the slavery of sin and death. Easter is a time for rejoicing in song. There is something to sing about. The Israelites can show us how to sing a victory song for something greater than freedom from physical slavery:
... A song of victory - v. 1
... A song of salvation - v. 2
... A song of praise - v. 11
Lesson 2: 1 Corinthians 15:10-26
1. The Reality of the Resurrection. 15:20
Need: Is the resurrection as real as a fact? Some deny the historical reality of the resurrection. It is held that the resurrection was a matter of faith on the part of the Disciples who passed on the myth to later generations. Because something is believed to exist does not prove it exists. Faith is not enougn. Faith must be based on facts. Paul is certain that the resurrection is a fact.
Outline: What are the facts?
a. The fact of an empty tomb?
b. The fact of a resurrected Jesus?
c. The fact of a living Lord in the church?
2. Victims of Victory! 15:24-26
Need: When Khomeini of Iran was returned to power, he ordered women to return to Islamic law which took away many of the rights they won under the previous regime. The women took to the streets to protest. The media referred to them as "Victims of Victory." In a far greater and more wonderful way, Christians are the victims of victory.
Outline: What are the victims of Christ's victory?
a. Despair is the victim of hope
b. Hatred is the victim of love
c. Death is the victim of life
Lesson 2: 1 Corinthians 15:1-11
A Personal Easter Experience - 1 Corinthians 15:3-8
Easter can be only a matter of history - of what happened to others. It can tell us of various appearances of the risen Christ to people of the past. Paul in the text brings Easter up to date, involving him and his own personal experience. Today we can add a far longer list of resurrection appearances to people through twenty centuries, hut can we, with Paul, say, "He appeared to me also?" As far as you are concerned, Easter never happened until you personally have an experience with the risen Lord. If Easter is to be real to you:
... You need a contemporary experience, not only historical - vv. 3-7
... You need a personal experience, not only a vicarious one - v. 8
Lesson 2: Colossians 3:1-4
A Contemporary Resurrection 3:3-4
Need: Easter is not only an event of two thousand years ago. Easter is for this year. Easter is for each person - a contemporary experience. This is the meaning of Lesson 2. A true Christian is one who has had his own Easter, his own Resurrection. Without it, he experiences Easter only as a church service, a set of new clothes, an Easter flower, or an Easter egg hunt. Easter in this case has nothing to do with his inner life.
EASTER 2
The Lessons
Acts 5:27-32 (C)
Acts 5:12, 17-32 (L)
In order to obey God, the Apostles disobey the order not to preach.
Regardless of the cost, the Apostles are determined to witness to the resurrection. They defy the governmental order to stop preaching the Gospel because they recognize a higher law than the State. They must obey God who in Christ ordered them to witness. In defense of this position, Peter accuses the officials of having crucified Jesus who was later raised and exalted by God to be Leader and Savior so that the world could have repentance and salvation. To this truth the Apostles and Holy Spirit gave witness.
Acts 5:12-16 (RC)
Converts are added to the young church.
Revelation 1:4-8 (C)
Revelation 1:4-18 (L)
Revelation 1:9-13, 17-19 (RC)
The eternal Christ in heaven will come again.
This is the first lesson in a series from the book of Revelation during the Easter season. Today's lection is a part of the letter (1:4-19) sent to all seven churches in Asia Minor followed by a letter to each of them. Revelation was written for the times of the first century when the church was persecuted and the world appeared to be in control of evil powers. Because our contemporary world seems also to be the "end time" threatened with extinction by nuclear weapons and a materialistic society, Revelation is a book for our day. The Lessons from Revelation avoid passages that lend to speculation and give us visions of the glory and power of the ascended Christ to assure us that God is still in control of the world and thereby we have hope for the living of these years.
John 20:19-31
The risen Christ meets with the Disciples. In this gospel lesson we have two appearances of the risen Lord with his disciples. The first occurred Easter night with Thomas absent. A week later Jesus returns and Thomas is present. The two appearances show that the risen Jesus is both spiritual and physical. He can come through closed doors and yet he can be touched. On his first visit, Jesus gave the Disciples peace, a commission, and the Spirit. This is John's Pentecost. In the second encounter Jesus shows Thomas that faith does not depend upon physical appearance.
Prayer of the Day
"Almighty God, we have celebrated with joy the festival of our Lord's resurrection. Graciously help us to show the power of the resurrection in all that we say and do."
Hymn of the Day
"O Sons and Daughters of the King"
Theme of the Day: Faith in the Risen Lord
Gospel - Faith without seeing Christ.
Lesson 1 - Faith that is fearless.
Lesson 2 - Faith gives hope.
Today's Lessons focus on faith related to the resurrection. Faith does not require a physical appearance to believe Christ lives. (Gospel) This faith proclaims the resurrection regardless of the cost. (Lesson 1) We have faith that Christ now lives in heaven and will return to judge the world and gather his people. This is the basis of hope during anxious times. (Lesson 2) The hymn re-tells the encounter Thomas had with the risen Jesus. We pray for the power of the resurrection to give us faith.
Theological Reflections
Gospel: John 20:19-31
1. Shut (v. 19). The Disciples shut the doors to keep out their Jewish enemies. Behind the shut doors, they met in fear, worry, and despair. It is not likely that the shut doors would have kept out the enemies, for locks are made to be broken. They locked themselves in a room with open doors. Certainly their shut doors could not keep Jesus out. Fear and worry only lock us in and do not lock foe nor friend out.
2. Peace (vv. 19, 21, 26). Three times Jesus greets his followers with "Shalom." It was more than a casual greeting such as "Hello." The men were in need of peace. They were troubled and worried about their future. Peace is a gift and not an attainment nor a product to be purchased. Peace is the result of a harmonious relationship in which both parties are one.
3. Breathe (v. 22). As God breathed into Adam and he became a living soul, Jesus breathes upon the Disciples. The Hebrew word for "spirit" is "ruach," meaning "Breathe." At this time, according to John, the Disciples received the Holy Spirit. This identifies the Spirit with the spirit of Christ.
4. Yet (v. 28). People do not see the risen Christ but "yet believe" in him. "Yet" refers to all the reasons for not believing: no evidence, nothing tangible, no sight. True faith is believing in spite of all reasons not to believe. If the evidence is on hand, there is no reason to believe. When we cannot see, when the future is unknown, we have faith that the unseen and unknown truly exist.
Lesson 1: Acts 5:27-32
1. Rather (v. 29). Christians have a twofold responsibility to obey: God and State. Which would we "rather" obey? Ideally there should never be a time when a choice was necessary. The State should require only what God commands. In the event that the State orders us to do or not to do what opposes God's commands, the Christian takes a stand with the Apostles and would rather obey God than "man." When does the State require what a Christian dare not do? It is ultimately a matter of conscience.
2. Tree (v. 30). Peter boldly accuses the Jewish governmental leaders of killing Jesus on a "tree," the cross. He did not blame the crucifixion on the people, nor on the Roman officials, nor on the "systern," but on them. For the Jews to be hanged on a tree was a curse. By crucifying Jesus, they cursed him, but God changed the curse to a blessing through the resurrection.
3. Holy Spirit (v. 32). It was not only the Apostles that gave witness to the truth of the Gospel but also the Spirit. Word and Spirit are inseparable because the Spirit infiltrates the Word. The Word without the Spirit is dead. The Spirit without the Word results in extreme emotionalism and irrationality.
Lesson 2: Revelation 1:4-8
1. Witness (v. 5). John refers to Jesus as a "faithful witness." This seems to be a turn-about, for we usually think of believers as witnesses of Christ. How can Jesus be a witness? He gave his witness by revealing to us in his ministry and life the truth of God. By his death he witnessed to the love God has for us. By his resurrection, Jesus witnessed to the power of God to overcome evil and death.
2. Priests (v. 6). By his sacrificial death, Christ has made us a kingdom of priests. It is a case of the priesthood of believers. Priests are not only those ordained to be such in the church. A priest is one who has access to God, who intercedes for others in prayers, and who serves others by love and forgiveness.
3. Wail (v. 7). When Jesus returns, John writes that all people ("tribes") will wail. When Jesus comes again, he comes to judge all nations. Why will they wail? Because they "pierced" him. John holds all of humanity guilty of the crucifixion. We cannot blame the Jews only. Anyone who sins crucifies Christ. Since all of us sin, we have reason to wail.
Preaching Possibilities
The Preaching Situation
The Easter Slump. Practically every church experiences a post-Easter Day slump in church attendance and activity. Easter 2 is generally called "Low Sunday," a contrast in church attendance from the previous Sunday's "standing room only" to empty front pews of Easter 2. The new lectionary may help to overcome this decline by teaching us that Easter is a season and not a Sunday or Festival only. The Sundays are now called "Sunday of Easter" rather than "after Easter." Easter is now a season of fifty days coming to a close on Pentecost. Between Easter and Pentecost there should be a plateau of continuing interest and activity in the church. If Easter is real and the resurrection is a fact, church activity should increase rather than decrease. Preaching may be the leader in this new activity through lively preaching on the risen Lord. It may be helpful to have a series of sermons during the Easter season to stimulate and maintain interest.
Gospel: John 20:19-31
1. What Happens if You Miss Church. 20:19-25
Need for this sermon: The sermon recognizes the problem of the decrease in church attendance on this Easter 2. Now it seems that we are back to "religion as usual." The preacher yearns, "O, if we could only have Easter every Sunday!" The truth is that every Sunday is an Easter, a celebration of the resurrection. The danger of this subject is the temptation of the preacher to scold the faithful for the lack of interest of the absentees. This is not fair and will do no good. The subject should be handled in terms of preventive absenteeism. If one is ever tempted to miss church, one needs to realize what he will miss. Thomas was absent from the gathering of the other disciples on Easter night.
When you are not in church, like Thomas:
a. You miss being with Christ - vv. 24, 25
b. You fail to receive the Spirit - v. 22
c. You do not get your commission - v. 21
2. Believing is Seeing. 20-29 - "Blessed are those who have not seen but yet believe."
Need for the sermon: Ultimately the Resurrection is a faith experience. We cannot explain it; cannot demonstrate it; cannot comprehend it. On Easter Day we rejoice in and celebrate the fact of the Resurrection. On Easter 2 we deal with the need to believe the fact. In his prayer Kierkagaard expresses this need for faith: "God in heaven, I thank Thee that Thou hast not required of man that he should comprehend Christianity; for if that were required, I should be of all men most miserable. The more I seek to comprehend it, the more incomprehensible it appears to me, and the more I discover merely the possibility of offense. Therefore I thank Thee that Thou dost only require faith, and I pray Thee to increase it more and more. Amen."
Sermon: The average person today asks, "Can I believe in the Resurrection without a personal experience with the risen Christ?" Like Thomas, many may want evidence of his existence. The world says, "Seeing is believing." The Christian says, "Believing is seeing." If we have sight, there is no need for faith. Christians walk by faith and not by sight. Faith is the evidence of things unseen. In Clearwater Bay, Florida, there is a sandbar which cannot be seen when the tide is in. When you are told that there is a sandbar out there and you should not take your boat in that direction, you need faith to believe the report. When the tide is out, you can easily see the sandbar. Then there is no need for faith in anyone's word. Today we cannot see the risen Christ with the naked eye; we need faith in the word of the church's witness through the ages. At some future day when the tide of life runs out, we will then see face to face the risen Christ.
3. Doubt's Not All That Bad! 20:24-25
Need: There are many in the congregation who feel guilty about their doubts. They hesitate to ad-mit their doubt because they fear it proves a lack of faith. They need to know that doubt is normal and can be a good thing.
Sermon: Thomas is known as the doubter in the New Testament. He demands evidence before he is willing to believe in the risen Lord. Jesus answers this need for him, but immediately points out that it is a greater thing to believe without any evidence. For Thomas and for us, doubt can be a good thing:
a. Doubt makes us seek the truth.
b. In seeking the truth, we gain deeper insights.
c. Doubt may lead to a personal, first-hand experience: "My Lord and My God!"
4. Easter - It's Unbelievable! 20:24-25
Need: Easter can be totally unacceptable because it is totally unbelievable. For modern people Easter may be considered a myth or an idle tale that gathered credibility through the centuries. This sermon would stress the fact that the Easter event is from our viewpoint unbelievable. This is the way Thomas felt about it. Though Easter is unbelievable, it can be acceptable when we look at the event from God's viewpoint.
Sermon: Thomas found the report that Jesus was alive unbelievable. He was determined not to believe it unless he had concrete evidence, to the point of touching the risen body. Today many may consider the Easter story to be unbelievable.
a. Unbelievable that death can turn into life.
b. Unbelievable that a body can be both physical and spiritual.
c. Unbelievable that a believer in Christ can have the same experience.
Lesson 1: Acts 5:27-32
1. Are there Limits to Obedience? 5:29
Need: As a general rule we are to obey those who have been rightfully put over us by God. Are we as Christians to obey at all times and in all things? This is a very controversial subject in our day. The Apostles faced the question when they were commanded by the State to stop preaching. They teach us that there are times when disobedience to the State is obedience to God. In the final analysis the decision to obey or not to obey "man" depends upon one's conscience.
Outline: Obey God or man?
a. Parents or God?
Case: incest
b. Taxes or God?
Case: taxes for nuclear defenses
c. Laws or God?
Case: racial discrimination
d. War or God?
Case: conscientious objection to war
2. What is Your Witness? 5:30-32
Need: A study of the average congregation reveals that 95 percent of the members have nothing to say about their religion to others. Christians are called to be witnesses and empowered by the Spirit to witness. Do we fail to witness because we do not know what to say? Take a look at the text and see the content of the Apostles' witness to their world.
Outline: What is your witness?
a. We all killed Jesus - v. 30
b. God raised Jesus to glory - v. 30
c. You can have forgiveness - v. 31
Lesson 1: Acts 5:12-16
Let's Get Growing!
Need: The picture of the first church, following the resurrection of the Lord, is one of growth, enthusiasm and excitement. There is no reason to see this as a one-time, first-time-out-of-the-chute sort of phenomenon. The church can and must continue to grow today, and needs to recover the spirit of the first community.
1. Growth is God's plan for all life
a. When we stop growing, we start to die
b. Just as we expect our bodies to grow, we ought to expect our congregation to grow
1. In numbers
2. In grace
2. Growth results from opening to God
a. The first Christians felt the immediacy of God in life
b. Results of God-in-us include healed, whole, healthy lives - as we are well, the "healthy contagion" spreads to others
c. We need to invite God to take hold of us and do a powerful thing in our day, as was once done in the first church
Lesson 2: Revelation 1:4-8
1. The Christ Without End. 1:4-8
Need: For some Jesus came to an end on Good Friday when he died on a cross. The world is accustomed to leaders being here today and gone tomorrow. Here is One no one can avoid. He is the eternal Christ who has a past, present, and a future. Every person will some day confront him either for judgment or salvation.
Outline: The man you must meet some day -
a. The Christ who now lives in heaven - "Who is"
1. He lives to bless us - see: "I know that my Redeemer Lives."
b. The Christ who lived on earth - "Who was."
1. What he did for us while on earth - vv. 5, 6
c. The Christ who will come again to earth - "Who is to come."
1. His purpose in coming - v. 7
2. What's in Christ for Me? 1:5-7
Need: Before we join a group, take a job, enter school, we ask, "What's in it for me?" Is it worth the price? Before we consider the "how" or methods and before we even consider the cost, we want to know about the benefits. A person, who is interested in becoming or being a Christian, will ask the same questions. Our text tells us what the eternal Christ has to offer.
Outline: What's in Christ for you?
a. Freedom from guilt - v. 5
b. Position of priest in God's kingdom - v. 6
