Sermon on April 12 by Pastor Roland Eskinazi

Scripture: John 20:1-20

 

 

Two resurrection appearances: to Mary Magdalene and the disciples in lockdown. One key word: v20 ‘overjoyed’
Because He lives:

1. JESUS IS WORTH FULLY TRUSTING! (v1-10)
For Mary, the stone rolled away does not mean that Jesus is risen, but that his body has been stolen. Peter sees the graveclothes lying, not unraveled, but as if the body has passed right through them.
Jesus has absolute power over life and death! When Lazarus is raised (John 11), they strip off his graveclothes, but not here.
Our well-being in the world is not anchored to the virus, the economy, or our plans, but to the Risen body and presence of Jesus.

2. LIFE IS WORTH FULLY EMBRACING!

• If He’s alive, Jesus is still the God who loves the forgotten (v11-14)
  Jesus does not appear to Pilate or to any of the movers of the world, but to Mary, one of the forgotten of her day. Jesus meets Mary where she is at, with her doubts – not where she should have been, trusting Him more.
  Today we rejoice in an earth-shattering event that vindicates Jesus; Not just as the King, but the Servant-King.
• If He is alive, Jesus is still the God who levels our fears (v15-18)
  Like Mary, we often want to hang on to the past, when Jesus is doing something new.

‘I not only know who I am…I also know where I am going.’ (Billy Graham)

Since Jesus is risen, He is both as alive as we are and great enough to indwell each believer.
The church is never dependent on the buildings where we meet, but on all who can say: ‘I know whose I am and where I am going’

3. YOUR FUTURE IS FULLY RESTING – IN RISEN HANDS! (v19-20)

• Rejoice – your future is as certain as it can be

‘Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus from the dead’ (1 Peter 1:18)

The risen Jesus is walking proof that you will miss nothing, and that you will get back the life you always wanted, but never had.

• Rejoice – your future is more secure than your security
  When Jesus was not alive, lockdown seemed the safest place for all the disciples.
  Now that He is risen, we are to give up that which is safe, familiar, and comfortable, and follow Him.
  You can no more lose God’s love, than that Jesus can go back into the grave and rise again; It happened once and forever.

Are you yet to trust in Jesus? Who are you looking for? What are you waiting for?
Do not let another Easter pass by, with you intending to get back to Him later.
Do you love Jesus? The Saturday of waiting, the period of Covid19 will come and go, but Jesus has come, and He lives forever.
‘If His life is enough to heal my dying, it is a balm for the smaller wounds of my living’