Jim Benfer

Sermo513 for Easter Sunday 4-12-09

Scripture Reading: Mathew 28:1-10

Love’s Victory

Our scripture story begins with the two Marys going to the tomb of Jesus early on the mor= ning after the Sabbath. Suddenly t= here was a violent earthquake, which was the intrusion of an angel at the tomb w= ho came to roll back the stone that had kept Jesus shut off from the world. The angel sat on the cover stone a= nd his appearance was so impressive that the guards were struck down in fear and shock. This same angel instru= cts the women that Jesus has risen from the dead and left the tomb. They are encouraged to see for themselves, and then told to return to town and tell his disciples the great news. And so, they hurried aw= ay still fearful and perplexed by their encounter, but filled with joy.

Our Easter experience is somewhat similar to these two women. Although we are not as close to the events as they, and our emotional states not as shaken, we still harbor perplexity at a witness that may defy our experience with the world.

They too, hadn’t seen Jesus risen yet, and isn’t that a little bit of our perplexity too? We come to the church, where we hear the announcement of Jesus’ victory over the gra= ve, but when we have left here we might leave like the two Marys, joyful at the news, but perplexed. But it needn’t be that way for us. The proclamation that “Jesus has risen!” is more than the distant and ancient echo of people recorded in a dusty old book. It is the proclamation of people w= ho have encountered the living Christ for themselves today. The historical fact of Jesus’ resurrection need not be the only witness for us who believe today—we have a risen Savior who is at work with us and for us—and he seeks to= be personal in our living today.

All but four= of the major world religions are based on mere philosophical propositions. Of = the four that are based on personalities rather than philosophies, only Christianity claims an empty tomb for its founder. In 1900 B.C. JudaismR= 17;s Father Abraham died. In 483 B.C. Buddhist writings say Buddha died "wi= th that utter passing away in which nothing whatever remains behind." Jun= e 6, 632 A.D. Mohammed died. In 33 A.D. Jesus died but came back to life appeari= ng to 500 people over a period of 40 days. Not only that, but Jesus continues = to make his life and person known to everyone who come to him in faith.

The fact that Jesus has promised life to those who follow him is a staggering offer, but = his victory over death is only the beginning of Love’s victory that began with his rise from the grave. Let me list a few things that died because Jesus lives.

The first thing that has died is Death’s inevitability. = Death itself has not been vanquished just because Jesus rose, but its inevitabili= ty has been vanquished. Let me explain. Death is the end res= ult of our sin. Death is separation = from God. Physical death is our ev= idence that it exists, but is only a shadow of the true death. True death is removing ourselves f= rom a loving God, and loving relationships by pushing away, selfishly choosing on= ly for ourselves until, one day—we reap the reward of our efforts—= and we find out too late that we cannot save ourselves from the end result of o= ur own sin, which we have chosen over God and others. We will be left to be the (little = g) god’s of nothing, for that is what we are without God.

A father kne= lt down beside his little boy’s bed. It was time for prayers, hugs and kisses, and tucking in. The little boy began the childhood prayer he had repeated so many times before: now I lay me down to sleep; I pray the Lord = my soul to keep. If I should die before I wake Pray the Lord, my soul to take. This time the words got mixed up. Unwittingly, the child spoke words of the greatest wisdom. He prayed, “If I should wake before I die.” Embarrassed, he stopped. “Oh Daddy, I got all mixed up.” Wisely, his dad responded tenderly, “Not at all, Son, that’s the first = time the prayer was properly prayed. My deepest longing for you is that you may = wake up before you die.” The child drifted to sleep, but the father turned= the prophetic words about in his mind. “If I should wake before I die. That’s it!” he exclaimed. “That’s the promise of and hope of Easter. This is the time to come alive and live forever!” [1]

Death’s inevitability died that first Easter sunrise, and it can for us who wake be= fore we die.

The second thing that has died is our= lack of confidence. I know som= e of you out there are going, “huh, what?” What does confidence have to do wi= th Easter? I’ll tell you.<= /p>

Max Lucado i= n his book, Six Hours One Friday, tells the story of a missionary in Brazil who discovered a tribe of Indians in a remote part of the jungle. They lived near a large river. The tribe was in need of medical attention. A contagious disease was ravaging the population. People were dying daily. A hospital was not too terribly far away—across the river, but the Indians would not cross it because they believed the river was inhabited by evil spirits. And= to enter its water would mean certain death. The missionary explained how he h= ad crossed the river and was unharmed. But they were not impressed. He then to= ok them to the bank and placed his hand in the water. They still wouldn’= t go in. He walked into the water up to his waist and splashed water on his face= . It didn’t matter. They were still afraid to enter the river. Finally, he dove into the river, swam beneath the surface until he emerged on the other side. He raised a triumphant fist into the air. He had entered the water and escaped. It was then that the Indians broke into a cheer and followed him across. Isn’t that what Jesus did? He entered the river of death and = came out on the other side so that we might no longer fear death, but find etern= al life in Him.

Remember the first time you sat on= a bicycle and your mom or dad began teaching you to ride, perhaps with traini= ng wheels? They probably showed = you how so you could imitate them. And then after you had mastered that and the training wheels were removed, you = rode wobbly and unsteadily while they assured you that they were holding on? Finally, you looked around and fou= nd out that they didn’t really have to hold on, and you could ride by yourself. You became confiden= t and self assured over time.

Jesus gives = us confidence not just to face death, having destroyed its inevitability, but = he also gives us confidence to face life.&nbs= p; I’ll just bet you also had a few spills off of that first bike= and a few skinned elbows and knees to boot.&nb= sp; Why did you get back on? Because you knew that you could do better, and your mom or dad encouraged you. Besides, you = knew that you could do it because they did it.

Life is full= of skinned elbows and knees. Som= etimes we call them other things, like divorce, loss of job, cancer, or humiliation. But Christians k= now that they have a heavenly Father who loves them, and that they can heal and= get up and go again, because they know that in the end, God wants them to succeed. They have a God who expressed that confidence in them by sending his Son to get so much more th= an skinned knees and elbows. His= success also promises us we will succeed as we imitate him.

Finally, our fear of serving God has died. Remember Peter who = denied Jesus three times on the night of his betrayal? Remember the other disciples who f= led in disarray into the night at Jesus’ arrest? Did any of them come and testify o= n his behalf or demand his release from Herod or Pilot? No, every one of them was mortifie= d, scared beyond comprehension, and in fear for their own life.

However, what happened after they had seen the living proof of Jesus’ resurrection? Peter proclaimed Jesus in front of the authorities in the temple, unafraid of their threats. He preached to the c= rowds on the day of Pentecost filled with the Spirit of the Living God and conver= ted thousands with his boldness. = He and the other disciples were unafraid of cross and sword and testified in spite= of very real threats that eventually took their lives. Why?

Simply, thei= r fear of serving God had died. And = so should ours. Listen again to = the promises we know are true: “D= o not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God, believe also in me.= In my Father’s house there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have to= ld you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will = take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also.”[2]

“If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not withhold h= is own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? Who will bri= ng any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? It is Christ J= esus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness,= or peril, or sword? No, in all t= hese things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither de= ath, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, n= or powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be a= ble to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”[3]<= o:p>

Did you hear that? Nothing is stopping us = from serving God—not even our personal fears. God wants you totally and wholly reshaped and recreated to serve him fully.

London businessman Lindsay Clegg told t= he story of a warehouse property he was selling. The building had been empty f= or months and needed repairs. Vandals had damaged the doors, smashed the windo= ws, and strewn trash around the interior.

As he showed= a prospective buyer the property, Clegg took pains to say that he would repla= ce the broken windows, bring in a crew to correct any structural damage, and c= lean out the garbage.

"Forget= about the repairs," the buyer said. "When I buy this place, I'm going to build something completely different. I don't want the building; I want the site."

Compared wit= h the renovation God has in mind, our efforts to improve our own lives are as tri= vial as sweeping a warehouse slated for the wrecking ball. When we become God's,= the old life is over (2 Cor. 5:17). He makes all things new. All he wants is the site and the permission to build. [4] That’s what God wants to do = for us. He wants us to sign over = our lives to him, and then prepare to be amazed.

My friends l= isten to your inner hearts this morning. Do you hear the voice of God’s Spirit witnessing to your spirit that you too, are a child of God? If so, then wake before you die and live! Live with the true purpose of the redeemed! Christ has risen an= d our enemies are dead! Love has ga= ined the victory and Easter has dawned. <= /span>Christ is risen! Amen!