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April 4, 2021 4:00 am
This is the weekend that we celebrate reason Savior Jesus rose from the grave and the tomb is empty, but the very first Easter was a different story for Jesus followers. Alastair big describes the scene as the disciples hid behind locked doors.
This is true for life weekend, and today's message was preached last Easter as coven was giving us a first taste of what being locked down feels like were the gospel of John, chapter 20.
If you have your Bibles open wherever you are. You will notice that on the evening of the first day of the week on the first Easter Sunday Jesus disciples where in lockdown. I know it seems rather trendy to use that phrase.
It certainly bending a lot around a great deal, but in actual fact it is true they were not in this condition as a result of some state ordered emergency protocol, but they were there on account of the fact that their hearts were now filled with sadness.
They had apparently completely lost their way. The darkness which had engulfed Mary as she had gone to the tomb early in the morning. As we read it ahead of the chapter had now in a kind of metaphorical sense apparently settled on the shoulders of the disciples, and as we read these words, it is clear that this sense of lostness and darkness is not about to be dispelled by some illusory hopes and find it is going to take something very very special to see them changed now in order to help us navigate this passage. I've chosen to gather our thoughts under three straightforward words. The first word is fear and then faith and then forgiveness. First of all, fear which is the explanation for the fact that the doors were locked in the place where they had assembled. They were fearful of the possibility that those who had destroyed Jesus may, in turn, come and seek them out and do similarly to then this is hard to imagine is not why would they. Why would he assume that this would be the case. This little huddled company if they were a threat to anyone. It was only that they were a threat to themselves and as you read this seen this a familiar scene, and perhaps as the day is ended on on on on Easter Sunday. Some of us have turned to it on our own and perhaps as I have tried to this week you said yourself I can almost imagine the mood or the atmosphere that must've been in that room encapsulated perhaps in a sense of emptiness. Those of us who have lost those near and dear to us can recall all too easily. I think how in the aftermath of our loss, perhaps even before the time of burial. We had those evenings that where dreadful neighbors and friends and family members came in.
We sat together and we set for much of the time in silence. Silence that was punctuated every so often by a reflection and reminiscing somebody began to say, do you remember when you remember that is difficult to imagine that the disciples on this particular evening were doing something along similar lines is hard to imagine that they were simply sitting in silence and then in that reminiscence there is this stabbing anguish that comes in the awareness of the fact that it is clear to them that they would never on earth see Jesus face again of that, they were convinced.
Hence the fearful locking of the door. Hence the sense of emptiness. Hence, I think, almost inevitably, the regret she really wouldn't be long before one of them said, you know, if only we had stayed within when they came for him.
If only we had followed through. Why was it that we said you know Jesus, you can count on is, no matter what happened, and then we just ran away and he died along, I suggest to you, there is more than simply regretting that there is disappointment there is despair that is essentially Shea note, why is it that to any degree et al. we would be able to send something of that atmosphere while I suggest the other may be many reasons why, but at least this because in some sense the atmosphere as I have depicted in that room mirrors the condition of our world this morning. In particular, the condition of some of our life's facing death, despair, lostness, emptiness, regret and fear and all of the time we peer into an unknown future. And in moments of brutal honesty were forced to admit that with all of our best endeavors. We cannot create life out of death, we are unable to bring order out of chaos and self-reliance as it was for the disciples is going to take something pretty special to see has changed fear, but then faith if fear was that which the experienced, then faith is that which was to be restored, and John tells us that it was in that circumstance that Jesus came and stood among them, although they were locked down Jesus could not be locked out and fight the reason they were locked down is because they believe that death had looked Jesus down once and forever, and here he stands among them disappears quietly. I suppose if somebody were trying to create a mythology. Along these lines, there would be a lot of crashing and ballyhoo in trumpets and various things going on, but there is none of that evil is created the world who has been cradled in a manger slips quietly but lovingly into the events of life. It's almost as though he sneaks up on us. What is the first word that comes out of his mouth. While it is the word peace or shalom. He stood among them and he said to them, shalom will, of course, that is a custom resubmitted greeting, but let's not pass over too quickly.
What a word to speak. The disciples might've anticipated that out of his mouth would've come review or blame or at least disappointment, but no peace be with you. He said, and when he had said this is verse 20.
He showed them his hands and is signed because you see Jesus realized just how startling this must've been to the just how frightened they must've been frightened.
First of all, by their sense of the possibility of their own day, but now even more frightened in a staggering way that this Jesus whom they were convinced they would never see again in their lives was actually standing among the interestingly anybody would been crucified routinely would've been identified by the wounds in their hands and in their feet. But as you know the story of Christ's death how his side was pierced with a sort in order to bring about the.
The indication that he was entirely gone. It was a verifying move on the part of the soldier and so he is able to point to his hands and do his site and in a masterful understatement then reads then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Yet they were what I find of interest year and I wonder, do you follow along with this Jesus hear appeals to their senses. Again, far from the idea that the story of the resurrection is an idea that is a concept that is a way of getting through life that it is built on a forlorn hope propped up by years and years of religious tradition.
Nothing could be further from the truth. When we examine the evidence. The disciples are not here entertaining an idea they are embracing a person and he says that unless you can touch me and you can see who and what I appealing to their senses of hearing, of seeing, of touching and in one of the other Gospels. Remember he eats some fish with the making it clear that his digestive system is working perfectly to widely mention as well because I think it's important to realize that when you and I read the Bible we were not present for that event. But when we read the record of the event. The Bible is not asking us to believe anything that is contrary to sense the events of the Bible may be supra-rational. In other words, they may be.
If you like, in a sense above reason for the events of the Bible are not irrational, they are not contrary to reason and the same John who wrote the letter when he wrote when he wrote the gospel when he wrote his letter, he begins in this very way. He says that which was from the beginning, which we have Harry which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked for which we have touched with our hands concerning the word of life.
The life was made manifest. We have seen and testify to it.
We proclaim to you the eternal life which was with the father and which was made manifest to us in the sun. This is the story of Easter.
This is the story of the resurrection, and so once again, Jesus repeats his greeting shalom again.
He says to them. Verse 21, and peace be with you. I wonder every right to see somehow or another almost a differentiation between the first shalom in the second. It's surely a customary greeting, but the disciples remember had been on the receiving end of the instruction of Jesus concerning peace.
He had said to them before. It is in me that you might have peace. He referred to it as my peace.
Surely in this greeting is giving to them. At least the initial inkling of the fact that their gladness would not be found simply in the awareness of the fact that he was no longer dead, but far more that by his resurrection he comes now to restore the peace that comes through his blood shed upon the cross. In other words, the piece with which he greets them is the piece that is bestowed upon the pardoned sinner on the cross, he sealed my pardon paid the debt set me free shalom then takes on a whole new meaning for those who discover this piece where in the world this morning where in our weary world this morning borrowing as it is under the weight of all that is beset in its where in a world that is largely indifferent to God is the creator world that is in our own tiny worlds. Basically, rebellious towards God rejecting the notion that he made us extremely and supremely for a relationship with himself and a God who, despite the fact that we turned our backs on him that we have essentially said to leave me alone. You know I can figure this out for myself, but he doesn't leave us a law he still seeks is out, he still seeks in love he pursues as he builds us find peace in the one whose birth the angels sang peace on earth. You see, this is the Easter message. It is this message that holds the answer to this piece because the resurrection doesn't simply mean that there is a Jesus there is a Christ, who defeated death.
One day long ago and far away. What is says is this is that Christ is alive forever that Christ is the decisive answer to the chaos of our upside down world to the predicament of our individual lives so the fear that they experienced in the faith that was then restored not as a result of an idea but as a result of the presence of the risen Christ and then the forgiveness that they were not only to experience, to proclaim Jesus had come as a man on a mission is made that clear from the very beginning. Said the kingdom of God is at hand. The time is fulfilled, repent and believe the good news.
Jesus came to preach good news therefore makes perfect sense that when he would be removed from his earthly pilgrimage to ascend to the father that he would send his disciples out to continue his mission and that's exactly what he saying here. Peace be with you as a father has sent me, even so I am sending you these words are challenged and one day, far from now we will come back and deal with them in more detail. I have no desire to skip the challenges but in light of the night.
I think it is safe for us simply to say this, that Jesus here in this statement is sending them out to proclaim the way of forgiveness. If you forgive the sins of any, therefore given them work-related and not having themselves. No man or woman anyone has in themselves the power of personal absolution. So he's clearly not saying that.
And if you withhold from give forgiveness for many it is withheld again. It cannot be that know he is sending them out to proclaim the way of forgiveness. How can they take on such an assignment only in the power of the Holy Spirit, and so symbolically here in anticipation of what is yet to follow.
He breathed on them and said to them, receive the Holy Spirit. In other words, there is no room event to be able to just do this on your own is going to take the power of the Holy Spirit and how did it work out.
How did they do or the best way to actually answer that is to fast-forward just a few weeks and to find that Peter along with others had begun to do exactly what Jesus had told him to do and in his first opportunity to preach a sermon, as recorded by Luke and acts, he begins in this way man man of Israel, hear these words and then his first word is Jesus. Jesus of Nazareth and I can go through his whole sermon will be relieved about that, but he then goes on to say you have crucified him, and God has raised him and then he says to them, and in him there is forgiveness of your sins.
So another words he addresses directly the situation that they face rebels unfit for God's goodness, appealing to ideas of their own and now the same God who has punished his own son in the place of media Center comes now to make his appeal and to offer forgiveness in the preaching of one of Jesus followers when he comes back to it in another of his sermons.
He says this and there is salvation, or if you like forgiveness in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must receive. I sent you this morning that if this is false, that I do not believe there is hope for humanity anywhere. I always have to come up with the title for the talk and so I called this. I call this life after lockdown and life after lockdown for these men as history records meant going out to do what he asked them to do to proclaim this amazing story.
Good news. Forgiveness the love of God story that we in Jesus are given to proclaim they proclaimed it. They live for it, and in most cases, they died for or what about us, what about us. Are we still convinced as we walk out into the balance of this Easter Sunday morning that we can work things out. Are we really believing that the best of our medics and our scientists have the answers, not simply to a virus, but to the answers that unsettle laws on account of the line our fears, our disappointments are regrets are. If only I could have time over again or I remember when oil was wonderful that there is no answer there. I put it to you. That is, answering only one and the answer comes when we refuse to walk around saying we can work it out. As I said to you before we cry out in the words of Lennon help help their many cartoons going around and I saw pencil drawing of one just the other day wasn't particularly funny. But it was cute and it was a goldfish bowl with two goldfish and and one goldfish was saying to the other. What's our exit strategy. While there you have the real question, far bigger than the question, how are we going to exit this covert, 19 arena.
What about the exit strategy when our lives come to an end. Here is the Easter story Jesus is the resurrection and the life, the one that believes in him even though he die, yet they will live. The question is do you believe this, and if not, let me ask you, what do you believe what you believe answer the biggest questions. What are my where did I come from where my going. Does that answer your fears, your despair, your regret, your shame, the disciples went out from lockdown to tell the world what I know say to you that Jesus has promised to save all those who trust that is who are committed personally to him who are not simply believing that he is who he said he was but that they are saying to him, Lord, Jesus Christ. You are clearly the friend of sinners and I want you to be my friend. Only in Jesus we find pardon and peace, and it may just be that in this particular period of your life with all that is been going on in the fighter you're actually sitting in earshot of my voice right now, it may be that this sense of the silent advancing of the risen Jesus upon you has been almost sneakily apparent. Perhaps in the text you received your song from your grandchildren in a way that you never known, perhaps before is been a sense of being stirred within your heart being moved. We say I would I ever know well you know the first sign of the spirit moving in our hearts to change it is when we trust Jesus as our Savior and our you may do that today, wherever you are. Why, because Jesus not only paid the penalty, but he raised from the dead triumphed over death and sin in the grave. Everything that holds us in its way. I commend to the Lord Jesus Alister Greg with an open invitation to trust Jesus as your Savior listing to Truth for Life weekend message called life after lockdown if you'd like to know more about trusting Christ. Please visit our learn more page. There you'll find a brief video from Alister explaining the gospel also an illustrated presentation of God's plan for salvation. There are also recommended series from Alister to help you get started on your walk with Christ you find it all online@truthforlife.org/learn more.
The resurrection of Jesus transformed his disciples. It took them from fear to faith to forgiveness. It literally changed everything for them. That's the topic of a new book will recommending this month. The book is called alive how the resurrection of Christ changes everything. We live in a world where many people dismiss, the resurrection is a myth, but the truth that Christ rose from the grave is the very heart of the gospel.
If you or someone you know, wrestles with doubts about the resurrection this book alive can help. It proves that Jesus did in fact defeat the grave that it's no mere myth. The author demonstrates the flaws in some of the popular theories and presents credible evidence, both biblical and historical that supports the resurrection of Christ. Find out more about the book alive.
When you visit us online at a truthfully dock about pain.
We hope you have a happy resurrection Sunday next week will return to our series. Amazing love to see what a rebellious son brought to his father as he came back home. The Bible teaching of Alistair Begg is furnished by Truth for Life Learning is for Living