Luke 26:6
What Does the Resurrection Mean?
4/5/2015 PM
Click here for first part of the message.
We live in a world where few things excite the spirit. Instead of
spiritual certainities most have spiritual doubts. People doubt
God, His existence, and His involvement in our lives. Most reject
the possiblity of Jesus’ bodily resurrection. The few who would
consent to any believe in it all would answer with, "Even if it is
true, so what?"
So what? to the resurrection?? Friend, all of the world could not
begin to hold the magnitude of the what the resurrection means not
only in the scope of eternity but in our everyday lives.
I wrote down some of the ways that resurrection has or should impact
us.
A. In your theology, the resurrection is…
1. Something to believe that has been foretold, fulfilled,
proven beyond question, and stood the test of time.
2. It is something that will settle your mind, grow your
faith, and save your soul.
B. For your mind, the resurrection is…
1. …the means of identifying the one true God.
2. …the source of faith.
3. …the seat of your new found power.
4. …and the assurance of your salvation.
C. For your body, the resurrection is…
1. …freedom from the fear of death.
2. …the means of physical healing.
3. …the guarantee of eternal life.
D. For your soul, the resurrection is…
1. …that which can mend the broken heart (Mary).
2. …that which removes sin, guilt, and shame (Peter).
3. …that which cures the confusion and destroys the doubt.
It is that last thought, what the resurrection means to your soul
that I want to dwell on this evening. Your soul is that part of you
which is you. It is the part that lives, thinks, feels, worry,
loves, chooses, and is aware.
What can the resurrection mean to you?
I. \\#John 20:11-16\\ The resurrection can mend the broken hearted.
A. There are many Marys in the New Testament.
1. Mary the mother of Jesus
2. Mary Magdalene
3. Others
B. While both had an unshakable faith in Jesus, once beyond the
birth of Jesus, Mary Magdalene is spoken of more than Mary
Jesus’ mother.
1. \\#Mark 16:9\\ Jesus had cast seven devils out of her.
2. \\#John 20:1\\ It was this Mary who is mentioned as the
one coming to the tomb on resurrection morning.
3. Again, both of these ladies had unshakeable faith.
a. A mother’s faith in her children is unshakeable. Of
course Mary had faith in Jesus even BEFORE He
began to reveal Himself.
b. Who is going to make a person who was once possessed
by seven devils believe the One freed her was a fake?
C. But although Mary Magdalene’s faith was not busted, it was
broken.
1. Here is the portrayal of a woman who is as broken as can
be.
a. She was crying so much that she could not see! She
had spoken to angels and did not recognize them. She
even spoke to the risen Lord and did not recognize
Him.
b. I would say that at this point, she is crying
uncontrollably.
c. I only know of three things that can drive a good-
hearted woman to this place.
(1) A great disappointment. Something way out of the
ordinary like a personal betrayal.
(2) A prolonged hurt. Something that has lasted for
weeks, months, years.
(3) The death of a loved one.
d. In some ways, Mary was going through all three of
these.
(1) She was not disappointed in Jesus but she was in
what had happened.
(2) She was in a hole that she never thought she
would get out of.
(3) As far as she knew, Jesus was dead.
2. I have known this Bible passage for many years and I have
never found a way to put into the words how broken Mary
was as she wept that day.
3. By the same token, I have never found words to describe
the emotions backed into \\#16\\.
a. In that troubled state, she heard one familiar voice
say one familiar sound, "Mary"; and everything
changed!
b. I cannot put into words what Mary felt at that moment.
You will have to get into the passage and feel it
for yourself.
D. What mended Mary’s broken heart? It was the power of the
resurrection!
1. It is that same power that can mend your heart no matter
how bad things are!
2. Sedatives, sessions, and suicides will not help.
3. Oh, that the world might see what the resurrection can do
for them!
II. \\#Luke 24:13-32\\ The resurrectin can conquer confusion and
destroy doubt.
A. These two men are on the road to Emmaus.
1. I can’t help but to wonder why the Lord appeared to them.
2. Surely they were not the only two disciples talking about
the events at Jerusalem or confused and filled with
doubt?
3. Yet, he did!
B. \\#Luke 24:21\\ These two were disciples—or should we say
"used to be"?
1. At this point, they were filled with doubts and confused.
2. Life can certainly play tricks with our faith. (sickness
tragedy, problems)
C. By the way, having a perfect Teacher give them truth did not
help them.
1. \\#Luke 24:27\\ Jesus started at Moses and taught them
concerning Himself from the Old Testament.
a. You can’t get a better classroom than that!
b. It did not help!
2. Teaching and truth are needed to help deal with the
agnostics, atheists, and doubters—but it will not be
enough.
D. Then Jesus blessed the food and their eyes were opened.
1. What opened their eyes? Perhaps seeing the marks of the
nail prints in the hands of the Savior!
2. Whatever caused it, it was the release of the resurrection
power!
3. What does this world need today to conquer confusion and
destroy doubt? Not more preachers preaching truth but
the power of the resurrection!
III. \\#John 18:16-27\\ The resurrection can remove sin, guilt, and
shame.
A. We all know of Peter’s sin.
1. He denied the Lord three times.
2. Did you know that his sin ruined Peter?
3. What Peter did and how he felt about himself changed
Peter. It darkened and killed him—as sin always does.
4. Let’s see.
B. \\#John 20:1-10\\
1. This is after the resurrection.
2. John is writing and he is the "other disciple."
3. \\#John 10:8\\ Notice what the text DID NOT say.
a. It say "he," John saw the empty tomb and believed.
b. It did not say "we believed" because Peter did not
believe at that time.
c. Peter and John likely talked of this day many times
in the days ahead. If Peter had believed, he would
have surely told John.
4. This is Peter the firebrand.
a. Peter the impetuous.
b. Peter the one who does and says and thinks about it
later.
c. It had not taken much to get him to walk on water. He
just thought that was Jesus out there on the water
and jumped in.
d. It had not taken much to get Peter to cut off Marcus’
ear. He just believed he should and jumped in.
e. It had not taken much to get Jesus to believe in
Jesus. He saw some nets filled with fish and jumped
right in.
f. Why isn’t Peter jumping in here? John did.
5. It was because his sin, guilt, and shame was keeping him
from jumping in.
6. At this point, the resurrection power is available to
Peter—John is getting in on it—but Peter’s sin is
keeping him out of it.
7. Jesus is going to take care of that sin.
C. \\#1Cor 15:5, Luke 24:34\\ Are the only two Bible passages
that I know of which tell us of Jesus’ private audience with
Peter.
1. This is before Jesus met with the two on the road to
Emmaus or the Twelve (just eleven but called the Twelve)
in the upper room.
2. We don’t know where they met, but you can bet Peter was
probably by himself when they did. Peter was likely
spending all of his time by himself, discouraged,
depressed, feeling like the world’s greatest failure.
3. We don’t know why they meet or what they said, but I
believe we can guess.
a. I believe Jesus met with Peter to deal with his sin
problem.
b. I believe that Peter readily acknowledged his sin and
that it was removed.
c. That is the resurrection power! It both gives sin and
helps us to forgive those who sin against us.
4. Even so, Peter still carried the guilt and shame.
D. \\#John 20:19-25\\
1. Peter was in the upper room.
a. He listened to the two disciples from Emmaus.
b. He listened to what others had to say.
c. Yet, there is no account of him standing to say
anything.
d. Does he even tell them that he had seen Jesus?
e. Then Jesus is in the midst of them!
f. Still there is no record of Peter saying anything.
2. Where is the impetuous, speak-first-think-later Peter?
a. I think Peter is glad to see Jesus.
b. But I believe he is sitting off to the side somewhere,
feeling so ashamed that he says little if anything at
all!
3. He is still broken.
E. \\#John 21:3\\
1. Peter decided to go fishing.
a. This is not "get a fishing pole and go fishing"
fishing.
b. This is "I’m going to take the family boat business
back and go fishing" fishing.
2. Why is Peter going back? Why he is taking the others
with him? He is still feeling the guilt and shame.
3. Of course, they catch no fish and Jesus appears on the
shore. he tells them to drop the nets on the right side
and they get catch a full load, 153.
4. John realized that it was Jesus and Peter jumped in!
5. Maybe Peter was sick and tired of being sick and tired!
6. Jesus takes him aside and asked him three times if he
loved Him. He answered three times, "You know I do."
7. Finally, it appears as though the power of the
resurrection is getting through!
8. But that is the beauty of the resurrection power—we have
a risen Lord who is able to take all of the time and
make all of the effort necessary to get us where we need
to be!
F. Peter’s load was pretty heavy. He may have needed more doses
of this resurrectino power!
Thank God for the resurrection power and what it can do for you right
now!
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