Sunday Is Here!

The following is from Highland View Baptist Church's AM worship service on Easter Sunday, April 4, 2010.

This morning as we begin, we are going to borrow an excerpt from Dr. Tony Campolo’s modern classic.

“It’s Friday, Jesus is praying, Peter is asleep, Judas is betraying, but Sunday’s coming.
It’s Friday, Pilate is struggling, the council is conspiring, the crowd is vilifying, they don’t even know that Sunday is coming.
It’s Friday, the disciples are running like sheep without a shepherd, Mary’s crying, Peter is denying, but they don’t know that Sunday’s a comin’.
It’s Friday, the Romans beat my Jesus, they robe him in scarlet, they crown him with thorns, but they don’t know that Sunday is coming.
It’s Friday, see Jesus walking to Calvary, His blood dripping, His body stumbling, and His spirit’s burdened, but you see it’s only Friday, Sunday’s coming.
It’s Friday, the world’s winning, people are sinning, and evil is grinning,
It’s Friday, the soldiers nail my Savior’s hands to the cross, they nail my Savior’s feet to the cross, and then they raise him up next to criminals
It’s Friday, but let me tell you something, Sunday’s coming,
It’s Friday, the disciples are questioning “What has happened to their king?’ and the Pharisees are celebrating that their scheming has been achieved, but they don’t know it’s only Friday, and Sunday’s coming.
It’s Friday, He’s hanging on the cross, feeling forsaken by His Father, left alone and dying, can nobody save Him? Oh, it’s Friday, but Sunday’s coming.
It’s Friday, the earth trembles, the sky grows dark, my Savior yields His spirit, It’s Friday, hope is lost. Death has won. Sin has conquered and Satan’s just a laughin’.
It’s Friday, Jesus is buried. A soldier stands guard and a rock is rolled into place, but it’s Friday, it is only Friday, Sunday is a comin’.”

As we come to our time this morning, we have reason to celebrate. We have cause to be excited. We no longer have to say, “It’s Friday, but Sunday’s coming. Instead, we can boldly proclaim, “Sunday is here! And He is risen! Death has been defeated! Our promise has been fulfilled! Hope has come!”
Through the four gospels of the New Testament, it is not difficult to discern what the authors emphasize about the life and teaching of our Christ. There are a few topics that are evident in all four of the gospels. Two of these topics are the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus.
Last week we left with a disturbing picture of our king dead on a cross. We left a mistreated, battered man that had endured all humanity could throw at him. We left an undeserving victim crucified on a cross for the entire world to see.
Now here is where we must pick up this morning. If we simply stopped with Jesus on the cross, it would simply be a great story. Let me tell you, Satan would love to leave Jesus on the cross. However, the greatest testament of Jesus’ love and power comes not in the form of the cross, but in the empty tomb. The cross appeared to mean certain defeat for the Son of God, but the bodiless grave is the evidence of victory
We are going to use the account recorded in the gospel of Luke. However, we are going to bounce around between the four to cover some different aspects of the story not included in Luke.

(Read text. Luke 24:1-12)

When we left off last week, Jesus was pronounced dead, but not yet removed from the cross. And before we get into the story of the morning of the resurrection, I want to patch the story a bit. We are going to fill in from the time of Friday afternoon until Sunday morning.
After the death of Christ, a member of the Sanhedrin requested the body of Jesus. Joseph of Arimathea, a member of this Sanhedrin group, and a secret disciple of Jesus asked Pilate for permission to remove his body for burial. Apparently, during the time of the request, Nicodemus went to purchase the materials needed. Somehow after the death of Christ, both of these men were both empowered to take a public stand for this man. If you recall, these were both men that sought Jesus in the night out of the public eye. After authorization was received, he and Nicodemus had to hurry to get the body buried so that their work would be completed before the start of the Sabbath. The Sabbath did not start at sunrise on Saturday, rather it began at sunset on Friday evening. So Joseph and Nicodemus both needed to be finished with this work and at a place of rest by the time six o’clock came.
John’s was the only gospel to relate the location of the garden in proximity to the crucifixion site. It would prove very beneficial for the gravesite to be so close to Golgotha.
The Jews did not practice embalming, but rather wrapped the bodies in linen strips with spices to cover the odor of the body. For Joseph and Nicodemus, their best effort was still done in haste and imperfect. However, it would be after the Sabbath before anyone could return to rewrap and further prepare the body. They simply did not have the time to tend to the minute details of the process.
There are certain details that we will have to gather from the other gospels as we go through this story. Matthew’s account of this preparation time explains the presence of the large stone in front of the entrance of the tomb and the women’s knowledge of where he was laid. For the women, this was a trying and confusing time. I believe part of the reason for their intention to return to the grave to tend to the spices and wrapping was due to the people that wrapped him. Joseph and Nicodemus were men that were still publicly associated with the Jewish leaders and the Sanhedrin council. The women probably wanted to tend to him because they knew that they loved him, where they were suspicious of the other men.
After these men had retired to their homes, the Sabbath was observed. For Jesus’ followers, it meant that they observed the Law. However, the Sabbath was also the day that the chief priests petitioned for the presence of a guard outside of the tomb. While Jesus friends and followers were experiencing gut-wrenching grief, the men that had conspired to kill Jesus decided that they still could not feel safe. Their work was still not done. And at their request, Pilate gave the help that they needed to do as much as physically possible to secure the burial site.
By man’s standards, every precaution had been made, every loophole tied shut, every hope of deception squashed. However, even the chief priests, the men that should have understood the power of Almighty God like none other, underestimated the delivering power of God. They should have known that any effort they pursued would fail. However, they were looking through blinded eyes. They were looking at the situation applying human knowledge where they should have pursued godly wisdom.
Jesus’ disciples and followers were not immune to this attitude either. Rather, his closest friends were planning to return to the grave in hopes to better prepare the dead body. They did not expect to find an empty tomb. They were not expecting anything out of the ordinary. They disregarded the prophecy made about his return. They expected defeat. But what they would find would change their attitudes, their understanding, and their lives.
After sunset on Saturday evening, some shops in town would have reopened for business. It is believed at this time, the women bought the spices that they intended to use for Jesus’ body. Mark tells us of their preparation after the Sabbath, and this would seem the most logical time.
Early on Sunday morning, the women arose and went to the tomb. Mary Magdelene was not the only woman to go to the tomb that morning. Rather, Mary the mother of James, Salome, Joanna and other women were present as well. John’s gospel chooses to focus on Mary Magdelene. But even John’s gospel gives allusion to the presence of others at the tomb. In Mary’s address to Peter she says, “…and we do not know where they have laid Him.”
To join the different gospel accounts, one of two things took place. Either Mary Magdelene went ahead of the group to the tomb first, or all of the women began their journey to the tomb before daylight and arrived sometime shortly after dawn. I tend to ere more on the side of the latter.
During their journey, the women had a realization. Talking amongst themselves, they remembered the presence of the stone. And in remembering the stone, they realized that they did not bring any men with them to move the stone. They would have been unaware of the posting of the guard and the seal placed on the tomb. The last time that they were present at the tomb was Friday. The placement of the guard did not happen until Saturday.
However, during their journey something amazing happened. God, knowing the thoughts and concerns of these ladies, sent an angel to move the stone aside.
Matthew tells us of a detail that the other three authors leave out. He mentions the earthquake and the angel to roll the stone away from the opening of the tomb. It is generally accepted that the earthquake and rolling away of the stone happened during or before the journey to the tomb. The women in their reports make no mention of it- so it is generally assumed that they did not experience this part of the story.
Upon the appearance of the angel, the Roman guards became exceedingly afraid. They literally became so afraid that they fainted. Now this is an image that brings a chuckle. Here are two men that serve in the same military as the men that were so brutal in their treatment of Jesus. These are two men that are part of the most feared military regiment of their day- men renowned for their harshness and cruelty. These brawny, tough soldiers become completely paralyzed by fear.
In our mind’s eye, there are many times when we try to imagine angels. And for most people, they think of angels as wimpy, glowing individuals. People think of cuddly beings that wouldn’t hurt a fly. Unfortunately, we have a very skewed view of angels. There are many times that our envisionings could not be further from the truth. Angels are not wimpy. Rather, these are heaven’s warriors and messengers. These are the people that are entrusted with the power necessary to carry out God’s purpose. These are beings that paralyze even the toughest men. If you recall, there was an angel that killed 185,000 men in one night. They need to be feared. These are men that deliver God’s message with authority and power.
In piecing the different stories together, we think that the men awoke and fled when they realized that the stone was open and Jesus was gone. These were men that now had a new fear altogether. Their failure to perform their guard duty was punishable by death.
In the text, the women arrived, there were no guards. Rather, they arrived to find the tomb open.
Now let me clarify something else here. The angel did not come and open the tomb so that Jesus could get out. Rather, he came and opened the tomb so that Jesus’ followers could get in. Jesus was not held in by the stone. Rather, those women would have been kept out- and could not have seen the evidence of his resurrection.
As the women enter into the tomb, the do not find the body of Jesus. Their reaction is the same as what your and mine probably would have been. They were afraid and distraught. They expected to find a dead man- and instead found the empty wrapping. Their only logical explanation was to think that his body had been stolen.
I can only imagine the turmoil and chaos in the tomb. Here are a group of ladies that loved Jesus, they came prepared to show their love through preparing his body- and there is NO BODY! I can almost hear the conversation and questioning in the tomb. Can you almost sense the tenseness and worry in their voices?
Then suddenly in the midst of them appear two men- two angels. These men delivered perhaps the greatest message ever delivered. “He is not here. He is risen.”
It is amazing how seven little words can change eternity. Seven words changed the attitudes of their hearts. Seven words changed their sorrow into rejoicing. Seven words changed their eternal fate.
The angels reminded the women of Jesus’ very words. They delivered a message that would spark a memory in their mind. When the angel told reminded them of his words, suddenly their memory rushed back. Suddenly, their personal experiences with Christ were brought into focus and his very words resonated in their ears.
Well, at this point, there was no need to continue to stand around and visit in the tomb. There was no body to wrap or spices to apply. Rather, there was a mission that was entrusted to these women. They had to spread the word of what they had seen and were told.
I have to wonder as to what the journey back to town was like. Did the ladies talk amongst themselves and analyze what they heard? Did they elect a spokesperson for the group? Did they each walk and think about their individual experiences with Christ? Did they run?
We do not have a recording from their journey back, nor do we have written dialogue. However, I can almost hear the excited conversation. If they were not running, I certainly think that they were walking quite fast. There was once again excitement and reason for celebration. The heartache that they had endured just three days prior was changed and magnified into unsurmountable excitement.
When they returned to tell the disciples of what they had seen, there was a sense of disbelief. For some of those that heard the story, they simply disregarded it as nonsense. Some probably saw it as hysteria and anguish simply boiling over. However, for two men, they had to know for themselves.
Luke tells us only of Peter arising and running to the tomb. However, the gospel of John tells us that both John and Peter ran to the tomb.
I can see this scene. Here are two former fishermen. Here are two men that were the closest to Jesus being informed that he has risen. Here are two men that wasted no time in getting to the sight of this miracle.
We find that John actually beats Peter to the sight. And as Peter gets there, he finds John standing outside the tomb. I can see him trying to regain his breath. John was the first to arrive, but Peter was the first to actually enter the tomb.
How is it always Peter? I guess it was just in his personality. He was always the first- typically to stick his foot in his mouth.
Peter goes into the tomb and is joined soon thereafter by John. As they are looking around, Peter stoops down to examine the linen cloths. There where Jesus was laid was evidence of his resurrection.
If Jesus’ body had been stolen, grave robbers would not have bothered to remove the wrap, much less fold things neatly. Rather, Jesus simply came through the cloths. Much the same way that he will later do in the appearance in the upper room, he was not bound by physical matter. I believe that Jesus simply sat up out of those clothes and walked out of the tomb. He didn’t have to move the stone. Rather, he simply decided that the grave was not the place for him.
After seeing this for themselves, these men too decided that they need not waste their time looking for the dead among the dead. Luke tells us that Peter left and marveled to himself at what happened.
I believe that there is far too little marveling today. For the average Christian, the story of the resurrection is something that you hear year in and out. It is a story that is approached with familiarity and commonality.
I wish that I could remember the first time that I heard this story. I can only imagine the awe that arose within me. Even today, I can see the look of amazement and excitement in my daughter’s eyes when talking about this. So why is it that we no longer marvel at what he has done?
Just last week I said that if you ever got a real glimpse at the cross, you would never be the same. Let me amend that statement. If you ever allow yourself to experience his resurrection, you will find promise that never before existed. You will find hope in times of hopelessness- you’ll find hope for tomorrow.
Jesus died on the cross for you and I. He endured all that this world could give him. He died the most cruel death ever devised and listened to our mockery all the while. It is an amazing story. But the true beauty of the story comes in the resurrection.
You and I can die for someone. Only the Son of God could conquer death for all of us. Only Jesus would arise for us. Jesus loved us not just enough to die for us, but to return after we treated him with hatred and disregard.
What have you done since you found the empty cloths? Have you determined to surrender to the one that loved you more than life itself? Have you decided to serve the one that paid your penalty?
The story is plain and simple. And the story is still not over. The fact is that there will be a day when he comes back again. There will be a day when he calls his own out of the grave. There will come a day when he will come to take his own with him.
We must realize that we are accountable for what we have done with his death and resurrection. Have we approached it with indifference? Or has it sparked true surrender in our lives?