““He is Risen”He is Risen”

Easter Sunday MessageEaster Sunday Message

The Gospels The Gospels

Jesus told them He would be Jesus told them He would be going away and that they going away and that they could not come with Him.could not come with Him.

He tells them, “I will not He tells them, “I will not leave you orphans; I will leave you orphans; I will

come to you.”come to you.”

He tells them that for all their He tells them that for all their belief, they are going to belief, they are going to

abandon Him.abandon Him.

Jesus chose to get deeply in Jesus chose to get deeply in prayer with the Father, and prayer with the Father, and He told His disciple to pray He told His disciple to pray also; so they would not fall also; so they would not fall

into temptation.into temptation.

His prayers and anguish His prayers and anguish were so intense that He were so intense that He

sweat from His brow great sweat from His brow great drops of blood.drops of blood.

Jesus said to Peter, “Put Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword into the sheath. your sword into the sheath.

Shall I not drink the cup Shall I not drink the cup which My Father has given which My Father has given

Me.”Me.”

One of the temple officers One of the temple officers struck Jesus in the face struck Jesus in the face

with the palm of his hand. with the palm of his hand. Then, they blindfolded Him Then, they blindfolded Him and beat and mocked Him.and beat and mocked Him.

Suddenly, the rooster Suddenly, the rooster crowed, and Peter felt the full crowed, and Peter felt the full weight of what he had done. weight of what he had done.

The words of Jesus came The words of Jesus came flooding back to him; “Before flooding back to him; “Before

the rooster crows you will the rooster crows you will deny Me three times.”deny Me three times.”

Judas threw the silver Judas threw the silver down; and rather than down; and rather than repent and seek God’s repent and seek God’s

abundant mercy and grace, abundant mercy and grace, he went out an hung he went out an hung

himself.himself.

Pilate had Jesus scourged. Pilate had Jesus scourged. A flagrum, which is a whip A flagrum, which is a whip

with multiple strips of with multiple strips of leather, with shards of glass leather, with shards of glass

or iron spikes attached to or iron spikes attached to the ends of each strip; was the ends of each strip; was used to scourge the entire used to scourge the entire

body of Christ.body of Christ.

They spat on Him and They spat on Him and mocked Him, “King of the mocked Him, “King of the

Jews.” Then, they made Him Jews.” Then, they made Him a crown from a thorny bush a crown from a thorny bush and beat it onto His head.and beat it onto His head.

All but John had run away. Only All but John had run away. Only John and the three Mary’s (Mary John and the three Mary’s (Mary

Jesus mother, Mary of Magdalene, Jesus mother, Mary of Magdalene, Mary the wife of Clopas) and Jesus Mary the wife of Clopas) and Jesus

aunt.aunt.Long gone are the throngs whom Long gone are the throngs whom

He healed, and all those He set He healed, and all those He set free from demon possession. free from demon possession.

And, what of the three people He And, what of the three people He brought back to life?, No where to brought back to life?, No where to

be found!be found!

But, even now Jesus prays to the But, even now Jesus prays to the Father for their sake saying, Father for their sake saying,

“Father, forgive them, for they do “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.”not know what they do.”

Jesus answered him, “Assuredly, Jesus answered him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with I say to you, today you will be with

Me in Paradise.”Me in Paradise.”

With a loud cry He said, “Eloi, Eloi, With a loud cry He said, “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? Which is lama sabachthani? Which is

Aramaic for “My God, My God, Aramaic for “My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?why have you forsaken Me?

Jesus mustered up His final Jesus mustered up His final words, “Father, into Your hands I words, “Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit, It is finished!”commit My spirit, It is finished!”

As the Sabbath was quickly As the Sabbath was quickly drawing near, Joseph of drawing near, Joseph of

Arimathea, a member of the Arimathea, a member of the Sanhedrin and a follower of Sanhedrin and a follower of Jesus begged for the body Jesus begged for the body of Jesus, so He could be of Jesus, so He could be

buried.buried.

Mary Magdalene was Mary Magdalene was especially sad, Jesus had especially sad, Jesus had delivered her from seven delivered her from seven

demons. He had given her demons. He had given her freedom and a new life, but freedom and a new life, but

what kind of life would there what kind of life would there be now that He was gone?be now that He was gone?

As she made her way she As she made her way she could see that the stone had could see that the stone had been taken away. The Greek been taken away. The Greek

word for taken away is word for taken away is “Ah’ee’ro” which means to “Ah’ee’ro” which means to

“carry off” to “remove.”“carry off” to “remove.”

Then John came in, and as Then John came in, and as he looked upon the folded he looked upon the folded

cloths, he believed.cloths, he believed.

Not only was He gone from her in Not only was He gone from her in life, but now she thought Him life, but now she thought Him

gone from her in death.gone from her in death.

Then, Jesus in His familiar Then, Jesus in His familiar voice and with His familiar voice and with His familiar way simply calls her by her way simply calls her by her

name, “Mary!”name, “Mary!”

She hugged Him with every She hugged Him with every ounce of love she could ounce of love she could

humanly muster.humanly muster.

Saying, “Why are you Saying, “Why are you troubled? And why do doubts troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? Behold arise in your hearts? Behold My hands and My feet, it is I My hands and My feet, it is I

Myself. Handle Me and see, for Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and a spirit does not have flesh and

bones as you see I have.”bones as you see I have.”

The words, “It is finished!” The words, “It is finished!” Now find there full meaning Now find there full meaning in three other words, “He is in three other words, “He is

Risen”Risen”

Risen indeed!Risen indeed!