Sunday’s Coming: The Promise of Heaven

 Sunday’s Coming: The Promise of Heaven

Opening Illustration:

Good morning brothers and sisters. Wow, we have finally made it. For the past several weeks we have been looking forward to this day. We walked together through Palm Sunday. We saw Jesus enter Jerusalem on a donkey. Then His passion week began. Jesus was bold in the days leading up to His betrayal and capture. He taught. He healed. He publicly preached. People clamored to be near Him. They shouted “Hosanna”! Then Thursday came. Jesus provided the disciples a model of a servant and gave them a mandate to serve one another. 

John 13:14 GNT

I, your Lord and Teacher, have just washed your feet. You, then, should wash one another's feet.

After Jesus washes the disciple’s feet, Judas included, He heads to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. He takes the disciples with Him where they promptly fall asleep. Jesus is confronted by Judas and armed soldiers. He is taken into custody. He endures a series of beatings, lashings, whippings. He is tried and traded from the Sanhedrin, to Herod, to Pilate. The Sanhedrin accused Him of blasphemy. Herod wanted Him to perform party tricks. Pilate was told that He was an enemy of Rome. Pilate is warned by his wife that he should let this troublemaker and rabble-rouser go free. Fearing that the people would revolt against him, Pilate offers the crowd a choice. The thief and criminal Barabbas or Jesus of Nazareth. Pilate is shocked that the people pick the criminal Barabbas so he washes his hands of the affair. Pilate orders his men to beat Jesus on final time before He is crucified. Jesus is lead to Calvery where He undergoes the torment of the cross for 6 long excruciating hours. This is Good Friday. There was nothing good about Good Friday. We call it “good” because we have the benefit today of hindsight. It was only “good” because we know the end of the story. Jesus is dead on Friday. 

Jesus’ body is removed. Nicodemus the Pharisee and Joseph of Arimathea negotiates with the Roman authorities to take possession of Jesus’ body. Rome gives the body of Christ to His family. His body is hurriedly wrapped in linen cloth and placed in a borrowed grave. Friday is finally over. The darkest day in human history has come to a conclusion. 

Saturday comes. The disciples hide. The Sabbath is observed. 

The sun rises early Sunday. The women head to the tomb. Their path is difficult to follow because tears cloud their vision. When they arrive at the tomb they notice that the stone that once sealed the entrance of Joseph’s tomb has been removed. The body of Jesus is gone. They are greeted by two men in dazzling clothing. “Why do you look for the living among the dead. He is not here! He is risen”.

Christ has risen!

Congregation:

“He has risen indeed!”

That brings me to my first point this morning. What did we learn last week? We learned that through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God’s abundant life is available for anyone! Jesus death atones for my sin, your sin, everyone’s sin. His death and resurrection brings peace between mankind and God. Romans 6 tells us that this gift of salvation is a free gift. It is offered to every man, woman, boy and girl. 

In fact, that statement brings me to the next point. Today’s thought is simple, Jesus rose from the dead, restoring hope to humanity. 

Illustration:

Many of you have probably never heard of William Edward Sangster. Sangster was born in 1900 in London, England. He was born to Christian parents who regularly prayed for him. They provided him a Christian education and model servant leadership to young William. William Edward Sangster is quoted saying, “I believe that I was born to be a minister. I cannot recall a time in my life when I was without a sense of holy vocation”. From his earliest memories, William Sangster believed that God had a supreme calling on his life to preach the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus Christ. Sangster spent his adult years preaching, teaching, and writing. In the 1950’s Sangster began to notice weakness in his voice. He began to drag his leg behind him. He found out that he possessed an incurable disease that caused muscular atrophy. Eventually his muscles would waste away, his voice would fail, and he would be unable to swallow. After his diagnosis, he threw himself into his calling. He preached and taught more than ever. Wherever he was called to speak, he obliged. Gradually William Edward Sangster’s legs became useless. His voice failed him. He still could write although not well. On Easter morning, just a few weeks before he died, he wrote a letter to his daughter. In it, he said, "It is terrible to wake up on Easter morning and have no voice to shout, ’He is risen!’-but it would be still more terrible to have a voice and not want to shout."

So friends, last time I checked, all of our voices work. So, let’s stand to give Jesus His proper praise. Let’s say it one more time. 

Christ has risen!

Congregation:

“He has risen indeed!”

He has risen indeed! 

Thank God for that resurrection. The resurrection is central to our faith. Without it, we have no hope. No hope and no heaven. Timothy Keller wrote about the centrality of the resurrection and its relation to our enteral destination. 

"The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the ultimate assurance that we have been saved from sin and death, and that we will one day be with him in heaven."

What Did We Learn Last Week:

God’s Abundant Life Is Available For Anyone!

Today’s Thought:

Jesus Rose From The Dead, Restoring Hope To Humanity!

Today’s Quote:

"The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the ultimate assurance that we have been saved from sin and death, and that we will one day be with him in heaven."

-Timothy Keller

Background and Context:

John 14 is part of Jesus' farewell message to his disciples at the Last Supper, just before his arrest and crucifixion. In this passage, Jesus is preparing his disciples for his departure and assuring them that they will not be left alone, as he will send the Holy Spirit to be with them. He tells them that he is the way, the truth, and the life, and that no one can come to the Father except through him. He also promises that if they ask anything in his name, he will do it for them according to the will of His Father. Overall, the passage is about the relationship between Jesus, his disciples, and God, and the importance of faith and trust in that relationship.

Statement of Faith:

We believe the Bible to be inspired, God breathed, infallible, and authoritative. We believe the Bible is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting, and training believer’s in righteousness. God’s Word gives life. It provides peace in trouble and protection in tribulation. It is alive, active, and cuts to the core of the human soul. Since there is no other book like it, let us stand to show our reverence and respect.  

Today’s Scripture:

John 14:1-14 ESV

"Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. [2] In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? [3] And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. [4] And you know the way to where I am going." [5] Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?" [6] Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. [7] If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him." [8] Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us." [9] Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? [10] Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. [11] Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves. [12] "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. [13] Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. [14] If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

3 Truths Guaranteed By Jesus From John 14

Truth One: The Promise of the Resurrection vs. 1-3

John 14:1-3 ESV

"Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. [2] In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? [3] And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.

Point:

Brothers and sisters, do you know how many promises are made in the Bible? Any idea? You might be thinking “a lot” and you’d be correct. There are 8,810 proxies in the Bible. There are so many promises in the Bible that you could call the Bible a promise book! Nearly 7,500 of those promises are made by God to mankind. 

Of all the promises that are made, the promise of resurrection after death may be the most important. In John 11:25, Jesus says the following, “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live…”. Did you catch that, Jesus actually states that He is the resurrection. He is the one who gives life. Abundant life as we discussed last week. That’s promise number one. You might even call it guarantee number one. Then He attaches another promise to the guarantee. Because of His guarantee, we can share in His resurrection and life. If we believe in Him. Trust in Him. Obey Him, then we will have life. 

Even if we die. Friends, everyone who has ever lived has died. Everyone in this room will one day die. Some of us will die old some will die sadly young. Some of us will have our deaths predicted by doctors and others of us will die suddenly. But rest assured, death will come for us all. One day death will knock on all of our doors. The question is, who will answer the call. 

You see brothers and sisters, someone has to answer the door. You can answer the door or Jesus and can answer it. If you believe in Christ, put your trust in Him, obey His commands, confess your sin to Him, when death comes to deliver Jesus is the one who accepts the package. 

“Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live”.

You might be wondering, “but Stuart what does it mean to believe”. That is a good question. Thankfully, if you dig a little deeper into John 11:25, you get the answer. The word “believe” is translated pisteuō (piss-two-oh). To believe in Jesus simply means to put your confidence in Him. What does that mean? Good question. It means to have faith that what Jesus says is true. You display belief and faith all the time. You are showing faith in our pews to hold you up. You showed faith your car when you got into it this morning. You believed that your car would not explode into a fireball as you drove down 98 this morning. Here is a better picture. It is like you are flying at an altitude of 25,000 feet. The plane is going down. You can go down in the plane or you can grab the parachute. You put that parachute on and you put your faith in that parachute to gently glide you down to the ground. That is belief. That is faith. That is what it looks like to believe in the promise of the resurrection. 

You believe in guarantee that Jesus made and you allow Jesus to answer the door of your life when death shows up to deliver his package. 

Thank God for the promise of resurrection. Listen to how Paul understood the promise of Jesus’ resurrection. 

1 Corinthians 15:20-22 ESV

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. [21] For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. [22] For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.

Truth Two: The Power of the Resurrection vs. 4-7

John 14:4-7 ESV

 [4] And you know the way to where I am going." [5] Thomas said to him, "Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?" [6] Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. [7] If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him."

Point:

So our first point is the promise of the resurrection. The second point today is the power of the resurrection. One might say that the resurrection was the most powerful event in human history. After all, no one in all of human history has died and days later resurrected. You might be thinking, “Preacher, what about Lazarus? What about Elijah or Enoch”? Those examples are not at all the same as Jesus. Let’s look at Lazarus. Lazarus was an ordinary man. He was not God incarnate or a deity of any kind. Lazarus was a man, just like you and me. We do not know how or why Lazarus died but we do know that he was in his grave for 4 days. Lazarus had to have the outside intervention of Jesus Christ to raise him from the dead. When Lazarus was resurrected, he carried no power, he held no authority, and his resurrection did not promise life or liberty for anyone. In fact, it is safe to believe that Lazarus did indeed die again. Jesus, after His resurrection, never returned to the grave. Jesus did not need outside assistance. No human being brought Him back. Jesus’ death proved His deity and gave proof and validity to His promises. His resurrection transfers life to all those who believe in Him and who are obedient to His commands. What about Enoch and Elijah? Technically speaking neither of these men ever died. They were simply taken. 

No friend, the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the singular event in all human history. 

It doesn’t matter if you are a Muslim or Mormon. 

It does’t matter if you are a Jehovah’s Witness or Wicca. 

It doesn’t matter if you are an atheist or agnostic. 

It doesn’t matter if you are Jew or Jesuit.

Today, some 8 billion people on planet earth are presented with the same empty tomb in Jerusalem and they have to answer for themselves as to why that tomb is empty. 

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is not on the singular event in all of human history, it is also the most powerful event in human history. Why? The resurrection of Jesus Christ is transformational. It changes you, renovating your very soul. 

2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is also transitional. It doesn’t just change you, it relocates you. From hell to heaven. From enemy to friend. From outside to in the family.  

Jesus in John 14 states that He is going to prepare a place for us. A new address. Not made or built by human hands, rather built by Jesus Himself. We have been adopted into a new family. Jesus paid the price for that adoption in His blood. Today we are sons and daughters of the Lord. 

Romans 8:15 ESV

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!”

Oh friends, the resurrection is indeed powerful. The resurrection validated Jesus’ claim to be God in the flesh. The resurrection of Jesus destroyed man’s greatest and most relentless enemy. Think about it, doctor and scientist have searched for ways to keep people alive or bring humans back from the dead. They have spent billions of dollars and countless man hours to solve the mystery of death. In spite of all the medical and technological advances, the death rate for human kind is absolutely 100%. However, the resurrection of Jesus Christ conquered death. It crushed the head of Satan. The resurrection is powerful because it also proves that there is life after death for the followers of Jesus Christ. Listen to Paul’s words captured in Romans 6. 

Romans 6:4-5 ESV

We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. [5] For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.

Truth Three: The Purpose of the Resurrection vs. 8-14

John 14:L8-14 ESV

[8] Philip said to him, "Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us." [9] Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? [10] Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. [11] Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves. [12] "Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father. [13] Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. [14] If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.

Point:

Three truths! Truth one, we have a promise of resurrection. Truth two, there is power in the resurrection. Truth three, there is the purpose of the resurrection. Simply put, the purpose of the resurrection is atonement for sins. Whose sins? My sins. Your sins. Everyone’s sins. The Old Testament prophet Isaiah stated that our sins, our transgressions, our iniquities have separated us from God. 

Friends, did you know that there are two deaths that plague humanity? There is the physical death that was guaranteed through the fall of man in Genesis 3. Everyone will experience physical death. But then there is a second death. That second death occurs after our physical death when we deny the Lordship and authority of Jesus Christ in our lives. Spiritual death occurs when we are separated from God for eternity in a place called hell. If we physically die in our sins without embracing a relationship with Jesus Christ and obeying His commands, we experience the spiritual death.

That spiritual death is a payment for sin. Romans 6 tells us that the wages or payment for sin is death. Not just physical death but spiritual death or separation from God. God’s justice, before the cross of Jesus Christ, was satisfied through sacrifice. Annually unblemished animals were brought to the synagogue and killed. Their blood poured out satisfying Levitical law. However, this routine of yearly sacrifice had to be repeated over and over again throughout the ages. Until Jesus. 

Jesus came, perfect, unblemished, God, with perfect blood. Romans 5:8 tells us that God demonstrated His love for us, while we were yet sinners, Jesus died for us. He suffered the physical death and spiritual separation that was owed to us. When we put our faith in Him, we are spared God’s wrath because His wrath was poured out on Jesus instead of us. 

The purpose of the resurrection guaranteed our salvation and it satisfied God’s justice and wrath for sin. Without the resurrection of Jesus, justice is not satisfied and if we were to die in our sin, we spiritually live eternally separated from God. To believe in the resurrection is to believe in God. If God exists and if He created the universe and has power over it, then He has power to raise the dead. 

The purpose of the resurrection is that it guarantees heaven for all those who believe. 

What do you believe today friend about the resurrection? Is it true? Is it real? You can try to explain it away but all the excuses as to why that resurrection all fall short with the exception of Jesus being alive. 

Will you put you faith in Him today? Will you obey His commands? 

Point:

Have everyone bow their heads. Tell them that they can embrace Jesus Christ today. They can experience resurrection one day if they put their faith in Christ. Invite them to pray this prayer, to step forward, and make that decision known. 

The Sinner’s Prayer:

The "Sinner's Prayer" is a simple prayer that someone can pray to confess their sins and ask for forgiveness. Here is an example:

"Dear God, I know that I am a sinner and I need your forgiveness. I believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for my sins and rose from the dead. I confess Jesus as my Lord and Savior and ask you to come into my heart and take control of my life. Thank you for saving me and making me a part of your family. Amen."

Jesus Has Made A Way!

Bibliography:

Websites:

https://www.sermoncentral.com/sermon-illustrations/66837/easter-by-bobby-scobey

https://www.preaching.com/articles/past-masters/william-edwin-sangster-an-evangelical-greatheart/

https://www.ibelieve.com/faith/where-does-the-phrase-he-is-risen-indeed-come-from.html

https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/mhc/Jhn/Jhn_014.cfm

https://www.gotquestions.org/resurrection-Christ-important.html

https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-stories/the-resurrection-of-jesus-bible-story.html

https://www.moodybible.org/beliefs/positional-statements/resurrection/

Books:

"The Case for Christ" by Lee Strobel

"The Resurrection of Jesus: A New Historiographical Approach" by Michael Licona

"The Resurrection of the Son of God" by N.T. Wright

"The Resurrection Factor: Compelling Evidence Which Proves the Resurrection of Jesus Christ" by Josh McDowell

"The Resurrection: A Critical Inquiry" by Michael Alter

"Surprised by Hope: Rethinking Heaven, the Resurrection, and the Mission of the Church" by N.T. Wright

"The Resurrection of the Dead" by John Polkinghorne

"The Resurrection: Myth or Reality?" by John Shelby Spong

"The Resurrection of Jesus: A Jewish Perspective" by Pinchas Lapide

"The Resurrection of Jesus: A Sourcebook" by Bernard Brandon Scott.

Articles:

"The Resurrection of Jesus: A Clinical Review of Psychiatric Hypotheses for the Biblical Story of Easter" by Harold G. Koenig and H. Newton Malony

"The Resurrection of Jesus: A Jewish Perspective" by Pinchas Lapide

"The Resurrection of Jesus: A Historical Inquiry" by William Lane Craig

"The Resurrection of Jesus Christ: A Medical Perspective" by David M. Ball and John C. Gregory

"The Resurrection of Jesus Christ: A Source-Based Analysis" by Gary R. Habermas

"The Resurrection of Jesus: A New Historiographical Approach" by Michael Licona

Commentaries:

"The MacArthur New Testament Commentary" by John MacArthur

"The New International Commentary on the New Testament" by various authors

"The Tyndale New Testament Commentaries" by various authors

"The Pillar New Testament Commentary" by various authors

"The Holman New Testament Commentary" by various authors