Why We Believe in Easter

[podcast]http://www.revkwon.com/podcast/believe-easter_2015.mp3[/podcast] When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. ² Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb ³ and they asked each other, “Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?” ⁴ But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. ⁵ As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. ⁶ “Don’t be alarmed,” he said. “You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. ⁷ But go, tell his disciples and Peter, ‘He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.’” ⁸ Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid. I want to show you something this Easter: Fear incapacitates our potential. The reason I’m teaching this to you is simple. Because when we witness something and become afraid of sharing what you witness, your potential becomes limited. You become stuck. Just imagine with me for a minute, a caveman finds fire because lightning hits a tree. What if he were afraid of the fire because of its warmth. Wouldn’t that mean, we’d still be huddling together in dark caves unable to keep warm? Better yet, what if our parents or grandparents were fearful of what the future will bring them in America? Where would we be? Would even have the opportunities we have if it weren’t for them being brave? If it weren’t for them believing in the witness of the power of Christ rising from death? The Marys were fearful. That fear incapacitated their potential. The angel sitting at Jesus’ tomb said, go tell Jesus’ disciples and Peter. But what did they do? They ran away from the tomb. You have to begin to wonder, what were they so afraid of? At the end it really doesn’t matter. Jesus was brave and was not afraid. Not even afraid of death. When he died, he paid the price we owed. When he rose, he unleashed our potential. Listen to what the Apostle Paul says about why we cannot be afraid about sharing what we believe: And as for us, why do we endanger ourselves every hour? I face death every day—yes, just as surely as I boast about you in Christ Jesus our Lord. If I fought wild beasts in Ephesus with no more than human hopes, what have I gained? (1 Corinthians 15:30-32a) Don’t let fear incapacitate your potential. See, but fear isn’t the only thing that limits your potential. The second thing that limits your potential is DISBELIEF. Disbelief should not comfort us. But it does. It’s more satisfying to be a doubter than to believe in anything. The skeptic in us makes it feel better even when it’s not better. Let’s read verse 9 from Mark 16. ⁹ When Jesus rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had driven seven demons. ¹⁰ She went and told those who had been with him and who were mourning and weeping. ¹¹ When they heard that Jesus was alive and that she had seen him, they did not believe it. Your past should not stop your testimony. I think this is in here for reason because it’s such a random piece of information that Mark gives us here. Mary M, out of whom Jesus had driven seven demons…. Come on, this is not something you just mention to readers. Mark tells us this because it is probably why the disciples disbelieved the testimony. But do you see here that Mary spoke up and testified anyways. We’re so afraid sometimes to just tell people what we believe. More than that, we’re so silly when we hide behind who we were. That’s not who we are in Christ. That’s not why Jesus died on a cross. That’s not why Jesus was resurrected from the dead. We are all abnormally born, we have the grace of God within us that works for us which testifies to who we are. ¹² Afterward Jesus appeared in a different form to two of them while they were walking in the country. ¹³ These returned and reported it to the rest; but they did not believe them either. ¹⁴ Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen. Disbelieving the gospel makes our faith useless. This is what always drives me crazy in the head. If these guys spent three years listening to what Jesus was preaching, why in the world did they doubt the good news? It wasn’t the first time that they had heard this information. Jesus was telling them about it all along. You see, it’s one thing not to believe somebody why a questionable history, but it’s totally another thing not to listen to somebody you’re close to and know. More than that, when we disbelieve God knowing what we know, we are undoing the whole purpose of why we are being called. I want to wrap up the sermon here today this Easter. Because we are talking about what we believe this month and in this series, I want to leave you with this thought: God works with you to do signs and wonders when you get up and get out. Let’s read verse 15 and pick it up. ¹⁵ He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. ¹⁶ Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned. ¹⁷ And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons; they will speak in new tongues; ¹⁸ they will pick up snakes with their hands; and when they drink deadly poison, it will not hurt them at all; they will place their hands on sick people, and they will get well.” ¹⁹ After the Lord Jesus had spoken to them, he was taken up into heaven and he sat at the right hand of God. ²⁰ Then the disciples went out and preached everywhere, and the Lord worked with them and confirmed his word by the signs that accompanied it. What do you believe? I want to ask you? Are you working like God is working with you? Are you living in a way that you would believe Jesus is alive? Or are you living in a way that has nothing more to live for than this life here and now. I want you to know that this Easter, we are going to start living like we believe Jesus resurrected from the dead and from that miracles pours forth in and through our lives for something amazing to unfold by the grace and glory of God. Don’t be alarmed, you are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. (Mark 16:6) It is because Jesus is risen we have new life and hope to believe in a future unhindered by sin and death.