THE PAPER WAS WRONG !!

Easter Sermon - April , 2009
By : Pastor Mike Stahl

The Nazareth News :

Monday , April 10, AD 30.
Section E - Page 7 :

OBITUARIES :

CHRIST , Jesus - died this past Friday , April 7 , AD 30 , about 3:00 p.m by crucifixion .  He was 33-years of age .

He was born to Mary and Joseph, the carpenter from Galilee. He was preceded in death by a father, Joseph. He is survived by his mother, Mary of Capernaum, also by His brothers, James, Joseph, Judas and Simon, also of Capernaum and several other sisters.

During His lifetime, it was rumored -  He received some notoriety and publicity because of unusual occurrences associated with His life as a minister ,  such as the blind seeing, the deaf hearing, and the lame walking. It was also rumored that He radically changed people’s lives.

Most recently ,  last Sunday in Jerusalem, large Passover crowds hailed Him as king. Shortly thereafter, the crowds turned against Him. This past Friday afternoon, He was sentenced to death by the Roman procurator, Pontius Pilate, representing the Roman Empire in Jerusalem. He was killed at three o’clock in the afternoon on Golgotha hill, the hill of the crucifixion, outside the walls of Jerusalem. His burial was in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea.

His family requests that no flowers be sent, but rather all people shout with joy ,as this newspaper has located a citizen who told us , "
. .he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you. "

And so , my brothers and sisters this is how I think Jesus' hypothetical obituary would read from the ficticious " Nazareth News ."

Now , had that "obituary" been printed in the "Nazareth News", everyone would have thought that the Jesus movement had ended. Its leader was now dead. His disciples had disappeared. The stories of miracles would fade away. That little episode would become one small slice of Roman history. It would have been like a pebble thrown into a pond: it would have made a momentary splash and the ripples gradually would fade away and disappear. And so it was with Jesus of Nazareth. His life was a momentary splash. His reputation, his memory, his teachings would have faded into the smoothness of the sea…..except…..except for one unique event.. .  on the third day, unbelievably, they discovered the grave empty ! Jesus of Nazareth had been raised from the dead by the mighty powers of God!  He was alive again ! Recognizable and identifiable ! He was alive again, in a new way, in a new kind of body that would never taste death.
And so they shouted, “He is risen! Alleluia! That obituary was wrong. They said he was dead, over and done with. Wrong. They were wrong.”

Now , prior to His crucifixion ( I call it MURDER ! ) , the religious leaders sure weren't interested in giving Jesus a fair trial ! In their minds , Jesus HAD to die ! This blind obsession led them to pervert the justice THEY were appointed to protect !

Below are some examples of the actions taken by the religious leaders that were illegal according to THEIR OWN LAWS !!

1 ) Even before the trial began , it had been determined that Jesus MUST die ! to wit ; " After two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death. "  ( Mark 14:1 ) . ; " Nor consider that it is expedient for us, that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation perish not. " ( John 11:50 .)

2 ) False witnesses were sought to testify against Jesus ( " Now the chief priests, and elders, and all the council, sought false witness against Jesus, to put him to death . " Matthew 26:59 ) . Usually the religious leaders went through an elaborate system of screening witnesses to ensure justice .

3 ) NO defense for Jesus was sought OR allowed ! ( " Art thou the Christ? tell us. And he said unto them, If I tell you, ye will not believe: And if I also ask you, ye will not answer me, nor let me go. Hereafter shall the Son of man sit on the right hand of the power of God. Then said they all, Art thou then the Son of God? And he said unto them, Ye say that I am. And they said, What need we any further witness? for we ourselves have heard of his own mouth. " Luke 22: 67-71 ) .

4 ) The trial was conducted at night . ( " And straightway in the morning the chief priests held a consultation with the elders and scribes and the whole council, and bound Jesus, and carried him away, and delivered him to Pilate. " - Mark 15:1 ) . which was illegal according to the religious leaders OWN LAWS !

5 ) The High Priest put Jesus under oath , but then incriminated Him for what He said . ( " But Jesus held his peace, And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy. What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death. " - Matthew 26: 63-66 ) .

6 ) Cases involving such serious charges were to be tried ONLY in the Sanhedrin's regular meeting place , NOT in the High Priest's home ! ( " And they led Jesus away to the high priest: and with him were assembled all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes.  " - Mark 14:53 ) .

Now , after Jesus was railroaded by the religious leaders , they wanted His BLOOD !! in other words - DEATH !! so what do they do now ? - They bring Jesus before Pilate - who ADMITTED he found no fault with Jesus ! Luke 23:4-5 tells us that ; " Then said Pilate to the chief priests and to the people, I find no fault in this man. And they were the more fierce, saying, He stirreth up the people, teaching throughout all Jewry, beginning from Galilee to this place. "

But , Pilate , being the spineless maggot he was - figured he'd toss the proverbial hot potato to Herod . In 23:7 it tells us ; " And as soon as he knew that he belonged unto Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod, who himself also was at Jerusalem at that time. " You see , Herod , also called Herod Antipas , was in Jerusalem that weekend for the Passover celebration . ( This was the Herod who had killed John the Baptist . ) Pilate hoped to pass Jesus off on Herod , because he knew Jesus had lived and worked in Gaililee . But Herod was not much help . He was curious about Jesus and enjoyed making fun of Him , but when he sent Jesus back to Pilate it was with the verdict of INNOCENT !

Now , to set the stage for you , Pilate wanted to release Jesus , but the crowd loudly demanded His death , so Pilate sentenced Jesus to die . No doubt Pilate did not want to risk losing his position , which may already have been shaky , by allowing a riot to occur in his province . As a career politician , he knew the importance of compromise , and he saw Jesus more as a political threat than as a human being with rights and dignity .

When the stakes are high , it's hard to stand up for what is right , and is easy to see our opponents as problems to be solved rather than as people to be respected . Had Pilate been a man of REAL courage , he would have released Jesus no matter what the consequences . But the crowd roared , and Pilate buckled .

Now Jesus had been tried SIX TIMES !! ( 23:15 ; " No, nor yet Herod: for I sent you to him; and, lo, nothing worthy of death is done unto him. " ) , by BOTH Jewish and Roman authorities , but NEVER was he CONVICTED of a crime deserving death !

Today , no one can find fault in Jesus . But just like Pilate , Herod , and the religious leaders , many STILL REFUSE to acknowledge Him as Lord !

Now 23:18-19 tells us ; " And they cried out all at once, saying, Away with this man, and release unto us Barabbas: (Who for a certain sedition made in the city, and for murder, was cast into prison.) "  Barabbas had been part of a rebellion against the Roman government ( Mark 15:7 ) . As a political insurgent , he was no doubt a hero among some of the Jews . How ironic that Barabbas , who was RELEASED - was GUILTY of the very crime Jesus was accused of .

But who was Barabbas ? Jewish men had names that identified them with their fathers . Simon Peter , for example , is called Simon Bar-jona ( Matt. 16:17 ; also translated " Simon , son of Jonah " ) . Barabbas is never identified by his given name , and this name is not much help , either - bar-abbas means "son of papa ." He could have been anybody's son - and that's just the point .

Barabbas , son of an unnamed father , committed a crime .Because Jesus died in his place , this man was set free . We , too , are sinners and criminals against God's Holy law . Like Barabbas , we deserve to die . But Jesus has died in our place , for OUR sins ! , and we have been set free ! God adopts us ALL as His own sons and daughters and gives us the right to call Him Abba - " papa " ( cf. Galatians 4:4-6 ) .

Now Luke 23:22 LITERALLY brings tears to my eyes , " And he said unto them the third time, Why, what evil hath he done? I have found no cause of death in him: I will therefore chastise him, and let him go. " Because when Pilate said he would "chastise " Jesus , he DIDN'T mean scold ! he meant SCOURGE ! Any bible student can tell you that scourging in itself could have left Jesus DEAD ! The usual procedure was to bare the upper half of the victim's body and tie his hands to a pillar before whipping him with a three-pronged whip . The number of lashes was determined by the severity of the crime ; up to 40 were permitted under Jewish law . After being scourged , Jesus also endured other agonies as recorded in Matthew and Mark . He was SLAPPED ! STRUCK WITH FISTS ! AND MOCKED ! A CROWN OF THORNS WAS PLACED ON HIS HEAD ! AND HE WAS BEATEN AND STRUCK WITH A STICK AND STRIPPED BEFORE BEING HUNG ON THE CROSS !! ALL FOR US !!

Now 23-24 tells us ; " And they were instant with loud voices, requiring that he might be crucified. And the voices of them and of the chief priests prevailed. And Pilate gave sentence that it should be as they required. "

See , Pilate did not want to give Jesus the death sentence . He thought the Jewish leaders were simply jealous and wanted to get rid of a rival . When they threatened to report Pilate to Caesar ( John 19:12 ) , however , Pilate got scared . Historical records indicate that Pilate had already been warned by Roman authorities about tensions in this region . The last thing he needed was a riot in Jerusalem at Passover time , when the city was crowded with Jews from all over the empire . So he turned Jesus over to the mob to do with as they pleased .

Now , let's look ahead at 23:42-43 ; " And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, Today shalt thou be with me in paradise. "

Isn't it amazing how this dying criminal had MORE FAITH than the rest of Jesus' followers put together ? Although the disciples continued to love Jesus , their hopes for the Kingdom were shattered . Most of them had gone into hiding . As one of His followers sadly said two days later ," We trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel " ( 24:21 ) . By contrast , the criminal looked at the man dying next to him and said , "  Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. " By all appearances , the Kingdom was finished . How awe-inspiring is the faith of this man who alone saw beyond the present shame to the coming glory !

In 44-46 we read , " And it was about the sixth hour, and there was a darkness over all the earth until the ninth hour. And the sun was darkened, and the veil of the temple was rent (torn )  in the midst. And when Jesus had cried with a loud voice, he said, Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit: and having said thus, he gave up the ghost. "

Amazing , Huh ? Darkness covered the ENTIRE LAND for about three hours ! Now regardless of what the atheists say about an eclipse - this was SUPERNATURALY IMPOSED ! All nature seemed to mourn over the stark tragedy of the death of God's Son .

This significant event symbolized Christ's work on the cross . The Temple had three parts : the courts for all the people ; the Holy Place , where only priests could enter ; and the Most Holy Place , where the High Priest alone could enter once a year to atone for the sins of the people. It was in the Most Holy Place that the Ark of the Covenant , and God's presence with it  rested . The curtain that split was the one that closed off the Most Holy Place from view . At Christ's death , the barrier between God and man was torn apart ! Now , ALL PEOPLE are able to approach God DIRECTLY through Christ - AND NOT A PRIEST !! ( Hebrews 9: 1-14 ; 10:19-22 ) .

Now , who put Jesus in the tomb ? It tells us in 50-52 ; " And, behold, there was a man named Joseph, a counsellor; and he was a good man, and a just: (The same had not consented to the counsel and deed of them;) he was of Arimathaea, a city of the Jews: who also himself waited for the kingdom of God. This man went unto Pilate, and begged the body of Jesus. "

Joseph of Arimathaea was a wealthy and honored member of the Jewish Council . He was also a secret disciple of Jesus ( John 19:38 ) . The disciples who had publicly followed Jesus fled , but Joseph boldly took a stand that could cost him dearly . He cared enough about Jesus to ask for His body so he could give it a proper burial .

Now , for the GOOD PART , brothers and sisters - HE LIVES !!!

In 24:6-7 we read , " He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again. "

The resurrection of Jesus from the dead is the central fact of Christian history . On it , the church is built ; without it , there would be no Christian church today . Jesus' resurrection is unique . Other " religions" may claim to have strong "ethical systems ", concepts about a "paradise" , and various "holy scriptures" - but ONLY CHRISTIANITY has a God who became human , literally died for His people  , and was raised again in power and glory to rule His church forever !

Why is the resurrection so important ? (1 ) Because Christ was raised from the dead , we know that the Kingdom of heaven has broken into earth's history . Our world is now headed for redemption - not disaster ! God's mighty power is at work destroying sin , creating new lives, and preparing us for Jesus' Second Coming . (2 ) Because of the resurrection , we know that death has been conquered , and we , too , will be raised from the dead to live forever with Christ . ( 3 ) The resurrection gives authority to the church's witness in the world . Look at the early evangelistic sermons in the book of Acts : The apostles' most important message was the proclamation that Jesus Christ has been raised from the dead ! ( 4 ) The resurrection gives meaning to the church's sacrament of The Lord's Supper . Like the disciples on Emmaus Road , we break bread with our risen Lord , who comes in power to save us . ( 5 ) The resurrection helps us find meaning even in great tragedy .No matter what happens to us as we walk with The Lord , the resurrection gives us hope for the future . (6 ) The resurrection assures us that Christ IS alive and real ! ( 7 ) God's power that brought Jesus back from the dead is available to us so that we can live for Him in an evil world .

In conclusion , my friends  , we see in 50-53 ; " And he led them out as far as to Bethany, and he lifted up his hands, and blessed them. And it came to pass, while he blessed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into heaven. And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy: And were continually in the temple, praising and blessing God. Amen. "

As the disciples stood and watched , Jesus began rising into the air , and soon He disappeared into heaven . Seeing Jesus leave must have been frightening  but they knew He would keep His promise to be with them in Spirit . The same Jesus who lived with the disciples , who died and was buried , and who rose from the dead , loves us and promises to be with us ALWAYS !

We can get to know Him better through studying the Scriptures , praying , and allowing the Holy Spirit to make us more like Him .

So tell me, can a person who is deaf be afraid of the thunder? ….. No. …..

Can a person who is blind be afraid of the piercing flash of lightening? ….. No.

Neither can a person who is spiritually deaf truly hear the Word of God speaking to them every day, nor can the spiritually blind see the piercing light of God shining on their lives. The spiritually deaf cannot really hear the voice of God and the spiritually blind will not be overjoyed at seeing the beauties of God in Christ.

And the Easter message is that the awesome power of God, who raised Jesus of Nazareth from the dead, can miraculously take your dead life and mine and make it alive. God can take people who are spiritually dead and give us resurrection power, Easter power, and vibrant power so that life is lived with a passion for the ways of God. And it is time. It is time for you to wake up, to come out from your spiritual coma, to be raised up from your spiritual lethargy by the powers of God !

You are here today, not simply because of tradition; not simply because you are two times a year Christians; not simply because you smell springtime and Easter in the air. You are here today because God wanted you to be here, so that you can listen to this particular Easter message that God raises up both dead bodies and dead spirits. God brought you here today to hear this Easter message. It is time. It is time for you to get up and walk spiritually. It is time for you to awaken from your spiritual coma.

So how about my own obituary?

This past July , as many of you know, I suffered two strokes , was in ICU for 4 days ,and the ER doctor was getting ready to "pronounce me"  . I had just escaped the jaws of death. My Lord and Savior , JESUS CHRIST could have called me home -  BUT HE DIDN'T ! God had another plan for me - what EXACTLY - I'm not sure of to this day .  But I DO know how close I had been to death. Therefore, it is somewhat easy to imagine my own obituary in the paper . 

BUT . . .  there would have been nothing in my obituary that I was not dead, that I shall never die, but live forever !

There would have been nothing in that obituary that quoted Jesus, “ I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live . " 

You see, Jesus’ obituary in the "