Creekside Church, April 4, 2021
Easter | Surprised by Hope
The resurrection of Jesus from the dead isn’t just an incredible miracle. It has both personal and cosmic ramifications that result in the best news you’ve ever heard.
Locations & Times
Creekside Church Online
Sunday 9:00 AM
Sunday 11:00 AM
Jesus is Alive!
Two Questions that spring from this:
1. Where is he?
2. Why does it matter that he's alive?
---
John 20:11-18 (NIV)
11 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.
13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”
“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.
15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”
16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.”
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).
17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.
---
Notice the repetition of the idea of "ascending"
With ascending we get:
1. Reconciliation
- 1 Peter 3:18: For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God
- Notice that Jesus says he's ascending to "my Father and your Father"
2. Reign
- Constantly throughout the New Testament we get the image of Jesus being seated at the right hand of the Father. This is a place of power signifying that he's now reigning over heaven and earth
- Earliest Creed of the first Christians: Jesus is Lord
---
We are to be people of hope.
Hope that the kingdom Jesus preached about has begun. Proof of this is that the king of this kingdom is alive.
---
The Hope Progression
Mary goes from looking for Jesus' dead body which she called "my Lord".
Then she wants to cling to Jesus when she sees him alive again.
Finally, when she brings the news to the disciples she says, "the Lord"
Have you progressed through these stages of hope? Beyond Jesus as just your saviour and into the hope that Jesus has ascended and is the king of heaven and earth?
Where are you being called to participate in the Kingdom Jesus has begun?
---
The Stoning of Stephen | Acts 7:54-60
54 When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. 55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
57 At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, 58 dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul.
59 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep.
---
The first words of Jesus in John's gospel are a question: "What are you looking for?"
Among the first words of the resurrected Jesus in John's gospel are also a question: "Who are you looking for?"
The journey of life and discipleship is the journey of moving from looking for a "what" to looking for a "who". This "who" is Jesus and he is the way, the life and the truth. He is the embodiment of love. When you realize this, the only question left is: "Will you live under his reign as the king of your life?"
Two Questions that spring from this:
1. Where is he?
2. Why does it matter that he's alive?
---
John 20:11-18 (NIV)
11 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.
13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”
“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.
15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”
16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.”
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).
17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.
---
Notice the repetition of the idea of "ascending"
With ascending we get:
1. Reconciliation
- 1 Peter 3:18: For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God
- Notice that Jesus says he's ascending to "my Father and your Father"
2. Reign
- Constantly throughout the New Testament we get the image of Jesus being seated at the right hand of the Father. This is a place of power signifying that he's now reigning over heaven and earth
- Earliest Creed of the first Christians: Jesus is Lord
---
We are to be people of hope.
Hope that the kingdom Jesus preached about has begun. Proof of this is that the king of this kingdom is alive.
---
The Hope Progression
Mary goes from looking for Jesus' dead body which she called "my Lord".
Then she wants to cling to Jesus when she sees him alive again.
Finally, when she brings the news to the disciples she says, "the Lord"
Have you progressed through these stages of hope? Beyond Jesus as just your saviour and into the hope that Jesus has ascended and is the king of heaven and earth?
Where are you being called to participate in the Kingdom Jesus has begun?
---
The Stoning of Stephen | Acts 7:54-60
54 When the members of the Sanhedrin heard this, they were furious and gnashed their teeth at him. 55 But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. 56 “Look,” he said, “I see heaven open and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”
57 At this they covered their ears and, yelling at the top of their voices, they all rushed at him, 58 dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. Meanwhile, the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul.
59 While they were stoning him, Stephen prayed, “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.” 60 Then he fell on his knees and cried out, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them.” When he had said this, he fell asleep.
---
The first words of Jesus in John's gospel are a question: "What are you looking for?"
Among the first words of the resurrected Jesus in John's gospel are also a question: "Who are you looking for?"
The journey of life and discipleship is the journey of moving from looking for a "what" to looking for a "who". This "who" is Jesus and he is the way, the life and the truth. He is the embodiment of love. When you realize this, the only question left is: "Will you live under his reign as the king of your life?"