Easter - He is Alive

Sermon from CCM Ladybarn

LISTEN

This sermon was preached by Sam Davies at the Ladybarn site of Christ Church Manchester on Sunday 21st April 2019.

SERIES

This message was part of the ‘SERIES NAME’ series, preached at Christ Church Manchester’s church in Withington in EARLY/MID/LATE YEAR. The full series included the following sermons:

BIBLE VERSES

This sermon was based on John 20:1-18.

The Resurrection

1Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” 3So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. 4Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. 6Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, 7and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. 8Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10Then the disciples went back to their homes.

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene

11But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. 12And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. 13They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). 17Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'” 18Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.

KEY POINTS

The Evidence

When Peter looked in the tomb ‘he saw’. The word used here is ‘Theoria’.
Theoria = To theorize, to furiously look for a reason, to observe intently for an explanation.
“If you don’t have a faith that is shot through with reasoning it likely won’t stand the test of life with all of it’s ups and downs” – Timothy Keller
“If you don’t believe in the resurrection you will be forced to believe that something hit the disciples every bit as amazing and of equal force. Because if you try and explain the changed lives of the early church we will be making leaps of faith as if we just believed in the resurrection of Jesus to start with!” – Shusaku Endo.

The Messenger

“If you seek me, you will find me.” Matthew 7.7-8
“Go and tell my disciples I am alive and am ascending to my father and your father, to my God and your God.” John 20.17

The Encounter

Jesus said to her, “Mary.”
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” which means “Teacher”.

MORE SERMONS

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