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0:00 So that's the punchline. Christ rose from the dead, which means you will too. That is good enough news for any live situation and certainly for today. I want to think through that story. The story of course is recorded in each of the gospels. The story about what happened when they found out that the tomb was empty.

0:36 The version that I'm going to look at this morning is in Luke's account of the gospel. I don't know why. It's just the one that struck me this morning that has the tenor and the voice I really like for us this morning. I want to start back just a little bit before Luke chapter 24 is where the story of the resurrection begins. I want to read just before that starting at verse 50. If you got to experience any of the stations of the cross with us on Friday, you know that

1:07 that finishes with them laying Jesus in the tomb. Of course, there's a whole story around that tomb and there's all kinds of tradition among the followers of Jesus that have sprung up around the reality of that tomb. The owner of the tomb Joseph is named by name in the story and even it tells the town that he came from. This communicates to us that Joseph must have taken on a place of prominence, at least of recognition in that first century.

1:40 Would it be like to have the tomb where you laid the crucified body of Christ where the resurrected Christ himself walked out of the tomb? It's amazing. Can imagine that becomes a pilgrimage point early on. I just want to look at that story there because I think it captures the reality. I want to remind us that from the beginning, the story of the death and resurrection of Jesus has not been merely spiritual.

2:12 It has never been metaphorical. It has always been a fully infleshed story about the work of God in the world through the person Jesus of Nazareth. So in Luke 23, verse 50, it says, now there was a man named Joseph from the Jewish town of Aramathia. He was a member of the council, a good and righteous man who had not consented to their decision and action. He was on the council, the Jewish council, the leading church folk that made the decision

2:45 that it was better to sacrifice Jesus, that endured the wrath of Pilate and Rome cracking down on a rebellious Israelite nation. He didn't agree with him. He spoke against it. Yet he was overruled, but he stuck to his guns privately. It's kind of a beautiful story. I think he'll be an interesting man to meet. I'd love to hear how that council conversation went, what it was like for him after. So Joseph from the Jewish town of Aramathia, he was a member of the council, a good and

3:18 righteous man, and he had not consented to their decision and action. He was looking for the kingdom of God, looking for where that reign of God would be instituted. And verse 52, this man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Remember that if you were crucified outside of town, they would have left your body there normally. And this was for a number of reasons. One, usually nobody cared about the bodies of the people that were crucified.

3:50 I've quoted this before, but in some period, they think the Romans crucified around 6,000 people, sometimes thousands at one time as they go and conquer a whole place. It's hard to find bones and especially any specific bones of people who were crucified because they were usually, if taken down at all, thrown in mass graves. They were people that no one cared about. They were left outside of town hanging on crosses as a testament to the power and authority of Rome don't cross us.

4:21 This is one of our places. So it would have been unique that someone would have come to ask for the body of somebody that had been crucified. And surely it is because of the conversation that Pilate had had with Jesus where he said, I'll let you off. If you give me any excuse to let you off, then Jesus just wouldn't do it because he knew what he was here for. Certainly Pilate had some kind of sympathy for Jesus. And that's why when Joseph, the leader of the Jewish folks comes and says, would you give me his body Pilate consents?

4:52 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. And then they took it down and wrapped it in linen shroud and laid him in a tomb cut in stone where no one had yet ever been laid. It was a day of preparation and the Sabbath was beginning. The women who had come with him from Galilee followed and saw the tomb and how his body was laid. And then they returned to the spices and ointments. It's really unique. The story of the women in this period. The women are there at the cross.

5:23 So many of Jesus' disciples are not. The women are there. They have the courage and the fortitude to look at the crucifixion and then go with him to the burial and see where the body is laid. Know that he is wrapped in the claws. And they come back in the morning to administer the spices that are customary. So chapter 24 at the beginning. But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, when they went to the tomb, taking the

5:58 spices they had prepared and they found the stone rolled away from the tomb. But when they went in, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. And while they were perplexed about this, behold two men stood by the Mendazling of Peril. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, Oh, why do you seek the living among the dead?

6:31 He's not here. He is risen. Remember how he told you? Well, he was in Galilee that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified. And on the third day rise and they remembered the words and returning from the tomb, they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. And now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary, the mother of James and the other women

7:01 who with them who told these things to the apostles. But the words seemed to them an idle tale. And they did not believe them. But Peter, he rose and ran to the tomb, stooping and looking in. He saw the linen clothes by themselves and he went home, marveling at what had happened. I think this is an amazing story. Arguably the most important moment of the faith of Christians throughout generations

7:34 in the world, right? The empty tomb, the clothes kind of rolled up on the bench. I think it's amazing and beautiful and it's worth you pausing to celebrate just a minute later on the reality that there is good news for you this morning. Jesus was dead and is dead no longer. Jesus was crucified but will never die again.

8:09 Jesus embodied with the great spirit of that original God propelled through death and the tomb out into life again in order that the same may happen for you one day. It's beautiful and good news. I was thinking this morning though it's kind of funny that this critical moment, this pinnacle moment, this key moment in the history of our people that's been repeated and it is

8:44 without Jesus. I think it's so interesting that he raises from the dead and doesn't wait around. I was like, Jesus is back to work again already. He's raised from the dead and he's not there. There's one story where he's a gardener and he kind of comes in secret and says, hey, it's me and then he's gone. But it's so funny that Peter is running. John is running. The women are coming and he's not there welcoming them yet.

9:19 He's like off somewhere else. Look at this story. Look at what this story is next where he goes off to right away. If you're in Luke, the story goes on in verse 13, the story of the road to Emmaus where there's these couple of disciples who are leaving town. They can't believe that Jesus actually died. They waited around for the Sabbath. They weren't going to travel on the Sabbath and then they got to go back to their responsibilities

9:54 back to their obligations. Pick up the life that they left in hopes that Jesus was the Messiah. Clearly, he's been dead days. He's not. They're on their way home. This is where Jesus goes. That's why he's not at the tomb right away. He's got to go get these two and bring them back. This is the core of my thought for us this Easter morning is that Jesus accomplishes

10:25 your perfect salvation, your coming resurrection in order to pull you together. Into the family. He comes up out of this like turning point, this fulcrum of all humanity. He's launched a new source of life that will permeate throughout all humanity for all time.

10:58 He's begun his reign on earth. He's accomplished his mission. The first thing he does is he goes to grab the few on the road to make sure they're here for the celebration. After he meets with them, they quick turn around and run back to Jerusalem. They want to be a part of the group. Jesus launches out of the grave in order to establish a family, a nation of people. Think back through the story.

11:31 Even at the very beginning, he forms the first two out of the dust, props them up. Introduces them to each other and says, go be fruitful and multiply. Carry my image and authority into the world. When he banishes them from the garden, he ensures they'll be able to propagate continue. When he calls Abram, he says, I'm going to make you into a whole nation of people. When he sets up David, he tells him that his reign will be bigger than ever.

12:06 And over and over, as Jesus walks around on earth, he says that he's here to establish this reign, this nation of people. His death and resurrection is the inauguration of something to be a part of. I was thinking about the best place to kind of show that to you. I like this line of thought that the Apostle Paul puts in his letter to the church in Rome.

12:37 If you have a copy of the scriptures or you open up a little window there, little tab, and go to Romans chapter 5 to start out. Romans comes Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Acts, Romans 1 and Corinthians. You know, if you've read anything by Paul, we've said it before, the guy's a genius. And so anything he writes is really kind of complex and like layered syllogisms on top of each other.

13:08 So we're not going to go through the whole thing. I'm going to jump around in Romans chapter 5, chapter 6 and chapter 8. But we're going to get the thrust of an argument that shows how Paul understands what Christ is accomplishing on the cross and what Paul realizes is relevant for you and me today, even through the interwebs. Romans chapter 5 verse 6, he starts out, this is important, for while we were still weak,

13:44 at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one, we'll scarcely die for a righteous person, though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die. But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us. This is important, like you're quarantined at home and by yourself starting to run in circles

14:16 or with a family of whom you love dearly, but all the quirks come out after week 3. Certainly, so much self-isolation and quarantine brings out really cool things in you, like projects you didn't know that you had the capacity to do. I've been getting a lot more done in the yard lately. But also, parts of you that are able to stay hidden by busyness rear their head and impulses or frustrations or emotions,

14:51 like you are a mixed back. That's what I'm saying. This is a theme throughout Paul's writing, but he says it very explicitly here. Christ did not wait for you to get your stuff together in order to die for you. Full mess. Before you could move towards God, before you could even acknowledge your need,

15:26 as we spent so much time trying to do in this Lenten season, before you could even acknowledge your need. Christ died for you. Without the assurance that you would move towards him at all, God moves towards you. This is a key point in the culture and the reality of God and our people. He always moves first. God moves first. God creates. God loves. God redeems.

15:58 God sacrifices. God enlivenes. And we respond. He creates us and we breathe. He loves us and we love and return. He forgives us and we acknowledge our need for forgiveness and he forgives us again. You do not, the Easter, good Friday and Easter is for you, no matter how you're living today.

16:29 While we were yet, sinners did Christ die for us. Since then, verse 9, since therefore we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God for while we were enemies? We were reconciled to God by the death of his son much more now that we are reconciled. Shall we be saved by his life? Mixed bag, though you are.

16:59 You have unfettered access and acceptance with God because Christ died and rose for you. That may be words you have heard before. It's not a complex idea, but it is deep and hard to believe. God is not embarrassed by you. He is not offended. God is not grossed out by you. He is not squeamish at you or evil or does not hide his eyes from your impurity.

17:38 God is fully reconciled you to himself so that you can be fully yourself with God and come to him. However you find yourself today and tomorrow and this evening while you were yet sinners, God reconciled. But why now? Has he reconciled? Skip down to verse 18. Reconcile and a relationship to God is, I think, super powerful. It's like it's a very internal conversation.

18:09 It forms your identity and gives you a sense of love. It's actual and powerful love, the reconciliation of God. It grounds you in who you are. But then he goes on, what is the reconciliation accomplished? Look at verse 18 of chapter 5. Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. Fresed by one man's disobedience, the many were made sinners,

18:41 so by one man's obedience, the many shall be made righteous. Now the law came into increase the trespass but to increase grace about all the more, so that as in reinded death's grace also might reign through the righteousness leading to eternal life. The reconciliation of God means mixed back though you are. You can live. Unbridled by feelings of failure.

19:14 Uninhibited by notions of guilt. You can live empowered to forgive freely the people who have wronged you, to love generously a world that needs love, to serve selflessly a world that is full of need. You have been set free to live, to create vibrantly as you mirror a creative God,

19:47 to work diligently as you put your hands to the work that God gave you to do. Though death and resurrection of Christ, the reality of Easter means that you're reconciled to God, and the fact that you're reconciled to God means you get that primordial source of life breathed into the first ones at the beginning, down into your flesh and bone, body and spirit, in order that you will be animated to live. You get to live this morning because Christ lives.

20:24 That is good news but if Paul goes on, I'm telling you Paul's a genius. Now if you go further into eight because he gets caught up in that point and comes through it several different ways, but I want us to skip down then to chapter eight because we get the final piece of this resurrection and what it means that God is establishing a reign that we all get to be a part of. And so if we go to chapter eight verse 12 of Paul's letter to the church in Rome, he says,

20:56 so then brothers and sisters, we are debtors. Not to the flesh, meaning you owe something, but not to your own failures. You are not beholden to your base desire, basis desires and worst mistakes. You're not in debt by the faults that you've had over the years and the wounds that you carry today. You're not in debt to the things of the flesh.

21:27 So then brothers, we are debtors, not to flesh, to live according to the flesh, where if you live according to the flesh, you'll die. But by the spirit, you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. He's saying, if you feed forever, your guilt piled up, heaped up on you by your basis desires and worst decisions. Your grief over your anger will only spiral into more anger.

21:58 Your fascination and guilt over your lust will only spiral you further down into it. He's saying, don't live according to the flesh. If you live according to the flesh, you'll die, but you can live according to the spirit. And you put to death the deeds of life, you will live for all who are led by the spirit of God, our sons of God, children of God, for you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the spirit of adoption as children by whom we cry, have a father.

22:34 The spirit in self-air is witness with our spirits that we are children of God, and if children know we are heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, I was thinking about what it means to be a part of a family, like this, like a glorious, multi-generational extended family. I have this very early memory of a family reunion with my mom's family. And I almost, I can't remember anybody that was there, it was the only time we did this

23:08 huge family reunion. Pretty sure it was for her dad's family, and they were a depression-era family with all these kids living in rural Missouri. And so by the time they came back, my generation was there, it was this huge, I mean it felt like it was hundreds, I was maybe five or six, so who knows how many it really was, but it was this huge, it was so fun. Remember my grandma there, I remember seeing my grandma laugh with her peers as they told stories, I can't remember seeing my grandma laugh like that before. I remember my mom running around,

23:42 I remember playing with kids who I knew vaguely were my cousins. It's like happy family, what it means to be part of an extended family. There's a, there's a famous story in my family of Megan coming into my dad's extended family. When she started coming around, this was in college, we were dating and then engaged and my family, whenever we got around the dinner table, we would

24:13 always say the same prayer. It's kind of a common table prayer that our family always said together, and so you sit down at dinner and then okay, it's time to pray, and everybody starts to pray. Nobody's like, it's just usually my dad would go first or my mom, but someone would start, and then everyone would join in and we just say all the same prayer together. And I didn't occur to me because I'm this kind of person, I am, I guess, that I should have given Megan any heads up about that. And so she comes and sits down at the table and we get ready to eat,

24:43 and all of a sudden we all start praying. And she didn't know what was going on, right? How could she? But she came several times and over several times, after that first time, she was ready for it, so then she was listening, right? And after several meals, she's picked up the prayer and then we're going on this, we had gotten engaged and we're going to see my dad's extended family. And it's the first time she's meeting all of them and we get to his sister's house and he's got five siblings and they all have kids and my grandparents and we're all there in the living room and we're

25:14 getting ready to eat. And now she's meeting the family for the first time and that family had a tradition. We'd all stand in the circle and hold hands and we're getting ready to pray before we have dinner and she's feeling good because she knows the prayer by now that we all pray. But when my dad's family gets together, we would we would sing a whole different prayer. It wasn't even saying prayer. And again, I didn't give her any clue, right? And so we all hold it and we start singing. And the famous story is she looks up and my brother-in-law, who it was his first time, they make eye contact,

25:46 go what did we get ourselves into? These people are singing acapella prayers before they eat them. Maybe your family has some traditions. What I want to encourage you this morning is that Jesus of Nazareth went to the cross with his mom and the women at the feet. He forgave the ones who killed them. Then he went into the tomb, Joseph's tomb and he came out. And from the moment he came out of

26:25 that tomb, he's been gathering his people together from a mayus, from the upper room. He went around and appeared to 500 others before he ascended. And he went through all that then to also fold you in to his family. The family of God reconciled to God, set free to live, to be family together. I hope today, and in the weeks to come, you're able to put some thought into who am I for the

27:02 family. What is my part to play in the family of God? Easter means you are added into this generations old family that stretches back to the first ones through Christ and off into the future forever. You are a part of us and we are a part of it forever. Celebrate that today. As you make your meals and open your eggs, remember that you belong.

27:37 In Jesus name, amen.