“I AM the Resurrection and the Life: Do You Believe This?”
Scripture Readings: Psalm 118:22-27; John 11:17-25 (text)
March 27, 2016 * ZCRC (Pasig) and BSCC * Download this sermon (PDF)
Ccongregation of Christ: A story is told of a Christian School teacher who asked her class the week before Easter about their knowledge of the celebration.
One little girl volunteered her opinion, “Easter is when the whole family gets together, and you eat turkey and sing about the pilgrims and all that.”
“No, that’s not it,” said the teacher.
“I know what Easter is,” said another excitedly. “Easter is when you get a tree and decorate it and give gifts to everybody and sing lots of songs.”
Again, the teacher responded, “Nope, that’s not it either.”
Finally a third student seemed to be on the right track, “Easter is when Jesus was killed, and put in a tomb and left for three days.”
“Ah, thank goodness somebody knows,” the teacher thought.
But then the student continued, “Then everybody gathers at the tomb and waits to see if Jesus comes out, and if he sees his shadow he has to go back inside and we have six more weeks of winter.”
I was raised in an evangelical church where most everyone thought that Easter, like Christmas, was adopted from a pagan Germanic/Nordic spring festival in honor of a fertility goddess called Eoster. But researchers have conclusive proof that there was no such goddess. Neither does the word “Easter” come from the Anglo-Saxon name of the month of April, “Eostermanoth.” This name simply means “month of opening” or “month of spring” when the flower buds open during that month.
Does Easter have pagan origins? No, not even close. As early as 150 AD, Christ’s resurrection was celebrated by Christians. Justin Martyr wrote that the church worships on Sundays because this was the same day when Christ rose from the dead. Christians should remember the most significant milestones in Christ’s life: his birth, death, resurrection, ascension, and Pentecost Sunday. This is why we have Christmas, Good Friday, Easter, Ascension Day, and Pentecost Sunday. All of these commemorations are about the person and work of our Lord Jesus Christ.
This last week, we commemorated the last week of his life on earth beginning with his entry into Jerusalem. Then, we solemnly remembered his suffering and death on the cross on Good Friday. This Lord’s Day, we joyfully remember his resurrection. All of these are important, for without any one of these, there is no salvation for us. Without his birth, there is no Savior coming in the flesh. Without his death, there is no forgiveness of sin. Without his resurrection, there is no justification before a holy God. Without the pouring out of his Spirit, there is no regeneration and holy living.
Our text today tells us of the resurrection of Lazarus, Jesus’ beloved friend. His resurrection is merely a tiny foretaste of Jesus’ own resurrection, since Lazarus died later after Jesus raised him from the tomb. The resurrection of Jesus is the firstfruits of the great resurrection of all believers on the last day. But even now, all believers receive the benefits of Christ’s resurrection.
So today we will dwell on the words of Jesus to Martha, Lazarus’ sister, “I AM the Resurrection and the Life: Do You Believe This?” under three headings: first, For Our Justification; second, For our Sanctification; and third, For Our Resurrection.
Read the whole sermon here.
