“The Resurrection Will Change Your Life”

 Preacher: Pastor John H. West, III
Date: April 11, 1999
Notes:

Our Text: John 20:19-24

Then the same day at evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith unto them, Peace be unto you.  And when he had so said, he showed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord.  Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.  And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, Receive ye the Holy Ghost:  Whose soever sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them; and whose soever sins ye retain, they are retained.  But Thomas, one of the twelve, called Didymus, was not with them when Jesus came.

The resurrection of Jesus is an unforgettable and undeniable event.  Every Christian considers this to be the greatest event in human history.  For this reason, I often linger at the cross and the tomb, even after Easter is over.  The resurrection of Jesus should be a deep reality in the life of every believer.  It is not a one-day event, like a Clover sale.  It is an on-going reality.

We each must make the wonderful discovery that Christ is risen.

God is not dead, God is alive.

We must experience jubilation.

The fact that Jesus is risen should make us rejoice.

It is a demonstration.

A change of life:

  • Before the resurrection the disciples were wimps
  • After the resurrection they became warriors
  • Before the resurrection they hid in fear
  • After the resurrection they feared no man
  • Before the resurrection they trembled at death
  • After the resurrection death lost its power

The resurrection will change your life and mine.

  • Before the resurrection we were aint’s
  • After the resurrection we become saints
  • Before the resurrection we were nobody
  • After the resurrection we become somebody
  • Before the resurrection we were down and out
  • After the resurrection we go up and over
  • Before the resurrection we were slaves to sin
  • After the resurrection we become servants of God
  • Before the resurrection we witnesses to sin
  • After the resurrection witnesses of God

Resurrection power will uplift the downtrodden.  It will relieve the depressed.   It will change lives.  We were lost in sin, trespasses, failure, lust, anger, and emotions.  But we found out that God is not dead... He is alive. 

  Floods of joy o’er my soul like sea billows roll since Jesus came into my life 

God is not dead.  He is still alive.  Jesus has a way of changing our lives.

In our text, it is evening on the first day of the week.  The empty tomb was discovered.  No one knows where the body of the Lord is.  Jesus appeared to the eleven disciples.  Some others had also seen Him.  On Emmaus road, He was recognized by the women, but not by the hand-chosen men who walked with Jesus for three years.  They did not see Jesus during the day... and they would not see Him until Jesus appeared to them at night.  He told them, “Peace be unto you.”

The Occasion for Jesus’ Appearing

In verse 19 of our text, we see that the disciples were locked up and afraid that the same thing that happened to Jesus might happen to them.  When trouble comes, that is when Jesus appears.  Jesus is never early and (unlike Pastor West) He is never late.   Jesus is right on time.  When you think you can’t go any farther, Jesus shows up in your life.  When you need Him, don't be afraid to call on Him.  He will show up right on time.

The One Who shows up is Jesus

This was not the ghost of Jesus.  This was not a dream about Jesus.  This was not a brother of Jesus.  This was THAT SAME JESUS who was crucified, dead, buried, raised, and risen. 

There are three reasons that this could only be Jesus:

  1. Only Jesus could walk into a room with the doors locked. God doesn't need an invitation.  He doesn't need a combination.  He just comes in.   When hope is held up... help is locked up... we are pent up... God can break through the doors.  Nobody else can do what God can do.
                    -
  2. When Jesus appeared, He showed Himself off.  In verse 20 of our text, we see that Jesus showed his hands and his side to the disciples.  Doubting Thomas was not the only one who didn't believe until he saw.  Re-read verse 20.  They weren't sure that it was Jesus until they saw the nail prints in His hands and the spear mark in His side.
                    -
  3. Jesus has all power.  He is alive and is calling us to take up our cross and follow Him.  We have been locked up, hiding in the church for too long.  We cannot make it to heaven by only what we do in the church.  It is time for Jesus to give us a new commision and mission to go out into the community and serve Him.

    We need to move beyond meeting, eating and greeting   

    People need to hear and receive the gospel   

After we have done His will in waging this war, we will hear Him say, “well done.”  This war is to take the word outside of this building to people who are hungry.  Not hungry for sandwiches, but for a Savior.