What a Difference a Day Makes
Acts 25:19
Pastor Craig Ledbetter
4 April, 2010
AM
I.
Introduction (Acts 25:19)
A.
In
Acts 25:13-19, the apostle Paul is in chains, and being tossed about in the
Roman judicial system waiting for a fair trial about his preaching. And Festus
makes this amazing statement about Paul, that he “affirmed” that a crucified man
named Jesus, was alive!
B.
To
affirm is to swear, to confidently say something is true. Paul was affirming
something so radical, so unbelievable, that either it was the most crazy thing
ever, or it was the most life changing truth of all time!
C.
It
hadn’t always been this way!
1.
It
wasn’t that way before the crucifixion, oh the disciples rallied around their
Messiah, ready to stand with Him and die for Him (Luke 22:33).
a.
They
spoke of who would be the greatest in the coming kingdom
b.
They
argued who would sit closest to Jesus on His throne
c.
They
brushed off every mention by Jesus of the cross, and rejected every warning that
he gave about the future
d.
They
believed, and I mean REALLY believed in Jesus, and as far as they could imagine,
nothing could change that!
e.
But
they never believed He would actually die, much less get up again!
2.
It
wasn’t that way in the
a.
Jesus was tied up, pushed and shoved through the streets to a midnight court
hearing where He was beaten and slapped and falsely accused
b.
The
mob took him back and forth between the two high priests at that time, and then
to the Roman governor, Pilate, with the hope that he would approve of their
desire to kill Him
c.
Pilate tried His best to find something wrong with this man named Jesus, but the
crowds of people called for Jesus’ torture and death on a Roman cross, the
people didn’t seem to want Him now!
d.
And
most surprisingly, none of His disciples fought for Him, and none stood with Him
to defend Him! Except for
e.
Nobody believed Jesus was on course and going to win in the end!
3.
It
wasn’t that way at His death, only two embarrassed men hastily wrapped Jesus’
bloody body up in a cloth, and put it in a borrowed tomb, and left Him there (Mt
27:57-60).
a.
And
the disciples of Jesus, those men who had been with Him for 3 ½ years; who had
seen every miracle imaginable, and had experienced every impossible problem
resolved; those disciples retreated to a cold, dark, upper room – scared, and
totally terrified
b.
Nobody believed Jesus would rise again!
c.
And
there they hid. Thursday all day, Friday all day, and then Saturday – three
days!
d.
But,
Oh, but what a difference a day makes!
D.
But
Sunday came (Mt 28:1)! Very early!
1.
Several women came to anoint the body of Jesus
2.
They
felt compelled to honour the person who had saved their homes, and changed their
lives, and healed their neighbours
3.
And
they found the tomb empty!
4.
And
the world has never been the same!
E.
Today, many of the world's distinguished philosophers and “scientists” viciously
attack Christianity as being irrational, superstitious and absurd. They class us
in with the tarot card readers, and the mystics, and the pole sitters, and the
flat earth believers! Many others have chosen simply to ignore the resurrection.
And others have tried to explain it away through “plausible” theories.
F.
But,
as Peter writes in 2Peter 1:16, “we have not followed cunningly devised fables”
1.
The
truth is, the proof of the resurrection just can't be rejected. Not if you are
honest!
2.
The
followers of Jesus, who were unorganised, demoralised, leaderless, all began to
boldly say that the very same Jesus had indeed bodily, physically, truly risen
from the dead.
a.
They
were not angry at the Romans – not any more!
b.
They
were not bitter against the Pharisees
c.
They
were only and completely excited!
d.
Because SOMETHING had happened! Some extraordinary!
e.
They
declared that Jesus actually appeared to them over a period of 40 days, showing
Himself to them by many "infallible proofs." Unquestionable proofs! Undeniable
proofs – facts!
f.
The
apostle Paul wrote that Jesus appeared to more than 500 believers at one time,
the majority of whom were still alive and who could confirm what Paul wrote.
g.
So
many security precautions were taken with the trial, crucifixion, burial,
entombment, sealing, and guarding of Christ's tomb that it becomes very
difficult to believe that Christ did NOT rise from the dead.
3.
And
from that ONE EVENT, that empty tomb, Christianity spread throughout the Roman
Empire, throughout
G.
What
empowered those early believers? What enabled them to go and preach and die with
a song on their lips?
H.
It
was simply, Because He Lives!
1.
Hey!
The Apostle Paul risked his life for the last 20 years of it because Jesus lives
(Acts 25:19)!
2.
The
Apostle
3.
Peter, James and
4.
Stephen in Acts 7 stood and preached and told the religious of his day that
Jesus was very much alive and coming again soon, and prayed for the crowd as
they stoned him to death
5.
Why
did he allow them to do such a cruel thing? Because Jesus does indeed live!
I.
Hey!
Maybe you really never believed it! Maybe it never really hit you, but Jesus IS
alive (Rev 1:18)!
II.
Seven Facts for the Resurrection
A.
People want facts, we’ve got facts. Of all people, and of all religions, the
Bible believer has the facts
1.
Professor Thomas Arnold, 14 years a headmaster of
2.
Consider these facts:
B.
FACT
#1: Broken Roman Seal
1.
This
guard placed on the edge of the entrance stone the Roman seal, which was meant
to prevent any attempt at vandalizing the sepulchre. Anyone trying to move the
stone from the tomb's entrance would have broken the seal and been killed.
2.
And
yet in defiance, it was broken when the stone was rolled away!!!
C.
FACT
#2: Empty Tomb
1.
The
body of Jesus after His death on the cross was placed in a solid rock tomb, with
an extremely large 1 ½ ton stone rolled against the entrance of that tomb.
2.
The
disciples of Christ did not go off to
3.
Both
Jewish and Roman sources and traditions admit an empty tomb.
4.
Gamaliel who was a member of the Jewish high court, the Sanhedrin, put forth the
suggestion in Acts 5:34-39, that the rise of the Christian movement was God's
doing; he could not have done that if the tomb were still occupied, or if the
Sanhedrin knew the whereabouts of Christ's body.
D.
FACT
#3: Large Stone Moved
1.
On
that Sunday morning the first thing that impressed the people who approached the
tomb was the unusual position of the 1 ½ ton stone that had been lodged in front
of the doorway. All the Gospel writers mention it.
2.
Those who observed the stone after the resurrection describe its position as
having been rolled up a slope away not just from the entrance of the tomb, but
from the entire massive sepulchre. It was in such a position that it looked as
if it had been picked up and carried away. Now, I ask you, if the disciples had
wanted to come in, tiptoe around the sleeping guards, and then roll the stone
over and steal Jesus' body, how could they have done that without the guards'
awareness?
E.
FACT
#4: Roman Guard Goes AWOL
1.
The
Roman guards fled. They left their place of responsibility. How can their fear
he explained, when Roman military discipline was so exceptional?
2.
The
fear of their superiors' wrath and the possibility of death meant that they paid
close attention to the minutest details of their jobs. Dr. George Currie, a
student of Roman military discipline, wrote that fear of punishment "produced
flawless attention to duty, especially in the night watches."
F.
FACT
#5: Grave-Clothes Tell A Tale (
1.
In a
literal sense, against all statements to the contrary, the tomb was not totally
empty--because of an amazing phenomenon.
2.
On
top of that, the napkin that had lain over the face of Jesus under the wrap of
that cloth was folded up and placed neatly by itself
3.
No
one who would have been rushing in to steal the body would have uncovered the
body from its bloody cloth – it would have been stuck to the ripped up body
after 3 days, and they DEFINITELY would not have folded up the face napkin!
G.
FACT
#6: Jesus' Appearances Confirmed
1.
Jesus Christ appeared alive and breathing, and hungry on several occasions after
the traumatic events of that first Easter.
2.
The
fact that over 500 people all declared that they had seen, and talked with the
living Jesus after He had been declared dead
a.
The
two disciples on the road to Emmaus
b.
Mary
Magdalene
c.
Ten
disciples in the upper room – with Thomas
d.
Then, all the eleven as well as 120 other people in the upper room met Jesus
e.
Ultimately over 500 witnesses: Mainly believers, But also HOSTILE WITNESSES
1)
Saul
of Tarsus despised Jesus and persecuted Christ's followers. It was a
life-shattering experience when Christ appeared to him. Although he was at the
time not a disciple, he later became the apostle Paul, one of the greatest
witnesses for the truth of the resurrection.
2)
Christians believe that Jesus was bodily resurrected in time and space by the
supernatural power of God. The difficulties of belief may be great, but the
problems in unbelief present even greater difficulties.
H.
GREATEST PROOF: The Disciples' Lives
1.
But
the most telling testimony of all must be the lives of those early Christians.
We have to ask ourselves: What caused them to go everywhere telling the message
of the risen Christ? At such great risk, and without any material drive, or
pay-off?
2.
As a
reward for their efforts, those early Christians were beaten, stoned to death,
thrown to the lions, tortured, burned and crucified. Every conceivable method
was used to stop them from talking, from singing, from preaching, and from
witnessing!
3.
Yet,
they laid down their lives as the ultimate proof of their complete confidence in
the truth of their message.
4.
These fishermen, carpenters, travellers, wives, teenagers, cobblers, unlearned
and ignorant people, all had been changed! They became the most powerful force
in the world! All because of the power of Christ’s resurrection!
5.
Saul
of Tarsus, a religious killer and rejecter of Christianity, was adamant against
Jesus Christ, and hated Him and everything about Christianity… that it UNTIL he
spoke to Jesus! The FACT that Jesus was alive, and talking with
Him, and was all powerful, more powerful than the noon day sun, change Saul! It
defeated Saul. It saved Saul’s soul! And he became probably the greatest
CHRISTIAN who ever lived!
6.
THAT
was the power of the resurrection in Paul’s life!
I.
Well, Let me try and transfer some of the Power of the Resurrection, into
your life this morning!
J.
You
see, if you would just believe that Jesus Christ IS alive, seated
at the right hand of the Father, interceding, in control of everything happening
around you, ready to work in your life, then you might just start to experience
some excitement in your life for the first time!
III.
Message
A.
Because He Lives… Every Doubt is Settled
1.
The
Resurrection settled every Question, every Doubt that has ever been raised
against God and the Bible, and eternity!
2.
It
proves there really IS life after death!
a.
He
spoke of eternity
b.
He
then went there, and came back
c.
He
took the thief on the cross next to Him there
d.
He
had His disciples handle Him and see that life BEGINS at death – with a perfect
body
3.
It
proves Jesus really IS God in the flesh – He didn’t need anyone to raise Him up
– HE GOT UP HIMSELF out of that tomb!
4.
It
proves The word of God is totally true and dependable (1Cor 15:1-4; 14,15)
a.
When
Jesus died, all the disciples had believed the Scriptures
b.
But
to them, death proved that Jesus had failed
c.
But
the resurrection proved that ALL the promises, and the prophecies, all the
details in the Bible are true, and if some have not happened yet, then, THEY
CERTAINLY WILL!
5.
In
Christ every believer is totally Secure (Eph 2:4-6) – no more fears, no more
worries!
a.
Most
people would give their right and left arms for a good night’s sleep, for
freedom from fears, for the ability to just know God is taking care of you!
b.
Religions are so mysterious – they never can say whether a man has done enough
to be forgiven, and that they are for sure entering into eternal life
c.
And
so people just “hope” they will go to heaven. They “hope” that they are right,
and that they have done enough, and prayed enough, and given enough…
d.
But
I am going to tell you, they of all people have NO hope! Not without the
resurrection!
e.
Jesus’ resurrection proved that nothing can separate a born again child of God
from God (Rom 8:34-39). Once you trust Jesus to save you, His
resurrection proves He can keep you!
f.
He
has not only the power to save you from death and hell, he has the power to keep
you and get you all the way to heaven, no matter how rough the ride may be!
g.
That
may not seem like much to you right now, but when the storms of life beat
against your foundation, the fact of the resurrection, the fact that Jesus is
alive, will hold you together!
B.
Because He Lives… Every Problem is Light
(2Cor 4:14-17)
1.
Hey!
This life and all its problems mean nothing compared to eternity
2.
The
resurrection puts it everything in perspective (2Cor 4:14-17)!
3.
Jesus is set at the right hand of God, interceding on the behalf of His children
– He is on our side
4.
No
Christian looks forward to death, to trials, to heartaches, to disasters – we
look forward to LIVING. You see, Because He Lives… You will never die (
a.
Death has no more dominion over you
b.
Yes,
your body may die, but you yourself will never die
c.
What
a thought! Here is real hope! No worries about coffins, about hospitals, about
gravestones, about wars, about illness, about aliens!
5.
No
problem is big anymore – not in the shadow of the empty tomb!
6.
Are
you alone right now? Are you in debt? Are you wavering and wandering with no
hope in sight? Are you hurting inside? Are you like Job, wishing you had never
been born?
C.
Because He Lives… Every Prayer is Answerable
1.
Is
there ANYTHING too hard for God?
2.
The
resurrection proves that NOTHING is too hard!
3.
There are no “impossible” prayers – only prayers outside of the will of God
4.
We
need to get to the place where we believe God for the impossible
a.
Not
about our economy, or about world peace, or about no more wars, or poverty
b.
But
about the most distant souls getting under conviction, and repenting and getting
thoroughly converted! I’m praying for Richard Dawkins to get saved!
c.
We
need to believe God for every need – no matter how small, but also no matter how
BIG
d.
Trust Him for a godly wife, for a godly husband, for a wayward son or daughter
e.
Trust God for a sound mind, for your whole family to serve the Lord together
f.
Pray
for a job, and then believe God for a job, and then start looking for that job
that God will give you!
g.
Believe God simply because He is perfectly believable!
D.
Because He Lives… Every Day is Liveable
(Philippians 3:13,14)
1.
Because He Lives… Every Day Counts now!
2.
You
can hazard your life with no regrets (Acts 15:25,26; 2Cor 11:23-27). Paul
declared, “This one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind me!” No
regrets!!!
3.
There is no other way to live – a life without regrets!
4.
If
Jesus really is alive, and if you are following HIM, then there are no regrets
to carry down to the grave! No way!
5.
If
He is alive, and you are following Him, trusting Him, obeying Him, you will
never regret one minute of your life
a.
No
matter if you lose everything – really, if the resurrection is true, you have
lost nothing
b.
No
matter if everyone mocks you and ignores you
c.
No
matter if everyone leaves you and abandons you
d.
No
matter if your health falls apart
e.
No
matter if your mind fails
f.
No
matter if no one else in your family ever gets saved
g.
No
matter of the economy never returns
h.
It
will be impossible to regret following and being in love with your living and
all wise Saviour!
6.
Oh
yes, you will have sorrows, and remorse, but no regrets!
E.
Because He Lives… Every Promise is Sure
(1Peter 1:3)
1.
Because He Lives… You have a lively hope
a.
Difference between a living dog and a lively dog
b.
I
don’t just have hope, I have a vibrant, lively hope that keeps me looking up!
2.
Hope
changes your attitude about what you are going through
3.
If
you thinks will never change, you just give up
4.
But
if you know something is only for a little while, then you put up with problems
5.
You
will have an exciting hope
a.
In
prayer – you can believe God can answer – that nothing is to hard for Him
b.
In
preaching and witnessing – that people will get saved
c.
In
patiently waiting on God – knowing He is always at work
d.
In
pursuing the will of God – excited that it is going to be good
6.
And
best of all you have someone to look forward to! You will see Him face to face
one day (1Thes 1:9,10; Job 19:25,26)
a.
This
is usually forgotten
b.
But
the truth is, because he lives, He is coming again!
c.
Just
as he came the first time as promised, so will He return one day!
d.
I am
looking forward to that day!
e.
Titus calls it our “blessed hope and glorious appearing of the great God and our
Saviour!”
F.
Because He Lives… Every Sin is Forgiven
(Romans 4:25; 5:10; Acts 13:37-39)!
past, present and even the future ones!
1.
You
can be Forgiven
2.
People have a funny idea about sin – to most people sin is not really so bad
3.
They
have even a funnier idea about forgiveness
a.
God,
to most people just overlooks sin – sort of blind to it
b.
Everybody basically is going to get into heaven – God is not so strict
4.
But
the truth is, we are all messed up. Sin has done it in us bad!
5.
And
our sins, no matter how small will forever separate us from our Creator in a
place called hell. You go right ahead and call that archaic, and old fashioned,
but the truth is, it’s the Bible! It’s the word of a loving God who doesn’t want
ANYONE dying and going to a place called hell, and definitely doesn’t wish for
you to live in the bondage of sin!
6.
So,
the dying Jesus, on the cross prays, Father, FORGIVE them…!
7.
Hey!
Freedom begins with forgiveness! Not perfection! But nobody would no the power
of that forgiveness until the resurrection!
8.
When
Jesus was being beaten and whipped, Peter lied and cursed the name of Jesus –
and it killed him inside!
9.
And
if ANYBODY should have been defeated, it would have been Peter, but three days
later, in Acts 16:6,7 the angels tell the women at the tomb to tell the
disciples AND Peter to meet Him up in
10.
And
because Jesus lives, He can completely forgive you!
a.
No
matter how many drugs you have taken
b.
No
matter how much pornography you have fallen into
c.
No
matter how bitter you may be
d.
No
matter how many lies you have told
e.
No
matter how deep you have sinned, Jesus went deeper to pay for your forgiveness
11.
All
you have to do is ask Him, and He will help you start all over again! But this
time, by the power of the resurrection
G.
Because He Lives… All Change Is Possible! You CAN Change
(Romans 6:9-14)
1.
The
resurrection proves ANYONE can change! Even YOU CAN change
a.
Not
by will power, or by meditation, or by drugs, or by a new environment
b.
But
by the resurrection – by plugging into it!
c.
The
resurrection is what you plug into for the power to change (Rom 8:11)
2.
How
can you change? Three key words that we will look at this month
a.
Know… (6:1-3) the truth
about the crucifixion, the burial, and the resurrection
1)
Not
just the facts
2)
But
the reasons why, and the purpose of it all
3)
Take
it is a package that is to be believed with all your heart!
4)
That’s why we preach the Bible! Because of all the things you need to KNOW, the
Bible is the MOST important Book to know from cover to cover
b.
Reckon… (6:11) apply,
add up all the truths and apply it to your sins, and your past
1)
It
is kind of like a cure you apply to an illness
2)
It
is kind of like applying the strength of a dam to the flow of a river – it takes
control of a mighty river – just as the truth about Jesus takes control of all
my sinful habits!
c.
Yield… (6:12,13,18) to
the new way that God has for you to live, free from the bondage of your old
habits, and empowered by the same Holy Spirit that raised up Jesus
1)
You
used to so easily yield to sin and temptation
2)
By
the power of the resurrection, you can yield to righteousness, and godliness,
and have a restful spirit, and a joyful attitude
3)
You
say, just believing that Jesus really is alive can change my life? Yep!
4)
Because He has the power to change you!
3.
I
can affirm, I can say with confidence that you can change. The resurrection
PROVES it! The question is, Do you want to?
IV.
Conclusion
A.
Where Do You Stand?
1.
What
do you think about all the overwhelming historical evidence for the
resurrection?
2.
What
is your conclusion about the fact of Christ's empty tomb? What do you think of
Christ now? Was he just a teacher, just a religious leader?
a.
When
I was confronted with the overwhelming evidence for Christ's resurrection, I had
to ask myself: “What difference does all this evidence mean to me? What
difference does it make whether or not I believe Christ rose again and died on
the cross for my sins!”
b.
The
answer is put best by something Jesus said to a man who doubted--Thomas. Jesus
told him: "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no man cometh unto the Father
but by me" (Jn 14:6).
3.
On
the basis of all the evidence for Christ's resurrection, and considering the
fact that Jesus offers forgiveness of sin and an eternal relationship with God,
who would be so foolhardy as to reject Him?
4.
My
friend, Christ is very much alive! He is living today.
5.
You
can put your trust in the God of the resurrection right now by faith through
prayer. Prayer is talking with God. God knows your heart and is not so concerned
with your words as He is with the attitude of your heart. If you have never
trusted Christ enough to let Him save your soul from your sins, you can do so
right now.
6.
You
can pray something like “Lord Jesus, I need You. Thank You for dying on the
cross for my sins. I open the door of my heart and I now trust You as my
Saviour. I ask you to forgive me for all my sinful deeds. I want to know you,
and especially, know the power of your resurrection! Thank You for forgiving my
sins and giving me eternal life simply because I have now asked. Make me the
kind of person You want me to be. I know that I can trust You, so I will follow
you for the rest of my life. In Jesus’ name! Amen!"
Craig Ledbetter | Pastor |