We Serve A Risen Savior

Mark chapter 16, if you could mark that and we will be there in just a few minutes. But also if you'd find first Corinthians chapter 15. First Corinthians chapter 15, we're gonna look at both of those passages this morning. Mark chapter sixteen and first Corinthians chapter, 15. By the way we're we're a little bit excited this morning.

Somebody came to me and said the parking lot's full And that's exciting. And I doubt that every space is taken. There's probably a few left out there. So come back next week and bring somebody else and we'll really fill up the parking lot. They also wanted you to know that the gate there's a gate that opens on to Michigan back here that they forgot to open at this morning.

And so when you leave it's open. So you can go out that direction as well as there's two drives that actually go out on Michigan this morning to cut down a little bit on the congestion. But we're excited that you're here with us today. You're visiting with us whether you're visiting with family, whether you're visiting from the neighborhood. We've had several visitors here recently that have just moved into the area and we're excited to have you here with us today.

And we are even more excited about Jesus Christ and about our risen Lord. Romans chapter 10 verse nine is where we will start this morning. We'll be in first Corinthians 15 just a moment. That verse is part of what some of us call the Romans Road. Romans Road is a series of verses in the book of Romans that can be used to plainly show someone the way of salvation.

The Bible says, Romans three twenty three, for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. In Romans three ten, none are righteous, no, not one, not even me, not even you. We're all sinners. Bible says in Romans six twenty three, for the wages of sin is what? Is death.

In Romans five twelve, wherefore is by one man, that's Adam, sin entered into the world and death by sin. So, death passed upon all men for that all have sin. We're all facing death not only physical death but spiritual death and separation from God for all eternity because of our sin. But it says in Romans five eight, but God commended his love toward us and that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. God didn't demand that that we rise up to him.

God condescended down to us. And he died for us Even while we were yet sinners and enemies. He died for us that he might make a way that we might be forgiven and brought back together. That we might be pardoned and that we might receive eternal life that only comes from God. For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is what?

Eternal life through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Romans six twenty three. And how do we receive that eternal life that is to be had through Jesus Christ? How do we receive that gift? Through faith, through faith. And in Romans ten nine, this is one of the last verses that we might use in the Romans road.

And it says that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth, the Lord Jesus, shall believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Let me read that again, that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth, the Lord Jesus, that is the Jesus is Lord. And shall believe in thine heart that God hath what? Raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. We serve a what?

A risen savior. And if you are to be saved this day or any day, you must believe that Jesus Christ has risen from the dead. You must believe that he died on that cross for your sins to pay the price and you must be willing by faith to receive him as Lord and savior for the forgiveness of our sins. Today, we are reminded as we should be every Sunday and for that matter, every day for the child of God that we serve a risen savior. Jesus Christ is his name.

He is that savior. Even his very name means Jehovah is salvation. For he came to save his people from their what? Sin. From their sins.

And he did so while hanging on a cross. From whence he cried, it is finished. It is finished. And he gave up the ghost. What was finished?

The ransom price was paid as Jesus Christ suffered for the sins of mankind. As God the father poured out his wrath upon his only son on sinless son on the cross of Calvary to pay for the sin price that was not his but it was mine. For God has made him to be sin for us who knew no sin. That we, sinners, might be made the righteousness of God in him. Jesus Christ paid my price.

That I might be saved and when in the price was paid, when his blood was shed, when he had suffered it all, he cried, it is finished. But it is the resurrection that assures us that the price indeed was paid. By the sinless son of God. The sinless son of God who rose from the dead and is able therefore to save and to keep and one day resurrect all those who put their faith and trust. In him.

And so the good news of the gospel is as Paul points out in first Corinthians 15, not just incomplete without the resurrection but holy without meaning without the resurrection. For what can a dead lifeless Jesus do for you? What assurance can you have of eternal life if the source of that life is still dead in a grave? The answer is you cannot have assurance. If Jesus is still dead in a grave but he isn't.

He's alive. He's risen from the dead. He's sitting at the right hand of the father where he ever lives to make intercession for you and for me who come to him by faith. Since Jesus did rise from the grave, we can have full assurance in the defeat of death and hell and in the resurrection and glorification of every born again believer. Look if you would in first Corinthians fifteen and fifty three verse 53.

Paul writing to the church at Corinth He says, for this corruptible must put on incorruption. This mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption and this mortal shall have put on immortality then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, death is swallowed up in victory. Oh death, where is thy sting? Oh grave, where is thy victory?

The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law but thanks be to God which giveth us the victory through our Lord, Jesus Christ. The grave could not hold Jesus and it cannot hold us who know Christ as savior. We have a risen victorious Lord who offers victory to all those who know him. As savior and Lord. We will not leave the resurrection out of our gospel message today.

Just as Mark chose plainly not to leave the resurrection out of his gospel as we read today. Hold your, mark that in first Corinthians 15. We're going to come back here to end in just a few minutes but if you would turn to me to Mark chapter 16. Mark chapter 16. And we'll pick up with Mark's record of the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Mark chapter 16, we'll begin reading in verse one. And when the Sabbath was passed, Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of James, and Salome had brought spice, sweet spices that they might come and anoint him. That would be Jesus and very early in the morning, the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the rising of the sun. And they said among themselves, who shall roll us, who shall roll us away, the stone from the door of the sepulchre? When they looked, they saw that the stone was rolled away for it was very great and entering into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side clothed in a long white garment and they were affrighted.

They were scared and he say it unto them, be not affrighted. You seek Jesus of Nazareth which was crucified. He is risen. He is not here. Behold the place where they laid him.

But go your way, tell his disciples, and Peter, that he goeth before you into Galilee, there shall you see him as he said unto you, and they went out quickly and fled from the sepulchre, for they trembled and were amazed, Neither said they anything to any man for they were afraid. Now, when Jesus was first risen of early the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene out of whom he had cast seven devils and she went and told them that they had been with him as they mourned and wept and they when they had heard that he was alive and had been seen of her, believe not. After that, he appeared in another form on the two of them as they walked and went into the country and they went and told it under the residue or the rest of them neither believe they them. Afterward, he appeared unto the 11 as they sat at meat or supper and upbraided them, scolded them, and with with their unbelief and hardness of heart because they believe not them which had seen him after he was risen. And he said unto them, go you into all the world and preach the gospel to every every creature.

Let's go to Lord in prayer once more. Lord, we thank you. We thank you for this wonderful day and what a privilege it is to be able to come here and exalt the name of Jesus and worship our risen Lord. Thank you so much for dying on the cross for our sins and paying the price which was ours to pay. For forgiving us, giving to us eternal life Lord, we thank you for your word that you have preserved, that we might read of it today.

We thank you Lord for the holy spirit that you have given to your children. That we might not only know it from your word but know it from inside of our heart that we serve a risen savior. And Lord, we pray as we finish today. We pray Lord that you would be exalted that we might be drawn to you and we pray Lord if there's one here today that's has yet to receive you that maybe today would be their day of sal vation In Jesus name, we do pray. As we read through Mark chapter 16, I just want to point out a few things this morning we have the visit of the three women to the tomb They're mentioned here.

They're also mentioned previously in Mark chapter 15 in verse 40. It says there in verse 40 of chapter 15, there were also women looking on afar off among whom was Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James the less of Joe and of Joseph and Salome. So, these three ladies had not just showed up at the tomb on the day of his resurrection but they had also been there watching as he was crucified just a couple days before on the cross of Calvary. Who are these ladies? Well, Mary Magdalene seems to be sort of the leader of the group.

She may have been one more outspoken than some of the others. She is often lifted listed first and so she seems maybe to be sort of the leader. She is it mentions in verse nine of chapter 16 had been possessed of demons that Jesus had cast out. So, what? Gratitude Indeed, she had for her savior, Jesus Christ and what he had already done for her.

That she followed him faithfully and served him with all of her heart. Along with her here, we have mother of Mary, the mother of James and Joseph. This would seem to be a the mother of James, the son of Alpheus or James the last, one of the 12 disciples. And then we have Salome who is the wife of Zebedee and the mother of the apostles James, the brothers, John and James or James and John. These are the three that are mentioned as observing as Jesus was crucified and the same three that showed up on Sunday morning with spices to anoint the body.

Now, what about Mary the mother of Jesus? She's not mentioned here in Mark as being part of this group at least not by name but in the book of John, we are told that she also was there even at the foot of Jesus's cross. As he died as well. So, she was there also. These ladies were bringing spices, sweet spices, strong, sweet, beautiful spices, perfumes to anoint the body of Jesus.

Normally, they would have done it as he was being buried but remember, they hurried to get Jesus's body down off the cross and into the tomb before Sabbath started at 06:00 And so as they were taking the body down there wasn't the time to anoint the body of Jesus Christ as they desired to do. So when the Sabbath was over at 06:00 on Saturday, they prepared the spices and on Sunday morning, early in the morning, they brought them to anoint the body of Christ. The women wondered as they approached the tomb, what they were going to do with the stone when they got there because they had been watching as Jesus was buried and they realized that there was this terrible, huge stone that had been rolled in place of the door in front of the cave where Jesus was buried and they thought, well, I hope we can get the stone rolled away or there's somebody there to help us. But as they approached in verse four of chapter 16 and they looked around the front of the tomb. What did they see?

They saw that the stone was what? The stone was already rolled away. And they didn't have to do it. Well, that that must have brought a little bit of relief. You know, they brought all these spices to anoint the body and when they came around, they saw the stone was was rolled away and so, that that issue was mute.

And so, they they took their spices and they entered probably maybe had to bend down a little bit to to get in the the carved opening of the tomb. I've been in a tomb in Jerusalem that is similar has an opening, had to duck down a little bit to get through. Over on the right side, they had carved a slab like table in the side of the tomb. There, they would lay the the body of the one who had died. They would they would seal the tomb and then after several weeks or months had passed, they would go back in after the body had deteriorated.

They didn't mummify them at that time and all that would be left would be left were the the bones and they would take the bones and they would take them off the shelf and they would put them in a container like place underneath the shelf and that's where the bones went. It was a family burial site And so when somebody died they put the body in there. After the body deteriorated, take the bones off the shelf, put it underneath. And then when somebody else died they would put their body in there. So they went through the opening.

They went to the side where the body should have been and guess what? Guess what? The body wasn't there. Instead of finding a body they found an angel. A young man sitting on the right side clothed in a long white garment and they were scared.

Would you have been scared? Yeah, probably so. I know I would have been scared. Go around the corner look in the tomb expect to see a body instead you see a gleaming white angel sitting there. They were startled.

The angel said unto them, the angel told them that Jesus whom they were seeking, who had been crucified, and died, is risen, and no longer there. They even pointed to the place right there where the body should be and all that was left were the wrappings. That the body had been wrapped in. Laid neatly on the table to the side. For Jesus Christ's body was no longer in the tomb.

Why? Because Jesus Christ had risen. Just as he had said he would. The Romans wanted to make sure that nobody stole the body. That's why there was such a large rock in front of the door and that is why there was even a Roman guards.

Roman guard doesn't mean one guard, it means several guards that had been placed there. We read in other gospels that when there was an earthquake and the angel rolled the stone away that the guards were paralyzed, literally paralyzed. With fear. Jesus Christ had risen. The angel did not roll the stone away.

I don't believe so Jesus could get out. For even as Jesus appeared to his disciples after his resurrection, sometimes he didn't come through the door. Because he is God. But he did have a body. He ate.

He drank. He said, touch my hands and feel the scars, the one in my side. But the roles, the stone was rolled away. So, men could see that Jesus was what? Was from the dead.

In Matthew chapter 12 and verse 40, Jesus says, for as Jonas or that is Jonah was three days and three nights in the well's belly, so shall the son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. In Matthew sixteen twenty one, from that time forth began Jesus to show unto his disciples how that he must go unto Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed and be what? Raised again on the third day. Matthew seventeen twenty two and twenty three and while they abode at Galilee, Jesus said unto them, the son of man shall be betrayed into the hands of men. They shall kill him and the third day, he shall be what?

Raised again. Raised again and they were exceeding sorry. Why were they exceeding sorry? Because they weren't listening. When he got to the he'll die part, they didn't get the what?

The rise in the third third day part. Matthew chapter twenty eighteen and nineteen, behold we go up to Jerusalem. The son of man shall be betrayed under the chief priests and under the scribes and they shall condemn him to death and shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock and to scourge and to crucify him and the third day, he shall rise again. Jesus also said that this temple would be destroyed in three days and in three days, it would rise again. He was condemned as though he was speaking about the building of the temple in Jerusalem.

He was speaking of himself. Jesus Christ made it abundantly clear to those who followed him. That he would die on the cross. For that is the reason he came because if there was no death to pay for the price of our sins, we would still be under the condemnation of them. In an and unable to free ourselves from it.

Jesus Christ would have no subjects to enter into his kingdom. If he had not first died to pay the price for your sins and mine. He came to die and then, as he said clearly, and stated numerous times to rise again from the dead and as the ladies entered the tomb that morning, that is exactly what they saw. They saw no one. But the angel.

They did not see the body of Jesus. His body was not taken. His body was not stolen. He had risen again. From the dead.

The angel further explained that Christ was heading before them in the Galilee. That's Northern Israel where he would appear before his disciples. The angel was telling the ladies, yes, he is risen from the dead. His body is not here but you don't have to take what? You don't have to take my word for it because in a little while, you and the disciples are all going to see who?

Jesus. Jesus, yourselves. So, you don't just have to take my word for it. You will see him yourself risen from the dead. The women did not immediately tell anyone what they had seen in her but they went straightway to tell the disciples resulting in a visit to the tomb from Peter and John who did not immediately believe as is pointed out in the scripture passage here.

As Mary Magdalene departed from the tomb, she ran into the gardener. It was a garden tomb. There was a garden nearby and as she was leaving, she ran into a man that she assumed to be the gardener. In John chapter 20, it tells us of Mary's encounter with the gardener. I'm going to take just a moment to read that to you.

John chapter 20 beginning in verse 14 and when she had thus said, she turned herself back and saw Jesus standing and knew not that it was Jesus. Jesus say it under her, woman, why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou? She's supposing him to be the gardener, say it unto him, sir, if thou have born him then tell me where thou hast laid him and I will take him away. Jesus said unto her, Mary, she turned herself and said unto him, Rabboni, which is to say, master, Jesus say it unto her, touch me not, for I am not a ascended to my father, but go to my brethren and say unto them, I ascend unto my father and your father, and to my God and your God, Mary Magdalene came and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord and that he had spoken these things under her.

She ran into Jesus and she thought that he was the what? The gardener. But he wasn't he is the risen savior He then appeared to two disciples on the road. The road to a little town in Israel called Emmaus. We read of that encounter in Luke chapter 24.

We don't have time to read it this morning. There's a painting in the foyer out in the lobby out there. I found in a Christian bookstore that was going out of business and I I usually don't bother spending money on paintings but that painting back in the lobby is called the road to Emmaus and it's a painting of Jesus talking to these two disciples as they walked along the road from the tomb. As he expounded to them from the scriptures, from the Old Testament scriptures, about himself, about his coming, his death, and his resurrection, and his exaltation. For a while, they didn't know who they were talking to either.

But Jesus opened their eyes. That they might know, that they might see him. But he also opened their hearts and their understanding by the word of God. That they might truly see him as the Messiah, the risen savior. Then, he would appear before the disciples also.

At first, some of them didn't believe until they saw him for themselves. Jesus said to Thomas, blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe. We are them. Because we who have come to Christ must believe by faith. By faith that he is risen from the dead.

One day, I will see him but today, I see him with eyes of faith. Today, I know him because he lives inside of my heart because he has changed my life. Yes, Jesus is risen from the dead. Body and all. But there was nobody to be found in the tomb that day Only grave clothes left behind When I came to Jesus at the age of nine years old and I put my faith in him I left my grave clothes so to speak behind and I put on the new garments for the righteousness of Jesus Christ.

I was clothed in his righteousness. As he took upon himself my sin on Calvary's Cross and he can do that because he is a a risen savior and yes, the same Jesus who is alive and well today offers salvation to you also. Pardon for sin, eternal life to all those who repent and place their hope and trust in him. But you must believe. Or without faith there is no salvation Throughout faith, it is impossible to please him For he that comes to God must believe that he is that he is alive, and is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

I want to finish this morning back in first first Corinthians chapter 15. First Corinthians chapter 15 and verse one. First Corinthians 15 and verse one. Paul writes the Corinthians, he concludes his letter with the gospel. What is the gospel?

Well, here's what the gospel is. As Paul the apostle Paul declares it plainly in first Corinthians 15. Moreover, brethren, I do declare unto you the gospel. The good news which I preached unto you which also you have received and wherein you stand. By which also you are saved, if you keep in memory what I preached unto you unless you have believed in vain.

For I delivered unto you first of all, that of all that which I also received. How that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures. That he was buried and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures. That he was seen of Cephas, that is Peter, then of the 12. After that, he was seen of above 500 brethren at once of whom the greater part remain unto this present that is the writing of this letter but some are fallen asleep.

After that, he was seen of James and then, of all the apostles and last of all, he was seen of me also as of one born out of due time. What is the gospel? The gospel is this, Jesus Christ, the son of God, the sinless son of God came and he died on a cross to pay the price for your sins and mine. He suffered on that cross for me He was buried in a tomb and he rose again from the dead He ascended up to heaven and sits at the right hand of the father where he invites you today to come to him by faith Where he offers you today eternal life And pardon and forgiveness for all of your sins. If you will receive him.

That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead. Thou shalt be saved. Will you dare to put your trust in this risen son of God? The savior of mankind today or will you choose to walk away? Many in Jesus' day walked away.

I pray today that won't be you. The invitation you hear today will not be there forever. You could meet God before this day is out. What then will you say? Will you heed the call before it is too late?

The same Jesus is coming again. You will either come as your savior or he will come as your judge. Which will it be? That all depends on you. He did the work.

He paid the price. Would you today receive the gift? Would you be willing to put your faith in Christ before it is too late? I pray you would. And as we give this hymn of invitation in just a moment, I beg you if you've never trusted him Please receive him today Come as we we sing I'll show you from God's word how you can be safe and know it.

Let's pray. Dear heavenly father, thank you Lord for this incredible privilege to preach your word, to proclaim the gospel and Lord, we pray if there be one here today whose heart you are working on to draw them to yourself that they might be saved. I pray that they wouldn't put it off till tomorrow or next week or next year but that they might do it today. Lord, that they might receive your gift of salvation, forgiveness for all their sins. Lord, thank you for what you did for us.

Lord, thank you for saving my soul. And thank you Lord for the privilege of sharing it. That others may know you also. In Jesus name, we do pray. Amen.