Easter Sunday: The Supernatural Power of God
2015-04-05
Pastor Jonathan Falwell
Memory verse:
Matt. 28:6
“He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom
An indisputable truth about Easter is that it doesn’t make sense. It flies in the face of all that we as humans believe. How is it that one man, who lived two thousand years ago, could pay a debt that we owe today? You see, it doesn’t make sense that He could do this for you and me. It’s just not natural. For something like that to be real, it would have to be supernatural. And indeed, it was!
Matt. 28:1
“Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. 3 His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. 4 And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men. 5 But the angel answered and said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. 7 And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.” 8 So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word. 9 And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, ‘Rejoice!’ So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.’ 11 Now while they were going, behold, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all the things that had happened. 12 When they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, 13 saying, ‘Tell them, ‘His disciples came at night and stole Him away while we slept.’ 14 And if this comes to the governor’s ears, we will appease him and make you secure.” 15 So they took the money and did as they were instructed; and this saying is commonly reported among the Jews until this day. 16 Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. 17 When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ Amen.”
Just three days before the events of Matthew 28, Jesus hung on a cross. His body being drained of every ounce of life. He cried out on that cross, He suffered excruciating pain. As soon as Jesus died on the cross, all creation shook, all of hell’s fury raged, all of heaven cried out in mourning, the rocks literally split wide open, the graves rumbled – King Jesus was dead. And even in His death, there was the supernatural. Today, let’s see if we can make sense of what doesn’t make sense. The Supernatural Power of God.
1. Supernatural power
“2 And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it.”
– The earth shook because of this power
– An angel had been sent to reveal to the world that King Jesus had risen
– He spoke to those gathered in that graveyard…
“6 He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.”
– It takes supernatural power for someone to come back from the grave
– Whenever supernatural power of God is revealed, something else quickly happens…
2. Supernatural presence
“7 And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.”
– Christ’s resurrection was amazing in itself, but it’s purpose was not to simply prove a point, it was so that humanity can be in the presence of God.
– The veil in the temple was ripped to shreds when Jesus died. Why? Because when Jesus paid that price, it paid the entrance fee for all of us to stand in His presence.
– And not only in His presence today…but in His presence forever. But this I know with all my heart, His wounds have paid my ransom.
– His death was to give us peace.
3. Supernatural peace
“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Everything within us tells us we don’t deserve this. Everything within us tells us it doesn’t make sense. Everything within us tells us it can’t be this easy. Everything within us tells us that He just can’t desire to be with me. (Luke 24:13-36 – Jesus appeared and it still didn’t make sense to them.)
Why should I gain from His reward?
I cannot give an answer
But this I know with all my heart
His wounds have paid my ransom
Philippians 2:9-11
“Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”