YES

We gather here this day to honor the life of Jesus Christ, 33, of Nazareth, 
who died Friday on Mt. Calvary, also known as Golgotha, the place of the 
betrayed by the apostle Judas. Jesus was crucified by the Romans; by 
order of the Ruler Pontius Pilate.

The causes of death were crucifixion, extreme exhaustion, severe torture
and loss of blood. Jesus Christ, a descendant of Abraham, was a member 
of the house of David. Jesus was born in a stable in the city of Bethlehem, 
as there was no room at the Inn. He was the Son of God and the Virgin 
Mary His devoted mother. Jesus was preceded in death by His step-father 
the Carpenter Joseph.

Jesus is survived by His father God, mother Mary, faithful Apostles, 
numerous disciples, and many other followers. Jesus was self-educated 
and spent most of His adult life working as a teacher. Jesus also 
occasionally worked as a medical doctor, and it is reported that he healed 
many patients up until the time of His death. Jesus was teaching and 
sharing the Good News, healing the sick, touching the lonely, feeding the 
hungry and helping the poor. Jesus was most noted for telling parables 
about His Father’s kingdom and performing miracles, such as feeding over 
6,000 people with only five loaves of bread and two fish, and healing a man 
who was born blind and can now see.

The day before Jesus’ death He had a Last Supper with His disciples, 
celebrating the Passover Feast at which He foretold of His death. Jesus’ 
burial took place quickly in a stone grave, which was donated by Joseph 
of Arimathea, a loyal friend of the family. By order of Pontius Pilate, a 
boulder was rolled in front of the tomb and Roman soldiers were put
on guard.

If you have ever been to a funeral, then you know the service normally 
begins by the pastor reading the obituary of the one who has died and 
then the funeral service may proceed to a cemetery for burial. After the 
committal service, everyone may leave as the casket is entombed in a 
vault in the earth or in a mausoleum. Then some may go back at a later
date to visit their loved one, where they are buried.

But something happened after Jesus’ entombment.

John 20:1-10,

Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to 
the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone 
had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran, and went to 
Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and 
said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and 
we do not know where they have laid him. Peter then came 
out with the other disciple, and they went toward the tomb. 
They both ran, but the other disciple outran Peter and 
reached the tomb first; and stooping to look in, he saw the 
linen cloths lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter 
came, following him, and went into the tomb; Simon Peter 
saw the linen cloths lying, and the napkins which had been 
on Jesus head, not lying with the linen cloths but rolled up 
in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the 
tomb first, also went in, and he saw and he believed; for as 
yet they did not know the scripture, that Jesus must rise 
from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes. 

And Mary reacted as one would for what transpired to her was miraculous.

John 20: 11-17

But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept 
she stooped to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in 
white, sitting there where the body of Jesus had lain, one at 
the head and one at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why 
are you weeping?” Mary said to them, “Because they have 
taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid 
him.” Saying this, Mary turned round and saw Jesus standing, 
but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to Mary, 
“Woman, why are you weeping? Whom do you seek?” 
Supposing Jesus to be the gardener, Mary said to him, “Sir, 
if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid 
him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” 
Mary turned and said to Jesus in Hebrew, “Rabboni!” (Which 
meansTeacher.) Jesus said to Mary, “Do not hold me for I 
have not yet ascended to the Father, to my God and your 
God.”

Today, Easter, is not only a special day in the life of the church and the 
lives of Christians throughout the world but a special day that celebrates 
Jesus death and resurrection. If Christianity does not have the resurrection 
of our Lord and Savior Jesus Chris, then what do we have to base our 
faith on? What we have is to go out and spread the Good News following 
Mary’s example.

John 20:18,

Mary went out and said to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord;” 
and Mary told them that Jesus had said these things to her. 

“I have seen the Lord,” those words give me chills and excitement in my 
bones, for what a joy that will be. To see, touch, hear, talk and walk with 
Jesus makes me want to scream from the top of my lungs, HALLELUJAH!

And there will be some that are not going to believe even though all the
evidence was clear that Jesus had risen from the tomb but for some His 
risen body. Jesus resurrection is a threat for some as it affirms what Jesus 
had told the rulers when Jesus cleansed the temple of those who were 
making God’s House into a marketplace.

John 2:18-21,
The Jews then said to Jesus, “What sign do you have to show 
us for doing these things?” Jesus answered them, “Destroy 
this temple and in three days I will raise it up.” The Jews then 
said, “It has taken forty-six years to build up this temple, and 
will you raise it up in three days?” But Jesus spoke of the
temple of his body. When therefore he was raised from the 
dead, his disciples remembered that Jesus had said this; 
and they believed the scripture and the word which Jesus 
had spoken.

Are you here in worship on Easter morning, because you believe you have 
to be in church for Easter and Christmas because it’s the right thing to do 
to stay on the good side of God, and a shot at getting into heaven?

Are you here in worship on Easter morning because you believe for Jesus 
Christ is your Lord and Savior and through Jesus Christ your life and your 
world has been changed? In the words of the Apostle Paul to those at 
Corinth who denied the resurrection…

1Corinthians 15:1-5

Now I would remind you, brethren, in what terms I preached 
to you the gospel, which you received, in which you stand, by 
which you are saved, if you hold it fast-unless you believe in 
vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also 
received, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the 
scriptures, that Christ was buried, that he was raised on the 
third day in accordance with the scriptures, 

In the event you are a Doubting Thomas Paul goes on to say…

1 Corinthians 15:6-7,

Then Jesus appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then 
Jesus appeared to more than five hundred brethren at one 
time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen 
asleep. Then Jesus appeared to James, then to all the 
apostles. 

I believe with all my heart and soul that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ
was born to the Virgin Mary, the Son of God and step-son of Joseph the 
carpenter in a manger. I believe in the Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost,
and that Jesus grew into a man, who walked on water that was not frozen, 
and performed miracles. That the liberal media and atheist want to make a 
buck off of our Lord and Savior’s name and challenge our beliefs for the 
world to see. I believe the issue is not whether or not Judas betrayed 
Jesus, or did as Jesus told him to do. I believe the issue is that my Lord
and Savior Jesus Christ, not money or this world…was crucified and died 
on an old wooden cross at Calvary and on the third day Jesus rose from 
the tomb which dead people are not to do.

As with Paul, I believe Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior and Jesus
Christ is alive and I have experienced Jesus Christ in my life since I asked 
him to forgive me of my sins and invited Jesus into my heart and soul. 

YES…I believe, or else I would not be alive and standing before you this 
very day. 

1 Corinthians 15:8-11

For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, 
because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of 
God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. 
On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it 
was not I, but the grace of God which is with me. Whether 
then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

In my life I have seen a man turn his back and walk away from alcohol and 
drugs. I have seen a man say to those he loves, I need to turn my life 
around, and with tears in their eyes they embraced him for they had never 
stopped believing in or loving him. I have seen families torn by illness, 
death, divorce, in prison reunited by the grace of God and in this grace of 
God I believe and keep on keeping on.

And the greatest proof of the resurrection for me, is the proof that comes
from Jesus’ enemies who just don’t get it and are blinder than Helen Keller, 
who not only knew Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior but also had seen 
God.

Some see me as a Doubting Thomas, I see me not as doubting but as a
man with a deep faith and belief, a realist who wants to see to believe and 
when I see and believe, it takes an act of God to change my belief. And 
God the Father has affirmed my belief in the birth, death and resurrection 
of Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior. 

YES I BELIEVE…BECAUSE HE LIVES! 

Do I hear an AMEN?

John 20:18

Mary Magdalene went and said to the disciples, “I have seen 
the Lord; and she told them that he had said these things to 
her.

In lieu of flowers the family has requested that everyone try to live as Jesus 
did. Donations may be sent to anyone in need. Thanks be to God that 
everyone should live as Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior does!

The altar is open for all to join in prayer,

As you step into the unknown,  I know you feel frightened.  You  feel  alone. 
There’s something you should understand. You are my child.  You’re  in 
my hand.  And I will never let you fall.  This is a promise to believe.  I 
will never let you fall any further than your knees. Now I hear you 
praying for a child. You’re so afraid they’ll go wild. Don’t forget 
my love is true.  And I will carry them, like I’ve carried you. 
And  I  will  never  let  them  fall.   This is a promise to
believe.  I will never let  them fall any further than 
their knees.  And I will never let you fall.  This
is a promise to believe.  I will never let you 
fall any further, never further than, never 
further than your knees. Thank you 
Father God for this promise and 
for your son, our Lord and 
Savior Jesus Christ 
resurrection for in 
this,  there is a 
hope to keep 
on keeping 
on. 
Amen



Image Courtesy: Christians Unite


04/16/2006JWM



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