Easter Festival Service
April 11, 2004
Luke 24:1-11
Life Now Has Meaning
INTRODUCTION: Have you ever felt that life has no meaning? We approach this Easter celebration with the words: “He is risen, He is risen indeed – Hallelujah!” Yet, for some the Hallelujahs ring hollow. Some, possibly a few within this very room today, have come to the conclusion that life has little meaning.
They may feel unimportant and small, frequently overlooked; others have slighted them. Rarely recognized they feel passed over. In this big world in which we life they are commonly referred to as “the little people” and that’s how they feel!
Then there are those, whose companion through this pilgrimage on this earth is calamity and misfortune. If there were a hole to fall into they would encounter it. Suffering and calamity accompany them. For them, life is a constant struggle. For them life too has lost its mean, purpose and joy.
On this Easter, let us consider one of the most pressing issues of our time. Does life have meaning? If life is to have meaning where do we find it? The message of Easter is simply this: Life has meaning only when it is centered in Jesus Christ risen from the dead.
I. To be sure the meaninglessness of life is a problem of human nature.
A. In this fallen world of ours many have no purpose that reaches beyond this life; hence either one of tow reactions are found in man. Man becomes either cynical or hopelessness settles in.
1. Man can easily become the cynic. He doubts God because all he sees are apparent contradictions in life. There is no good deed, which goes unpunished. The righteous suffer while the wicked walk away unscathed, and so he questions whether life has any meaning or purpose.
2. Then there are those who live within a spirit of hopelessness. Solomon of old reminds us in Proverbs 29:18: “Where there is no vision, the people perish...” Hopeless people have no vision and so they travel through life aimlessly. How could man fall to such depths?
B. The Fall robbed human beings of their life, hope and future. Man is now separated from God and at enmity with Him. The fall created a wedge to form between God and man – a wedge that prevents man from having any semblance of hope or joy.
C. Because of our sin, our only future is death and damnation. “It is appointed for man once to die, and after that come judgment” the Bible tells us in Hebrews 9:27 Will this be the fate of every man?
Transition: Something radical has taken place to change the destiny of man. We celebrate that today – The resurrection of Jesus Christ – physically and bodily risen from the dead.
II. Christ gives meaning to our life.
A. His work gives meaning
1. He suffered and died (v.7a) “the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men,” (NAS)
2. He rose again V.6 of our text reminds us: "He is not here, but He has risen. Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee,” (NAS)
3. This work was necessary (v.7) for people to have forgiveness “the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men.” Later on that night Jesus, speaking to the Emmaus disciples will remind them in Luke 24:26-27: "Was it not necessary for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?" And beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures.” (NAS)
B. This gives meaning to all history
1. The previous ages looked forward to it.
a. God’s saving acts in the Old Testament prefigured it (e.g. today’s Old Testament Reading Ex. 15:1-11)
b. The Old Testament predictions foretold it.
Ø Isaiah 52:13: “Behold, My servant will prosper, He will be high and lifted up, and greatly exalted.” (NAS)
c. Christ Himself predicted it
Ø Luke 9:22, "The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day." (NAS)
Ø Luke 9:44; "Let these words sink into your ears; for the Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men." (NAS)
Ø Luke 17:24-25; "For just as the lightning, when it flashes out of one part of the sky, shines to the other part of the sky, so will the Son of Man be in His day. "But first He must suffer many things and be rejected by this generation.” (NAS)
Ø Luke 18:31-33: “And He took the twelve aside and said to them, "Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and all things which are written through the prophets about the Son of Man will be accomplished. "For He will be delivered to the Gentiles, and will be mocked and mistreated and spit upon, and after they have scourged Him, they will kill Him; and the third day He will rise again." (NAS)
2. Due to His work, forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to all ( 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 –today’s Epistle)
C. This gives meaning to each of us.
1. Through the proclamation of Christ God offers the forgiveness of sins.
2. With sin forgiven, we have life through the Living One
Ø Luke 24:5-7: “and as {the women} were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, {the men} said to them, "Why do you seek the living One among the dead? "He is not here, but He has risen. Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee, saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again." (NAS)
Ø 1 Corinthians 15:20-21: “But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. For since by a man {came} death, by a man also {came} the resurrection of the dead. “(NAS)
3. We now have a future and a hope – eternal life with God. Life does have meaning. It is not limited merely to this earthly existence. We have an eternal hope with Christ in heaven.
4. We now have a purpose in life – to proclaim repentance and forgiveness. We walk out of this house today a renewed people to be salt and light in this world sharing the living Lord Jesus with all we meet.
CONCLUSION: Life is no longer meaningless, because “He is not here, He was raised!”
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