Easter Sunrise

Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church
Friedheim
10653 N – 550 W
Decatur, IN 46733
www.zionfriedheim.org

A 21st Century Parish with a 1st Century Faith
Acts 2:42
Chartered February 25, 1838
Celebrating our 172nd Year
The Bicentennial of Wyneken’s birth

April 4, 2010
Easter Sunrise
1 Corinthians 15:1-11
A Personal Easter Experience

Almighty God the Father, through Your only-begotten Son Jesus Christ You have overcome death and opened the gate of everlasting life to us. Grant that we, who celebrate with joy the Lord’s resurrection, may be raise from the death of sin by Your life-giving Spirit; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever. Amen

Easter can be only a matter of history – of what happened to others. It can tell us of various appearances of the risen Christ to people of the past. Paul in our text brings Easter up-to-date, involving him and his own personal experience. Today we can add a far longer list of resurrection appearances to people through twenty centuries, but can we with Paul say, “He appeared to me also?” As far as you are concerned, Easter never happened until you personally have an experience with the risen Lord. If Easter is to be real to you…

1. You first need a contemporary experience, not only historical. – For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance : that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Vv. 3-7

A. Make no doubt about it. Paul has no problem explaining the historical context of the Easter story. In fact, he insists on it. He tells the story of the resurrection just like every single generation has heard it and still needs to hear it. For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.
1. He reminds us that what he is passing on to us is the most important aspect of our Christian faith. Christianity stands or falls on the teaching of the resurrection. The heart of our faith is found in this one small yet powerful sentence, Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures.

a. Jesus died, was buried and rose again is the teaching that makes us uniquely Christian. Without this teaching there is no Christian faith. This is the message you have come to hear Sunday after Sunday. It’s the message that makes us Easter people - Jesus died, was buried and rose again.

b. And this Easter story happened just as it was suppose to happen. Paul tells us this all happened according to the Scriptures. What was predicted by the prophets of old happened in time and space in the town of Jerusalem around the year 30 AD. What had been promised came true. It happened just as the prophecy was predicted.

2. In addition to the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead there are also His appearances to countless persons over a forty day period of time. He appeared to Peter, to the twelve, to more than five hundred believers at the same time, to James, and to all of the apostles.

B. There are countless sightings; there are many eye-witnesses, which give convincing proof of the resurrection. He appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. These eye- witnesses give validity to the resurrection. Think of it this way. 40 years ago Neil Armstrong walked on the moon. Many of us saw the footage of that historic event live on television as it was beamed from the moon’s surface to the planet earth. And yet, to this day, there are countless people who are convinced that this footage was filmed by the government, a complete hoax! As strange as that may sound there is a segment of people in our world who have joined the “Man will never fly” society. They say, Neil Armstrong never made it to the moon let alone walk on its surface.

Now, if it were true, that Armstrong never walked on the moon but it was all made up at a Hollywood studio think of all the people who had to keep the secret all these years…the people who came up with the idea in the first place had to be sworn to secrecy, the actors, the film crew, the people who produced the video, those who distributed it. How many people would it take to propagate such a hoax? Hundreds if not thousands of people would be involved. And think of the money! How many millions of dollars would it take just in hush money to keep the secret hidden all these years? It’s one thing to say, “The whole thing was shot at a Hollywood studio.” It’s quite another to say, “I was there...I saw it!”

Have you ever watched the television show COPS? When the police officers on the scene want to determine the truth of the matter they separate all the eye-witnesses and get each person’s statement. In this way they can determine if they are hearing the same story or if it looks like its some fabrication.



The resurrection of Jesus Christ bodily from the dead is bigger then Neil Armstrong walking on the moon. How do we know the Resurrection wasn’t made up? How do we know it’s all true? St. Paul gives us a list of those who were eye-witnesses, who met Jesus face to face after the resurrection. These eye-witnesses give credibility to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Paul is saying, “you Corinthians, you want proof? Here are the names. Here are the people involved. Have a conversation. Check out their story. Talk to them. They have all seen Jesus alive from the dead! It’s not made up as some have said. They have seen Jesus with their own eyes.”

Transition: The resurrection happened in time and space. But it needs to be personally experienced by you today.

2. You too need a personal experience. And last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born. V.8

A. Paul will speak personally of his encounter with the risen Lord Jesus. Not only was he an eye-witness to the resurrection of Jesus Christ but his life was forever changed after that meeting. He was changed - from Saul to Paul. He was changed - from a man hell-bent on arresting and persecuting Christians to becoming the chief spokesmen for the Jesus movement. He was changed - from following rules, regulations, traditions and ceremonies to a many who would later write, “It does not, therefore, depend on man’s desire or effort, but on God’s mercy.” Romans 9:15

B. You too have had a personal experience with Jesus Christ. Ours is not a religion in which we work our way up to God by pre-determined steps. It’s the difference between Do and Done. And what a difference it is! The Faith is not purpose-driven its Spirit given. It’s a relationship with the living Lord Jesus. It is His life which has changed you as He orders your days, guides each step and directs your life.

Reject not until you have examined the evidence. By His bodily resurrection and His appearance to countless eye-witnesses we can say boldly and confidently this day, “He is Risen! He is Risen indeed! Hallelujah!