WEBVTT 00:00:00.160 --> 00:00:01.120 Well, happy Easter. 00:00:01.199 --> 00:00:01.439 Welcome. 00:00:01.520 --> 00:00:04.559 My name is Dress Masterson, the pastor here at Redeemer. 00:00:04.639 --> 00:00:15.919 And what we love to say every week is that we are more broken than we originally thought, but we are more loved by God and Jesus than we could dare to dream. 00:00:16.000 --> 00:00:18.399 And that is what we talk about every week at our church. 00:00:18.559 --> 00:00:21.600 We sing about, we celebrate, and again we remember it today. 00:00:21.679 --> 00:00:27.359 And our hope is that this would bring great relief to your weary soul. 00:00:27.839 --> 00:00:32.079 Jesus' body was buried in the tomb of Joseph of Arimathea. 00:00:32.479 --> 00:00:37.920 Joseph was a Jewish leader, well-off guy, secret follower of Jesus. 00:00:38.000 --> 00:00:42.079 And Joseph wanted Jesus to have a proper burial. 00:00:42.320 --> 00:00:51.359 And by asking for Jesus' body, a Jewish prophecy from hundreds of years prior comes true, Isaiah 53, 9. 00:00:51.600 --> 00:00:58.159 And they made his grave, Jesus' grave, with the wicked and with a rich man in his death. 00:00:58.320 --> 00:01:05.439 Although he, Jesus, had done no violence, and there was no deceit in Jesus' mouth. 00:01:05.840 --> 00:01:24.879 Whether you're here because you believe, or you're here out of family, or your family made you come, or you're here out of tradition, this Jesus is captivating, pursuing us and loving us exactly as we are, not as we should be. 00:01:25.519 --> 00:01:32.879 And even when he was hurt, even when we hurt him, he responds with truth and love. 00:01:34.239 --> 00:01:38.239 We pick up the story of Jesus' death and resurrection in Luke 24. 00:01:38.480 --> 00:01:42.159 A group of women close to Jesus are coming to this tomb. 00:01:42.319 --> 00:01:46.719 They're showing up with spices because they expect to find a dead body. 00:01:46.879 --> 00:01:48.959 They're going to prepare the body. 00:01:49.359 --> 00:01:54.959 But the stone, this massive stone that they could never move, these ladies, is rolled away. 00:01:55.200 --> 00:01:57.040 The soldiers are gone. 00:01:57.680 --> 00:01:58.799 The tomb's empty. 00:01:58.959 --> 00:02:03.599 We know the body wasn't stolen because Rome, the power of Rome, would have never allowed that. 00:02:03.760 --> 00:02:06.079 These soldiers were there to prevent just that. 00:02:06.319 --> 00:02:09.199 Nobody would have overthrown these soldiers. 00:02:09.680 --> 00:02:12.879 And Jesus' most devout followers, they were in hiding. 00:02:13.039 --> 00:02:15.360 They were holed up hiding somewhere. 00:02:16.080 --> 00:02:19.120 But this empty tomb changes everything. 00:02:19.520 --> 00:02:24.000 And even after the resurrection, Jesus shows himself as historical evidence. 00:02:24.159 --> 00:02:33.439 Twelve, the Bible actually gives us 12 distinct moments where the resurrected Jesus shows himself to a person or a group of people. 00:02:34.479 --> 00:02:36.000 This happened. 00:02:36.719 --> 00:02:39.599 Luke 24, 1 through 7, our text this morning. 00:02:39.759 --> 00:02:45.120 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. 00:02:45.280 --> 00:02:48.319 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb. 00:02:48.560 --> 00:02:52.319 But when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 00:02:52.560 --> 00:02:58.960 When they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. 00:02:59.360 --> 00:03:06.639 In their fright the women bowed down their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, Why do you look for the living among the dead? 00:03:07.120 --> 00:03:09.919 He is not here, but has risen. 00:03:10.240 --> 00:03:21.199 Remember how he told you while he was still in Galilee that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified, and on the third day rise. 00:03:22.400 --> 00:03:25.439 This year, 2024, is the year of the cicada. 00:03:25.599 --> 00:03:26.560 Is anybody aware of this? 00:03:27.280 --> 00:03:28.000 Nobody's aware of this. 00:03:28.159 --> 00:03:29.280 It's the year of the cicada. 00:03:29.360 --> 00:03:36.000 Remember the cicada, it's the bug during summertime, lives up in the trees, and makes that really loud sound in the southern U.S. 00:03:36.240 --> 00:03:39.439 And you know, at first it's really charming and then it's just kind of irritating. 00:03:39.599 --> 00:03:45.360 So it's a jumping bug, more than 3,000 species of the cicada. 00:03:45.680 --> 00:03:56.400 Most cicadas, here's a cicada, most cicadas are annual, which means they live underground during the year, and during the summer they emerge from underground, they come out and they live in the trees, they live around us. 00:03:56.560 --> 00:04:01.120 But there are seven species in North America that are not annual, they are periodic. 00:04:01.280 --> 00:04:09.280 So periodically they emerge from underground, and either they periodically emerge every 13 years or every 17 years. 00:04:09.439 --> 00:04:11.759 And this is the year of the cicada. 00:04:13.520 --> 00:04:22.000 Exact timing, these two different periodic, 13-year and 17-year-old is gonna align, and they're gonna all emerge. 00:04:22.319 --> 00:04:27.759 For years these have lived underground as nymphs, feeding on fluid from tree roots. 00:04:28.959 --> 00:04:31.199 And then this is the year they emerge. 00:04:32.480 --> 00:04:33.519 Fascinating, right? 00:04:33.680 --> 00:04:34.240 Fascinating. 00:04:35.279 --> 00:04:36.720 Billions will emerge. 00:04:36.879 --> 00:04:37.600 Billions. 00:04:37.839 --> 00:04:38.639 They'll be everywhere. 00:04:38.800 --> 00:04:41.439 This hasn't happened in 221 years. 00:04:41.600 --> 00:04:44.000 It hasn't happened since 1803. 00:04:44.160 --> 00:04:48.079 It won't happen again until 2245. 00:04:49.199 --> 00:04:51.600 It's called cicada mania. 00:04:52.399 --> 00:04:54.240 The bug world is going nuts. 00:04:54.399 --> 00:04:56.959 There are tens of people following this online. 00:04:57.680 --> 00:04:59.439 A huge following. 00:04:59.680 --> 00:05:01.040 Huge following. 00:05:01.600 --> 00:05:03.680 We now know about cicada mania. 00:05:03.920 --> 00:05:06.399 Now, what does this have to do with us? 00:05:07.439 --> 00:05:22.079 It would be easy to be a cicada, especially if you're a periodic cicada and you're down there, under it, underground, and it'd be easy in your little cicada brain and heart to think, this is it. 00:05:22.800 --> 00:05:25.759 I'm just always gonna be under it. 00:05:26.959 --> 00:05:28.720 My story is over. 00:05:29.439 --> 00:05:31.360 I will be here forever. 00:05:32.959 --> 00:05:34.800 Nothing will change. 00:05:36.319 --> 00:05:39.920 Then one day, the story changes. 00:05:41.360 --> 00:05:44.480 You were in darkness, and then there's light. 00:05:44.720 --> 00:05:45.120 Right? 00:05:45.279 --> 00:05:49.920 There is crucifixion, there is death, and there is resurrection. 00:05:50.240 --> 00:05:57.759 Point number one is this the resurrection gives us the promise of our redemption, not an impossible to-do list. 00:05:58.000 --> 00:06:00.959 This is the difference between religion and gospel. 00:06:01.120 --> 00:06:10.160 This is the difference between exhaustion of a performance-oriented faith life and a faith life that is by grace and in grace. 00:06:10.800 --> 00:06:16.160 The story of Jesus' death and rising again was during the Passover feast in Jerusalem. 00:06:16.319 --> 00:06:29.279 The Passover was an annual gathering for the Jews to remember the story of the Exodus, their people's people, ancient Israelites who were freed from slavery in Egypt. 00:06:29.519 --> 00:06:39.759 In the Old Testament in Exodus, Exodus 12, we read the story where the Jews smeared the blood of a lamb on their doorpost when they were in Egypt. 00:06:39.920 --> 00:06:43.759 And by doing that, God's wrath passed them over. 00:06:44.240 --> 00:06:45.120 Passover. 00:06:46.879 --> 00:06:52.560 So the people would sacrifice a lamb at this Passover festival to atone for their sins. 00:06:52.720 --> 00:07:00.079 The blood of the lamb was used for the payment of sin rather than them paying the payment of their own sin. 00:07:00.800 --> 00:07:05.439 And there was one problem with this: the endlessness of it. 00:07:05.680 --> 00:07:07.680 It was redo after redo. 00:07:08.240 --> 00:07:11.759 That's what a religious performance life is. 00:07:12.160 --> 00:07:14.319 And that's why it's so exhausting. 00:07:14.399 --> 00:07:16.879 It just feels like redo after redo. 00:07:17.680 --> 00:07:23.120 But Jesus doesn't give us a redo, he brings us and gives us redemption. 00:07:24.560 --> 00:07:31.279 Always his, always forgiven, always righteous, with an eternal redemption. 00:07:31.680 --> 00:07:35.759 All these sacrifices were leading to Jesus, Hebrews 9.22. 00:07:36.160 --> 00:07:49.680 Jesus entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves, but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption. 00:07:49.920 --> 00:07:56.160 Point number two is this we do not merit our victory over sin and death. 00:07:56.879 --> 00:07:57.839 We receive. 00:07:58.560 --> 00:08:01.199 We receive our victory over sin and death. 00:08:01.920 --> 00:08:09.360 A month ago, my wife and I we went shopping at an antique market, which means she was shopping, and I was following behind her, bothering her. 00:08:09.519 --> 00:08:10.480 This is how we shop. 00:08:10.560 --> 00:08:17.199 And then eventually what she'll say is she will say, I love you, but I want you to leave me alone. 00:08:18.480 --> 00:08:23.360 And then I kind of go do my own thing, and at this antique market, I was doing my own thing, and I saw this. 00:08:23.519 --> 00:08:25.120 This is what I saw. 00:08:28.720 --> 00:08:32.559 Which is amazing or horrible. 00:08:32.720 --> 00:08:34.559 I don't know which one it is. 00:08:45.600 --> 00:08:49.440 At best, it's like a really good gift, like a really funny gift. 00:08:50.559 --> 00:08:58.720 At worst, at worst, the idea of Taylor Swift on a prayer candle, at worst, it would sound something like this. 00:08:59.679 --> 00:09:06.559 I am not enough, but if I connect to her, I can feel like I'm enough. 00:09:07.440 --> 00:09:10.159 If I only know enough about her, then I will be enough. 00:09:10.480 --> 00:09:11.440 We all do it with something. 00:09:11.519 --> 00:09:12.320 It's idolatry. 00:09:12.399 --> 00:09:13.679 It's called idolatry. 00:09:14.000 --> 00:09:22.639 If I have this, if I can get this, if I can earn this, then I will be forgiven, then I will be righteous, then I will be whole. 00:09:23.200 --> 00:09:24.639 If I, then I. 00:09:25.679 --> 00:09:30.480 We're looking to attach ourselves to something else beyond ourselves. 00:09:30.879 --> 00:09:32.799 Because we all want a victory. 00:09:33.039 --> 00:09:34.320 We all want a victory. 00:09:34.399 --> 00:09:42.399 And how quickly we attach our hearts to a victory outside of ourselves because we were created to do just that. 00:09:43.759 --> 00:09:47.440 And God gives us a secure victory in Jesus. 00:09:47.679 --> 00:09:49.519 This is what we have in the resurrection. 00:09:49.679 --> 00:09:52.720 God's victory over sin and death and given to us. 00:09:52.960 --> 00:09:57.919 We have done nothing for it, and we don't have to add anything back to it. 00:09:58.080 --> 00:10:03.200 It is fully and enough outside of us, sufficient and given to us. 00:10:03.440 --> 00:10:09.519 We are the fans in the stadium, and somebody else wins the game for us. 00:10:10.000 --> 00:10:19.279 This is why our relationship with Jesus does not have to have, and it has no anxiety, it has no fear, and it has no performance. 00:10:19.600 --> 00:10:20.320 Listen to this. 00:10:20.480 --> 00:10:25.440 Just after the resurrection, his disciples are afraid and hidden, and Jesus shows up. 00:10:25.600 --> 00:10:27.759 John 20, 19 and 22. 00:10:28.000 --> 00:10:40.159 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked, where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, Peace be with you. 00:10:40.399 --> 00:10:44.399 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. 00:10:45.200 --> 00:10:48.159 Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 00:10:48.399 --> 00:10:51.840 Jesus said to them again, Peace be with you. 00:10:52.080 --> 00:10:55.200 As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you. 00:10:55.360 --> 00:11:01.360 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, Receive the Holy Spirit. 00:11:01.759 --> 00:11:11.600 Point number three is this enduring peace for your heart is found in Christ's victory for you. 00:11:12.720 --> 00:11:18.399 Two times in this passage, Jesus says to his followers, Peace be with you. 00:11:19.039 --> 00:11:24.960 Our peace and our security comes because we are relieved of playing the game of self-justification. 00:11:25.759 --> 00:11:32.000 The game of justifying your own worth or your own forgiveness, your own righteousness by the means of your own performance. 00:11:32.559 --> 00:11:40.559 Justification before God, justification for you as a child of God was earned outside of you. 00:11:40.879 --> 00:11:43.679 Already won by Jesus. 00:11:44.320 --> 00:11:54.159 That is why, no matter what's going on in our life, no matter how we feel on a given day, how great of a Christian or horrible of a Christian, we can have peace. 00:11:54.879 --> 00:11:56.720 Because Jesus is for us. 00:11:56.960 --> 00:12:06.159 And we have the Holy Spirit in us, the very Spirit of God in us, working in our hearts, helping us to come alive to this astonishing love. 00:12:06.399 --> 00:12:08.799 2 Corinthians 5, 17 and 18. 00:12:08.960 --> 00:12:12.320 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. 00:12:12.559 --> 00:12:14.960 The old has passed away. 00:12:15.440 --> 00:12:17.440 Behold, the new has come. 00:12:17.840 --> 00:12:25.279 This is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation. 00:12:25.759 --> 00:12:28.320 The old is passed, the new has come. 00:12:28.639 --> 00:12:30.480 How are we buried with Christ? 00:12:30.639 --> 00:12:33.279 What does it mean for the old to have passed? 00:12:33.600 --> 00:12:35.039 Three thoughts. 00:12:35.840 --> 00:12:41.440 In Christ, the claim over you as separate or unfavored by God. 00:12:42.879 --> 00:12:46.000 That is killed, and that is buried. 00:12:46.960 --> 00:12:48.559 That's in Romans 6. 00:12:48.879 --> 00:13:01.360 In Christ, the claim of sin's ownership over you, defining you, that sin, that mistake, that thing, that habit, that is killed. 00:13:01.679 --> 00:13:03.120 And that is buried. 00:13:04.240 --> 00:13:09.200 In Christ, the old way of slavery to sin as a way of life. 00:13:10.080 --> 00:13:11.440 That is killed. 00:13:11.679 --> 00:13:12.879 And that is buried. 00:13:13.279 --> 00:13:14.720 That's Galatians 5. 00:13:16.000 --> 00:13:17.279 Yet we're not perfect. 00:13:18.639 --> 00:13:19.919 But a new life has begun. 00:13:20.080 --> 00:13:22.720 We'd say the old Adam is dead. 00:13:25.039 --> 00:13:26.879 But the story has changed. 00:13:27.200 --> 00:13:30.159 A new resurrected life has started. 00:13:30.320 --> 00:13:32.799 We have emerged from underground. 00:13:33.039 --> 00:13:35.840 So what is this new life we have in Christ? 00:13:36.159 --> 00:13:37.200 Eight thoughts. 00:13:37.440 --> 00:13:37.919 Eight. 00:13:38.399 --> 00:13:42.000 We come alive to our forever forgiveness in Jesus. 00:13:42.240 --> 00:13:43.919 Ephesians 1, 7. 00:13:44.399 --> 00:13:47.759 We come alive to Jesus' righteousness for us. 00:13:48.000 --> 00:13:50.480 1 John 1 and 2 Corinthians 5. 00:13:50.720 --> 00:13:55.039 We come alive to Jesus as our peace, Romans 5. 00:13:55.200 --> 00:13:58.080 We come alive to Jesus as our friend. 00:14:00.159 --> 00:14:04.720 We come alive to Jesus as our freedom from merit-based living. 00:14:05.200 --> 00:14:06.480 Galatians 3. 00:14:06.720 --> 00:14:13.279 We come alive to Jesus creating compassion in us and freeing us from judgmentalism. 00:14:13.759 --> 00:14:15.120 Galatians 5. 00:14:15.440 --> 00:14:19.919 We come alive to our position as godly in Christ. 00:14:20.559 --> 00:14:25.200 And we're empowered toward godliness by Christ. 00:14:25.519 --> 00:14:26.879 Titus 2. 00:14:27.600 --> 00:14:34.399 And we come alive to Jesus as our resting place and our forever home, our eternal redemption. 00:14:34.559 --> 00:14:35.840 John 14. 00:14:38.320 --> 00:14:45.759 Back in February, the Detroit Mercy Titans, a college basketball team, they were winless. 00:14:46.399 --> 00:14:48.240 0 in 26. 00:14:49.759 --> 00:14:51.679 That's a season right there. 00:14:51.919 --> 00:14:54.399 It was Valentine's Day when they got their first win. 00:14:54.559 --> 00:15:01.440 I don't know which is worse to be the O in 26 team or to lose to the O in 26 team. 00:15:03.120 --> 00:15:06.879 They beat IU Indianapolis 81 to 66. 00:15:07.039 --> 00:15:07.600 Amazing. 00:15:07.759 --> 00:15:08.480 Amazing. 00:15:08.720 --> 00:15:09.840 One in 26. 00:15:10.240 --> 00:15:14.960 Now, also in February, maybe you watched the UNC Duke game at UNC. 00:15:15.279 --> 00:15:19.840 And UNC won, the place went nuts. 00:15:20.080 --> 00:15:22.639 Everyone stormed the court. 00:15:22.879 --> 00:15:24.000 Here's a couple pictures. 00:15:24.159 --> 00:15:26.799 Everyone stormed the court. 00:15:27.360 --> 00:15:30.000 Victory creates a response. 00:15:30.960 --> 00:15:33.919 Now back to the Detroit Mercy Titans. 00:15:35.200 --> 00:15:36.639 Finally a victory. 00:15:36.879 --> 00:15:39.759 And victory creates a response. 00:15:44.879 --> 00:15:47.679 One guy storms the court. 00:15:49.440 --> 00:15:50.960 Just him, nobody else. 00:15:51.120 --> 00:15:57.759 I don't know if anybody else is at the game at this point, but he storms the court. 00:15:58.879 --> 00:16:00.720 Can you imagine being this guy? 00:16:01.039 --> 00:16:03.840 Like 0-5, and you're going like, we'll get one. 00:16:04.000 --> 00:16:05.519 Like, we'll get it. 00:16:06.000 --> 00:16:08.879 0-8, 0-10, you're like, this is gonna be a rough season. 00:16:12.240 --> 00:16:22.320 0-15, 0-18, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26 losses in a row. 00:16:23.440 --> 00:16:24.399 What's he thinking? 00:16:25.440 --> 00:16:28.879 He's thinking I'm a cicada living underground. 00:16:29.200 --> 00:16:31.919 I will never emerge. 00:16:32.240 --> 00:16:34.480 Will this story ever change? 00:16:36.799 --> 00:16:38.480 Then there's a victory. 00:16:39.360 --> 00:16:41.360 And the victory is given to him, right? 00:16:41.519 --> 00:16:42.879 He didn't do anything. 00:16:43.200 --> 00:16:44.799 He didn't do anything. 00:16:45.200 --> 00:16:46.960 He is storming the court. 00:16:47.279 --> 00:16:48.559 He is victorious. 00:16:48.879 --> 00:16:50.000 He is joyful. 00:16:50.240 --> 00:16:51.440 He is grateful. 00:16:51.600 --> 00:16:55.519 And the victory was outside of him and given to him. 00:16:55.679 --> 00:17:00.320 So he is filled with joy and gratitude with his arms open wide. 00:17:00.720 --> 00:17:02.399 Hands lifted high. 00:17:04.559 --> 00:17:07.519 On Friday, we remembered the cross of Jesus. 00:17:07.759 --> 00:17:10.079 All of our sin put upon him. 00:17:10.720 --> 00:17:12.480 So we're fully forgiven. 00:17:12.799 --> 00:17:16.240 All of his righteousness given to us, so we're fully righteous. 00:17:16.640 --> 00:17:17.279 Fully his. 00:17:17.839 --> 00:17:22.799 And today we celebrate not the death of a story. 00:17:23.759 --> 00:17:24.960 It's not the end. 00:17:25.599 --> 00:17:36.160 But Jesus rose from the grave to show there is victory over sin and guilt, victory over shame, victory over death, and we have redemption. 00:17:37.599 --> 00:17:40.799 And we have a restoration to come in heaven. 00:17:41.759 --> 00:17:42.960 Hallelujah. 00:17:43.359 --> 00:17:44.400 Hallelujah. 00:17:44.640 --> 00:17:45.440 Hallelujah. 00:17:46.160 --> 00:17:46.720 He's risen. 00:17:46.960 --> 00:17:47.680 Let's pray. 00:17:51.440 --> 00:18:07.599 Heavenly Father, thank you that this victory is yours, and thank you that we humbly come, helpless and needy, weary, tired, beat down, broken with open hands, and receive the wealth of the forgiveness we have in Jesus. 00:18:07.759 --> 00:18:10.960 And we receive the wealth of the righteousness of Jesus. 00:18:11.200 --> 00:18:15.119 And we receive the wealth of our identity as your children. 00:18:16.319 --> 00:18:32.880 May we know that the old Adam in us is dead, and may we become alive to the resurrected life we have in you, not as perfected, but as loved, fully loved, fully redeemed. 00:18:33.920 --> 00:18:36.799 May we trust all the more in this wonderful Jesus. 00:18:37.119 --> 00:18:38.319 In his name we pray. 00:18:38.640 --> 00:18:39.200 Amen.