I was asked to preach the Easter Sunday service at True Light Church year. It was a wonderful time of worshiping our risen Savior! I preached a message entitled “Easter Sunday: A Day of Revelation.” Jesus reveals Himself to the Hurting (Mary Magdalene); the Hopeless (the two on the Emmaus Road); the Humiliated (Simon Peter) and the Hardened (Saul of Tarsus). Wherever you may be on the road of life, Jesus is able to meet you there and reveal Himself in life-changing ways.
Easter Sunday: A Day Of Revelation
Matthew 28:1-10
Introduction
W. E. Sangster, near the end of his life, had lost his voice and could not shout on Easter morning, “He is risen!” Yet he said it would be worse to have a voice and not want to shout. We have much to shout about, because Jesus Christ has risen from the dead, and the risen Christ is still revealing Himself to hurting, hopeless, humiliated, and hardened hearts today.
I. Jesus revealed himself to the Hurting (Read John 20:1-2, and 11)
Mary Magdalene stood outside the empty tomb weeping, broken by grief and confused by all that had happened. She loved the Lord because He had delivered her, changed her life, and now she thought even His body had been taken away.
Jesus came to her in that garden of sorrow and called her by name. In one word, “Mary,” her sorrow began to melt, her eyes were opened, and she went away saying, “I have seen the Lord.”
Some hearts are hurt by the unexpected tragedies of life. Some are wounded by disappointment, grief, and sorrow, but Jesus is not distant in your grief, and He is not repelled by your tears.
The risen Christ still knows how to find His grieving people in gardens of sorrow. Come to Christ, and cast your broken heart on Him, for He cares for you.
II. Jesus revealed himself to the Hopeless (Turn Luke 24)
On the road to Emmaus, two disciples walked away sad, confused, and shaken by the death of Jesus. Their words tell the story of their broken hope: “But we trusted that it had been he which should have redeemed Israel.”
They had trusted, but the strange turns of life had shaken their faith. They thought Jesus was gone, but the very Christ they thought was defeated was walking beside them.
Jesus drew near, opened the Scriptures, and made their hearts burn again. He still walks roads of sorrow, speaks peace into confused hearts, and causes cold hearts to burn again.
You may be saying, “But we trusted.” You trusted the prayer would be answered, the burden would lift, the marriage would heal, or the prodigal would return, but do not lose hope, because Christ is alive and He is still drawing near.
III. Jesus revealed himself to the Humiliated (Read Mark 16:6-7)
Peter had loudly pledged his loyalty to Jesus, but before the night was over, he denied Him three times. He followed afar off, warmed his hands by the world’s fire, cursed, denied the Lord, and went out into the night weeping.
Yet the angel said, “Go your way, tell his disciples and Peter.” Heaven made sure the broken, ashamed, denying disciple knew he had not been cast off.
Jesus later met Peter, confronted him in love, and asked him three times, “Lovest thou me?” Then the same Savior who first said, “Follow me,” said it again.
Your failure is not greater than His grace. If you have denied the Lord, drifted from Him, or become ashamed of what you have done, do not run from Christ any longer, run to Him and hear the Savior say, “Follow me.”
IV. Jesus revealed himself to the Hardened (Turn to Acts 9)
Saul of Tarsus was breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord. His heart was hardened, his mind was made up, and he believed the testimony of the resurrection was foolish nonsense.
But on the Damascus road, the risen Christ revealed Himself to Saul. The hardened persecutor fell to the earth, trembling and astonished, and said, “Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?”
The man who had been destroying Christians soon began declaring Christ. That is what the living Jesus can do when He breaks into a hard heart.
You may not be persecuting the church like Saul, but you may be marching down the road of rebellion, excusing your sin and refusing His grace. Hear me well, the risen Christ is alive, He is Lord, and He can break through your excuses, forgive every sin, wash away every stain, and make you a new creature in Christ.
Closing Appeal
Jesus is still revealing Himself today. He revealed Himself to Mary in her hurting, to those disciples in their hopelessness, to Peter in his humiliation, and to Saul in his hardness. Let Him reveal Himself to you today, come and believe, trust the crucified and risen Christ, and let the Savior you need become the Savior who changes you forever.
