Easter Sunday: The Feast of
the Resurrection of Our Lord - 2013
Pastor Gregory L. Jackson
The Hymn #191 Christ the Lord 2:97
The Confession
of Sins
The Absolution
The Introit p. 16
The Gloria Patri
The Kyrie p. 17
The Gloria in Excelsis
The Salutation and Collect p. 19
The Epistle and Gradual
The
Gospel
Glory be to
Thee, O Lord!
Praise be to Thee, O Christ!
The Nicene Creed p. 22
The Sermon Hymn #188 Hallelujah 2:20
The Gospel Is Life Eternal
The Communion
Hymn # 206:1-5 Jesus Christ, My
Sure Defense 2:81
The Preface p.
24
The Sanctus p. 26
The Lord's Prayer p. 27
The Words of Institution
The Agnus Dei p. 28
The Nunc Dimittis p. 29
The Benediction p. 31
The Hymn #189 He Is Arisen Glorious Word 4:77
KJV 1 Corinthians 5:6 Your
glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the
whole lump? 7 Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as
ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: 8
Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven
of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and
truth.
KJV Mark 16:1 And when the
sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and
Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint him. 2 And
very early in the morning the first day of the week, they came unto the
sepulchre at the rising of the sun. 3 And they said among themselves, Who shall
roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre? 4 And when they looked,
they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great. 5 And entering
into the sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in
a long white garment; and they were affrighted. 6 And he saith unto them, Be
not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen; he
is not here: behold the place where they laid him. 7 But go your way, tell his
disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye see
him, as he said unto you. 8 And they went out quickly, and fled from the
sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed: neither said they any thing to
any man; for they were afraid.
Easter
Lord God, heavenly Father,
who didst deliver Thy Son for our offenses, and didst raise Him again for our
justification: We beseech Thee, grant us Thy Holy Spirit, that He may rule and
govern us according to Thy will; graciously keep us in the true faith; defend
us from all sins, and after this life raise us unto eternal life, through the
same, Thy beloved Son, who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost,
one true God, world without end. Amen.
The Gospel Is Life Eternal
KJV Mark 16:1 And when
the sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and
Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they might come and anoint Him.
The lessons for Easter seem
to be short, but they are intended as the beginning of a series of worship
services for several days, since Easter is the central event of Gospel,
revealing to the world that Jesus died on the cross but also rose from the dead
as the Savior.
Time and dates are part of
each culture. We even count differently in America than do the British. The
same is true of the Jewish people of New Testament times. They counted each
part of a day as a day, so the three days predicted by Jesus were Friday, when
He died, Saturday, and the very first part of Sunday, when He rose from the
dead.
Jesus was not long in the
tomb, because God would not let the Holy One see corruption, as the Scriptures
said.
KJV Psalm 16:10 For thou
wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One
to see corruption.
This resurrection also
changed the calendar. The Church began among Jewish believers, who worshiped on
Sunday to recognize the resurrection. There are early references to this. They
even began worship with the rising of the sun to commemorate the moment of
discovery.
To this day, Sunday is the
main day of worship. When people insist on returning to Saturday, as the
Seventh Day Adventists insist, they are showing their reliance on the Law and
their preference for Old Testament thinking. The Adventists (my kin long ago)
deny salvation by grace and punish those who teach justification by faith, just
as WELS does not. Heretics do not tolerate the Gospel, because it displaces
their law.
This resurrection was
similar to Lazarus, the young girl, and the widow’s son, but distinctly
different. Jesus showed His power over death to demonstrate His power as the
Son of God. But those people were going to die again.
Lazarus was especially
important and quite deliberate, because Jesus delayed His trip to let Lazarus
die and to allow him to be buried for days. There could be no doubt that His
good friend was dead, in front of a large crowd that watched Him, doubted His
compassion, and saw Him weep in grief for his friend. This made the raising of
Lazarus a shocking and revealing event in the midst of a crowd of people from
the entire region. Lazarus was so important as proof of the sonship of Jesus
that the authorities plotted against him as well. And crowds wanted to see
Lazarus alive when they knew very well he had been dead for days.
We can see how God trains
us, step by step, so that the early lessons lead to the great lesson. If Jesus
could raise the dead by His Word, so God could raise Him from the dead. In
fact, the Scriptures emphasize both – Jesus rising on His own, and the Father
raising Him. That is because the Father-Son relationship is constant. One does
not act without the Other, so both are emphasized at different times. This is
similar to the Two Natures being emphasized, one and then the other in the same
section. Jesus was thirsty (John 4, human nature) but He knew all about the
woman (divine nature).
Mary Magdalene, and Mary
the mother of James, and Salome, had bought sweet spices, that they
might come and anoint Him.
The Scriptures show us that
the women were so anxious to finish their honoring of His body that they rushed
out to complete their work, without a thought about their danger.
This shows how their faith
eliminated their fears, even a realistic fretting about how they would go about
their task. Three women were not going to roll that giant stone lid from the
tomb. Although the stones were shaped to roll in the groove in front of the
opening, smaller stones are an enormous chore for men to move, heaving with their
backs, legs, and arms.
When the Holy Spirit creates
and energizes faith, we do not stop to wonder how it can be done but rush to
get it done, not knowing the exact path (as they say currently) but knowing God
will bless what is faithful to His Word.
One person suggested
starting Bethany Lutheran Church and gave a token gift; he bailed out soon
after and never showed up to see what he started. Nevertheless, thousands of
views of our services suggest that the Word got out anyway.
2 And very early in the
morning the first day of the week, they came unto the sepulchre at the
rising of the sun.
People do not get up early
in the morning and jump into their task unless they feel a great urgency to get
it done. These woman gathered before the sun was up, not an easy task, grabbed
their supplies and set off on their own.
What urged these good women to hazard life and body? It was
nothing but the great love they bore to the Lord, which had sunk so deeply into
their hearts that for his sake they would have risked a thousand lives. Such
courage they had not of themselves, but here the power of the resurrection of
Christ was revealed, whose Spirit makes these women, who by nature are timid,
so bold and courageous that they venture to do things which might have daunted
a man.
5. These women also show us a beautiful example
of a spiritual heart that undertakes an impossible task, of which the whole
world would despair.
Yet a heart like this stands firm and
accomplishes it, not thinking the task impossible. So much we say for the
present on this narrative, and now let us see what are the fruits and benefits
of the resurrection of Christ.
3 And they said among
themselves, Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?
They were almost there
before they thought of the big question – who will be around to help them at
that early hour? God paints a picture of faith here – where love and faith
completely cancel out fear, worry, anxiety, and pessimism.
Resistance is so common that
we can never say, “Oh I never doubted it could be done. I was always upbeat. I
was never anxious or fearful about bearing witness to the truth.” The Old Adam
is always ready to step to the front and list all the reasons why not. I do not
mean The Power of Positive Thinking the book that Norman Vincent Peale
plagiarized from an occult lady author (often word for word).
Faith in God’s Word drives
out fear of the consequences. Faith means continuing when nothing seems to have
any effect on the lethargy and obstinacy the masses when dealing with obvious
false doctrine.
These women did not stop to
count the cost of doing what they knew to be right, and God honored them in
making them the first visitors to the Empty Tomb.
4 And when they looked,
they saw that the stone was rolled away: for it was very great.
Lenski:
This stone λίθος (not πέτρος) has
been described fully in 15:46. What the women meant was that the stone should
be rolled, like the flat wheel that it was, far enough up in the groove to
expose the door of the tomb. In speaking to each other of this stone as they do
they imply that they themselves may not be able to move it far enough. Whom
will they get to help them? They fear further delay. They perhaps blame
themselves for not having thought of the stone before and thus having insisted
that some of the men come with them.
The observation is correct that
the women seem to know nothing about the Roman guard that had been stationed at
the tomb. They do not ask each other whether the captain of this guard will
permit them to come near, yea, to enter the tomb. But this is at it should be
in the narrative: the women did not know that such a guard had been stationed
there. This was an arrangement between the Sanhedrists and Pilate, which became
known to the friends of Jesus afterward and not at this time.
4) Matthew tells us that an angel
rolled the stone away and sat on it. It was not rolled aside in its groove in
the regular way so as to be rolled back again to shut the entrance. No, it was
hurled out of its groove by some tremendous power, thrown flat upon the ground
in front of the tomb, thus making a seat for the angel who waited until the
women drew near and then went inside the tomb. This stone was not again
to be rolled in front of the entrance. It had been
laid flat so that the tomb should stand wide open for all men to see that it
was emptied of the body of Jesus, the bodiless wrappings lying undisturbed and
flat just as they had been wrapped, mute but mighty evidence of the
resurrection, John 20:5–10.
Lenski, R. C. H.: The
Interpretation of St. Mark's Gospel. Minneapolis, MN : Augsburg Publishing
House, 1961, S. 739.
The stone being removed
completely was a shock, because it was meant to stay in place. For instance,
grave robbers would find it very difficult to get past the large size and
tremendous weight. Trying to move it would cause a commotion that would alert
others. The guard is not mentioned because he was frightened away by the
revealing of the empty tomb.
I noticed on the websty of
Steve Witte (WELS Asian seminary president, Church and Change founder) a painting of Jesus being released from the
tomb by the angel opening the stone door. But that is a fallacy based upon this
error - the divine nature of Jesus is limited by His human nature. Several
instances of Jesus passing through a crowd show that He was not limited as we
are by physical barriers. If Jesus was able to walk on water, why would the
very stone He created limit Him in any way?
When the stone lid was
opened, it was not to release Jesus but to show that the tomb was empty. This
alone was enough to terrify the Roman soldier, who knew that a corpse was
inside.
5 And entering into the
sepulchre, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long
white garment; and they were affrighted.
The change was so abrupt
that the women were afraid. They expected death and saw the evidence of the
resurrection instead, an angel instead of death.
7. You have heard in the story of the Passion how Christ is
portrayed as our exemplar and helper, and that he who follows him and clings to
him receives the Spirit, who will enable him also to suffer. But the words of
Paul are more Christian and should come closer home to our hearts and comfort
us more, when he says: “Christ was raised for our justification.”
Here the Lamb is truly revealed, of whom John
the Baptist testifies, when he says in John 1:29: “Behold, the Lamb of God,
that taketh away the sin of the world.” Here is fulfilled that which was spoken
to the serpent: “I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy
seed and her seed: he shall bruise thy head,” which means that for all those
who believe in him, hell, death, and the devil and sin have been destroyed. In
the same manner the promise is fulfilled today which God gave to Abraham, when
he said in Genesis 22:18: “In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be
blessed.” Here Christ is meant, who takes away our curse and the power of sin,
death and the devil.
8. All this is done, I say, by
faith. For if you believe that by this seed the serpent has been
slain, then it is slain for you; and if you believe that in this seed all
nations are to be blessed, then you are also blessed. For each one individually
should have crushed the serpent under foot and redeemed himself from the curse,
which would have been too difficult, nay impossible for us. But now it has been
done easily, namely, by Christ, who has crushed the serpent once, who alone is
given as a blessing and benediction, and who has caused this Gospel to be
published throughout the world, so that he who believes, accepts it and clings
to it, is also in possession of it, and is assured that it is as he believes.
For in the heart of such a man the Word becomes so powerful that he will
conquer death, the devil, sin and all adversity, like Christ himself did. So
mighty is the Word that God himself would sooner be vanquished than that his
Word should be conquered.
9. This is the meaning of the words by St. Paul:
“Christ was raised for our justification.” Here Paul turns my eyes away from my
sins and directs them to Christ, for if I look at my sins, they will destroy
me. Therefore I must look unto Christ who has taken my sins upon himself,
crushed the head of the serpent and become the blessing. Now they no longer
burden my conscience, but rest upon Christ, whom they desire to destroy. Let us
see how they treat him. They hurl him to the ground and kill him. O God; where
is now my Christ and my Savior? But then God appears, delivers Christ and makes
him alive; and not only does he make him alive, but he translates him into
heaven and lets him rule over all. What has now become of sin. There it lies
under his feet. If I then cling to this, I have a cheerful conscience like
Christ, because I am without sin. Now I can defy death, the devil, sin and hell
to do me any harm.
The crucifixion of Christ caused fear and mourning, because no one fully
understood what was happening. They only saw the dark side of the Passion
narrative. The empty tomb began their catechism, to learn the meaning of “died
for your sins, raised for your justification, if you believe (Romans 4:24) that
God raised Him from the dead.”
The question is always, “But how do I know that my sins are forgiven? I
still regret my sins.”
The answer is – you believe in the resurrection of Christ and you
confess it.
6 And he saith unto them,
Be not affrighted: Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth, which was crucified: he is risen;
he is not here: behold the place where they laid him. 7 But go your way, tell
his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you into Galilee: there shall ye
see him, as he said unto you.
The passages in the Bible
that address fear always have a similar thought conveyed by the Holy Spirit: “Do
not be afraid, because…” In the Old Testament there are many assurances of God’s
love and protection.
In this passage, the
ultimate fear is addressed – Do not be afraid, because Jesus has conquered death.
You will see Him soon, and so will the disciples and Peter – the one who denied
Him three times.”
Peter was not shut out from
the future ministry for his denials. He was included and became an early leader.
His life was short. He was executed for his testimony and work. According to
one tradition, he was crucified upside-down by his own request. He did not want
to die exactly like Christ – he was not worthy.
8 And they went out
quickly, and fled from the sepulchre; for they trembled and were amazed:
neither said they any thing to any man; for they were afraid.
The modernists want us to
believe that this Gospel broke off at verse 8. But the early Church had the
complete ending. It took a questionable character, plus Wescott and Hort, to
eliminate verses 9-16. A good way to tell how reliable a Bible is – look at
what they did to Mark. There are other indications as well, such as editing “the
Son of God” from the opening.
This verse is not the ending
of Mark but the beginning of the wider narrative of the world-wide Gospel ministry
started by the empty tomb, the appearances of the risen Lord, His ascension,
and Pentecost.
Eternal Life
"For the papalists understand the word 'justify' according to
the manner of the Latin composition as meaning 'to make righteous' through a
donated or infused quality of inherent righteousness, from which works of
righteousness proceed. The Lutherans, however, accept the word 'justify' in the
Hebrew manner of speaking; therefore they define justification as the
absolution from sins, or the remission of sins, through imputation of the
righteousness of Christ, through adoption and inheritance of eternal life, and
that only for the sake of Christ, who is apprehended by faith."
Martin Chemnitz, Examination of the Council of Trent, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House,
1971, I, p. 467.
"And, in short, the meritum condigni is the Helen for which the Tridentine
chapter concerning the growth of justification contends. For they imagine that
the quality, or habit, of love is infused not that we may possess salvation to
life eternal through this first grace but that, assisted by that grace, we may
be able to merit eternal life for ourselves by our own good works. For
concerning the meritum
condigni Gabriel speaks thus:
'The soul shaped by grace worthily (de condigno) merits eternal
life.'" [Kramer note - Scholastics taught that the good works of the
unregenerate had only meritum
congrui; the good works of the regenerate rewarded as meritum condigni, merit worthy
with being rewarded with eternal life.]
Martin Chemnitz, Examination of the Council of Trent, 1971, I, p. 541.
"How is a person justified
before God? This occurs solely by faith in the Son of God, Jesus Christ; that
is, freely, not because of any works or merits of one's own but only because of
the one Mediator, Jesus Christ, who became the sacrificial victim and
propitiation on our behalf. By this sacrifice, man obtained forgiveness of sins
and became righteous; that is, God-pleasing and acceptable. His righteousness
was imputed to man for Christ's sake, and man becomes an heir of eternal life
when he believes with certainty that God gives him these blessings for the sake
of His Son."
David Chytraeus, A Summary of the Christian Faith,
(1568), trans., Richard Dinda, Decatur: Repristination Press, 1994. p.
105.
"Christian righteousness is the forgiveness of sin, the
imputation of the righteousness of Christ and acceptance to eternal life. It is
free, not the result of any virtues or works but is given solely because of
Christ, the Mediator, and apprehended by faith alone."
David Chytraeus, A Summary of the Christian Faith, (1568), 1994. p.
106.
"Scripture therefore uses
these words, 'We are justified by faith,' to teach both: 1) What the reason (or
merit) for justification is, or what the blessings of Christ are; to wit, that
through and for the sake of Christ alone we are granted forgiveness of sins,
righteousness and eternal life; and 2. How these should be applied or
transferred to us; namely, by embracing the promise and relying on Christ by
faith alone."
David Chytraeus, A Summary of the Christian Faith,
(1568), 1994. p.
107.
"The second argument is
that 'God desires all men to be saved' (1 Timothy 2:4), and He gave His Son for
us men and created man for eternal life. Likewise: All things exist for man, and
he himself exists for God that he may enjoy Him, etc. These points and others
like them can be refuted as easily as the first one. For these verses must
always be understood as pertaining to the elect only, as the apostle says in 2
Timothy 2:10 'everything for the sake of the elect.' For in an absolute sense
Christ did not die for all, because He says: 'This is My blood which is poured
out for you' and 'for many'--He does not say: for all--'for the forgiveness of
sins.' (Mark 14:24; Matthew 26:28) Martin Luther, Luther's Works, 25 p. 375. 2
Timothy 2:10; 1 Timothy 2:4; Mark 14:24; Matthew
26:28 "His
gifts and works in His Church must effect inexpressible results, taking souls
from the jaws of the devil and translating them into eternal life and glory."
Sermons of Martin Luther,
ed. John Nicolas Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VIII, p. 220.
"In this epistle lesson
Paul gives Christians instruction concerning the Christian life on earth, and
connects with it the hope of the future and eternal life, in view of which they
have been baptized and become Christians. He makes of our earthly life a death--a
grave--with the understanding, however, that henceforth the risen man and the
newness of life should be found in us."
Sermons of Martin Luther,
8 vols., ed., John Lenker, Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1983, VIII, p. 141.
"Therefore, whoever would
have a joyful conscience that does not fear sin, death, hell, nor the wrath of
God, dare not reject this Mediator, Christ. For He is the fountain that
overflows with grace, that gives temporal and eternal life."
Sermons of Martin Luther,
8 vols V, p. 331.
"Therefore, do not speak
to me of love or friendship when anything is to be detracted from the Word or
the faith; for we are told that not love but the Word brings eternal life,
God's grace, and all heavenly treasures."
Martin Luther, What Luther Says, An Anthology,
3 vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, III, p.
1411f.
"In all simplicity and
without any disputing, children believe that God is gracious and that there is
an eternal life. Oh, what a blessing comes to the children who die at this
time! Such a death would, of course, cause me extreme sorrow, because a part of
my body and the mother's body would die. These natural affections do not cease
in the pious, as those who are without feeling and are hardened imagine, for
such affections are the work of divine creation. Children live with all
sincerity in faith, without the interference of reason, as Ambrose says: There
is lack of reason but not of faith."
What Luther Says, An
Anthology, 3 vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing
House, 1959, I, p. 142.
"To be converted to God
means to believe in Christ, to believe that He is our Mediator and that we have
eternal life through Him."
What Luther Says, An Anthology, 3
vols., ed., Ewald Plass, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1959, I, p.
343. Acts 26:20.
"The Church has no word of its own. Whatever is not taken
from Scripture is not the 'Word of the Church,' but what Luther bluntly calls
'prattle.' Also other books can exert a divine power and efficacy, but always
only inasmuch as they have absorbed God's Word. Of Scripture Luther says: 'No
book teaches anything concerning eternal life except this one alone' (St. Louis
edition XIV:434)."
Francis Pieper, Christian Dogmatics, 3 vols.,
trans. Walter W. F. Albrecht, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1950, I,
p. 315.
"But Christ was given for
this purpose, namely, that for His sake there might be bestowed on us the
remission of sins, and the Holy Ghost to bring forth in us new and eternal
life, and eternal righteousness [to manifest Christ in our hearts, as it is
written John 16:15: 'He shall take of the things of Mine, and show them unto you.'
Likewise, He works also other gifts, love, thanksgiving, charity, patience,
etc.]. Wherefore the Law cannot be truly kept unless the Holy Ghost is
given." Apology
of the Augsburg Confession, Article IV, Justification, Concordia Triglotta, St.
Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 159. Romans 3:31; John
16:15.
"But Christ was given for
this purpose, namely, that for His sake there might be bestowed on us the
remission of sins, and the Holy Ghost to bring forth in us new and eternal life,
and eternal righteousness [to manifest Christ in our hearts, as it is written
John 16:15: He shall take of the things of Mine, and show them unto you.
Likewise, He works also other gifts, love, thanksgiving, charity, patience,
etc.]. Wherefore the Law cannot be truly kept unless the Holy Ghost is received
through faith...Then we learn to know how flesh, in security and indifference,
does not fear God, and is not fully certain that we are regarded by God, but
imagines that men are born and die by chance. Then we experience that we do not
believe that God forgives and hears us. But when, on hearing the Gospel and the
remission of sins, we are consoled by faith, we receive the Holy Ghost, so that
now we are able to think aright."
Augsburg
Confession, Article III, #11, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia
Publishing House, 1921, p. 159.
"This power {the Keys} is
exercised only by teaching or preaching the Gospel and administering the
Sacraments, according to their calling, either to many or to individuals. For
thereby are granted, not bodily, but eternal things, as eternal righteousness,
the Holy Ghost, eternal life. These things cannot come but by the ministry of
the Word and the Sacraments, as Paul says, Romans 1:16: The Gospel is the power
of God unto salvation to every one that believeth. Therefore, since the power
of the Church grants eternal things, and is exercised only by the ministry of
the Word, it does not interfere with civil government; no more than the art of
singing interferes with civil government."
Augsburg
Confession, Article XXVIII, #8, Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia
Publishing House, 1921, p. 85. Romans 1:16
"This righteousness is
offered us by the Holy Ghost through the Gospel and in the Sacraments, and is
applied, appropriated, and received through faith, whence believers have
reconciliation with God, forgiveness of sins, the grace of God, sonship, and
heirship of eternal life." Formula of Concord, Thorough Declaration, III
16 Righteousness Concordia Triglotta, St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House,
1921, p. 921. "Also they teach that at the Consummation of the World
Christ will appear for judgment, and will raise up all the dead; He will give
to the godly and elect eternal life and everlasting joys, but ungodly men and
the devils He will condemn to be tormented without end."
Augsburg
Confession, Article XVII, Of Christ's Return to Judgment, Concordia Triglotta,
St. Louis: Concordia Publishing House, 1921, p. 51.
