Sermons on Easter / Resurrection / Pentecost
The Easter story is about Jesus Christ’s crucifixion and resurrection. Jesus and his followers were in Jerusalem preparing for the special Passover celebrations. The chief priests and other Jewish officials were meeting at the house of Caiaphas, the High Priest, to discuss ways of capturing Jesus quietly, and killing him. Judas Iscariot, one of Jesus’s twelve disciples, went to the chief priests and asked how much they would pay him if he betrayed Jesus to them. They gave him thirty silver coins. On the first day of the Passover ceremonies, the disciples came to Jesus and asked where they would eat their Passover meal. Jesus replied that they should go into the city and find a man carrying a water jar and tell him that their Master says his time has come, and he will eat the Passover meal with his disciples at his house. That evening as Jesus sat eating the Passover meal with his disciples, He broke the bread, blessed it and said, “Take this and eat it, for this is my body, which I am giving for you.” He then took the cup of wine and gave thanks and said, “Drink this, all of you. This is my blood which is poured out for you.” After finishing the meal, Jesus went with his disciples to a local beauty spot called Gethsemane where he was arrested by Roman soldiers. Three days later he rose from the dead.
On Easter morning, Jesus is no longer in the tomb, he is risen: Mark 16: 1-14
Yes, Christ is really risen, if that were not the case… our faith would be vain and without hope. The apostle Paul underlines this in his letter to the Corinthians: “If there is no resurrection of the dead, neither has Christ risen. And if Christ has not risen, then our preaching is in vain, and your faith is also in vain. … and He specifies: “But now Christ is risen from the dead, he is the firstfruits of those who died. 1 Corinthians 15.
Christ is not only risen, but he has promised to be with us always. He invites us to unload ourselves on Him. “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavily laden, and I will give you rest” He is that good Shepherd of whom Psalm 23 speaks about.
The sermon sermons are translated from the original French version. Bible verses link to the Bible in Basic English. The Bible is available online in audio/podcast form in several versions including the Bible in Basic English (1 year reading plan):
Psalm 22, Psalm 23, Psalm 34: Jesus crucified, Jesus resurrected, Jesus King of glory
Yesterday, Jesus crucified Today, Jesus risen Eternally, Jesus King of gloryYesterday, Jesus Crucified: Psalm 22 The story of the crucifixion, we find it in the Gospels: For example in the Gospel according to Mark: 29). But, we find this prophetic announcement in several Psalms, in the books of Isaiah, Zechariah among others. David's Psalm 22 evokes very specific facts: Psalm 22: 7-9 But I am a worm and not a man, the shame of humanity, the one whom the people despise. Everyone who sees me laughs at me, they sneer, they shake their heads: “Commission your fate to the Lord! The Lord will save him, he will deliver him, since he loves him!”
At Easter, Jesus keeps the greatest of promises (Matthew 16,17)
Certain hope in Christ also rests on His resurrection. But is it a myth, a spiritual concept, something virtual or reality?
Key verses on Easter
Matthew
20:17-19/ KJV
17. And Jesus going up to Jerusalem took the twelve disciples apart in the way, and said unto them,
18. Behold, we go up to Jerusalem; and the Son of man shall be betrayed unto the chief priests and unto the scribes, and they shall condemn him to death,
19. And shall deliver him to the Gentiles to mock, and to scourge, and to crucify him: and the third day he shall rise again.
Matthew
28:1-10/ KJV
1. In the end of the sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, came Mary Magdalene and the other Mary to see the sepulchre.
2. And, behold, there was a great earthquake: for the angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat upon it.
3. His countenance was like lightning, and his raiment white as snow:
4. And for fear of him the keepers did shake, and became as dead men.
5. And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified.
6. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.
7. And go quickly, and tell his disciples that he is risen from the dead; and, behold, he goeth before you into Galilee; there shall ye see him: lo, I have told you.
8. And they departed quickly from the sepulchre with fear and great joy; and did run to bring his disciples word.
9. And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.
10. Then said Jesus unto them, Be not afraid: go tell my brethren that they go into Galilee, and there shall they see me.
Mark
16:1-8/ KJV
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.
Luke
24:1-12/ KJV
1. Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulchre, bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them.
2. And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulchre.
3. And they entered in, and found not the body of the Lord Jesus.
4. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:
5. And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead?
6. He is not here, but is risen: remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee,
7. Saying, The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.
8. And they remembered his words,
9. And returned from the sepulchre, and told all these things unto the eleven, and to all the rest.
10. It was Mary Magdalene, and Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles.
11. And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not.
12. Then arose Peter, and ran unto the sepulchre; and stooping down, he beheld the linen clothes laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was come to pass.
Acts
2:22-24/ KJV
22. Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:
23. Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain:
24. Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.
Acts
2:32-33/ KJV
32. This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.
33. Therefore being by the right hand of God exalted, and having received of the Father the promise of the Holy Ghost, he hath shed forth this, which ye now see and hear.
33. And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all.
Acts
13:29-31/ KJV
29. And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him, they took him down from the tree, and laid him in a sepulchre.
30. But God raised him from the dead:
31. And he was seen many days of them which came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, who are his witnesses unto the people.
34. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
9. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
4. And declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead:
25. Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
Romans
6:5-11/ KJV
5. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
6. Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
7. For he that is dead is freed from sin.
8. Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him:
9. Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him.
10. For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God.
11. Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.
11. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.
1 Corinthians
15:3-8/ KJV
3. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
4. And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:
5. And that he was seen of Cephas, then of the twelve:
6. After that, he was seen of above five hundred brethren at once; of whom the greater part remain unto this present, but some are fallen asleep.
7. After that, he was seen of James; then of all the apostles.
8. And last of all he was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.
Philippians
3:10-11/ KJV
10. That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;
11. If by any means I might attain unto the resurrection of the dead.
Colossians
2:12-15/ KJV
12. Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
13. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses;
14. Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
15. And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.
Hebrews
13:20-21/ KJV
20. Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,
21. Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.
John
11:25-26/ KJV
25. Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live:
26. And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?
16. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
See Also:
Sermons: key points from the series Easter / Resurrection / Pentecost