The Great Interruption

The Great Interruption Luke 24:1-12 ICEL 4 April 2010

Life is full of interruptions Cell phones Email Friends at the door Disasters (earthquakes in Haiti and Chile) Interruptions

Last summer I went to my father’s funeral, and I “saw” my funeral. Most of the time we just don’t think about it. We distract ourselves with gadgets, entertainment, amusements, friends. But we can’t escape it. The Big Interruption

Tine Laleman was a student at the Faculty of Theology. She traveled to India on a study trip. She went to sleep and didn’t wake up. Tine was 23 years old. Tragic Interruptions

There is something worse than dying young. Many will die twice. “… it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment…” (Hebrews 9:27) Tragic Deaths

11 Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. 13 The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Scripture text: Revelation 20:11-15 (1)

14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. 15 If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. Scripture text: Revelation 20:11-15 (2)

Jesus’ disciples couldn’t understand what had happened. In a week, they saw a popular movement evaporate. their dreams of a Jewish kingdom destroyed. their friend, Jesus, arrested, crucified, and buried. The women did what they could—they went to anoint Jesus’ corpse. Interrupted Friendship

1 On the first day of the week, very early in the morning, the women took the spices they had prepared and went to the tomb. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they entered, they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 While they were wondering about this, suddenly two men in clothes that gleamed like lightning stood beside them. Scripture text: Luke 24:1-12 (1)

5 In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He is not here; he has risen! Remember how he told you, while he was still with you in Galilee: 7 ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, be crucified and on the third day be raised again.’” 8 Then they remembered his words. Scripture text: Luke 24:1-12 (2)

9 When they came back from the tomb, they told all these things to the Eleven and to all the others. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the others with them who told this to the apostles. 11 But they did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. 12 Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened. Scripture text: Luke 24:1-12 (3)

“The inability or unwillingness to believe.” The disciples could not believe what the women said. The women were talking nonsense. Peter wondered about what had happened. The two disciples on the road to Emmaus couldn’t believe. These two disciples had heard what the women said, but all they knew was that the women couldn’t find Jesus’ body. Their entire world was interrupted! Incredulity

36 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 37 They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. 38 He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? 39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.” Scripture text: Luke 24:36-48 (1)

40 While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 41 And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate it in their presence. 44 He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled Scripture text: Luke 24:36-48 (2)

that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” 45 Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. 46 He told them, “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things.” Scripture text: Luke 24:36-48 (3)

In the West we believe in what we can see. Science has made remarkable leaps. But science can’t explain everything. Where did we come from? What happened before the Big Bang? We live in a “windowless” universe. We can’t believe in devils, miracles, or God. Unbelievable

Scientists tell us that the singularity occurred 13.7 billion years ago. Space and time unfolded as the universe expanded. Where did the singularity occur? Did it happen within a “greater reality”? Science can’t tell us. The Beginning

The Bible claims that everything was created within a greater realm. This seems to agree with what science tells us. The Bible says that a battle has been raging since before the Creation of this universe. It claims that Jesus, who spoke Creation into existence, was born as a man to die on the cross. A Greater Realm

The disciples struggled to believe what they saw heard felt with their hands. The resurrected Jesus had a physical body ate fish suddenly appeared and disappeared. Unbelievable 2

The disciples changed. From fearful men to bold witnesses. The course of their lives changed. They spread out throughout the known world, telling people that their crucified friend had risen from the grave. 10 of the 12 died as martyrs (witnesses). Something Changed

1. Andrew - crucified 2. Bartholomew - beaten then crucified 3. James, son of Alphaeus - stoned to death 4. James, son of Zebedee - beheaded 5. John - exiled for his faith; died of old age 6. Judas (not Iscariot) - stoned to death 7. Matthew - speared to death 8. Peter - crucified upside down 9. Philip - crucified 10. Simon - crucified 11. Thomas - speared to death

We’re like the disciples. Someone tells us that Jesus is alive. At first, we can’t believe what we’re told. It seems to be nonsense. But then we have an encounter with Jesus. Our entire world changes. Something Changes

Because Jesus rose from the dead, A Palestinian Jew who lived 2,000 years ago Is alive somewhere. Physically alive. Never to die again. Everything Changes

16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” Scripture text: John 3:16

The problem is our self-determination to live life the way we want to. The Bible calls this sin. Sin must be judged (the second death). We don’t get to set the rules of the game. Jesus’ death and resurrection solves this problem. Why Death and Resurrection?

We all have to die, but we can live again. Jesus struggled with death and hell on the cross. His resurrection was a victory over these. Because Jesus rose from the grave, we can also rise again in life. Jesus lives! We will reign. Can we prove this? No. But we’re witnesses. A Greater Hope

Interruptions will come into our lives. The biggest interruption is death. But Jesus’ resurrection interrupts death. God promises us eternal life if we will put our trust in Jesus. An Interrupting God

Learn more about Jesus. Put your trust in Him. Ask God to encounter you in your life. Ask God to make it real. Realize that it will interrupt your life. Is eternal life worth interrupting your life? What Should We Do?

The Great Interruption