"The Resurrection Message of Jesus"
Date: Resurrection Sunday, 27 March, 2016
Text: Topical - Jesus in the OT
Title: Taking the Blinder Away
Theme:
Proposition: Jesus is the answer to men's blindness.
Rhetorical: Have your eyes been opened by faith in Jesus?
Introduction:
The Resurrection is a well known story to us. We celebrate the fact that Jesus rose from the dead every Easter Sunday. But, when it happened it was quite shocking.
· There were many people who couldn't understand how Jesus could die.
· And after his death they did not believe he arose from the dead.
2 Corinthians 3:14 reveals why they could not understand what was happening.
2Co 3:14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same vail untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which vail is done away in Christ.
exp. When these people read the OT they didn't see Jesus. If they would only see Jesus the blinder would be taken away.
ill. Oftentimes horses which pull carriages where blinders so that they aren't startled by things around them and focus on THE WAY THEY ARE GOING.
exp. The Jews had blinders on their eyes.
· They could not see THE WAY OF JESUS.
· If only they would see Jesus in the OT, they would suddenly realize the richness of what was round them in Christ.
Two such blinded men are found in our passage this morning....
exp.
· It is 3 days after the crucifiction of Jesus, the great teacher and prophet.
· They were sad because they were convinced that he was the messiah.
· Jesus appears to them on the way to Emmaus but they don't realize that it is Jesus.
note: I want us to notice that Jesus does not help them come to faith in his death and resurrection by sight - HE COULD HAVE SHOWN THEM THE NAILS IN HIS HAND ETC AND TOLD THEM THAT HE WAS JESUS.
App. He will bring them to faith THROUGH HIS WORD. Anyone who says, "If I saw it, I'd believe it, is wrong."
ill. Rich man and Lazarus - Abraham said in Luke 16:31 "If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead."
note: And so Jesus begins a discussion with them.
Luke 24:17 And he said unto them, What manner of communications are these that ye have one to another, as ye walk, and are sad?
exp. They are shocked and ask if he is just arriving in Jerusalem for a visit because everyone knew about the crucifiction of Jesus.
24 And certain of them which were with us went to the sepulchre, and found it even so as the women had said: but him they saw not.
25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:
exp. Their unbelief is rooted in their rejection of the revelation of God.
26 Ought not Christ to have suffered these things, and to enter into his glory?
27 And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself.
question: Many people would think that Jesus is just in the New Testament. But, they fail to realize that Jesus is througout the OT.
· ill. Peter preached Jesus at Pentecost to bring men to faith in the resurrection of Jesus. AGAIN IT WAS JESUS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT.
· ill. The Evangelist Philip preached Jesus to the Ethiopean Eunuch to bring him to faith. Acts 8:35 Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus. AGAIN IT WAS JESUS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT.
· ill. Paul did the same things. He preached Jesus from the Scriptures - the only Scripture they had were OT Scriptures. Acts 17: 2 And Paul, as his manner was, went in unto them, and three sabbath days reasoned with them out of the scriptures, 3 Opening and alleging, that Christ must needs have suffered, and risen again from the dead; and that this Jesus, whom I preach unto you, is Christ.
exp. These NT preachers had it right as they followed the way of the Lord. Unbelief is rooted in men's rejection of Scripture and it is pulled out by seeing Jesus in God's Word.
On his resurrection day, Jesus began with Moses and came through the prophets preaching himself.
We are going to do the same on this Easter Sunday. I am certain that the message of Jesus was much longer than ours. What can we learn about Jesus through the teaching of the OT.
(We are going to do this quickly as we consider 8 different stories in the OT and what they teach us about Jesus.)
I. Jesus death provides a covering for our sin. Animal skin for Adam and Eve.
exp. When Adam and Eve sinned ....
· they were ashamed because of their nakedness and disobedience.
· Their fellowship with God was broken and they were afraid to enter into His presence.
· God restored them through the death of an animal and a covering.
Genesis 3:21 Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.
def. The word atonement in the Bible means "a covering." God clothing Adam and Eve is a picture of atonement
Ex 29:36 And thou shalt offer every day a bullock for a sin offering for atonement: and thou shalt cleanse the altar, when thou hast made an atonement for it, and thou shalt anoint it, to sanctify it.
exp. That sacrifice also represented the atoning work of the Lord Jesus Christ.
app. Has God clothed you through the atoning work of Christ's death on the cross. Like that innocent animal, he gave his life to cover your sin/shame.
II. Jesus is our blood sacrifice. Cain and Able
exp. Because the sacrifices represented Jesus, they had to be as God said.
Genesis 4: 3 ¶ And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.
4 And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:
5 But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.
6 ¶ And the LORD said unto Cain, Why art thou wroth? and why is thy countenance fallen?
7 If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door.
exp. God doesn't accept worship just because it is sincere. He only accepts obedient worship.
· People sincerely believe they can give God their good works and he accepts them.
· People sincerely believe they can worship any god.
· People sincerely believe that God will accept them.
app. But, he will not unless they come to Him by faith in the blood sacrifice of the Lord Jesus Christ. Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
III. Jesus is the only way of our salvation. God's ark which Noah built.
exp. God asked Noah to build a big boat....
· God provided the way of salvation.
· There were no other boats.
· They would be saved from the wrath of God.
· They would have plenty of time to repent and believe.
2Pe 2:5 And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly;
question: What do you think Noah said? I believe it was something like this....
· Repent of your wickedness Judgment is coming.
· Only those in the boat will be saved.
app. Are you in "Jesus" today. If not, as surely as those people drowned because of the wrath of God, you will suffer in the fire of hell for all of eternity.
IV. Jesus is our substitute to die in our place. Ram in the thicket
exp. The heartbreaking story of Abraham's journey to the mount of God to offer His Son Isaac upon an altar in obedience to God - gives us another picture of Jesus. The father offering his son is a picture of Jesus. But I want us to consider the ram which was provided as a substitute.
· Isaac knew that they must have a sacrifice to appease God. Genesis 22:7 And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering?
· The judgment was in the act of coming down upon Isaac. Genesis 22:10 And Abraham stretched forth his hand, and took the knife to slay his son.
· Death was passed upon the ram instead of Isaac and God was satisfied. Genesis 22: 13 And Abraham lifted up his eyes, and looked, and behold behind him a ram caught in a thicket by his horns: and Abraham went and took the ram, and offered him up for a burnt offering in the stead of his son.
app. God's wrath against our sin must be appeased by death. If you are not saved,...
· you ought to feel as if you are bound on the altar and the father's hand is raised.
· But, praise God there is hope because Jesus stands willing to be your substitute - he died in your place.
· You can get off of that altar today!
V. Jesus blood gives complete deliverance from the wrath of God. Passover lamb
exp. Israel was warned as the people of God, that God's angel of death was going to visit every home in the land and kill the firstborn child - EXCEPT for those who have eaten of the innocent and perfect lamb and put his blood upon the door post.
Ex 12:13 And the blood shall be to you for a token upon the houses where ye are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and the plague shall not be upon you to destroy you, when I smite the land of Egypt.
question: How would you feel if you were a child in the home of an ungodly father who refused to apply the blood?
question: How does your soul feel in the home of an ungodly body who refuses to apply the blood?
app. Doesn't your heart pity the innocent lamb that had to die and yet that sacrifice was made for the salvation of the person who was destined to die.
Praise God Jesus can be your passover Lamb - 1 Corinthians 5:7 For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:
VI. Jesus was broken to give us abundant life. The rock that was cleft.
Ex 17:6 Behold, I will stand before thee there upon the rock in Horeb; and thou shalt smite the rock, and there shall come water out of it, that the people may drink. And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel.
exp. Moses obeyed God and smote the rock and water came out. Later he only had to speak to the rock for water, but he smote it again. God was angry with Moses for his disobedience because he had hurt the picture represented by that rock of the Lord Jesus Christ.
· Jesus would be struck once to pour forth the water of life.
· Every time he is spoken to by faith he gives forth more water.
Joh 7:37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.
note: The water of Jesus satisfies -
ill. The 4 drug addicts in Edinburgh - no had breakfast yet, full of soars, living in a place that reeks of urine. Deceived - when they could have abundant life.
Joh 10:10 The thief (satan) cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
app. Do you have the abundant life of Jesus? He was broken so that we could find eternal soul satisfaction in him.
VII. Jesus is the only hope for the salvation of our family. The crimson cloth in Rahab's window represented the crimson blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
· When we have Jesus we can invite others to come to safety.Joshua 2: 18 Behold, when we come into the land, thou shalt bind this line of scarlet thread in the window which thou didst let us down by: and thou shalt bring thy father, and thy mother, and thy brethren, and all thy father’s household, home unto thee.19 And it shall be, that whosoever shall go out of the doors of thy house into the street, his blood shall be upon his head, and we will be guiltless: and whosoever shall be with thee in the house, his blood shall be on our head, if any hand be upon him.
· All of our family we get under the blood are saved. Joshua 6:23 And the young men that were spies went in, and brought out Rahab, and her father, and her mother, and her brethren, and all that she had; and they brought out all her kindred, and left them without the camp of Israel.
exp. Rahab was obviously burdened not just for herself but for her family. She must have worked tirelessly to convince her family to get under the safety of the crimson cloth.
app. I know that many of us have unsaved family. Do you have the crimson cloth? If so, seek with diligence to get your family under that picture of the blood of Jesus - He is the only hope for the salvation of our family.
VIII. Jesus is able to save all those who look to him in faith. The bronze serpent on a pole.
· The Israelites were being bitten by venemous snakes because of the righteous judgment of God.
· God in his mercy provided a way of salvation.
· Only those who believed God and submitted to Him could be saved.
Numbers 21:9 And Moses made a serpent of brass, and put it upon a pole, and it came to pass, that if a serpent had bitten any man, when he beheld the serpent of brass, he lived.
ill. Jesus himself applied this Scripture to Himself.
John 3:14-15 And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
app. Friend, have you looked to him in Faith? Have you been healed of the wrath of God against your sin? It takes humility and obedience to run to Him but he stands willing if you'll only go.
Conclusion:
As those two men walked that lonely road on that resurrection morning, the last person they expected to see was Jesus. What they were struggling with was unbelief. The answer was to have their eyes opened to the truth of JESUS in God's Word.
30 And it came to pass, as he sat at meat with them, he took bread, and blessed it, and brake, and gave to them.
31 And their eyes were opened, and they knew him; and he vanished out of their sight.
32 And they said one to another, Did not our heart burn within us, while he talked with us by the way, and while he opened to us the scriptures?
33 And they rose up the same hour, and returned to Jerusalem, and found the eleven gathered together, and them that were with them,
34 Saying, The Lord is risen indeed, and hath appeared to Simon.
35 And they told what things were done in the way, and how he was known of them in breaking of bread.
app. Are your blinders still on this morning? Are you trying to go your own way instead of turning to Jesus? You can not TRULY say, "THE LORD IS RISEN INDEED" without coming to him in faith.
