It is certainly a privilege of mine to be able to stand in this pulpit and to preach the Word of the Lord. And what a great day to share the ministry of the Word, this great day of resurrection. We gather weekly on the Lord's Day to commemorate this great event. And I'm reminded of the early believers. When they would meet one another, they would greet one another, Jesus Christ is risen. And then the other believer would say, he is risen indeed. And can I greet you that way tonight and would you respond? Jesus Christ is risen! He is risen indeed. Oh, you sound as if you've done it before. Throughout the sermon tonight, if you hear me say, Jesus Christ is risen, would you greet me again with that great truth? He is risen indeed. What a joy and privilege. to speak of Him. They've searched for me for several days. And soon they'll find me. They'll beg me to have respect for my old age and say, Caesar is Lord, and burn the incense. Eighty-six years have I served my Lord and Master. He's done me no wrong. How can I blaspheme my King who saved me? I believe that I'll probably go to the flames tomorrow. One of the last witnesses of the apostolic age But I'll find the fire cold, for I've already escaped the eternal fire which burns forever. My heart is already gazed on the things that eyes have not seen, and ears have not heard, the things that are in the heavenlies, prepared for those of us that love our Lord. The great fires of persecution have been burning across the continents, and their flames illumine the tragic scenes of hatred toward God's people. They have taken Christ's own and sewn their bodies up in the skins of wild animals and thrown them to the dogs. The sands in the Colosseum of Rome are stained with the blood of the martyrs of the church. They've taken the tender bodies of women and children and stretched them on the racks. Christ told us that these days were coming. Days of persecution. The church, just like He, has been crucified. But we, like He, await the day of our resurrection. We've endured three persecutions already. Nero. We've endured that. Domitian. We've endured that. Trajan. We've endured that. He's made Christianity illegal. And that man, Domitian, he used to love to call himself and be called Lord and God. He's confiscated property. He sent people into exile. My beautiful, dear, beloved teacher, John. He sent him to exile to the island of Patmos. And on that island, he saw visions of the coming Christ. The One that was dead and now liveth. These are dark days. After Domitian was Trajan, I was 29 years old when Trajan came on the scene. And he persecuted the church of Christ. For 19 years we would suffer for his ignorance. When I was 41 years old, he took Ignatius from the church in Antioch all the way to Rome. But on his way to Rome, Ignatius stopped in Smyrna and he wrote to me private letters and private letters to the church. Oh, how I loved the counsel that came from him. He encouraged us all to unceasing prayer and he warned me of strange doctrine. Stand firm as an anvil that is smitten, he would say. It is the part of a great athlete to receive blows and be victorious. Let meetings be held more frequently. A Christian has no authority over himself, but giveth his time to God. And his counsel still rings in my ears. Hadrian would rule from 117 to 138, and for 21 years he would reign. And it was during his rule that the great apologies were written. Justin Martyr would make the defense for the faith. Our religion is a reasonable religion. We have the ability to give an answer to any man that asks before the reason of the hope that is within us. Hadrian would be followed by Antoninus. And we have even suffered at the hand of the local governors. Pliny the governor has stretched many a woman out on the rack. Antionus Pius is the current emperor. He's a reasonable man. And yet, he doesn't have the ability to stem the tide of persecution that flows from the local governors and the mocking crowds. And they're looking for me. And soon they'll find me. Maybe tomorrow. But I'm not disturbed. I'll face the fire. But I will not swear that Caesar is Lord. I will not bow the knee, for I have served Christ for 86 years. And from His hand I've experienced nothing but love and mercy. And it could be that tomorrow that I will praise God for deeming me worthy to be numbered among the martyrs, to drink the cup of Christ's suffering. They'll threaten me with the wild beast. They'll threaten me with the fire. They'll tie my hands, but God will enable me to endure. You ask me, what gives me such confidence? What gives me such hope? How can I look death in the face and be a triumph, but I'll tell you why. Because I've read the letter from my Apostle John. And I've read the accounts of the eyewitnesses, the accounts of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. You know, it was on the first day of the week after He was crucified that Mary Magdalene made her way to the tomb. And it was still dark. And when she arrived, the stone was rolled back from the entrance. And she looked in, and the body was not there. She fled the scene to find Peter and John. Someone has taken away the Lord, and I don't know where they've laid Him. And Peter and John ran that morning to the garden tomb. John outran Peter. and arrived on the scene first. But he stooped over and he looked into that sepulcher and he saw those strips of linen lying there and the head napkin all by itself. And he believed. But when Peter arrived, he rushed right into the tomb, just like Peter. And then they left. And they made their way back home. But Mary Magdalene was there in the garden. And she was weeping. And as she wept, she was greeted by two angels who spoke of a resurrected Christ. But she continued to weep, and her head was hung. And then there was one in the garden that she assumed was the gardener. A woman. Why weepest thou? They've taken my Lord and I don't know where they have laid Him." Woman, why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou? Oh, sir, if you've carried Him away, tell me where you've laid Him. I'll get Him. And then Jesus said, Mary. Rabboni! And she fell at the feet of Christ, and she held on and would not let go, for her hands had touched the physical body that was in the grave the day before. Christ first appeared to Mary that day. The first eyewitness to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Dear ones, Jesus Christ is risen! There were other women that were there with Mary. Matthew recounts. They're coming to the garden as well. They're meeting the angels. The hearing, do not be afraid. For I know who you're looking for. You're looking for Jesus who was crucified, but He's not here. He's risen just as He said. Oh, come. Come see the place where He lay. I know those women, too. They came. They saw the place that He was laying. And they were filled with expectation. And as they scurried down those garden paths away from that open tomb, they met the Lord. And he greeted them there. Greetings. He said, oh, don't be afraid. Oh, don't be afraid. Go tell my brethren to go into Galilee and there they will see me. You see, these women too saw Christ. These women too, like Mary, fell down at His feet and they worshiped. These women heard Him speak. They saw the empty tomb. and the place where the body was. Once again, we have eyewitnesses to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Dear ones, Jesus Christ is risen! I am so thankful that not only did the Lord Jesus appear to Mary and all those women But sometime between the time when Peter was at the tomb and that evening, the Lord appeared to Peter. I wish we had some more information about that meeting. I wonder what the Lord said to that man. That man who a few days earlier had stood at the fire of the enemy. and with cursing denied the Lord." That was a dark night for Peter. No wonder he left the light of that fire and made his way to some dark place and wept. I wonder what type of tears he shed. I wonder the heaviness of his soul, the regret in his spirit that he had denied his Lord and Master. And yet out of His kind grace and love to that man, sometime on resurrection day, He met with Peter. And Peter has become an eyewitness to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He saw the empty tomb. He heard the voice of Christ. And could it be that like the women, He fell down in worship? Perhaps He hugged the Lamb of God. But I know this, He saw Him. And He becomes the third witness to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Dear ones, Jesus Christ is risen! A little later that afternoon, to disciples on the way to Emmaus, seven miles from the city of Jerusalem. And they're walking along and they're talking with one another about the events that had taken place there in the city of Jerusalem. And as they're talking together, the Lord comes up to them. He's right there. And he asked them, what are you discussing together as you walk along? He's the omniscient one. What are you talking about? And the text says, they stood still. And their heads were downcast. One of them named Cleopas. Ask Him. Are you only a visitor to Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days? A visitor to Jerusalem? Dear one, this was the Lord of glory who left heaven and came down to visit earth. And thank God that the day will come when Christ will be a permanent resident as the Son of Man on the new earth. God has visited us. Are you only a visitor in Jerusalem and do not know the things that have happened there in these days? What things? What things? What did happen then? Oh, much happened. Dear one, the sin of all the ages was set aside. The Lamb of Glory was crucified. There was the death of death in the death of Christ. There was substitution, propitiation, expiation. pardon, redemption. Many things happened that day. I would have loved to have been there with Cleopas. I would have loved to have heard him say, well, about Jesus of Nazareth, that prophet that was powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. And the chief priests and our rulers handed Him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified Him. We had hoped that He would be the one that was going to redeem Israel. And what is more, today is the third day since all of this took place. In addition to that, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning. They didn't find His body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels who said He was alive. And then some of our companions went to the tomb and they found it just as the women had said. But Him they did not see. This stranger would turn to them and say, how foolish you are, and slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken. Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter His glory? And beginning with Moses and all of the prophets, He explained to them what was said in the Scriptures concerning Himself. I would have loved to have heard that sermon. That's the seven-mile sermon. Seven miles walking with the Son of God. Seven miles of hearing Him talk about the suffering Christ and the One who would reign in glory. It was the fastest seven miles that a man ever could have walked. But they approached the village. And Jesus acted as if He was going to go a little bit further. But they urged Him very strongly, Please, stay with us. It's nearly evening. Carry with us tonight. So he went into the house to stay with them. And as he sat at meat, and the bread was taken, he broke it, gave thanks, and left. And their eyes were opened, and they knew that they had seen the resurrected Christ. They saw Him. They heard Him. They touched Him. Dear ones, those two disciples from the city of Emmaus became eyewitnesses to the resurrected Lord. Dear ones, Jesus Christ is risen! And our Lord that very night would make His way back to Jerusalem. And the disciples are gathered together in an upper room and the door is locked out of fear for the Jews. And immediately He stands in their midst and He says, Peace to you. Greetings. Oh, what a sight for them to see the resurrected Christ. The very one in the very body that had hung on the cross. Look at my hands. Look at my feet. These are the very same feet and the very same hands that were laid in the tomb. Look at the scars. Touch me. You see, a ghost doesn't have flesh and bones, as you would say I have. Do you have anything to eat? They gave Him a piece of broiled fish. And He ate it. We believe in the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ. The same body that went into the tomb did not see corruption and it came back out again. And people saw it. And people touched it. They saw the scars in His hand and in His feet. They watched Him take food and eat it. And He preached to them that night, everything must be fulfilled that was written about Me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms. Messiah will have to suffer. And He'll rise from the dead the third day. Repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in His name to all the nations. And you are witnesses of these things. And on that night, for the fifth time in that day, there were witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Dear ones, Jesus Christ is risen! But Thomas wasn't there that night, Didymus, one of the twelve. So the disciples told him, listen, we've seen the Lord. Unless I see the nail marks in His hand and put my finger where the nails were and put my hand into His side, I will not believe. And so again, one week later, on the Lord's Day, They're gathered again in the evening. The doors are shut out of fear of the Jews, but Thomas is with them. And Jesus came and stood among them and He said, Peace be with you. And He turned toward Thomas and He said, Thomas, put your finger here. See My hands. Reach out your hand. Put it into My side. Stop doubting, Thomas. Believe. And Thomas fell down and cried out, My Lord and my God. And he, with the others again, became a witness. An eyewitness to the resurrection of Christ. Thomas saw. Thomas heard. Thomas touched the Lord. and the crucifixion wounds of Christ were visible. Dear ones, Jesus Christ is risen! He is risen indeed. Afterward, Jesus appeared again to His disciples by the Sea of Tiberias. And it happened this way. Peter and Thomas, Didymus, The Doubting One with Nathaniel, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. And Peter says, I'm going to go fishing. The other disciples said, we'll go with you too. And so they fished all night. They caught nothing. When the morning light began to show its face, Jesus stood on the shore. He called out to those disciples. And He says, friends, Do you have any fish? No? Well, cast the net on the right side. And so they cast the net on the right side, fishing all night. And that net was full. And immediately they knew it was the Lord. And they began to row that boat toward the shore. And that net full of fishes was in tow. But Christ was there. and the fire was lit, and the fish were being broiled. And He said to them, Come and have breakfast." Can you imagine what that would have been like to have heard the Lord invite you to breakfast? Dear ones, someday He's going to invite us to the Supper of the Lamb. It's not going to be just breakfast. but it's going to be the supper. Come to the supper. I'll hear that. Never heard Him invite me to breakfast, but He'll invite me to supper. And so those seven, on that occasion, saw the Lord. They heard the Lord. They ate breakfast with the Lord. And the Lord would turn toward Peter, and he would say, Peter, do you love me? Oh, you know that I love you. Feed my lambs. Peter, son of John, do you truly love me? Oh, yes, Lord, you know that I love you. Take care of my sheep. Simon, son of John, Do you love me? Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him the third time, do you love me? He said, Lord, you know all things. You know that I love you. Feed my sheep. Once again, I see the tenderness of Christ. Christ would be denied by Peter three times, and yet Christ would embrace Peter three times. I wonder how many of us tonight feel so unworthy because of our denials, because of our failures, because of our sin, to speak of the Lamb. Oh, would we understand tonight the tenderness of Christ, the grace of Christ, the forgiveness of Christ, the mercy of Christ, the longsuffering of Christ. What a man among us. Yes, seven eyewitnesses to the resurrected Lord at breakfast. Dear ones, Jesus Christ is risen! And then He appeared to the eleven when they were in Galilee on the mountain where He had told them to go. And when they saw Him, they worshiped Him. Some doubt it. But Jesus came to them and He said, All authority in heaven and earth has been given to Me. Go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and in the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything that I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, even unto the end of the age. And those eleven disciples on a mountain in Galilee saw the Lord. And they heard the Lord with their very own ears, the same Christ that was laid in their tomb a few days before. And they became once again eyewitnesses to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Dear ones, Jesus Christ is risen! Paul would write in 1 Corinthians 15 that after that, he appeared to better than 500 witnesses on one occasion. and most of them alive when Paul would write his letter. If you had any doubt about the resurrected Christ, you could have gone up to a number of them and asked them about that day. Five hundred brethren on one occasion seeing the resurrected Christ. Five hundred independent witnesses to a resurrected Lord. Five hundred people seeing Him, hearing Him. Dear ones, Jesus Christ is risen. He is risen indeed. And what about his appearance to James, his own brother? That man who found it difficult to follow his brother. Can you imagine what it must have been like to have had Christ greet him? And then James became a pillar there in the church of Jerusalem. Camel knees. James. The author, James. And throughout his life, James served as an eyewitness to the resurrection of Christ. Dear ones, Jesus Christ is risen for forty days. For forty days he showed himself. And then one day, he made his way up the winding path of the Mount of Olives. And he stood where he had knelt weeks before. And in the company of witnesses, he rose. Dear ones, He ascended. And the clouds became His cover and a carpet for His feet. And He moved past the silvery moon. He stepped from galaxy after galaxy on His way to the Father's house, every star a stepping stone. He arrived outside the city foursquare. And He entered through that gate. the perfect man, the Son of God. And He made His way past the throngs of the singing saints. The hallelujahs greeted His ears, past the myriads of angels, the thousands upon thousands, ten thousands upon ten thousands, singing, worthy is the Lamb. Past the twenty-four elders who would say, Thou art worthy to receive glory and honor and power. Past the four living creatures who would cry out, Holy! Holy! Holy! Amen! Worthy is the Lamb! Hallelujah! Holy! Holy! Holy! Amen! Amen! And He made His way to that throne, sitting high in the heavens, encircled with a green emerald rainbow. There in the midst of the throne, the sound, the peals of thunder, the flashes of lightning, the seven burning spirit fires, One seated on a throne, and from that throne comes the voice of a father. And all the sounds of heaven, all the choirs of men and angels, all the beasts and all the elders are silent as the father says to his son, Welcome home! Sit thou on my right hand until I make thine enemies thy footstool. Dear ones, the last enemy is death and it someday will be destroyed. Dear ones, Jesus Christ is risen and Jesus Christ is coming. He's coming indeed. Let's pray. Heavenly Father, in the name of your Son, we come tonight because he's the worthy one. And in him, we have access to your very throne. It's very hard for us to understand how you could be so gracious to us. and so kind, and yet you are. And we give you praise tonight that your son is risen from the dead. And Father, we give you thanks tonight that he's coming. The same way He left, He's going to come again. The clouds once again will be a carpet for His feet. And Father, we're so thankful that when He comes again, those who've fallen asleep in Jesus Christ, He's going to bring with Him. And there will be a great day of resurrection for them as well. And then those of us that are alive, if we remain here, Lord, we'll be caught up together to meet Him in the air and forever will be with the Lord. And Father, I'll have an opportunity to see Your Son, to see His hands and see His feet, to hear His voice, to look into His eyes, to handle Him and touch The resurrected Lord. So, Father, comfort all of our hearts tonight with this great truth. Take us from this place, Lord, to live in the power of that resurrection tomorrow. To say no to sin, because we've been made alive in Him. Delivered from the reign of death and sin. in Him. And then, Father, please give us the courage and the grace to speak to others of Him. Bring glory to Yourself, Father, and honor to Your Son. For the glory of His name, I pray tonight. Amen.