Stand-Alone Easter Sermons

Our Victory in Christ

April 12, 2020 • Don Willeman • Romans 8:31–39

REFLECTION QUOTES “The country’s idols are being exposed.” ~Ekemini Uwan, writer, speaker and public theologian “There is no equality. The only thing people all have in common is that they are all going to die.” ~Bob Dylan, legendary singer-songwriter “…a Christian is not so much a person who has solved the problem of pain, suffering and the coronavirus, but one who has come to love and trust a God who has himself suffered.” ~John Lennox, professor at the University of Oxford Surround me with your boundless love Confound me with your boundless love I was drowning in the sea, lost as I could be When you found me with your boundless love You dumbfound me with your boundless love You surround me with your boundless love ~John Prine (1946-2020), singer-songwriter “This non-event, this thing that nobody noticed except his friends and family turned out to have the power to transform the entire Roman Empire and the course of human history more profoundly than any other single event over the past 2,000 years.” ~Henry Louis Gates Jr., author and Harvard professor, speaking of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ “…the majority of New Testament scholars today, not conservatives, not fundamentalists, concur with the facts of Jesus’ honorable burial, his empty tomb, his postmortem appearances, and the origin of the disciples’ belief in his resurrection. This is a surprising truth, not widely appreciated by non-specialists.” ~Dr. William Lane Craig, American philosopher and professor “If Christ is risen, nothing else matters. And if Christ is not risen—nothing else matters.” ~Jaroslav Pelikan (1923-2006), Yale professor and scholar SERMON PASSAGE Romans 8:31-39 (ESV) 31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? 32 He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things? 33 Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? 36 As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The Fruit of Resurrection Hope

April 28, 2019 • Don Willeman • 1 Peter 1:3–9, 1 Peter 1:13–21

REFLECTION QUOTES “If Christ is risen, nothing else matters. And if Christ is not risen—nothing else matters.” ~Jaroslav Pelikan (1923-2006), history professor at Yale University “The evidence for the resurrection is better than for claimed miracles in any other religion. It’s outstandingly different in quality and quantity…from the evidence offered for the occurrence of most other supposedly miraculous events.” ~Antony Flew (1923-2010), British philosopher and arguably the foremost academic atheist in the latter half of the 20th century “Precisely because the resurrection has happened as an event within our own world, its implications and effects are to be felt within our own world, here and now.” ~ N.T. Wright, scholar, theologian and retired Anglican bishop “The definition of hope is that you still believe even when it’s hard.” ~Barack Obama, 44th president of the United States of America “Human beings are hope-shaped creatures. The way you live now is completely controlled by what you believe about the future.” ~ Tim Keller, NYC-based pastor and author “…people assumed that increased education would lead to decreased religious belief. Turns out that’s not true and actually, interestingly, if you look at the history of education, Christianity has been an incredible driver of educational progress, ranging from essentially inventing the university to evangelism globally pouring fertilizer on global education and literacy rates because we are effectively ‘people of the book.’ [Many also assumed]…the idea that science is somehow incompatible with Christianity, or has discredited Christianity, so the more scientific people got, so the reasoning went, the less religious they would be. Again, this is a misconception and if we look back at the history of science, it turns out that the modern scientific method was actually invented by Christians as well, not as an alternative hypothesis to belief in a Creator God, but because they believed in a Creator God who was both rational and free.” ~Rebecca McLaughlin, (PhD, Cambridge University) author and activist SERMON PASSAGE 1 Peter 1:3-9, 13-21 (ESV) 3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls…. 13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” 17 And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, 18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. 20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you 21 who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

The Audacity of Resurrection Hope…in the Real World

April 21, 2019 • Don Willeman • Romans 8:18–25, Romans 8:31–39

REFLECTION QUOTES “The problem with modern people is that they have too much to live with and too little to live for.” ~Os Guinness, author and social commentator “Human beings are hope-shaped creatures. The way you live now is completely controlled by what you believe about the future.” ~Tim Keller, New York City-based pastor and author “If we want to live out justice the way God commands and celebrates, we must prioritize the gospel. If we truly want to see human flourishing and reduce global suffering, we need to deal with the biggest problem humanity faces: sin and death.” ~Jaquelle Crowe, Canadian author “The cynics may be the loudest voices – but I promise you, they will accomplish the least.” ~Barack Obama, 44th president of the United States of America at the 2013 Ohio State Commencement “If you read history you will find that the Christians who did most for the present world were precisely those who thought most of the next. It is since Christians have largely ceased to think of the other world that they have become so ineffective in this.” ~C. S. Lewis (1898-1963), British scholar and writer “The Resurrection…is not a redemption from the creation but the redemption of the creation.” ~Ken Myers, social commentator and former NPR producer “…[Jesus’s] disciples…devoted themselves to the teaching of a doctrine which was attended with danger to human life—a doctrine which they would not have taught with such courage had they invented the resurrection of Jesus from the dead; and who also, at the same time, not only prepared others to despise death, but were themselves the first to manifest their disregard for its terrors.” ~Origen (c. 185-254), early Christian scholar and leader from Egypt SERMON PASSAGE Romans 8:18-25, 31-39 (NASB) 18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is to be revealed to us. 19 For the anxious longing of the creation waits eagerly for the revealing of the sons of God. 20 For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of Him who subjected it,in hope 21 that the creation itself also will be set free from its slavery to corruption into the freedom of the glory of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groans and suffers the pains of childbirth together until now. 23 And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body. 24 For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? 25 But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance we wait eagerly for it…. 31 What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who is against us? 32 He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him over for us all, how will He not also with Him freely give us all things? 33 Who will bring a charge against God’s elect? God is the one who justifies; 34 who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us. 35 Who will separate us from the love ofChrist? Will tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 Just as it is written, “For Your sake we are being put to death all day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered.” 37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, will be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

The Rationality and Relationality of the Resurrection

April 1, 2018 • Don Willeman • John 20:1–18

REFLECTION QUOTES “Whoever pretends to face death without fear is a liar.” ~Jean Jacques Rousseau (1712-1778), Genevan philosopher and writer “O eloquent, just, and mighty Death! …thou hast drawn together all the far-stretched greatness, all the pride, cruelty, and ambition of man, and covered it all over with these two narrow words, Hic jacet [Here lies]!” ~Sir Walter Raleigh (1554-1618), famed writer and explorer “Any position in which claims about Jesus or the resurrection are removed from the realm of historical reality and placed in a subjective realm of personal belief or some realm that is immune to human scrutiny, does Jesus and the resurrection no service and no justice. It is a ploy of desperation to suggest that the Christian faith would be little affected if Jesus was not actually raised from the dead in space and time…. The first Christian community had a strong interest in…the historical reality of Jesus and his resurrection, because they believed their faith, for better or for worse, was grounded in it.” ~Ben Witherington, New Testament scholar “…the historian . . . cannot justifiably deny the empty tomb…. [I]f we apply the same sort of criteria that we would apply to any other ancient literary sources, then the evidence is firm and plausible enough to necessitate the conclusion that the tomb was indeed found empty.” ~ Michael Grant (1914-2004), British historian and professor at University of Edinburgh and Queens University of Belfast, in his book Jesus: An Historian’s Review of the Gospels “No one can read the Gospels without feeling the actual presence of Jesus. His personality pulsates in every word. No myth is filled with such life.” ~Albert Einstein (1879-1955), famed theoretical physicist SERMON PASSAGE John 20:1-18 (ESV) 1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” 3 So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. 4 Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went back to their homes. 11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb, and as she wept she stooped to look into the tomb. 12 And she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had lain, one at the head and one at the feet. 13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14 Having said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic,“Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.

The Hope of the Resurrection

April 5, 2015 • Don Willeman • 1 Corinthians 15

REFLECTION QUOTES “All the money you earn, all the stocks you buy, all the mutual funds you trade–all of that is mostly smoke and mirrors. It’s still going to be a quarter-past late whether you tell the time on a Timex or a Rolex. No matter how large your bank account, no matter how many credit cards you have, sooner or later things will begin to go wrong with the only three things you have that you can really call your own: your body, your spirit, and your mind.” ~Stephen King (1947-present), American novelist and short-story writer “If Jesus rose from the dead, then you have to accept all that he said; if he didn’t rise from the dead, then why worry about any of what he said? The issue on which everything hangs is not whether or not you like his teaching but whether or not he rose from the dead.” ~Timothy Keller, The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism “Where Christ is preached as ascended in the flesh, it cannot be said that the flesh is unworthy of the upward call. And if it is worthy, or has been made worthy, then it follows that the flesh can neither be despised nor indulged, but must rather be disciplined and trained for glory.” ~Dr. Douglas Farrow of McGill University in Montreal “Preaching should break a hard heart and heal a broken one.” ~John Newton (1725-1807) “The faster we run, the further away the dreams that we chase become And lost in the sun spinning and turning, blind in the burning light of day We have to turn away.” ~“Lost in the Sun” by Dan Fogelberg (1951-2007) “OK, a lot of people say there is no happiness in this life and certainly there’s no permanent happiness … I’m not exactly sure what happiness even means, to tell you the truth. I don’t know if I personally could define it.…[I]t’s like water—it slips through your hands.” ~Bob Dylan (1941-present) in AARP Magazine interview SERMON PASSAGE selections from 1 Corinthians 15 (ESV) 12Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?13But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain…. 20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead…. 50I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. 51Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, 52in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. 53 For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. 54 When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.” 55“O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

The Reality of the Resurrection

April 20, 2014 • Don Willeman • Mark 16:1–8, 1 Corinthians 15:1–8

REFLECTION QUOTES “If being a kid is about learning how to live, then being a grown-up is about learning how to die.” ~Stephen King (1947-present), American novelist and short-story writer “…[Jesus’s] disciples…devoted themselves to the teaching of a doctrine which was attended with danger to human life—a doctrine which they would not have taught with such courage had they invented the resurrection of Jesus from the dead; and who also, at the same time, not only prepared others to despise death, but were themselves the first to manifest their disregard for its terrors.” ~Origen (c. 185-254) in Contra Celsus “The founders of all other religions said basically this: ‘I am a prophet come to help you find God.’ Jesus is the only one who came and said: ‘I’m God come to find you.’” ~Tim Keller (1950-present), pastor in Manhattan “Christianity is the only major faith built entirely around a single historical claim. It is, however, a claim quite unlike any other ever made, as any perceptive and scrupulous historian must recognize. Certainly it bears no resemblance to the vague fantasies of witless enthusiasts or to the cunning machinations of opportunistic charlatans. It is the report of men and women who had suffered the devastating defeat of their beloved master’s death, but who in a very short time were proclaiming an immediate experience of his living presence beyond the tomb, and who were…willing to suffer privation, imprisonment, torture, and death rather than deny that experience.” ~David B. Hart, contemporary theologian, philosopher, and cultural commentator “The Resurrection…is not a redemption from the creation but the redemption of the creation.” ~Ken Myers, former NPR producer “Love is something more stern and splendid than mere kindness.” ~C.S. Lewis (1898-1963) SERMON PASSAGE Mark 16:1-8 1 When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. 2 And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. 3 And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?” 4 And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large. 5 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. 6 And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” 8 And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid. 1 Corinthians 15:1-8 1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain. 3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.

The Resurrection Account

March 31, 2013 • Don Willeman • Luke 23:50—24:12

REFLECTION QUOTES “The function of man is to live, not to exist.” ~Jack London (1876-1916), American author “If being a kid is about learning how to live, then being a grown-up is about learning how to die.” ~Stephen King, American novelist “The Resurrection…is not a redemption from the creation but the redemption of the creation.” ~Ken Myers, cultural commentator “…The majority of New Testament scholars today, not conservatives, not fundamentalists, concur with the facts of Jesus’ honorable burial, his empty tomb, his postmortem appearances, and the origin of the disciples’ belief in his resurrection. This is a surprising truth, not widely appreciated by non-specialists.” ~William Lane Craig, American philosopher and theologian “The evidence for the resurrection is better than for claimed miracles in any other religion. It’s outstandingly different in quality and quantity…from the evidence offered for the occurrence of most other supposedly miraculous events. But you must remember that I approached it after considerable reading of reports of psychical research and its criticisms. This showed me how quickly evidence of remarkable and supposedly miraculous events can be discredited.” ~Antony Flew (1923-2010), British philosopher and arguably the foremost academic atheist in the latter half of the 20th century “The problem with modern people is that they have too much to live with and too little to live for.” ~Os Guinness, author and social commentator SERMON PASSAGE Luke 23:50-24:12 (NASB) 50 And a man named Joseph, who was a member of the Council, a good and righteous man 51 (he had not consented to their plan and action), a man from Arimathea, a city of the Jews, who was waiting for the kingdom of God; 52 this man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 53 And he took it down and wrapped it in a linen cloth, and laid Him in a tomb cut into the rock, where no one had ever lain. 54 It was the preparation day, and the Sabbath was about to begin. 55 Now the women who had come with Him out of Galilee followed, and saw the tomb and how His body was laid. 56 Then they returned and prepared spices and perfumes. And on the Sabbath they rested according to the commandment. Chapter 24 1But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb bringing the spices which they had prepared. 2 And 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 perplexed about this, behold, two men suddenly stood near them in dazzling clothing; 5 and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living One among the dead? 6 He is not here, but He has risen. Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee, 7 saying that 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 tomb and reported all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. 10 Now they were Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James; also the other women with them were telling these things to the apostles. 11 But these words appeared to them as nonsense, and they would not believe them. 12 But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen wrappings only; and he went away to his home, marveling at what had happened.

Raised Because of Our Justification

April 8, 2012 • Don Willeman • Romans 4:16—5:8

The Death of Death

April 24, 2011 • Don Willeman • Isaiah 24:1–6, Isaiah 25:1–9

Easter Sermon

March 23, 2008 • Don Willeman • Hebrews 2:5–9, Psalm 8

The Resurrection: What's the Big Deal

April 8, 2007 • Don Willeman • Colossians 1

Easter Sermon - John 19 & 20

April 16, 2006 • Don Willeman • John 19:38—20:18