Scripture: Luke 24:1-12
Sermon: Easter 2025

Recently, I came across a story related to the Easter greeting: Christ is risen!  He is risen indeed! This statement of faith has been recited on Resurrection Sunday ever since the time of the early church. It took on some added meaning nearly 100 years ago in Russia.

In 1930, an atheist and communist leader, Nikolai Ivanovich Bukharin addressed a huge assembly on the topic of atheism. He did his best to dismantle the birth, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. After speaking for about an hour, he asked if anybody had any questions. There was deafening silence in the auditorium and no one moved. 

But then a man got up and approached the platform. He walked over to the podium and stood right next to the communist leader. He surveyed the crowd, looking left and then right. Finally, he shouted out, “Christ is Risen!” The crowd reacted by rising to their feet and their response came crashing in like the sound of thunder: “He is Risen indeed!”

The resurrection of Jesus Christ demands a response.  In the face of doubt, fear or even guilt, we proclaim that Christ is risen; He is risen indeed.

While many know that on Easter Sunday we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ, a recent Gallup poll found only 42% of Americans associate Easter with Jesus rising from the dead. Maybe it’s because we focus too much on the Easter Bunny or Easter Egg Hunts or even family get togethers. We want to make sure that we not only know what happened on Resurrection Sunday but that we respond to it.

So, we’re going to go backwards chronologically this morning. What I mean by that is we’re going to begin on Easter Sunday night with a doubter named Thomas, who ended up becoming devoted. We’ll then focus on a group of worried women on Easter Sunday morning who moved from fear to faith. We’ll conclude by contemplating how guilt can be replaced by grace as we see what happened to a Roman centurion on Good Friday.

My guess is that you’ve encountered some doubt and fear yourself. My prayer is that when we’re finished, you’ll respond so you can experience deeper devotion, fuller faith and the gift of God’s grace.

1. We move from doubt to devotion. 

After Jesus was raised from the dead, His followers gathered together in an upper room on Sunday night. For some reason, one disciple named Thomas wasn’t there when Jesus made an appearance. Later when Thomas heard that Jesus had showed up, he crossed his arms and exclaimed: Unless I see the nail marks in His hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into His side, I will not believe it (John 20:25).

We don’t know why Thomas wasn’t with the other disciples that night.  Maybe he was so down and disappointed when Jesus died that he just turned inward and pulled away from people. As a result, he missed seeing the resurrected Christ and his mind filled with doubt. 

Solitude can feed discouragement, which can grow into despair. Some of you doubt this whole faith deal and you’ve unplugged from people who can help you move forward spiritually. Could I encourage you to make going to church a habitual practice? If this is your first time to attend a service in a long time, look at it this way…you’ve already made the first step. Come again next week and you’ll be well on your way.

Thomas’ words help us to differentiate between doubt and unbelief. A person who doubts says, “I cannot believe.” A person who is filled with unbelief says, “I will not believe.” In the original text, Thomas uses a double negative: I positively will not believe.

A week later, the disciples are gathered together once more, and this time Thomas is with them.  Even though the doors were locked, Jesus shows up and says to Thomas, Put your finger here; see My hands. Reach out your hand and put it into My side. Stop doubting and believe (John 20:27). Jesus then talks with Thomas in a very personal way as He invites him to deal with his doubts by touching His hands and side.

The phrase, “Stop doubting and believe” is literally translated, Stop becoming faithless but become a believer. Just as the Lord had a personal interest in “doubting Thomas,” He wants to deal with your doubts as well. Maybe you’re here and you have some genuine intellectual questions about the Christian faith. If you do, and you’re serious about getting some answers, the Lord will give you the evidence you’re looking for.  

However, some may be hiding behind your questions and doubts when the truth is that your heart has hardened, and you don’t want to believe. In other words, you’re not really interested in the proof of Christianity. You don’t want to stop living the way you’ve been living. Your problem may not be intellectual; it may be moral. 

Jesus welcomed Thomas with all of his doubts. The road to real faith often starts with questions. Faith isn’t a feeling but a conscious choice to believe what God has said. Faith acts even in the midst of doubt. When Thomas came face-to-face with the resurrected Christ, He made a bold confession, My Lord and my God!  (John 20:27). Instead of wondering, he worshipped. He went from doubt to devotion. Because Jesus Christ has risen, we can move from doubt to devotion. 

2. We move from fear to faith. 

As we rewind from Easter Sunday night, let’s look at what happened early Easter morning. A group of women went to the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus. Their purpose is clear, but they don’t really have a plan for how they’re going to accomplish this. They actually have some pretty strong emotions going on.

• They’re Anxious – “Who will roll the stone away?” (Mark 16:1-2)
• They’re Alarmed – When they get there, they find that the stone was rolled away, and then they encounter an angel.  The Bible says that “they were alarmed.” (Mark 16:5)
• They’re Afraid – According to Matthew 28:5, the angel tells them, Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified.  He is not here; He has risen; just as He said. After hearing that Jesus is alive, they’re told to go and tell the disciples, and that Jesus would meet up with them in Galilee.  

Mark 16:8 – “Trembling and bewildered, the women went out and fled from the tomb. They said nothing to anyone, because they were afraid.” Matthew 28:8 adds, “So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell His disciples.”

Are you anxious today? Are you filled with fear? Maybe you often get alarmed and frankly, you’re just afraid. Are you battling fear today?

Can I give you some great news this Easter? You can move from fear to faith when you encounter the risen Christ. In the very next verse, we read: Suddenly Jesus met them, ‘Greetings,’ He said.  They came to Him, clasped His feet and worshiped Him. (Matthew 28:9-11).

If you want to move from fear to faith, you must come to Christ, cling to Him and give Him first place in your life by worshiping Him. You can have your doubts replaced with devotion and your fears will flee when you reach out to Christ in faith.

3. We move from guilt to grace. 

Let’s go back a few days to Friday and focus on a man who had a really tough job. Have you ever watched the show “Dirty Jobs” with Mike Rowe? He’s done everything from being a chimney sweep to an ostrich farmer to an animal hoof cleaner. He only has to do these junky jobs for a few hours, however.

The guy I want to talk about had to do whatever Rome told him to do. He was a career military man, and his title was Centurion, which meant that he had 100 soldiers under him. He was like a Navy Seal or an Army Ranger in that his training was highly specialized and often dangerous. Part of his responsibilities involved being an executioner. He was rough and tough, coarse and vulgar and no doubt numb to the pain he inflicted on others. He took pride in carrying out the direct orders of Pilate the governor.

He and his team were on crucifixion duty many times. On this particular day their task was to crucify three criminals but first they were charged with flogging a man that had riled up the religious leaders. The Centurion and his squad knew how to do this in a way that brought the criminal as close to death as possible. Legally they had to stop at 39 lashes but sometimes they lost count. After beating Him to a pulp, his soldiers mocked Him, threw a purple robe over the open wounds on His back, jammed a crown of thorns onto His head, smacked Him with a staff, slapped Him hard and often as they spit in His face. When they finally arrived at the execution site after a tortuous walk, they threw Jesus on the ground and nailed His wrists and feet to a cross.

They hung Him up to die about 9:00 in the morning. The Centurion started to notice some things about the man on the cross in the middle. While the other two complained and cursed, Jesus seemed peaceful, almost like He wanted to be there. He even looked at the crowd, which included the religious leaders, the soldiers and the Centurion and said, Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.

The Centurion almost lost it when he saw the tender affection this man had for His mother when He made arrangements for a friend to take her into his home. He also overheard paradise promised to a professional criminal and started to feel really guilty for what he’d just done. Then around noon the sky turned black and stayed that way for three hours. He heard Jesus moan, My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?

The Centurion was fixated on the face of the one in the middle. He somehow seemed in control even though He was close to death. He then looked up to heaven and declared, Into your hands I commit My spirit.  And then he heard Him cry out, It is finished.  The rocks rumbled and the earth heaved so much that he fell face first on the ground.  

When the Centurion saw all this and how Jesus died, he knew he needed the life that Jesus offered. He needed to have his guilt forgiven.  He was in desperate need of grace and so he responded immediately with these words found in Mark 15:39: Surely, this man is the Son of God!

In Reader’s Digest a man recounted what happened one day when he was golfing with a buddy: “We were approaching the fourth hole…and suddenly the sky turned ominous, and it began to rain and thunder. We rushed to shelter under a gazebo near a metal fence. As the storm grew in intensity, a bolt of lightning hit the chain link fence and lit it up like a neon sign. It was a while before any of us could speak.  My buddy turned to us and said, ‘You know that five I had on the first hole – it was really a seven.’” Seeing the power of God made him feel guilty and fear God’s judgment…and to get some things right in his life.

In Luke’s gospel we read that the Centurion “…praised God and said, ‘Surely this was a righteous man.”  Luke 23:48 records what others did: “When all the people who had gathered to witness this sight saw what took place, they beat their breasts and walked away.”   

When someone beat their breast in the first century, it was a sign of guilt and remorse. As the crowd watched what Jesus went through, maybe they began to realize their role in putting Him on the cross. They came to witness a show but left with feelings of woe. 

The Centurion confessed that Jesus was the Son of God and was converted. The others said, “Let’s leave.” What about you? Are you going to believe or are you going to leave? Please don’t leave; it’s time to believe and receive. It’s not enough to just know some facts or just feel some feelings. You must also make a decision and engage your will. It’s your choice. He’s waiting for you. What are you going to do?

The word believe in the Bible means to cling to, rely on, and trust in and involves the intellectual, emotional and volitional elements. In other words, it’s not enough to just know something in your head or feel good about it in your heart.  A decision of the will must be made.  

Easter requires a response; the Resurrection demands a reaction. As I think about the Centurion’s faith, three things hit me.

We’re just as guilty as he was for putting Jesus on the cross. It was our sins that put Him there.

Ask Jesus to give you His righteousness. The Centurion praised God and proclaimed Jesus as a righteous man. When we believe and receive, we’re given His righteousness in exchange.

You may need to stand alone. We’re not told what happened to the other soldiers. They heard and saw the same things that the Centurion did, but we don’t read of any response from them. Likewise, you may have to stand alone when you accept Christ.

What will you do? Will you come to the cross and empty tomb and confess that Jesus is your Savior? When you do, you can be converted…instantly, just like the Centurion.

They say that as you travel along I-10 in Louisiana there’s a large billboard which catches your eye. It stands high above the city just as you start up the Mississippi River Bridge. On it is a picture of Jesus hanging on the cross, head bowed. The caption underneath says in bold letters, “It’s Your Move!” God has already taken the initiative in salvation. Christ died for you. Now it’s your move!

Conclusion

It’s not enough to wish each other a “Happy Easter” or attend an Easter service. We must respond by believing and receiving. It’s your move. John 1:12 says, Yet to all who received Him, to those who believed in His name, He gave the right to become children of God. And in John 5:24, Jesus adds: I tell you the truth, whoever hears My word and believes Him who sent Me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life.

• Are you ready to move from doubt to devotion like Thomas?  
• Is it time to engage your faith so fear will flee like the women at the tomb?
• Do you want God’s grace to replace your guilt like the Centurion?

Death has awesome power. It’s the last enemy that will be destroyed (1 Corinthians 15:26). I’d be happy if I never had to attend another funeral or never had to comfort another grieving family. But I know I will because I am a dying man living on a dying planet surrounded by dying people.

Is there an answer to death?
Is there a hope beyond the grave?
Is there anyone who has defeated death?

Yes! His name is Jesus Christ. On Easter Sunday the victorious Son of God came out of the tomb, having defeated the devil and all his demons, having broken the power of death, and He came out holding the keys of death and Hades in his hand. Death cannot win in the end.

We know we’re all going to die sooner or later. If we think we’re going to beat death, we’re fooling ourselves. We’ll all do some “box time” sooner or later, and it may be sooner than we think. There is no philosophy or positive mental attitude that can deliver you from death. Our only hope is in Jesus Christ who defeated death when He rose from the grave. Christ-followers have hope because death has been defeated.

Jesus said of His Church that the gates of hell would not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18). How can that be since we’re all going to die someday? The answer is that the Church doesn’t depend on humans. It’s built on the promises of Jesus Christ who is the Living One. He was dead and is now alive forevermore. He holds the keys of death and Hades in His hand.

Death cannot keep its prey,
Jesus my Savior.
He tore the bars away,
Jesus my Lord.

Up from the grave He arose,
With a mighty triumph o’er His foes.
He arose a victor from the dark domain
And He lives forever with His saints to reign.
He arose, He arose, Hallelujah, Christ Arose.

That’s our assurance. It’s our hope. Death has been defeated. The day is coming when death itself will be cast into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:14). Death was defeated when Jesus rose from the dead, and one day death will be no more.

So let the people of God rejoice. Jesus is alive! Though we die, we won’t stay dead. The gates of hell will not prevail. Satan has the gates, but Jesus has the keys.

Have you let Him open the door of eternal life for you? Have you committed your life to Him? It’s your choice. Jesus is waiting for you. What are you going to do? It’s your move.