Lord, Abide With Us
The sermon emphasizes the importance of obedience to God's word and the power of Jesus' resurrection, highlighting the consequences of not having the resurrected and victorious Christ in our lives.
Erlo Stegen emphasizes the importance of trusting in the resurrection of Jesus, as demonstrated by the women who went to the tomb with anxiety about the stone. He reminds us that Jesus had foretold His resurrection, and we must not forget His promises in our own lives. The sermon highlights that Jesus is victorious over death and hell, and His resurrection is a testament to His authority. Stegen encourages believers to cast their anxieties on the Lord and to remain obedient to His calling. Ultimately, he warns that without the resurrected Christ, one cannot truly know Him.
Text
Mark 16:1 - 12
The women referred to in our text, got up very early on Sunday morning to anoint the body of the Lord Jesus. They were concerned about who would roll the stone away from the door. These women had witnessed all the suffering our Lord went through and were very traumatized. However, they made a great mistake in being anxious because our Lord had told them many times beforehand that He would rise from the dead on the third day.
Yes, there are genuine concerns but we must take them to the Lord. We must always cast these anxieties to the Him and refuse to carry them ourselves.
As with the situation of the Lord speaking about His death and resurrection (and the women forgetting what He had said) it may be that He has spoken to you many years ago. Are you still obedient? Are you busy with what He told you to do? If He spoke to you once it is enough.
Jesus is no longer in the grave but is risen. He also wrestled against the forces of hell and against satan himself, and was victor over them all. He emerged with the keys of death and hell. Our resurrected Hero has conquered and is ascended to heaven. His grave is empty!
Peter and John were convinced that Jesus had risen and they remained confident that His body had not been stolen. The grave clothes were tightly wrapped. To remove the body from such clothes one has to cut through the garments (which were heavy with embalming ointment - Jn 19:39 & 40). When Peter entered the tomb he saw that the grave clothes were untouched. Christ had simply emerged from the grave clothes without disturbing them. The stone wasn't rolled away for Christ to escape. Though it was probably between 3 to 5 tons in weight, Christ had simply walked through it, even as He was able to go through walls after His resurrection. The stone was rolled away as a testimony and for the disciples to see the grave-clothes for themselves.
Our Lord Jesus Christ has all authority in heaven and earth. If you do not have the resurrected and victorious Christ in your life, then you have the wrong Jesus and you will still meet with Him on judgement day.
Sermon Outline
- The Importance of Obedience
- The Power of Jesus' Resurrection
- The Evidence of Jesus' Resurrection
- The Authority of Jesus
- He has all authority in heaven and earth
- We must have the resurrected and victorious Christ in our lives
Key Quotes
“Our Lord Jesus Christ has all authority in heaven and earth.” — Erlo Stegen
“If you do not have the resurrected and victorious Christ in your life, then you have the wrong Jesus and you will still meet with Him on judgement day.” — Erlo Stegen
Application Points
- We must take our anxieties to the Lord and refuse to carry them ourselves.
- We must be obedient to God's word and trust in His plan and promises.
- We must have the resurrected and victorious Christ in our lives to avoid meeting Him on judgment day.