Easter Sunday - Perfection

Pastor Burcham’s Sermon
Easter Sunday, April 24, 2011

[Video] “But very early on Sunday morning, the women went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. They found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. So they went in, but they didn’t find the body of the Lord Jesus. As they stood there puzzled, two men suddenly appeared to them, clothed in dazzling robes. The women were terrified and bowed with their faces to the ground. Then the men asked, “Why are you looking among the dead for someone who is alive? He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead! Remember what He told us back in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be betrayed into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and that He would rise again on the third day?”

That was a curious comment, wasn’t it? I mean, by the angel? I suppose to be more accurate, it was actually Jesus Himself who predicted the events of the last few days, that He would suffer, that He would be crucified and that He would come back to life.

Now the part about Him coming back to life, that makes sense to me. If He wants to prove to the world that He is the Son of God, well, it doesn’t get any better than showing that you have power over death itself. It’s the suffering part that I find curious. We know that He was beaten, He was whipped, He was made fun of, He was spit upon and then died by crucifixion? It doesn’t get any more grueling than that. Why did He have to go through that? Well, for the answer to that question, we have to go back, all the way back to the beginning of time itself.

At the beginning of time, the bible tells us that God created the heavens and the earth and everything in it. His crowning achievement was mankind and for our first parents, He created for them a virtual paradise to live in, anything and everything they could want and, according to His original design, they were to live there for an eternity, as were all of us really.

Even though our first parents were meant to live in paradise forever, Adam and Eve had different ideas. Even though God had given them anything and everything they wanted, well, it just wasn’t quite enough. It appears they wanted to be just like God, so the one thing that God had asked them not to do, yep, that’s what they did. The consequences of that decision are still being felt today.

It’s a bit of an overreaction, don’t you think? I mean, Adam and Eve take one little bite and all of creation is doomed? Paradise is lost? And my kids think I’m strict? Honestly, one little small infraction and, all of a sudden, the paradise that had been designed and created for them to live in is now gone and you and I have to live in the world that is filled with pain and suffering and regret. Really? From one little bite.

Well, perhaps to help us understand how paradise could be lost from what seems like a small infraction, I want to tell you about a story that I read just the other day. They recently discovered 165 miles in the Baltic Sea 145 bottles of champagne. They’re over 200 years old. They’re selling for over $77,000. This is not one of them. The amazing part is that the champagne is still good. Can you fathom that? It’s over 200 years old. It’s been in 165 feet of water for that time, but the champagne inside is still good. There’s only one way that could happen and that is the seal to the bottle would have to be intact. Even the smallest breach in the seal, seawater would have gotten in and the champagne would be wasted. If you will, even a pinhole in the seal would ruin the entire bottle.

Paradise is a perfect place. Perfection is not measured in degrees. Either something is perfect or it’s not. If it has even the slightest flaw, then it is no longer perfect. So God created a perfect world and He created a perfect place with perfect people to live there. But just the slightest infraction, even the smallest act of disobedience means it’s no longer perfect. It has become imperfect, so paradise was lost.

But as Paul Harvey was given to say, “Now the rest of the story.” At the moment paradise was lost, at the moment sin came into the world, God set in motion a plan, a plan which He would redeem His people, a plan that He would restore His people to paradise once again. The culmination of that plan is what we celebrate here today. It’s the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It means that God’s plan was successful. Mission accomplished.

The plan that is unfolded for us through the pages of scripture and through the ages of time all finds its meaning, culminates in the events of today, which is the resurrection of Jesus from the grave. It says that paradise has been open to us once again. But for you and I to fully understand and to really appreciate the gravity of what it is that we celebrate, then we need to know that paradise was lost and we take just as much responsibility as our first parents.

Before we start acting like the victim and acting like it’s all their fault, I think we need to realize that we’re just as guilty as Adam and Eve were. They may have ushered sin into the world, but I’m telling you, we have championed the cause ever since. There’s not one of us who’s innocent. There’s not one of us who isn’t guilty. Every one of us has made choices and decisions that we knew flat out were wrong. We did them anyway. There’s not one of us who doesn’t live with regrets, things that we wish we hadn’t done. Every person here I am assured that you have something you are ashamed of in your past and you hope that nobody else ever finds out about it. We’re all guilty.

Case in point: Getting ready for service this morning, how’d it go? Those of you who have kids in the household, did you have a little bit of trouble of combing your hair, brushing your teeth, yes, you have to wear a tie, yes, you have to wear a dress. How many times did you have to say, “We’re getting in the car now. No, no, now.” Any arguments between Mom and Dad, little tiffs going on there trying to get here? Through the past two days, has there been any, what shall we say, comments that are less than complimentary toward the folks who you’ll gather with this weekend?

Every single one of us has told lies. We’ve cheated. We’ve stolen. We’ve done things that we don’t like and we know are wrong. Is it any wonder we live in a world that is filled with regrets, we live in a world that is filled with pain?

Paradise has been lost. But that’s why Jesus came. Jesus came to restore paradise to each and every one of us so when we ask the question, “Why did Jesus have to suffer and be crucified,” the answer is, “It’s part of the plan, a plan that was thousands of years in the making, a plan that was explained by a man named Paul.” He wrote a letter in the first century to a church at Corinth. It says this, “For what I received, I passed onto you as of first importance, that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day.” He says, “What I have learned, I’m passing on to you,” and he says, “and this is of first importance.” “Everything else,” he says, “that I wrote you about pales in comparison to this piece of news right here.” It all hinges on the fact that Christ Jesus died for our sins. He was buried and He was raised again on the third day. In fact, folks, all of scripture finds its meaning in that statement right there. From the beginning of the book to the end of the book, it all finds its meaning in the life, the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ. That is the culmination of God’s plan to restore us to paradise.

Let me break it down for us. Paradise is a perfect place, right? That means nothing imperfect can be in paradise. It means only perfect people can be in paradise, which means that heaven, which is paradise, only perfect people can be there. No offense, but we already established the fact you’re not perfect and I’m not perfect. So that means we don’t stand a chance. If we ever want to escape this world, if we ever want to be in a place where there’s no war, there’s no trouble, there’s no pain, then somehow we have to be perfect. Thus, God initiated His plan. His plan is simple, but it’s far from easy. It’s simple. We couldn’t, so God did. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy.

The same writer, writing to the same church a second letter, he says this: “God made Him,” he’s talking about Jesus, “God made Him who had no sin to be sin for us so that in Him, we might become the righteousness of God.” So he says God made Jesus Him who had no sin. Jesus is the perfect Son of God. He lived in paradise. He could be in paradise because He’s perfect. Therefore, being perfect, He could go back to paradise any time He wanted to. So He is the perfect Son of God. He made Him who knew no sin, the perfect one, to be sin. Your sin and mine.

When Jesus hung upon the cross, He took every act of disobedience of mankind. Everything that you regret, everything that you’re ashamed of, everything that you hope nobody else finds out about you, that’s what was laid upon Jesus. The punishment that you deserve and I deserve was laid upon Him. Is it any wonder that He cried out in agony from the cross? It wasn’t just physical pain. It was spiritual pain. As He cried out from the weight of our sin, He literally went through hell for us. Him who knew no sin, He became sin. But why? So that we might become the righteousness of God, that Jesus would take upon our sin and we would take upon His righteousness.

Because of the death of Jesus Christ, now you and I can be declared perfect. You’re not perfect. I’m not perfect. But God declares you to be perfect because of the sacrifice of Jesus. And if we are perfect, then paradise is open to us. Once again, it’s been restored to us because we’ve been declared perfect. The resurrection of Jesus Christ proves the point. The resurrection of Jesus says that His mission was accomplished. It was successful. He conquered sin and when He rose on the third day, He destroyed death itself so the celebration that we’re just beginning this morning is about the fact that Jesus, the Son of God, has declared us perfect and He has opened up for us paradise.

It means that we don’t have to live with regrets. We don’t have to live with things that we’re ashamed of. I’m not sure what baggage you all brought in with you this morning, but I know for sure that every single person here brought some sort of baggage in with you. You have something you’re ashamed of, something that you regret. And some of you have been carrying it around a very long time.

I also know there are some who are here this morning, you’re not usually here. First of all, thanks for being here. I’m guessing out of love and respect for family, you came. I think it’s awesome. But could I invite you to maybe open up your heart just a little? Could I invite you to just be vulnerable for a moment to understand what the Easter celebration is all about, to take some of the burdens you have been carrying around, some of your regrets and leave it at the empty tomb? Could you do that this morning?

It was paid for on the cross. The punishment has already been put on Jesus. That’s an established fact. But could you leave it at the tomb because there, that’s where Jesus declared His victory over us. And could you begin to get an inkling that where you were designed to live, paradise, it has been given back to you? That’s why we celebrate. That’s why we’re so excited this morning. That’s why all of the fanfare. That’s why we have our victory chant. It’s because paradise has been restored.

Would you join me in the victory chant? I think we need to. We need to celebrate. Stand up and join me in this, will you? He is risen. “He is risen indeed.” He is risen. “He is risen indeed.” Hallelujah, He certainly is. So paradise has been opened up to us. Through Jesus Christ, we all have been declared perfect and now paradise awaits for us.

Paradise is originally described for us in the first two chapters of the book of the bible called Genesis. In there, it describes a garden in a place called Eden and it says that it had every fruit-bearing tree imaginable in it and that was the paradise in which they would live, a garden, paradise. I like gardens. Gardens are nice. I don’t know if I’d call it paradise or not, but they’re nice.

Paradise. When I think about paradise, I think about, let’s see, white, sandy beaches, nice, warm sun, a cool drink in my hand and a cheeseburger. You have to have a cheeseburger in paradise. Now you’re all going to be humming Jimmy Buffet, aren’t you? My point is, what’s paradise? It is incredible news, it is awesome news that paradise has been restored for us. That’s fantastic, but what or where is paradise? For us to know the good news that it’s been restored for us, we really need to understand about it.

And the question is, “Is paradise a where or is it a what?” In other words, is it a place? Is that what paradise is? Or is it a what? Is it something we experience? Is it a state of mind? So I’ll ask you, when I say paradise, what do you think of? First reaction probably is a place. We think of a place that we call paradise. The problem is the place moves around. In January, someplace warm sounds like paradise. In the middle of August, someplace cool sounds like paradise. When I’m really stressed out, someplace quiet sounds like paradise. When I am bored, some place where action is happening, that sounds like paradise. Do you see the dilemma? If paradise is a where, if it’s a place, well, depending upon our circumstances, it moves around.

So maybe paradise is a what. It’s something we experience. It’s a state of mind that we’re in. So for instance, Mom, if I could guarantee you a day where all of the kids get along harmoniously, not one word of argument, they do everything you ask them to do when you say it the first time and sometimes you don’t even have to ask them and they do it, if I could give you a day like that, how would you describe it? That is paradise.

Guys, if I could give you a day to yourself guilt free, what I mean by that is you wouldn’t feel guilty feeling some need to either be at work doing something or that you should be spending family time or all the endless projects that you have at home but just one day to yourself guilt free, I would call that paradise.

You can do that anywhere, though. That’s not a place. That’s a what. That’s something you experience or that’s a state of being. So the question is if paradise has been restored to us, is paradise a where or is it a what? The good news is the resurrection of Jesus says that it’s both. The resurrection of Jesus Christ says paradise is what we can experience now and it’s where we’ll spend an eternity.

It’s what we can experience now and what is it that we experience now? We experience a fresh start each and every day. Every morning when I wake up, I know the slate has been wiped clean. The blood of Jesus has washed away all of my guilt, all of my sin so all the mess ups that I have today, all the things I wish I hadn’t said, wish I hadn’t done, I wake up tomorrow morning and I know in God’s eyes, He’s forgotten all about it. The slate is wiped clean, and we get to start out fresh every day. I think that is a slice of paradise.

It means I don’t have to face life alone and neither do you. The resurrection of Jesus says that He is with you always. Scripture says that He’ll never leave you. He’ll never forsake you, that He walks beside you every moment of every day. He goes on to say that no matter what challenges you face in life, He’s going to be there. Now don’t think it means there are no challenges. We’re not to the where yet. We’re not where we’re going to spend eternity. We’re still here and we still have lots of challenges. We still have pain. We have struggles that we have to go through, but what the resurrection says is you don’t face it alone.

In fact, Jesus says that you’ll never come across something that’s beyond your capability of handling. He says you’ll never encounter something in life that you’re not able to make it over the hurdle. Now if I could have that kind of confidence in life, that Jesus is walking beside me, I have that power in my life, I’d say that is a slice of paradise.

If I can know that everything in life has meaning and purpose, that no matter what situation I get in, God says He’s going to turn it around and use it for the good because scripture tells me that all things work together for the good of those who love Him so even the worst situation in my life, I know and have a confidence that God will turn that around and He’ll turn that into something good, I call that a slice of paradise, to walk through life knowing that.

To walk through life knowing that I have a perfect relationship with my Father in heaven now, that Jesus has restored that and because of my perfect relationship with Him, I can restore my relationships here on earth, I’d say that’s paradise. That’s the resurrection of Jesus. Paradise is what we can experience now, but it’s where we’ll spend an eternity because paradise is a real place. Heaven is a real place. God created and designed you to live in paradise and He’s going to put you there. Because of what Jesus Christ has done for you, because of your faith and belief in Him, He says you’ll be in paradise.

It’s what He said to the thief on the cross next to Him. He said, “Today, you’re going to be in paradise.” It’s a place. It’s real. It’s someplace that we will experience for an eternity. In paradise, heaven, there’s no war. There’s no economy. There’s no sickness. There’s no disease. There’s no struggle. There’s no regret. There’s nothing to be ashamed of. No broken hearts. No broken relationships.

Paradise. It’s a place of endless joy and peace which really is beyond our comprehension. But that’s what the resurrection is about. The resurrection not only tells us that the mission has been completed, that God has redeemed us and He has declared you perfect and opened up paradise but it says, “Paradise is what you can experience now and it’s where you’ll spend an eternity.” That’s the joy and celebration of Easter.