Celebrate Three Easters! The greatest day on the calendar of the Church is Easter Sunday! Easter is a celebration! -- It is a celebration of life! It is the joyful celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ! The stone is lifted from the tomb -- & Christ is risen from the gloom. Christ is Alive! -- Death has been conquered! The promises of God have been fulfilled -- & those promises can truly be trusted! On this Easter Sunday morning we have every reason to celebrate -- to rejoice -- to be happy! Easter is to our faith what water is to the ocean; -- what stone is to the mountain; -- what oxygen is for the lungs; -- what blood is to our body. It is the First & Final word in the dictionary of God! It says that Jesus Christ is the Author & the Finisher of our Faith. In John’s gospel -- 14:19, Jesus declared: -- “...because I live, you shall live also.” It is significant that the affirmation -- “I live” -- is immediately followed by another affirmation -- “...you shall live also”! Easter means that the best end of life is to learn that life has no end! Easter comes to say that death is not final! In our celebration of Easter today -- I would like us to observe three Easters. -- Each one of these three Easters should be an important part of our celebration. You may ask -- “What do you mean by three Easters?” Let me explain: -- 1. The First Easter is -- The Easter of History! The first Easter is the Easter that has already been. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is an event of history! In fact, it stands out as the key event in all of history. Easter tells us about the crowning miracle of history! Two thousand years ago -- Christ proved to great for the grave. It is a fact of history! The Resurrection of Jesus is one of the best attested facts in all of history! Some may try to dispute it; -- some may try to explain it away; -- some may try to ignore it; -- some may just simply not believe it; -- but it is as real as real can be! A mighty miracle occurred that first Easter dawn when Christ broke the bands of death. The truth that Christ is risen is not a fancy -- but a fact! It is not a violation of natural law -- rather it is the fulfillment of a supernatural law! The stone was rolled away not to let Jesus out -- but to let us look in -- & see that Christ was not -- & is not there. Our faith today centers not in a dead man -- but in One whom God raised from the dead! No other religion can claim a resurrected Savior! The Resurrection of Jesus is mentioned 108 times in the New Testament. -- Surely the Holy Spirit meant to impress this great truth upon our minds & hearts! An agnostic university professor once said to a little Christian girl -- “There have been many who have claimed to be Christ. -- How can you be sure who told the truth? -- Which one do you believe?” Without hesitation the youngster replied, -- “I believe in the One who rose from the dead.” The fact that Christ is risen is the foundation stone of our celebration today! 2. The Second Easter is -- The Easter of Personal Experience! When Christ becomes alive -- becomes real & personal in a unique way in our hearts -- that is the Easter of personal experience. The historical must become personal! Easter is not just a day on the calendar. -- Easter is not just a special religious observation. -- Easter must be a personal experience! An experience that comes to us when we have a personal encounter with the risen Lord. An experience that comes to us when we discover in the risen Lord an abundant, victorious Christian life. Whatever our emphasis on Easter may be -- one thing is certain; -- unless we accept the risen & living Christ as our own Savior from sin -- all our talk about that first Easter will mean nothing to our souls! You may even proclaim -- “The Lord is risen indeed!” -- but unless His saving grace becomes a real personal matter -- Easter for you will be in vain! It was because of personal experience that the song writer was able to write -- “You ask me how I know He lives? -- He lives within my heart!” It is because of Easter past -- that we each one can have an Easter of personal experience today. I was brought up in church by godly parents -- & went to Sunday School & church every week faithfully. As a family -- we always celebrated Easter as a special event. But as for me -- I had sins which corrupted me -- troubles which terrified me -- burdens which bent me -- pain which pierced me. I was spiritually dead & longed for a spiritual resurrection. It was not until I personally opened my heart to Jesus Christ -- & asked Him to forgive my sins & to come into my heart -- that I truly discovered the real meaning & the real joy of Easter! Now I can say Easter is personal! -- It is real! -- It is satisfying! I can say today that the risen Christ is alive in me! -- I have been made alive on the inside! -- I am spiritually redeemed, rescued, & resurrected! All of Christianity is saying today: -- “He lives!” Can you truly say: -- “He lives in me”? The Apostle Paul verbalized it in the words -- “That I may know Him, & the power of His resurrection” (Phil. 3:10). Easter victory & joy can be yours personally today! 3. But there is yet another Easter to be celebrated. There is the Easter of history -- & the Easter of Personal Experience -- but this Third Easter is -- The Easter of the Final Resurrection! One of these days -- just as Jesus rose -- we too shall rise! And when we do -- we shall meet Him face to face -- along with all of the others whom have gone on before us -- & who are even now with Him in eternal glory. Through the resurrection of Christ -- God rolled back the curtains between earth & heaven -- & showed us a fleeting glimpse of the life beyond. There is more to death than just a grave. -- Beyond the grave is the final resurrection! -- Oh, what a celebration that will be! We have every reason to celebrate it’s coming event even today! The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the living proof that He will someday “bring with Him those who have fallen asleep” (1 Thess. 4:14). When that happens we are told that -- “we shall be like Him” (1 John 3:2). Before our life’s journey is ended here below -- we shall ask many questions; -- we shall experience many heartaches; -- we shall be molded by many of life’s disappointments; -- & at last, the night shall descend. But in that moment our eyes shall be opened -- & we shall see Jesus -- & it shall be worth it all! He has been our living traveling Companion along the valleys of life on the way to the stairway that leads to our Father’s house of many mansions! A minister was keeping a lonely vigil in the hospital room of his dying wife. -- It was Saturday night; -- the next day was Easter. He had been told that his companion of many years would not live through the night. In a few hours -- the minister’s congregation would be gathering in the church sanctuary anticipating the happy message of Easter. -- Little did they know the crushing burden their pastor was bearing that night. As he watched his wife gradually, but surely slip away -- the minister found himself meditating on the assurances of everlasting life. In the otherwise depressing atmosphere of the hospital room -- the truth of Scripture sank deep into his consciousness. A sermon began to grow in his heart. -- With pen in hand he began to write. -- Before long he had his message. It would have to be delivered on Easter Sunday. The next morning -- having said what might be termed the final farewell to his wife -- the minister stepped into the pulpit & preached his message of hope. He titled it -- “There Will Always Be an Easter!” Another minister put it this way in his now famous sermon: -- “It’s Friday, but Sunday is Coming!” Jesus has not just conquered death for Himself -- but for all who follow Him! -- Friday was past -- & Sunday had come. Jesus was alive. -- He is alive! The message of Easter is a message of hope -- the assurance of everlasting life! There will be for the Christian a day of everlasting triumph! And we can celebrate the Easter that is yet to come -- the Easter of the final resurrection. Conclusion: -- Easter means so much more than springtime & flowers. Easter is more than colored eggs & new clothes. For the Christian -- Easter is truly a celebration! A Celebration of the Easter that has already been. A Celebration of the Easter that is now through personal experience. A Celebration of the Easter that is yet to be. For Christians -- Easter is an event for celebrating the past -- the present -- & the future. In the past -- the Victim became the Victor; -- the fearful disciples became courageous; -- the message had merit. In the present -- we have new life; -- a living Presence -- & a hope. In the future -- we have a great anticipation of a new life yet to come which gives us a purpose & a focus. Three Easters! -- The Easter of history; -- the Easter of personal experience; -- the Easter of the Final Resurrection.There have been a thousand EastersSince the Man of GalileeCame to write the crowningNews of history. But I never knew an EasterLike that glad first dawn could beTill the Lord of all the EastersLived in Me! There have been a thousand EastersWith their glory breaking through;They have made a thousand thousandHopes come true. But you’ll never know an EasterLike those first disciples knewTill the Lord of all the EastersLives in You!(Unknown) An Easter BenedictionAnd now, may the God of peace, who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus,equip you with all you need for doing His will.May He produce in you, through the power of Jesus Christ, all that is pleasing to Him.Jesus is the great Shepherd of the sheep by an everlasting covenant, signed with His blood. To Him be glory forever & ever. Amen. (Hebrews 13:20-21) Pastor Lyle Pettit -- Wynne Chapel -- Cochise, AZEaster Sunday -- March 23, 2008www.wynnechapel.org