• WELCOME: Happy Easter week after and welcome to Central Church of Christ, a people called out by God to Show His Love, Tell His Story, and Be His Family. Today we continue a brand new message series from the Bible called, “Celebrate Jesus.” In this series we will walk each Sunday from Easter (Apr 4) to Pentecost (May 23) through an exciting Bible timeline of the appearances of Jesus to the church.

• Now here we have 2 men walking from Jerusalem to their home town of Emmaus.  Distance of 12 km

From Jerusalem to Emmaus, which is described as being 60 stadia (10.4 to 12 km depending on what definition of stadion is used) from Jerusalem.

And when Mary Magdalene stood by the empty tomb (not knowing she was talking to angels) it says that the angels asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”

And she replies “They have taken my Lord away, and I don’t know where they have put him.” John 20:13

Saddest Verse “… we had hoped (repeat that) that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel…” Luke 24:21

If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith.

More than that, we are then found to be false witnesses about God, for we have testified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him – if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either.

And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost.

If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.

But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep.”

(I Corinthians 15:12b-20)

“…what I received I passed on to 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 according to the Scriptures, and that HE APPEARED

• to Peter,
• and then to the Twelve.
• After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.
• Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles,
• and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.”

(I Corinthians 15:3-8)

Hebrews 2:14-15 tells us “since the children have flesh and blood in common, He also shared in these, so that through His death He might destroy the one holding the power of death – that is, the Devil – and free those who were held in slavery all their lives by the FEAR OF DEATH.” (HCSB)

A poet named Calvin Miller once wrote this poem:

“I once scorned ev’ry fearful thought of death, when it was but the end of pulse and breath,

But now my eyes have seen that – past the pain – there is a world that’s waiting to be claimed.

Earthmaker, Holy, let me now depart, for living’s such a temporary art,

And dying is but getting dressed for God, our graves are merely doorways cut in sod.”

“As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; but they were kept from recognizing him.” Luke 24:15-16

People Struggling with Death

• 1st – He listened to them.

• Next, Jesus reminded them of the promises from Scripture.

“… beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.” Luke 24:27

• Lastly, He gave them something physical to hang their faith on. The Table & Bread

“When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.” Luke 24:30-31

World War 2 – Sleep with Bread
http://pennylhunt.com/sleeping-with-bread/

• • • INTRO: Celebration of First Fruits

On this morning when we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus, we’re going to start with a journey back to our Jewish roots with a look at one of the seven Feasts, or festivals that were prescribed by God in the Old Testament as a picture of the Messiah, Jesus. Many of you know of the Feasts of Passover and Unleavened Bread that Jesus fulfilled feasts completely and exactly.

He came into Jerusalem on the very day the Passover lambs were set aside for slaughter, was nailed to the cross at the exact time the Passover lambs were being prepared for slaughter in the Temple, and then died at the exact moment the lambs were being slain in the Temple. He was then buried at the beginning of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. At that time, he took our leaven, our sin, upon Himself and carried it to the grave.

This morning, we’ll look at the third of these feasts, the one that Jewish disciples of Christ should have been celebrating on Easter Sunday;  the Feast of Firstfruits.

• • • WELCOME: Happy Easter and welcome to Central Church of Christ, a people called out by God to Show His Love, Tell His Story, and Be His Family. Today we begin a brand new message series from the Bible called, “Celebrate Jesus.” In this series we will walk each Sunday from Easter (Apr 4) to Pentecost (May 23) through an exciting Bible timeline of the appearances of Jesus to the church.

• • • HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

The instructions for observing the Feast of Firstfruits is found in Leviticus, chapter 23. This passage immediately follows the passage that set forth the instructions for the Feasts of Passover and Unleavened Bread.

9 Then the LORD spoke to Moses, saying, 10 “Speak to the sons of Israel, and say to them, ’When you enter the land which I am going to give to you and reap its harvest, then you shall bring in the sheaf of the first fruits of your harvest to the priest. 11 ’And he shall wave the sheaf before the LORD for you to be accepted; on the day after the sabbath the priest shall wave it. 12 ’Now on the day when you wave the sheaf, you shall offer a male lamb one year old without defect for a burnt offering to the LORD. 13 ’Its grain offering shall then be two-tenths of an ephah of fine flour mixed with oil, an offering by fire to the LORD for a soothing aroma, with its libation, a fourth of a hin of wine. 14 ’Until this same day, until you have brought in the offering of your God, you shall eat neither bread nor roasted grain nor new growth. It is to be a perpetual statute throughout your generations in all your dwelling places.- Leviticus 23:9-14

There are three main principles associated with the Feast of Firstfruits:

• The offering of the very best

• The promise of a future harvest
• The making holy of the whole

• • • JESUS FULFILLED THE FIRST FRUITS

20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. 21 For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming, 1 Corinthians 15:20-23

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, bringing the spices which they had prepared.

Luke 24:1

Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave. Matthew 28:1

For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering. – Romans 8:3

20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. 21 For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all shall be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ’s at His coming, – 1 Corinthians 15:20-23

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. – 2 Corinthians 5:21

• • • CLOSE: Once again this is all exciting information on Easter Resurrection Sunday, but the important question remains. What does all this mean for me?