INTRODUCTION – It’s Friday but Sunday’s Coming

Years ago, Sports Illustrated did an issue on the Top Ten comebacks in history. They included people like Muhammad Ali, plus they had non-sports things on their list. Germany and Japan both made the list as “comeback nations” after World War II. But guess what was number one on their list. The number one comeback of all time, according to Sports Illustrated, is Jesus Christ. In essence they wrote, “Jesus Christ is number one because He confounds His critics and stuns the Roman authorities with His resurrection.”
Jesus explained it this way: “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25).
In the Bible, the four Gospels—Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John—addressed four types of people.
Matthew addressed the Jewish nation—religious people. He focused on Jesus’s credentials.
Mark addressed the Romans—pragmatic people. He concentrated on Jesus’s actions.
Luke addressed the Greeks—thinkers. He brought out Jesus’s teachings.
John addressed everyone! He showed us all Jesus’s divinity.
Each of these writers gives us a reason why Christ’s resurrection matters.
QUESTION: How can something that happened two thousand years ago impact your life today, where you sit right now? What does the resurrection have to do with my life? Can the resurrection actually impact my life?

FOUR GREAT COMEBACKS CHRIST GIVES ME

1. MATTHEW: I CAN COME BACK FROM DESPAIR
Matthew paints this picture of people in despair by introducing two deeply discouraged people. Joseph took the body, wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, and placed it in his own new tomb that he had cut out of the rock. He rolled a big stone in front of the entrance to the tomb and went away. Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb. (Matthew 27:59–61)
Mary Magdalene and Mary were sitting around in a graveyard staring at a grave. That’s discouragement. Then the next morning comes. They say, “Let’s go look at the grave some more today.” Once more they head to the graveyard. They’re not looking for Jesus. They’re not expecting anything. They’re totally hopeless. They’re filled with despair. They’re going to watch a grave again for another day. Then everything changes:
At dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.
There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. . . .
The angel said to the women, “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.”
(Matthew 28:1–2, 5–6)
Matthew says because of Christ’s resurrection, you too can come back from despair.

2. MARK: I CAN COME BACK FROM DEFEAT

Video Clip Week 4
STORY: Pastor and the Two Trouble Makers: “Where’s God?”
Peter’s Restoration: But go, tell his disciples and Peter, “He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” (Mark 16:7)

3. LUKE: I CAN COME BACK FROM DOUBT
Luke was writing to thinkers, to skeptics. Luke put it this way:
Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has risen! (Luke 24:5–6)
Luke wrote a sequel to his Gospel, called the Acts of the Apostles. In it, he said,
After his suffering, he presented himself to them and gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. (Acts 1:3)
“Many convincing proofs.” That’s actually just one Greek word, tekmēriois, which means “legally admissible evidence.” Even Jesus was saying, “Never believe anything without solid evidence, without convincing proof.”
Here’s what Luke recorded about Jesus: While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.”
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence.
He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” (Luke 24:36–44)

4. JOHN: I CAN COME BACK FROM DEATH
Finally, because of the resurrection, I can come back from death itself.
JOKE: 3 Old men plan their Eulogies.
How does life after death work? Look how Jesus says it:
Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25–26)
In other words, Jesus was saying that if you are connected to Him, because He rose, you’ll rise; because He lives forever, you’ll live forever—if you’re connected to Him.
Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name. (John 20:30–31)
this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent. (John 17:3)
Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25).

COMMITMENTS and PRAYER