Waching daily Apr 3 2018

all right thank you very much you know I've shared with you many times that I

like sports and I get excited when my team wins I grew up in Pittsburgh in the

70s and saw the Steelers win four Super Bowls not one not two not three but four

I saw the Pirates win a cup of World Series

my wife has converted me into a Kentucky Wildcat basketball fan and now I even

root for the Atlanta Falcons I just hope they never play each other them in the

Steelers I mean in the Super Bowl so those are exciting things I get excited

about that but you know what folks it doesn't get any better than what we're

celebrating today the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the greatest reality of

that the world has ever seen because of what it means because of what its

significance of what it results in for you and I and for indeed the whole world

around us as well God loves us and cares about us and we talk Thursday night as

we came together and shared and communion together and the Lord's Supper

together about the greatest catastrophe perhaps that ever happened was Jesus had

going to have to go having to go to the cross he who knew no sin became sin so

that you and I could have a savior so that we could have a have forgiveness

and know God now and for all of eternity that was tragic what he had to go

through on Friday for you and for me he didn't deserve it the mockery that's

being spit upon the the brutality the pain the anguish and as much anguish as

there was physically I would suggest to you spiritually and emotionally it was

even harder because of the fact that he became the sin offering if you will he

became sin on the cross paying the penalty so the you and I could be

forgiven and justified before holy and righteous God but all that while we must

remember that every day the purpose of that significance of it the worth of it

the value of it is made complete and accomplished and the fact that on that

first Easter morning Jesus rose and when the women went to the tomb and others to

see he was not there he because he is alive and he is alive today and that

isn't has implications for our life today and for all of eternity as well

and so we're gonna look at perhaps a very familiar story for you today as we

think again about the resurrection of Jesus but I want to consider some of the

reasons why the resurrection is important why it's significant and why

it has a demand upon our lives well God why God has a demand upon our lives and

what our reaction to that is in Matthew chapter 28 the first eight verses we get

some of the account as Matthew gives it gives it to us of that first Eastern war

and when they find out that he is alive in Matthew chapter 28 verses 1 through 8

it says now after the sabbath as the first day of the week began to dawn Mary

Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb and behold there was a great

earthquake for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and

rolled back the stone from the door and sat on it his countenance was like

lightning and his clothing as white as snow and the guard shook for fear of him

and became like dead men but the angel answered and said that the women do not

be afraid for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified he is not here for He

is risen and he said come and see the place where the Lord lay and go quickly

and tell the disciples that he has risen from the dead and indeed he is going

before you into Galilee there you will see him behold I have told you so they

went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy and ran to bring his

disciples word father we thank you for this first pronouncement of the great

news that Jesus was no longer dead in that tomb that he had risen has risen

just as he said he would and father we thank you for what that meant for those

first disciples back then and for the world then for what it's meant over the

centuries since and what it still means today and will forever and ever

father as we think about the fact that jesus is alive about that first

resurrection how see some of the implications in our

lives the father most of all help us to see your great love for us and your the

the desire of the god of the universe to have a close intimate walk with each one

of us father regardless of our past regardless of where we've been walking

recently even today Lord we can begin to walk anew and afresh with you help us to

do that because of your love for us bless this time Lord as we reflect on

these thoughts now we pray in Jesus name Amen now just as a little introduction

to some of the verses that we're going to look at this morning because you

might wonder when you look back at a couple of the Psalms for example that

are in the first two points how do you know for sure that that's about Jesus

well they are about him their prophecies in the Old Testament about Jesus and his

death and his resurrection and and what would happen in the life of Jesus but

you can also go back for example to Acts chapter 2 and read Peter Sirmon there on

the day of Pentecost and some of these verses that we look at or some of the

ones that he quoted so even at that point they understood them to be real

and relevant and referring to Jesus the first of these points number one on your

outline if you want to follow along along by the way on one side of one of

your handouts was a list of who purchased these flowers who are helping

our sanctuary look a little bit more pretty here this morning and just remind

you to take those home with you so you think you can enjoy them there but then

on the other side of that same sheet is a handout that I'd like to do each week

so that you have something to take home with you you're not going to remember

most of what I say this morning you're more likely to remember if you write

something down and that outline is to help you do that so that you can at

least remember the key points and other things that you might want to draw down

as we go along through this outline as well so encourage you to do that

the first reason why the resurrection is important is it fulfills the claims of

Scripture it fulfills the claims of Scripture in Psalm chapter 16 verses 10

eleven David wrote unity you will not allow my soul in Sheol nor will you

allow your Holy One to see corruption or decay that was an Old Testament prophecy

through Haven about Jesus and the fact that he would not stay dead Jesus

himself and Luke chapter 18 we're gonna flip to a few of these verses not all of

them you can look up some of the others later Jesus himself many times referred

to the fact that he must die that he was trying to prepare his disciples all

along that this was part of why he came wasn't underneath to live wasn't only to

have good time with them wasn't only to teach wasn't only to heal or feed the

multitudes all those kind of things but he came to die to be the savior of the

world in one of these instances is in Luke chapter 18 beginning with verse 31

where it says then he Jesus took the twelve aside and said to them behold we

are going up to Jerusalem and all things that are written by the prophets

concerning the Son of man referring to himself will be accomplished for he will

be delivered to the Gentiles and will be mocked and insulted and spit upon they

will scourge him and kill him in the third day He will rise again and Jesus

there of course was referring to himself that he must suffer these things many

times in Scripture we have words prophecy talking about the fact that

Jesus must suffer and die that that was why he came so that he might seek and to

save that which was lost that through his shed blood through his body being

given up and delivered on the cross salvation might be available for you and

I and so for the first reason I suggest to you why the resurrection is important

as it fulfills the claims of Scripture if Jesus stayed dead one is we would not

have a savior in two he would have testified falsely about himself

questioning the whole truth of God if even at this fundamental point we find

scripture to be failing then we might question the whole counsel

of God all the Word of God and wonder what can we trust and what can we not

because Jesus was resurrected it fulfilled part of the scripture

Scriptures about himself that he would come back to life and so in his

resurrection is important because it fulfills the claims of Scripture it

helps us know that Scripture is true a second reason why the resurrection is

important is it proves Jesus's claims of being the son of God now at different

places of Scripture he refers to himself as the son of man and a lot of times he

seemed the light to use that term which seems to refer more to his human side

but he also referred himself to himself and others did as the son of God which

spoke to more of his God side his deity side and Dean Jesus was fully God and

fully man and we see that even in his titles of son of man and the Son of God

in Psalm chapter 2 verse 7 David wrote the Lord has said to me

you are my son truly I have begotten you and again the testimony of Scripture is

even these Psalms back written centuries before were referring to the coming

Messiah to Christ himself but we also see this further in the book of Romans

in Romans chapter 1 verses 2 through 4 Paul affirms this same idea that David

wrote about he says in verse 2 which God prefer promised beforehand through his

prophets in the holy scriptures concerning his son Jesus Christ our Lord

who was born of the scene of David according to the flesh and declared to

be the Son of God with power according the spirit of holiness by the

resurrection from the dead and so we see that the resurrection is also important

because Jesus's claims about himself as the son of God are fulfilled uniquely in

him and the record of his resurrection and the reality of his resurrection at

the truth of his resurrection proves that Jesus is who he claimed to be the

son of God God himself and so we can know him and relate to him as such -

before today and so the first two reasons have to do with the integrity of

Scripture and the testimony of Jesus himself and halloumi of who he claimed

to be proving that he is the son of God the messiah who would come into the

world to take away the sin of the world a third reason why it's important and

these become perhaps a little bit more practical and our daily living and our

understanding and of our relating to God the third reason is his resurrection

puts into practice if you will his mission to forgive Jesus made it very

clear that he came to seek and to save that which was lost much of the Old

Testament system of the law was built up how upon a sacrifice being made for

people's sins and there was a whole elaborate system but Jesus came to die

once for all so that Old Testament law that system wasn't necessary anymore and

he was the perfect sacrifice who came to take away the sin of the world in second

Corinthians chapter 15 verse 17 Paul wrote if Christ is not risen you are

still in your sins do you hear that if Christ is not risen you are still in

your sins and so Jesus's resurrection is important because if he is not risen

there is no forgiveness of sin the debt that we owe is still very real and very

powerful and we are not saved and we sit here this morning loss and in need of a

savior but the reality is because of Jesus's resurrection it made it possible

it made it practical and made it real for you and I to be forgiven because

Jesus when he said that he came to seek and to save without which was lost

through the act of his resurrection through the reality of his resurrection

made it possible for you and I to be forgiven without the forgiveness of sins

we would be sentenced to an eternity in Hell separated from God forever and ever

we would be in bondage to the sin that holds us down but Christ has set us free

from that and he has made it possible for us to know him now to fulfill the

reason why we're here and to be with them in heaven forever and forever a

fourth reason why the resurrection is important

as it shows our hope is not in vain in first Corinthians chapter 15 verse 14 it

says if Christ is not raised our preaching is vain is empty and your

faith also is in vain so if Christ has not been resurrected we have no hope

there is no forgiveness there is no promise of eternal life

there is no blessing of him being in our lives I was visiting with someone this

week and we were talking about all this a little bit and they said well you know

I just don't know that I really believe the resurrection I believe all the other

and I just said to them you know the Bible makes it very clear that without

the resurrection we really don't have a faith at all we have no hope we have no

expectation we have nothing to look forward to the resurrection shows our

hope is not in vain what hope the hope of a relationship with God now the hope

of a eternity in heaven with them and again this hope is not wishful thinking

it's not like I'm saying out there oh I hope it gets warm enough - or cold

enough today to snow it's not wishful thinking not that any of you are wishing

for that it's a certainty it's a firm thing I have hope that what I'm going to

go home and have lunch today that's a firm thing unless I have a

wreck between now and then or Jesus comes back I know I'm gonna have lunch

today because I saw some of it before I left home this morning so I'm not just

hoping and that's what this idea is here it's a firm assurance I've seen it I've

seen the testimony of Scripture I know it's true and I have that firm assurance

of knowing the Lord now and forever and forever a fifth reason why the

resurrection is essential why it's important number five on your outline it

produces the potential of changed lives it produces the potential of change lies

and the reason why I say potentially is it's up to you you can reject it God has

done everything it has everything in motion to change your life and to give

your life meaning and per and they'll allow you to spend him with

that spend eternity with him in heaven but you can say no but in second

Corinthians chapter 5 verse 17 Paul wrote therefore if anyone is in Christ

if you've decided to be a follower of Jesus he is a new creation old things

have passed away behold all things have become new if you'll say yes Lord come

into my life I surrender consider Paul for a minute what an incredible example

of a change life listen to some of his testimony before he came to know Christ

Paul of course wrote much of the New Testament but he was also at one point

not a very nice man very opposed to the ways of Christ and the christianity but

in Philippians chapter 3 verse 1 through 11 he gives some of his own account of

his life before Christ he says in verse 1 finally my brother and rejoice in the

Lord for me to write the same things to you is not tedious for you it is safe

beware of dogs beware of evil workers beware of the mutilation for we are the

circumcision who worship and the Spirit rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no

confidence in the flesh then he gets into his own testimony though I also

might have a confidence in the flesh if anyone else thinks he hid may have

confidence in the flesh I more so circumcised the eighth day of the stock

of Israel of the tribe of Benjamin a Hebrew of the Hebrews concerning the law

a Pharisee concerning zeal persecuting the church concerning he persecuted the

church I think I can't prove this I think it's real possible or he was

around when Jesus was put on the cross but even if he wasn't he was testifies

to the fact that I personally cheated the church the day of his salvation he

was on his way there's overseeing more persecution concerning the righteous

which is in the law blameless but what things were gain to me these I have

counted loss for Christ yet and I also count all things lost for the

excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered

the loss of all things and count them as rubbish that I may gain Christ and be

found in him not having my own righteousness which is from the law but

that which is through faith in Christ the righteousness which is from God by

faith that I may know him and the power of his resurrection and the Fellowship

of his sufferings being conformed to his death if by any means I may attain to

the resurrection from the dead we think of Paul was a good man we think of Paul

as a man who God used of when many of the Christ to help establish many

churches and then no world and all that's true but Paul had a very dark

side before that - he was very lost persecuting the church persecuting

fighting against the claims of Christ what a transformation

the day he came to know Jesus can you imagine

Hitler ever being the president of the United States

do you imagine Idi Amin coming and being some spokesman for for the United States

can you imagine Saddam Hussein becoming a Christian that's almost what we're

dealing with here the power Payne's life something that the resurrection

accomplished because Jesus is alive because his resurrection is true he can

come into the hearts and lives of other any person and change them just like he

does Paul's he can change your heart and my heart too if we'll allow him a sixth

reason why the resurrection is important is that embolden his followers to go to

the world with the gospel in us - and I just listed a short little verse there

in the book of Acts the whole book of Acts gives testimony to the fact of how

he emboldened his followers remember who they were some were fishermen

one was a tax collector different walks in life not famous not well-known many

not even like perhaps because of their vocation and then remember when

Jesus was resident died some promised they would be with them to the end peter

included where were they when he was arrested they ran they were scared but

then remember post resurrection remember Pentecost in the filling of the Holy

Spirit the empowering the change lives that were resulted in there it

emboldened them to go to the world with the gospel it emboldened them those who

when Jesus was at his greatest need physically on earth and needed someone

to be there for them even in the Garden of Gethsemane when things were seemingly

safe they fell asleep these same ones are the ones that God used to take the

gospel to the world and to make a difference would people like this who

were so scared when he died ever risk their own lives if he were still dead I

say not no way but the reality of his being alive and their having seen him

and the coming of the Holy Spirit empowering them change their lives and

Boldin them in this same spirit dwells in the hearts and lives of us who are

believers to take the gospel to the world that we know a seventh reason why

the resurrection is important is it gives us a Living Hope first Peter 1

verses three through four two of my favorite verses it talks about the fact

that we serve a Living Hope not just one that we might hope for that is dead that

might come back to life someday but he is alive he is whole he as well and in

verse 19 of first Corinthians 15 it says if in this life only we have trusted and

hoped in God we are of all men than most to be pitied Paul is saying that if

we've only hoped in Christ in this life we are to be pitied why would Paul

persecutor of the church one who despise everything about this early movement

after Jesus's resurrection ever identify himself with Christ if he had not seen

him and experienced the power of his resurrection in his own life we serve a

living God and this gives us a Living Hope certain active profound an eighth

reason why the resurrection is important as it gives us purpose John 10:10 Jesus

said I have come that you might have life and have it abundantly

he wants to bless your life God did not create you and set you free here on this

earth to do whatever you want to make your own decisions he put you here for a

purpose and that's fully a really in a relationship with him that we can

experience that now and forever he didn't create you and want you to say

God not my will but your will be done to make you miserable kids all of us were

one once I remember my parents teaching me don't run across the street without

looking both ways I'm like why mom and dad my friends were there I want to go

play they weren't trying to prevent me from playing with him they were trying

to keep me safe so that I could get to my friends and play with them and so

when God put some parameters on our lives he doesn't do that to make us

miserable he does it to protect us he does it for our good father truly knows

best and when we submit to his plan and purpose for our lives we can experience

that now and forever the resurrection also nicely encourages us to endure hard

times in verse 58 of 1st Corinthians chapter 15 1st Corinthians 15 is a great

chapter on the resurrection and the importance of it and I try not to preach

from it this year and I really haven't I just have had to keep referring back to

it a number of times but but it's just a great passage but in the last verse of

chapter 15 Paul wrote therefore my beloved be steadfast

immovable always abounding in the work of the Lord knowing that your labor is

not in vain in the Lord it encourages his diaper his disciples and encourages

us today as his and followers to endure hard times it doesn't mean life is easy

it doesn't mean that everything's going to be perfect it doesn't mean that there

aren't hard times in their lives because they're all that is going to happen

there are people who die virtually every day because they are Christians Paul did

many of Jesus's first disciples did but it was worth it because it was true and

they knew what they knew that the cost was worth it to enjoy and to experience

God in their lives because the gospel was true because the resurrection was

true they knew it was worth the cause and so Paul says hang in there be

steadfast don't give up don't stop if you mess up and you need forgiveness

receive it but then go on always abound in the work of the Lord because it's not

in vain we all like a good return on any investment you will receive an eternal

reward for your investment in the kingdom of God as you walk with him and

follow him and then finally and certainly this list could go on and on

but for today it guarantees our future resurrection Jesus's resurrection was

kind of a firstfruits of what would come still come in his followers but look at

in that same chapter of 1st Corinthians 15 verse 51 Paul wrote behold I tell you

a mystery we shall not all sleep he's talking about staying dead but we shall

all be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet

for the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised incorruptible and we

shall be changed for this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal

must put on immortality so when this corruptible has put on incorruption and

this mortal has put on immortality then shall be brought to pass the saying

which is which is written death swallowed up in victory Oh death where

is your sting Oh Hades where is your victory the sting

of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law verse 57 but thanks be to God

who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ and so we will be

forever with the Lord one day Jesus is going to come back and it's called we

refer to it as the rapture and that that rapture those Christians who are still

alive will instantly go to be with the Lord

those who have died in Christ already there with him in heaven now but their

bodies will be resurrected enjoying their souls in the air and they will go

to be forever with the Lord now there's a whole lot other stuff that's going to

happen too but Jesus is pick Seng here picturing here a bodily resurrection and

we could preach a couple sermons on that so stay with me but the bottom-line is

what Paul is saying here that which was fleshly that which was immortal is going

to be or mortal is going to take on immortality and and we will be forever

with the Lord indeed when we die if you're a Christian you go be with the

Lord but he's referring here to a bodily the resurrection that will occur in the

future when he comes back to those who trust and believe in Christ as well and

because Jesus was resurrected so one day we will receive this same type of

Resurrection also and have a physical body that is whole and complete and

eternal and we will be with the Lord forever and forever and forever God

loves you and he wants to know you now and forever if you've never been saved

if you've never trusted in Christ in your savior Lord then you've missed out

on what Christmas is all about about what the cross is all about and what

Easter is all about but Jesus died for you so that if you would repent or turn

from your sins and ask him to forgive you he will forgive you but also there's

another part to that you must also surrender the lordship of Christ in your

life that means you say Lord not I will but your will be done it's two

sides of the same coin if you have a quarter and one side of it it's empty

your quarter is worthless but in Christ we must receive him as Savior but also

surrender to Him as Lord of our lives and if you'll do that he'll promise to

forgive you and come into your heart and life so if

you to pray to prayer something like Lord Jesus I know I'm a sinner I'm sorry

for my sin please forgive me I turn from my sin please forgive me he will but

then you must also pray lord I give you my heart I surrender to you as Lord as

boss take control not my will but your will be done come into my heart Lord

Jesus if you do that he promises he will come in and forgive you and begin a walk

with you that will last for eternity if you've never made the commitment of your

heart and your life to do that we invite you and the privacy of where you're

sitting or standing when we stand the sing in a minute to pray a prayer

similar to that it doesn't have to be those exact words but something like

that or if you would like me to pray with you while we're standing in the

front just a moment I'd be glad to do that but if you're a Christian here

today realize the inheritance is yours your savior your lord jesus is alive

and he loves you and he has a plan and a purpose for your life can recommit your

heart and life to him today and say Lord take me wherever you want me to go do

with me whatever you want me to do my life is yours and you won't regret it

your life will be blessed now and forever there will be storms there will

be troubles but there will also be his constant presence with you to walk with

you day by day and father we thank you for the resurrection and its power and

its importance and and its significance in our lives we thank you that it's true

and Laura because it's true it can't be ignored oh we can try to the Lord to

ignore it is to make a decision to ignore it is this choose not to follow

father I pray that wouldn't be the case for anyone here today

for everyone who is a Christian Lord that we would recommit ourselves and

thank you again for what you've done for us and follow you day by day to

experience all you have for us but Lord if there's someone here that has never

said yes to you that they don't know for sure that they would go to heaven they

would not leave this place without that assurance that certainty without knowing

they you're in their heart and life and you want to walk with them the rest of

their days Lord work in our hearts and lives as would honor and glorify you we

pray in Jesus name Amen