- Today is Easter- The day we set aside to commemorate the day that Jesus rose from the dead
- If you don’t know the Easter story- let me give you a quick synopsis
- Jesus Christ, born of the Virgin Mary, had about a 3 year ministry in which he performed Signs and Miracles to draw people to hear the good news- That was- God was reconciling himself to man through his son, Jesus Christ- Jesus spent most of his ministry preaching to people that the Kingdom of God was here and that they should turn to God
- The Jewish religious leaders at the time brought legal charges against him because he claimed to be God and broke Jewish law- He had committed no crime because he was God in the flesh. They crucified him even tho he was innocent of all charges.
- Jesus crucifixion was the blood penalty paid to God on our behalf for all the sins of mankind.
- How do we know this? Upon his death, they put Jesus in a tomb and 3 days later he came back from the dead and proved he was God and that we could live forever with him.
- Jesus declared it, the prophets declared it, the word of God declares it.
- Today for Easter- I want to focus on one scripture that to me encapsulates the promise of today
- Many a Easter has been spent saying WHAT happened and WHY it happened, but we do we do NOW? What do we do the day after Easter?
- We talk about the tomb, the resurrection, the players. Most if not all of you know the story of the death burial and resurrection of our savior- its central to our faith- but not central to our experience. Jesus commanded us to remember him during communion- but his promises went far past the cross, tomb, and the resurrection.
- That resurrection power of Jesus was there on that first easter and its still here for us TODAY
- How do we live in Jesus the day after Easter? Now that the tomb is empty- now what?
- (We as Americans are very goal, graduate, get the job, spouse etc, but then what?)
- John 14:19 “A little while longer and the world will see Me no more, but you will see Me. Because I live, you will live also.- BUT HOW DO WE LIVE? we’ll get to it in a minute
THAT’S A PROMISE- BECAUSE HE LIVES WE WILL LIVE ALSO- A GREAT LIVING LIFE IN HIM
Jesus wants you to LIVE after the resurrection- not just exist but to LIVE
- There were a lot of statements Jesus made prior to this in John 14
- He promises mansions in heaven v2 In My Father’s house are many mansions;
- He promises that he is preparing a place for us I go to prepare a place for you.
- He promised that he would come back 3 I will come again and receive you to Myself;
- He Promises that we will go with him to heaven that where I am, there you may be also.
- He declares he is the only way to heaven- v6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
- He declares that he is God in v7 “If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; and from now on you know Him and have seen Him.”v9 He who has seen Me has seen the Father;
- He declares the disciples will do greater works than him v12 “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do,
- He declares that HE will answer prayer- 13 And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you [c]ask anything in My name, I will do it.
- He promises the Holy Spirit- 16 And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—
- He promises that he will come to us– 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
- And then the greatest promise- “Because I live, you will live also”
- What a promise! That we will LIVE because of HIM!
- He loves us and we love HIM by keeping his commandments- 21 He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”
- He will manifest himself to us- He will become real to us. He will come to us and LOVE US
- We will live in spite of our sins, our past mistakes, our problems, whatever it may be
- THIS IS A PROMISE OF THE RESSURECTION- LIFE and LIVING in HIM-
- How do you LIVE the day after Easter? Where do we find a road map?
- Paul was one of the most mature Christians of the NT- wrote a bunch of the NT. Lived an exemplary life for us to look at, model and follow.
- He leaves us some great clues in Phil 1 that can give us clues to live a resurrection life
- A little background- this is a guy who used to kill Christians that became God’s instrument
- 1. To Live for Christ, Trust and Submit to God’s Plan
- To be a believer in Jesus Christ after the resurrection we have to put ourselves in a position physically, emotionally and spiritually to submit to God’s Plan- Even if we don’t understand it
- Paul says in V19 For I know that this will turn out for my deliverance
- That’s a powerful statement from a guy who wrote this letter while under Roman house arrest for 2 years! acts 28:30 says he was in his house for 2 years! (Some of you can identify with that)
- We have been cooped up for a few weeks with every comfort known to man and are dying
- The other day I had to use a different coffee creamer- dire times folks!
- But here’s a guy who is under house arrest that says- “I know this will turn out”
- A little more about Paul- 2 Cor 11:22-28 READthis is the guy that says “I know this will turn out”
- This is why he was able to say Philippians 3:10 that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection, and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death,
- Whatever it was that Paul went through he could say “I know this will turn out”
- Phil 4:11-13 I can get through anything with Christ Jesus
- What does it mean to you
- If you have put your faith in Jesus as your Lord and savior, you can appropriate that same resurrection power now that Jesus has risen from the grave
- Some of you have been just fine through this ordeal, but people are not doing well. People are getting sick, losing jobs, hours getting cut, for many people the future is uncertain
- Most of us didn’t feel that way coming into January- this is the craziest time I have ever lived in
- 1 Thessalonians 5:18 in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
- Are you giving thanks right now in your circumstance? That’s the resurrection power!
- It says Lord, I don’t understand what I’m going through- but I KNOW that you got me!
- This is the peace that passes all understanding- and usually it’s a fear of the what ifs and future
- But God got you right now! He’s taking care of you right now! You’re still alive! Still here!
- We can declare like paul- “I know this will turn out for my deliverance” Whatever it may be
- Sick, jobless, penniless, locked down, persecuted, we are going to get through this!
- Jesus said- Matthew 6:10 Your kingdom come. Your will be done On earth as it is in heaven.
- 2. To Live for Christ, Depend on the Body of Christ
- V 19 through your prayer and the supply of the Spirit of Jesus Christ,
- Its an interesting part of this focus of paul, while under house arrest, unsure of what the future holds, he leans into the body of Christ as his strength
- He says “I can get through this if you pray for me church” He was writing to the church in Philipi- Paul knew loved and depended on the Body of Christ to sustain him in his dire times
- What Paul understood was that no man is an Island. Sure, Jesus spoke directly to him, he was God’s chosen instrument to bring the Gospel to the gentiles- but He still needed others
- Paul who said 1 Cor 12:12 For as the body is one and has many members, but all the members of that one body, being many, are one body, so also is Christ.
- Ephesians 4:16 from whom the whole body, joined and knit together by what every joint supplies, according to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love.
- God designed us for community one with another. Online church isn’t what God had planned
- Remember- The early church was a bunch of illiterate agrarian peasants. They depended on each other- Sure- this online thing is better than nothing- but it wasn’t the goal
- Haven’t you seen the struggle of being alone? If communication means didn’t exist, and you couldn’t read, and didn’t have a bible, how would you have community at home alone?
- You wouldn’t. Paul knew this- When he was alone- even with resurrection power- Needed others
- To Live for Christ, Exalt Christ in Everything We Do-
- 20 according to my earnest expectation and hope that in nothing I shall be ashamed, but with all boldness, as always, so now also Christ will be magnified in my body, whether by life or by death21 For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain
- Paul wanted to exalt Christ in everything he did- He didn’t want to live unto himself.
- Always, now, life or death, Exalt Christ. IN everything you do
- My message of my life and ministry is simple- full submission to God in every area of your life
- I don’t think there is one area of your life that isn’t under the rule of God
- I was in the army- people get tired of the examples- but they OWN you 24-7
- 1 Cor 10:31 Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.
- Colossians 3:23 And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,
- We LIVE in him when we LIVE for Him! Whatever we do
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