Experiencing the Resurrection Power of Jesus (Eastside Addition)

Eastside Addition

Intro

Intro

Good evening friends. My name is Clint, so happy to be with you tonight

We are going to keep things interesting tonight. I am coming off of a youth conference. We had 150 people from about a dozen churches

It was a great conference. We had La Vina folks, and one of the La Vina church is doing a Portugues service.... I think we had 5 or 6 different countries represented, including some students from Equador that have only been here for a couple of weeks.

It was a great time, it was exhausting.

So, we are going to keep this message short, and spend some extra time in worship and prayer.

Main and the Plain

I really think that as a community, we are in a season where we should get back to the main and the plain of things.

The things that will bring us right into God’s presence so that we can experience his presence, his power, his love and his forgiveness in our lives.

I firmly believe this is the best way to live life. Drawing into the presence of the loving father, repenting for our shortcomings, letting him fill us with love, forgiveness, and his holy spirit, so that we can go out and represent him well in our city.

Verse

So with that, lets dive into our verse for tonight. We are going to be in John 11. I’m going to read this verse, and make some observations, then we will spend some time in prayer and worship.

Let me paint the context just a little

Jesus is out teaching, preforming miracles and doing other Jesus stuff when he gets word that his dear friend Lazarus is sick. Jesus waits a couple of days, and then tells his disciples that they need to head to Lazarus’s because he has died.

By the time they get there, Lazarus has been dead for four days and as they walk up they are greeted by one of Lazarus’s sisters. We are going to start there

John 11:20-27 “When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” 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?” “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.””

From there, Jesus goes to the tomb, weeps for his friend, and then raises him from the dead

Jesus is the Resurrection

New Life

Friends, Jesus says that he is the Resurrection. He has come to bring life, and life to the fullest.

Where does your life need to be made new?

Relationship not working

Job feels unfulfilling

Maybe you are just tired. You look around at the world and think, really..... is this where we are?

That’s where I’ve been.

This week with the students was really good. This last month has been heartbreaking. The pain and suffering that we as a community have been getting present too can drain the life right out of you. Can rob our hope.

What’s robbing your hope right now today

Jesus want’s to bring new life into that area.

Power for freedom

And he as the power to do it.

John 11:25–26 NIV

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?”

He goes from here and demonstrates his power to give life first by going to Lazurus and raising him from the dead, but secondly by going to the cross, dying, and rising, proving that it is true, and that his love, and power is available.

Believe

And he says to get this, we have to believe. We have to live like its true. Like his teachings matter. We trust him and put our weight on our relationship with him.

We repent when we are in the wrong, when we fall short.

We speak truth when it costs us everything.

We are humble, knowing that the lord see’s our work.

We hold onto the promises of a better future when all we see is the pain.

And this isn’t a muscle up and a try harder thing.

Jesus was lazarus’s friend. He want’s to be our friend as well. How do we be friends with Jesus. We spend time with him. So, friends, lets spend time with him, through prayer and worship.

Ministry time

Open

New life

Feeling tired, worn out

Know you were built for more

Calling

Dreams

Laying your life down for others

Doubts

They matter, but they don’t disqualify

Fear

What if

Not true.......Silly......regegted

God doesn’t like me.....

Bonus NT Wright Quote

(In Jesus) the future has burst into the present. The new creation, and with it the resurrection, has come forward from the end of time into the middle of time. Jesus has not just come ‘from heaven to earth’; it is equally true to say that he has come from God’s future into the present, into the mess and muddle of the world we know. ‘I am the resurrection and the life,’ he says. ‘Resurrection’ isn’t just a doctrine. It isn’t just a future fact. It’s a person.

Bonus Dan Wilt on Asbury Outpouring

I’m at a loss for words. Sometimes I cry talking about it.  I just want to bear witness to something Jesus is doing. I’ve been a part of the Asbury Outpouring for the past 4 days, and I’m still processing.  But here are the words and phrases I do have.  The love of God. The love of God. The love of God. GenZ. Many denominations. Honoring one another. Humility. Wisdom. Worship. Simplicity. Gentleness. Unity. No fireworks. No celebrities leading it. No lyrics projected. Low production. Real. Analog. Honest. Sweet. Healing.  Normal. Presence. Peace.  Repentance. Prayer. Altar. Confession. Reconciliation. Hope. After a time of great distress in culture and disruption in the Church, comes this - led by our emerging adults, facilitated and supported by wise and thoughtful leaders who love them.  I’m grateful.