EASTER SUNDAY

Welcome

Romans 6 (ESV)

1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.

5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. 14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.

15 What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! 16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, 18 and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. 19 I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.

20 For when you were slaves of sin, you were free in regard to righteousness. 21 But what fruit were you getting at that time from the things of which you are now ashamed? For the end of those things is death. 22 But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

RESURRECTION SUNDAY: “NEVER AGAIN”

Q: ever done anything in your life that was so brutal or so painful or so stupid that you uttered those words “im never gonna do that again.....“never again”. as in, ill never go back and do that again. Maybe it was a decision to take a route on a trip and you got stuck in traffic that seemed to last for hours. I remember the time Jill and i were done with our season living in New York City.... which came hot off the heels after living in 2 other major world cities, 5 apartments, tens of thousands of dollars in rent and moving costs and time and inconvenience i think upon leaving that City bound for the promised land which is (truly) St Augustine FL.. i know i uttered those words “never again” to myslef and my soul DECLARING: i will never again - Go back to living LIKE THAT!

RESSURECTION SUNDAY ISN’T A TME TO LOOK BACK. ITS A CELEBRATION OF LOOKING FORWARD - Towards a glorious new future

A never again type celebration - We dont have to live that way ANYMORE

IS A CELEBRATION OF THAT VERY TYPE OF THING.. Although its not about traffic and planes trains and automotoibles.. its the same kind of thing but in the SPIRITUAL sense.. its a celebration of the the old thing never being a thing: NEVER AGAIN.

The world at easter can breathe a sigh of relief: Never again do we have to fall into that SIN-TRAP. A Risen Savior is what SEPERATES our Faith from ALL FAITHS.

So point #1 today (& my only point.... )

So JESUS IS RISEN - What does that mean Today?

the truth about this day and every day

*i once heard about a pastor who didn’t really like the idea of having a “ressurectionn sunday” at easter time. and what he said is so true!

!!!!!every sunday is RESSURECTION SUNDAY.

Do you believe that?

… so let me take it a bit further. if what believe what we SAY: isn’t every DAY, RESSURECTION SUNDAY?

I MEAN, THINK ABOUT THIS:

Tmrw when you wake up - the tomb is empty -

Tuesday, you wake up - Its till empty

Wednesday, as hard as hump day can be, the tomb is STILL empty

.....

We can forget sometimes that despite the world around us - The tomb is FOREVER empty and we are NO LONGER responsible for absolving ourselves of our own sins - WE HAVE A RISEN SAVIOR !!

What does a RISEN JESUS mean for you and for me today? 5 things!

1.It Means Death is Defeated -

The tomb will never be occupied again! I never again

Romans 6:9 (ESV)

9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him.

My old self is dead:

Romans 6:6 ESV

6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.

2.Means my Eternity with him is secure - He is coming back for me!

Easter is a celebration of eternity

You know where Jesus is currently residing?

He is seated (rested) at the right hand of the Father. It the perfect place. Making intercession. Preparing a place for you - right now.

What a sense of comfort that brings?!!!! in a world thats lacking PEACE - let that Give you PEACE right now!

3.It Means my life has significance now - While i wait, i can make a difference! /

You can go about your every day coming and going with a sense that WHILE I WAIT on my king to come back. i can make a difference in His name. Thats why being planted in a local church and doing the work of the ministry which is to reach the world with the Love of CHRIST - thats making a difference. thats why blessing someone in your world with a coffee, some groceries, a dinner… offering to babysit for that couple thats having a rough time - its MAKING a difference in JEsus name!

4.It Means i am no longer a slave to sin - My relationship with sin is now different.

I can overcome it! i have the help of Jesus and the Promised Holy Spirit to help me and to grace me to overcome the battles that i face! Let Ressurection sunday give you that confidence all over again!

Romans 6:6 “6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin.”

You can approach the SIN in your life now with a different approach. With the HOLY SPIRIT!

Romans 6:10-14 “10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. 14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace.”

For sin will have NO DOMINION over you.

Sin cant KILL you - Jesus has overcome its POWER, with His AUTHORITY.

The way i fight the sin nature is now empowered through the HOLY SPIRIT. Its different. Im not stuck. im helped.

5.It Means i an no longer outside of grace - Romans 6:14 “14 ....... since you are not under law but under grace.”

Im no longer dealing with the LAW.... and without GRACE - but its that VERY GRACE that GETS ME THROUGH!

Grace has been supplied to me!

Grace has been supplied to YOU

But are you USING IT?

There is a Grace over your calling - but do you RELY on it? Thats what its there for!

This is what Paul is saying.... to the Romans.. and to you

Ressurection life is now your GRACE.

Dont waste your grace.

Embrace it - love it - walk in it - work with it!

ALTAR CALL

JESUS ROSE

He rose from the dead. Jesus is the ONLY savior that is a RISEN

& SO CAN YOU .