Easter Sunday 2023

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Intro:

Happy Easter! Today we are beginning a new series

So if you are new with us or haven’t been in a while you chose a great day to be here for multiple reasons

Number one because, well, it’s Easter and that’s probably the main reason you are here

Number two because you’ve come to a church that loves people and you fit that category

Number three we love Jesus and just want to know Him and be more like Him

Number four we are starting a brand new series so you haven’t missed anything and you are jumping in with us right at the beginning and our hope and prayer is that you would continue to join us as we pursue Christ together.

So, the series that we are beginning today is titled: “I AM.”

We did a series last year where we looked at questions from Jesus where we looked at a lot of the questions that Jesus asked to find out why He asked them.

This year we are looking at the I AM statements that Jesus says to show us who Jesus declared himself to be and how He proved it to the world

Today we are going to be in the gospel of John chapter 11 and I need to give a little backstory before we begin reading.

Lazarus’ death and Jesus being informed

John 11:17–27 NIV

17 On his arrival, Jesus found that Lazarus had already been in the tomb for four days. 18 Now Bethany was less than two miles from Jerusalem, 19 and many Jews had come to Martha and Mary to comfort them in the loss of their brother. 20 When Martha heard that Jesus was coming, she went out to meet him, but Mary stayed at home. 21 “Lord,” Martha said to Jesus, “if you had been here, my brother would not have died. 22 But I know that even now God will give you whatever you ask.” 23 Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” 24 Martha answered, “I know he will rise again in the resurrection at the last day.” 25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; 26 and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?” 27 “Yes, Lord,” she replied, “I believe that you are the Messiah, the Son of God, who is to come into the world.”

pray

Here we have this interesting story of Jesus

And it’s not necessarily interesting because of what He does

If you believe Jesus to be who is then of course the Son of God would have the power to raise from the dead

There is nothing outside of His power and authority

And the story of Easter teaches us that not even sin and death can hold Him down

It’s interesting because of how Jesus does it.

He finds out the news that his friend is sick and instead of going to Lazarus then to heal him he waits

And the Scripture is explicitly clear that He waits

And verse 17 says that not only does He wait but He doesn’t come until Lazarus has been dead and buried for four days

But Jesus tells us why. In verse 4 earlier He states that it is for God’s glory that God’s Son may be glorified.

So, before the miracle ever takes place the purpose is clear.

So, we are looking at a story, at a moment in history that took place to glorify Jesus

And upon Jesus’ arrival, Lazaus’ sister, Martha, runs out to meet Him and Mary stays back home.

Story of ‘Mary and Martha when Jesus comes to visit. Martha is busy working, Mary is at Jesus’ feet

Martha’s action in going out to meet Jesus agrees with the portrait of her as a person of action in Lk. 10:38–42. There was clearly a strong faith in the power of Jesus to heal.

Martha states that she believes that Jesus could have prevented Lazarus from dying, but Martha’s faith went further than that as v 22 shows. Martha appears to have been reaching out for a ray of hope in affirming her belief that God would answer any request of Jesus.

Jesus reply’s to her faith this way, “Your brother will rise again.”

(23) has a double meaning. Martha took it as a conventional assurance of the resurrection at the last day, but Jesus had a further intention.

And you can’t really blame Martha for missing the implication of an immediate rising from the dead.

But then Jesus makes His “I AM” statement in vs 25 and here is where I watn to camp out the rest of the morning.

John 11:25 NIV

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;

The highlight of this story is the ‘I am’ statement.

Jesus identifies himself with two things here: both the resurrection and also the life, which are complementary aspects of the same thing.

Nevertheless, it was the purpose of the mission of the resurrected Christ to bring life in the fullest sense.

Resurrection comes before life because new life is the product of resurrection.

The way to that life is by means of faith, and Jesus challenged Martha on this ground.

This statement “I am the resurrection and the life,” is the culmination of the unfolding revelation of Jesus up until this moment.

Jesus has be revealed as the giver of life in a number of ways up until this point.

Materially, He gives new life to water by making it wine

Spiritually, He offers new spiritual life into the kingdom of God to Nicodemus

He offers life that springs up within to the women at the well

Physically, he imparts life into a dying boy, a paralytic, a man born blind and others.

We learn that He is the good shepherd that comes to give life and life to the full

But now, Jesus, in this moment completes and fulfills these claims to their fullest proportion.

The life Jesus gives is nothing less than the indestructible life of the resurrection King, the very life of the deathless God Himself.

This is the good news of Easter! This is the gospel!

That the Son of God would take our place on the cross.

Taking on the wrath of God, the proper punishment of our sins.

He takes our sin and gives us His righteousness

He’s buried but not defeated

He is raised from the dead and alive because of this statement

He is the resurrection and the life

And this is good news for the world but specifically it’s good news for you!

Jesus has been raised FOR you. His resurrection is ours.

The "I Am" is FOR you.

"The essence of Christianity is personal pronouns." Saying that Jesus was born, lived a sinless life, died on the cross, was raised from the dead, ascended into Heaven, and is coming again, DOES NOT make you a Christian.

But Saying that Jesus was born to save ME, lived a sinless life in MY place, died on the cross for MY sins, was raised from the dead for MY justification, ascended into Heaven to intercede with the Father for ME, and is coming again to take ME home, and believing it, does.

That is the essence of Christianity.  You can’t understand Christianity if you don't understand the personal nature of it.

JESUS COMES TO RESURRECT US AND TO BRING US LIFE THROUGH HIM

Looking for a receipt for a warranty

The resurrection of Jesus is the receipt that your sins and debts have been paid in full and you are free.

It is the evidence you need to be born again, set free, made alive, and invited into a relationship with your heavenly father

And this shapes everything!

One of the main things it has an affect on is how we deal with death.

Denial/ignore, acceptance/sentimentalize, fear, a defeated foe.

How you deal with death can reveal your relationship with Jesus. 

What the resurrection teaches us is that Jesus is more than just a good teacher.

He more than just a good prophet.

He may be your moral example, but is He your Resurrection and Life?

Death does not break us, it makes us. 

Instead of the worst thing, it becomes our best thing. 

Death is the worst thing that can befall us, and yet it ushers us into more power and glory than we have ever known. 

And ultimately, here is what we must understand: Resurrection only comes through death.

We can only find hope/life in resurrection after we have faced the reality of death.

But Scripture is clear that Christ has life here and now for us

He is inviting us into resurrection life through Him

But to do that we have to put to death our old self

To be resurrected in Christ we must die to self

The resurrection doesn't just console us in our troubles, it redeems our troubles for a greater purpose.

This is what Jesus has done for us

He’s done for us what He did for Lazarus

Think about this moment for a second

From the time that He raised Lazarus, the religious leaders sought to put Jesus to death. And He knew that would happen and made the deliberate choice to raise Lazarus anyway.

Jesus knew that the only way to interrupt Lazarus' funeral was to cause His own. 

He knew that to bring Lazarus out of the grave, He had to bury Himself.

The only way to bring Lazarus out of death was to go through it Himself.

Just like He knew to offer you and I life, He had to give up His own

And all we are asked in return is to believe, repent, and declare that Jesus is Lord

Resurrection comes into our life through belief.

Both physical and spiritual.

Both future and present.

When we are resurrected spiritually through belief in Jesus, that life will never go out.

Because of this in

Matthew 28:1–7 NIV

1 After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. 2 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. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. 4 The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. 5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. 6 He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”

Take Away: Jesus is Alive

There are immediate implications of this, present implications of this, and future implications of this

When we talk about Soteriology (the doctrine of salvation) (Our youth are learning about this on Wednesday nights.) there are 3 major doctrines inside of that, that take place in the life of the believer. Justification, sanctification, and glorification

When you put your faith in Jesus, you are immediately justified through Christ

You are immediately made right

your sin and judgment is placed on Jesus and His righteousness is placed on you.

You are brought from spiritual death resurrected into life with Christ

You are also presently dying to self

You can actively and presently fight death in your life by killing the sin that is killing you, and robbing you of full life in Jesus.

And there will be a day when you will be brought into eternal life

You will be brought into glory and into the presence of your creator to spend an eternity with

This is Easter