… one man considers one day more sacred than another; another man considers every day alike … He who regards one day as special, does so to the Lord. — Rom 14:5-6

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1. Appreciating The Love of the Passion Week

A. Essence of the Passion Week

i. Thursday Night

• Christ ate Last Supper with disciples
• Jesus prayed, "Not My will but Your will be done"
• Jesus was arrested, tried, and convicted of blasphemy, deserving of death by stoning but Jewish rulers wanted Jesus crucified.

ii. Friday Morning

• Jesus handed to Pilate to be tried for treason as Jesus claimed to be 'the King of the Jews'
• Pilate found no fault in Jesus but under pressure, he acceded to the request for crucifixion

iii. Friday Afternoon

• At Golgotha, soldiers nailed Jesus' hands and feet, and put Him on the cross.
• At 12 noon, Palestine covered in darkness
• Jesus prayed, "Father, forgive them for they know not what they do."
• Majestic voice heard, "It is finished"

B. Impact of the Passion Week

Christ' terrible death produced terrific results!

C. Continuation of the Passion Week

1. Submit our will to God: "Father, not my will but Your will be done."

2. Pray: "Father, forgive those who hurt me for they know not what they do."

3. Shout, "Tetelestai!"

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II. Activating the Resurrection Life

A. Essence of Christ's Resurrection

i. The Stone was Rolled Away

Human prevention could not stop supernatural intervention.

ii. He is Risen! He is NOT HERE!

Death could not hold You | The veil tore before You | You silenced the boast of sin and grave | The heavens are roaring the praise of Your glory | For You are raised to life again — What A Beautiful Name, Hillsong Music

B. Impact of Christ's Resurrection

The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is the CORNERSTONE of the Christian faith.

If there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. — 1 Cor 15:3-4

i. Christ conquered death and hell

Since the children have flesh and blood, He too shared in their humanity so that by His death He might destroy him who holds the power of death - the devil - and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. — Heb 2:14-15

ii. Christ is the life and the resurrection

I am the Resurrection and the Life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die. — Jn 11:26

C. Continuation of Resurrection Power in Us

i. We are risen with Christ

… you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. — Col 2:12

ii. We live in the power of Christ's resurrection

If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. — Col 3:1-3

Just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father , even so we also should WALK in newness of life. — Rom 6:4

If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your MORTAL BODIES through his Spirit, who lives in you. — Rom 8:11

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III.Appropriating the Ascension Gifts

A. Essence of the Ascension

i. He must return to His Father

I came from the Father and entered the world; now I am leaving the world and going back to the Father. — Jn 16:28

ii. He must Resume as the Pre-Existent One

Before Abraham was, I AM. — Jn 8:58

The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to preach the Gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord. — Is 61:1-2

TODAY, this Scripture is fulfilled in your hearing. — Lk 4:21

B. Impact of Christ's Ascension

i. The Advent of the Holy Spirit

Unless I go away, the Counsellor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you. — Jn 16:7

When He… has come, He will guide you into all truth... He will tell you things to come. He will glorify Me. — Jn 16:13-14

ii. He will give ministry gifts to equip the Church for works of service

C. Continuation of Christ's Ascension

*i. Ministers to rise up and receive the

Ascension gifts*

*ii. Members must be willing to be equipped

for works of service*

…all come to the unity of the faith … to a perfect man, to the measure of … the fullness of Christ… no longer be children… carried about with every wind of doctrine… speaking … in love, may grow up in all things into Him… from whom the whole body, joined and knit together … to the effective working by which every part does its share, causes growth of the body for the edifying of itself in love. — Eph 4:13–16

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IV. Affiliating with the Exaltation of Christ

A. Essence of Christ's Exaltation

5b Christ Jesus, 6… being in the form of God… not … equal with God, 7 but made Himself …a bondservant … in the likeness of men. 8And being found …as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to … the death of the cross. 9 Therefore God … highly exalted Him and given Him the name… above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow… in heaven… on earth… under the earth, 11 and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. — Php 2:5b-11

He is the Head of the Body, the Church, who is the Beginning, the Firstborn from the dead, that in ALL things He may have the Preeminence. For it pleased the Father that in Him ALL THE FULLNESS should dwell, and by Him to reconcile ALL things … whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross. — Col 1:18-20

In Christ ALL THE FULLNESS OF THE DEITY lives in bodily form, and you have been given FULLNESS IN CHRIST, who is the Head over EVERY power and authority. — Col 2:9-10

… there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus. — 1 Tim 2:5

B. Impact of Christ's Exaltation

i. We are blessed with all spiritual blessings in Christ in heavenly places

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ. — Eph 1:3

ii. We are raised with Christ and seated with Him in heavenly places

4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus. — Eph 2:4-6

C. Continuing Effect of Christ's Exaltation

i. Recognize that Jesus continues to reign from heaven as Head of the Church

ii. Let Jesus live in and through us

King of my life, I crown thee now | Thine shall the glory be | Lest I forget Thy thorn-crowned brow | Lead me to Calvary — Lead me to Calvary, Jennie E. Hussey

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Challenge

1. Remember Gethsemane

2. Cling to the Old Rugged Cross

3. Live Christ’s Resurrected life

4. Do the works of service

5. Sit and rule with Christ