04/16/2023 The Perpetual Power of the Resurrection ~ What’s Next? (Audio Not Available)

Grace Place Atlanta COGBF 4700 Mitchell Street Forest Park, GA 30297 Website: atlantacogbf.org Email: info@atlantacogbf.org Phone: (404) 241-6781 Wayne D. Mack, Pastor / Pastor Wayne D. Mack Sermon Notes April 16, 2023 The Perpetual Power of the Resurrection ~ What’s Next? 1 Corinthians 15: 1-9 (NLT) New Living Translation 1 Let me now remind you, dear brothers and sisters, of the Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then, and you still stand firm in it. 2 It is this Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message I told you—unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place. 3 I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. 5 He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. 6 After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. 7 Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him. 9 For I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God’s church. Start Here . . . GM GP Just seven days ago, the Grace Place Family along with all of America and the world celebrated Easter, also known as Resurrection Day or Resurrection Sunday. But all this week, I have been consumed with the question of “What’s Next?” . . . meaning how much did all the fanfare of Easter meant to the multitudes of people who celebrated. I must admit, I became a little skeptical, even doubtful that by Tuesday of last week the day known as Easter was one for the history book – meaning “Well, that’s done [till next year], let’s focus on what’s [right in front of us] next!” The reality is “There is “no next” without the proceedings of Easter or the power of the Resurrection. It would be tragic for us to rush off without getting grounded in a personal understanding of the everlasting importance of the Resurrection and to just casually dismiss it as another beautiful Sunday fellowship. Truth be told, this is easy to do when you’re hearing a voice louder than God’s amidst all of the fanfare, the busyness, and the commercialization. Even Jesus’ closest followers fell into such a trap. Just days after Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection His disciples fell back into routine. Listen to John 21: 1-3 (NKJV) 1 After these things Jesus showed Himself again to the disciples at the Sea of Tiberias, and in this way He showed Himself: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of His disciples were together. 3 Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” And in the Book of Luke 24, at the tomb where Jesus had been lain, several of Jesus’ lady followers came to dress His body but He wasn’t there. And two angels spoke to them. Listen to the details . . . Luke 24: 4-11 (NKJV) 4 And it happened, as the [ladies] were greatly perplexed about [not finding the body of Jesus], that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. 5 Then, as the [ladies] were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, the [angels] said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, 7 saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’ ” 8 And they remembered His words. 9 Then they returned from the tomb and told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them, who told these things to the apostles. 11 And their words seemed to them like idle tales, and they did not believe them. Final example . . . The disciples had a little bit of an alibi mixed with ignorance – which was they didn’t have the Scripture as we do. (But what they had was prophecy (Ps 16:10; Luke 24:25-27 ). John 20: 8-10 NKJV 8 Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also [foot race between Peter and the other disciple]; and he saw and believed. 9 For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went away again to their own homes. How soon they forgot! How soon we forget!?! I hope our celebration of the Resurrection was/is more than just a formality or the fulfillment of a traditional practice. For that, I want to remind our church family to praise God for the resurrection and shed blood of His Son all year long and all lifelong. Because without, our lives would be hopeless and this world on a dark collision course with doom and death. So, given that, let me leave you with SIX simple permanent, irreversible truths about the Resurrection. These are truths we don’t have to wait until Easter to be reminded of, but rather that we live out every single day of our lives. . . . at Christmas, Birthdays, Good Days, and Bad Days; Homegoings, and Homecomings, Workdays and Vacation Days, Sick days and Well days, Dark days and Bright Days; Lonely Days and Alone Days; Day after Day is a day that is -- because He Lives, I Live; and because he arose – I too RISE – above anything that a 7-day week can throw at me. Now, receive much proof of this from the Scripture - Simple permanent, irreversible truths about the Resurrection: 1. No Need to Visit Cemeteries – All saved souls are with Jesus! Luke 24: 4-7 4 And it happened, as they were greatly perplexed about this, that behold, two men stood by them in shining garments. 5 Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? 6 He is not here, but is risen! Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, 7 saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.’ ” Matt. 27: 51-54 51 Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split, 52 and the graves were opened; and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 53 and coming out of the graves after His resurrection, they went into the holy city and appeared to many. 54 So when the centurion and those with him, who were guarding Jesus, saw the earthquake and the things that had happened, they feared greatly, saying, “Truly this was the Son of God!” Confession Time: I am a Taphophile – a Tombstone tourist (otherwise known as a "cemetery enthusiast", "cemetery tourist" – A person who has a passion for and enjoyment of cemeteries, gravestones, and epitaphs. [If you didn’t know, now you know]. 2. The Resurrection Removes All Doubt! Matt. 22:23 23 That same day Jesus was approached by some Sadducees— religious leaders who say there is no resurrection from the dead. They posed this question: 24 “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies without children, his brother should marry the widow and have a child who will carry on the brother’s name.’ Jesus replied, “Your mistake is that you don’t know the Scriptures, and you don’t know the power of God. 30 For when the dead rise, they will neither marry nor be given in marriage. In this respect they will be like the angels in heaven. 29 “But now, as to whether there will be a resurrection of the dead—haven’t you ever read about this in the Scriptures? Long after Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had died, God said, 32 ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob.’ So he is the God of the living, not the dead.” 31 3. The Resurrection Rewards! Because of the Resurrection, God will Reward! Luke 14:12-14 12 Then he turned to his host. “When you put on a luncheon or a banquet,” he said, “don’t invite your friends, brothers, relatives, and rich neighbors. For they will invite you back, and that will be your only reward. 13 Instead, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, and the blind. 14 Then at the resurrection of the righteous, God will reward you for inviting those who could not repay you.” 4. The Resurrection Gives Us/Believers a Bright Future. Acts 2:31-32 30 But he was a prophet, and he knew God had promised with an oath that one of David’s own descendants would sit on his throne. 31 David was looking into the future and speaking of the Messiah’s resurrection. He was saying that God would not leave him among the dead or allow his body to rot in the grave. “God raised Jesus from the dead, and we are all witnesses of this. 32 5. The Resurrection is Where God’s At [Where God Is] Acts 4:33 “The apostles testified powerfully to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and God’s great blessing was upon them all.” 6. The Resurrection Sets God’s Children Apart. Acts 23: 6-8 6 Paul realized that some members of the high council were Sadducees and some were Pharisees, so he shouted, “Brothers, I am a Pharisee, as were my ancestors! And I am on trial because my hope is in the resurrection of the dead!” 7 This divided the council—the Pharisees against the Sadducees— 8 for the Sadducees say there is no resurrection or angels or spirits, but the Pharisees believe in all of these. The Resurrection brings so much to life. Without it, we would be nothing. But because of it, the blessings that stem from it are innumerable and immeasurable. Listen to the Apostle John’s summary: John 21:25 NLT 25 Jesus also did many other things. If they were all written down, I suppose the whole world could not contain the books that would be written. Finally, my final reminder to you [today] through the Apostle Paul about the Resurrection: 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 New Living Translation 1 Let me now remind you, dear brothers and sisters, of the Good News I preached to you before. You welcomed it then, and you still stand firm in it. 2 It is this Good News that saves you if you continue to believe the message I told you—unless, of course, you believed something that was never true in the first place. 3 I passed on to you what was most important and what had also been passed on to me. Christ died for our sins, just as the Scriptures said. 4 He was buried, and he was raised from the dead on the third day, just as the Scriptures said. 5 He was seen by Peter and then by the Twelve. 6 After that, he was seen by more than 500 of his followers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. 7 Then he was seen by James and later by all the apostles. 8 Last of all, as though I had been born at the wrong time, I also saw him. 9 For I am the least of all the apostles. In fact, I’m not even worthy to be called an apostle after the way I persecuted God’s church. 10 But whatever I am now, it is all because God poured out his special favor on me—and not without results. For I have worked harder than any of the other apostles; yet it was not I but God who was working through me by his grace. 11 So it makes no difference whether I preach or they preach, for we all preach the same message you have already believed. The Resurrection of the Dead 12 But tell me this—since we preach that Christ rose from the dead, why are some of you saying there will be no resurrection of the dead? 13 For if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised either. 14 And if Christ has not been raised, then all our preaching is useless, and your faith is useless. 15 And we apostles would all be lying about God—for we have said that God raised Christ from the grave. But that can’t be true if there is no resurrection of the dead. 16 And if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ has not been raised. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins. 18 In that case, all who have died believing in Christ are lost! 19 And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world. 20 But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died. 1 Corinthians 15:51-55 51 But let me reveal to you a wonderful secret. We will not all die, but we will all be transformed! 52 It will happen in a moment, in the blink of an eye, when the last trumpet is blown. For when the trumpet sounds, those who have died will be raised to live forever. And we who are living will also be transformed. 53 For our dying bodies must be transformed into bodies that will never die; our mortal bodies must be transformed into immortal bodies. 54 Then, when our dying bodies have been transformed into bodies that will never die, this Scripture will be fulfilled: “Death is swallowed up in victory. 55 O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” 56 For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. 57 But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58 So, my dear brothers and sisters, be strong and immovable. Always work enthusiastically for the Lord, for you know that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless. Please keep near your heart that the reality of life is “There is “no next” without the proceedings of Easter or the power of the Resurrection. Let’s not be so quick to forget or to run off into tomorrow without getting grounded in a personal understanding of the everlasting importance of the Resurrection. It’s more than just another beautiful Sunday fellowship. The Perpetual Power of the Resurrection ~ What’s Next?