Easter Message - 2024

Introduction

2 Corinthians 5:20–21 ESV

Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Many of us have come to church today knowing we’re here about something Jesus did however, not fully aware of the depth of His actions.

We live our lives the way we want to, knowing that we’re not perfect, but believing we’re good nonetheless.

Good compared to who?

Is your goodness enough to present to God one day and tell Him why He should allow you into His presence?

Is someone else’s goodness, that you perceive to be better than yours, good enough to stand in the presence of God one day and declare to God why He should allow you into His presence; otherwise known as Heaven?

There is a goodness that will cause you and I to “make it” one day before God, and it’s a goodness which we must place our faith, our trust, in. But, what is this goodness and how do we obtain it?

Is it something that can earned or merited (as though we’re in Boy Scouts and we want to earn our merit badges)

In order to answer these questions, we must first take a look at OUR goodness and see how that looks.

The Beginning

Genesis 3:6–8 ESV

So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate, and she also gave some to her husband who was with her, and he ate. Then the eyes of both were opened, and they knew that they were naked. And they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loincloths. And they heard the sound of the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the Lord God among the trees of the garden.

Prior to this event, God told Adam that he could not eat from the tree that Eve ate from however, the serpent and Eve got into a discussion, Eve lost and gave in.

Then, Adam, not fulfilling his role as the appointed head, gave in as well.

Adam and Eve, realized they were naked and sewed fig leaves together to provide a covering for themselves.

They were exposed and needed to cover themselves.

They covered themselves with something that they created.

But, when they heard God coming (or the presence of God coming toward them), what they created was not sufficient to stand before God.

As a result, God made them a covering:

Genesis 3:21 ESV

And the Lord God made for Adam and for his wife garments of skins and clothed them.

And then, following God’s provision for them, He had to send them away from His presence:

Genesis 3:23 ESV

therefore the Lord God sent him out from the garden of Eden to work the ground from which he was taken.

Since this episode, mankind has been physically separated from the presence of God, working and laboring, trying to live; and living apart from God.

The Institution of the Law

Years later, God gave a law through a man named Moses.

This law served as the “to-dos” and “not to-dos” for His people.

In addition, and most importantly, it revealed the very character and nature of God while simultaneously revealing just how different we are from God

Contained within this law, you’ll find what we know as the Ten Commandments; which consists of:

“You Shall Not Lie”

“You shall not murder”

“You shall not commit adultery”

As well as others.

For hundreds of years, even to this day in fact, this law effects societies, families, and personal individuals and is provided as a guide for societal living

Truth be told, however, this law is something that we could never live up to;

in addition, when Jesus arrived, He upgraded the law by saying these things:

“You’ve heard it said: ‘Don’t commit adultery,’ I’m telling you if you look at another woman with lust in your heart, you’ve already committed adultery in your heart with her”

Or

“You’ve heard it said: ‘Don’t commit murder;’ but I’m telling you if you have hatred in your heart toward someone, you’ve already murdered them in your heart”

There is sin in the heart of every human being on this planet and the purpose of God’s of the law was to reveal that sin within us.

How would we know what adultery is unless God had told us not to commit that act?

How would we know what lying is, especially knowing it’s against the nature of God, unless God had told us so?

Unfortunately, we have come to a place where we believe that if we can do good, or keep certain tenants of the law, we will find ourselves in a good position before God.

However, this is not the case.

The law was not given for people to obey it, the law was given for people to cry out to God for help.

The Law Is good, but Impossible to Keep . . . In Your Own Strength

Romans 7:13 ESV

Did that which is good, then, bring death to me? By no means! It was sin, producing death in me through what is good, in order that sin might be shown to be sin, and through the commandment might become sinful beyond measure.

Galatians 3:19 ESV

Why then the law? It was added because of transgressions, until the offspring should come to whom the promise had been made, and it was put in place through angels by an intermediary.

The law was given to reveal sin until Christ could come

Why?

To show us how sinful we really are.

In other words, no matter how good you might think you are, you’re never going to be as good as God.

How do we know?

When was the last time you lied? Even a little white lie?

When was the last time you looked at another person with lust in your heart toward them?

When was the last time you wanted something that your friend or neighbor had so bad that it consumed your thoughts and was all you could think of? (Coveting)

Question is: Since we all sin, how do we make up for that?

Try harder?

Make promises to God, or ourselves, or to someone else, that we’ll never do it again?

How many times have we done that, yet still fail to keep our promises?

The law brings us to the end of ourselves. When we finally come to terms with who we truly are, that we are completely imperfect and not able to live up to what God says and it’s then we cry out to Jesus for help!