The Comeback Kid (3)
Notes
Transcript
WEEK 3: Jesus’ comeback backs up everything He said.
● For the last few weeks, we've been talking about comebacks. Comeback story - 300 M hurdles
● The feeling of going from hopeless to winning it all is awesome, isn't it?
● Part of what makes a comeback story awesome is that they are kind of rare.
● We all know people who talk a big game and don’t have the receipts to back it up.
● At the same time, the more someone brags, the more important it is for them to follow through.
● In fact, is there anyone who has made bigger claims about who He is than Jesus?
● In this series alone, we have talked about how Jesus said He is the “resurrection and the life.”
Jesus is God’s Son.
Jesus is 100% God and 100% human.
Jesus is the hope of the world.
Jesus changes everything.
● That would be enough to require some serious proof.
You may still have questions though
Are Jesus’ claims about Himself true?
How did Jesus become someone humans would worship for thousands of years after He walked on the Earth?
If youre wandering that youre not alone
John 20:1–16 “Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) Then the disciples went back…”
12 Disciples - Left Job/Family to follow Jesus/Faced opposition/Saw miracles/Missed home - but Jesus was the Messiah.
That was, until passover…
Ride into Jerusalem, people praising, going up for dinner, but then…
One by one, a series of Dominoes fell next. One of Jesus' friends betrayed Him. [Knock down a Domino.]
He was arrested at night and put through unfair trials all night long and into the morning. [Knock down a Domino.]
Even though He was innocent, the authorities gave in to pressure and sentenced Jesus to death by crucifixion. [Knock down a Domino.]
It was a horrible way to die, reserved for the worst criminals.
On Friday, Jesus was nailed to a cross. [Knock down a Domino.]
His followers lost their teacher, friend, hopes, and dreams. [Knock down a Domino.]
They thought Jesus was going to change the world, but now He was gone. Game over, right? [Knock down the last Domino.]
But then…
At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.
He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”
Jesus said to her, “Mary.”
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).
When Jesus came back to life, He made His comeback.
Jesus rose from the dead! [Raise a Domino.]
And in doing so, He validated everything He ever said or did. He really was who He said He was: God's Son, the One everyone was waiting for. [Raise a Domino.]
His resurrection proved His love for all was real. [Raise a Domino.]
That forgiveness is possible. [Raise a Domino.]
God's Kingdom is here, and we can have real hope. [Raise a Domino.]
His teachings were worth following because He had power over death. [Raise a Domino.] Talk about a comeback!
Jesus proves everything he said from a couple weeks back. Laz. was dead, and he came to the sisters and said
John 11:25 “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die;”
Jesus’ comeback backs up everything He said.
Everything Jesus said about who He was—that He was the Savior people were waiting for—was proven true when He came back to life.
Jesus wasn't just a good teacher or a nice guy. He was exactly who He said He was: the Son of God who couldn’t even be stopped by death.
APPLY
● How does Jesus' epic comeback affect our lives right now?
● If Jesus really did come back to life and everything He said was true, then we need to decide how to respond.
● Like the disciples, we have to choose if we will follow Him.
RFBC PRESENTATION
● Following Jesus is a journey. It's about taking small steps every day to live more like Him.
● That's the power of His comeback: It also gives us the chance for a comeback.
● This comeback story is an invitation for all of us.
● As we wrap up, I want you to consider this: What if Jesus' comeback story could be your comeback story, too?
