Reflections of the Resurrection-5

Focus: The Parade of Resurrection Power

For the past few weeks, as we have looked towards Resurrection Sunday, we have been thinking about the Resurrection of Jesus.

About how the power that raised Jesus from the dead works in us.

I haven’t forgotten about the Cross. As the Apostle Paul said in:

Galatians 6:14 (NLT) As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died.

This coming Friday we will spend an entire service emphasizing the Cross/

Come be a part at 6:30 pm.

We will partake of the Lord’s Supper together.

But, As Rick Allen, the head of Men’s Ministry said in the April 2025 Spotlight (Men’s Ministry Newsletter):

“The empty tomb is the most powerful image undergirding the Christian faith. Without an empty tomb, the Cross is moot.”

As we have seen over the past few weeks:

Jesus’ Resurrection Power works to:

Put the scattered pieces of our lives back together again and transform death to life.

It works to heal the sick as well as raise the dead.

Resurrection power working in us is the proof of God’s great love for us.

And that same power sets us free:

From Sin

From the Guilt and Condemnation of sin

So that we can choose to walk according to the leading of the Holy Spirit

To walk in the God-life and Shalom

This morning I want us to see the parade of Resurrection Power.

PRAYER

Colossians 2:9–15 (NASB95) For in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form, 10 and in Him you have been made complete, and He is the head over all rule and authority; 11 and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ; 12 having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. 13 When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, 14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.

Let’s unpack some of what is in this passage.

Complete in Christ

Colossians 2:9-10

First of all, verses 9-10 of our text tells us in no uncertain terms.

With No ambiguity.

We are complete in Christ.

Not my efforts, my works and Christ.

Not religion and Christ.

Ephesians 2:8–9 (NASB95) For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.

Folks we MUST recognize and walk in the TRUTH that we are complete in Christ.

What Jesus did at the Cross was enough.

On Wednesday I spoke at length about the blessing of NOT having to observe the tenets, the rules, the rituals of Mosaic Judaism.

That if we do incorporate Jewish religion into Christianity we are in DANGER of making Christ of no effect in our salvation.

I read: Galatians 5:1–4 (NASB95) It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. 2 Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you. … 4 You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace.

There was another passage that coming to mind, but kept evaporating.

Maybe the Holy Spirit wanted me to wait until this morning to mention it.

Acts 15:12–13 (NASB95) All the people kept silent, and they were listening to Barnabas and Paul as they were relating what signs and wonders God had done through them among the Gentiles. 13 After they had stopped speaking, James [the head of the Church in Jerusalem] answered, saying, “Brethren, listen to me…

Acts 15:19–21 (NASB95) “Therefore it is my judgment that we do not trouble those who are turning to God from among the Gentiles, 20 but that we write to them that they abstain from things contaminated by idols and from fornication and from what is strangled and from blood. 21 “For Moses from ancient generations has in every city those who preach him, since he is read in the synagogues every Sabbath.”

What did James mean by “do not trouble these Gentile Christians?”

He meant let’s not even mention circumcision, let alone tell Gentile Christians they need to observe this.

And yet this was THE defining characteristic of Judaism — it was the starting point for EVERYTHING else.

James said, “NO!”

He went on to say, here are the 4 things that will define Christians whether they are Gentile or Jew.

These 4 things will keep peace in the church between Jews and Gentiles.

These 4 things are the basics:

Gentile Christians are to:

Abstain from things contaminated by idols

and from fornication

and from what is strangled and from blood. (These 2 are joined together.)

Let me just add in a side note:

Yesterday I mentioned something to the men that President Theodore Roosevelt said:

Profanity is the parlance of the fool. Why curse when there is such a magnificent language with which to discourse?

I alluded to Ephesians 4:29 (NASB95) Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.

But James instructed that to distinguish between Christians and pagans, Christians need to stay away from idolatry.

Participating in idolatrous celebrations.

Eating meat that has been sacrificed to idols.

Participating in the sexuality of idolatrous parties.

I believe James is encouraging Christians to be sexually pure.

That sex should be limited to 2 people joined together in marriage.

Things strangled means, don’t eat meat from an animal that has not been drained of its blood.

And certainly don’t eat or drink blood.

So, if I were in S. Louisiana you would hear me say, “Listen folks, we should abstain from Blood Boudin (sausage).

This restriction not only predates Moses, but even Abraham.

God told Noah in Genesis 9:3–4 (NASB95) “Every moving thing that is alive shall be food for you; I give all to you, as I gave the green plant. 4 “Only you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood.

In Christ, God has restored this dietary provision of the Noahic covenant.

We are free to eat anything: pork, catfish, etc.

Just as long as it is properly drained of the blood.

Going back to Cajuns, this is indeed good news for them, because they WILL eat anything — anything is fair game to be made into a Picante, a gumbo, a battered and fried ball of any sort, etc.

Balogna sauce picante

James didn’t say anything about any other dietary restrictions, observing Jewish feasts, or any of the rest of the Jewish rituals.

He, along with the Apostle Paul was pointing to what our text says:

We are complete: IN CHRIST.

We sing a modern hymn: In Christ Alone

If we will anchor our salvation in Christ alone.

See our sufficiency is IN HIM alone, we can be free from any sense of insecurity or inadequacy.

Our primary identity and strength comes from being in Christ, who, as verse 10 reminds us, is above all powers.

Circumcised and Alive

Colossians 2:11-13

Along with our sufficiency being in Christ alone is an understanding of what TRUE circumcision is:

Not in the flesh, but in the heart.

Romans 2:28–29 (NASB95) For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. 29 But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.

Conquerors in Christ

Colossians 2:14-15

Now we come to the verse that helps us remember what Pal Sunday is all about.

A few minutes ago we sang a song based on:

Psalm 24:7–10 (NKJV) Lift up your heads, O you gates! And be lifted up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. 8 Who is this King of glory? The LORD strong and mighty, The LORD mighty in battle. 9 Lift up your heads, O you gates! Lift up, you everlasting doors! And the King of glory shall come in. 10 Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, He is the King of glory. Selah

This passage prophesies not just a physical triumph over His enemies, but the spiritual triumph portrayed in our text this morning.

In Zechariah 9:9 (NKJV) “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your King is coming to you; He is just and having salvation, Lowly and riding on a donkey, A colt, the foal of a donkey.

We saw this prophesy fulfilled 2000 years ago in

Matthew 21:1–11 (NASB95) When they had approached Jerusalem and had come to Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, then Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied there and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to Me. 3 “If anyone says anything to you, you shall say, ‘The Lord has need of them,’ and immediately he will send them.” 4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: 5 “SAY TO THE DAUGHTER OF ZION, ‘BEHOLD YOUR KING IS COMING TO YOU, GENTLE, AND MOUNTED ON A DONKEY, EVEN ON A COLT, THE FOAL OF A BEAST OF BURDEN.’ ” 6 The disciples went and did just as Jesus had instructed them, 7 and brought the donkey and the colt, and laid their coats on them; and He sat on the coats. 8 Most of the crowd spread their coats in the road, and others were cutting branches from the trees and spreading them in the road. 9 The crowds going ahead of Him, and those who followed, were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David; BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD; Hosanna in the highest!” 10 When He had entered Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saying, “Who is this?” 11 And the crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth in Galilee.”

But the ultimate fulfillment of triumphant entry is yet to come. It is described in

Revelation 19:11–21 (NASB95) And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. 12 His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. 13 He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14 And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. 15 From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. 16 And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” 17 Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice, saying to all the birds which fly in midheaven, “Come, assemble for the great supper of God, 18 so that you may eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of commanders and the flesh of mighty men and the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them and the flesh of all men, both free men and slaves, and small and great.” 19 And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army. 20 And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone. 21 And the rest were killed with the sword which came from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse, and all the birds were filled with their flesh.

s Revelation 20:1–3 (NASB95)

1 Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 3 and he threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time.

What The Triumph Means

So the message on this Palm Sunday is this:

We are complete in Christ.

Are you walking confident and secure in Jesus?

God has circumcised our heart and made us alive in Jesus.

It’s not about ritualistic, fleshly circumcision or ANY of the other Jewish rituals — those things have no efficacy for our salvation.

They merely teach us what we have in Jesus.

And finally, there has been a parade on earth and in hell declaring Jesus’ rule over every authority and rule.

Vs. 15 tells us the powers arrayed against have been disarmed.

Like 1 Peter 5:8–9 (NASB95) Be of sober spirit, be on the alert. Your adversary, the devil, prowls around LIKE a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 9 But resist him, firm in your faith, …

How can we resist a lion? Because he has been defanged and declawed.

May the Holy Spirit help us to see him as he REALLY is

He is a defeated foe.

AS James 4:7 (NASB95) Submit therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.

And there is yet to be a parade — a mighty spectacle — as Jesus ride onto the earth on a white horse and defeats the devil and his followers.

The antiChrist and false prophet are paraded in defeat and thrown into the lake of fire.

The devil is publicly muzzled and chained and thrown into a bottomless pit — soon to join the antiChrist and false prophet in the lake of fire.

Oh how I long for the day!

To see Jesus not only defeat the evil of this world, but parade His victory openly.

What a Day That Will Be!

As the worship team comes …

Altar:

Are you walking in confidence in Christ?

Are you walking in the freedom and life of Jesus?

Are you walking in the victory of Jesus?

If not, come forward and we will pray for release from intimidation and an initiation of the fullness of the Holy Spirit to begin to pour into you all that God has in store.