Easter Sunday Victory

Good morning and welcome to Resurrection Sunday......aka Easter Sunday

I am so glad....we are so glad you are here with us this morning

To those joining us on our livestream either on our website or facebook....Welcome

It is not an accident you are here this morning

It is not a coincidence you are here this morning

You are here because of a God ordained appointment

He knew before the beginning of time that right now

here today

April 20 2025 at CCC you would be sitting right there in the pew or watching on livestream

He has a message prepared just for you

He has something big for you this morning.....won’t you listen and respond......that is the question

Let’s pray

Easter

If someone invited you to be here this morning turn to them and say thank you for loving me enough to care about my eternity

if someone just thanked you.....reply Praise Jesus!!!!!

I have been praying for each and everyone of you to be here this morning

Not so I can feel better about myself

not so I can brag about how many people were here

no because I love you and care about your eternity

I believe everyone here this morning and watching online live or later is in one of three positions this morning

Lost. Living in darkness.....headed for hell and needs victory this morning

Saved but still on the milk of salvation....still living in bondage....you also need victory this morning

Mature Christian....you are living in victory this morning....you are fired up ready to praise King Jesus for the victory that will be obtained by many this morning

This world is broken

This world is hurting

this world is evil

you and I are alive and feel the consequences of living in a fallen world

if you are new to church or new to this church before we get going I want to say this

you will hear the Gospel Truth this morning

I would love for you to come back

I would love for you to join the church

but I love you more

I love you so much that I will speak God’s Truth this morning

I am not here to tickle your ears

I am not here to beg you to return

I would love it if you did return but for Truth not because you liked me or thought our worship was good or because you are looking for a show

I love you too much to put on a show or preach a false gospel

I don’t know where everyone is in terms of relationship with Jesus

notice I didn’t say religion or denomination or church membership and neither does Jesus

I care....Jesus cares even more about relationship....true relationship with Jesus

Here is Truth

Romans 3:23

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“For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;”

All

you

me

everyone who ever has lived.....is living....or yet to live

We all have sinned and still sin

We all have fallen short of the glory of God

Why is that a problem

Romans 6:23

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“For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

I want you to hear this

sin = death

sometimes physical death but all the time spiritual death

what is spiritual death

that is eternity in hell

that is eternity separated from God Almighty Himself

Church membership can’t save you

Good works can’t save you

giving lots of money can’t save you

Being a good person can’t save you

a Pastor or Priest can’t save you

People can’t pray you into heaven after you die

Only Jesus can save you

John 14:6

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“Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

He

Jesus is the only way to salvation

If God is calling you this morning to salvation through the Holy Spirit in a little bit when invitation comes....come and I would love to talk and pray with you

Without a true relationship with Jesus you are lost and doomed to hell and eternal separation from God

That is truth

If you are saved this morning you are bound for heaven by the blood of Jesus

That doesnt mean that you are free from trials and tribulations

that doesnt mean that you will never feel evil

that doesnt mean that you will never be hurt or taken advantage of

Here is something you need to know....both the lost and the saved live in a dark world and need victory

John 1:1–5

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“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.”

darkness

sin

satan

evil

that is the world we live in and the darkness doesn’t comprehend Jesus and light

one of the reasons the road to heaven is narrow is that so many outside of the church and unfortunately so many inside the church and many churches themselves still live in darkness

They do not comprehend the light because they are not saved

they act saved

they look saved

but they have no fruit and in darkness

Acts 26:18

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“To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.”

again darkness

power of satan

before repentance leading to salvation you are under the control of darkness and the power of satan

you must repent and that repentance leads to salvation

repent means to walk away

turn and go 180 degrees in the opposite direction

counting the cost and dying to self to follow Jesus

being a good person is not good enough

giving money to a church or missionary is not enough

saying a sinners prayer but having no idea what that means.....not counting the cost is not enough

Jesus is the only answer

repentance.....the Holy Spirit awakening you to your sin condition and the fact that because of that sin you will go to hell when you die

repentance....The Holy Spirit awakening you to the fact that Jesus paid your price and you count the cost and accept His free gift by making Him Lord and Savior of your life

that results in salvation

no repentance means no salvation

Jesus is the only way

once saved you and I still feel spiritual warfare all around us all the time we just are able to see what it is and understand why it is there

the more mature you are in Christ the more you realize this spiritual warfare is happening

Ephesians 6:12

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“For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.”

So many of us want to fight flesh and blood

something happens

someone hurts your kids

someone hurts your spouse

someone hurts you

someone steals from you

someone bashes you on social media

you are really hurt....

they meant to do it.....

our human nature is to strike back physically but what you have to realize is the battle never has been....is not now....and will never be physical....it is spiritual

it is played out and felt physically but the battle is never physical but always spiritual

This world is dark

darkness surrounds us

a darkness that you and I cannot defeat by ourselves

satan is way more powerful than you or me

we will always lose against satan and darkness if we fight on our own

some of you are being destroyed by darkness and satan but refuse to stop fighting on your own

you got this

you know best

church is full of hypocrites

You are wrong....well right about church is full of hypocrites because it is full of people

you dont got this

you dont know best and if that is where you stay

thinking you got it or you know best you will be destroyed

the battle is not against flesh and blood so that means today....this morning you must make a choice

1 John 1:5–6

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“This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth:”

No darkness at all in God

so what does walk in darkness mean

lifestyle

Galatians 5:19–21

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“Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.”

walking in the works of the flesh

living in and for the works of the flesh

that is walking in darkness

you have a choice walking darkness or walk in the Spirit

you have a choice....walking of the world and therefore walk with satan or die to you and the world and walk with Jesus

do you live from Jesus

Is He your top priority

is keeping His commandments the most important thing to you

There is no lukewarm

there is no middle ground

there is no fence to sit on and ride

you are in

or

you are out

John 3:19–21

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“And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God.”

It is all about what you do with Jesus and then once you are saved......you found repentance leading to salvation it is all about how you live your life

So many willingly live in bondage to sin

so many willingly live in bondage to darkness

so many willingly live in bondage to satan

if you are not saved you are in bondage to darkness and sin and satan and death

If you are saved but still choose to sin

if you are saved but refuse to change your thinking and beliefs

you are in bondage to darkness and sin and satan

You may be here this morning in bondage to

addiction

drugs

nicotine

alcohol

porn

sex

pride

greed

putting everything behind the almighty dollar

working your life away

destroying your family because they are not important to you

destroying your relationship with God because He isnt important to you

Pastor Josh that is not true.....who are you....how do you know what is important to me

You make time for what is important to you

If it means something to you

If it is important you will make time for it

You may be in bondage to pride

you call the shots

you have to be in charge

you know best

There are limitless things that you and I choose to be in bondage too

Sin is always a choice

bondage is always a choice

so many want to blame their bondage

their choices on others

My parents were terrible....they abused me....they ignored me.....they beat me

that was terribly painful and I am so sorry you experienced that but you have a perfect Father waiting to love you!!!!!!!

Even if your parents were the worst parents on earth it is no excuse for you to choose to live in darkness

Maybe you blame addiction for your bondage

addiction is a symptom

a symptom of an underlying sin problem

fix the sin problem you will be delivered from the addiction problem

So what to do?

How do you break free of that bondage?

you don’t

You know that is true because if you could break free from the bondage you would be free this morning

Jesus

Jesus holds the key to freedom

Jesus is light shinning into the darkness

Jesus is the only way to be delivered

Today we celebrate Jesus rising from the grave to live for all eternity

but to rise from the grave He had to die

That was Friday

On the cross the work of freedom was done

While Jesus was on that cross He took on....became the sins of the whole world

every sin you ever commited

the sins you are committing right now

the sins you will commit in the future

all of your sins and the sins of the world

He became each and every one of those sins

Mark 15:34

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“And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”

This was the moment

This was when Jesus became your sin.....my sin....the sins of the whole world

God looked away from Jesus....the Son of man in His humanness because of that sin

Someone might be thinking well I don’t see Jesus becoming my sin in this scripture

2 Corinthians 5:21

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“For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

Pretty straight forward

So pastor what does that mean

why does it matter

why should i care

how does that give me victory over darkness

Hebrews 4:14–16

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“Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession. For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.”

Pastor Josh I asked how this will give me victory over darkness.....

what does this mean for me?

When Jesus cried out on the cross that was the moment He became your sin and my sin

every sin Jesus knows intimately because He became it

He saw it

He touched it

He felt it

He has felt and experienced everything that you or I have ever done

He also lived on this earth

He was fully God but also fully man

He battled temptation

He felt pain

He felt emotions

He experienced everything you and I experience yet He never sinned

He knows you better than you do

He understands

So many times people say no one understands me

no one gets me

HE GETS YOU!!!!!!!

Because He walked and experienced being human yet never sinned

Because He became your sin and my sin on the cross

He was then the only sacrifice God would accept to pay the penalty of sin....death

His blood can now cover your sin

He paid your price

Jesus and Jesus alone can offer you complete forgiveness

complete redemption

but it goes even further than that HE understands you completely

He relates to you because He has seen and touched and felt everything you have

That is victory

He is always with you

He is always for you

He always understands you

All you have to do is realize through the Holy Spirit that this is truth

once you realize that you are lead to repentance that leads to salvation

you repent and confess and make Jesus your Lord and Savior because of the victory He gives you over darkness

Do you have victory

if not come

we are going to start a sermon series in Colossians next week and my prayer is you will be here

whether you are accepting Jesus for the first time today or have been a Christian for years or somewhere in between God has something for you

I dont know where you are but you do and God does........come this morning and deal with whatever you need to deal with

we have paper and pens here.....come repent...confess and then write it down and nail it to the cross because it is paid for and gone

leave here in complete right standing with God maybe for the very first time

I am here and would love to talk to you and pray with you.....If you would like that come to me

If you just need to get with God come and kneel at the altar and pray.....I or someone from the church will pray over you whatever God lays upon our hearts

I am going to give us an extended time to respond this morning as I know God has been working for this moment right here and right now

be a doer of the Word and come

invitation

thank you for the blood Jesus Charity Gayle

the cross anne wilson