Resurrection Sunday

Last week, we talked about God’s plan and that Jesus was fulfilling God’s plan.

That the redemption story began in Genesis 3 and you and I are part of that story.

The Messiah was promised in the garden

The Prophets described Him

Wise men sought Him

Children learned about Him

and even History, from the Ark, to the Exodus from Egypt, were types and shadows of the Messiah to come.

Many came and declared themselves to be the Messiah but did not fit the prophecies. This gives us an impression that the prophecies were similar to a checklist for who the Messiah would be and what the Messiah would do.

BUT EVERYTHING FROM THE GARDEN UNTIL JESUS SAID, “IT IS FINISHED” WAS ABOUT JESUS CHRIST, Amen?

Prescriptive vs. Descriptive

They were not Prescriptive, they were Descriptive. Let me explain...

To prescribe something is to set a list of what should be done or present.

A Doctor prescribes medicine, and you take that to the pharmacy who matches the medicine to the prescription.

Jesus was not trying to match a list of things to do and be in order to fulfill a prophecy or two.

Instead the prophets were describing the promised one of God

Isaiah prophesied in Isaiah 9:6

Isaiah 9:6 NKJV

6 For unto us a Child is born, Unto us a Son is given; And the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

Jesus did not try to have the government upon His shoulder. He was not trying to be wonderful. That would be Him attempting to fulfill a prescription.

Instead,

Jesus IS wonderful

He is Counselor

He is Mighty God

He is Everlasting Father

He is Prince of Peace

He is Emmanuel

He is the Great I AM

He is the Vine, and the door, and the lamb of God

He is THE WAY THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE

*********************

?? Why does this matter to you and me?

Emmanuel Is Here

I love Christmas!

It is a celebration of the birth of the Savior.

We sing songs about it and we spend October - December selling a lot of consumer items under the banner of “Christmas”.

The Israelites were waiting for Emmanuel. They were waiting for the restoration of that connection with Almighty God through the Messiah.

The world doesn’t like Jesus.

Jesus is Consequential

Jesus is Offensive

But there are parts of Jesus that are more tolerable than others.

Baby Jesus is harmless

As a teacher and prophet He is historical

But as God incarnate? He is unacceptable

As God who died for our sins, He is unthinkable

The tosser of the temple and the calmer of the seas. The RISEN King of Kings and Lord of Lords demands His rightful place in the world and in our hearts.

THIS IS WHY IT MATTERS TO YOU AND ME.

If you believe, as we do, that Jesus is God in the flesh,

who was born of the Virgin Mary,

who led a sinless - perfect - holy life (even while being tempted as we are),

who was crucified (taking the punishment for your sins and my sins),

who rose again on the third day in all power and authority,

who ascended into Heaven

who sits on His throne making intercessions on our behalf

who is preparing a place for you and me, and

who will come again to receive us to Himself in glory

If you believe these things,

it will change how you live.

It will change how you talk.

It will change how you vote, and raise your kids, and conduct business, and drive your car, and pay your taxes.

Because IF YOU BELIEVE THIS - You will align every part of who you are to everything that He said. You will find Him as your source and your King. You will find joy in learning more about Him and allowing the Holy Spirit to show you what doesn’t please Him.

***And IF this is not your heart’s response, you must ask yourself, if you LIKE SO MANY IN ABILENE, have settled for a pretty kind and gentle Jesus. Without power, Without Conviction and Without change.

John 14:15 NKJV

15 “If you love Me, keep My commandments.

Jesus directly aligns Obedience with loving Him

John 15:5 NKJV

5 “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

Jesus directly declares Himself as our source

**

1 Corinthians 15:12–22 NKJV

12 Now if Christ is preached that He has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then Christ is not risen. 14 And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. 15 Yes, and we are found false witnesses of God, because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ, whom He did not raise up—if in fact the dead do not rise. 16 For if the dead do not rise, then Christ is not risen. 17 And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins! 18 Then also those who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. 19 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable. 20 But now Christ is risen from the dead, and has become the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since by man came death, by Man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.

1 Peter 1:3 NKJV

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

Prayer

Jesus’ resurrection brings the hope that we too will be resurrected to be with Jesus in Heaven.

Sunday is Coming

In the four Gospels, we see the ministry of Jesus

There were those who followed Him for the wrong reasons, and those who believed He could be the Messiah.

As Jesus healed the sick and raised the dead, I cannot help but think that the hope - that Jesus was truly the promised One - was growing and growing.

Jesus told them he was going to be put to death

Matthew 16:21 NKJV

21 From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day.

And yet, when Friday came, All their hopes were crushed. BUT SUNDAY WAS COMING!

As Christians, we put our faith in God, believing He is going to meet our expectations.

We even have preachers and teachers that tell you when you put your faith in God, EVERYTHING WILL WORK OUT AND YOUR PROBLEMS WILL GO AWAY.

?? So What happens when life hits hard??

You have a medical procedure and are not the same

You lose your job

Your suffer the loss of a loved one

A storm takes your house

Your car breaks down

These situations cause us to experience the kind of difficulty the followers of Jesus felt - But you need to know, YOUR SUNDAY IS COMING!

I am not saying that everything just works out and you get what you want.

What I AM SAYING, is when you hold tight to the promise of God. When you hold tight to the Word of God, You can rest assured that Sunday is Coming!

You WILL see God

Friday night we observed what we call “Good Friday”.

Looking back on the crucifixion of Jesus, we can see how it is “good”.

The followers of Jesus could not see it.

They had given 3 years of their life to this cause.

For those who thought He was going to restore Israel,

This was just another dead end.

For those who believed He was the fulfillment of the prophesied Messiah, Their Messiah was now being killed.

Either way, things looked hopeless - BUT SUNDAY WAS COMING

What the disciples did not remember, is that all these things were prophesied of the one who would come. He had to go through these things to

What is the value of celebrating Easter?

I am sure you have heard

Prescriptive vs. Descriptive