On the Third Day
Notes
Transcript
Baby Dedication
Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” And he laid his hands on them and went away.
To the Parents: Proverbs 22:6 “Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.”
Do you promise to raise Elijah to know Jesus and in the ways of the Lord?
Family, will you support them in this and help as needed?
Church family, will you support Michael and Mellissa in raising Elijah in the Lord?
Bless w/ oil and pray.
Video on Gospel
He is risen!!!
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. All things were created through him, and apart from him not one thing was created that has been created. In him was life, and that life was the light of men. That light shines in the darkness, and yet the darkness did not overcome it.
Today is Easter, the day Jesus rose from the grave proving that he defeated the power of death and that he truly was the messiah. God in the flesh.
But what does that truly mean and why does it matter?
Over the last couple hundred years, we focused primarily on only the center half of the gospel message.
The Fall & Redemption
But that’s only HALF of the story! And we should know the who thing.
Part One: Creation
Part One: Creation
In the beginning - God created all things.
The last verse of Gen 1 tells us that He saw everything He made and declared it was “very good.”
God saw all that he had made, and it was very good indeed.
All things, both in the physical corporeal and in the spiritual realm, were created by God.
Salvation isn’t here simply because some “god” out there had pity on us.
Jesus came because, as we saw in John 1, he was the Word of God that made all things. And God declared them as very good.
Part 2: The Fall
Part 2: The Fall
Where we tend to start the story of God and Jesus.
While in perfection, living in a place where they could directly interact with their creator, man went against him.
You see, another entity, that later became known as the devil or Satan, twisted God’s words and message, and enticed mankind away from God’s ways.
Thus the fall.
You see, in order to be in communion with God, you must be on God’s level. You must meet His level of perfection. And we lost that.
And as the curse spread, the separation from God grew.
Cain killed Abel and wickedness spread.
So God decided to refresh His creation, and He washed the land with a great flood.
But people continued to grow in wickedness. And they built a tower now known as Babel.
This tower was made in an attempt to call down and control God.
Man tried to overthrow their creator, so God scattered them and confused their languages - dividing them into groups.
God chose His people through Abraham, then led them out of captivity with Moses and led them to the promised land.
Through prophets and kings, God guided and protected His people. At times allowing the consequences for their actions to take hold, but always bringing them back.
Then He went quiet for 400 years, what we see as the intertestamental period - the time between the Old and New testaments.
This brings us to Part 3, Redemption.
Part 3: Redemption
Part 3: Redemption
Even though God spoke to His people through prophets, the people were still human and missed the point from time to time.
So the creator Himself came in the form of a baby born of a virgin.
He lived a sinless life, although he was temped in all the same basic ways we are.
Anger, greed, lust, spiritual warfare, people not trusting and listening…
Jesus came both to save us, to bring us back into full relationship with the God of creation, and to show us firsthand what living for God looks like.
He paid the penalty for our sins on the cross, allowing us to once again commune with the almighty God.
When He died:
And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. And the earth shook, and the rocks were split. The tombs also were opened.
And many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!”
This was Friday, what we did with our candlelight service.
Saturday, his body laid in the tomb.
Today he rose!
Hundreds of people saw him, he was touched, he ate with people.
He proved that death was defeated. That the bonds of sin were broken, and that all who call upon Jesus will be set free to dine with the Father and be empowered by the Holy Spirit.
We have been redeemed by the risen savior!
And…
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.
AND THAT’S NOT THE END!
Part 4: Restoration
Part 4: Restoration
We have been redeemed, and God is planning on restoring things fully back to the original plan.
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. I also saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared like a bride adorned for her husband. Then I heard a loud voice from the throne: Look, God’s dwelling is with humanity, and he will live with them. They will be his peoples, and God himself will be with them and will be their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will be no more; grief, crying, and pain will be no more, because the previous things have passed away.
Once again, like in the beginning where God walked in the garden with His creation, He will once again dwell amongst His creation!
What sin tore apart, Jesus’s death on the cross and resurrection began the healing process.
We are now the temple of God. He resides IN us until He resides WITH us.
So today we celebrate the risen and living savior!
And we continue to wait expectingly for God to fully restore creation back to it’s intended image.
What sin broke apart, may God bring back together for all eternity.
Prayer -
Father, we come celebrating Jesus raising from the grave. We thank you that your love for us goes so far that you would send your son to teach us and to die on our behalf, to bring us back to you. Thank you for raising Jesus from the grave, proving beyond a doubt that he truly is the messiah and that you are the One True God, the maker of all things, and the one who is calling us back to you.
Today, if you are feeling God calling you and tugging on your heart, please fill out a prayer card and let one of us know so we can celebrate with you. You can simply fill out a prayer card that’s in the chair in front of you and say “I accept Jesus” on it with your name and we’ll be praying with you and celebrating with you. Add your phone number or email so we can help you on your journey with Christ. There’s a prayer box to the right of the main doors that you can drop that in. And if you accepted Jesus today, pray this with me :
God, I know I’m not perfect, but I believe that you are. And if you found humanity worth saving, I’d like to be a part of that with you. Thank you for your son, Jesus, who died on the cross for me. Accept me into your kingdom with you, and allow me to walk with you the rest of my life.
In Jesus name, Amen.
Benediction - May the Lord bless you and keep you. May His face shine upon you, and bring you peace.
