Easter Sunday (3)

Matthew 28:1–10 NIV

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.” So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”

The Same Power that Raised Jesus Lives in Us

Ephesians 1:19–21 NIV

and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms, far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and every name that is invoked, not only in the present age but also in the one to come.

This is imporant.

When we talk about having access to the power of God - not talking about something simple.

The power of God that works in our lives when we have faith and believe in Jesus - it’s that same power that raised Jesus from the dead.

It gives some perspective to life.

Whatever may bother us? We serve the God who defeated death itself on our behalf.

One day, Jesus fell asleep on a boat, and there was a great storm.

‘Don’t you have any faith?’

Now I want to address a question.

How come God doesn’t answer some prayers?

AKA - if God is so all powerful - why not do everything for every person?

BIG question. Not an easy answer.

But I wanted to offer this kind of perspective

John 16:33 NIV

“I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

Jesus is the ultimate victor. And he is working all of human history and destiny towards a future goal.

The Bible says that every knee will bow. That all wrongs will be righted. All pain will be eliminated.

So Jesus says - we WILL have trouble. But we can take heart that, whatever may come - Jesus already overcame it all.

So what can we learn from the resurrection?

Jesus has a new life for us

Romans 6:8–11 NIV

Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

The Bible calls Jesus the ‘firstfruit among the dead’. That the power of God conquered the grave and brought him back.

But he’s not he only one. In Jesus, we aren’t offered just a set of instructions and a pat on the back.

Jesus enters our life with an entirely new one.

The Bible says the same process Jesus went through (crucifixion, death, resurrection), we need to consider ourselves on the same path.

Something we need to understand about this life -

Jesus IS the new life for us

John 11:25–26 NIV

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in me will live, even though they die; and whoever lives by believing in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

It’s not like Jesus gave us the secret to new life, something that we just apply, some pill we take, and everything is fixed.

Jesus IS the new life.

This goes all the way back to the garden. Where Adam and Eve were meant to be sustained forever by God - we have that same relationship in Jesus

Because of this - We NEED to stay connected to him. We can’t wander and expect that life to continue.

This new life is tied to believing in and walking with Jesus. Because he’s the source of life itself. It’s not that he HAS it. He IS it.

Jesus had the habit of doing that. DISCIPLES - How do we know the way? I AM the way. Please give us this bread from heaven? I AM the bread of life.

So in this conversation, Jesus is talking to Martha, whose brother died, and she says, 'I know that he’ll rise again at the last day'.

But Jesus doesn't say, yes, there’s a day, and there will be power on that day. He says - I AM the resurrection.

This is why we push so hard about how we need to live FOR Jesus. Because without Jesus - we can’t live at all.

But there’s even more great news -

Jesus lives this new life with us

Galatians 2:20 NIV

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Most people think that Christianity is a set of expectations.

But it’s not. Not really. Jesus has a lot to say about life, truth, justice, etc. But Christianity is really an exchange. We give up our brokenness, failures, weaknesses. And we trade it in for the life Jesus has for us.

When we’re lost - Jesus knows the way

When we’re uncertain - Jesus has the wisdom

When we’re weak, Jesus has the power

Question - why trade? I don’t mind my life.

Jesus brings Eternity back to us

John 3:16–18 NIV

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because they have not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.

Jesus isn’t here to just hijack things and change everything drastically.

But Jesus directs our eyes to the future. The FAR future. We live our lives in light of this vast eternity.

The things we do every day, they matter. But there’s still eternity too. And we need an answer for that.

When we believe in Jesus - we won’t perish, we’ll have eternal life.

Invite you to live in and for this eternity.