Easter: The Best News Ever!

Introduction

What comes to mind when you think of the news?

You might think of all the wars, and crimes, and political games that are going on every day.

You might think of all the spinning and manipulation done by those giving the news.

Perhaps its one of those necessary evils you need to tune in to just so you can keep up with what is going on around the world.

Maybe its something you avoid at all costs because it brings you down.

Chances are, you hear the word News, most of us think of all the negative things going on in our world today. And of course, those things can be important to keep up with.

But news can be more than just what is reported on in the news shows or newspaper.

News can include the things that are shared by family and friends, including news of joy, like an engagement, the announcement of a pregnancy or a new job.

And sometimes news of sadness, like the loss of a job, a health diagnosis, or the passing of a loved one.

We are surrounded by news all the time. We receive updates from family, friends, neighbors, employers, media outlets, etc.

We cannot really escape hearing news of the things going on around us. We need to hear and receive news of the things going on around us.

But my question to you is, have you heard the Greatest News Ever?

This is what Easter is all about. Easter is about the greatest event that has ever taken place. And we have received the best news in the history of the entire world because of what happened!

I know many of us have heard this greatest news. That’s alright! When we hear good news, we often want to hear it and talk about it again and again. It is good for us to hear this news over and over and over again because this news never gets old and the more we hear it and understand it, the more we get to see its glorious beauty!

Read 1 Cor. 15.

1 Corinthians 15:3–4 ESV

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

Know the Bad News: We Are All Sinners

If we are going to hear the best news ever, we must first hear and understand the bad news. We will not understand or appreciate the good news if we do not face the darkness of the bad news that we are currently living in.

The Beginning

We have a Good and Holy Creator

He Made Everything Good and Wonderful

He Invites Us to Live With Him and Trust Him

Our Response

All of Us Chose to Rebel

It started with Adam and Eve’s response in the garden.

God gave them one simple rule.

And that rule was about whether they were going to trust Him or not.

Romans 3:23 ESV

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

what is sin?

sin is anything we say think or do that goes against God’s good perfect and holy will and character.

The Consequences of Sin

Romans 6:23 ESV

For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Hear the Good News: Christ Died for Your Sins

Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures

The Requirement for Living with a Holy God is Perfect and Complete Holiness

The Consequences for Failing to be Holy is Death

Jesus Fulfilled the Requirements of Living with God

Jesus Paid the Price for Us Failing to Keep the Requirements

Jesus did not wait for you to come to Him

Jesus Demonstrated His Love for Us

Romans 5:8 ESV

but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Jesus really died. He did not just appear dead. He really died and took upon Himself the wages of our sin.

He was buried!

He was buried and the tomb was sealed. Some have claimed that Jesus just appeared dead.

But the Romans would not have allowed that. Anyone they crucified, they made sure were really dead.

They pierced Jesus side, and when they saw the blood and water flowing separately, they knew He was dead. They had to break the legs of the other men to ensure they would die. There was no chance the Romans made a mistake in determining Jesus’ death.

If Jesus had not really died, then our sins were not paid for.

But Jesus really did die and was buried. Our sin has been dealt with and paid for.

Because of Jesus’ Death, We Can Be Forgiven and Made Right with God

Forgiveness is available because Jesus died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures.

You do not have to make yourself good enough for God to love you.

You cannot make yourself good enough. But Jesus has already demonstrated God’s love for you and, by His perfect life and sacrificial death, is able to make you righteous by giving you His righteousness so you can enter into God’s holy presence.

Believe the Greatest News Ever: Jesus is Alive and Offers You Eternal Life!

The Greatest News Ever: Jesus is Alive

Jesus Rose from the Dead

Because Jesus is Alive

We Know Our Sins Have Been Taken Away

The resurrection proves that God the Father has accepted Jesus’ sacrificial death as payment for sin.

Without the resurrection there is no assurance that sin is forgiven.

He Can Give Us Eternal Life

Without the Resurrection, there is no salvation and no eternal life.

If Jesus had not be raised from the dead then our faith is in vain.

But because Jesus is raised from the dead,

Jesus is Alive!

We have the assurance of eternal life

Jesus is coming back one day!

Tim Keller - “If Jesus has not been raised from the dead, then nothing else matters. If Jesus has been raised from the dead, then nothing else matters.”

If Jesus is still in the grave, then we can eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die and nothing else will ever happen. Nothing matters.

But if Jesus has risen from the dead, then nothing else in this life matters but submitting our lives to Christ. We try to figure out what the purpose of life is. Without Christ there is no purpose. With Christ, He alone is our purpose and He is the only reason for which we live.

How to Receive the Gift of Life - Believe / Trust in Christ

John 3:16 ESV

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

Romans 10:9–10 ESV

because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

Acts 16:31 ESV

And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.”

This Faith is not simply intellectual assent to mere facts.

Agree

Agree with God that you have sinned

Agree with God that He alone can give you what you need

Agree with God that Jesus is His Son and that only His death and resurrection can save you from your sin

Affection

True faith will also lead to loving the right things

We sin because we love the wrong things

we love our selves

We love our possessions

We love our rights

We love our pleasures

We are called to love God with our entire being

Deuteronomy 6:5 ESV

You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

The problem is we haven’t always loved God.

We have chosen to love other things.

As C.S. Lewis puts it, we have settled too easily for things lesser than what we were actually made for. We settle for lesser joys than the joy and life that God alone can give.

This is why we give ourselves so easily to the things of this world, all the while missing out on pleasures and joys that cannot be compared to the fleeting pleasures of our sinful desires.

But because of what Jesus has done, He is helping us to love God the way we were made to.

And the more we grow to love God, the more we find a greater joy than anything else we can choose to love and devote ourselves to.

Psalm 16:11 ESV

You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.

Don’t miss out on the greatest joy ever because you have settled for loving something less than God Himself.

Allegiance

Finally, true faith will lead to true allegiance to God.

This means that when we believe that Jesus is God’s Son and that He alone has done all that is required for us to be made right with God, and when we begin to love Him with our entire being, then we will turn away from our sin and rebellion and begin to follow Him in faithful obedience.

Now, let me be clear, we do not obey to get God to save us. Works cannot save you. You cannot be good enough. Only Jesus can save you. But if you believe in Jesus, if you agree with Him that He alone is God and you grow in your affections for Him, then you cannot help but begin to grow in your allegiance and obedience to Him as both your Savior and your King.

If you have already placed your faith in Jesus, then let this good news remind you of the King you trust in and love.

As believers we must remind ourselves of this good news every day and allow the amazing grace that was demonstrated draw us closer to Christ. Martin Luther was once asked, why do you preach the good news every week? He replied saying that we are prone to forget the good news every day. He said he has to remind himself and preach to himself what Christ has done for him every day. So he preaches the good news every week because we are all prone to forget this amazing news.

Therefore, remind yourself daily what Christ has done for you. And Ask Him to help you grow in your understanding of who He is and who you are. Ask Him to open your eyes to see His beauty and majesty so your love for Him can grow to love Him even more. Ask Him to help you see His love for you and the goodness of His holiness and to grow in your obedience and allegiance to Him. Ask Him to daily restore the joy of your salvation as you grow in your love and obedience to Christ.

Maybe you’re here this morning and you’ve never known Jesus as your King. Maybe you’ve heard about Him and have some vague knowledge that He is who Christians follow and worship, but you’ve never really known why. Or maybe you’ve been coming to church thinking that alone is enough to save you. Let me say, there is no better day than Resurrection Sunday to come and experience the joy and salvation that Christ alone can give. Jesus has demonstrated His love for you by His sacrificial death and His victorious resurrection from the dead. And He is inviting you to come to Him by faith, to trust Him alone for your salvation and righteousness. Do you know Jesus? You can today if you will simply believe and trust in Him.