The Same Power!

4Introduction

It is Resurrection Sunday!

It is the day we celebrate the event that is the center of all human history.

We celebrate the day that changed the world.

We celebrate the man who changed humanity.

We celebrate the God who changes eternity.

It is the day we dedicate to the greatest moment in all of history, when the greatest person who ever lived, who willingly gave His life as a ransom for many, who willingly endure the shame and the pain of the most brutal execution of all time…for the first time in 3 days took a breath that changed everything.

This morning we dwell on the most substantial truth of all time: That Jesus, who was dead, is now alive!

Today we celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead and what that still means today for you and for me!

Ephesians 1:13–23 ESV

13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. 15 For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, 16 I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers, 17 that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of him, 18 having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints, 19 and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might 20 that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come. 22 And he put all things under his feet and gave him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

1) Power to Live!

Live Spiritually

John 11:25 “25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live…”

Live Eternally

John 11:26 “26 …and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?””

Death to life.

Ephesians 2:1–8 ESV

1 And you were dead in the trespasses and sins 2 in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience— 3 among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind. 4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,

Death = “Following the course of this world; being disobedient to God; living by our own passions, impulses, and inclinations;

Death is not the absence of a physical pulse…it is the absence of a spiritual pulse!

A dead heart beats only for me… to fuel whatever I want …to fuel whatever makes me go …to this world and my place in it the most important thing.

A dead heart is spiritually dead, because its ultimate conclusion is an eternity separated from God.

BUT GOD…even when we were dead, made us alive with Christ and made it possible that we be saved, by grace through faith.

Power of Faith over the draw of the flesh.

Romans 6:1–11 ESV

1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For one who has died has been set free from sin. 8 Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 For the death he died he died to sin, once for all, but the life he lives he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

When we truly come to a real faith in Jesus:

it’s not just acknowledging that Jesus might have existed as a historical figure…

it’s not just making sure we check the box that Jesus is our religious preference or the most correct among of list of religious ideologies…

True faith embraces Jesus as LORD, surrenders their dead heart over to Jesus, and in return is made alive through forgiveness and redemption.

We have life in Him because the same power that rose Jesus from the dead, brings us from death to life when we place our faith and our trust in Jesus.

2) Power to Obey!

Romans 6:12–19 ESV

12 Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions. 13 Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness. 14 For sin will have no dominion over you, since you are not under law but under grace. 15 What then? Are we to sin because we are not under law but under grace? By no means! 16 Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience, which leads to righteousness? 17 But thanks be to God, that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching to which you were committed, 18 and, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. 19 I am speaking in human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.

A person marked by the miracle of coming from death to life, also carries the miracle of being transformed from a person of disobedience to a person who obeys and follows Jesus.

The person marked by the miracle of coming from death to life,

finds that their mindset is changing

…their desires are changing

…their purpose is changing

…their morality is changing

…their tolerance of sin is changing

…their love for God is growing

…their desire to know Him more is growing

…their passion for His Word is growing

…their longing to be around other believers is growing

…their focus is shifting away from themselves and becoming more and more fixated on God and His righteousness.

This is called sanctification.

This is what Paul refers when he says, “so now present your members as slaves to righteousness leading to sanctification.”

We can’t and don’t do this through our own power. We don’t do this by our own sheer will.

We are able to do this because when we truly place our faith and trust in Christ Jesus, He places the Holy Spirit in our lives and empowers us through Him.

A person who has come from death to life is obedient to Christ because they are being transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit who carries with him the same power that brought Jesus back from the grave!

When you place your faith and trust in Jesus you have the power to live, the power to obey, and the…

3) Power to Remain!

John 15:4–11 ESV

4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. 9 As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11 These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.

To abide in Jesus means to remain in Jesus.

Jesus says that if we abide or remain in Him, we will bear much fruit…for apart from Him, we can do nothing.

This fruit comes from Him…from the vine…not from ourselves.

The fruit that is produced in us through Him is described in Galatians 5:22-23.

Galatians 5:22–23 ESV

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Faithfulness is one of the fruits produced by the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

This isn’t just an open idea of faithfulness. It is a directed meaning of faithfulness to God, His Kingdom, His purposes, His mission, His desires, and His people.

The fruit of the Spirit reflects a heart from God, a heart for His people, and His heart towards the lost who need Him!

Faithfulness to God and His people is a key fruit in the life of a person who has placed their faith and trust in Jesus!

By this is God glorified…that we bear much fruit and so prove to be His disciples!

The same power that rose Jesus from the dead is the same power that gives us life, empowers us to live a transformed life of obedience to God, and keeps us abiding in Christ as He produces fruit in our lives!

CLOSING

Examine your life this morning. Are you experiencing the same power that rose Jesus from the grave in your life today?

Are you truly placing your faith and trust in Jesus this morning?

Giving God a nod of simple belief is not the same as placing your faith and trust in Him.

Relying on a church membership or a “sinners prayer” is not placing your faith and trust in Him.

Placing your faith and trust in Jesus is not an event…it is the declaration of a lifelong, transformational journey with Jesus!

Do you trust Him? Do you have new life? Do you follow Him? Do you Abide in Him?

If not, what is keeping you from placing your faith and trust in Jesus this morning?

What is keeping you from experiencing the same power that rose Jesus from the dead?

Is it pride? Pride is the root of all sin. It keeps us dying and spiritually dead. Don’t let pride keep you enslaved to sin and headed towards an eternity separated from God.

As we have a time of response… call to respond to the Gospel of Jesus…won’t you make today, the day you experience the miracle of going from death to life and start experiencing the same power that rose Jesus from the grave!

HE IS RISEN! HE IS ALIVE…Are you?