April 27, 2025. They Were First Called Christians Here

Welcome

I am Pastor John

Lead Pastor here at the Journey Church

It is good to see friends, family and guests with us today as we remember the Resurrection of Jesus together.

We want to help you;

Know Jesus - Follow Jesus - Grow in Jesus

and one of the ways we can help you do that is point you to His Word.

If you are in need of a bible you can pick up one at the Coffee Cafe

just outside the auditorium doors,

It is free, and let it be our gift to you.

Intro

John 20

As I prepared for this Sunday,

it was humbling to think about just how many people

all over the world would be gathering,

and remembering the day that God raised Jesus from the dead.

It is estimated that there are over 2 billion christians in the world today.

and if that number is close,

then that is a lot of people remembering what God did some 2,000 years ago.

I’m sure this day’s events are carried out a little differently

depending on where you live in the world.

But many of us here in the U.S.

will attend church, get together with family and have a meal

or some variation of that.

But then what?

I mean when today is over.

Is that it?

Church, friends and family and a good meal?

I think God was hoping the Resurrection

would have a greater impact on humanity then that!

I wonder what Resurrection Morning would have been like

for those who were closest to Jesus?

What were their reactions to this amazing day?

Mostly likely, some would still be in shock over the events of Friday.

Still grieving,

wondering what’s next?

Let’ read together the account of this morning,

according to the Gospel of John

Please keep in mind,

Jesus, has been crucified

placed in a tomb which had been sealed with a stone.

John 20:1–10 NKJV

1 Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene went to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. 2 Then she ran and came to Simon Peter, and to the other disciple, whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken away the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid Him.” 3 Peter therefore went out, and the other disciple, and were going to the tomb. 4 So they both ran together, and the other disciple outran Peter and came to the tomb first.

Slide - Peter and John (1898)

Peter and John ran to the tomb because Mary Magdalene told them that the tomb was empty,

suggesting Jesus's body had been taken. 

They then engage in a foot race

likely motivated by a combination of grief, hope,

and a desire to see for themselves what had happened.

John 20:1–10 (NKJV) 5 And he, stooping down and looking in, saw the linen cloths lying there; yet he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb; and he saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the handkerchief that had been around His head, not lying with the linen cloths, but folded together in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who came to the tomb first, went in also; and he saw and believed. 9 For as yet they did not know the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead. 10 Then the disciples went away again to their own homes.

At first, John doesn’t go past the entrance,

but can see Jesus’ burial clothes lying on the ground.

But Peter goes in,

also seeing Jesus’ burial clothes lying on the ground,

and additionally notices the handkerchief,

that had been wrapped around the head of Jesus,

folded up, laying in a place all by itself.

( I don’t want to pick on these disciples,

but this should have been their first clue that the body of Jesus was not stolen.

What thief would take the time to fold up the napkin

in fear of being caught?)

Nevertheless, John then enters the tomb

and also sees and believes that Jesus’s body is not there.

So, what do they do next?

Do the scriptures record Peter and John running into town shouting that the body of Jesus is not there?

No…verse 10 says the two “disciples went away again to their homes.”

They just went home.

Why? because they did not know or “understand” the Scripture about the resurrection.

They really didn’t understand,

what had just happened

and how this would completely alter their lives going forward.

And if we are not careful,

this is exactly what we will do.

We will have a time of church,

go home and totally not understand the impact that

the resurrection of Jesus should have on our lives!

Do you remember what Jesus promised Martha, in John 11?

Jesus’ Promise is - Resurrection and Life

John 11:25–26 NKJV

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. 26 And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

God’s power raised Jesus from the dead that Sunday morning,

And God’s power will do the same when Jesus returns,

those who believe in Him and have died will be resurrected and live forever!

And those who believe in Him and are still alive, shall never die, and will live forever!

If I were to take a poll this morning,

and ask you if you are looking forward to the promises of the resurrection

everyone’s hands would shoot up.

But what about right now?

Should the Resurrection of Jesus impact our today?

Or are the promises of the Resurrection only for the next life?

If we only see the Resurrection as something that will impact our future,

then we will come to church today...

then just go home.

Pray

Sermon

If you were here with us on Good Friday,

We reviewed how Jesus Accomplished our Rescue by going to the cross.

Jesus Accomplished our Rescue by:

Taking away our sin

Removing God’s Wrath

Reconciling Us Back to God

Paying Our Ransom

Defeating the Powers of Darkness

Dying in Our Place

Now that we know we have been Rescued

and believe that Jesus has been Resurrected,

We have everything we need to live “The Resurrected Life!”

So on this Resurrection Sunday,

We are going to review 3 benefits of the Resurrection

that enable us to live a Resurrected Life.

The Resurrection Has Given Us - Hope

Romans 6:4–6 NKJV

4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin.

The Resurrection Has Given Us Hope...for today.

The Apostle Paul uses water baptism

to give us an illustration

on what it means to be baptized (or immersed) in Christ.

Baptism is an outward expression

of what is going on in the inside of us.

We demonstrate this by being immersed under water,

the picture here is “death to the old self.”

Then we are raised up our of the water,

A picture of resurrection.

a new man in Christ,

and ready to “walk in newness of life.”

Because we identify in this way with Christ’s death,

As He died…so did our old sinful self.

We must also identify with Christ’s Resurrection

He resurrected…so we too have been given the power to live a resurrected life!

to walk in newness of life!

Yet for some Christians,

Go under the water (Identify with Christ’s death)

But never come up out of the water (We fall short of living the Resurrected life)

We never fully live the life

that the resurrection has given us the power to live.

Why? Because we view the Resurrection as only for the body

But the scriptures wouldn’t tell us to walk in newness of life today

if the resurrection was only for the future!

This is how the Resurrection has given us Hope for today!

Because we have identified with Christ’s death,

He died…so does our old sinful self.

We must also identify with Christ’s Resurrection

He resurrected…so we too have been given the power

to walk in newness of life!

The Resurrection Has Given Us - Purpose

Colossians 3:1–2 NKJV

1 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth.

There is a song, ‘Turn Your Eyes upon Jesus’ that was written in 1918 by Helen Lemmel.

Her words, I believe, help us sing, what Paul was trying to say here.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus Look full in His wonderful face And the things of earth will grow strangely dim In the light of His glory and grace

What these verses and Helen’s hymn are saying is,

The resurrected life,

walking in newness of life,

just doesn’t happen,

we must turn our eyes to Jesus

and the things of this world will grow strangely dim

what used to be important, suddenly,

just doesn’t seem that important any more.

The resurrection has given us purpose,

but we can fall short of that purpose if we continue to

set our minds (seek out) the things of this earth.

A. T. Robertson gives a word picture of what this looks like “…the Christian is seeking heaven and is thinking heaven. His feet are upon the earth, but his head is with the stars. He is living like a citizen of heaven here on earth.”

Practically, this asks us the questions;

What do we think about most?

Earthly things?

Or Heavenly things?

The Bible warns against becoming overly attached to Earthly things

to wealth, status, or any worldly desire

which can hinder our thinking on things above. 

Setting one's mind on heavenly things means:

We have a heavenly mindset: This involves focusing on God's Word, prayer, and spiritual disciplines. 

We prioritize Heavenly things over Earthly: This includes seeking God's kingdom first

and letting go of the pursuit of worldly possessions and status.

The Resurrection has given us purpose

and we become what we think about.

So become heavenly-minded.

And finally,

If there were ever a benefit of the Resurrection

that Christianity and the world could use today,

is the benefit of Joy.

The Resurrection Has Given Us - Joy

1 Peter 1:3–6 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, 4 to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, 5 who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials,

Peter lists the following as sources of Joy:

God’s abundant mercy upon repentant sinners,

giving opportunity to be born again, to be Rescued

Living Hope, through the resurrection of Jesus

As unrepentant sinners

we had no hope of being resurrected from the dead

to life eternal

Our living hope, is the hope we have now

in our future resurrection,

our inheritance in heaven

which is incorruptible

Undefiled

and will not fade away

Believer, there is a reservation in your name

waiting at the front desk of heaven when you get there!

And it this living hope that produces joy presently.

And it is Joy needed

because in this life

we will be grieved by many trials.

A Night with Friends

We met and discussing our families and how we could continue to pray for one another.

I would like to tell you that

because we all have placed our faith in the promises of God

that non of us had any trials going on in our lives.

But the fact is, we all had something going on,

that had the potential to suck the joy right out of our Resurrected Life

Although each of us have been grieved

individually and for one another

There was still Joy

Why? because that is what the Resurrection has Given Us

And for this reason;

we greatly rejoice!

Conclusion:

So as we finish our time together on this Resurrection Sunday

Let’s not just go home

Let’s live the Resurrected Life!

The Resurrection of Jesus has Given Us:

Hope

Purpose

and Joy

If you are hear today and have put your trust in Jesus’

death, burial and resurrection

and you lack any of these Resurrection Gifts

I pray God has spoken to you

giving you a fresh look at His promises.

But if you are here today and never placed faith in Jesus

And you desire to have the

Hope, Purpose and Joy that the scriptures speak about

Will you consider looking to Jesus today?

You will need to humble yourself

and admit you have sinned against a Holy God

and been disobedient by not following Him

Nevertheless, you can have everything that the Resurrection of Jesus promises and so much more

If you turn to Him

ask for forgiveness

and ask Him to be the Lord of your life.

Will you turn to Him today?

Pray

If you can, please stand and continue to worship with us this morning.