RISEN IN ME

SCRIPTURES

Matthew 28:1–7 NKJV

Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men. But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.”

Luke 24:5 NKJV

Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?”

Romans 8:9–11 NKJV

But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

INTRODUCTION

The Bible is more than just a book of facts and history. It is a living and breathing word that expresses the rescue mission and motivation of a loving and determined God.

We see this morning as Jesus’ followers approach the tomb and listen to the angels we are reminded of a very familiar story. Every year for those who have grown up in church we look at the resurrection as something that was. It is an event that we celebrate to remember our risen saviour. But a more complete perspective is not just that the resurrection was, It’s that the resurrection still is. For there were others who were raised from the dead.

1 Kings 17-17-24 The widow of Zarapeth raised by Elisha

2 Kings 13:20-21 Man in Elisha’s Grave

Luke 7:11-17 The widow of Nain

Luke 8:40-56 Jairus daughter

John 11:1-44 Lazarus

But although they were raised, again they tasted death. But none can claim being the first born of the dead! (Colossians 1:8, 1:5) only he has the power to raise himself. He still risen!

The believer does notm just intellectually assent to this reality. We carry it in our soul.

As a child, I every Easter I would hear this refrain of victory originating as an African American Hymnal Spiritual giving a clarion call.

Twas Early Easter Morning, about the break of Day. The angel came from heaven and rolled the stone away.

He 'rose, He 'rose, He 'rose from the dead; He 'rose, He 'rose, He 'rose from the dead; He 'rose, He 'rose, He 'rose from the dead, and the Lord shall bear my spirit home.

1 They crucified my Savior, and nailed Him to the cross; they crucified my Savior, and nailed Him to the cross. They crucified my Savior and nailed Him to the cross. and the Lord will bear my spirit home.

2 And Joseph begged His body and laid it in the tomb; and Joseph begged His body and laid it in the tomb, and Joseph begged his body and laid it in the tomb, and the Lord will bear my spirit home. [Refrain]

3 An angel came from heaven and rolled the stone away; an angel came from heaven and rolled the stone away. An angel came from heaven and rolled the stone away, and the Lord shall bear my spirit home. [Refrain]

I. The Resurrections Reality

You see there is power in the reality of a risen Lord!

Yes Christ did not just live, but he also died.

He did not just die, but he also rose.

He did not just live, but He still now lives!

He did not just leave but he will return!

But most importantly, He is not just a prophet or a rabbi, He is the son of the living God!

And so this morning as we watch them walk to the tomb. There are some things that leap out of the text that cannot be ignored. The bible says they came to see the tomb. They were looking for the body of Jesus.

A. His Tomb was sealed. Rome and the Pharisees had considered the matter a closed case. ( Let this minister this morning to someone who feels like their situation is beyond hope. That they failed to many times.That their hope for the future is lost). But oh there came and angel to roll the stone away!

Your situation may be dead and buried. But God has they Key!

B. God was not finished and the story was just getting started.

Somebody shout: “It’s not over yet!”

That is not just a statement of reality. It is a cry of hope for all those who are:

Desperate and Disparaged

Destitute and Dejected

Derailed and Damaged

You many have walked in with not hope

The reality is Death is Defeated!

We have to believe. It is the center of our faith.

1 Corinthians 15:17 NKJV

And if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins!

Acts 2:23–24 NKJV

Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death; whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.

Revelation 1:8 NKJV

“I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,” says the Lord, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

II. The Ressurection Revelation

When Mary and company go to the tomb, they were looking for defeat and sorrow. But the angel asks a powerful question “Why seek ye the living, among the dead?”

They were looking for a dead body. They were responding logically from the truth of their trauma. They were stuck in what had just previously happened and were not aware of what God was currently doing.What they found was the reality of a risen saviour!

SS: He is alive right Now!

Sometimes life will cause you to loose site of the fact that Jesus is alive right now

Hebrews 7:25 NKJV

Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.

John 11:25 NKJV

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live.

Galatians 2:20 NKJV

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.

Alfred Henry Ackley Penned in 1933:

I serve a risen Savior   He’s in the world today. I know that He is living,   Whatever men may say. I see His hand of mercy;   I hear His voice of cheer; And just the time I need Him   He’s always near.

He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today! He walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way. He lives, He lives, salvation to impart! You ask me how I know He lives?     He lives within my heart.

This is the most excited part to me. Not just that he left the tomb, But he came to live in me! Jesus is ever living, ever working and ever abiding in me!

III. The Resurrection Resides in me

Jesus declared before the he resurrected Lazarus “I am the resurrection and the Life”

A. His Presence Lives in Me

Romans 8:9–11 NKJV

But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His. And if Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin, but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

If you have given your life to Christ he now lives in you!

The Spirit of God now lives in you!

You know have life as opposed the death’s nature in you!

1 Corinthians 6:19 NKJV

Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?

Our God doesn’t reside in a tomb he LIVES in us!

B. His Power Works in Me

Ephesians 1:19–20 NKJV

and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places,

C. His Purpose Works Through Me!

2 Corinthians 4:8–11 NKJV

We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.

You have resurrection power in you!

Christ can resurrect dead faith! If you have given up! He can make you alive!

Christ can restore what has been lost

CONCLUSION

And since we have been made aware of the great power of God, I want to ask an age old question. This question when asked will mean different things to different people, yet will be just as life changing to both:

Luke 24:5 NKJV

Then, as they were afraid and bowed their faces to the earth, they said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead?

“Why seek ye the living among the Dead?”

For those who do not yet know Jesus:

Why do you continue to look for solutions in places that do not and cannot satisfy? A risen savior awaits you to let Him in. It is time for you to live! Whether you come to him for the first time or whether you come back to Him again.

For those who do know Jesus:

Why do you continue to live as though you are defeated, Bottling up and quenching the power of the spirit working your life? The living spirit of God lives in you and waits for you to let Him out. Let Him have his way. Declare and walk in his power! Surrender to his will today.

SS: “He is Risen in Me!”

Today I declare a prayer. I don’t always write it out, but this time I felt it was appropriate to declare this in this moment:

My Prayer today: All knowing spirit of God. Make yourself known to us. Live in and through us! Save those who are lost!Stir those who are saved! Be glorified in our bodies. Be personified in our lives. In Jesus’ Name, Amen!