Eyes on Jesus: He Is Risen!

We are glad you're here today and I hope you have a wonderful day with family and whatever situation. You're going to enjoy this day. I hope it's a very positive when I think about what I was going to talk about this morning, I thought about that my wife and I go in to buy books at the bookstore and we had the real similar pattern you know you looking for discover and you look at what actually is it's on the cover. Maybe you've done through the book a little bit, but Terry did one thing I don't do. She read the last page. She did not want to get invested in a book and ended badly. And so she knew the end of every book that she undertook to read. I like the suspense is a little bit more.

Today across the world. People are focusing on the last page. This is the last page of Jesus's Ministry and his life on Earth and we celebrate this very positive and wonderful image, you know? Just a few months ago, we celebrate Christmas. Christmas is the first page and it is the last page. But you know, it's what happens in between those two epic moments. That really give true meaning to our life. Jesus said over and over again, follow me. Do what I do. Approach life the way. I would approach life. Now going to ask a hypothetical question. Please don't misunderstand. It's purely hypothetical. What? If there were no Resurrection, I don't believe that but I just think. How would that change your life? How would your life be different? Without that event. What philosophy would you live by? Existentialism, humanism pragmatism heating. There's a path of least resistance, or some kinds of choices out there.

I want you to know. Other people in this audience who I'm convinced we'll say the same thing that even without a resurrection. I would choose to live this same path based on the words in the wisdom of my God and his son Nobody has a perfect life. We all have issues that we have to deal with in life. We all have challenges, we all have obstacles that we go through.

The message that comes from Jesus is the message of how to survive that, how to be strengthened through that process and I honestly believe that if you want to live the best life possible, then authenticate the son of God.

The next slide shows. Some of the things that Jesus taught. Not the normal things we could make this slide huge. This is just a handful of sampling doing the others. So what you hear the world? Humble yourself. It's not what you hear. Love your enemies. Forgive one, another. What time you had a radical approach to life? An awkwardly extremely different approach that says, I'm not going to just do it the way that most people would. Another reality is, people been living by these principles for centuries, and that's why the Bible is still number one top seller. That's because it works. If you apply it. It works. A few weeks ago, we had air conditioning problems. So, I only gave the first part of what I had for paying for that day. And I shared with those who were here that day that at the church and guess we we had to change all the locks because we've been making copies from copies for so long if the keys didn't work. I so the advice of the locksmith was take, will one original key and lock it up and make every copy from the original. And I think we see that in the religious world, we see that in a lot of places in the world, but particularly the religious world we want to follow Jesus. How did she just do it?

Couldn't be a lot clearer.

I didn't put her picture up here. There's a young woman by the name of Jessica McClain and she is a half marathon specialist. You may know the story earlier this spring, she was competing in a half marathon in Atlanta. If she won the race, she had no obstacles to the United States Olympic trials. She was in. The mile and a half to go. She's way ahead of the race. A couple of people fairly close to her when she takes a wrong turn. Now, why did you take a wrong turn? The guide car with the wrong direction. Actually got off the official course and these three women, followed that guide car for about a mile before they realize that this wasn't the race. So they have to run back to the race and try to get back in. And again, Jessica McClain actually came in ninth because she was able to make up that amount of time. So what do the race officials do after the race? Poor Jessica.

Nope. You have to stay on the course but wait a second course lady who won the race. Actually had walked in and she needed the guy car had made a false turn. Now, for Jessica's benefit, they did give her all the prize money for winning first place, but she didn't get the first place trophy. That's harsh. But our world is sometimes very harsh that way. and when we try to follow, got to make sure that we're following the absolute true standard.

Two suggestions. Never wanted me to keep our eyes on Jesus. In Hebrews chapter 12, verses 1 through 3.

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders. And the sin that so easily entangles and let us run with perseverance, the race marked out for us. Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the Pioneer and Perfecter of face for the joy set. Before him. He endured the cross scoring machine. Is that the right hand of the Throne of God in 2 verse 3? We're going to run the race. Can you follow the guy car? You would think you could. but you can always you have to follow what, you know. to be the direction and go to where, you know, the finish line is

In John chapter 6, verses 67 and 68. People are leaving Jesus on a massive scale. He is introduced the concept that they're just not comfortable with and they're all not so many of his disciples walk away at that very moment.

He asked. Do you want to leave to Jesus? Ask the 12 Simon. Peter answered him. Lord to whom, shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, we have come to believe and then all that you are the Holy One Of God. Made a very brilliant Lee this situation, where we go, you're the source, you're the source of life, you're the way you're the truth, you're all of those things. Where else? Could we even go? Now that's a great statement by Peter. But do you remember a time? And Peter thought, it might be fun to walk on the water, he is going to walk up to the boat walking on the water and let me come down there to you.

So we just dropped off the side of the boat, sinks. Right? Know, we actually doesn't he actually walks on the water. Why didn't he walk all the way to the beach? Because he started to look around and see the things that were threatening him the winds and the waves. And I feel certain that if his brain he's saying, how am I doing this? I can't do this. And so he actually begins to sink.

Remember those little bracelets with wwjd on them? about, I don't know, some of, you know, better than I do about 25 years ago or so bad kind of Reach the Zenith and it wasn't just a Christian thing. It was a thing where everybody kind of got involved in it and it lasted it was kind of popular for a little while and then somebody changed it to what would Jesus drive? And, you know, he's just kind of fell apart from there.

I wish that hadn't happened because that bracelet that's question. Is a beautiful question. In all situations in life, with all of challenges with all obstacles, we can say to ourselves.

And based on that information, we get a life plan. But helpless walked away that you just want this to go. Now, people put long and they say, oh, you don't have to follow Jesus, just just follow me. Even find some support for this by the 1st Corinthians 4:16. Paul says to the church at Corinth, therefore I urge you to imitate me. This is Paul the man. Paul, who lived very sweet of you. His life, in Saint Paul, who continues to engage in, send by his own admission admission in the Book of Romans. And he says, follow me and other people come along the bridge. This world and say, I'm Jesus standing, don't have to go all the way to the

Now there was a period of time that we sometimes forget, that's frequently referred to as the discipleship. And that's before the word of God was available. And then first-century, Christian discipleship was very important. The message was handed down, the message was molded in the lives of these people it's up. When Paul says it will take me. He's not trying to take over some kind of religious movement and he clarifies that this a little later than 8:20 is 11:1. You just follow my example, as I followed the example of price That's a challenge to us as well.

I want to follow Christ. Is this person truly following Jesus Christ. Where is Jesus right now?

Hebrews chapter 11, verse 12. Does win this priest at offer? For all-time one sacrifice for sins. He sat down, At the hand of God. That's actually the second time. I've sure that today goes back in Hebrews, it also mentioned that Jesus has sat down at the right hand of God. Jesus is home. He's home with all the blessings of being with God, eternally his task and his mission, a complete. I think he's there. As a successful servant. And we know people who were with him. And we want to see those folks again. And we looked through the Bible in the Bible says you can be where Jesus is. Follow me. He says imitate me. Do what I do.

And you'll get there. Jesus, demonstrated the power of Resurrection. He says, in the Book of John, I Lay My Life down voluntarily and the power to do that. He demonstrated that for everybody. Partially, at least so that we know it's possible. It happened. Can. And it does. Happen again. And Luke chapter 9. First 23. Does any said that them whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily. And follow me.

Some years ago, there was a movie of Michael Keaton movie called multiplicity. You may remember the movie, This Guy's busy hard-working guy and so he comes up with idea of cloning himself and it's very funny movie because each clone is just a little bit off, from the one previous, any ultimately brings all these people into his life that isn't helping his life. They complicate his life. They're all kinds of religious voices out there saying that just do it the way. I do it the way I do it. And Jesus rises above that and said, simply. Follow me.

Would you go out with me?

You're going out to eat. We thank you for your son. Father, we thank you for the plan that the Trinity had to rescue us from our sins. And over the door for us to be eternally with you. We thank you for the love that motivated that we thank you for the courage that was involved. We thank you for the awesome sacrifices that Jesus made on the cross. Father, we thank you so much. Said that moment came When you again, fill him with life. And he walked and talked and was with people and witness the people and pop people before, he ultimately went back to the right hand with you. Other, we believe that that happened. And we believe that it happened to show us the way. Father, I just pray that each of us might take it upon ourselves to follow Jesus to follow the way. British singer son.

It's our custom to offer invitation at this one time in the service. We're going to do that this morning. If you have a need of a spiritual issue in your life as you to come forward, while we sing a song together,