Jesus: The Risen Savior

THE PERSON OF THE RESURRECTION

INTRODUCTION:

OVER THE PAST SEVERAL WEEKS, WE HAVE BEEN LOOKING AT SOME OF THE KEY EVENTS IN THE LIFE OF JESUS, AS RECORDED IN THE BOOK OF JOHN.

THIS MORNING, WE LOOK AT ONE OF THE MOST PIVOTAL EVENTS NOT JUST IN THE LIFE OF JESUS, BUT FOR THE LIFE OF EVERY PERSON WHO CLAIMS FAITH IN JESUS.

TAKE YOUR BIBLE AND TURN WITH ME TO THE GOSPEL OF JOHN, CHAPTER 20.

WE’LL READ VERSES 1 THROUGH 18.

AND TODAY, AS WE CELEBRATE THE RESURRECTION, I WANT US TO THINK ABOUT THE PERSON OF THE RESURRECTION, JESUS CHRIST.

READ - PRAY

(ESV) – 17 AND IF CHRIST HAS NOT BEEN RAISED, YOUR FAITH IS FUTILE AND YOU ARE STILL IN YOUR SINS.

THE TRUTH IS THAT MOST PEOPLE KNOW JESUS IN A HISTORICAL SENSE.

THAT IS, THEY KNOW SOME THINGS ABOUT JESUS, BUT FOR MANY THAT IS AS FAR AS IT GOES.

BUT JESUS NEVER ASKED US TO BE ABLE TO QUOTE INFORMATION ABOUT HIM.

ILLUSTRATE – MARRIAGE

THINK ABOUT HOW BAD YOUR MARRIAGE WOULD BE IF YOU ONLY KNEW SOME THINGS ABOUT YOUR SPOUSE.

THERE WOULD BE NO INTIMACY, NO COMPASSION FOR THE OTHER PERSON, NO DESIRE TO PLEASE YOUR SPOUSE.

IF ALL I COULD DO IS TELL YOU SOME THINGS ABOUT MY WIFE, I WOULD OF ALL MEN BE MOST MISERABLE.

SAY, FOR EXAMPLE, YOU ASKED ME TO DESCRIBE KIMBERLEY TO YOU, AND ALL I COULD GIVE YOU WAS INFORMATION THAT ANYONE ELSE COULD KNOW, YOU WOULD PROBABLY QUESTION THE DEPTH OF OUR RELATIONSHIP.

THE SAME IS TRUE IN OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH JESUS.

THERE ARE SOME THINGS THAT WE NEED TO KNOW ABOUT JESUS, BUT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO ACTUALLY KNOW JESUS, ON A DEEPLY PERSONAL LEVEL.

TO LET HIS LIFE AFFECT OUR LIVES.

TO KNOW HIM, NOT JUST AS SOME HISTORICAL FIGURE, BUT AS THE ONE IN WHOM THE BIBLE SAYS “WE LIVE AND MOVE AND HAVE OUR BEING” ( ESV)

SO THIS MORNING, LET ME SHARE WITH YOU SOME THINGS THAT YOU MAY KNOW, BUT THAT POSSIBLY YOU’VE NEVER QUITE TAKEN THE TIME TO DEEPLY CONSIDER AND ACT UPON.

SOME THINGS THAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THE PERSON OF THE RESURRECTION.

HERE’S THE FIRST THING…IF YOU ARE A NOTE-TAKER, YOU CAN WRITE THIS DOWN.

1. HE KNOWS YOU.

a. HERE’S WHAT YOU NEED TO GET THIS MORNING…

b. JESUS DOESN’T JUST KNOW OF YOU, HE KNOWS EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU.

c. THIS TRUTH ANSWERS THE QUESTION, IS JESUS REALLY GOD?

d. LET ME PROVE THIS TO YOU.

e. THE BIBLE TEACHES US THAT JESUS POSSESSES EVERY ATTRIBUTE THAT GOD THE FATHER POSSESSES.

f. THINGS LIKE OMNIPRESENCE, OMNISCIENCE, AND OMNIPOTENCE.

g. AS A MATTER OF FACT, THERE IS BIBLICAL EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT THESE CLAIMS.

h. HE IS OMNIPRESENT.

i. HE IS EVERYWHERE, ALL THE TIME.

ii. (ESV) – 20 FOR WHERE TWO OR THREE ARE GATHERED IN MY NAME, THERE AM I AMONG THEM.”

iii. AND IN (ESV) – “…AND BEHOLD, I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS, TO THE END OF THE AGE.”

iv. CAN I TELL YOU THAT THIS MEANS MUCH MORE THAN THE WAY WE USE PHRASES LIKE THIS TODAY.

1. WE SOMETIMES SAY THINGS LIKE, “I’M THERE FOR YOU,” OR “WHEREVER YOU ARE, I’LL BE WITH YOU.”

2. AND WE USE THEM TO COMMUNICATE THE FACT THAT WE WILL DO EVERYTHING THAT WE POSSIBLY CAN TO SUPPORT OR HELP THE PERSON WE ARE SPEAKING TO.

3. BUT THE REALITY IS THAT WE CANNOT “BE THERE” ALL THE TIME, NO MATTER WHERE SOMEONE IS.

4. TRUTH IS THAT IF OUR SON HAS A PROBLEM IN JAMESTOWN, IN ORDER FOR ME TO BE ANY HELP TO HIM, I MUST FIRST GO THERE IN ORDER TO BE THERE.

5. BUT NOT SO WITH JESUS.

6. HE SAID “I AM THERE,” AND “I AM WITH YOU.”

7. AND HE MEANT EXACTLY WHAT HE SAID.

8. BECAUSE HE IS OMNIPRESENT.

i. HE IS OMNISCIENT.

i. HE IS ALL-KNOWING.

ii. THREE TIMES IN THE GOSPELS, THE WRITERS REFER TO JESUS “KNOWING THEIR THOUGHTS.”

iii. JESUS IS OMNISCIENT.

j. HE IS OMNIPOTENT.

i. HE IS ALL-POWERFUL.

ii. HE DISPLAYED HIS POWER OVER THE ELEMENTS WHEN HE CALMED THE STORM IN .

iii. HE DISPLAYED HIS POWER OVER DEATH WHEN HE RAISED THE WIDOW’S SON IN .

iv. HE DISPLAYED HIS POWER OVER SATAN WHEN HE CAST THE DEMON OUT OF THE MAN IN .

v. HE IS ALL-POWERFUL.

k. SO JESUS POSSESSES ALL THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD THE FATHER.

l. AND IN (ESV) - 30 I AND THE FATHER ARE ONE.

m. THEN IN (ESV) - 9 WHOEVER HAS SEEN ME HAS SEEN THE FATHER.

n. SO KNOWING THIS, WE CAN THEN UNDERSTAND HOW JESUS CAN EXPLAIN TO US THAT HE KNOWS US COMPLETELY AND THAT WE ARE OF GREAT VALUE TO HIM.

o. (ESV)

p. 28 AND DO NOT FEAR THOSE WHO KILL THE BODY BUT CANNOT KILL THE SOUL. RATHER FEAR HIM WHO CAN DESTROY BOTH SOUL AND BODY IN HELL. 29 ARE NOT TWO SPARROWS SOLD FOR A PENNY? AND NOT ONE OF THEM WILL FALL TO THE GROUND APART FROM YOUR FATHER. 30 BUT EVEN THE HAIRS OF YOUR HEAD ARE ALL NUMBERED. 31 FEAR NOT, THEREFORE; YOU ARE OF MORE VALUE THAN MANY SPARROWS. 32 SO EVERYONE WHO ACKNOWLEDGES ME BEFORE MEN, I ALSO WILL ACKNOWLEDGE BEFORE MY FATHER WHO IS IN HEAVEN, 33 BUT WHOEVER DENIES ME BEFORE MEN, I ALSO WILL DENY BEFORE MY FATHER WHO IS IN HEAVEN.

q. BECAUSE HE IS GOD, JESUS KNOWS YOU.

r. HE KNOWS YOU BETTER THAN YOU KNOW YOURSELF.

s. BUT HERE’S THE SECOND THING...

2. HE KNOWS WHERE YOU ARE.

a. NOT ONLY DOES HE KNOW EVERYTHING ABOUT YOU; YOUR HEIGHT, YOUR WEIGHT, THE COLOR OF YOUR EYES, HOW MANY HAIRS YOU HAVE…LEFT!

b. BUT HE KNOWS YOUR SITUATIONS.

i. HE KNOWS THE HURTS THAT YOU CARRY.

ii. THE PAIN THAT YOU ENDURE.

iii. HE KNOWS HOW YOUR ENEMIES SEEK TO DESTROY YOU.

iv. HE KNOWS WHAT’S GOING ON IN YOUR MARRIAGE.

v. HE KNOWS WHAT’S GOING ON IN YOUR CAREER.

vi. HE KNOWS WHAT YOU FEAR.

vii. HE KNOWS WHAT GIVES YOU SECURITY.

viii. HE KNOWS EXACTLY WHERE YOU ARE.

c. (ESV) – 14 SINCE THEN WE HAVE A GREAT HIGH PRIEST WHO HAS PASSED THROUGH THE HEAVENS, JESUS, THE SON OF GOD, LET US HOLD FAST OUR CONFESSION. 15 FOR WE DO NOT HAVE A HIGH PRIEST WHO IS UNABLE TO SYMPATHIZE WITH OUR WEAKNESSES, BUT ONE WHO IN EVERY RESPECT HAS BEEN TEMPTED AS WE ARE, YET WITHOUT SIN. 16 LET US THEN WITH CONFIDENCE DRAW NEAR TO THE THRONE OF GRACE, THAT WE MAY RECEIVE MERCY AND FIND GRACE TO HELP IN TIME OF NEED.

d. SO THAT WE MAY RECEIVE MERCY AND FIND GRACE TO HELP US AT THE PROPER TIME.

e. HE KNOWS WHERE YOU ARE…

f. HERE’S THE LAST THING I WANT YOU TO SEE THIS MORNING.

g. NOT ONLY DOES HE KNOW YOU, AND NOT ONLY DOES HE KNOW WHERE YOU ARE…

3. BUT HE KNOWS WHAT YOU NEED.

a. SAYS THAT JESUS UNDERSTANDS OUR WEAKNESSES, SO THAT WE MAY RECEIVE MERCY AND FIND GRACE TO HELP US.

b. CAN I TELL YOU THIS MORNING...THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH 12-STEP PROGRAMS TO HELP YOU DEAL WITH SOME OF THE PROBLEMS OF LIFE.

c. BUT YOU WILL NEVER FIND GRACE IN A 12-STEP PROGRAM.

d. AND THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH TAKING MEDICATION TO DEAL WITH THE AILMENTS THAT AFFLICT US.

e. BUT YOU WILL NEVER RECEIVE MERCY FROM MEDICATION.

f. OUR SPIRITUAL ISSUES CAN ONLY BE DEALT WITH IN A SPIRITUAL MANNER.

g. AND THE TRUTH IS THAT EACH OF US…YOU…ME…EVERYONE IN THIS ROOM…EVERYONE YOU KNOW…EVERYONE IN THE WORLD…HAS THE SAME PROBLEM.

h. AND THAT IS…THAT OUR SIN SEPARATES US FROM A HOLY GOD.

i. (ESV) – 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, 9 NOT A RESULT OF WORKS, SO THAT NO ONE MAY BOAST. 10 FOR WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP, CREATED IN CHRIST JESUS FOR GOOD WORKS, WHICH GOD PREPARED BEFOREHAND, THAT WE SHOULD WALK IN THEM.

CONCLUSION:

(ESV) – 24 THE GOD WHO MADE THE WORLD AND EVERYTHING IN IT, BEING LORD OF HEAVEN AND EARTH, DOES NOT LIVE IN TEMPLES MADE BY MAN, 25 NOR IS HE SERVED BY HUMAN HANDS, AS THOUGH HE NEEDED ANYTHING, SINCE HE HIMSELF GIVES TO ALL MANKIND LIFE AND BREATH AND EVERYTHING. 26 AND HE MADE FROM ONE MAN EVERY NATION OF MANKIND TO LIVE ON ALL THE FACE OF THE EARTH, HAVING DETERMINED ALLOTTED PERIODS AND THE BOUNDARIES OF THEIR DWELLING PLACE, 27 THAT THEY SHOULD SEEK GOD, AND PERHAPS FEEL THEIR WAY TOWARD HIM AND FIND HIM. YET HE IS ACTUALLY NOT FAR FROM EACH ONE OF US…

YOU WERE CREATED TO SEEK GOD

AND HE IS NOT FAR FROM YOU TODAY.

AND THE HOLY SPIRIT IS IN THIS PLACE, CONVICTING YOUR HEART, SO THAT PERHAPS YOU MIGHT REACH OUT AND FIND HIM.

ONE OF THE MOST POWERFUL PARTS OF THE RESURRECTION ACCOUNT IN JOHN, IS VERSE 16 (ESV), WHICH SAYS, 16 JESUS SAID TO HER, “MARY.”

I WONDER IF PERHAPS JESUS IS CALLING YOUR NAME THIS MORNING…