Jesus’ Resurrection

Intro

The Library of Alexandria

Once located in Egypt, is thought to have been the largest library in the entire world. It was named after Alexander the Great because he started the collection that later became the library.

Contained books from authors like Homer, Aristotle, and Plato. Also, it held very important religious books and historical records.

Tragically, the Library of Alexandria burned down in 48 BC. All of that wealth and knowledge that had been gathered in that place was destroyed and forever lost. A lot of people mourned what would have been.

New Life Church Fires

Our church burned at this location sometime around 2002.

Fire started in the attic. I was just a kid and may have been the first to see it.

There was no saving the building. Items were saved, but the building was gone.

A few years later, we had started all of the planning for our new building here, but we were having service in an old Catholic church building, which burned on a Sunday morning.

It was something like 45 minutes before service. Few people were there.

Fire started in the wall of the auditorium. Squirrels had been eating the wiring. After a missed attempt to put it out, the whole place went up.

We held service inside Glenn Sain. Pastor was to be preaching on “The Fire of the Holy Ghost.”

But clearly, that wasn’t the end, as bad as all that was… our building today is something to really be thankful for. And there are fire extinguishers on every corner!

Jesus Was Killed, but it Wasn’t the End

Jesus faced a sudden destruction, also.

The fires we just talked about were entirely unexpected. But Jesus was not surprised by His crucifixion. It was part of God’s plan.

The content of the Library of Alexandria is forever lost, but Jesus rose three days after His crucifixion. And it wasn’t just that He was restored - ALL was restored!

Lesson

The Resurrection

Death is the end of all natural things. Nothing is more final and perhaps more frightening. For this reason, God chose to demonstrate His power over death, Hell, and the grave.

Jesus faced an impossible situation: crucifixion.

As we have recently seen, God rarely does things the way we expect.

We are limited by our own human perspectives, but God is Spirit and is not bound by our limitations.

In fact, Scripture is full of instances where we see limitations, but God saw limitless possibility.

Matthew 28:6–8 NKJV

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.” So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.

We would think the disciples, after having spent so much time with Jesus and witnessing countless miracles, would have had more faith in Him.

It wasn’t until three days later, when Mary Magdalene and “the other Mary” visited the tomb of Jesus, that it was found vacant.

This experience was enough to shake the followers of Jesus and remind them that His ways are beyond our understanding.

Isaiah 55:8–9 NKJV

“For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” says the Lord. “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.

We must learn to recognize that while we often lack perspective, God sees and knows all.

Learning to trust in His unseen plan is an essential part of growing in our relationship with Him.

Matthew 7:7–8 reminds us:

If we ask, we will receive.

If we seek, we will find.

If we knock, the door will be opened.

1 Corinthians 15:55 NKJV

“O Death, where is your sting? O Hades, where is your victory?”

Paul wrote the words in this verse, but it’s not hard to imagine Jesus declaring them as He !exited the tomb.

Made New

To be made new, we have to leave the old behind and follow Jesus!

Only then can we truly be separated from our old selves.

This means leaving certain parts of our current identity to take on the identity of Christ.

2 Corinthians 5:17–18 NKJV

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation,

To be in Christ is to be like Christ.

Living in Covenant with Christ

No matter how strong your relationship with God may seem, every relationship, if it’s neglected, will eventually fall into ruin.

2 Peter 2:21 NKJV

For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them.

Jesus lived out His life on the world’s biggest stage for one reason only: to provide us with the opportunity for new life.

Romans 6:23 NKJV

For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

1 Peter 3:18 NKJV

For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,

Conclusion

There’s no greater demonstration of love than the King of kings and Lord of lords coming to Earth as a man and dying for our sins!

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