Let the Ruins Come to Life

Intro -

Run through the communication Card

When you think about Easter, there are two parts of it.

Friday - Cross

Sunday with the Resurrection.

The two combined are what we celebrate as Easter.

Most people understand the Friday part, but not so much the Sunday part. Jesus did something no one else has ever done for you. Jesus took on your sin. All of us have committed sin and someone is going to die for it.

Jesus stepped in and paid the price. He stepped into the courtroom of your life and he paid our bill. It wasn’t just an act of love - it was. It wasn’t just an act of power - it was He was conducting a transaction that had to take place.

Hell is not a place that God sends people to that he is mad at. Hell is a place where people choose to pay their own bill. You have to pay your own bill. It’s not real smart to pay your own bill when it’s already been paid.

You don’t have to join our church to do that, all he asks us to do is to give our life to him since he gave his life for you. You don’t have to be religious, Jesus just wants to be your best friend… to have you invite him into your life. I hope you will leave here today having experienced the Friday part - at least.

Listen, if Friday was so complete,

Why did Jesus have to rise up from the dead?

To Prove He Really is who He Claimed to be.

No other God has ever done this and this is what makes our God God.

The skeptics and Atheists say that’s our myth.

There were too many witnesses who saw him after his death for this to be a myth,.

Acts 1:3 NLT

3 During the forty days after he suffered and died, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God.

Here is what I want to talk about today. Most people kind of understand the reality of Friday.

Jesus rose from the dead to Conquer Death for himself and for us.

Easter exists for you to come alive as well.

Revelation 1:18 NKJV

18 I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.

That’s not only funny, but a great reality. Keys unlock things…

Jesus was resurrected so he could unlock death for everyone. A lot of people have had the Friday experience and you are going to heaven, but you are still walking around in defeat, destruction and misery.

You have had the Friday experience of Easter but not the Sunday part of Easter. You celebrated Easter, but you have not experienced it.

The Bible doesn’t teach that you just need to be saved or be a church member.

Philippians 3:10 NIV

10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,

The Bible Teaches us that we are to experience the power of his resurrection.

Have you had the Friday Experience?

Do You Know Christ?

You can change this in a moment. You can have the reality of Good Friday and have your sins forgiven. You can reverse the direction or the poem of your life just like the opener you saw a minute ago.

After you gave your heart do Jesus...

Do you know the power of His Resurrection?

I ask this because so many of you say you are saved, but you live in defeat. Im saved, but my life is ruined because of my past.

My marriage is ruined.

My relationship with my kids is ruined...

My career is ruined...

I love Jesus… love my church… but my life is ruined.

Let the Ruins come to life… song

People think that they can be forgiven, but their life is ruined. I’ll never get back. I am in ruins.

ru-in / 1. something reduced to a state of decay, collapse or disintegration.

ru-in / 2. the disastrous disintegration of someone’s life.

pic of old church St Andrews Church that was destroyed over and over. Most peoples lives are like this.

I tried to kick this habit… I can’t. it’s ruined. I tried to make good grades....

I tried to make right choices...

Something being ruined is a FACT unless you have resurrection power to bring the ruins back to life.

Only in Jesus Can the ruins come back to life.

Ephesians 1:19–20 The Living Bible

19 I pray that you will begin to understand how incredibly great his power is to help those who believe him. It is that same mighty power 20 that raised Christ from the dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in heaven,

That resurrection power was not a one time thing. The awesome power that raised Jesus from the grave is available for

your finances

your marriage

your career

your family

your children

Testimonies? Deszi?

End the Service -

Invitation to a journey to see the ruins of your life come back to life...

Jesus went to the temple and he read a scroll and then set it down and said that today this is fulfilled.

Isaiah 61:1–4 NIV84

1 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, 2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn, 3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. 4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.

poor - people who are bankrupt in their soul

bind up the broken hearted -

proclaim freedom for captives

Release darkness for prisoners

proclaim year of favor in your life

Isaiah 61:3–4 NIV

3 and provide for those who grieve in Zion— to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor. 4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.

Isaiah 61:4 NIV

4 They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.

Easter is not an event, it’s a process for God to restore and rebuild your life. The ruins of your life can come back to life.

4 steps

If you are carrying your own sin around and you are currently dying…

1. Stop Dying. /“The Lord as anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor”

“Easter is death working backwards.” CS Lewis

Jesus is the only one that can take the decay of your life and flip the script…

John 11:25–26 NIV84

25 Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; 26 and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”

2. Start Rebuilding. “Bind up the broken hearted… proclaim for the captives… release from darkness for the prisoners...”

Small Groups will help.

Challenge - Give it a year. Get in a group. Go through the Growth Track. Go through a Freedom Group. Join a ministry team.

The Grace of God will Save you! But...

Grace will meet you where you are, but it will never leave you where it found you.

It wants to take you in a journey of healing. He wants to save you and rebuild your life.

Too many people don’t believe this...

3. Stop Doubting. They will be called oaks of Righteousness, a planting of the Lord for the display of his splendor.”

I want you to be an oak of Righteousness.

Tell a story of me being inadequate.

We live in Louisiana. We are last on every list.

God sees greatness in me that I can’t see in myself.

We want to help you discover God’s purpose for your life.

4. Start Living. “They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.”

We want to see lives changed and people begin to really live life. How do we do that?

We Surrender

After Jesus said it was finished on the cross, then

Luke 23:46 NIV84

46 Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” When he had said this, he breathed his last.

Jesus surrendered his life to His Father… He let go. And that’s what we have to do to Start Living. we have to Let go ...

We can do that by

Getting to know God

Putting God First in every area of our life

Living One Day at a Time

Jesus didn’t come to make bad people good. He came to make dead people alive.

We hear .... get down here and repent… that’s part of it, but that’s not the God story …

Im not trying to build a big church. Im trying to build you. I want to see the ruins come to life.

Begins on allowing God to be your Savior… to forgive your sins.

A - I’m already in a real relationship with Jesus.

B - I’m beginning a real relationship with Jesus.

C - I’d Like to consider it a bit more.

D - I don’t ever intend on making that decision.

When you are finished filling this out, bow your head and then I’ll pray.