NO FOOLIN

Jesus is ALIVE!!!! NO FOOLIN!

We serve a God like no other, He is not dead in a tomb, or made up and invented, He WAS and IS and IS to COME! He is RISEN and ALIVE and active in the lives of those who place their faith in HIM!

Today is not only Easter, but April Fool’s Day ---

April Fool’s started because of a change in the calendar — until 1582 Romans celebrated the New Year on April 1st while medieval Europe celebrated the New Year on either March 25th.

Pope Gregory 13th demanded that the New Year begin on January 1st (the Georgian Calendar).

While most shifted their date for the New Year to January 1st, those who did not were referred to as fools, and people would play jokes on them and send them on fool’s errands on April 1st - thus the saying April Fools.

Well, let me say this, THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST IS NOTHING FOOLISH!!! it is no fool’s errand -

IT IS HOWEVER THE BEGINNING OF ALL NEW LIFE!!!! It is where ETERNAL LIFE begins for all who believe.

John 3:16 NLT

“For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life.

John 11:25 NLT

Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying.

You could say however that some real fooling is going around....

That first RESURRECTION SUNDAY was the greatest FOOLS trick ever played on the devil!!!!

1. FOOLED BY CHRIST

Yes, the devil went on a fool’s errand and got the biggest blow!!!

Genesis 3:15 NLT

And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.”

On the day that Adam and Eve fell into sin and brought original sin into the world, a prophecy was made about the offspring of man and Satan.

That Satan would bruise the heel of man, but his head would be crushed.

Well, Satan thought his victory was assured when through his deception and lies he brought Christ to the cross. THE SON OF GOD - GOD HIMSELF was crucified, died and buried and in the grave.

He had bruised the heel — he had conquered God in that moment by defeating Jesus...

He had tried earlier to tempt him away from the Father’s plan, to lure him by deception into elevating himself, and he had not succeeded, but on the cross, Christ was crucified - Satan thought he won!

But the Words of Jesus on the cross “It is Finished” did not echo out that He was dead - but that the price for sin had been paid!!!

Only without His resurrection - without Him conquering the death and the grave and taking back the keys and triumphing over the grave the price for sin was paid, but the promise of eternal life was not secured.

On that third day after His death - He arose - just as he promised to do- fulfilling His own claims

Matthew 28:1–7 NLT

Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb. Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it. His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint. Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you.”

He fulfilled 353 prophecies given hundreds and thousands of years before He lived, and His own claim to conquer death and hell.

Revelation 1:18 NLT

I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave.

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He is victorious holding the keys of death and the grave - which means those of us who believe in Him can live eternally as He promised.

Jesus TRICKED THE DEVIL - HE MADE A FOOL OF HIM —

What the devil thought had given him the victory actually created his DEFEAT! It led to his hold over mankind in death to be conquered!!!

Hades (the grave) on the side of paradise for the righteous was opened when Christ died

Matthew 27:52 NLT

and tombs opened. The bodies of many godly men and women who had died were raised from the dead.

JESUS HAD WON and the devil had been fooled by CHRIST!

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It does not get any more awesome than that, but for thousands of years since the devil has not accepted his defeat and has worked to deceive mankind and to fool man from the truth!

2. FOOLED BY THE DEVIL

Mankind is believing a lie rather than the truth!!!

Man refuses to place CHRIST as the center of their lives, and not only believe, but LIVE the truth that Jesus created for us — why - they have believed the lies of Satan.

John 8:44 NLT

For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.

Ephesians 6:10–11 NLT

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil.

The word for devil here is DIABOLOS and it means deceiver.

The devil is out to deceive mankind thinking they do not need Jesus, His sacrifice, or salvation --- in so doing he places doubt in the hearts of men and helps secure our defeat along with his own — fooling and robbing mankind of the salvation Jesus died to bring us!!!

And we let the devil do it!!!!

We exchange the truth for a lie because we our led by our sinful desires and wanting to live lives of unrighteousness.

Romans 1:25 NLT

They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.

If you look at our society - we are engrossed in wanting all things of the earth, natural, those things we can see and embrace rather than the Lord that we cannot see in the physical.

We have chosen to worship and desire all this world has to offer and ignore the one who died to save us and rose again to give us new life.

This deception is Satan’s greatest APRIL FOOL’s joke upon mankind ---

Even so, just look at Easter - the name Easter itself stems from a pagan goddess of fertility and spring.

Where our fun little traditions of chicks, bunny, candy, etc. might seem so innocent, in reality they stem from a lie denying Christ the glory due His name.

As Christians we celebrate HIS RESURRECTION — yet the world is simply celebrating the coming of spring and ignoring all that this day really means —

Why - they have exchanged the truth for a lie --- holding fast to being FOOLED BY the DEVIL.

3. FOOLED BY OURSELVES

Galatians 6:7 NLT

Don’t be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant.

Galatians 6:7 KJV 1900

Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

What we sow in our lives, we shall reap in our lives!!!

So many have fooled themselves into thinking because they say they believe in Christ therefore they are Christian and saved.

This is not true!!!!! We fool ourselves.

If we believe in something, we will live what we believe!!!!

IF we believe a Ford is better than a Chevy we will buy a Ford.

IF we believe that we need to take care of the earth, we will recycle.

If we believe that smoking is truly bad for us, we will quit.

Etc. etc. etc.

Our actions demonstrate our faith...

James 2:18 NLT

Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.”

There are many who claim to believe in JESUS - they even say they believe He died and rose again — but they do not live what they believe.

If Jesus rose from the dead to SAVE us from SIN — why do we go on sinning??? Why do we go on living life the way we want to live life???

We deceive ourselves into thinking that religion or the words of our mouth change us,

Being a Christian is about surrendering our HEART TO CHRIST. It is not just saying a prayer of forgiveness, but repenting of our sin and surrendering our lives to CHrist.

In making Jesus the KING OF OUR LIVES, we show that we believe not just that HE DIED and ROSE AGAIN to SAVE US, but that we believe in WHY HE DID IT-

To give us new life in CHRIST.... TO make us into new creations...

2 Corinthians 5:17 NLT

This means that anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun!

If you are in Christ — a NEW LIFE BEGINS!!! A life where we put away the old person of sin, and pursue God with all that is within us.

Are you deceiving yourself into thinking all is ok and yet you are living like the old man of sin, never allowing Christ to TRANSFORM YOU INTO HIS IMAGE

Colossians 3:10 NLT

Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.

Romans 8:29 NLT

For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters.

Jesus wants you to become LIKE HIM!!!!

Don’t fool yourself into thinking all is ok because you say you believe,

Let your faith play out in your actions!!!!

CONCLUSION

1. Christ fooled the devil when He died on the cross, entered hell and conquered the grave, and ROSE again fulfilling all He promised. The devil thought he had victory over God in Jesus death, but in reality, He had just helped accomplish God’s plan of salvation for mankind.

2. The Devil is trying to fool mankind into believing a lie rather than in Christ because he knows he lost and he wants to make others losers as well. Deceiving people to not put their faith in Christ and to chase after the things in this world than after God.

Christ fooled the devil when He died on the cross, entered hell and conquered the grave, and ROSE again fulfilling all He promised. The devil thought he had victory over God in Jesus death, but in reality, He had just helped accomplish God’s plan of salvation for mankind.

3. We fool ourselves into thinking because we say we believe it is enough. Yes, salvation is free, but faith in Christ is evidenced by a life of surrender to Christ and His truth in our lives — we will live our faith and it will demonstrate whom we have believed in.

NO FOOLIN’ - don’t be a fool --- follow Christ today!

and remember

Romans 16:20 NLT

The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.

OUR RISEN SAVIOR is COMING BACK SOON and will UTTERLY DESTROY THE DEVIL sending him into the great abyss for all eternity. Make sure your on the winning side!!!