Jesus Alive!

Mark Dell“Good morning, my name is Mark Dell, Senior Pastor here at Legacy Bible Church. I would like to welcome all of you here today. And I would also like to welcome those who are listening online too. I say good morning and Happy Resurrection Sunday!

Jab 1

Revelation 1:8 ESV

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Revelation 1:8 ESV

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Today is all about one thing. It is about Jesus and the event that is the event in all of history. The event of the resurrection.

The first Sunday after that Passover when Jesus was arrested, tried, tortured and nailed to a cross where His physical body was killed, embalmed and put into a tomb.

That first Sunday is the reason why we are here today and why we will be here next week. Jesus rose from the grave. He came back to life and he lives now and forever more.

But

Jab 2 The resurrection is the most important part of the Gospel. Without the Resurrection there is no reason to follow Christ. He is just another guy who is now in the ground.

Today is all about one thing. It is about Jesus and the event that is the event in all of history. The event of the resurrection.

You see, even thoughJesus said some very profound things through his preaching (almost everyone agrees with that—Christians and non-Christians alike believe that—even though He taught some amazing things and even thoughJesus did some very profound things through the miracles. The miracles were very profound, even though He did and said all those things it doesn’t mean anything if there is no resurrection.

The resurrection sets Jesus apart from any other God, any other religion. The resurrection goes far beyond anything else.

The first Sunday after that Passover when Jesus was arrested, tried, tortured and nailed to a cross where His physical body was killed, prepared for burial and put into a tomb.

So if there is no resurrection, if there is no new life then Jesus is just another wise, talented even gifted person who is no longer with us. Surviving only through not even his writings, but the writings of eyewitnesses.

Jab 2 Jab 3 I had a college professor years ago who was pretty brilliant, I mean college professors are supposed to be that. But I was in class one day and he was talking about religion and he was talking about Jesus and he said something that was really profound. He said that he liked what Jesus said, he said that he agreed with pretty much everything he reads about this Jesus. Believed that he was a real person who walked on the real earth.

Without the resurrection there isn’t much to go on. Jesus never wrote a book to leave behind for us to read. He never travelled more than 200 miles from where he was born, but has affected more people than all the armies of the world.

That first Sunday is the reason why we are here today and why we will be here next week, and the week after that until He comes again.

Again, the thing that makes Jesus so special is the resurrection. The fact that He died and three days later came back from the dead. This is why we focus so much on the resurrection. Not only on Easter, but most every Sunday we talk about how Jesus died and how he came back and what that means to you and me, today in where we live, where we work, how it affects every single area of my life.

Jesus rose from the grave. He came back to life and he lives now and forever more and those of us who have surrendered to him through faith will go on from this life and live with Him forever.

Jab 3 I had a college professor years ago who was pretty brilliant, I mean college professors are supposed to be that. But I was in class one day and he was talking about religion and he was talking about Jesus and he said something that was really profound. He said that he liked what Jesus said, he said that he agreed with pretty much everything he reads about this Jesus. Believed that he was a real person who walked on the real earth.

Jab 2 The resurrection is the most important part of the Gospel. Without the Resurrection there is no reason to follow Christ. He is just another guy who is now in the ground.

So it sounded like he was going to say that he was a believer, a follower of Jesus Christ. But he paused and he said something that was really profound, something I will never forget.

You see, even thoughJesus said some very profound things through his preaching (almost everyone agrees with that—Christians and non-Christians alike believe that)

even though He taught some amazing things and even thoughJesus did some very profound things through the miracles. The miracles were very profound, even though He did and said all those things it doesn’t mean anything if there is no resurrection.

The resurrection sets Jesus apart from any other God, any other religion. The resurrection goes far beyond anything else.

He said, I agree with the teachings and the life of Jesus and I would be a Christian except for one thing. And he shook his head and said, I just can’t get past the resurrection. I believe in all of the other stuff, but I just can’t get beyond the resurrection.

So if there is no resurrection, if there is no new life then Jesus is just another wise, talented even gifted person who is no longer with us. Surviving only through not even his writings, but the writings of eyewitnesses.

He was on to something you know. I loved that professor, and I will even pray for him today. But he was right in is understanding of the importance of the resurrection, the coming back to life of Jesus. Right Hook And that is exactly what we celebrate here now and every week. The fact that Jesus had died, physically, bodily and that he came back 3 days later. He came back to new life.

Without the resurrection there isn’t much to go on regarding Him.

Jesus never wrote a book to leave behind for us to read. He never travelled more than 200 miles from where he was born, he didn’t leave any riches, never owned even a home, but this Jesus has affected more people than any king, than all the armies of the world.

Again, the thing that makes Jesus so special is the resurrection. The fact that He died and three days later came back from the dead. This is why we focus so much on the resurrection. Not only on Easter, but most every Sunday we talk about how Jesus died and how he came back and what that means to you and me, today in where we live, where we work, how it affects every single area of my life.

For Easter, even in the secular world focuses on the newness of life, the new life of the spring season. But the Gospel, because of the resurrection also focuses on the new.

And unless we embrace this resurrection, this new life we cannot know Him.

Jab 3 I had a college professor years ago who was pretty brilliant, I mean college professors are supposed to be that. But I was in class one day and he was talking about religion and he was talking about Jesus and he said something that was really profound. He said that he liked what Jesus said, he said that he agreed with pretty much everything he reads about this Jesus. Believed that he was a real person who walked on the real earth.

You see, Jesus said some very profound things through his preaching and Jesus did some very profound things through the miracles. The miracles were very profound.

So it sounded like he was going to say that he was a believer, a follower of Jesus Christ. But he paused and he said something that was really profound, something I will never forget.

But if there is no resurrection, if there is no new life then Jesus is just another wise, talented even gifted person who is no longer with us. Surviving only through not even his writings, but the writings of eyewitnesses.

That isn’t much to go on. Jesus never wrote a book, he never travelled more than 200 miles from where he was born but has affected more people than all the armies of the world.

That isn’t much. Again, the thing that makes Jesus so special is the resurrection. The fact that He died and three days later came back from the dead. This is why we focus so much on the resurrection. Not only on Easter, but most every Sunday we talk about how Jesus died and how he came back and what that means to me, today in where I live, where I work, how I act and what I think about.

He said, I agree with the teachings and the life of Jesus and I would be a Christian except for one thing. And he shook his head and said, I just can’t get past the resurrection. I believe in all of the other stuff, but I just can’t get beyond the resurrection.

Again, the thing that makes Jesus so special is the resurrection. The fact that He died and three days later came back from the dead. This is why we focus so much on the resurrection. Not only on Easter, but most every Sunday we talk about how Jesus died and how he came back and what that means to me, today in where I live, where I work, how I act and what I think about.

He was on to something you know. I loved that professor, and I will even pray for him today. But he was completely right in is understanding of the importance of the resurrection, the coming back to life of Jesus.

Without the resurrection, there is nothing for us. The resurrection is the point of the Gospel message. Without it, Christ is just another prophet who said some great things who is no longer with us.

But with it, but with the resurrection there is new life, new life that lasts forever.

Right Hook And that is exactly what we celebrate here now and every week. The fact that Jesus had died, physically, bodily and that he came back 3 days later. He came back to new life.

For Easter, even in the secular world focuses on the newness of life, the new life of the spring season. But the Gospel, because of the resurrection also focuses on the new.

Easter, even in the secular world focuses on the newness of life, the new life of the spring season. But the Gospel, because of the resurrection also focuses on the new.

John 20:1–10 ESV

Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes.

There is new life attached to Jesus. Because of his Resurrection we have that new life available to us. When we surrender ourselves over to Him in faith we are moving into new life too.

And new life is exciting.

But we don’t always experience the joy of the resurrection. We struggle with things that keep us from new life.

I know I struggle sometimes and I am sure that all of us struggle with things that keep us from experiencing the new life that has been delivered to us through the resurrection.

What keeps us from enjoying the new life?

There are things like doubt, there are things like discouragment, and even devastation that keep us from experiencing the New Life we have in Jesus.

And there are some stories in Scripture, stores that surround the resurrection that I want to look at that might help us identify with some of the issues that we might face that keep us from experiencing new life.

Through Jesus New Life is available to us. New Life as opposed to the old dead life.

And there are some stories in Scripture that surround the resurrection that I want to look at that will help us identify with the issues that we might face that keep us from experiencing new life.

New life from Doubt (Thomas), from Defeat (road to Emmaus) and Denial (Peter)

EXPLANATION (10 minutes)

John 20:1–10 ESV

Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes.

I think Scripture shows us that we can have new life from these things that seem like they can hold us down.

The first barrier to New Life would be the problem of doubt.

1. New life in Jesus means New Life from doubt

John 20:24–29 ESV

Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.” Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Doubt is something that we all struggle with. We all struggle with doubt at some point or another about this or that. Everyone deals with it in some form.

What causes you to doubt? What area are you having trouble trusting Jesus in? Is it because it doesn’t make sense on paper?

Maybe you doubt because you have never had success in this area before? What are you holding back because of doubt? Because listen, you can trust in the one who came back to life.

Thomas was with Jesus for those three years. He saw Jesus feed the 5000, he saw Jesus walk on water, he saw the miracles.

But there was still something that got in the way. He finally believed when Jesus came into the room. He came in through locked doors. He came through the door. Pretty sure you will believe anything anyone says when they walk through a door.

But doubt will keep new life from you. Sometimes just choosing to believe and acting on it is the first step of faith. The fist step.

Hebrews 11:1 ESV

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

That means that there is no reason to believe other than trusting in God. It won’t make sense in your head, it can’t because then it wouldn’t be faith and God requires us to have faith. Doubt can keep us from new life in Jesus.

What else can keep us from New Life in Jesus? Sometimes disappointment can keep us from new life.

2. New Life in Jesus means New Life from disappointment.

2. Disappointment can keep us from new life.

There is a story about some men on the road to Emmaus. Let me read for you.

Luke 24:13–24 ESV

That very day two of them were going to a village named Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and they were talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them. But their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, “What is this conversation that you are holding with each other as you walk?” And they stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, named Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only visitor to Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?” And he said to them, “What things?” And they said to him, “Concerning Jesus of Nazareth, a man who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and rulers delivered him up to be condemned to death, and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things happened. Moreover, some women of our company amazed us. They were at the tomb early in the morning, and when they did not find his body, they came back saying that they had even seen a vision of angels, who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see.”

Luke 24:13

And then Jesus speaks to them and even though He keeps himself from being recognizable to them he teaches them and he stays with them and he breaks bread with them just like when he was with them during the first communion and then they recognized him. As soon as they recognize Him, as soon as they encounter Him New Life emerges.

Jesus gives them new life even in their disappointment. He shows himself to them and reminds them of the things that He taught them. He isn’t a dead savior, there is no need to be disappointed.

If we live with disappointment then we are of no use. We have that thing hanging over us all the time. I don’t know what disappointment is in your life. I could be a broken relationship with someone else. It could be a bad habit that continues over and over. It could be just plain sin, which is missing the mark that God has for you.

But living in disappointment is the opposite of living new life in Christ.

You can let that disappointment go, you can forgive yourself when you put your trust and your hope in the risen savior. So we can have new life from doubt, from disappointment and we can have New Life in the wake of defeat.

3 New life in Jess is New Life from defeat.

new life from

The night before Jesus died we read about Peter who denies Jesus three times. Denies even knowing Jesus. Peter. Again, the guy who walked on water with Jesus, Peter. The guy who was with Jesus during the transfiguration, Peter. The Peter who saw Jesus heal his mother in law Peter. The Peter who said that he would be willing to be arrested even die for Jesus, Peter. That is who this is.

And when things got tough he, as predicted would say, “I don’t know the man”. He watches Jesus die, and the last thing he said while Jesus was alive was, I don’t know Him. This is devastating to Peter.

Have you ever sinned, or been tempted and given in and you know how you feel afterwards? After you hurt the person that loves you the most? Devastation, defeat.

This would create a tension in Peter, something kind of hanging over him. But then Jesus shows himself and he actually appears again to all the fishermen who are out fishing and the word says that they didn’t know who Jesus was from the shore. Jesus tells them to cast their net on the other side of the boat.

They do and they catch such a large load that they couldn’t get it on the boat. Who is that guy who told us where to throw the net? John speaks and says, “it is the Lord”.

Peter hears that and he jumps in the water and swims to the shore where Jesus is, where he has cooked breakfast for them.

John 21:15–19 ESV

When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He said to him a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” He said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was grieved because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. Truly, truly, I say to you, when you were young, you used to dress yourself and walk wherever you wanted, but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will dress you and carry you where you do not want to go.” (This he said to show by what kind of death he was to glorify God.) And after saying this he said to him, “Follow me.”

If you read the account in you will read how Peter denies Jesus on 3 different occasions fulfilling that prophecy of Jesus.

Now we see that Jesus talks with Peter, he forgives him. He asks him three times if Peter loves him more than these other things. More than the other disciples, more than this fishing gear, and Peter says, you know that I do.

3 times he denies him and 3 times Jesus forgives him. What do you need forgiveness from? We all need forgiveness. What has you defeated today? What defeat in your life has put a barrier between us and Christ?

Defeat, defeat from sin, defeat from circumstances should not get in the way of your surrendering yourself to Jesus because Jesus already paid for your penalty for sin.

It doesn’t matter how bad you are, it doesn’t matter how much wrong you have done in your life. If you are sincere and you want Jesus to come into your life, He will. There is nothing that you could have done that will keep him from saving you if you are sincere and you ask.

You sin has been paid for. Jess is ready and willing to place that forgiveness on you. All you need to do is receive that forgiveness.

The Pillar New Testament Commentary: The Gospel according to John 1. Peter and John at the Empty Tomb (20:1–9)

It is remarkable that all four Gospels (cf. Mt. 28:1; Mk. 16:2; Lk. 24:1) introduce their respective resurrection accounts by specifying the first day of the week, rather than ‘the third day’ after the crucifixion (cf. 1 Cor. 15:3, 4), despite Jesus’ passion predictions (Mk. 8:31 par.). The reason is disputed, but it may have to do with the desire to present the resurrection of Jesus as the beginning of something new.

English Standard Version Chapter 28

Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.” 8 So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples.

English Standard Version Chapter 16

2 And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. 3 And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?”

Even though we deal with these things, with doubt, we deal with disappointments, we deal with defeat we have hope because we have a deliverer, in Christ we have a deliverer.

4 Christ is our deliverer.

When someone encounters Jesus, new life comes.

One very important concept that I want to leave you with is this. In order for there to be the New Life that we keep talking about this morning, we need to understand that none of these problems that we talked about could go away until Jesus shows up.

It is only when Jesus shows up that Thomas’ doubt was fixed. It was only when Jesus shows up that the men on the Road to Emmaus were able to be freed from their defeat

It is only when Jesus shows up to Peters fishing boat that he is able to break the chains of his defeat.

It takes Jesus to show up to solve any of our problems.

And because he walked out of that tomb we have the same opportunities for freedom, we have the same opportunities for forgiveness, we have the same opportunities for New Life.

He is alive and because He is alive we can have life too!

The Gospel of John, Volume 2 Sharing the Good News (John 20:11–18 Contd)

In that message of Mary, there is the very essence of Christianity, for a Christian is essentially one who can say: ‘I have seen the Lord.’ Christianity does not mean knowing about Jesus; it means knowing him. It does not mean arguing about him; it means meeting him. It means the certainty of experience that Jesus is alive.

Like we said before, the only way to a new life in Christ is to sincerely put all of your hope in Jesus. Not in your security, not in your retirement, not in a job you love, not in your kids, not in the latest and the greatest of things,

Not to put your hope in the best vacations, or the best entertainment, or the best travel plans for the weekend or the best goals for yourself.

The only way to new Life in Jesus is through meeting Him, meeting Jesus and He is here this morning.

When He walked out of that grave, when he defeated death He began something new and so I have to beg you this morning to consider that.

Consider this Jesus who got up out of the coffin and lives and breathes and is drawing you to himself today.

You can pray to him with the faith of a child. You can say this morning,

Jesus, I desire to make you number 1 in my life. I understand that you won’t make me crazy but Lord I need you in my life. I need to put you first in my life. Things aren’t working out for me on my own and I surrender, I surrender I surrender my heart to you this morning. Please forgive me and take over my heart this morning, Lord.

If you did that even in your heart this morning and if you were sincere than you my friend are a brother or a sister in Christ. You are a new creation, the old is gone and the new has come.

If you did pray that I ask that you would please contact me. Either through one of the welcome cards on the table or by just coming up and talking to me or someone else you know in this room.

The reality of the Resurrection gives us new life an a new purpose. Pray with me.

Jesus is alive. Jesus is alive.

Most of the early witnesses came to faith in Jesus as the resurrected Lord not because they could not find his corpse but because they found Christ alive;

The Message of John 4. Thomas (20:24–31)

Jesus speaks a further word of beatitude: blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed (29). In recording these further words of Jesus, John clearly has an eye for his readers, whether in the first or twentieth century, who ‘see him no more’, and are assured therefore that their position is not inferior to that of Thomas. Indeed, in Jesus’ mind it is in some respects a better position, since to them is extended this special blessedness: ‘though you have not seen him, you love him’ (1 Pet. 1:8).

Jesus Alive!

INTRODUCTION (10 minutes)

EXPLANATION (10 minutes)

APPLICATION (10 minutes)

Jesus Alive!

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INTRODUCTION (10 minutes)

EXPLANATION (10 minutes)

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APPLICATION (10 minutes)