Easter 2018 - Come Alive

Intro –

Today we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. From death to life, from suffering servant to King of Kings. Today is a day like no other, it is the day that changed and re-shaped our world. The faith that rose from the ashes of death to the largest faith in the world has changed the face of the planet in just the short two thousand years. It is this faith known as Christianity that sprung from the tomb with the risen Messiah.

It the resurrection of Jesus which we celebrate today.

John 20:1–23 NLT

Early on Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance. She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, “They have taken the Lord’s body out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” Peter and the other disciple started out for the tomb. They were both running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He stooped and looked in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he didn’t go in. Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there, while the cloth that had covered Jesus’ head was folded up and lying apart from the other wrappings. Then the disciple who had reached the tomb first also went in, and he saw and believed—for until then they still hadn’t understood the Scriptures that said Jesus must rise from the dead. Then they went home. Mary was standing outside the tomb crying, and as she wept, she stooped and looked in. She saw two white-robed angels, one sitting at the head and the other at the foot of the place where the body of Jesus had been lying. “Dear woman, why are you crying?” the angels asked her. “Because they have taken away my Lord,” she replied, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” She turned to leave and saw someone standing there. It was Jesus, but she didn’t recognize him. “Dear woman, why are you crying?” Jesus asked her. “Who are you looking for?” She thought he was the gardener. “Sir,” she said, “if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him.” “Mary!” Jesus said. She turned to him and cried out, “Rabboni!” (which is Hebrew for “Teacher”). “Don’t cling to me,” Jesus said, “for I haven’t yet ascended to the Father. But go find my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ” Mary Magdalene found the disciples and told them, “I have seen the Lord!” Then she gave them his message. That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be with you,” he said. As he spoke, he showed them the wounds in his hands and his side. They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord! Again he said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

The history – (Read and tell the story of the resurrection)

The resurrection confirmed that Jesus is the Son of God.

The resurrection confirmed that God had forgiven the sins of humanity through the sacrifice of Jesus.

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But the question we all want to know is: What difference does it make?

The Resurrection of Jesus is the hope of the cosmos and a new creation.

The resurrection is Life -Physical Resurrection of the dead in Christ. (Family reunion)

1 Thessalonians 4:13–18 NLT

And now, dear brothers and sisters, we want you to know what will happen to the believers who have died so you will not grieve like people who have no hope. For since we believe that Jesus died and was raised to life again, we also believe that when Jesus returns, God will bring back with him the believers who have died. We tell you this directly from the Lord: We who are still living when the Lord returns will not meet him ahead of those who have died. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven with a commanding shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trumpet call of God. First, the believers who have died will rise from their graves. Then, together with them, we who are still alive and remain on the earth will be caught up in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. Then we will be with the Lord forever. So encourage each other with these words.

The resurrection is Joy - The world becomes again the temple of God.

Revelation 21:1–4 NLT

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.”

Where there is no more death, no more slavery, no more injustice.

The resurrection is Beauty - Resurrection of a new world.

Romans 8:18–22 NLT

Yet what we suffer now is nothing compared to the glory he will reveal to us later. For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time.

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But what about now? How does the resurrection impact you today?

The Resurrection of Jesus has empowered us to experience real LIFE, JOY, and BEAUTY.

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Through the resurrection we come alive to a new way of being Human.

Romans 6:4 NLT

For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.

You no longer have to be a slave to depression

You no longer have to be a slave to fear

You no longer have to be a slave to anger and unforgiveness.

You no longer have to be a slave to your addictions.

You no longer have to be a SLAVE!

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Through the resurrection we are empowered to live this new way of being human.

Romans 8:11 NLT

The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.

The same God who breathed the stars into existence empowers us to live this new life.

The same Spirit that raised the dead body of Jesus empowers us to be a new creation.

I cant forgive

I cant love

I cant stop

YES YOU CAN BECAUSE THE SAME POWER THAT RAISED JESUS DESIRES TO EMPOWER YOU TO LIVE A NEW LIFE.

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HOW CAN YOU EXPERIENCE THE POWER AND THE REALITY OF THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS RIGHT NOW?

Romans 10:9 NLT

If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

Romans

It is that simple.

Declare to the world that Jesus is your Lord.

Not you

Not the culture

Not your addiction

But Jesus.

And believe in all your being that Jesus was raised from the dead.

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This new Life

This new Life

This new way of being Human is what Salvation is all about.

A new life of freedom

A new life of Love

A new life free from the hell and death you have been living in.

A new Life that is eternal

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The resurrection of Jesus in our HOPE

The resurrection of Jesus is the Hope of a new Heaven and Earth

The resurrection of Jesus is our Hope for the resurrection of the dead.

The resurrection is our Hope for a new life, a new way of being Human right now.!

Colossians 3:1–10 NLT

Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, set your sights on the realities of heaven, where Christ sits in the place of honor at God’s right hand. Think about the things of heaven, not the things of earth. For you died to this life, and your real life is hidden with Christ in God. And when Christ, who is your life, is revealed to the whole world, you will share in all his glory. So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. Because of these sins, the anger of God is coming. You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. Don’t lie to each other, for you have stripped off your old sinful nature and all its wicked deeds. Put on your new nature, and be renewed as you learn to know your Creator and become like him.

Joy –

Beauty -

Ruled by love and forgiveness not by power and revenge.

The Resurrection of Jesus is Hope for the future, but it is also the power in the present to live a life of freedom, Love, Forgiveness, Joy and Beauty.

Now this power for real LIFE in the present and Eternal LIFE in the future is available to all.

THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CRIES OUT TO US

The Lord is risen. He is risen indeed! The Master is gracious; He accepts the last even as the first; He gives rest to those of the eleventh as well as to those who have labored from the first; He is lenient with the last while looking after the first; to the one He gives, to the other He gives freely; He accepts the labors and welcomes the effort; honors the deed, but commends the intent. So, all of you, enter into the joy of our Lord: first and second, share the bounty. Rich and poor alike, celebrate together. Sober or heedless, honor the day. Those who fasted, and those who did not, rejoice today. The table is full, everyone fare sumptuously. The calf is fatted; no one go away hungry. Everyone, savor the banquet of faith; relish the riches of His goodness.

COME ALIVE!

No one need lament poverty, for the kingdom is seen as universal. No one need grieve over sins; forgiveness has dawned from the tomb. No one need fear death; the Savior's death has freed us from it. While its captive He stifled it. He despoiled Hades as He descended into it; it was angered when it tasted His flesh. Foreseeing this, Isaiah proclaimed: "Hades," he said, "was angered when he met You below." It was angered because it was abolished It was angered because it was mocked It was angered because it was slain. It was angered because it was shackled. It received a body and encountered God. It took earth and came face-to-face with heaven. It took what it saw and fell by what it could not see. Death, where is your sting? Hades, where is your victory? Christ is risen and you are overthrown. Christ is risen and demons have fallen. Christ is risen and angels rejoice. Christ is risen and life rules. Christ is risen and not one dead remains in the tomb. For Christ, having risen from the dead, has become the firstfruits of those that slept. To Him be the glory and the dominion, forever. Amen.