The Resurrection & a Divine Proposal

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Opening Video

Jesus has extended an invitation
to know the God of creation
to receive his love—when we knew no peace
he offered relationship, when all we knew was to keep and break rules.
This is the resurrection, that through His death we have come to know life, that we can freely offer his life to him?
How has the come to be, how can it be,

5 Components (5 P’s) of the Resurrection Story

Pursue
Proposal
Promise
Prepare
Possibilities —leads to the challenge

Challenge you to embrace a way of being for the next 50 days:

The Resurrection and a Divine Proposal

Nostalgia—temptation to look back fondly

This is not what we are doing this morning. If you are nostalgic about Easter, you are living in the past, hunkered down in powerlessness.

This morning we are here to Celebrate, He is Risen (echo!)

Remember—in light of the resurrection the invitation and expected (NOT DESIRED) response is CLEAR

As we celebrate the Risen king, I want to present to you 5 P’s that the Easter Story illumines and invites seekers and finders of Christ to incorporate and embody.
As we celebrate the Risen king, I want to present to you 5 P’s that the Easter Story illumines and invites seekers and finders of Christ to incorporate and embody.

Jesus pursues his created ones (Israel) & those far away (Gentiles)

the loving pursuit of Christ, was his sacrificial death. His life was given to anyhow who would believe when he died on the cross.
because of the cross any who would believe and receive experience the grace of Go through surrender to the will & ways of Christ.

Jesus proposes (garden & in various places)

propose—deal
propose—enter into relation. Will you respond to the love of God, by endeavoring to love in like manner.
produces —nurture (what now?
prepares —receive (moving forward)
(em)powers —obey (patiently anticipating to obediently follow and proclaim)
Proposal
act of putting forward or stating something for consideration.
Everyone thought the proposal made sense. The committee is reviewing the proposal for the new restaurant. They put forth a proposal to sell the company. These problems have led to the proposal of a new law.
Something proposed—an offer of marriage, asking someone to marry you.
I have a proposal
Story of my proposal to Karen
Divine Proposal
Divine Proposal
Often during Holy Week & Easter, the crucifixion and resurrection is spoken of in transactional Language. Like Jesus is putting forth a theorem or idea by which he wants us to consider. While these propositions are readily deduced from the story of Christ’s death and resurrection and are accurate and true.
I am wonder if we miss the essence of the story.
What if the events of Holy week that culminate are not so much a transaction being put forth, like we are negotiating a deal on the car lot of our souls
What if, this story we celebrate and remember is a wonderful culmination and crescendo of a beautiful love story of grace and mercy?
But the resurrection is the culmination & unfolding of a Divine Proposal
Follow with me in the account of Christ revealing himself following the empty tomb
Luke 24:1–12 ESV
But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices they had prepared. And they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in they did not find the body of the Lord Jesus. While they were perplexed about this, behold, two men stood by them in dazzling apparel. And as they were frightened and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” And they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene and Joanna and Mary the mother of James and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles, but these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter rose and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; and he went home marveling at what had happened.
Luke 24:
-the Life of Christ has been an all out pursuit of God’s heart, to capture again the love that has been lost b/w creator and creation.
the death was the ultimate expression of His dying love and devotion for His image bearers.
Christ’s proposal played out exactly as it was intended
Hope wasn’t lost on His people. They may have thought His death was an ultimate loss of all Hope for what they thought was unfolding.
Instead His death, was a type of getting permission to propose and procuring a ring for the beloved.
God the Father approved of Christ’s choice—Think
Psalm 22:25–26 ESV
From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will perform before those who fear him. The afflicted shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek him shall praise the Lord! May your hearts live forever!
Psalm 22:and . His sacrifice would make a way for salvation and peace. The only way to signify and create the possibility for sealing the Love of Christ for those who would respond to the proposal, was if Death was overcome. Christ the victor over death and the keys to the kingdom has opened the door for the Groom to enter into eternal relationship with His beloved. So the resurrection creates the possibility for nothing to come in between Christ and His bride.
Psalm 118:26–29 ESV
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! We bless you from the house of the Lord. The Lord is God, and he has made his light to shine upon us. Bind the festal sacrifice with cords, up to the horns of the altar! You are my God, and I will give thanks to you; you are my God; I will extol you. Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!
. His sacrifice would make a way for salvation and peace. The only way to signify and create the possibility for sealing the Love of Christ for those who would respond to the proposal, was if Death was overcome. Christ the victor over death and the keys to the kingdom has opened the door for the Groom to enter into eternal relationship with His beloved. So the resurrection creates the possibility for nothing to come in between Christ and His bride.
His sacrifice would make a way for salvation and peace. The only way to signify and create the possibility for sealing the Love of Christ for those who would respond to the proposal, was if Death was overcome.
Christ the victor over death and the keys to the kingdom has opened the door for the Groom to enter into eternal relationship with His beloved. So the resurrection creates the possibility for nothing to come in between Christ and His bride.
Remember:
Jeremiah 31:31–34 ESV
“Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and the house of Judah, not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt, my covenant that they broke, though I was their husband, declares the Lord. For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts. And I will be their God, and they shall be my people. And no longer shall each one teach his neighbor and each his brother, saying, ‘Know the Lord,’ for they shall all know me, from the least of them to the greatest, declares the Lord. For I will forgive their iniquity, and I will remember their sin no more.”
Jesus explains his pursuit and his proposal when he appears several times that first day
roposal played out exactly as it was intended
-at the empty tomb (Why do you seek the living among the dead...
Mark 16:5–8 ESV
And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.
Jeremiah 31
.
Mark 16:
-at the empty tomb (Why do you seek the living among the dead...
Luke 24:7–9 ESV
that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men and be crucified and on the third day rise.” And they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb they told all these things to the eleven and to all the rest.
Luke 24
John 20:15–18 ESV
Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you seeking?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned and said to him in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”—and that he had said these things to her.
John 20:15-
-Road to Emmaus
-Road to Emmaus
Luke 24:22–27 ESV
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.” And he said to them, “O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Was it not necessary that the Christ should suffer these things and enter into his glory?” And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he interpreted to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.
Luke 24:
-law, prophets, and psalms spoke to it
Luke 24:36–43 ESV
As they were talking about these things, Jesus himself stood among them, and said to them, “Peace to you!” But they were startled and frightened and thought they saw a spirit. And he said to them, “Why are you troubled, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. And while they still disbelieved for joy and were marveling, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate before them.
Luke 24:36
Luke 24:44–46 ESV
Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you, that everything written about me in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and on the third day rise from the dead,
Luke 24:44-

Resurrection Promise

(em)powers to obediently follow and proclaim
Luke 24:47–49 ESV
and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things. And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”
(em)powers to obediently follow and proclaim
John 20:19–23 ESV
On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.”
John 20:
The Divine Proposal speaks of what is to come!
The Divine Proposal comes with a promise: for the now and for the not yet!
-2nd Advent (not yet)
-2nd Advent (not yet)
in the mean time (what now)
1) be ready to receive what is to come
2)

Resurrection prepares (what now?)

3) (em)powered to obediently follow & Proclaim

Resurrection prepares (what now?)

wait patiently
Luke 24:49 ESV
And behold, I am sending the promise of my Father upon you. But stay in the city until you are clothed with power from on high.”
Luke 24:50–52 ESV
And he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands he blessed them. While he blessed them, he parted from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him and returned to Jerusalem with great joy,
Matthew 28:18–20 ESV
And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Jesus appears to them, multiple times over the next 40 days.
Jesus appears
, , John 20
*These are the words (open their understanding—speaks to the life of Christ, the death, and the resurrection)
*These are the words (open their understanding—speaks to the life of Christ, the death, and the resurrection)
Tarry
*But tarry--
-end of Luke & John
:

-Jesus appears
-Jesus appears
Holy Spirit (signs) & Fruit of the Spirit (
*Behold
(em)powers to obediently follow and proclaim
*Have you any food
*Behold
*But tarry--
-end of Luke & John
24:46-49 & 24:52-53 are central to the proposal
The Divine Proposal speaks of what is to come!
prepares —receive (moving forward)
(em)powers —obey (patiently anticipating to obediently follow and proclaim)
The Divine Proposal speaks of what is to come!
Acts 1:1–4 ESV
In the first book, O Theophilus, I have dealt with all that Jesus began to do and teach, until the day when he was taken up, after he had given commands through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. He presented himself alive to them after his suffering by many proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. And while staying with them he ordered them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father, which, he said, “you heard from me;
-2nd Advent (not yet)
in the mean time (what now)
1) produce & nurture
2) prepare to receive
3) (em)powered to obediently follow & Proclaim

Resurrection possibilities

How will you respond?
Content with a transaction?
Will endeavor to obediently follow, empowered but the Spirit of Christ, and proclaim the coming Kingdom of God?

The Challenge: Walk the ways of the disciples

Jesus has extended a proposal (in the relational, marriage sense)
Remember the spoken word to start our service?
to know the God of creation
50 Days of Prayer
to receive his love—when we knew no peace
he offered relationship, when all we knew was to keep and break rules.
This is the resurrection, that through His death we have come to know life, that we can freely offer his life to him?
50 Days of Prayer
50 Days of Prayer
Inviting you to begin with the next 50 days in view
From this Sunday until May 20th, is 50 days.
Will you follow in the posture and perspective of the disciples after the resurrection?
Acts 1:12–13b ESV
Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James.
Acts 1:12–14 ESV
Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers.
Acts 1:12
Acts 1:11–12 ESV
and said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.” Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away.
Acts 1:
.
What to expect? (Hand out the insert)
-54?
John 18____
What to expect? (Hand out the insert)
-daily scripture
-Sunday evening Contemplative Prayer Services
-anticipating wisdom, guidance, evidence of the Spirit (unction and fruit)
This is not about what we do, as much as becoming who we are called to be—the bride of Christ, preparing the way for the return of the King.
The Promise, the preparation, the possibilities to proclaim the message of the Kingdom and the gospel of Christ.
I believe this Easter God is inviting us into walking the life of the resurrected King, as never before, as fresh and anew, as boldly, as gracious & merciful.
In the coming weeks and months I believe God is wanting to unfold within us and around us; to experience in community, safe pastures; to experience individually, sacred spaces in communion with God and others.
the sacrificial savior is the resurrected king, his divine proposal is for us to live eternalyy with him—not dead rto sin, but alive by the power of the spirit; not diseased byt he enfection of sin, but revealing the life of Christ, bearing the fruit of the spirit and making known the kingdom.
This is my hope, this is the challenge of Easter—as we celebrate the resurrection of the Risen Savior, will we respond to His Divine Proposal—?
In the coming weeks and months I believe God is wanting to unfold within us and around us; to experience in community, safe pastures; to experience individually, sacred spaces in communion with God and others.
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