Easter Message 96 - This Changes Everything!

This Changes Everything!

   3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade -- kept in heaven for you, 5 who through faith are shielded by God's power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.                      (1Peter 1:3-5 NIV)

I. Jesus’ resurrection gives us Hope

   A.   The resurrection defeats the Power of Death.

16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.

20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. (1Cor.15:16-20)

      1.   The power of death is separation:

          a.    body from spirit;

          b.   loved one's from each other;

          c.    all of us from God.

      2.   The wages of sin is death.

      3.   Jesus defeated sin and death on the cross. His resurrection proves it!

   B.   By the resurrection we are Made Right with God.

He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. (Rom.4:25)

      1.   Justification means to be made right.

      2.   Jesus who was without sin, suffered the penalty of sin (God's wrath and death).

      3.   When God raised him from the dead, he shows that the penalty had been paid in full.

      4.   So, we can be certain that Jesus' sacrifice has the power to make us right with God!

II.   Jesus’ resurrection gives us New Life

   A.   Through the resurrection we get New Birth

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (1Pet.1:3)

      1.   New Birth?

          a.    A fresh start.

          b.   A new parentage

   B.   Through the resurrection we get a New Status

4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions -- it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, (Eph.2:4-6)

      1.   We were spiritually dead in sin and made spiritually alive by God through grace.

      2.   Now we are raised with Christ and spiritually speaking seated with him at God's right hand.

      3.   The future -- our future -- begins NOW!

III. Jesus’ resurrection guarantees Our resurrection.

   A.   Jesus’ resurrection Blazes the Trail for our own.

20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 For since death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. (1Cor.15:20-23)

      1.   Jesus came out on the other side of death to show us what happens when we follow him.

      2.   Jesus' resurrection is only the beginning

   B.   All who have the Spirit will be raised too!

And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. (Rom.8:11)

      1.   All who believe that Jesus is the way, and have made Jesus the Lord of their lives have the Spirit at work in them -- living in them.

      2.   That same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead, won't let death have the final say over us either!

      3.   So, we live as people who do not fear death. We have a glorious future. We even have a foretaste of it right here and now!

The Bottom Line:

Jesus broke the Power of Death, gives us Hope, New Life, and promises us a glorious Future.

NOTES:

Q&A 45How does Christs resurrection benefit us?First, by his resurrection he has overcome death, so that he might make us share in the righteousness he won for us by his death.1Second, by his power we to are already now resurrected to new life.2Third, Christs resurrection is a guarantee of our glorious resurrection.31 Rom. 4:25; 1Cor.15:16-20; 1Pet.1:3-52 Rom. 6:5-11; Eph 2:4-6; Col. 3:1-4

3 Rom 8:11; 1Cor. 15:12-23; Phil. 3:20-211.

Romans 4:25

He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification. (NIV)

1 Corinthians 15:16-20

16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christ has notbeen raised either. 17 And if Christ has not been raised,your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18 Thenthose also who have fallen asleep in Christ are lost. 19 Ifonly for this life we have hope in Christ, we are to be pitied more than all men.

    20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead,the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. (NIV)

1 Peter 1:3-5

3 Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord JesusChrist! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 and into an inheritance that cannever perish, spoil or fade -- kept in heaven for you, 5who through faith are shielded by God's power untilthe coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time. (NIV)

2.

Romans 6:5-11

5 If we have been united with him like this in his death,we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. 6 For we know that our old self wascrucified with him so that the body of sin might bedone away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin -- 7 because anyone who has died has been freedfrom sin.

    8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we willalso live with him. 9 For we know that since Christ wasraised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10 The death he died, hedied to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.

    11 In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin butalive to God in Christ Jesus. (NIV)Ephesians 2:4-6

4 But because of his great love for us, God, who is richin mercy, 5 made us alive with Christ even when wewere dead in transgressions -- it is by grace you have been saved. 6 And God raised us up with Christ andseated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, (NIV)

Colossians 3:1-4

1 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, setyour hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on thingsabove, not on earthly things. 3 For you died, and yourlife is now hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ,who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. (NIV)

3.

Romans 8:11

And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you. (NIV)

1 Corinthians 15:12-23

12 But if it is preached that Christ has been raised fromthe dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 13 If there is no resurrection ofthe dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 14 Andif Christ has not been raised, our preaching is useless and so is your faith. 15 More than that, we are thenfound to be false witnesses about God, for we havetestified about God that he raised Christ from the dead. But he did not raise him if in fact the dead are not raised. 16 For if the dead are not raised, then Christhas not been raised either. 17 And if Christ has not beenraised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins. 18Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ arelost. 19 If only for this life we have hope in Christ, weare to be pitied more than all men.

    20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead,the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. 21 Forsince death came through a man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. 22 For as in Adamall die, so in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each inhis own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. (NIV)

Philippians 3:20-21

20 But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerlyawait a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ, 21 who,by the power that enables him to bring everything under his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his glorious body. (NIV)