Easter part 2
Notes
Transcript
All other Gods are still dead
All other Gods are still dead
BUT Jesus is alive!
We talked about the gruesome death that Jesus suffered from the beatings to the mockings and eventually to the torture on an old cross. After Jesus said his final word before yielding up his spirit Satan had to have thought that he was finally victorious. The only grave that has ever had someone resurrected from it and never reinhabited would be the tomb that Jesus was placed in after the crucifixion. Jesus is literally the only person to ever borrow a tomb.
This past weekend we celebrated this glorious day through Easter. Tonight we are going to relive this experience. Imagine life during the 3 days that Jesus was in the grave. Imagine the disappointment that all of his disciples thinking that Jesus would be with them forever but now the reality of him not being there is sinking in. However there was still a gleamer of hope because they were still going to the tomb.
1 Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4 And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. 5 But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. 7 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. 9 And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”
The craziest thing about the resurrection is who the bible uses as the very first eye witnesses to the empty tomb are ladies. If this whole story is made up nonsense about someone who died and raised himself from the grave the lease likely people to be believed would be women. Remember that Women had pretty much no rights at all during biblical times so people believing women on a story like this would be zero to none.
The story starts with women running to the tomb to put oil and embalming stuff on the body so that it would not stink and then they felt an earthquake because an angel had moved the massive stone away from the entrance of the tomb.
So picture walking up to a tomb that is supposed to have a sealed stone with guards guarding it so that the body could not be stolen and then look and see that the tomb is wide open with an angel sitting on the stone that was covering the entrance.
The angel terrified the women and they couldnt understand what had happened to their Jesus. They knew this is where he had be raised but yet they did not see him.
The angel then explained the whole scenario to them saying “His is not here, for He has risen, as He said. Come see the place where he lay.”
Jesus is no longer in the grave! Jesus is alive and well. Death could not hold him down nor sin nor Hell. Satan was defeated when Jesus burst out of the grave. We have victory in this because We can have a relationship with the person who is victorious over everything that we may come in contact with. So many times we pray and live life like we are serving a dead God and we are not expectant that He will intervene in our lives. We should serve expectantly that God will move in those who we are praying for and serving. WE serve and worship a living God who could not be held down by death.
To make this fact even more real Jesus even talked to the women as they were sprinting to tell the disciples. The women instantly worshipped at the feet of Jesus who they saw get nailed to a cross and give up his own spirit. They were worshipping at his nail scarred feet. The feet who were pierced so that they could have eternal life with Him.
16 Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. 17 And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. 18 And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19 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, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Before his ascension into heaven he left his disciples with one final command and promise. The command and promise directly impacts us so that we can impact others. If we truly believe what the bible says then we should take this command seriously. So many times we still live our lives as if Jesus is still in the tomb so much so that we live our lives as if Jesus does not care or see what we are doing every single day. If you were like a disciple and saw Jesus every single day and lived with him would you be doing the same things you are currently doing in your life.
The answer is probably not!
We live our lives as if God cannot see what we are doing in our private moments or when no one else is looking. We would rather imagine God as not being with us so that we can live our lives however we want to rather than completely giving our lives to HIM in discipleship.
What exactly is discipleship?
Discipleship is growing to become more like Christ so that you are reproducing disciples who are making disciples.
We need to be taking the Great commission seriously. WE are God’s plan for others to come to salvation.
God has given Jesus ALL authority to commission us to reach the entire World. God
Part of the Great Commission starts with a command to us.
GO!
To make disciples you must take initiative and GO.
How do we become disciple makers?
Read your Bible!!!
If we don’t dive into God’s Word and start learning from HIM we can never make disciples.
How can you learn what God wants for you to do if you are not grounded in His Word.
Pray!!!
Spend time praying each day!
Pray that God will reveal himself to you through his word and time together.
Prayer is not a one way street you talk but you also must listen.