Alive In Me

Introduction

Medication commercials that show people who are loving life. They are alive and happy, even at 70+ y.o.

We all want to live a life that is fun and full. Most of us want our lives to have some meaning or to make a difference, leave a legacy

Yet, life has very little meaning and is very empty if it wasn’t for one thing, Jesus raising from the dead.

“The tomb is empty so that our life can be full.”

Eric Metexas on Newsmax Summarized: The resurrection is what makes Christianity what it is. IOT be a Christian, you must believe that Jesus rose from the dead.

Without the resurrection of Christ, the gospel story is not complete and remains unfinished.

Unfinished video

All the events in Jesus’ life from birth to crucifixion would have meant nothing if Jesus did not rise from the dead (ex. other religious founders)

Jesus’ death tore the veil in two, making a way to the Father

Jesus’ resurrection sealed that sacrifice by rising again where He now sits at the right hand of the Father making intercession for us

Jesus. In. my. place.

For the past four weeks we looked at the fact that Jesus was betrayed by those who once followed Him. We saw that everything He went through was in my place (in your place)

He was forsaken in my place (His Father turned His back so that we will never have to be forsaken by God)

He was accused in our place (accused by the Jewish spiritual leaders and by His Father)

He was punished in our place (Made sin for us so that we can be declared righteous and without sin)

Today, we see that Jesus arose from the grave in our place, but also so that we can become spiritually alive.

Read Matt. 28:1-10

Alive in Me

Easter is the most important holiday celebrated by Christians

Why: B/C it is what separates us from other religions

B/C, as JD Greear said, without the resurrection Jesus would have just been another good man showing us how to live and how to die for a good cause

Most importantly: B/C Jesus’ death and resurrection reverses the actions taken by Adama and Eve

They did something that separated them from God and caused physical and spiritual death (eternal death)

Throughout history until present, mankind has continued to sin, or do wrong, making us enemies of God

The death of Jesus tore the curtain in two while His resurrection sealed the sacrifice (explain)

Easter is even more important than Christmas

Jesus did not have to be born of a virgin

Jesus did not have to live among us

All He had to do was come and die for our sins and go back to heaven

What we see when we look at the resurrection (according to JD Greear)

The Resurrection caused awe and great joy (v. 8)

It should cause awe and joy in us

Compared to Christmas, how much joy does Easter and the resurrection bring?

We go house to house singing Christmas Carols about a cute little baby that was born laying in a manger. What if we began a tradition of going house to house singing Easter Carols?

Easter should give us even greater joy and excitement than Christmas

Jesus’ agony from the Garden of Gethsemane to the cross was one of pain and sadness. Yet, His resurrection brought Him joy. When we come to the Cross it brings us sadness, heartache and pain because we are fully cognizant of the sin and wrongdoing within us. Yet, like Christ, once we confess our sins and ask for God’s forgiveness, the other side of the Cross brings us joy and peace. (watch portion of Pilgrim’s Progress)

When we look at the resurrection story we see awe and great joy. We also see that they are reliable.

Note: I bring this up because there are many who see Jesus as just a good man who lived 2k years ago or see the resurrection story as mythology

The resurrection accounts are reliable

Empty tomb was discovered by women

All the disciples who were first hand witnesses to Jesus’ life, death and resurrection died terrible deaths

1 Cor. 15:5-8 - Note: Paul hated Christians more than anyone

If the Resurrection makes us alive and gives us joy unspeakable as Scripture defines it, then how should we respond? How do you respond?

Response to the gospel

For believers

Is there joy in your life?

Do you spend time getting to know Christ?

Is Christ on the throne of your life?

2 Cor. 5:14-15 “14 For the love of Christ controls us, [because] we have concluded this: that []one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised. “

The love of Christ (death and resurrection) should control us

“You are not your own, you were bought with a price. Therefore glorify God in your bodies”

Do you share this good news with others?

For those who do not know Christ

Jewish leaders: Dismiss it or cover it up (Matt. 28:11-12)

Don’t want to give up control of your life

“You can always find reasons to disbelieve

Illustration: An atheist in HS who accidentally prayed to God

“Jesus was betrayed by me. He was forsaken for me. He was accused for me. He was punished for me. Now He wants to be alive in me and work through me.”

Crowd who doubted (Matthew 28:17)

“Faith is when the unexplainable meets the undeniable” JD Greear

In other words: when you cannot understand or even explain the why and how Jesus did what He did, but choose to believe it because everything points to the fact that Jesus truly is the Son of God, who really did come to earth, live this life, was tortured and sacrificed on a cross for us. That is faith.

Jesus chose to come to this earth, the Creator becoming part of His creation, so that you can have a relationship Him.

We were all meant for a relationship with God