Resurrection Life Part I

Introduction Resurrection Life

a.) The Promise Acts 1:8

Acts 1:8 KJV 1900

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

b.) Springtime compared to Resurrection Life

“For, lo, the winter is past, the rain is over and gone; The flowers appear on the earth; the time of the singing of birds is come, and the voice of the turtle is heard in our land;” (Song of Solomon 2:11-12)

Springtime always brings the power of rebirth and renewal. Spring bids farewell to the cold snowy days of winter, eagerly expecting the celebration of Resurrection Life. Nature sends us a signal to wake up and start fresh! The weather is changing. Flowers prepare to bloom, and birds can be heard singing. People are anticipating the return of warmer weather so they may spend more time outdoors with their family and friends.

Many Easters ago my father would arrive early at our house on Sunday morning before Church. He would deliver giant Easter baskets, hiding them on the front porch. Our children would wake up surprised when they discovered wrapped baskets with marshmallow eggs, chocolate eggs, and peeps. I am moved by the act of my father’s kindness. Etched in my mind always for me are memories of the joy and excitement of watching our children open their baskets!

Spring offers an opportunity to focus on a new beginning. Where do you think the inspiration for abundant living comes from? Resurrection Life comes through the saving power of the Lord Jesus Christ! Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25-26) ESV.

Believers understand Easter Holiday is more than just having fun. This time of the year is for the community to unite in the understanding of Resurrection Life. Believers recognizing the death, burial, and resurrection of our Lord Christ. Resurrection Life reminds us of our eternal destiny, the mortality of our lives on the earth, and power of the ultimate sacrifice Jesus paid to conquer death. Resurrection Life gives us victory in this life with overflowing blessings and to share the good news of life with those who are around us!

“If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you.” (Romans 8:11) ESV

"For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures". (I Corinthians 15:3-4)

1. Falling In The Garden

a.) What is the specific command God gave Adam and Eve in the garden?

The Lord God took the man and put him in the garden of Eden to work it and keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” (Genesis 2:15-17) ESV

b.) What is the “fall of man?”

The fall of man is when Adam and Eve accepted Satan’s lie and rebelled against God’s command through disobedience. Humankind then took on Satan’s nature and placing them under his dominion.

God gave a commandment that man could freely eat of any tree within the Garden of Eden, except of the tree of knowledge of good and evil. God proclaimed that if he disobeyed, man would surely die. Man’s disobedience created an opportunity for Satan, in the serpent's form, to bring death to God’s eternal human creation.

Satan's strategy was to dismantle communication between God and His children through this strategy. The serpent lied and deceived Eve into eating the forbidden fruit. Eve then gave it to her husband to eat. They both disobeyed God’s command by eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. When they did this, they exchanged life for death! They sold the life given to them by God for the devil’s nature and accepting a new father.

Finally, the fall of man completed, sin broke pure fellowship with God. Man was under the devil’s dominion and his nature transformed from good to evil. Through Adam and Eve’s disobedience of God’s specific command, humankind became the devil’s children!

2. The Earthly Ministry of Jesus

a.) Jesus Christ came to the earth Redeem and save the world of their sins.

Luke 19:10 “For the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost.”

b.) What were the three specifics Jesus did during His earthy ministry?

Matthew 4:23 KJV 1900

And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.

Teaching

Preaching

Healing

3. Cross To The Throne

a.) From the Cross to The Throne

Jesus let His disciples know three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. Matthew 12:40 “For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.”

Palm Sunday John 12:13 “Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.”

Garden of Gethsemane Luke 22:43-44 “And there appeared an angel unto him from heaven, strengthening him. And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly: and his sweat was as it were great drops of blood falling down to the ground.”

Road To Golgotha John 19:16-18 “Then delivered he him therefore unto them to be crucified. And they took Jesus, and led him away. And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha: Where they crucified him, and two other with him, on either side one, and Jesus in the midst.”

Jesus died on the cross. The hill of the Calvary was also know as the place of “The Skull.” Luke 23:36-43 “And the soldiers also mocked him, coming to him, and offering him vinegar, And saying, If thou be the king of the Jews, save thyself. And a superscription also was written over him in letters of Greek, and Latin, and Hebrew, THIS IS THE KING OF THE JEWS. And one of the malefactors which were hanged railed on him, saying, If thou be Christ, save thyself and us. But the other answering rebuked him, saying, Dost not thou fear God, seeing thou art in the same condemnation? And we indeed justly; for we receive the due reward of our deeds: but this man hath done nothing amiss. And he said unto Jesus, Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. And Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.”

Abraham’s Bosom ABRAHAM’S BOSOM (Ἀβραάμ κόλπον, Abraam kolpon). A term Christ uses to refer to a place for the spirits of the righteous dead (Luke 16:22, 23). He uses it in the parable of Lazarus and the Rich Man—the rich man goes to Hades, and Lazarus goes to Abraham’s bosom. The image is taken from the ancient practice of reclining at table (see John 21:20). The Old Testament used the expression “to be gathered to one’s people (or fathers)” (see Gen 25:8; 49:33; Judg 2:10; 2 Kgs 22:20). All individuals—just or unjust—could be “gathered to their people.” It is not possible to exactly determine what Christ meant—he uses this expression only in a single parable. The language he uses to describe His “Father’s house” seems to indicate a different reality (see John 14:2). Abraham’s bosom may be the same as the “Paradise” mentioned in Luke 23:43. John D. Barry et al., eds., “Abraham’s Bosom,” The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Bellingham, WA: Lexham Press, 2016).

Ephesians 4:8-9 “Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth?”

I Peter 4:6 “For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.”

I Peter 3:19 “By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison;”

Jesus Arose victoriously from the dead after taking with Him the keys of hell and death. Revelation 1:18 “I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.”

Jesus appeared to many. Matthew 27:53 “And came out of the graves after his resurrection, and went into the holy city, and appeared unto many.”

Mary so Jesus but no contact until He touched mercy seat. Jesus ascended and returned in eight days. John 20:26

John 20:26 KJV 1900

And after eight days again his disciples were within, and Thomas with them: then came Jesus, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace be unto you.

Thomas was able to have contact and Jesus ate. He continued for forty days ministering on the earth

He gave a mandate to all believers. Go wait for the promise and endued with power to do the works.

Jesus ascended and is seated at the right hand of the Father in heavenly places. Savior, high priest, head of the Church, and intercessor.

4. Doing The Works of Jesus

a.) Can we do the works of Jesus and greater?

b.) Jesus said we would do the works & greater. We do this by stepping out in faith individually & collectively.

John 14:12-14 “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father. And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it.”

5. Power of The Holy Spirit

a.) The Holy Sprit comforts, teaches, counsels, distributes the gifts, leads, Sprit of Truth, power to witness, anointing, doing the works of Jesus.

b.) Acts 1:8

Acts 1:8 KJV 1900

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

Acts 2:1-4 “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.”

Conclusion: We will continue Resurrection Life Part 2 next week.