Resurrection Sunday 2022

message

“Optimism hopes for the best without any guarantee of its arriving and is often no more than whistling in the dark. Christian hope, by contrast, is faith looking ahead to the fulfillment of the promises of God. Optimism is a wish without warrant; Christian hope is a certainty, guaranteed by God himself. Optimism reflects ignorance as to whether good things will ever actually come. Christian hope expresses knowledge that every day of his life, and every moment beyond it, the believer can say with truth, on the basis of God's own commitment, that the best is yet to come.” ― J. I. Packer

1 Peter 1:3–9 ESV

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

This day is precious. We celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Saviour. This is a day to shout from the rooftops.

“Christ is Risen”

God has come in the form of His creation and paid a debt He did not owe but one we could never pay.

My prayer is for you today to have a greater understanding and appreciation for what you and I have been given. The tremendous cost of the gift of salvation is something we cannot comprehend.

But we are going to try

{Introduction of dough and cookies. Express desire to have a creation to have a relationship with.}

Genesis 1:26 ESV

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”

{compare with dough}

Genesis 2:7 KJV 1900

And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living soul.

{shape dough}

Now we know the rest of the story. Mankind rebels against God. This beautiful creation tells its creator that we do not need God and in fact we are God.

[ Now if Beth has a cookie that is not looking the way she wants it to. She just reshapes it. (smash and reshape dough)]

This is not how God works. He gave us something called free will and He will not violate it.

Through out this beautiful book He pleaded with His people to come back.

Isaiah 55:7 ESV

let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; let him return to the Lord, that he may have compassion on him, and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

God had a plan

Isaiah 53:4–5 ESV

Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.

God sent His son to pay our price and make a way for us.

{picture of kids} (Is Beth or Ritchie going to pick one of their kids to sacrifice to bridge the gap with this cookie?)

Romans 8:32 ESV

He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?

And that is not all.

1 Corinthians 1:18 ESV

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

This is a love we cannot comprehend. An emotion and action not adequately conveyed in our English language.

He is our everything. He is our life. He is our blessed hope. He is the hope for today and tomorrow. The hope for our children. The hope for our country. He is everything.

He Is

In Genesis, He's the breath of life In Exodus, the Passover Lamb In Leviticus, He's our high priest

Numbers, the fire by night Deuteronomy, He's Moses' voice In Joshua, He is salvation's choice

Judges, law-giver In Ruth, the kinsmen redeemer First and Second Samuel, our trusted prophet

In Kings and Chronicles, He's sovereign Ezra, true and faithful scribe Nehemiah, He's the rebuilder of broken walls and lives

In Esther, He is Mordecai's courage In Job, the timeless redeemer In Psalms, He is our morning song

In Proverbs, wisdom's cry Ecclesiastes, the time and season In the Song of Solomon, He is the lover's dream

He is He is He is

In Isaiah, He's the prince of peace Jeremiah, the weeping prophet In Lamentations, the cry for Israel

Ezekiel, He's the call from sin In Daniel, the stranger in the fire In Hosea, He is forever faithful

In Joel, He's the Spirit's power In Amos, the arms that carry us In Obadiah, He's the Lord our Saviour

In Jonah, He's the great missionary In Micah, the promise of peace In Nahum, He is our strength and our shield

In Habakkuk and Zephaniah, He's pleading for revival In Haggai, He restores the lost heritage

In Zecharia, our fountain In Malachi, He's the son of righteousness Rising with healing in His wings

He is He is He is

In Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John He is God, Man, Messiah In the book of Acts, He is The fire from Heaven

In Romans, He's the grace of God In Corinthians, the power of love In Galatians, He is freedom From the curse of sin

Ephesians, our glorious treasure Phillipians, the servant's heart In Colossians, He's the Godhead Trinity

Thessalonians, our coming king In Timothy, Titus, Philemon He's our mediator and our Faithful pastor

In Hebrews, the everlasting covenant In James, the one who heals the sick In First and Second Peter, He is our shepherd

In John and in Jude, He's the lover coming for His bride In the Revelation, He's King of Kings and Lord of Lords

He is He is He is

The Prince of Peace The Son of Man The Lamb of God The great I Am

He's the Alpha and Omega Our God and our Saviour He's Jesus Christ the Lord

And when time is no more He is He is

Conclusion:

A - Acknowledge

Romans 3:23 ESV

for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

B - Believe

Acts 16:31 (ESV)

And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved.”

C - Confess

Romans 10:9–10 ESV

because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.