EASTER SUNDAY: NOW & FOREVER: That Risen Life.

“That Risen Life”

John 20:1–10 ESV

Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” So Peter went out with the other disciple, and they were going toward the tomb. Both of them were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. And stooping to look in, he saw the linen cloths lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the Scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples went back to their homes.

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PRAY

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Everything we believe HINGES on an EMPTY TOMB.

Its what separates The JESUS FOLLOWER from everything else.

We ascribe to and we believe in a RISEN savior, not a dead and buried one.

Thats why we CELEBATE at EASTER…. The DEATH, BURIAL & RESSURECTION of our LORD.

Why is resurrection life important.

Its what separates christ from every other person or thing thats tried to save mankind or be a messiah up until this moment.

I wanna talk this morning about that “ Risen life”

How can resurrection life find its way into & through my life?

How do we attain ressurection LIFE ourselves?

John 11:21-27 “Martha said to Jesus, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died. But even now I know that whatever you ask from God, God will give you.” Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.” Martha said to him, “I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day.” 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?” She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.””

So HOW does Resurrection life come about now? As well as later…..

1.WE MUST DIE.

wow thats a bit negative, I thought that was FRIDAY. Yes it was, but it continues to be!

“For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.” - 2 Cor 5:14-15.

DEATH FOR A SAINT IS THE ENTRY-WAY…. THE PORTAL… THE PATHWAY…. TOWARDS RESURRECTION LIFE.

John 11:25-26 “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?””

Its because in the DEATH, We start the VICTORY PARADE as a BELIEVER! Its the BEGINNING OF THAT WHICH DOESNT END!

Death has been defeated.

The grave has been conqured

1 Corinthians 15:55 ““O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?””

We just gotta get OK with dying a bit more…. In this life!

Did you know that DYING is just apart of the Christian LIFE?

Weree all called to DIE.

Die to our PRIDE

Die to ourselves.

Die to our selfish wants and desires.

and allow our DEATH of the OLD life….

Make way for the NEW life.

Q: What is it that REQUIRES some DYING in your life In this season?

Becuse it’s DYING to self that I WANNA SUBMIT to you that BRINGS forth the new thing that GOD wants to do NOw but ALSO FOREVRR:

1 Corinthians 15:49-52 “Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven. I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.”

2.WE MUST BE BORN AGAIN.

Risen life requires belief.

And belief in Jesus causes me to BE BORN AGAIN

*Story: born again was so weird when I first encountered that part of my Bible and my belief.

What does being born again mean?

1.It means a New heart. “Your HEART, it CHANGES. In fact it doesn’t just change - you get given a new one! Ezekiel 36:26 “And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.”

2.New eyes. Its like you SEE differently. Its because when your born again you get new vision, new sight. Acts 9:17-18 “So Ananias departed and entered the house. And laying his hands on him he said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus who appeared to you on the road by which you came has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and he regained his sight. Then he rose and was baptized;”

3.New spirit. When born again, our spirit man is activated, switched ON. We are ALIVE to CHRIST. Ps 51:10 “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”

4.New abilities. (Power over sin). We become more than conquerors and able to OVERTAKE SIn, not be OVERTAKEN by SIN. Romans 8:37 “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”

5.New power. The ability to move and operate with the Holy Spirit. 1 Thess 1:5 “because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction. You know what kind of men we proved to be among you for your sake.”

……In other words! New life.

2 Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”

“The old has gone, the new has come”.

Q:WHAT NEW LIFE IS IT THAT GOD IS WANTING TO BRING FORTH IN & THROUGH YOU.

You can believe in the resurrection NOW

You can apply resurrection LIFE to your SEASON NOW

Q:What old things are you still trying to work in with your new life?

3.WE WILL RISE.

Remember the promises of faith.…..Stand tall on the scripture….. John 11:25 “Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,”

To identify With his death means to participate in His life

And what life is that? Resurrection life.

WE ALSO WILL RISE.

We will also inherit eternal life.

We will also get to be in the presence of God the Father for all of eternity!

In The Name of the FATHER, The SOn & Holy SPirit.

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WORSHIP.

Notes:

1.Christ is RISEN

2.The Risen CHRIST is now in YOU.