The Power of the Resurrection
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· 98 viewsApril 17, 2022 Monring Worship (Easter Sunday)
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Introduction
Introduction
He Has Risen!
He Has Risen!
He Has Risen!
Today is Easter Sunday 2022 and today we come together and celebrate the hope of all of our resurrection someday in that of our Resurrected Savior, Jesus Christ!
Our Scripture for this morning will be taking from Philippians 3, verses 10-12 if you want to start finding them in your Bibles.
We know that today is a special day for the Church and for the world.
Today is one of the most attended days of the church year.
I saw one church sign that said they celebrated Easter 52 times a year—each Sunday if you are keeping track.
I thought that that was a nice saying, but shouldn’t we be celebrating the hope of our Resurrection in Jesus Christ, at least 365 times year?
Celebrating Jesus and His resurrection every single day?
But, why though do we feel the need to go to church today more so than any other day?
It is because of what today stands for.
And most people have some understanding of that.
Because today is a celebration of life!
A celebration of the Hope that we all have in ETERNAL LIFE!
It all really started on Friday, on a day that we call "Good Friday."
In reality though, there wasn't anything that good about it.
This was the day that Jesus Christ was crucified, hung on the cross, sacrificed himself for us.
This was the day that Jesus died.
But what made it "good?"
Well, it was good because it brought hope to a lost world.
Hope to us all.
There had to be a sacrifice to atone for the sin of the world.
Jesus was that willing sacrifice.
But the real good news came on Easter, what we are celebrating today.
The fact that Jesus defeated Satan, Hell, and the grave because He rose again!
He came out of the tomb and is no longer dead.
He is not like the gods of the Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu or any other religion.
He is alive!
He is sitting on the right hand of God.
And He is actively interceding for each of us!
He made the way that Paul is talking about here in Philippians possible for us all!
So, I want to quickly read these three verses and then I’d like to spend a few minutes breaking it all down.
Again, Philippians 3, starting in verse 10, Paul writes . . .
Scripture Focus
Scripture Focus
I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.
To Know Him
To Know Him
Now, my first question is, who in here wants to live forever and never die?
I'm sure that would be everybody in here.
Well, I have good news for us all.
We will all live forever.
Because even though these mortal bodies will die and be destroyed, our soul can never be destroyed.
Our souls have been created by God to live forever.
However, with good news there always comes some bad news as well.
And the bad news is, that without Jesus Christ some of us will live forever, eternally separated from God.
And the reason for this separation is sin—which we have spent the last two weeks talking about.
However, the best news is that we can change that outcome here today.
And that change is all made possible by the sacrificial death, burial, and RESURRECTION of Jesus Christ.
Some will only preach on the death and burial of Jesus Christ—His Sacrifice.
But without His victory over death, his sacrifice would have been meaningless.
That is what Paul says in verse 10 of our text that . . .
I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
Now, Paul points out three things that are his prayer in this verse.
Paul wants to know Him.
Paul wants to know the power of His resurrection.
Paul wants to know the fellowship of His sufferings.
Which first begs the question, what does it mean to "know Him?"
How can Paul know Him?
And folks, this is really the key to it all, and where so many people get hung up.
Because we know ALL ABOUT HIM, but do we know Him?
We've heard about Jesus, we've been taught all about His miracles, His saving power.
Even His death, burial, and resurrection, but have we ever met Him?
Do we actually KNOW HIM?
And people may be wonder, How do I meet Him?
How do I get to know Him?
Jesus is met with faith.
John 3:16 tells us . . .
“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.
Do we see that?
The key ingredient is belief in Him and belief in his sacrifice and his resurrection.
Belief in that fact that He has the power to save us, IF we put our faith in Him.
So, do you believe in Him?
Do you believe He existed? If the answer is "yes," you have taken the first step.
But there has to be more there.
It takes more than just believing Jesus is real.
Jesus told Nicodemus that he must be "born again."
In reply Jesus declared, “I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again.”
Which confused Nicodemus . . .
“How can a man be born when he is old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother’s womb to be born!”
Good question, but Jesus has the answer . . .
Jesus answered, “I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”
And there is the important part about being born again.
About our belief in Jesus being more than just an intellectual belief.
We have to experience a spiritual Birth that confirms to our spirit and our heart what our head knows to be true.
And it also connects our spirit with God and Jesus through the Holy Spirit.
2 Corinthians . . .
Now it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ. He anointed us, set his seal of ownership on us, and put his Spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.
And Romans 8 . . .
In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express. And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God’s will.
And Acts 2, tells us how this connection with God is made . . .
And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’
And people may be wondering, what do I ask when I call on Jesus?
Well, to start with . . .
Do you realize that you are a sinner in need of salvation?
Do you understand that Jesus offers you forgiveness of your sins?
If you do then you call on Jesus, asking Him to forgive you of your sins.
You believe He has the power and ability to do this and that by asking He has done this.
You repent, or turn away from you sins and follow Jesus, seeking His will and His direction.
You live by faith in Jesus making Him not only your Savior but also your Lord!
And when you've done this, then you know Him and like anyone else you know, you develop a relationship with them.
This relationship is developed by talking to them, by Prayer, by reading God's Word, hearing God speak to you, responding to His direction and instruction.
The Power of His Resurrection
The Power of His Resurrection
Then, you can begin to understand and know the true power of His resurrection.
Which is the second thing Paul said was that he wanted to know the power of Christ's resurrection.
Not to merely know about Christ's resurrection.
Not to believe that Christ was resurrected.
But to know the POWER that this resurrection had.
So, what is that power?
I am glad you asked!
The power in Christ's resurrection was that because He was resurrected to life, all that belong to Him will also be resurrected to life!
The power in it is, ETERNAL LIFE.
Remember back in the very beginning I said that we will all live forever?
Well, just to drive that point home a little, Hebrews 9 tells us . . .
Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment,
So, barring the return of Jesus Christ, we will all die.
Some think that this is just the end of all things, but that is not true.
Death is just really a change we all go through.
After we die, we will stand before God in judgment.
All of us, regardless of whether we accepted Christ or not.
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.
If we have accepted Christ, we realize the Eternal Power of His resurrection.
We realize the promises of God.
“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.
And in Luke. . .
One of the criminals who hung there hurled insults at him: “Aren’t you the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other criminal rebuked him. “Don’t you fear God,” he said, “since you are under the same sentence? We are punished justly, for we are getting what our deeds deserve. But this man has done nothing wrong.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” Jesus answered him, “I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise.”
However, what happens if we do not know Jesus?
If we have never accepted Him as our Lord and Savior?
Well, the news is not so good.
and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well. This will happen when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven in blazing fire with his powerful angels. He will punish those who do not know God and do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power
And the Book of Revelation . . .
Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. Earth and sky fled from his presence, and there was no place for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death. If anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.
It is not pleasant, not something we want to think about, but it is reality and we deserve to know the whole truth.
And the truth is, if you die without Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior you will be eternally separated from God and suffer the consequences of your sin.
And don’t think that you have not sinned because Paul also reminds us that . . .
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
And because of this there are only two options we have . . .
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
So, if you accept Him you can not only understand and know the power of His resurrection but you can also EXPERIENCE the power of His resurrection.
You can boldly say . . .
“Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Altar/Challenge
Altar/Challenge
And today, Easter Sunday, April 17, 2022, you can make a decision that will change the rest of your life.
Not only your life but your very eternity.
Proverbs 18 reminds us that . . .
A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
That friend is Jesus.
He is not only a friend, but a Savior.
And by accepting Him today, you can not only gain a friend, but can realize the POWER OF HIS RESURRECTION FOR YOURSELF.
However, the choice is yours.
Let’s pray . . .