HE IS RISEN!! EASTER 2022
Notes
Transcript
Intro
Intro
Its been said that there are four basic needs for survival. These are food, water, air, and shelter. If any one of these four things aren’t met, humans cannot survive. The definition of survive is to continue to live or exist. When I give phone calls the family will ask you guys how you’re doing and the number 1 thing I hear you guys say is “Just trying to make it.” Now, I’m not saying anything is wrong with that; however, a lot of us have this same attitude when it comes to our faith. Lets say you called home one day, lets just say on the blue phone, and Jesus were to answer. If Jesus were to ask you “How are we doing? How is our relationship?” What would you be able to say? Would you say “I’m just trying to make it Lord.”? Would you say “We’re good Jesus! I just went to church last week!”? See I don’t want to just be “making it” with God. I want to run and not grow weary! I want to walk and not fade! I want to rest in His presence! I want joy unspeakable! I want peace that surpasses all understanding!
11 For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.
See God doesn’t want us to just continue to exist. He has a plan for each and every one of us. He wants to give us a future and a hope. He has made plans for you! When is the last time someone believed in you and invested in you? For some of you, it may have been a long time, for some it may have been never. If no one has ever invested time and effort into you, Jesus has!
Not only has God invested time and effort into you, but He has invested a hope into you. He wants you to trust Him. But Chap, how do I trust and hope in someone that doesn’t seem like they’re helping me in my darkest moments. I’m here, my family is out there struggling. I’m here to tell you today that Jesus said in John 16:33
33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
And in Isaiah 41:10
10 Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’
We’ve All Fallen Short
We’ve All Fallen Short
23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
We live in a fallen world. When Adam and Eve ate the fruit from the garden and their eyes were opened, that was called the fall of man. See Satan tricked Adam and Eve and continues to trick us every time we sin. He convinces us that God is holding out on us and only something else will give us the fulfillment that we’re seeking. Its the oldest lie in history that we still fall for. Because of that sin we are separated from God.
1 Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, That it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, That it cannot hear. 2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, So that He will not hear.
Sin separates. It promises everything, but delivers nothing. Sin will cost you more than you ever want to pay. Sin is a poison. When you’re living in sin, God wants you to come home. God wants you to come to Him because He sees your struggle.
I’ve seen some of you guys throw fits over not getting to go to rec, commissary, or not getting a channel check when you want it.
Why doesn’t it bother us as much when our relationship with God isn’t right? Why are we more concerned about the little things of this world that ultimately don’t matter than we are the eternal things that do matter? While you’re complaining about that channel check, your celly is losing his marriage and needs prayer.
While you’re complaining about not getting to to rec, someone in your dorm is on the highway to hell and you could lead him to salvation and eternal life. I say these things to challenge not condemn. We said at the beginning that we need food, water, air and shelter to survive. Jesus is all of these things and more!
Jesus is the Bread of Life
Jesus is the Bread of Life
This is after Jesus fed the 5000 and walked on water.
32 Then Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven. 33 For the bread of God is He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.” 34 Then they said to Him, “Lord, give us this bread always.” 35 And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.
Jesus wasn’t talking about physical hunger! He was talking about all your needs being fulfilled in Him! He came and told us don’t worry because God’s got you! The Lord’s prayer says “Give us this day our daily bread”. We need bread daily to survive this world spiritually. I know that I can’t go one day without reading the Bible because if I do, my whole day is wrong. My attitude is off. My mindset is off. Everything is off because I’m starved spiritually.
Jesus is the Living Water
Jesus is the Living Water
11 The woman said to Him, “Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water? 12 Are You greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and his livestock?” 13 Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.”
See the woman was only looking with her physical eyes. She had nothing to draw water with to get Jesus a drink. Jesus knew this but was making a point. There are obstacles in order to fulfill our physical needs, you need a bucket to draw water, you money to buy food. Jesus says I have the living water and all you need to do to get it is come to Me! Come to me and you will have everlasting life!
God Has Given Us the Breath of Life
God Has Given Us the Breath of Life
7 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 being.
What you do with that breath is completely up to you. Its estimated that a person that lives up to age 80 will take approximately 672,768,000 breaths in their lifetime. Now you have a choice. Are you going to waste some of those breaths complaining about things that don’t matter? Or are you going to use them to praise the One who gave you those breaths? The One who knows how many you have already.
Jesus is our Foundation and Shelter
Jesus is our Foundation and Shelter
10 The name of the Lord is a strong tower; The righteous run to it and are safe.
33 God is my strength and power, And He makes my way perfect.
2 The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer; My God, my strength, in whom I will trust; My shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. 3 I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies.
1 God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble.
The definition of a shelter is a place giving temporary protection from bad weather or danger. In Psalm 46, when it says a very present help, that means its an abundantly available help.
God doesn’t want to be your temporary shelter. He wants to be your stronghold. He wants to be a permanent fixture in your life. But see, He couldn’t do that as long as our sin kept us separated. So He sent His Son. His only Son in whom He was well pleased to die for a bunch of sinning screw-ups like us. He died, but He didn’t stay dead.
Matthew 28
That is why we celebrate today. Its because, yes He died, but He didn’t stay dead!!! He is alive!!! He is everything that was promised!! He is the bread of life! He is the well that never runs dry! He is the fresh wind that we need! He is the shelter we seek when all hell breaks loose! He is the comfort that we so desperately seek when we need it! He is anything you need Him to be. Not He was, He is.
If you don’t know this Jesus personally, there’s never a better time than now. Maybe you grew up in church, but let me tell you, your momma, daddy’s, grandma’s faith isn’t going to save you.
16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.
Only your own personal belief and admittance that Christ is Lord can and will save you.
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.