Sermon Tone Analysis

The Joy of Life

On Friday evening we had the privilege of attending a fundraiser for Tomball Pregnancy Crisis Center.

As a result of their work, in 2021 over 200 decisions were made for life instead of death!

We heard testimonies of expecting parents who didn’t think they could bring a life into this world but whose minds were changed by talking to dedicated and sympathetic staff and volunteers at the Center.

Some of our own folks have volunteered to help these desperate families.

Dr. Ben Carson was the featured speaker.

If you don’t recognize the name, he is a famous pediatric brain surgeon, former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, a 2016 Candidate for President, and the founder of American Cornerstone Institute (an organization that centers on restoring the values of faith, liberty, community, and life).

Life is amazing!

Dr. Carson described the development of a child.

From the merging of 23 chromosomes from the father and 23 chromosomes of the mother, a baby will have a beating heart, a face, and fingers within 8 weeks.

Simply amazing!

And…we are created in God’s image!

God is life…

Of course, that is the marvelous message of Easter.

Christianity is about life!

Morning Turns to Dancing

There is so much to celebrate about the Resurrection of Jesus!

One of the stories is found in Luke 24.

The friends of Jesus went to the tomb to finish preparing the body of Jesus in the customary way.

They were carrying spices, still mourning the events two days ago.

But, when they got to the tomb, the stone had been rolled away, there was no body, and two individuals as bright as lightning were waiting...

Could you imagine the emotions that these women were experiencing?

They had awakened sad, expecting to see the dead body of Jesus.

That would have been emotionally exhausted.

They walked somberlyto the tomb.

They were shockedby stone removed, confusedby the missing body, and excitedby 2 angelic beings.

In a matter of minutes, they went from sorrow to joy, from fright to excitement.

Somewhere in this emotional roller coaster they were asked the question, “Why do you look for the living among the dead?”

I think that is a good question for us to consider this morning.

The Search for the Living and the Dead

Life is Found in the Lord Over the Living and the Dead

Jesus is the undisputed Lord over the living and the dead.

The Apostle Paul looks back at the meaning of the Resurrection and writes:

The Apostle John described his vision of Jesus:

The fact that Jesus and life are synonymous has been realized by Christians.

If you want to find life, it is simple – find where Jesus is.

Death is Found When We Have No Expectation of the Miraculous

As I mentioned, these women were on an emotional roller coaster but one thing that we know is that they did not run to the tomb with the expectation that Jesus would rise from the dead that day.

They were not expecting a miracle.

They were not seeking a miracle.

They were not seeking a fulfillment of prophecy.

They were not seeking to hear from angels, or to be the first on earth to proclaim the Gospel of a risen Savior.

They were merely in a cemetery seeking a dead man.

I can’t imagine living the Christian life without an expectation of the miraculous.

Yesterday I received a call from my brother-in-law who serves the Tellico Village Fire Department in Tennessee.

He asked me if I was working on my sermon.

He then told me the story of a fire they had just worked where an entire 40x60 storage facility had been destroyed except for 2 Gideon bibles.

He described the look on the faces of the firemen who stood staring at the Bibles.

The remark that was made was, “You know that doesn’t happen by chance!”

I think that sometimes life can wear us down to the point that we are not expecting the miraculous.

We cannot allow that to happen!

I pray and expect miracles in my life and in the life of our church.

What do we believe that God can do for us?

What do you believe God can do for you?

Do you expect to see miracles?

Are you looking for the living or the dead?

Life is Found by Faith

Faith is simply reliance and trust in God.

There is a remarkable story about Jesus and Peter in the middle of the Sea of Galilee.

The disciples had set out in a boat before Jesus did, expecting Jesus to show up later in another boat.

The thing is, He didn’t need a boat, and simply showed up walking on the water.

Peter wanted in on the action and Jesus called him.

Peter believed and walked on water.

The Bible is filled with remarkable results of faith:

- Noah builds an ark and saves his family

- 3 men are thrown into a furnace and survive

- Daniel is thrown to lions and survives the night

- Prisons open and Christians are freed

- Water is turned to wine

- The last bit of flour and oil last for 3 years

- The earth stops spinning so a battle could be won

- Philip teleports from one city to another.

Faith takes God without any “If’s.”

If God says it, Faith says, “I believe it”; Faith says “Amen” to it.

Dwight L. Moody*[1]

I can’t imagine living without faith.

I would much rather believe in a God who empties graves than one that fills them!

Dead Things are Found When You Ignore the Word of God

An empty tomb should not have been a surprise to the women.

There are 21 references in the Gospels to a 3rd day resurrection.

When I went to the Defense Strategic Debriefers Course we were taught to listen for clues without needing to be hit over the head with a 2x4.

I would say that 21 direct statements predicting the resurrection would be a big miss on the part of the disciples.

Of course, people are missing it today as well.

I’ve found quotes from historians, presidents, conquerors, college presidents, and scientists about the value of the Bible but none were as comprehensive as this from an unknown source:

“This Book contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers.

Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its histories are true, and its decisions are immutable.

Read it to be wise, believe in it to be safe, and practice it to be holy.

It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you.

It is the traveler’s map, the pilgrim’s staff, the pilot’s compass, the soldier’s sword, and the Christian’s character.

Here paradise is restored, heaven opened, and the gates of hell disclosed.

Christ is its grand object, our good its design, and the glory of God its end.

It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet.

It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure.

It is given you in life, will be opened in the judgment, and will be remembered forever.

It involves the highest responsibilities, will reward the greatest labor, and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents.”

Trying to live this life, in this world, without the Word of God would be looking for the living in dead places.

Life is Found in the Person of the Holy Spirit

On Easter Sunday we had a very visible demonstration of the gifts of the Spirit in our service.

We had a public utterance in an unknown language followed by a prophetic interpretation of the utterance.

This has sparked some great conversations during the week.