1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:15,860 Welcome to Walk in the Truth podcast. How do we know where to find answers to the toughest 2 00:00:15,860 --> 00:00:21,080 questions in life? While the simplest answer is the Bible, where do we start this search 3 00:00:21,080 --> 00:00:27,300 and how do we discover this truth? Today, in this teaching podcast, John Meador, lead 4 00:00:27,300 --> 00:00:32,440 pastor of Cross City Church, takes a specific text of the Bible and helps us find truth 5 00:00:32,440 --> 00:00:41,000 for the life we're searching for. We are so glad that you're here to celebrate the 6 00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:45,680 resurrection of Jesus Christ today. And this is a great day to celebrate, isn't it? If 7 00:00:45,680 --> 00:00:49,960 you have your Bibles, please take them and turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 15 today. We're 8 00:00:49,960 --> 00:00:55,200 going to be talking about the resurrection of Jesus. Today, the resurrection that requires 9 00:00:55,200 --> 00:01:01,000 a response, the resurrection that requires a response. 1 Corinthians chapter 15, if you 10 00:01:01,000 --> 00:01:05,800 would. If you were here with us on Friday, you know this is just part of the whole Easter 11 00:01:05,800 --> 00:01:11,240 weekend. And on Friday, we did what we call the cross service. And many of you have seen 12 00:01:11,240 --> 00:01:17,280 it before. We've done it now for over 17 years since I've been here. And I think I've built 13 00:01:17,280 --> 00:01:22,680 a hundred crosses in the last 25 years that are all about this size. And I keep saying 14 00:01:22,680 --> 00:01:26,120 that as I get older, I'm going to make them smaller and smaller, but that's not how it's 15 00:01:26,120 --> 00:01:30,800 working out. They're getting bigger and bigger it seems. But I never cease to be amazed at 16 00:01:30,800 --> 00:01:39,680 how the cross draws people to Jesus in a powerful, unmistakable way. So we celebrate that on 17 00:01:39,680 --> 00:01:43,340 Good Friday. And of course, Good Friday is named Good Friday because of the incredible 18 00:01:43,340 --> 00:01:49,280 good that comes out of the cross into our lives. But I want you to imagine with me for 19 00:01:49,280 --> 00:01:56,080 just a moment, what would happen if Jesus had died on the cross, been buried and never 20 00:01:56,080 --> 00:02:02,040 came out of that tomb, did not rise from the dead. I want you to imagine for just a few 21 00:02:02,040 --> 00:02:08,560 moments a world in which a proclaimed Messiah and a proclaimed Savior was crucified, was 22 00:02:08,560 --> 00:02:16,720 put to death, but was not able to fulfill the promise to rise again. Imagine a spiritual 23 00:02:16,720 --> 00:02:25,520 life trying to get to God, but having no real way of getting there and no one who could 24 00:02:25,520 --> 00:02:31,560 lead them there. First Corinthians chapter 15 is a chapter about the resurrection of 25 00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:37,880 Jesus written to a group of people who often doubted the resurrection of Jesus. In fact, 26 00:02:37,880 --> 00:02:44,120 the mindset was, I'm not sure he rose from the dead. If he did, I'm not sure how important 27 00:02:44,120 --> 00:02:48,800 the resurrection is anyway. And we're going to answer some questions about the resurrection 28 00:02:48,800 --> 00:02:54,640 today. Please stand with me as we read God's word today and as we talk about the resurrection. 29 00:02:54,640 --> 00:02:59,560 By the way, as you find this text in your passages in the Bible, you need to keep in 30 00:02:59,560 --> 00:03:06,640 mind that everything about the Christian faith is built on historical, archeological evidence 31 00:03:06,640 --> 00:03:12,320 as well as prophetic evidence that these things have actually taken place in the way that 32 00:03:12,320 --> 00:03:16,520 they have. When we hold the Bible, when we read it, we don't read it as though it's 33 00:03:16,520 --> 00:03:23,120 a fantastic story of stories. It's not just a book of fables and it's not something that 34 00:03:23,120 --> 00:03:28,240 someone said that we think might have happened. It's something that has been validated and 35 00:03:28,240 --> 00:03:33,360 verified in every possible way. And when we read God's word, we're understanding of 36 00:03:33,360 --> 00:03:38,160 that. But I also know that there are those who doubt some things about the Bible and 37 00:03:38,160 --> 00:03:42,600 there are those that doubt the resurrection of Jesus Christ. I need you to know today 38 00:03:42,600 --> 00:03:48,840 that Jesus was patient with people who doubted the resurrection of Jesus himself. He came 39 00:03:48,840 --> 00:03:54,960 to Thomas in the upper room and showed him the wounds in his hands and side. Paul was 40 00:03:54,960 --> 00:03:59,560 patient with a group of believers, some of them new believers, who were concerned about 41 00:03:59,560 --> 00:04:04,040 the reality of the resurrection. That's the background that I'm reading from as he writes 42 00:04:04,040 --> 00:04:11,040 this letter. First Corinthians chapter 15 verse 12. Now if Christ is preached that he 43 00:04:11,200 --> 00:04:15,600 has been raised from the dead, how do some among you say there is no resurrection of 44 00:04:15,600 --> 00:04:20,960 the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, not even Christ has been raised. 45 00:04:20,960 --> 00:04:25,520 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is vain and your faith also is vain. 46 00:04:25,520 --> 00:04:31,480 Moreover, we are even found to be false witnesses of God because we testified against God that 47 00:04:31,480 --> 00:04:37,800 he raised Christ whom he did not raise if in fact the dead are not raised. For if the 48 00:04:37,800 --> 00:04:42,520 dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, 49 00:04:42,520 --> 00:04:48,200 your faith is worthless and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen 50 00:04:48,200 --> 00:04:55,200 asleep or died in Christ have perished. That's a real strong word with a final stop to it. 51 00:04:55,200 --> 00:04:59,800 They have perished and there's nothing else. And then he says, if we have hoped in Christ 52 00:04:59,800 --> 00:05:06,800 in this life only, we are of all men most to be pitied. One translation says most miserable. 53 00:05:07,080 --> 00:05:12,720 Paul is making a clear argument, a clear statement about what would it be like if Christ had 54 00:05:12,720 --> 00:05:17,280 not risen from the dead. Let's pray together. Father, I pray that you will use this text 55 00:05:17,280 --> 00:05:22,720 and the text surround what we've just read to speak to us today about the resurrection 56 00:05:22,720 --> 00:05:28,480 and what it means to us. I ask this in Jesus' name. And everybody said amen. Please be seated 57 00:05:28,480 --> 00:05:35,480 if you would. So they're asking, did it happen? Why does it matter? I suspect that many of 58 00:05:36,280 --> 00:05:40,800 you in the room today believe in the resurrection of Jesus Christ. We had a phenomenal worship 59 00:05:40,800 --> 00:05:45,920 experience where people were singing about the name of Jesus as though he were alive. 60 00:05:45,920 --> 00:05:50,160 And he is alive. We were singing about him as though he rose from the dead and he did 61 00:05:50,160 --> 00:05:54,440 rise from the dead. And nevertheless, there are times and there are people who sometimes 62 00:05:54,440 --> 00:05:59,600 doubt the resurrection of Jesus and it affects their faith in so many different ways. And 63 00:05:59,600 --> 00:06:04,440 I want to celebrate in such a way that also points out the validity of his resurrection 64 00:06:04,440 --> 00:06:10,440 from the dead. That's what Paul is doing. Using the word if, he's delivering a set of 65 00:06:10,440 --> 00:06:16,080 conditional propositions to the people reading the letter to us today. If Christ didn't rise 66 00:06:16,080 --> 00:06:22,160 from the dead, then this is the result. He says that at least five different times as 67 00:06:22,160 --> 00:06:26,440 we work through that text together. I'm just going to throw all five on the screen for 68 00:06:26,440 --> 00:06:32,560 just a moment to show you how it impacts life and how it impacts eternity. Because if there's 69 00:06:32,560 --> 00:06:39,560 no resurrection, then we face five insurmountable problems that no religion, no person, no way 70 00:06:39,680 --> 00:06:42,600 can we get around in any way. 71 00:06:42,600 --> 00:06:49,600 Number one, if there is no resurrection, then Christ was merely human. A good human being 72 00:06:49,600 --> 00:06:56,600 about human, not supernatural, and God is not personal. Number two, if Christ has not 73 00:06:58,360 --> 00:07:05,000 risen from the dead, then we have no truth and no basis for truth and no basis for faith. 74 00:07:05,000 --> 00:07:08,960 Everything the Old Testament says about what would have happened to Christ, everything 75 00:07:08,960 --> 00:07:14,680 Jesus said he would do, everything the disciples said he did do would be invalid. You would 76 00:07:14,680 --> 00:07:20,720 have no reason for faith at all. Number three, if Christ has not risen from the dead, then 77 00:07:20,720 --> 00:07:25,920 forgiveness becomes impossible. Paul literally says that if Christ be not raised, you're 78 00:07:25,920 --> 00:07:32,800 still in your sense. No one has ever, nor will anyone ever be able to be an intermediary 79 00:07:32,800 --> 00:07:38,880 between God and man but Jesus. And if Jesus did not rise from the dead, he failed in that 80 00:07:38,880 --> 00:07:39,640 mission. 81 00:07:39,640 --> 00:07:46,640 Number four, eternity, hope, and purpose do not exist. If this life is the only life we 82 00:07:46,640 --> 00:07:53,640 have, and I love the New King James Version that says we are of all men most miserable. 83 00:07:53,840 --> 00:07:59,200 Sometimes life is miserable and hard and if this is all we have, then we may be of all 84 00:07:59,200 --> 00:08:00,360 men most miserable. 85 00:08:00,360 --> 00:08:06,560 Then number five, there is no victory over our life's greatest enemies, including death. 86 00:08:06,560 --> 00:08:11,400 Death is final, there's nothing beyond it, nothing you can do about it. Death is the 87 00:08:11,400 --> 00:08:18,240 end. Now there are a lot of reasons that we want the resurrection to be true, but the 88 00:08:18,240 --> 00:08:24,080 reality is the resurrection is true. And Paul is writing to help us understand that it is. 89 00:08:24,080 --> 00:08:30,400 Even modern doubters are won by the overwhelming evidence of the resurrection of Jesus. Some 90 00:08:30,400 --> 00:08:36,000 of you know the name of Lee Strobel, a fantastic speaker, a great author who doubted the resurrection 91 00:08:36,000 --> 00:08:43,000 of Jesus. And when his wife came to faith and he decided to disprove the basis of her 92 00:08:43,120 --> 00:08:48,440 faith, and so he did extensive study into the resurrection of Jesus, interviewing people 93 00:08:48,440 --> 00:08:54,840 from all over, from various fields of science and archeology. And he came to the conclusion 94 00:08:54,840 --> 00:09:01,320 after 700 hours of research that Christ did rise from the dead and he wrote a series of 95 00:09:01,320 --> 00:09:07,080 books called The Case for Christ, The Case for Easter, The Case for Resurrection. Many 96 00:09:07,080 --> 00:09:12,040 of you know a guy named Josh McDowell who wrote a book called Evidence that Demands 97 00:09:12,040 --> 00:09:17,360 a Verdict. Josh McDowell also was a doubter and he was an intellectual. And his goal, 98 00:09:17,360 --> 00:09:24,360 his life goal was to disprove the resurrection of Jesus. And in his research he came to believe 99 00:09:24,760 --> 00:09:30,400 that Jesus had risen from the dead and put his faith and trust in Christ. He actually 100 00:09:30,400 --> 00:09:34,400 wrote this text, this statement I'm about to read to you. He said, after more than 700 101 00:09:34,400 --> 00:09:39,760 years of studying this subject, 700 hours, excuse me, of studying this subject, and thoroughly 102 00:09:39,760 --> 00:09:43,560 investigating its foundation, I have come to the conclusion that the resurrection of 103 00:09:43,560 --> 00:09:48,800 Jesus is one of the most wicked, vicious, heartless hoaxes ever foisted upon the minds 104 00:09:48,800 --> 00:09:55,560 of men, or it is the most fantastic fact of history. And he of course arrived at that 105 00:09:55,560 --> 00:10:02,560 place of saying, this is the most amazing fact in history and I put my faith in Christ. 106 00:10:03,000 --> 00:10:04,920 That is the testimony of Josh McDowell. 107 00:10:04,920 --> 00:10:09,240 Now I want you to think about resurrection for just a few moments. There probably are 108 00:10:09,240 --> 00:10:15,000 medical personnel in the room and so resurrection is literally bringing someone back from the 109 00:10:15,000 --> 00:10:21,720 dead. Now whenever that happens in modern science and modern medicine and modern history, 110 00:10:21,720 --> 00:10:25,640 we find out about it, we hear about it don't we? It makes the headline, when's the last 111 00:10:25,640 --> 00:10:31,760 time you had a headline blazing across your screen or across a paper or magazine article 112 00:10:31,760 --> 00:10:36,640 that said, a man dead three days has come back to life. When's the last time you read 113 00:10:36,640 --> 00:10:43,640 that? You haven't read that. Most medical personnel will say that after 20 to 30 minutes 114 00:10:43,640 --> 00:10:50,640 of someone whose heart has ceased, who has ceased breathing, they call them dead and 115 00:10:52,560 --> 00:10:59,240 no more emergency treatment is given. In fact we have on record the longest time a person 116 00:10:59,240 --> 00:11:06,080 that has been without vital signs and yet came back to life was 80 minutes. In the case 117 00:11:06,080 --> 00:11:11,880 of a woman who drowned literally in frozen water and cold water and they got her body 118 00:11:11,880 --> 00:11:18,880 out, they resuscitated her after 80 minutes and she came back to life. There are unconfirmed 119 00:11:18,960 --> 00:11:22,960 reports of people that have been dead for three and a half hours. Someone else said 120 00:11:22,960 --> 00:11:26,720 that they had read of someone that had been dead eight hours but no confirmation because 121 00:11:26,720 --> 00:11:32,680 when a person dies their body immediately goes into decomposition automatically. The 122 00:11:32,680 --> 00:11:38,440 enzymes of the body and the internal parts of the body begin to decompose and the body 123 00:11:38,440 --> 00:11:45,440 quickly quickly becomes unable in any way to be resuscitated. And yet Jesus after three 124 00:11:46,760 --> 00:11:53,760 days in the tomb came back to life. Now three days confirmed by Roman soldiers whose job 125 00:11:54,240 --> 00:12:00,420 it was to put him to death. Who sealed a tomb and their job again was to make sure no one 126 00:12:00,420 --> 00:12:05,540 tampered with their body. These men knew when someone was dead it was their job to do that. 127 00:12:05,540 --> 00:12:09,520 These men knew when someone would be buried that they would be buried securely. These 128 00:12:09,520 --> 00:12:14,320 men knew how to do that and yet on the third day when they came out to find the body of 129 00:12:14,320 --> 00:12:19,680 Jesus his body was nowhere to be found which prompted the cries from the women and the 130 00:12:19,680 --> 00:12:24,800 disciples that he's risen from the dead. We're dealing with something that's archaeologically 131 00:12:24,800 --> 00:12:31,120 and scientifically and in every way impossible and yet it's proven that these eyewitnesses 132 00:12:31,120 --> 00:12:35,880 saw Jesus Christ come back from the dead. So if someone rises from the dead after three 133 00:12:35,880 --> 00:12:42,880 days it might be a good idea to think about listening to him and following him and learning 134 00:12:43,680 --> 00:12:49,840 from him. His name is Jesus Christ. So today I want to talk to you about the resurrection 135 00:12:49,840 --> 00:12:56,480 of Jesus and Paul as he says if Christ be not raised all these things are what you have 136 00:12:56,480 --> 00:13:02,440 the result of no resurrection but if he's raised and he has here's what you have. Keep 137 00:13:02,440 --> 00:13:08,720 reading in the Bible 1 Corinthians 15 verse 20 Paul continues on but now Christ has been 138 00:13:08,720 --> 00:13:13,960 raised from the dead. The first fruits of those who are asleep for since by a man came death 139 00:13:13,960 --> 00:13:19,720 by a man also came resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die so also in Christ all 140 00:13:19,720 --> 00:13:25,400 will be made alive. That's an impact that's a result of the resurrection. But each in 141 00:13:25,400 --> 00:13:31,680 his own order Christ the first fruits and after that those who are Christ at his coming 142 00:13:31,680 --> 00:13:36,000 and then comes the end when he hands over the kingdom to the God and father when he 143 00:13:36,000 --> 00:13:41,960 has abolished all rules and all authority and power for he must reign until he has put 144 00:13:41,960 --> 00:13:48,960 all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death. Now all these 145 00:13:49,800 --> 00:13:53,400 things are very encouraging to me because I know I won't live forever and I know you 146 00:13:53,400 --> 00:13:58,080 won't live forever and I know if we want to live beyond this life we have to have someone 147 00:13:58,080 --> 00:14:03,280 that's able to overcome death and sin and all the other things we have to overcome and 148 00:14:03,280 --> 00:14:09,040 that name is Jesus. So I want you today to consider the resurrection of Jesus Christ 149 00:14:09,040 --> 00:14:15,160 and what it does do for you and how it is powerful in your life. I want you to see how 150 00:14:15,160 --> 00:14:21,600 practical it is. I want you to know that his resurrection is not just a fact it is a basis 151 00:14:21,600 --> 00:14:28,600 for faith and even how you believe and what you believe him for. Number one, if Christ 152 00:14:28,760 --> 00:14:35,760 rose from the dead it demonstrates that God is powerful and personal. Powerful and personal. 153 00:14:38,040 --> 00:14:43,480 Now notice how Paul words the negative side of that. He says but if there is no resurrection 154 00:14:43,480 --> 00:14:49,400 from the dead not even Christ has been raised. He uses the word Christ specifically. In this 155 00:14:49,400 --> 00:14:56,200 case not Jesus but Christ. Now what Paul is saying is not even the Messiah that God sent 156 00:14:56,200 --> 00:15:03,200 us was raised. Now the very fact that God sent us the Messiah says that God is personal 157 00:15:03,960 --> 00:15:09,120 and the fact that he would allow him to be born of a virgin, walk on the planet, interact 158 00:15:09,120 --> 00:15:13,640 with us, perform miracles, raise the dead himself and then finally be raised on the third day 159 00:15:13,640 --> 00:15:20,640 said that he is powerful. Without a Messiah you have a God who may be all knowing, all 160 00:15:21,600 --> 00:15:27,840 wise but seems so distant, so far that we can't know him well. But the Bible says that 161 00:15:27,840 --> 00:15:34,840 Jesus came to show us who God really was, who he is and how he worked. If Christ was 162 00:15:35,200 --> 00:15:42,200 not raised from the dead then God has failed to explain himself to us. But because he did 163 00:15:42,200 --> 00:15:48,360 rise from the dead we know we have a Messiah and we can believe that God is able to rescue 164 00:15:48,360 --> 00:15:54,520 mankind if he rose. And it tells us that God is real and God is personal. Now think about 165 00:15:54,520 --> 00:15:58,560 the verses that you will remember very easily. John chapter 3 verse 16. For God so loved 166 00:15:58,560 --> 00:16:04,360 the world that he gave his only begotten son that whoever believes in him should not perish 167 00:16:04,360 --> 00:16:10,440 but have everlasting life. God is making Jesus personal and powerful in that he sent him. 168 00:16:10,440 --> 00:16:14,600 What about John chapter 1 verse 1, in the beginning was the word and the word was with 169 00:16:14,600 --> 00:16:21,600 God and the word was God. And then verse 14, and the word was made flesh and dwelt among 170 00:16:21,920 --> 00:16:28,920 us and we saw his glory, glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth. 171 00:16:28,920 --> 00:16:35,920 And in that writing John the apostle is saying Jesus helped us know who God was. He helped 172 00:16:35,920 --> 00:16:42,920 us know how personal God is. In verse 18 John goes on and says that no man has seen God 173 00:16:43,720 --> 00:16:49,000 at any time but the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, he has explained 174 00:16:49,000 --> 00:16:55,400 him. So Jesus has come as Messiah, he has come in a personal way, in a powerful way, 175 00:16:55,400 --> 00:17:00,800 he has explained and manifested to us who God is. So that means basically the fact that 176 00:17:00,800 --> 00:17:06,400 Jesus rose from the dead means that God is personal, he's powerful, it means that Jesus 177 00:17:06,400 --> 00:17:13,060 came and he identified with us and he connected with us, he loved us, he knows us, he cares 178 00:17:13,060 --> 00:17:19,080 for us and he did all that and then rose from the dead to show us that God is powerful and 179 00:17:19,080 --> 00:17:25,120 personal. Without Jesus rising from the dead and without Jesus even coming your God is 180 00:17:25,120 --> 00:17:32,120 distant and far away and you're unable to approach him. All the world religions today, 181 00:17:32,120 --> 00:17:39,120 apart from Christianity, involve that, a distant cold deity that has no way to connect us, 182 00:17:39,920 --> 00:17:45,280 no way to explain life to him and God loves you so much that he sent his son Jesus so 183 00:17:45,280 --> 00:17:51,000 you could know him and know God. But when Jesus rose from the dead we knew God was powerful 184 00:17:51,000 --> 00:17:56,600 and God was personal and the resurrection helps you know that all the days of your life. 185 00:17:56,600 --> 00:18:03,600 Secondly, the resurrection says that truth is reliable. Truth is reliable. In verse 17 186 00:18:03,600 --> 00:18:09,680 and 14 as well, Paul said, if Christ has not been raised then our preaching is vain and 187 00:18:09,680 --> 00:18:15,200 your faith also is vain. He goes on and says your faith is worthless. So right into a group 188 00:18:15,200 --> 00:18:20,000 of people who have belief in Jesus he said, if you don't embrace the resurrection of Jesus 189 00:18:20,000 --> 00:18:27,000 then everything you call faith has a weakness to it. It's worthless. Paul literally says, 190 00:18:27,000 --> 00:18:32,200 even what I preach is meaningless if Christ is not risen because what we preach has no 191 00:18:32,200 --> 00:18:37,540 power to change anything. If God could not raise Jesus from the dead, he can't help 192 00:18:37,540 --> 00:18:43,000 you with the problems that you have in life, the difficult challenges that you face and 193 00:18:43,000 --> 00:18:47,880 he can't help you after you finish your life here on earth, after you die because if he 194 00:18:47,880 --> 00:18:52,960 couldn't raise Jesus he couldn't raise you either. And you have no basis for faith and 195 00:18:52,960 --> 00:18:59,960 no firm foundation for following God. Now some of my adult kids these days are buying 196 00:19:01,040 --> 00:19:08,040 houses and when they buy houses they often call dad and dad is the secondary inspector. 197 00:19:08,520 --> 00:19:12,080 We always have to call an inspector to inspect the houses but I have to come over and I have 198 00:19:12,080 --> 00:19:17,600 to check it out, right? And on almost every one of these homes that my kids have purchased 199 00:19:17,600 --> 00:19:23,760 the foundation becomes a question. Is the foundation solid? Is the foundation not moving? 200 00:19:23,760 --> 00:19:29,040 Is it firm? We have people come out that are specialists and they measure the height of 201 00:19:29,040 --> 00:19:32,560 the foundation over here and the height of the foundation over there and they make sure 202 00:19:32,560 --> 00:19:36,920 that it's not moving down a hill, it's not tilting one way or another, there's no cracks 203 00:19:36,920 --> 00:19:41,000 on the walls, there's no cracks in the doors, they're all aligned perfectly and we do that 204 00:19:41,000 --> 00:19:46,880 because we don't want to buy a house and live in a house, a temporary dwelling place that 205 00:19:46,880 --> 00:19:52,000 will only be in for a few years. We don't want to do that if it's not got a great foundation 206 00:19:52,000 --> 00:19:59,000 and we should make sure it has a strong foundation. You need to make sure you have a great foundation 207 00:19:59,200 --> 00:20:06,200 for faith because when your faith is challenged and when the world that so vehemently cries 208 00:20:06,240 --> 00:20:12,400 out against your Christian faith you need to know that you're standing on solid ground, 209 00:20:12,400 --> 00:20:17,240 that you have a basis for saying what you say about Jesus and that you have a basis 210 00:20:17,240 --> 00:20:21,840 for believing that he can fulfill the word that he gave us. Paul said if it weren't for 211 00:20:21,840 --> 00:20:26,040 the resurrection we don't have a message, we don't have anything to say to you and you 212 00:20:26,040 --> 00:20:31,440 have no reason to believe at all but because Jesus rose from the dead you can have absolute 213 00:20:31,440 --> 00:20:38,440 confidence. The resurrection says that our beliefs are reliable and trustworthy in every 214 00:20:38,440 --> 00:20:45,440 way. Did you know that when Jesus came and was born of a virgin and you know the whole 215 00:20:49,360 --> 00:20:53,640 Christmas story as it unfolds that it was preceded by prophecy? We all know about the 216 00:20:53,640 --> 00:20:58,080 prophecies of Christ and we all love to talk about how he fulfilled every one of those 217 00:20:58,080 --> 00:21:03,160 prophecies of the Messiah coming. But many of us may not know that some of the prophecies 218 00:21:03,160 --> 00:21:10,160 of Jesus prophesy his resurrection as well. In Isaiah chapter 53 verse 10 the scripture 219 00:21:10,480 --> 00:21:15,520 says the Lord was pleased to crush him putting him to grief speaking about the scourging 220 00:21:15,520 --> 00:21:19,880 of the cross. If he would render himself as a guilt offering specifically talking about 221 00:21:19,880 --> 00:21:26,280 the cross it says he will see his offspring and then it says he will prolong his days 222 00:21:26,280 --> 00:21:32,040 and the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in his hand. In other words prophecy says 223 00:21:32,040 --> 00:21:38,800 that God would prolong the days of Jesus. That this death as a guilt offering as a man 224 00:21:38,800 --> 00:21:44,280 dying on the cross was not the end of Jesus life that his life would be prolonged. So 225 00:21:44,280 --> 00:21:49,760 prophecy tells us about the resurrection of Jesus just like it tells us about the incarnation 226 00:21:49,760 --> 00:21:56,760 of Jesus and our faith is reliable because the resurrection was fulfilled that was prophesied. 227 00:21:56,760 --> 00:22:02,640 We also know the resurrection was real because of eyewitness accounts. Read 1 Corinthians 228 00:22:02,640 --> 00:22:09,640 chapter 3 and read all of the numbers of people who saw Christ alive from the grave. Did you 229 00:22:11,080 --> 00:22:16,520 know that hundreds of people saw Christ risen from the dead? It wasn't just Mary and the 230 00:22:16,520 --> 00:22:21,560 disciples it was hundreds of people. Paul wrote and said some of them are alive even 231 00:22:21,560 --> 00:22:26,320 to this day. In other words you can validate what I write by those eyewitnesses who saw 232 00:22:26,320 --> 00:22:32,960 Jesus Christ after the third day alive and well. Now you know what happens in society 233 00:22:32,960 --> 00:22:39,680 when eyewitnesses see a crime. When eyewitnesses see a crime in our society it's considered 234 00:22:39,680 --> 00:22:46,680 validation enough to prosecute the criminal that a person saw them commit a crime towards. 235 00:22:47,160 --> 00:22:54,160 We put people into capital punishment situations. We execute people who others have seen as 236 00:22:54,160 --> 00:23:00,560 eyewitnesses them commit a murder. We put a lot of weight in eyewitnesses accounts don't 237 00:23:00,560 --> 00:23:06,960 we? If you see something then you are someone that is absolutely certain that you saw what 238 00:23:06,960 --> 00:23:12,600 you saw and you convinced others I saw it. And so what happened? Eyewitness accounts 239 00:23:12,600 --> 00:23:17,040 are important just because you and I weren't there 2000 years ago doesn't mean no one 240 00:23:17,040 --> 00:23:22,280 saw Jesus risen from the dead. Hundreds of people saw him from the dead. You have prophecy 241 00:23:22,280 --> 00:23:27,640 fulfilled. You have eyewitness accounts. You have changes in the disciples lives. These 242 00:23:27,640 --> 00:23:33,560 disciples were so fearful at the cross after the resurrection became on fire for Jesus. 243 00:23:33,560 --> 00:23:39,480 They would not quit talking about the resurrection of Jesus. Paul was imprisoned several times 244 00:23:39,480 --> 00:23:44,880 for talking about the resurrection from the dead. What could explain the changes in these 245 00:23:44,880 --> 00:23:50,760 men's lives other than the fact that Jesus rose from the dead? You look at the subsequent 246 00:23:50,760 --> 00:23:55,320 history of the New Testament church and the move of the church from where it began at 247 00:23:55,320 --> 00:24:00,280 Pentecost in Jerusalem to spread throughout the world and the only explanation is Jesus 248 00:24:00,280 --> 00:24:05,960 Christ is alive. He is real. He is life transforming to every single one of us and that is why we 249 00:24:05,960 --> 00:24:12,240 keep talking about that. Your faith is firm. But then you also have this. You have an empty 250 00:24:12,240 --> 00:24:18,960 tomb. The reality of these disciples running to this tomb and finding the tomb where Jesus 251 00:24:18,960 --> 00:24:25,520 was buried completely empty is not lost on us. This is a picture of the garden tomb that 252 00:24:25,520 --> 00:24:30,280 we took when we were in Jerusalem last year. Someone might say well there are two different 253 00:24:30,280 --> 00:24:35,120 sites where the tomb of Jesus must have been and we are not sure which one it was and my 254 00:24:35,120 --> 00:24:39,760 response to that is you are absolutely right. We are not sure exactly which tomb it was 255 00:24:39,760 --> 00:24:46,520 but the debate about which tomb that Jesus was buried in we are not sure about but Jesus 256 00:24:46,520 --> 00:24:53,000 did rise again and there is no debate about that. What you and I need to know today is 257 00:24:53,000 --> 00:24:58,520 that He is alive. He died, He was buried and when they came to find Him in the tomb He 258 00:24:58,520 --> 00:25:05,880 was gone and then He appeared again and He was alive and hundreds saw Him. Because of 259 00:25:05,880 --> 00:25:11,720 that you can believe your faith. You can believe the basis of the scripture. It is reliable 260 00:25:11,720 --> 00:25:15,840 and everything the scripture says is reliable because it is reliable in this place. It is 261 00:25:15,840 --> 00:25:20,560 dependable, it is true. We have knowledge of the Christ and all that He did, all that 262 00:25:20,560 --> 00:25:25,960 He said and the Bible brings us to Christ but Christ Himself fastens us to scripture 263 00:25:25,960 --> 00:25:31,040 because He rose. We have truth, it is real. That is number two. Number three and you will 264 00:25:31,040 --> 00:25:39,040 love this one. Sin is forgiven. In verse 17, the Father says if Christ is not there, if 265 00:25:39,040 --> 00:25:45,800 Christ is not risen then you are still in your sins. In other words there is no other 266 00:25:45,800 --> 00:25:51,720 basis for the forgiveness of sin other than Jesus' death, burial and resurrection. If 267 00:25:51,720 --> 00:25:56,880 He didn't rise then He died just like any other man might die on a cross and we still 268 00:25:56,880 --> 00:26:03,360 search for a Savior. We still need someone to atone for our sins and to overcome sin 269 00:26:03,360 --> 00:26:10,360 and death. Can you imagine a life without forgiveness? You probably have experienced 270 00:26:10,520 --> 00:26:17,080 some periods of life without forgiveness. We carry the weight of our sin on us, we feel 271 00:26:17,080 --> 00:26:22,760 the weight of it. We feel the weight of our offense at somebody else's hands too and 272 00:26:22,760 --> 00:26:28,000 things we have said and done to others. We are weighted down by that. It is not an easy 273 00:26:28,000 --> 00:26:32,720 life to live when you are living in a place of unforgiveness. We have all kinds of regrets 274 00:26:32,720 --> 00:26:38,600 and separation because of our inability to forgive others. We walk sometimes far from 275 00:26:38,600 --> 00:26:44,000 God because we don't seek His forgiveness. It is very real for many of us. The reality 276 00:26:44,000 --> 00:26:49,360 is that unforgiveness will always be a part of our lives if Jesus had not risen from the 277 00:26:49,360 --> 00:26:56,360 dead. Years ago I heard of a most unusual term and it was really almost a horrific term 278 00:26:56,360 --> 00:27:03,360 called the sin eater. It described a medieval practice years ago where sin eaters were individuals 279 00:27:06,480 --> 00:27:13,480 who made their money by eating a meal that was served on the chest of a dead family member 280 00:27:14,560 --> 00:27:19,920 and someone had called the sin eater to come eat that meal and in some way pronounced that 281 00:27:19,920 --> 00:27:26,560 the sins had been forgiven on the basis of the sin eater eating their sin. Sounds horrific 282 00:27:26,560 --> 00:27:32,160 doesn't it? Doesn't sound like something I would recommend? But it was an actual practice 283 00:27:32,160 --> 00:27:37,640 and the whole idea behind it was somebody needs to pay for sins. I said we don't know 284 00:27:37,640 --> 00:27:43,120 who that is and we don't know how it would take place. We will hire the sin eater to 285 00:27:43,120 --> 00:27:50,120 come and eat this meal and ceremoniously consume those sins and remove them. When I first read 286 00:27:51,320 --> 00:27:56,840 that I thought the medieval people didn't have the best ideas right? And then I thought 287 00:27:56,840 --> 00:28:02,160 they may have better ideas than we sometimes have. At least those people knew that sin 288 00:28:02,160 --> 00:28:06,680 was a barrier between ourselves and God. At least they knew that something had to pay 289 00:28:06,680 --> 00:28:11,760 for sins that we committed against God and against each other. At some point they realized 290 00:28:11,760 --> 00:28:16,240 there has to be a solution to this. This is the only one that we happen to have. But when 291 00:28:16,240 --> 00:28:23,240 Jesus Christ came the Bible says that Jesus became sin on our behalf. That he actually 292 00:28:24,080 --> 00:28:28,760 paid for the sins on the cross. That he was the guilt offering that God placed on the 293 00:28:28,760 --> 00:28:35,200 cross to pay for our sin and consume it. The Bible says he who knew those sins became sin 294 00:28:35,200 --> 00:28:41,640 on our behalf. That we might become the righteousness of God in him. Man what a powerful thing. 295 00:28:41,640 --> 00:28:48,640 But if Jesus had not risen from the dead then all of that would say he wasn't strong enough 296 00:28:50,320 --> 00:28:55,480 to overcome sin. He wasn't strong enough to overcome death. One of the greatest things 297 00:28:55,480 --> 00:29:00,080 I enjoy as a pastor is walking through the cross service and being able to point to this 298 00:29:00,080 --> 00:29:07,080 cross and as I point to the cross talk about the whole history of the blood sacrifice. 299 00:29:07,440 --> 00:29:11,440 The blood sacrifice began in the Garden of Eden as you may know where Adam and Eve sinned 300 00:29:11,440 --> 00:29:17,640 and then God slew an innocent animal and covered them with its skins. And then it began further 301 00:29:17,640 --> 00:29:24,640 with Abraham and Aaron and then it went on up to the time of Jesus day when the sacrifices 302 00:29:25,760 --> 00:29:31,280 were still being made in the temple in Jerusalem. And until Jesus Christ died on the cross those 303 00:29:31,280 --> 00:29:38,280 sacrifices continued on. The Old Testament sacrificial system was innocent blood shed 304 00:29:38,280 --> 00:29:44,520 for guilty to pay for sin. When Jesus Christ came John the Baptist said the first to recognize 305 00:29:44,520 --> 00:29:49,320 him is who he was. Behold the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. What 306 00:29:49,320 --> 00:29:54,760 a statement. Jesus lived that perfect life. He died on the cross as the Lamb of God that 307 00:29:54,760 --> 00:30:01,760 takes away the sin of the world and he consumed our sin in doing so. God buried him. He was 308 00:30:01,920 --> 00:30:06,400 buried. God allowed him to be buried and rose again the third day to overcome the sin and 309 00:30:06,400 --> 00:30:12,120 promise forgiveness. Because Jesus rose from the dead you and I can know that our sins 310 00:30:12,120 --> 00:30:18,680 are forgiven that we are no longer in our sins because of Jesus Christ. Apart from him 311 00:30:18,680 --> 00:30:22,960 what would we do with all of our foolish actions and statements and things that we have done 312 00:30:22,960 --> 00:30:27,880 over the years? Where would the thief on the cross be if Jesus Christ had not forgiven? 313 00:30:27,880 --> 00:30:32,760 Where would Peter be who denied Christ three times if Jesus had not risen from the dead? 314 00:30:32,760 --> 00:30:37,920 But he rose from the dead which means that we have forgiveness of sin. Somebody in the 315 00:30:37,920 --> 00:30:44,920 room say amen. I am glad that we have forgiveness of sin. So sin is forgiven. 316 00:30:46,800 --> 00:30:53,800 Number four, eternity is security. In verse 18 and 19 is that verse that says that those 317 00:30:54,480 --> 00:30:58,640 also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished if we have hoped in Christ in this 318 00:30:58,640 --> 00:31:04,320 life only were of all men most to be pitied. As a pastor I do a lot of funerals and sometimes 319 00:31:04,320 --> 00:31:10,360 I am asked to do funerals of people who had no faith, who had no hope of eternal life. 320 00:31:10,360 --> 00:31:14,840 And I can tell you some of the saddest services I have ever been in have been those kinds 321 00:31:14,840 --> 00:31:19,600 of services. Not necessarily because of what was said but because of what everybody knows 322 00:31:19,600 --> 00:31:26,600 in the room. This person had no faith, they had no hope beyond death. I can watch families 323 00:31:26,600 --> 00:31:32,060 walk by a casket, I can see them and interact with them and know this is the saddest of 324 00:31:32,060 --> 00:31:37,860 all sad. To live life with all its highs and lows and then to come to a full stop and say 325 00:31:37,860 --> 00:31:43,340 there is nothing better than that, there is not going to improve, there is no more hope, 326 00:31:43,340 --> 00:31:47,140 no more meaning than whatever that person had. This is it. 327 00:31:47,140 --> 00:31:52,620 Now in Paul's study when he talked about if we have hoped in Christ in this life only 328 00:31:52,620 --> 00:31:56,940 were of all men most miserable, he was referring to the difficulty of living the Christian 329 00:31:56,940 --> 00:32:01,860 life. People gave their lives for the testimony of Christ, sometimes they lost their families 330 00:32:01,860 --> 00:32:06,460 for that. It was a tough time to live. And Paul was simply saying life is not going to 331 00:32:06,460 --> 00:32:10,860 be always great, we need to have something that has more meaning and hope beyond this 332 00:32:10,860 --> 00:32:16,620 life and eternity is what Jesus Christ secured when he rose from the dead. I am glad for 333 00:32:16,620 --> 00:32:21,780 this. As much meaning and purpose as I have in this life, I am glad that everything I 334 00:32:21,780 --> 00:32:28,460 have done goes ahead of me and I have greater purpose and meaning after I die on this planet 335 00:32:28,460 --> 00:32:33,740 to be with Jesus. The Bible says to be absent from body is to be present with Christ because 336 00:32:33,740 --> 00:32:38,860 He has gone ahead of us and He has prepared the way. I love the resurrection because it 337 00:32:38,860 --> 00:32:45,460 says I will live again and you will live again if your faith is in Jesus Christ. Apart from 338 00:32:45,460 --> 00:32:51,900 that your life will be just a series of ups and downs, satisfied sometimes with things 339 00:32:51,900 --> 00:32:57,540 you gain, dissatisfied with the emptiness of them and have no hope of meaning beyond 340 00:32:57,540 --> 00:33:04,060 the grave without Christ's resurrection and your faith in Him. And then finally I want 341 00:33:04,060 --> 00:33:13,060 to share with you that the resurrection means that death is abolished. Death is abolished. 342 00:33:13,060 --> 00:33:17,420 The Bible says then comes the end when He has abolished all rule and all authority and 343 00:33:17,420 --> 00:33:24,260 all power, the last enemy that will be abolished is death. You know this is where the resurrection 344 00:33:24,260 --> 00:33:29,340 becomes extremely practical today to you. There might be some of you today that say 345 00:33:29,340 --> 00:33:32,540 you know I am not really concerned about death, that is a long way into the future, but there 346 00:33:32,540 --> 00:33:39,020 will be a defining moment in your life where death becomes real to you. At some point you 347 00:33:39,020 --> 00:33:44,620 will feel it in your life. Or someone close to you, someone that you love is close to 348 00:33:44,620 --> 00:33:49,100 death or has been threatened by death and all of a sudden it is incredibly important 349 00:33:49,100 --> 00:33:54,780 to know about eternity, about life beyond the grave, about the fact that someone has 350 00:33:54,780 --> 00:34:01,300 abolished death, overcome death. When Jesus rose from the dead He removed the threat of 351 00:34:01,300 --> 00:34:06,620 death for every single one of us. Now there are some in the room that say you know I don't 352 00:34:06,620 --> 00:34:11,340 trust Christ, I am not putting my faith in Him, I will take my chances and I just want 353 00:34:11,340 --> 00:34:17,580 to say to you today I don't like your odds. I don't like the odds that you are trying 354 00:34:17,580 --> 00:34:21,420 to bring to your favor because if you are not powerful enough to overcome death, there 355 00:34:21,420 --> 00:34:26,660 is no one else that has overcome death, only Jesus rose from the dead after the third day. 356 00:34:26,660 --> 00:34:31,100 If you have a religion it is not going to be enough to rise you from the dead. Nothing 357 00:34:31,100 --> 00:34:35,700 else will raise you from the dead except the man who did rise from the dead, Jesus Christ. 358 00:34:35,700 --> 00:34:41,600 I don't like your odds without Jesus. With Jesus I love the idea that you will have life 359 00:34:41,600 --> 00:34:47,580 after death because death is abolished. It all comes down to someone that goes before 360 00:34:47,580 --> 00:34:53,500 us who is waiting on the other side. Christ is gone to the Father, He is waiting on the 361 00:34:53,500 --> 00:34:58,860 other side. You may not need this truth today but there will be a day when you need this 362 00:34:58,860 --> 00:35:05,260 truth more than anything you can possibly imagine and on that day you will say thank 363 00:35:05,260 --> 00:35:12,260 God for raising Jesus Christ from the dead. Thank God there is life after this one here. 364 00:35:14,380 --> 00:35:20,900 You know as you think about the cross of Jesus, amen. As you think about the cross of Jesus, 365 00:35:20,900 --> 00:35:25,940 as you think about the tomb, as you think about the resurrection, I want to ask you 366 00:35:25,940 --> 00:35:35,380 today how solidly, how firmly is your faith resting on Him, on that person who died, who 367 00:35:35,380 --> 00:35:42,380 was buried, who rose, who will come again? Because today when you see the resurrection 368 00:35:42,940 --> 00:35:49,940 of Jesus is real and you haven't embraced Him in the past, today is that day. On Good 369 00:35:49,940 --> 00:35:56,940 Friday, Friday night, I gave an invitation to people after they saw the cross raised 370 00:35:56,940 --> 00:36:00,820 and I am so thankful for how God was moving in the hearts of people and they were just 371 00:36:00,820 --> 00:36:04,940 ready to put their faith and trust in Christ. There were so many as we mentioned a few moments 372 00:36:04,940 --> 00:36:10,900 ago. It is kind of always the way it worked. One of the ways that we have prepared for 373 00:36:10,900 --> 00:36:14,860 people is to pray for them by name and there may be a meeting in this room today, you have 374 00:36:14,860 --> 00:36:19,940 been prayed for by name. People have prayed that you might know Christ in a very real 375 00:36:19,940 --> 00:36:24,980 way and that maybe at this moment that you need to make a decision to put your faith 376 00:36:24,980 --> 00:36:29,140 and trust in Christ. And I want to lead you to do that right now. I am going to lead us 377 00:36:29,140 --> 00:36:33,220 in a prayer right where we are. And then I am going to ask you to respond to me, to actually 378 00:36:33,220 --> 00:36:37,860 text me at the end of the service and say, I put my faith and trust in Christ, what's 379 00:36:37,860 --> 00:36:42,300 next? And I want to help you in what's next but right now I want to help you put your 380 00:36:42,300 --> 00:36:47,260 faith and trust in Christ. I am going to pray a prayer in just a moment that I invite anyone 381 00:36:47,260 --> 00:36:52,380 to pray with me. That prayer will say something like this, it will say, Lord Jesus I know 382 00:36:52,380 --> 00:36:57,900 that you came, that you lived the life that the Bible describes, that you died on the 383 00:36:57,900 --> 00:37:02,220 cross. I believe that you were buried and that you rose again the third day and that 384 00:37:02,220 --> 00:37:07,580 you offer eternal life. And today I want to accept the gift of eternal life. I want you 385 00:37:07,580 --> 00:37:13,820 to forgive me of my sin. I want you to give me this gift. I put my faith firmly in you. 386 00:37:13,820 --> 00:37:17,460 I choose to follow you. I am going to lead you in a prayer like that. And if you want 387 00:37:17,460 --> 00:37:20,700 to pray that prayer today, I want you to join me right now. You can pray silently while I 388 00:37:20,700 --> 00:37:25,860 pray out loud. I am going to give you time to do that. You can whisper your prayer. You 389 00:37:25,860 --> 00:37:30,980 can say it however you want to say it. You can say it out loud. But as you do that, just 390 00:37:30,980 --> 00:37:37,380 know Christ who knows you well will hear your prayer and respond to you should you choose 391 00:37:37,380 --> 00:37:43,260 to put your faith in Christ. Would you bow with me? Father in Jesus name, I thank you 392 00:37:43,260 --> 00:37:47,580 for these in the room and over these next few moments I want to give space for them 393 00:37:47,580 --> 00:37:54,420 to make the decision to allow you to be the Lord and Savior of their lives, to believe 394 00:37:54,420 --> 00:38:00,100 all of the claims made about you and that you did rise again from the dead. And Lord 395 00:38:00,100 --> 00:38:06,620 as they prepare to ask you to give them the gift of eternal life, I pray Lord that you 396 00:38:06,620 --> 00:38:11,540 give them the faith they need, the trust they need to do that very thing. Hear them as they 397 00:38:11,540 --> 00:38:17,420 pray. I ask this in Jesus name. And with your heads bowed, eyes closed, I am going to say 398 00:38:17,420 --> 00:38:21,420 these words, walk you through this prayer for those that want to put their faith in 399 00:38:21,420 --> 00:38:29,140 Christ. Just say these words to the Lord. Dear Heavenly Father, today I know that Jesus 400 00:38:29,140 --> 00:38:38,100 Christ came to the earth. I believe he lived the perfect life and I believe he died on 401 00:38:38,100 --> 00:38:48,940 the cross. I know he was buried and today I believe he rose from the dead. And I ask 402 00:38:48,940 --> 00:38:58,180 you Lord to give me this gift of eternal life that Jesus has secured. I ask that you forgive 403 00:38:58,180 --> 00:39:07,140 me of my sins and give me the gift that you promised. Lead me in the way I am to walk. 404 00:39:07,140 --> 00:39:15,940 Help me to put my faith firmly on your truth. And I pray that you will confirm in my life 405 00:39:15,940 --> 00:39:25,140 that you are there. Thank you for the gift of salvation. I ask this in Jesus name. And 406 00:39:25,140 --> 00:39:29,700 let everybody in the room say amen. There may be some of you that prayed that prayer 407 00:39:29,700 --> 00:39:33,980 today. It would be my greatest desire to be able to interact with you. And if you would 408 00:39:33,980 --> 00:39:42,740 just take your phone and text the word talk to 63566. Text the word talk to 63566. If 409 00:39:42,740 --> 00:39:47,700 you prayed that prayer or if you are a guest today, text the word guest to that same number, 410 00:39:47,700 --> 00:39:53,700 63566. Now if you prayed to accept Christ today, on your way out I have a gift for you 411 00:39:53,700 --> 00:39:58,660 that I want you to receive. There are stations at each of our exit doors. And just show them 412 00:39:58,660 --> 00:40:03,500 that you have texted me and they will give you this gift bag with scriptures in it and 413 00:40:03,500 --> 00:40:07,340 some next steps in it. But I just want to be of help to you if you put your faith and 414 00:40:07,340 --> 00:40:11,540 trust in Christ today. Now are you glad for the resurrection of Jesus? Today would you 415 00:40:11,540 --> 00:40:15,980 just stand and give an ovation to the Lord who has forgiven us, who has given us eternal 416 00:40:15,980 --> 00:40:29,660 life? Father today I am so grateful for the life that we have in Jesus and I ask you today 417 00:40:29,660 --> 00:40:35,860 just to be very real to each one of us as only you can. In Jesus name I pray. Amen. 418 00:40:35,860 --> 00:40:46,460 God bless you. Have a wonderful Easter.