Hallelujah. If you have your Bibles, turn with
me to Luke's Gospel. Luke 24. Thank you for being
in the house of the Lord today. Happy Easter.
Happy Easter Sunday morning. What a beautiful,
beautiful day that the Lord has made. Amen. Good
to see some of you out of your comfort zones
this morning. Moved around, front row Christians
now. Thank you for those of you that got here
before they did. Got their seats and made them
have to look for another place to light. I love
it. Hallelujah. It is Easter Sunday. Amen. I
just want to say thank you for being in the house
of the Lord. If you're visiting with us today,
you only get to be a visitor one time. And after
that, you just have to find a place to fit in.
Be one among us. So thank you for choosing to
be at the Hopewell Church of God today to worship.
I know there are some pastors that are looking
for some of you. And I'll tell them where you
were. He's a friend of mine. And he's like myself.
He's a shepherd that knows where his regular
sheep are and when they're not there. And so
if we could all get a group photo, we'll just
send it to him. They're shaking their head, though.
We ain't doing that. Luke 24. I'm going to start
reading verse 1. Now upon the first day of the
week, very early in the morning, they come into
the sepulcher bringing the spices which they
had prepared and certain others with them. And
they found the stone rolled away from the sepulcher.
And they entered in and found not the body of
the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they
were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men
stood by them in shining garments. And as they
were afraid and bowed down their faces to the
earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living
among the dead? He is not here, but is risen.
Remember how he spake unto you? When he was yet
in Galilee. Saying the son of man must be delivered
into the hands of sinful men. And be crucified.
And the third day rise again. And they remembered
his words. And they remembered his words. I won't
speak to you for just a little while. Probably
going to conclude our countdown series. The countdown
reset. The countdown reset. Living in a Good
Friday world like it's Sunday morning. Well,
hallelujah. If you pray for me, I'll pray for
you, and I'm going to try my best to get this
done by 12 -ish. Father, we love you. We thank
you for your goodness and your mercy and your
grace. On this day, Father, I pray, let me be
expedient. Lord, to speak what thus saith the
Lord, what you would have us to hear and what
would be encouraging and uplifting to the saints
of God. For each one that is here today, we have
hope in the resurrection. And we're so grateful
and so thankful. This beautiful, beautiful congregation
that is assembled together today to worship you
in the power of your resurrection. Help us now,
Father, to hear what the Spirit would say to
the church. To you be praise forever. In Christ's
name, the church said, amen. Tell your neighbor,
live it like it's Sunday morning. Our countdown
series that we've been in, we began Palm Sunday,
the week before Palm Sunday. It started with
the last month or so of Christ's life. We've
been walking through his last few weeks upon
the face of the earth in his fleshly body. Holy
Week has concluded. The shouts of Hosanna have
faded and have been replaced with crucify him.
The week past, this Holy Week, passed with the
cleansing of the temple. In the declaration,
my house shall be called a house of prayer. This
week has passed with the healing of the sick.
Blinded eyes have been opened. The holy week
has passed with Christ daily in the temple teaching,
leaving final instructions. The instructions
of... The widow's mite took place in this last
week of Christ's life. As he's sitting, resting,
no doubt after a morning session, and it come
time for offering, and he and his disciples are
sitting away from the collection, and he's watching.
He's seeing how some come in, and they bring
their exorbitant gift, and they make a show of
the presentation. But he hasn't said anything
about the showy presentation. But he sees a widow
woman come with the smallest amount. And he draws
his disciples' attention to the offering of what
we know as the widow's mite. And how that she
had given more than all that had preceded her.
It wasn't the last teaching that he would do
concerning money. The Pharisees would come and
they would be gouging and poking at him so that
they may find somewhere and some wit to condemn
him. Is it lawful to give money unto Caesar?
In his teaching, he says, does anybody have a
coin? Well, yeah. Somebody digs up a coin. He
says, whose inscription is on the coin? Well,
it's Caesar's. They said, well, you do know it's
Caesar time, by the way. Render unto Caesar that
which is Caesar's, and render unto God that which
is God. And they left scratching their head.
That's a good answer. They thought, hmm, thought
we had him there, but that's a real good answer.
Money's still not the end. That teaching is not
the end of where... Money would play a role in
the last week of Jesus' life. For you see, it
would proceed on down to where Judas would barter
the life and the betrayal of Christ for 30 pieces
of silver. We don't think about all these things
going. We think that some of that other money
talk was way back in the early years of Christ.
No. He's teaching on it all in this last week.
Judas has betrayed him, sold him out. In this
week, the supper has been instructed. The room
had been secured. They would proceed from supper
after he washing their feet and breaking bread
and instituting the new covenant. He would hand
them the cup and say, this is my blood, drink
you all of it. From there he proceeds to the
garden. There those prayers are offered until
his sweat becomes as great drops of blood. Then
he surrenders the fleshly will to the will of
the Father. Hymns are sang. He who had been sold
out now is called upon. The soldiers are there.
One of the gospels tells us when they come for
him to actually take him, his power, again, Brother
Jeff, he had to restrain himself, but he lost
restraint for a moment, and they're all knocked
over. It is in that night at this very occasion
that the zealous one, Peter, would take a sword
and cut off the ear of one of the guards, one
of the soldiers. And it was there that Christ
again displayed his powers. He picked up the
old boy's ear and stuck it back on his head.
If it would have been me for spite, I'd have
put it on crooked. I'd have put it back. But
it had been sideways so that he would never forget.
But that's not Jesus. He just put it back on.
All these things are transpiring. The days that
would follow that night would be dark. They lead
us to what we know and celebrated the other day
as Good Friday. And the only good from it is
for you and I. For you see, it would be there
that the stripes would be laid upon his back.
It would be there for now what we can go and
follow through the seven stages of the Via Della
Rosa. The walk. the last walk of the Christ.
And you can stop at every station, and you can
reminisce, and you can let your mind be caught
up. I've been there. It's very solemn for a believer.
Others can walk the Via Dolorosa and just look
at the pretty sights and take pictures of the
architecture. But for a born -again child of
God who knows, as the song said, who we were
and who we are because of who he is. You can't
walk down through there without looking through
the glimmering of tears. I cried for 11 days
when I was over there. Couldn't hardly see the
countryside and the sights because I was always
looking through tears. Humbled and somewhat ashamed.
The Holy Week is concluding. The cross has been
selected. The spikes have been chosen. The one
to help him bear it to Calvary had been pulled
from the crowd, Simon of Cyrene. And now they
drive them. He's on the cross to be lifted as
the... Serpent was the brazen serpent. Back in
Moses' day when the people transgressed God.
Bitten by fiery serpents and dying. Moses is
instructed. We had a couple of our EMTs in here
with us this morning. Glad they made it prior
to their shift. But it's the insignia for healing
and for help. Still in our culture today. The
ceiling of healing and help. Christ said, if
I be lifted up, I'll draw all men unto me. So
he is now suspended between the heaven and the
earth. The sun is hidden by darkness. And he
cries those fated words. It is finished. Reset
the countdown. The last grain has fallen through
the hourglass of time. Sand is now settled. Turn
it over. Reset the countdown. And sand of time
begins to filter through the will and the promise
of God. The countdown has been reset. The declaration,
it is finished. Not he is finished. It. It. What
is it? Sin's dominion and domain. It. It is finished.
Sin's authority and sin's rule and the devil's
rampant unchecked action. It is finished. It
is over. He yields up his life. Remember, he
said, I lay it down. You can't take it. Pilate,
you can't take it. No one else can take it. The
army and the soldiers that came into Gethsemane
that night realized they couldn't take it as
they were getting up off of the ground because
of his spoken word. They realized they could
not take his life. Had he not desired to surrender
it, it would have never been taken. My God. And
even while he suspended between the heavens and
the earth, the legions of angels upon his summons
would have come and delivered him. But no, no,
he said it's time to reset the countdown. My
God, it's time to turn it over. Redemption is
coming to humanity. It is finished. Sin no longer
has dominion over God's creation. In his own
way, what I say, well, I've about had enough
of this. How many of you? Well, I'm over this.
Reset the countdown. You see, we live in a continuum
of a Good Friday world. You see, Good Friday
was filled with pain and suffering. Good Friday
is all about the power that sin had over the
world. Huh? Good Friday is about despair. Good
Friday is about depression and oppression. Good
Friday is about darkness. And we live in the
continuum of a Good Friday world. People being
overburdened and overwhelmed by the cares of
this world. And even though, I want you to mark
this now, even though we live in a Good Friday
world, We're in this Good Friday world, but the
redeemed are no longer of this Good Friday world.
So my encouragement to you is... That Christ
died that you may live. We've sung about it this
morning. He died that you may live in spite of
a Good Friday world. He died that you might live
in spite of the darkness that shudders across
the face of this earth. He died that he may rise
again and let the glorious light and the power
of his resurrection. Hallelujah. I am in a Good
Friday world, but I live every day like it's
Sunday morning. you've got to understand the
declaration on that first day of the week. Early
in the morning, amen, when they went to the place
where he was laid and the stone was rolled and
the seal was placed, he, I love what the angel
said, why seek ye the living among the dead?
He is not here. Do you not remember what he said?
I'm in this thing, but I'm no longer of this
thing. I spent my time living out the Good Friday
life. How about you? I spent my time allowing
sin to have dominion over my life, but no longer.
I endeavor to the best of my ability to live
without sin. I do. I said endeavor. To live without
sin. As long as I'm in this world and there's
a devil going out to steal, kill, and destroy,
the potential for me to fall and the subjection
of me to fall is always in play. So you thought
I was going to tell you I was perfect. That ain't
so. But you know what the old songwriter said,
it's hard to be humble when you're perfect in
every way. The perfection of my life is Christ
who is in me, who is my eternal hope of glory.
And if there's any perfection in you as well,
it's Christ that lives in you and dwells within
you. That is the perfection that we proclaim.
It's Christ. And we totally always surrender
ourselves to the perfection and the will of Christ
and allow the authority of the power of His Spirit
to move and to reign, to lead, and to guide,
and let His Word dictate our actions. So, live.
Like it's Sunday morning. Live in this Black
Friday world, Good Friday's actions of Christ's
surrender like it's Sunday morning. Why? Because
Sunday morning brings about joy. And we must
remember that Christ died in order that we may
live like it's a Sunday morning. Because we know
that we are in this mess, but we're not out of
this mess. And as I've told you before, this
is as bad as it's ever going to get for you.
Hey, what are you saying? If you are redeemed
by the blood of the Lamb, if your sins are forgiven,
if you have repented and invited Christ into
your heart, whatever this old world has is as
bad as it's going to get for you. It's not going
to get any worse than a sickness or a disease
that devours your body. It's not going to get
any worse than that. This is as bad as it's ever
going to get for you. Whatever the enemy can
come against you with is all he's got. It's the
only effort that he had because there is a hope.
in eternity for you and I. You better take your
best shot now, devil, because this is as good
as it's ever going to get. It's as bad as it
ever will be because when I'm even here, he has
no authority. He has no dominion over you other
than which you surrender to him because when
you are here on the resurrection, on that first
Sunday morning, he has given you and I authority
and power to live like every day is a Sunday
morning. Resurrection Sunday is a day of new
beginning. It's a day of renewed hope. It's a
day of refreshed joy. That first Sunday morning
was a great day. People say, well, why don't
we worship on Sabbath day? Because I'm not a
Sabbath day Adventist. And I am not of the Jewish
faith. That's why we gather on Sunday morning,
early on the first day of the week. They went,
the stones rolled away, and he is living evermore.
So we worship on Resurrection Day. But can I
tell you, every day is a resurrection day for
a child of God. Victory was accomplished through
the cross and by the power of the resurrection.
Never... ever only put your hope in the cross
of Calvary. Never, ever. You need to hear me
now. Never allow the cross to be elevated above
an empty tomb. The cross was necessary. It was
the judgment that was required. His blood had
to be poured out. But remember the words of the
Apostle Paul. If Christ be not risen, then is
your faith in vain. It's the empty tomb. Hallelujah.
It's the resurrected Lord that gives validity
to your faith and hope in the resurrection and
the power that also you need. You know this,
the same power that raised Christ from the dead
will also raise your mortal bodies. Hallelujah.
It's the hope we have. Live every day like it's
Sunday morning. Jesus went to Calvary and then
rose from the dead. He accomplished a great victory.
Not only for himself, but for all of humanity.
As we look at some things this morning that bring
about the benefits of how and why we live like
it's Sunday morning. Not as though we are condemned
in a Good Friday world. It's because of the resurrection
of Jesus Christ. Had he not risen, he would be
no different than Mohammed. He would be no different
than a Buddha, a Hare Krishna, a Sun Yung Moon,
a David Koresh. Trying to get in one you might
recognize. The other's bones are still bleaching
in the earth. But his. above the heavens beyond
the galaxies of this world. He sits at the right
hand of the throne of God. So live like it's
Sunday morning. You say, well, I thought he had
a spirit body. Well, he told Thomas, stick your
finger here, indicating the hole. Because you
remember Thomas in his doubting because he was
absent from church. Oh, did I say that? He was
absent from the gathering of the other disciples.
After the resurrection and Jesus comes in, says,
peace, y 'all be peaceful. Just, I'm here now.
Thomas wasn't there and they said, you missed
Jesus. How'd you look? Like that little kid.
who was sick on Palm Sunday. Dad comes home.
Mom stayed home to take care of the sick young
'un. Dad comes home bringing a palm branch. You
know, they got one that Sunday. He said, here.
The little kid said, well, what's this? He said,
well, they waved these when Jesus came into town.
The little kid grabbed it and went to the room
and said he would show up the day I can't go.
What are you saying? It's important to show up.
I just did that, didn't I? As we take a look
at the benefits of the resurrection over the
next 13 minutes. Why live like it's Sunday? Because
Sunday people are a forgiven people. Sunday people
are a forgiven people. Through the power of the
resurrection, we have been given access to the
greatest victory, the victory over sin. Romans
6, 4 -7 says, Knowing this, that our old man
was crucified with him, that the body of sin
might be done away with, that we should no longer
be slaves to sin. How does that happen? It happens
through the Roman road of salvation. That you
find in Romans 10 verses 9 and 10. Where it declares
that with the heart man believes. And with the
mouth he makes confession. Amen. And when we
confess our sin and we believe in our heart that
Christ is Lord. And that he rose from the dead.
So that our sins may be purged and sin may be
taken away. Then we are no longer slaves to the
power and the authority of sin. And you live
that way. You live as though sin doesn't have
dominion over your life. Christ in you who is
the hope of glory. And we find ourselves in this
condition. If we are of all men, if only we have
hope in Jesus for eternity, then we become most
miserable. My hope is not simply for eternity.
My hope is that I have victory here and now.
And so I live in accordance to the victory that
he has brought through Calvary by raising from
the dead. The angels really couldn't understand
why they didn't believe what they had already
been told. What are y 'all doing here? You didn't
really expect to find him. He told you. You know,
angels, they don't doubt what he's saying. They
don't doubt what he says. They know who he is.
It just takes you and I a little bit longer to
figure out really who he is. I'm going to let
that just sink in. Ephesians 2 and 8 says, For
by grace are you saved through faith. That not
of yourselves, it is the gift of God. Titus 3,
5 says, According to his mercy he saved us. Romans
8, 10 through 11 says, And if the spirit of him
who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you,
he who raised Christ from the dead will also
give life to your mortal bodies through his spirit
that dwells in you. Sunday people are forgiving
people. Secondly, Sunday people are victorious
people. Through the wonder of the power of the
resurrection, we have been given access to great
power and victory over the enemy who intends
to destroy our life and our soul. You and I simply
have to accept it, and we have to believe it.
Remember, I told you last week, faith is not
as much about receiving as it is about believing.
Because if you can believe, then the receiving
just comes next in natural order. You have to
believe. What? Everything that he said. Everything
that he proclaimed. You first have to believe
that you, without him, are lost to a devil's
hell. Which leads to the believing with him and
through him, heaven will be your eternal abode.
Sunday people are victorious people. Ephesians
1, 18 -20 says, And what is the exceeding greatness
of his power toward us who believe, according
to the working of his mighty power, which he
worked in Christ when he raised him from the
dead and seated him at his right hand in the
heavenly places? John 4 and 4, 1 John 4 and 4
says, You are of God, little children, and have
overcome the world because greater is he that
is in you than he that is in this world. Greater
is he that is in you than he that is in this
world. Greater is he that is in you than he that
is in this world. Live like it's Sunday morning.
Live like you have been given the authority and
the power, oh, from Christ himself. Has he really
done it? He's done that for us. Well, let's see
what the book says. People act like the devil
just has free reign in their life and they have
no way to stop him. Hogwash. He wreaks havoc
in your life because you permit the havoc. Okay,
Luke 10, 10. Jesus said, behold, I give you the
authority to tread on serpents and scorpions
and over all the power of the enemy and nothing
shall by any means hurt you. How about this one?
Resist the devil and he might leave you alone.
Huh? Sound pretty good? If that's the way it
were. It would, but that's not the way it declares
it. Submit yourself unto the mighty hand of God,
that he may exalt you when the time is right.
Resist the devil, and he will, he shall, not
might, not maybe, not possibly, he will flee.
The key to the fleeing of the enemy is the subjection
of yourself and submitting yourself unto the
mighty hand of God that the greater is he that's
in you, exercises through you by the working
of the power of your faith, and the devil will
leave you alone. Well, don't get too sad for
him. He's coming back to try again. If you miss
his company, hold on, he'll come back. He did
Jesus three times. He'd fasted for 40 days. You
don't get more prayed up than fasting for 40
days. He's no respecter. The devil's no respecter
if he'd come back and tempt Jesus three times.
Don't you think he's coming back when you put
him to flight? What do I do? Run him off again.
Through the authority that's been given to you
as a born again, blood -bought child of the living
Jesus Christ. The power that works in you. Live
like it's Sunday morning. Too many people like
to dwell at the foot of the cross. They just
like that. That's as far as they want to get.
Oh, the cross. Well, yeah, the cross. It's shameful.
But that wasn't the end result. The cross was
not the end. I know he said it's finished, but
I told you he didn't declare that I am finished.
He said it was finished. Reset the countdown.
I said now a little. Message to some folks on
Saturday. They call Saturday after Good Friday
the day of silence. As though he's just taking
a nap in the tomb. Like he's just laying there.
Waiting on the first day to get here so he can
get up. Folks, you need to read the book. You
don't have to try to figure out what's going
on in between the lines. He tells you what's
going on. Paul put it this way, before he ascended,
he first descended into the lower parts of the
earth. And what he did on that silent Saturday
when disciples are whining and pouting, hiding
in a room somewhere. Why the women are running
around trying to get spices ready and together
so they can get there early before he starts
to stink. All they had time for on that Friday
evening was just enough time to put a little
ointment on him just to say that he'd been anointed
and wrapped up real quickly and put in a borrowed
tomb. And so, man, they were just panicking.
They were trying to get the spices. There was
a certain amount and a certain kind. All this
stuff, the women were running around trying to
get all that together. They got aggravated. because
Peter and the rest of them wouldn't even get
up early enough to go with them. Come on, somebody.
All these things are going on. Peter and the
rest of them say, what are we going to do now?
I really thought he was the Christ. I thought
he was the one. Oh, did somebody just say, well,
didn't you see him put that ear back on that
old boy's head? What happened with that? Just
two days ago, he healed blind Bartimaeus. What
are we doing? Why are we so puzzled? He told
us that they're going to tear this temple down,
but just give me three days, baby, and I'm going
to raise her back up. And he gave us a great
illustration of the prophet Jonah. He said, as
Jonah was in the belly of the whale, three days
and three nights, so must the Son of Man be in
the heart of the earth. But then he's going to
be spewed out like Jonah was spewed out. The
earth couldn't hold him. You heard it this morning.
The earth didn't want him. The earth couldn't
contain him. So the stone of its own accord rolled
away. Why? Because it's Sunday morning. well,
what much does I like Luke 10 and 10? I just,
just this morning, put Luke 10 and 10 with John
10 and 10. I thought, huh, that's pretty good.
Never put that together. Never put them two together.
Luke 10 and 10, Jesus said, behold, I give you
the authority to tread on serpents and scorpions
and over all power of the enemy, and nothing
shall be any means hurt you. And John 10 and
10, Jesus said, the thief cometh not but to steal
and to kill and to destroy. He said, I am come
that you might have life and that you might have
it more abundantly. If you ever want to memorize
two, put them two together. When the devil comes
at you, say, look. devil, I've been given authority
over you. I may have to endure some of the consequences
of this world, but it'll hardly upheld in everybody
else before I let you in my ear and in my head
and make me suffer in my mind while I may have
to suffer in my body. I may be suffering in my
body, but you're getting out of my head. Come
on, somebody. You take authority. You've got
to remember this flesh is subject to the diseases
of this world because of the curse of sin. You
may have to endure through some hard stuff, but
the peace of mind, let this mind be in you that
was also in Christ Jesus, the authority. Happy
Easter. I got one minute. It's not going to happen.
Sunday people. Thirdly, no longer have the fear
of death to rule over them. You do know that
death had authority over man until the reset.
Until the countdown got reset. Because while
people think he was silent, on Saturday, no,
he was at work. He was in the heart of the earth.
Went to that place called Paradise and Sheol.
He went into the devil's domain to get the keys.
The keys of death, hell, and the grave. Until
then, Until the reset, the old devil wielded
the keys at his discretion. But while it was
silent on the earth, I told him the other day,
inside the earth was in turmoil. You've got demons
screaming. Why? Because the king of kings, the
Lord of lords, the son of God, He who was from
the beginning, spoke their creation into being,
is in town. He's come to hell. What does he want
down here? What belongs to him. He's come for
the keys of death, hell, and the grave. That's
why the declaration of old Paul to the Corinthians
in that 15th letter, he said, behold, I show
you a mystery in the 15th chapter. We're not
all going to sleep. He rolls on down and he tells
them, says, old grave, where is your victory?
The sting of death is sin. I hope you've been
paying attention. The sting of death is sin,
but now. The reset sin no longer has dominion.
Death in the grave no longer has the power over
all of humanity. Why? Because he is risen. He
is risen indeed. The second man Adam has taken
authority and he's came for the access. The Germans
were screaming because the Bible says he went
and made a show. Openly. What does that mean?
He went to hell, kicked butt, and took names.
I debated on that phrase about .3 milliseconds.
But it made my point so well. And some of you,
I about have to wait until we get half carnal
for you to understand what I'm saying. How many
of you understood that statement? There you go.
Thankfully, through the foolishness of preaching,
it pleases God. I don't know how, but if it causes
you to wake up, And to know that he was not silent
on Saturday. He was going to take authority.
He went to hell, Hades, Sheol, whatever you want
to call it, wherever the throne of the prince
of darkness reigns. He went there, never said
a word, held out his hand. I like to think of
it like this. He just done this first. What's
that mean? Get down, boy. Right here. And I love
to think, this is waters parallel, hope it was
this way. I love to think after he points his
finger, and old Lucifer, old slew foot, prostrates
himself in the middle of hell. Right before all
the fallen demonic angels and evil spirits. And
Jesus just gently puts his heel. Here's why I
think it was so. Way, way, way back. Way back
in the garden. After the fall. Here's what is
stated. The seed of woman, his heel's going to
get bruised, but your head's going to get mashed.
Talking to the devil. So I can just, in my mind,
let me see it the way I see it. You see it the
way you see it. I can just see the Lord. even
have to say a thing. They know. The Bible declares
that the devils, they are in fear and trembling
because they know. I told you a week or so ago,
he just walks down the street and they start
screaming out, what are you here for? Well, there
was no question of what he was there for. So
with his foot on the head, grinding that heel
just a little bit. See the old devil trying to
reach up out of the corner of his eye. Reach
a little higher. I'm not stooping for nothing.
You will put them in my hand. I stooped all I'm
going to stoop when I let them spit on me. I
stooped about as far as I was going to stoop
when they beat me until my lungs were showing
out my back. I stooped as low as I was going
to stoop when I stood there and permitted them
to pierce my brow with that crown of thorns mocking
me. I stooped as low as I was going to stoop
allowing them to pluck my beard from my face.
I stooped as low as I would allow as they shamed
me, stripped me of my clothing. I'm not stupid.
You stretch. were placed in his hand. And then
across the chasm he goes where the righteous
folk are watching the scene. Woo! Huh? Grind
it for me, said Noah. So he spans the chasm.
to paradise. And there he preaches. He preaches.
What's he preach? Good news. I am the Christ.
I'm the one you've been waiting on. Come on,
let's go. What happened? I'm glad you asked.
When he took captivity, captive, they just left.
The gospels record on the resurrection day that
the dead burst out of the tombs and shouted in
the streets. He took captivity captive and went
back the way he came. So you don't have to worry
about death. Don't be afraid of it. It's coming
to us all. Unless the Lord comes back, how many
is waiting on that train? Me too. Me too. I just
assume we all go at the same time. Right? We
can meet them other folks in the middle of there
and we can just all get together and go on. I'm
good with that. You've heard that, how many of
you want to go to heaven? Everybody raise your
hand. How many of you want to go today? Nobody.
If we all go, let's go. But until then, I like
doing what I'm doing. Enjoy life. I don't enjoy
some of the effects of a Good Friday world. But
I'm living like it's Sunday. Let's see. Revelation
118 says, do not be afraid. If you'll stand,
I'll run through the last page real quick. Do
not be afraid. I'm the first and the last. I
am he who lives and was dead. And behold, I am
alive forevermore. Amen. And I have the keys
of death and hell. Just so you know, I wasn't
making that up. Revelation 1 .18. This stuff's
so good you don't have to make it up. You don't
have to add to it at all. Just preach it the
way it is. 2 Timothy 1 .10 declares God's purpose
has now been revealed by the appearing of our
Savior Jesus Christ who has abolished death and
brought life and immortality. To light through
the gospel. Lastly, Sunday people have a hope.
You and I have hope. Not the way the world sees
hope. But the hope that we have is out of this
world. Amen. I'm going to read something to you
in just a minute. Through the power of the resurrection,
we've been given a living hope. 1 Peter 1, 3
and 4 says, We have been begotten to a living
hope and given an inheritance, incorruptible
and undefiled, and fadeth not away. Reserved
in heaven for each one of us as we set our hope
on Jesus Christ. Through the power of his resurrection.
There's power in that hope. Again, I say if in
this life only you have hope in Christ Jesus,
we become as all men most miserable. I live like
it's Sunday morning because of the power that
he's promised for me to live that way. I try
to live that way every day of my life because
I understand the devil has no authority over
me. Doesn't mean he doesn't try. Doesn't mean
he doesn't fight and war, lie and accuse, all
that stuff. Look, folks, that's just typical
in the life of a child of God. But what we do
not permit and allow is the power of those accusations
and lies and things to take power. power over
our minds, thus defeating us spiritually, emotionally,
and physically. It's the hope that gives us power.
It's the hope that causes us to remain steady
in our faith and belief. And even though we face
the storms of life, it will cause us to grow
and mature in Him and beyond. The effects of
this world. Hebrews 6, 19 says, this hope we
have is an anchor of the soul, both sure and
steadfast, and which enters the presence behind
the veil. Live like it's Sunday morning. The
Easter before D. William Sangster passed away,
he... painfully printed a short note to his daughter.
Sangster was a revivalist, very deeply spiritual
Methodist man. He'd been endeavoring in spearheading
a renewal movement in the British Isles after
World War II. Then his ministry, except for prayer,
was ended by a disease which was progressively
paralyzing his body. Even his vocal cords, he
couldn't speak. But the last Resurrection Sunday
that he spent on earth, still able to just barely
move his fingers, he wrote a note. How terrible
to wake up on Easter and have no voice to shout,
he is risen. Far worse. To have a voice and not
want to shout. Far worse to have a voice and
not want to shout. I was going to take you to
Revelation 19 and 21, but we don't have time
to go there this morning. You're done. Live like
it's Sunday morning. The beginning to living
like it's a Sunday morning is repentance of your
sin. For all have sinned and come short of the
glory of God. You got it. You came in this world
with it. And if you've not repented and asked
Christ to cleanse you and forgive you, you're
still dealing with it. But the good news on this
Sunday morning. Is that he died so you don't
have to deal with it. For you see the wages of
sin is death. Well I thought you said we don't
have to fear death. You do with sin in your life.
Because there's a thing called the second death.
Without sin being taken out. Where you'll be
cast into outer darkness. Where there are flames.
That are quenched not. In other words, they don't
get put out. A very violent, dark place. But
you don't have to go there. It wasn't prepared
for humanity. It was prepared for those fallen
angels. Father, I love you this morning. My heads
are bowed all across this house. If you're in
this building this morning and you do not know
Jesus. As Lord and Savior. I want you to before
you leave here today. Say well I'm not coming
down there. Good. I'm not going to ask you to.
I want to ask you to submit yourself right where
you are. To humble your heart right where you
are. That's how much Jesus desires to save you.
Doesn't have to be down front. Can be. Has been.
There have been just as many saved at a back
door or on a back row or in the middle row or
in a balcony somewhere. In the woods, at work,
many places. For all those that call upon the
name of the Lord, they shall be saved. I'm going
to pray this sinner's prayer. It wouldn't hurt
all of us just to recommit and refresh this morning.
Jesus, I come before you today. Come into this
world a sinner. Have been redeemed by your marvelous
grace. Our sins have been crucified with you.
Now I confess today that I am a sinner. In need
of that marvelous grace. You may be here today
and say, I'm a backslider. I used to serve and
love and worship, but I've gone back to my old
ways. Well, just pray that prayer again. Do that
first work over again. Repent. Invite Christ
back to the throne of your heart. Turn from your
wicked ways and walk away. Lord Jesus, upon my
confession that I am a sinner and that you are
the Christ. I invite you into my heart as you
cleanse me of my sin. According to your word,
if I am faithful and just to confess my sins,
you're faithful and just to cleanse me and to
forgive me. I accept that today. Be Lord of my
life. Now why don't we all just lift our hands
toward heaven and thank him for his marvelous
saving grace. Lord, I thank you for your saving
grace this morning. all across this building
in this room today, Lord. If there are those
who have repented, I know you've done the work.
If they sincerely prayed, and Lord, for those
of us that have done a renewal, a prayer of renewal,
a prayer of confession, renew our heart, renew
our faith, renew our trust, renew our hope in
you. Lord, we'll be quick to praise you for it
all. In Christ's name, the church said, amen.
Give the Lord a hand clap of praise for you.