1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:11,760 Welcome to Logan City Christian Church podcast where we bring God's Word to you weekly. 2 00:00:11,760 --> 00:00:17,280 We pray that what you hear will bring clarity to your situation and open doors in your life. 3 00:00:17,280 --> 00:00:18,800 Enjoy the message. 4 00:00:18,800 --> 00:00:28,720 And what Christ has done in Keith and in you and all of us is just an amazing testimony 5 00:00:28,720 --> 00:00:35,520 to me of many things but one that stands out the most and that is that Jesus is alive. 6 00:00:36,640 --> 00:00:42,000 Jesus is not dead. He is alive and He's well and He's alive forevermore praise the Lord. 7 00:00:42,720 --> 00:00:49,200 And I'm really excited about that. Thank you Rohan and the team for the doing that video 8 00:00:49,200 --> 00:00:55,200 presentation a lot of work and there's more to come and I think it's really good to see the 9 00:00:55,200 --> 00:01:02,000 you know that to feel that emotion of what happens in a person's life because rarely we get to hear 10 00:01:02,480 --> 00:01:09,600 the nuts and bolts of what happened and the process to get us to where we are and it's just 11 00:01:09,600 --> 00:01:15,440 wonderful. Thank you. Thank you Keith as well for allowing us to do that today. It's just wonderful. 12 00:01:16,480 --> 00:01:23,840 Well here we are Resurrection Sunday. It's to me the most exciting day on the Christian calendar 13 00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:31,200 it's the most powerful day of the Christian calendar. I mean Good Friday granted as well 14 00:01:31,200 --> 00:01:37,840 Resurrection Sunday. It's the process how Christ Himself how He died for our sins. He went to the 15 00:01:37,840 --> 00:01:44,320 grave on the third day that God raised him from the dead the awesome power of God. You know this 16 00:01:44,320 --> 00:01:51,120 morning I'd like to read a little bit of scripture that I believe will bring incredible encouragement 17 00:01:51,120 --> 00:01:57,520 to each and every one of us and really I think this morning there's nothing new. There's no 18 00:01:57,520 --> 00:02:03,360 new revelation that's going to come this morning. I believe it's more of a reminder and encouragement 19 00:02:03,360 --> 00:02:09,920 for each and every one of us to know that Jesus is alive as I said and He's alive forever more 20 00:02:09,920 --> 00:02:16,080 and that God is still on the throne regardless how we see this world running the affairs of this world. 21 00:02:16,080 --> 00:02:23,120 God's in control. He's totally in control. He's totally got this and we see that as things wind 22 00:02:23,120 --> 00:02:29,200 down to the end as we hear a lot of us Christians saying that the end is near and the reality is the 23 00:02:29,200 --> 00:02:35,200 end is near. This world as we see it today is not going to be like this for much longer. 24 00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:40,960 There are going to be great changes take place. The rapture of the church is going to be such an 25 00:02:40,960 --> 00:02:48,960 incredible event and ask me if I'm looking forward to that. It is going to be a great 26 00:02:48,960 --> 00:02:56,960 time and so Revelation chapter 1 and I'm going to read from verse 7. It's a bit hard to cut in 27 00:02:57,520 --> 00:03:05,520 because for the sake of time I'll start from verse 7 and behold He is coming with clouds 28 00:03:05,520 --> 00:03:13,040 and every eye will see Him even they who pierced Him and all the tribes of the earth will mourn 29 00:03:13,040 --> 00:03:22,560 because of Him even so amen. I am the Alpha and the Omega the beginning and the end says the Lord 30 00:03:23,200 --> 00:03:32,400 who is and who was and who is to come the Almighty. I John now here's Apostle John they 31 00:03:32,400 --> 00:03:41,760 walked with Jesus around three years had just now seen Jesus in his glorified state and he said that 32 00:03:41,760 --> 00:03:48,960 he saw his hair was white like wool, his eyes like fire, his feet like burnished bronze. 33 00:03:49,680 --> 00:03:56,320 The way that he was presented the resurrected Christ the glorified Christ was very different 34 00:03:56,320 --> 00:04:03,440 to the person whom he would have recognized walking on earth however Christ revealed himself 35 00:04:03,920 --> 00:04:12,320 in His majesty and in that glory that God had bestowed upon him and so here is John the Apostle 36 00:04:12,320 --> 00:04:20,240 John that had just had an experience with Jesus. You see Apostle John was on the Isle of Patmos and 37 00:04:20,240 --> 00:04:29,440 the Isle of Patmos first thing we might think is that an island oh could you imagine being stranded 38 00:04:29,440 --> 00:04:35,600 on an island wouldn't that be a wonderful thing? Being stranded on Fraser Island or Morton Island 39 00:04:35,600 --> 00:04:43,440 I mean how tough could that be but Patmos was not like that. Patmos was just a lump out of the ocean 40 00:04:43,440 --> 00:04:51,280 of volcanic matter. I believe there were no trees or if there were there very few it was a hot place 41 00:04:51,280 --> 00:04:56,640 it was an arid place it was dry and that's where they brought criminals and forced them to hard 42 00:04:56,640 --> 00:05:04,320 labor and so here was Apostle John in a time where he was no doubt reflecting his life and his walk 43 00:05:04,320 --> 00:05:11,200 with Christ and I'm sure as he did whether we do as well at times we think what's it all about 44 00:05:11,200 --> 00:05:16,880 and right at a time when Apostle John was at I guess one of his toughest moments Jesus appears 45 00:05:16,880 --> 00:05:24,560 to him and said John I got some good news for you and some of these things that I well these 46 00:05:24,560 --> 00:05:28,720 things that I share with you I'm going to write it want you to write it down and this is going 47 00:05:28,720 --> 00:05:33,600 to be on record with the Christian church and the rest of the world till the end of the age 48 00:05:34,160 --> 00:05:39,280 and so I could only imagine that Apostle John would have been greatly encouraged when he had 49 00:05:39,280 --> 00:05:44,800 that encounter and I want to encourage you to this morning in saying this is that you may have your 50 00:05:44,800 --> 00:05:51,440 own Isle of Patmos experience where you may be in life right now thinking that things are hard and 51 00:05:51,440 --> 00:05:57,840 arid and dry and you know nothing seems to be happening are you doing it tough or persecuted 52 00:05:57,840 --> 00:06:03,440 whatever it might be I want to let you know that Jesus can arrive on your Isle of Patmos and he can 53 00:06:03,440 --> 00:06:08,320 change the whole thing around he may not change the surroundings but I tell you what he's going 54 00:06:08,320 --> 00:06:13,440 to change the world around him but I tell you what he can certainly do a deep work inside of us 55 00:06:13,440 --> 00:06:20,880 and encourage us if we will let him and so I John both your brother and companion in tribulation 56 00:06:20,880 --> 00:06:26,560 and kingdom and patience of Jesus Christ was on the island that is called Patmos for the word of 57 00:06:26,560 --> 00:06:32,480 God and for the testimony of Jesus Christ so he made it very clear the reason why he was 58 00:06:32,480 --> 00:06:37,280 because he was considered a criminal for being a servant of the Lord Jesus Christ. 59 00:06:38,160 --> 00:06:44,240 And verse 10 it says, I was in the Spirit on the Lord's day and I heard behind me a loud voice 60 00:06:44,800 --> 00:06:51,760 as of a trumpet saying, I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last. What you see, 61 00:06:51,760 --> 00:06:58,160 write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia, Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, 62 00:06:58,160 --> 00:07:04,800 Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia and Laodicea. And then I returned to see the voice that spoke with me 63 00:07:05,520 --> 00:07:11,600 and having turned I saw seven golden lampstands and in the midst of them, seven and in the midst 64 00:07:11,600 --> 00:07:18,560 of the seven lampstands, one like the son of man clothed with the garment down to the feet and 65 00:07:18,560 --> 00:07:25,760 girded about the chest with a gold band. His head and hair were like white, were white like wool 66 00:07:25,760 --> 00:07:33,760 as white as snow and his eyes like a flame of fire. His feet were like fine brass as if refined 67 00:07:33,760 --> 00:07:41,200 in the furnace and his voice as the sound of many waters. He had in his right hand seven stars and 68 00:07:41,200 --> 00:07:48,400 out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword and his countenance was like the sun shining 69 00:07:48,400 --> 00:07:56,400 in its strength. What an incredible vision to have and experience and encounter and it changed him 70 00:07:56,400 --> 00:08:02,640 again forever without a doubt. Verse 17, and when I saw him I fell at his feet as dead 71 00:08:03,440 --> 00:08:10,800 but he laid his right hand on me saying to me, do not be afraid I am the first and the last. Now this 72 00:08:10,800 --> 00:08:18,560 is the third time that Jesus in a very short conversation has mentioned I'm the Alpha, the 73 00:08:18,560 --> 00:08:25,360 Omega, I'm the beginning, the end, the first and the last and in here he says that I am the first 74 00:08:25,360 --> 00:08:33,680 and the last. What is Jesus actually saying to John and what is Jesus meaning for the Christian 75 00:08:33,680 --> 00:08:39,760 church today? What he's saying is the Alpha, the Omega, the first and the last beginning and the end, 76 00:08:39,760 --> 00:08:45,920 Jesus is saying regardless what you go in through in life, Jesus has always been. 77 00:08:47,120 --> 00:08:55,760 Jesus is not a New Testament person. Jesus didn't show up in this world or in 78 00:08:56,800 --> 00:09:02,560 the economy of God. He just didn't show up born of a virgin in a manger that we celebrate 79 00:09:02,560 --> 00:09:11,840 Christmas. Jesus, He's saying I've always been, I've always been and I am now and I will be forever 80 00:09:11,840 --> 00:09:19,280 more and what an encouragement that is is that we know we have that assurance that Jesus has always 81 00:09:19,280 --> 00:09:33,280 been, He's always existed and how He came the Son of God and humbled Himself, became a man and walked 82 00:09:33,280 --> 00:09:41,840 as a human being, a hundred percent human being, yes the Son of God but He laid aside His deity 83 00:09:41,840 --> 00:09:53,120 and He walked as a man yet He Himself was the Son of God. So He's letting us know today that 84 00:09:53,680 --> 00:09:58,400 I've always been around, I've always been here and I'm always going to be around 85 00:09:59,600 --> 00:10:05,440 and anything that takes place in your life or on earth will not take Him by surprise. 86 00:10:05,440 --> 00:10:12,240 He's always aware, He's always on to it, God is amazing. So He says do not be afraid, I am the 87 00:10:12,240 --> 00:10:22,400 first and the last. Verse 18, He said I am He who lives, praise the Lord, I am He who lives 88 00:10:22,400 --> 00:10:38,240 and was dead and behold I am alive forevermore, praise the Lord, amen and I have the keys of 89 00:10:38,240 --> 00:10:45,520 Hades and of death. In other words, Jesus is saying the work of Calvary, the work of 90 00:10:45,520 --> 00:10:53,840 the work of redemption is complete. God the Father raised Him from the dead, I'm alive forevermore 91 00:10:53,840 --> 00:11:01,360 and now that I'm alive forevermore, I have total authority, Jesus has total authority over everything. 92 00:11:03,920 --> 00:11:08,240 Hallelujah, praise be to God. 93 00:11:08,240 --> 00:11:15,040 It says here that He says I have the keys of Hades and of death and this is the thing that I'm 94 00:11:15,040 --> 00:11:21,760 going to go through in the scripture in Romans chapter 6 is that Jesus, as He said here I have 95 00:11:21,760 --> 00:11:29,760 the keys of Hades and of death is good news, it's good news for us today to know that Jesus 96 00:11:29,760 --> 00:11:38,160 has the keys of authority over Hades. It's speaking about the unseen realm to the natural eye but a 97 00:11:38,160 --> 00:11:44,080 realm that certainly exists and one of the things that really gives me a great picture, what I 98 00:11:44,080 --> 00:11:50,400 shared on Friday night, Good Friday night, about the thieves, either side of the cross were crucified 99 00:11:50,400 --> 00:11:56,880 with Jesus and one of them was mocking Jesus and the other one actually rebuked the other thief 100 00:11:56,880 --> 00:12:06,240 and said to Jesus, Jesus remember me in your kingdom and Jesus said to him this day you shall 101 00:12:06,240 --> 00:12:14,800 be with me in paradise. Now here's the thought, Jesus himself has the keys of Hades and of death 102 00:12:15,840 --> 00:12:22,480 and I can imagine that at that place that it speaks about in the bosom of Abraham that there was a 103 00:12:22,480 --> 00:12:30,000 great chasm and some was on its side of torment and the other were in the side of where Abraham was 104 00:12:30,000 --> 00:12:37,200 and of peace. It was the holding pen of the saints if you like. Now these two criminals, 105 00:12:38,720 --> 00:12:44,400 it goes without saying that one of them was with Abraham, one of them was in paradise 106 00:12:44,400 --> 00:12:50,240 and the other one was like the Lazarus on the other side, the crying of the cross, 107 00:12:50,240 --> 00:12:55,760 the Lazarus on the other side, they're crying out just for one drop of water on my tongue, 108 00:12:55,760 --> 00:13:02,640 give me something and I believe that criminal that mocked Jesus realized then how close he was to 109 00:13:02,640 --> 00:13:13,760 salvation. He realized then who Jesus really is and how he missed it but God is great in mercy, 110 00:13:13,760 --> 00:13:20,320 man. God is so great in mercy. Romans chapter 6, I'm going to go straight there and there's a very 111 00:13:20,320 --> 00:13:27,360 powerful passage of scripture that I believe is, as I said there's no new revelation but it's a 112 00:13:27,360 --> 00:13:36,720 good reminder of what we have in Christ, who we are in Christ, a great revelation and this here 113 00:13:36,720 --> 00:13:45,440 in Romans chapter 6 will bring this out I guess very clearly and precisely. I'm going to read from 114 00:13:45,440 --> 00:13:53,520 Romans chapter 6 from verse 1 to 14 and so as I do bear in mind what I've just previously read 115 00:13:53,520 --> 00:13:59,680 that Jesus said I was the first and the last beginning the end, I was alive, I was dead and 116 00:13:59,680 --> 00:14:06,240 now I'm alive forevermore, I hold the keys, the authority of Hades and of death. There's no more 117 00:14:06,240 --> 00:14:13,600 to conquer. Jesus has conquered everything. Now as we've read that, keep that in mind as I read this 118 00:14:13,600 --> 00:14:19,360 because this to me is going to be really encouraging for us by way of reminder. I'm very 119 00:14:19,360 --> 00:14:27,520 confident about that. Romans chapter 6 from verse 1 reads, what shall we say then? Shall we continue 120 00:14:27,520 --> 00:14:36,640 in sin that grace may abound? Certainly not. How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? 121 00:14:36,640 --> 00:14:44,400 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into 122 00:14:44,400 --> 00:14:55,840 His? What were we baptized into? His death. Hold on to that. Therefore, we were buried with Him 123 00:14:55,840 --> 00:15:05,200 through baptism into death. That just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, 124 00:15:06,320 --> 00:15:10,720 even so we also should walk in newness of life. 125 00:15:13,840 --> 00:15:22,720 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the 126 00:15:22,720 --> 00:15:34,800 likeness of His resurrection. Knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, our old nature. 127 00:15:36,160 --> 00:15:42,560 That the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 128 00:15:43,680 --> 00:15:49,680 For he who has died has been freed from sin. You might be thinking, Rob I'm not getting this. Don't 129 00:15:49,680 --> 00:15:55,920 worry. I'll come back to it. We'll go through it and it'll all open up. Verse 8, now if we died with 130 00:15:55,920 --> 00:16:05,040 Christ, we believe that we should also live with Him. Knowing that Christ, having been raised from 131 00:16:05,040 --> 00:16:15,520 the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death that He died, 132 00:16:15,520 --> 00:16:24,560 He died to sin once for all. But the life that He lives, He lives to God. Likewise, you also, 133 00:16:25,200 --> 00:16:33,600 as is speaking to us, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus, 134 00:16:33,600 --> 00:16:40,880 our Lord. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 135 00:16:40,880 --> 00:16:45,440 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, 136 00:16:46,400 --> 00:16:52,640 but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead and your members as instruments of 137 00:16:52,640 --> 00:17:00,240 righteousness to God. For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under the law, 138 00:17:00,240 --> 00:17:09,920 but under grace. Hallelujah. That is worth shouting about. Praise be to God. But it gets 139 00:17:09,920 --> 00:17:20,640 to the point where it goes back to the analogy. Christ, how He was risen from the dead. He died, 140 00:17:22,160 --> 00:17:31,040 rose again, glorified, alive forevermore. An apostle Paul is speaking to the Christians 141 00:17:31,040 --> 00:17:39,440 and he's speaking to us today, expressing to us, explaining to us, guys, it is better to be 142 00:17:39,440 --> 00:17:48,640 righteousness conscious than sin conscious. He's saying about the importance of baptism, 143 00:17:48,640 --> 00:17:56,560 the water baptism, but more so the effects of Christ, the work of Christ on the cross, 144 00:17:56,560 --> 00:18:04,320 what has taken place in our life. And so therefore we were buried with Him through baptism 145 00:18:04,320 --> 00:18:10,720 unto death. As Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we should also 146 00:18:10,720 --> 00:18:18,880 walk in the newness of life. I think a good thing to meditate on here today is to know this. 147 00:18:21,360 --> 00:18:28,640 Because Jesus is alive, there's nothing that can overpower Him, overrule Him, 148 00:18:28,640 --> 00:18:36,560 overpower His authority or His dominion. That's been settled. So that leaves Jesus 149 00:18:38,000 --> 00:18:44,320 as the ruler and it leaves Him as total authority. The scripture says, Jesus said, 150 00:18:44,880 --> 00:18:54,080 all authority has been given to me in heaven, on earth, and under the earth. And so that means 151 00:18:54,080 --> 00:19:01,520 that all of creation, all of the universe, all of earth and all what's in earth and what's on earth 152 00:19:01,520 --> 00:19:09,520 is all under the authority of Christ. Everything. And He said, because of this, 153 00:19:10,560 --> 00:19:17,680 because I have this, I've now given it to you. So fear, don't fear, but go out and preach the 154 00:19:17,680 --> 00:19:25,120 gospel to every creature, to every person, because you're on the winning side. You're on the side of 155 00:19:25,840 --> 00:19:32,080 the power of God to preach a gospel, to preach good news for people to be able to be saved, 156 00:19:32,080 --> 00:19:39,440 to experience this resurrection life in our bodies, in our lives. But this analogy here, 157 00:19:40,160 --> 00:19:45,920 and it's such a beautiful picture of water baptism. And we know that when we, you know, 158 00:19:45,920 --> 00:19:50,320 some people say, oh, you don't need to be water baptized to be saved. Hey, if Jesus was water 159 00:19:50,320 --> 00:19:55,680 baptized and He knew it was good to be baptized, it's good for us to be water baptized. Amen. 160 00:19:55,680 --> 00:20:00,240 But there's a significance in this. Some people say, oh, it's just about, you know, you got to do 161 00:20:00,240 --> 00:20:09,280 it for a, you know, a religious person. No, no, no, no. We do it for a very spiritual reason. 162 00:20:09,280 --> 00:20:17,440 And the fact is, is that when we, when Christ, when He was buried in the grave, and on the third day, 163 00:20:17,440 --> 00:20:23,840 when He rose, He rose to a totally different person. As He went into the grave, people 164 00:20:23,840 --> 00:20:29,360 recognized, they had that picture of who Jesus looked like, His face and how He talked and how 165 00:20:29,360 --> 00:20:35,040 He walked. But when He was risen from the dead, Mary didn't even recognize Him when she saw Him. 166 00:20:35,040 --> 00:20:43,440 She thought He was the gardener. John didn't recognize Him, yet He was the closest one. He 167 00:20:43,440 --> 00:20:50,240 was the center of the inner circle of friends for Jesus. And He described what Jesus looked like 168 00:20:50,960 --> 00:21:00,720 as the glorified Savior. So Jesus went into the grave in one way, but when He was risen 169 00:21:00,720 --> 00:21:10,480 from the dead, He came up glorified. He came up out different, totally empowered 170 00:21:13,600 --> 00:21:22,880 with an authority given to Him. The same is with you and I, the day that we receive Christ into 171 00:21:22,880 --> 00:21:33,040 our life, that we acknowledge that somewhere along the line, that we needed Christ in our life. 172 00:21:35,280 --> 00:21:43,360 And when we accepted Christ into our life, a great work took place and we were no longer the same. 173 00:21:43,360 --> 00:21:51,680 And when we go through the waters of baptism, we are identifying with what Jesus did, 174 00:21:51,680 --> 00:21:59,760 and it's more than identifying, it's actually becoming likened to. And now there is a difference. 175 00:22:00,800 --> 00:22:09,200 Being likened to means that I share the same as. So when we go down in the water of baptism 176 00:22:10,320 --> 00:22:18,080 and we come up, I know the day that I was water baptized, my Lord, it was just something else. 177 00:22:18,080 --> 00:22:24,640 Being born again was incredible. Being water baptized was an incredible experience. 178 00:22:26,000 --> 00:22:28,960 And filled with the Holy Ghost was another incredible experience. 179 00:22:31,200 --> 00:22:37,360 But I know for me that when I came up out of the water, this revelation, this knowing, it's like 180 00:22:38,080 --> 00:22:46,640 I'm a new creation. It's all new. And that's what it says here about that we're all the same. 181 00:22:46,640 --> 00:22:54,080 It says here about that we should walk in the newness of life. But here is where I think it can possibly go wrong. 182 00:22:54,080 --> 00:23:02,160 And I'm seeing it and hearing it. And maybe you are too today in the modern realm that we live in, 183 00:23:02,160 --> 00:23:12,400 the modern world, that there is a modern gospel, if I can say, that's not the... it's close, but it's not quite the same. 184 00:23:12,400 --> 00:23:19,760 The reality is if we want to experience the resurrection power of Christ in our lives, 185 00:23:20,880 --> 00:23:29,600 that we truly, truly be raised into the newness of life, just as there was a funeral with Jesus, 186 00:23:29,600 --> 00:23:36,080 as there was a burial, there too needs to be a burial with us when we accept Christ. 187 00:23:36,080 --> 00:23:41,280 Now you may think, hey, that's not a real encouraging message to share on Resurrection Sunday. 188 00:23:41,280 --> 00:23:48,400 I think it is. I think it really, really is. And let me explain why I think it's a really encouraging message. 189 00:23:48,400 --> 00:23:56,080 It's because we don't accept Christ as an addition to an existing life. 190 00:23:58,880 --> 00:24:01,840 That's not what happened. That's not what the Bible says. 191 00:24:01,840 --> 00:24:10,080 Some I've heard have said, well, just get saved, receive Jesus and He'll help you live, fulfill your life that you want to live. 192 00:24:10,080 --> 00:24:20,080 And that doesn't work because Christ will help us. Christ still loves us. God will always love us. 193 00:24:20,080 --> 00:24:26,800 But when we're speaking about salvation and to experience the fullness of the new life, 194 00:24:26,800 --> 00:24:34,800 which is a spiritual new birth, and as I've just read, that with the burial, therefore, 195 00:24:34,800 --> 00:24:40,800 we who were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead, 196 00:24:40,800 --> 00:24:50,800 from the glory of the Father, so us too, there cannot be a raising to the newness of life unless there was first a death. 197 00:24:50,800 --> 00:25:02,800 A spiritual one. Now, can I say this? That the old Adamic nature, the old sin nature of Rob, 198 00:25:02,800 --> 00:25:12,800 that if I came to Christ and said, Jesus, in my old state, unsaved state, Jesus, I want you to save me 199 00:25:12,800 --> 00:25:20,800 because I want what you have and I've seen what others can do when you're in their life. 200 00:25:20,800 --> 00:25:28,800 And I want that. I don't want to surrender what I have to be able to receive Him. 201 00:25:28,800 --> 00:25:35,800 The old nature and the new nature cannot exist in the same room together. 202 00:25:35,800 --> 00:25:45,800 They can't. It's impossible. So one will live or the other will live. 203 00:25:45,800 --> 00:25:55,800 And the decision is entirely ours, our own decision. We cannot have the two to coexist. 204 00:25:55,800 --> 00:26:01,800 You know, something I noticed when we do funerals and that and when, I mean, I don't mean to be too graphic, 205 00:26:01,800 --> 00:26:15,800 but when the burial is complete, you don't, kind of like, go to the wake and the deceased is there having a coffee saying, 206 00:26:15,800 --> 00:26:23,800 that was a pretty big deal, wasn't it? 207 00:26:23,800 --> 00:26:33,800 That person's dead. 208 00:26:33,800 --> 00:26:43,800 It's the end of that physical life. It's the end. There's no more. It's completed. 209 00:26:43,800 --> 00:26:53,800 What's done is done. And this is the, I think, what is missing in modern Christianity today. 210 00:26:53,800 --> 00:27:01,800 We come to the cross at Calvary, but I surrender, we surrender all that I am, 211 00:27:01,800 --> 00:27:11,800 everything that I've ever wanted to be and hoped and dreamed to be, I lay it all down before my Lord and Savior. 212 00:27:11,800 --> 00:27:24,800 Then He can raise up and bring to life what He wants in my life. And what is not good in my life, He will leave in the grave. 213 00:27:24,800 --> 00:27:33,800 And that is the only way that we as born-again believers can experience the newness of life. 214 00:27:33,800 --> 00:27:46,800 If first there was a death, a spiritual death, there must be a spiritual funeral before there can be a spiritual resurrection. 215 00:27:46,800 --> 00:27:53,800 There must be a death before there can be a raising from a spiritual death into the newness of life. 216 00:27:53,800 --> 00:28:03,800 In the same way that Jesus, that He said, I was dead, I'm alive, and I'm alive forevermore, 217 00:28:03,800 --> 00:28:15,800 that we through identifying with His death, His burial, His resurrection, we are exactly just like Jesus. 218 00:28:15,800 --> 00:28:27,800 That we in Him will live forevermore spiritually. This physical body has an expiry date on it. 219 00:28:27,800 --> 00:28:33,800 Some of us have more mileage on the speedo than others. Some of us are feeling the aches and pains more than others, 220 00:28:33,800 --> 00:28:40,800 but we do have an expiry date. And that's just a natural thing. 221 00:28:40,800 --> 00:28:47,800 But when we speak about spiritual things, we're speaking about a different realm here altogether. 222 00:28:47,800 --> 00:28:56,800 That spiritually, we must understand and we must be taught, especially in discipleship, 223 00:28:56,800 --> 00:29:07,800 now that you've accepted Christ, everything that you've ever hoped to be needs to go into that grave as well. 224 00:29:07,800 --> 00:29:13,800 And I'll tell you something, when Chantelle mentioned this to me when she led me to, 225 00:29:13,800 --> 00:29:16,800 I mean, she had nine and a quarter years of witnessing to me. 226 00:29:16,800 --> 00:29:21,800 So I heard the whole gospel, I had everything from cover to cover, including the book of maps. 227 00:29:21,800 --> 00:29:24,800 It was everything. It was very complete. 228 00:29:24,800 --> 00:29:31,800 But the reality is, is that I was able to make an informed decision based upon what I was told, 229 00:29:31,800 --> 00:29:44,800 what I learned and what I knew. And I knew that giving my life to Jesus was a total handing over of my life to him. 230 00:29:44,800 --> 00:29:56,800 So I see that in Christianity today, often we hear things like, I don't know why I'm still struggling. 231 00:29:56,800 --> 00:30:02,800 I don't know why I just can't seem to break through. I don't know why. Was there truly? 232 00:30:02,800 --> 00:30:08,800 I'm not here to try and sow doubt into your conversion experience at all. 233 00:30:08,800 --> 00:30:12,800 But I do believe that reflection is very powerful. 234 00:30:12,800 --> 00:30:20,800 And to say this, at that point when we gave our life to Christ, did I lay everything? 235 00:30:20,800 --> 00:30:22,800 Did we lay everything down? 236 00:30:22,800 --> 00:30:28,800 Did we give it all? Absolutely everything. 237 00:30:28,800 --> 00:30:31,800 Or did we not? 238 00:30:31,800 --> 00:30:36,800 Well, God still loves you. God's always there for you. 239 00:30:36,800 --> 00:30:40,800 The grace of God abounds more and more and more and more and more. 240 00:30:40,800 --> 00:30:43,800 God is just so amazing. 241 00:30:43,800 --> 00:30:56,800 But I see that there is a reality, a truth, this thing about why is it that as important as it is and foundational as it is in our Christianity, 242 00:30:56,800 --> 00:31:03,800 why is it that often many will not want to speak about the blood of Jesus, about blood, oh the blood, just ugh. 243 00:31:03,800 --> 00:31:08,800 They don't want to speak about a death. They don't want to speak about sacrifice. 244 00:31:08,800 --> 00:31:14,800 I want to speak about repentance, the Church of God. Let me say this. 245 00:31:14,800 --> 00:31:26,800 These are foundational to knowing God, being born again, be received into the kingdom of God, truly, holy and solely being born again. 246 00:31:26,800 --> 00:31:36,800 I like what Apostle Paul wrote. I go find it here, Galatians chapter two, verse 20, very powerful passage of Scripture. 247 00:31:36,800 --> 00:31:42,800 He says, I have been crucified with Christ. 248 00:31:42,800 --> 00:31:46,800 The tense of this is past tense. 249 00:31:46,800 --> 00:31:50,800 He said, I have been crucified with Christ. 250 00:31:50,800 --> 00:31:55,800 It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. 251 00:31:55,800 --> 00:32:05,800 In the life which I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave himself for me. 252 00:32:05,800 --> 00:32:12,800 Hallelujah. 253 00:32:12,800 --> 00:32:16,800 So where does that leave us today? 254 00:32:16,800 --> 00:32:21,800 Let me close by saying this. 255 00:32:21,800 --> 00:32:35,800 Christianity is the most exciting life that any person could ever live, ever, ever. 256 00:32:35,800 --> 00:32:41,800 I've seen what Christ can do and what is done. We watched the video this morning. 257 00:32:41,800 --> 00:32:50,800 I look at Mama Carrie and see the woman that comes to Christ and gives all and then Christ uses her. 258 00:32:50,800 --> 00:33:00,800 Plants Bible schools and orphanages and schools and does works and work in different nations all on a pension. 259 00:33:00,800 --> 00:33:04,800 How God has used you to do incredible things. 260 00:33:04,800 --> 00:33:11,800 How amazing it is that God will use a very ordinary person and empower them to do extraordinary things. 261 00:33:11,800 --> 00:33:14,800 You know, it's because of Christ that he lives and lives forevermore. 262 00:33:14,800 --> 00:33:18,800 And there's a work to be done here on earth. And we're doing it. 263 00:33:18,800 --> 00:33:21,800 It's being done in the name of Jesus. 264 00:33:21,800 --> 00:33:35,800 But here is the thing. I think sometimes if we haven't truly accepted the reality that I died in Christ. 265 00:33:35,800 --> 00:33:40,800 Have you ever thought about it before? 266 00:33:40,800 --> 00:33:49,800 If ever we go through a thing, whether you may struggle from depression, anxiety or or whatever, loneliness, whatever, hang on a minute. 267 00:33:49,800 --> 00:33:57,800 That that's supposed to be in the grave. Why is it still here? 268 00:33:57,800 --> 00:34:06,800 Think of whatever you may be going through today. Is it possible that that should still be that should be in the grave that we gave it all? 269 00:34:06,800 --> 00:34:12,800 Oh, but the devil's really good. He wants to raise things from the dead as well. 270 00:34:12,800 --> 00:34:16,800 Our old self, our old life, our old things. 271 00:34:16,800 --> 00:34:26,800 You see, God, I do not believe is interested in empowering our plans, our decisions. 272 00:34:26,800 --> 00:34:29,800 Our wants. 273 00:34:29,800 --> 00:34:39,800 But when we surrender our lives completely to him, just like Jesus on the cross of Calvary. 274 00:34:39,800 --> 00:34:43,800 What an act of faith what he did. 275 00:34:43,800 --> 00:34:56,800 Knowing he spoke to the disciples at times and he said, the son of man will surely be betrayed into the hand, be given into the hands of betrayers and they will crucify him. 276 00:34:56,800 --> 00:35:01,800 And he will die and God will raise him from the dead on the third day. 277 00:35:01,800 --> 00:35:05,800 He was speaking this knowing that that was the will of God. 278 00:35:05,800 --> 00:35:12,800 But let me tell you, there still would have been an element of faith in that. 279 00:35:12,800 --> 00:35:17,800 So there was Jesus when he drew his last breath. 280 00:35:17,800 --> 00:35:22,800 My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? 281 00:35:22,800 --> 00:35:28,800 It wasn't an easy process. 282 00:35:28,800 --> 00:35:50,800 But in the center of the earth, in Hades, on the third day, doesn't matter how dark life can be and get God's glory can find where you are in a place of darkness and a place of hopelessness, wherever it may be, God's goodness will find you. 283 00:35:50,800 --> 00:35:57,800 And that's why it's so important to cry out to God, call upon the name of the Lord and you shall be saved. 284 00:35:57,800 --> 00:35:59,800 So important. 285 00:35:59,800 --> 00:36:08,800 And so Jesus, if God didn't raise him from the dead, he'd still be there. 286 00:36:08,800 --> 00:36:13,800 How pitiful life would be. 287 00:36:13,800 --> 00:36:23,800 And so he was 100% relying and trusting that he went through with the death. 288 00:36:23,800 --> 00:36:27,800 But the resurrecting was not in his power. 289 00:36:27,800 --> 00:36:30,800 Think about it. 290 00:36:30,800 --> 00:36:34,800 Jesus was not able to raise himself. 291 00:36:34,800 --> 00:36:37,800 Couldn't do anything. 292 00:36:37,800 --> 00:36:58,800 And us as well, if we want to experience the resurrection power of God in our lives as children of the living God, there too must be that element of faith, knowing that this person, the old nature spiritually needed to die 293 00:36:58,800 --> 00:37:11,800 and trust that in that death and that faith and that obedience to Christ, that God is going to raise out of that a new person. 294 00:37:11,800 --> 00:37:15,800 Second Corinthians 517. 295 00:37:15,800 --> 00:37:19,800 Very, very powerful 296 00:37:19,800 --> 00:37:21,800 scripture 297 00:37:21,800 --> 00:37:26,800 about being a new creation in Christ. 298 00:37:26,800 --> 00:37:30,800 Apostle Paul had this revelation 299 00:37:30,800 --> 00:37:38,800 that I am a new, he's speaking about a new creation in Christ, he said, old things have passed away. 300 00:37:38,800 --> 00:37:43,800 What do we say when somebody, what do they say, they die, they kick the bucket or whatever. 301 00:37:43,800 --> 00:37:47,800 What do we say, they said they passed away. 302 00:37:47,800 --> 00:37:53,800 They're gone, it's finished, it's completed, it's done with. 303 00:37:53,800 --> 00:38:02,800 He said, I'm a new creation. God did not recondition the old person who went in the grave. 304 00:38:02,800 --> 00:38:08,800 He didn't work with that substance at all. 305 00:38:08,800 --> 00:38:11,800 He made a new creation. 306 00:38:11,800 --> 00:38:14,800 And that's who you are today. 307 00:38:14,800 --> 00:38:19,800 Because of what Christ did. 308 00:38:19,800 --> 00:38:26,800 So if ever you're thinking life is hard, we may be battling with things like 309 00:38:26,800 --> 00:38:29,800 from sin things or whatever it might be. 310 00:38:29,800 --> 00:38:34,800 Think more about your amazing God. 311 00:38:34,800 --> 00:38:38,800 There are things that we haven't laid down, lay them down. 312 00:38:38,800 --> 00:38:47,800 Because when you lay it down and I lay things down, trust me, Christ will ensure that it stays down. 313 00:38:47,800 --> 00:38:52,800 And when we lay it down, it's only then that that newness of life can come. 314 00:38:52,800 --> 00:38:56,800 The two cannot coexist together. 315 00:38:56,800 --> 00:39:03,800 Jesus wasn't dead and alive at the same time in that natural sense at all. 316 00:39:03,800 --> 00:39:05,800 Are you getting me this morning? 317 00:39:05,800 --> 00:39:08,800 The two cannot coexist. 318 00:39:08,800 --> 00:39:22,800 God saved the old you died, dead, finished, the moose done, finished. 319 00:39:22,800 --> 00:39:28,800 And out of that, God created a new you. 320 00:39:28,800 --> 00:39:34,800 One created so wonderfully and fearfully made. 321 00:39:34,800 --> 00:39:42,800 Being born of the spirit, being born from above, God birthed you into his family. 322 00:39:42,800 --> 00:39:50,800 So therefore you have every right as a child of that family to the privileges and to the inheritance. 323 00:39:50,800 --> 00:39:55,800 Because you were born into that family where the Bible says adopted but a spiritual birth. 324 00:39:55,800 --> 00:39:59,800 Absolutely. 325 00:39:59,800 --> 00:40:07,800 As I close this service this morning, I'd like to give an opportunity to every single person here this morning. 326 00:40:07,800 --> 00:40:20,800 And those watching online, that Resurrection Sunday is a message of life, of new life, newness of life, 327 00:40:20,800 --> 00:40:26,800 of new beginnings, a new future, that everything new. 328 00:40:26,800 --> 00:40:32,800 And you might be thinking, how good would it be if I could leave this place today 329 00:40:32,800 --> 00:40:38,800 and have everything that I've ever done wrong left behind me and I could move ahead into life 330 00:40:38,800 --> 00:40:43,800 just looking ahead what is good and what God has for me. 331 00:40:43,800 --> 00:40:45,800 Can I share with you? 332 00:40:45,800 --> 00:40:49,800 That can happen for you today. 333 00:40:49,800 --> 00:40:52,800 God's in you today and your future. 334 00:40:52,800 --> 00:40:59,800 You and I cannot change the past but Jesus can deal with some things in our past. 335 00:40:59,800 --> 00:41:04,800 What can he do? He can forgive you. He can forgive me and he does. 336 00:41:04,800 --> 00:41:12,800 So today I'm going to pray a prayer similar that I prayed some 30 years ago 337 00:41:12,800 --> 00:41:19,800 when I truly received Christ into my life. 338 00:41:19,800 --> 00:41:23,800 It was a total new beginning for me. 339 00:41:23,800 --> 00:41:29,800 And those of us here today that are born again, you know what I'm speaking about. 340 00:41:29,800 --> 00:41:36,800 Resurrection Sunday, the whole message of Christ from beginning to end 341 00:41:36,800 --> 00:41:46,800 was so that God could seek and save those who were lost and bring them back into the family of God. 342 00:41:46,800 --> 00:41:50,800 Would you follow me in a prayer, a very simple prayer? 343 00:41:50,800 --> 00:41:55,800 And if you mean, really mean from your heart what you're about to pray, 344 00:41:55,800 --> 00:42:00,800 God will truly save you, a great miracle will take place in your life. 345 00:42:00,800 --> 00:42:02,800 What will that miracle be? 346 00:42:02,800 --> 00:42:08,800 It will be there will be a death and there will be a resurrection. 347 00:42:08,800 --> 00:42:13,800 There will be a new birth, a newness, life come up in you. 348 00:42:13,800 --> 00:42:15,800 Come on, let's pray. 349 00:42:15,800 --> 00:42:24,800 Repeat after me, Father God, I come to you in the name of Jesus. 350 00:42:24,800 --> 00:42:27,800 Lord, I believe in my heart. 351 00:42:27,800 --> 00:42:38,800 I confess with my mouth that you, Jesus, are the Son of God and you died for me. 352 00:42:38,800 --> 00:42:45,800 I ask that you would forgive me all the things I've done wrong. 353 00:42:45,800 --> 00:42:50,800 This day, I give all of my life to you. 354 00:42:50,800 --> 00:42:55,800 All of it I give to you. 355 00:42:55,800 --> 00:42:58,800 I ask that you would save me. 356 00:42:58,800 --> 00:43:01,800 I call on the name of Jesus. 357 00:43:01,800 --> 00:43:06,800 Now, save me. Amen. 358 00:43:06,800 --> 00:43:11,800 Every head is bowed, every eye is closed. 359 00:43:11,800 --> 00:43:14,800 You've truly meant that today. 360 00:43:14,800 --> 00:43:17,800 You just quickly raise your hand up and down, very quickly up and down. 361 00:43:17,800 --> 00:43:19,800 No one else will see it but me. 362 00:43:19,800 --> 00:43:21,800 Would you do that? Would you do that? 363 00:43:21,800 --> 00:43:22,800 I see that hand there. 364 00:43:22,800 --> 00:43:24,800 Is there anybody else here this morning? 365 00:43:24,800 --> 00:43:25,800 Would you do that? 366 00:43:25,800 --> 00:43:27,800 Don't be shy. 367 00:43:27,800 --> 00:43:29,800 Don't be shy. 368 00:43:29,800 --> 00:43:35,800 You know, any preacher that's been preaching for a certain length of time 369 00:43:35,800 --> 00:43:38,800 knows when a person or people have made decisions 370 00:43:38,800 --> 00:43:43,800 and are finding it very difficult to find that boldness to acknowledge it, 371 00:43:43,800 --> 00:43:45,800 just say, Lord, that was me. 372 00:43:45,800 --> 00:43:47,800 That was me. 373 00:43:47,800 --> 00:43:50,800 And I know there are some here this morning that you're finding it difficult. 374 00:43:50,800 --> 00:43:52,800 That's okay. We're human. 375 00:43:52,800 --> 00:43:58,800 But I want to let you know today that your decision that you made is so important. 376 00:43:58,800 --> 00:44:01,800 And it's that important that you need to tell somebody. 377 00:44:01,800 --> 00:44:04,800 You need to let somebody know, hey, that was me. 378 00:44:04,800 --> 00:44:06,800 I made a decision today. 379 00:44:06,800 --> 00:44:07,800 Would you help me? 380 00:44:07,800 --> 00:44:11,800 Because when you accept Christ as your Lord and Savior, 381 00:44:11,800 --> 00:44:14,800 it's the first step of many to come. 382 00:44:14,800 --> 00:44:18,800 And from that point, we need someone to teach us 383 00:44:18,800 --> 00:44:21,800 and to show us what the Bible means, how this all works. 384 00:44:21,800 --> 00:44:24,800 It's called being disciple. 385 00:44:24,800 --> 00:44:26,800 I would like to encourage you to do that. 386 00:44:26,800 --> 00:44:30,800 Those watching online today, we thank you for watching. 387 00:44:30,800 --> 00:44:32,800 And also, if you've made a decision, 388 00:44:32,800 --> 00:44:36,800 follow Christ, would you contact us with the information on the screen? 389 00:44:36,800 --> 00:44:38,800 We'd love to get in touch with you. 390 00:44:38,800 --> 00:44:40,800 It would be wonderful. 391 00:44:40,800 --> 00:44:45,800 So today, Jesus is alive. 392 00:44:45,800 --> 00:44:47,800 He's alive. 393 00:44:47,800 --> 00:44:49,800 He's not dead. 394 00:44:49,800 --> 00:44:54,800 And he's alive forevermore in the name of Jesus, we all said. 395 00:44:54,800 --> 00:44:55,800 Amen. 396 00:44:55,800 --> 00:45:00,800 If there's anyone here this morning you'd like prayer for anything in your life, 397 00:45:00,800 --> 00:45:01,800 would you come out? 398 00:45:01,800 --> 00:45:03,800 I'd love to pray for you. 399 00:45:03,800 --> 00:45:08,800 Last Friday night, the power of God was just moving so amazingly. 400 00:45:08,800 --> 00:45:10,800 Just so wonderful. 401 00:45:10,800 --> 00:45:12,800 Thank you, Lord. 402 00:45:12,800 --> 00:45:13,800 Thank you for joining us. 403 00:45:13,800 --> 00:45:15,800 We pray God's richest blessing on your life. 404 00:45:15,800 --> 00:45:20,800 If you haven't already, make sure to join us on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. 405 00:45:20,800 --> 00:45:24,800 You can also find us at logancitychristianchurch.com. 406 00:45:24,800 --> 00:45:31,800 See you next week.