WEBVTT 00:00:33.070 --> 00:00:37.579 Today we celebrate, we celebrate. Jesus who comes 00:00:37.579 --> 00:00:42.119 and he encounters us wherever we are, but he 00:00:42.119 --> 00:00:45.460 never leaves us there. He always invites us into 00:00:45.460 --> 00:00:49.219 resurrection transformation. And he prepared 00:00:49.219 --> 00:00:51.799 us with this in John 10, 10, where he says that 00:00:51.799 --> 00:00:54.000 there's an opponent, there's an adversary, there's 00:00:54.000 --> 00:00:56.740 somebody that is out there, an evil one, that 00:00:56.740 --> 00:01:01.640 comes to steal, to kill, and to destroy. And 00:01:01.640 --> 00:01:04.500 we know this. We've all experienced his impact 00:01:04.500 --> 00:01:08.849 on our lives. But Jesus responds right after 00:01:08.849 --> 00:01:13.349 that and he says, but I have come to give life 00:01:13.349 --> 00:01:18.730 and to give it to the full. Nearly a hundred 00:01:18.730 --> 00:01:22.950 years ago, there's a well -often told story of 00:01:22.950 --> 00:01:24.969 a group of people that had gathered in Soviet 00:01:24.969 --> 00:01:30.730 era in the area of Ukraine. And there was a atheist 00:01:30.730 --> 00:01:34.640 lecturer who was... Took his time, two hours 00:01:34.640 --> 00:01:39.340 worth, to try to undo and debunk the impossible, 00:01:39.599 --> 00:01:42.459 the resurrection. After all, he couldn't make 00:01:42.459 --> 00:01:44.719 sense of it and he was trying to convince people 00:01:44.719 --> 00:01:47.260 at the core of what the Christian faith is, this 00:01:47.260 --> 00:01:51.700 could not be true. Confident on what he said, 00:01:51.780 --> 00:01:54.459 he finally invited anybody to counter him and 00:01:54.459 --> 00:01:57.739 he took a seat. And a man from the back of the 00:01:57.739 --> 00:02:01.489 room slowly made his way up to the front. And 00:02:01.489 --> 00:02:04.090 we got up to the front. He turned around and 00:02:04.090 --> 00:02:06.230 he looked at the group that was gathered there 00:02:06.230 --> 00:02:08.330 that had just sat through this two -hour lecture. 00:02:09.389 --> 00:02:16.469 And he said three words. Christ is risen. And 00:02:16.469 --> 00:02:19.069 out of their own stories of resurrection transformation, 00:02:19.270 --> 00:02:21.409 the group that was gathered there responded, 00:02:21.789 --> 00:02:25.909 he is risen indeed, undoing all of what had just 00:02:25.909 --> 00:02:29.030 been so thoughtfully, carefully put together 00:02:29.030 --> 00:02:33.340 by this lecturer. These stories of transformation 00:02:33.340 --> 00:02:36.039 have been going on for 2000 years. And what I 00:02:36.039 --> 00:02:39.580 want to invite us to is to think back to some 00:02:39.580 --> 00:02:42.139 of the first people that experienced this resurrection 00:02:42.139 --> 00:02:45.479 transformation. Then our worship team is going 00:02:45.479 --> 00:02:48.199 to follow this with two songs that match these 00:02:48.199 --> 00:02:51.120 two individuals. So the first one is a lady named 00:02:51.120 --> 00:02:54.919 Mary Magdalene. What we know of Mary is that 00:02:54.919 --> 00:03:00.280 she was oppressed by seven. Seven monsters that 00:03:00.280 --> 00:03:02.900 were there to kill, steal, and destroy who God 00:03:02.900 --> 00:03:07.379 had created her to be. Why seven? Possibly because 00:03:07.379 --> 00:03:10.180 this is a complete picture. This is a complete 00:03:10.180 --> 00:03:13.120 destruction of this person. She had no option 00:03:13.120 --> 00:03:16.039 going forward and lived in such complete shame. 00:03:18.319 --> 00:03:23.340 And Jesus encounters her. And he releases her 00:03:23.340 --> 00:03:27.030 from this power that is over her life. And so 00:03:27.030 --> 00:03:29.590 Mary begins to follow Jesus over the next couple 00:03:29.590 --> 00:03:33.110 of years and experience for the first time what 00:03:33.110 --> 00:03:36.550 it is to be loved in the way that Jesus loves. 00:03:37.889 --> 00:03:42.310 But then on that Friday, she looks at the cross 00:03:42.310 --> 00:03:45.750 and she sees the hope that she had placed into 00:03:45.750 --> 00:03:49.189 seemingly defeated by that same thief that came 00:03:49.189 --> 00:03:52.419 to take her own life. And you can imagine the 00:03:52.419 --> 00:03:54.740 anguish that she's feeling as she looks up there 00:03:54.740 --> 00:03:56.780 and says, what is going on in this situation? 00:03:58.319 --> 00:04:03.979 But Sunday comes. Sunday comes and the resurrected 00:04:03.979 --> 00:04:06.960 Savior encounters her. You see, she comes to 00:04:06.960 --> 00:04:09.439 the tomb expecting to be grieving and crying 00:04:09.439 --> 00:04:11.939 over the death of the one that she had placed 00:04:11.939 --> 00:04:15.199 her hope in. But it's not so. The tomb was empty. 00:04:15.400 --> 00:04:17.860 And a man she doesn't recognize comes up to her 00:04:17.860 --> 00:04:22.810 and says, who are you looking for? She doesn't 00:04:22.810 --> 00:04:26.129 recognize him until Jesus looks her in the face 00:04:26.129 --> 00:04:30.769 and says, Mary. At that moment, she recognizes 00:04:30.769 --> 00:04:34.990 and she calls out Rabboni. Not rabbi, like they 00:04:34.990 --> 00:04:37.689 had been calling Jesus from a long time past. 00:04:37.870 --> 00:04:41.029 The common name of the one that you follow as 00:04:41.029 --> 00:04:44.129 a disciple. But this is a name that elevates 00:04:44.129 --> 00:04:46.870 it even more to the significance as well as the 00:04:46.870 --> 00:04:49.790 intimacy. It's though Mary is saying, you are 00:04:49.790 --> 00:04:53.990 my savior. I know you personally. You've called 00:04:53.990 --> 00:04:58.149 me by name. And then from there, Mary becomes 00:04:58.149 --> 00:05:01.889 the very first human being, a woman who lived 00:05:01.889 --> 00:05:04.569 in complete bondage, the very first human being 00:05:04.569 --> 00:05:07.730 to be a witness to the resurrection power of 00:05:07.730 --> 00:05:09.949 Jesus Christ. And you and I are sitting here 00:05:09.949 --> 00:05:12.829 today talking about that lady from 2000 years 00:05:12.829 --> 00:05:15.930 ago. Well, let's put Mary on the side and let's 00:05:15.930 --> 00:05:18.589 look at another individual. There's a man named 00:05:18.589 --> 00:05:22.560 Simon, also known as Peter. Simon was your average 00:05:22.560 --> 00:05:25.779 guy. He was a fisherman and he actually used 00:05:25.779 --> 00:05:28.540 the word toil to describe his efforts to make 00:05:28.540 --> 00:05:31.139 life work. And so he's just kind of living moment 00:05:31.139 --> 00:05:34.540 by moment, trying to get through the day, hoping 00:05:34.540 --> 00:05:38.040 that something will change. And it does. Jesus 00:05:38.040 --> 00:05:41.420 encounters him. And when Jesus encounters him, 00:05:41.420 --> 00:05:45.709 he calls this man Simon to something new. To 00:05:45.709 --> 00:05:48.050 repurpose his life into something far greater 00:05:48.050 --> 00:05:50.750 than just the daily toil and striving that this 00:05:50.750 --> 00:05:54.470 guy Simon knew about. And then later, Jesus pulls 00:05:54.470 --> 00:05:56.750 Simon aside and he says, hey, I'm going to give 00:05:56.750 --> 00:06:00.870 you a new name. Your name will be Peter. Meaning 00:06:00.870 --> 00:06:04.410 rock. Why? Because on you, on the rock of your 00:06:04.410 --> 00:06:06.170 leadership, the church is going to be built. 00:06:06.670 --> 00:06:09.829 And Peter, thinking about that, continues forward. 00:06:09.910 --> 00:06:13.290 But in the climactic, most important moment. 00:06:13.879 --> 00:06:16.699 For this man to stand up and do what was right. 00:06:17.259 --> 00:06:19.899 When Jesus is going to the cross to be crucified. 00:06:22.480 --> 00:06:25.060 Peter falls asleep rather than praying for his 00:06:25.060 --> 00:06:28.759 friends. Then when danger comes, Peter eventually 00:06:28.759 --> 00:06:32.860 runs away. And then Peter comes back, joins Jesus 00:06:32.860 --> 00:06:37.220 at this fire as Jesus is on trial there. And 00:06:37.220 --> 00:06:40.779 Peter denies him three times. I don't even know 00:06:40.779 --> 00:06:47.050 this man. Out of this fear. But then Sunday comes. 00:06:48.149 --> 00:06:50.709 And Jesus, the resurrected Jesus, encounters 00:06:50.709 --> 00:06:52.970 Peter in a number of different ways. But one 00:06:52.970 --> 00:06:55.689 of them is particularly special. He comes to 00:06:55.689 --> 00:06:58.250 a lake and Peter is there around another fire 00:06:58.250 --> 00:07:00.910 with the rest of the disciples. And Jesus looks 00:07:00.910 --> 00:07:03.290 at him, calling him by his old name, Simon. And 00:07:03.290 --> 00:07:06.829 he says, Simon, do you love me? Yes, Lord. Simon, 00:07:06.930 --> 00:07:10.129 do you love me? Yes, Lord. Simon, do you love 00:07:10.129 --> 00:07:13.069 me? Yes, Lord. Three times he gives the chance 00:07:13.069 --> 00:07:17.269 to redeem what had been taken away, what Peter 00:07:17.269 --> 00:07:19.709 had failed in in his leadership in front of the 00:07:19.709 --> 00:07:23.670 other disciples there. Simon being restored by 00:07:23.670 --> 00:07:26.790 the resurrected Lord in this situation. And then 00:07:26.790 --> 00:07:28.790 Jesus gives him a taste of what is going to happen. 00:07:28.829 --> 00:07:30.730 He said, you know, as a young person, you got 00:07:30.730 --> 00:07:33.949 to do whatever you use your own effort. But as 00:07:33.949 --> 00:07:35.990 an old person, you're going to be led away and 00:07:35.990 --> 00:07:38.420 your arms are going to be spread. Foretelling 00:07:38.420 --> 00:07:41.000 the fact that in complete courage, Peter would 00:07:41.000 --> 00:07:44.899 end up dying on the cross like his master in 00:07:44.899 --> 00:07:47.540 order to encourage you and I in the resurrection 00:07:47.540 --> 00:07:52.300 story and transformation going forward. So what 00:07:52.300 --> 00:07:55.019 is your story? How has the resurrected Savior 00:07:55.019 --> 00:07:59.079 connected with you? And I want us to go back 00:07:59.079 --> 00:08:02.550 to that group at the very beginning. And I'm 00:08:02.550 --> 00:08:04.670 going to say he is risen and I want you to respond 00:08:04.670 --> 00:08:07.870 in the way that they did in a posture of receiving. 00:08:08.069 --> 00:08:12.790 Okay, you ready? He is risen. He is risen indeed. 00:08:14.709 --> 00:08:22.870 Wow, Lord. There's no words. There's no melody 00:08:22.870 --> 00:08:25.370 that can capture the fullness of what you've 00:08:25.370 --> 00:08:30.949 done and yet we are here proclaiming to the world. 00:08:32.330 --> 00:08:35.250 I'm proclaiming to the kingdom of darkness that 00:08:35.250 --> 00:08:40.850 our king is alive. Death has been defeated. Satan 00:08:40.850 --> 00:08:44.009 has been defeated. There's no other power and 00:08:44.009 --> 00:08:46.690 no other authority in our lives but Jesus and 00:08:46.690 --> 00:08:52.529 Jesus alone. So we stand in your presence with 00:08:52.529 --> 00:08:56.909 hope, with joy, with excitement, with expectation. 00:08:58.669 --> 00:09:02.539 Thank you for what you have done. And I ask you, 00:09:02.559 --> 00:09:05.360 Lord, that as we look into your word, you will 00:09:05.360 --> 00:09:09.159 meet us in our hearts, in the deepest parts of 00:09:09.159 --> 00:09:11.679 our being where the power of your resurrection 00:09:11.679 --> 00:09:17.519 is not yet touching. We need you, Lord. Everything 00:09:17.519 --> 00:09:22.379 that you envision for us, we want it. But let 00:09:22.379 --> 00:09:26.279 your power encounter us today here in your presence. 00:09:26.860 --> 00:09:29.340 Use me, Lord, in your power and in your strength 00:09:29.340 --> 00:09:34.139 and in your grace. In Jesus' name, amen. You 00:09:34.139 --> 00:09:39.820 may be seated. If you happen to be visiting us 00:09:39.820 --> 00:09:42.080 for the first time today, we are so glad that 00:09:42.080 --> 00:09:45.299 you are here and that you will be able to hear 00:09:45.299 --> 00:09:48.399 more about Jesus because Jesus is the reason 00:09:48.399 --> 00:09:53.759 why we exist. And later, after the service, we 00:09:53.759 --> 00:09:55.759 will have a time of celebration. There will be 00:09:55.759 --> 00:09:58.059 food and other things I will tell you later at 00:09:58.059 --> 00:10:01.490 the end. But at this moment, what we would like 00:10:01.490 --> 00:10:05.450 to do is to think about the power that Jesus 00:10:05.450 --> 00:10:10.269 has for your life and for my life today. And 00:10:10.269 --> 00:10:13.549 that's why this study is called Jesus, Our Redeemer. 00:10:13.850 --> 00:10:17.110 Because Jesus paid the price so that we could 00:10:17.110 --> 00:10:21.330 go free. That's what a Redeemer does. A Redeemer 00:10:21.330 --> 00:10:24.669 pays the price for your freedom. And Jesus paid 00:10:24.669 --> 00:10:31.080 with His life, with His power. The price. So 00:10:31.080 --> 00:10:34.960 that you and I can walk in his freedom. And live 00:10:34.960 --> 00:10:40.639 freely for him. Now on Friday we got to experience 00:10:40.639 --> 00:10:44.320 the celebration of Good Friday. Where we focused 00:10:44.320 --> 00:10:48.299 on the death of Jesus. The things that he suffered. 00:10:49.720 --> 00:10:53.220 You got to experience the stations of the cross. 00:10:53.340 --> 00:10:57.019 A room downstairs where you could walk in quietness. 00:10:57.629 --> 00:11:01.129 To explore the different parts of the narrative 00:11:01.129 --> 00:11:04.190 of what Jesus experienced. I have time along 00:11:04.190 --> 00:11:09.429 with the Lord in prayer. But today, today is 00:11:09.429 --> 00:11:13.909 good news. Today is the resurrection of Jesus. 00:11:14.370 --> 00:11:18.350 He is alive and we have heard it. We have seen 00:11:18.350 --> 00:11:21.090 it in the dance. We have heard it in the song. 00:11:21.350 --> 00:11:25.549 We have heard it from Pastor Phil. seen it, we'll 00:11:25.549 --> 00:11:28.509 get to touch it. Everything that is about today 00:11:28.509 --> 00:11:34.850 is to celebrate the truth that Jesus is our Redeemer 00:11:34.850 --> 00:11:38.789 who is alive and therefore He is the one that 00:11:38.789 --> 00:11:40.870 makes the entire difference in our lives that 00:11:40.870 --> 00:11:44.809 we can follow Him. Now I know that for many people 00:11:44.809 --> 00:11:47.370 the idea that Jesus is resurrected is nonsense. 00:11:48.350 --> 00:11:51.580 It's myth. Some people have a hard time even 00:11:51.580 --> 00:11:54.000 believing that Jesus was a historical figure. 00:11:55.580 --> 00:11:58.580 But there's a moment in which one of the followers 00:11:58.580 --> 00:12:01.259 of Jesus, one of the apostles, his name was Paul. 00:12:02.679 --> 00:12:05.840 There's a moment in which he is engaging with 00:12:05.840 --> 00:12:08.299 this idea and he says, okay, let's think for 00:12:08.299 --> 00:12:12.820 a second that Jesus did not resurrect. That resurrection 00:12:12.820 --> 00:12:18.529 is a myth. It's just man -made stuff. If that 00:12:18.529 --> 00:12:23.090 were the case, then we are wasting our time. 00:12:23.669 --> 00:12:27.950 And not only that, he says, we Christians should 00:12:27.950 --> 00:12:30.309 be pitied by the entire world because we are 00:12:30.309 --> 00:12:33.289 following a lie. And not only that, we are still 00:12:33.289 --> 00:12:38.970 in our sins. Nothing has changed. But then at 00:12:38.970 --> 00:12:42.909 the end of his reflection, he says, but the truth 00:12:42.909 --> 00:12:48.889 is, Jesus did resurrect. And he is alive. And 00:12:48.889 --> 00:12:54.529 because this is fact. This is truth. Then we 00:12:54.529 --> 00:12:58.669 can follow him. And follow him with the confidence 00:12:58.669 --> 00:13:02.409 that he is worth following. And his authority 00:13:02.409 --> 00:13:08.750 is worth submitting to. There is something that 00:13:08.750 --> 00:13:11.090 Jesus told the apostles after he resurrected. 00:13:11.169 --> 00:13:15.919 Before he ascended to heaven. before the promise 00:13:15.919 --> 00:13:19.500 of his return. There's a moment between his resurrection 00:13:19.500 --> 00:13:22.500 and his ascension where Jesus meets with his 00:13:22.500 --> 00:13:27.019 disciples and tells them something that becomes 00:13:27.019 --> 00:13:29.740 the foundation of our understanding of anyone 00:13:29.740 --> 00:13:34.980 that follows Jesus. What did he tell them? We'll 00:13:34.980 --> 00:13:38.840 read it together. It's found in the book of Matthew. 00:13:39.759 --> 00:13:43.110 And in Matthew, at the end of the book, When 00:13:43.110 --> 00:13:46.149 Jesus is engaging with the apostles, he is going 00:13:46.149 --> 00:13:48.990 to tell them these words. Let's read it together. 00:13:49.649 --> 00:13:53.570 Jesus came and told his disciples, I have been 00:13:53.570 --> 00:13:57.950 given all authority in heaven and on earth. Therefore, 00:13:58.110 --> 00:14:02.830 go and make disciples of all the nations. And 00:14:02.830 --> 00:14:06.090 then he continues and he says to them, this is 00:14:06.090 --> 00:14:08.809 what you are going to do with them as you make 00:14:08.809 --> 00:14:12.230 these disciples of all the nations. baptizing 00:14:12.230 --> 00:14:15.750 them in the name of the Father and the Son and 00:14:15.750 --> 00:14:18.830 of the Holy Spirit, and teach these new disciples 00:14:18.830 --> 00:14:22.870 to obey all the commands I have given you. And 00:14:22.870 --> 00:14:27.370 be sure of this, I am with you always, even to 00:14:27.370 --> 00:14:31.929 the end of the age. As I'm inviting you to follow 00:14:31.929 --> 00:14:36.190 me, and as I'm inviting you to serve me, there's 00:14:36.190 --> 00:14:39.179 one thing that you can know for sure. That I 00:14:39.179 --> 00:14:42.080 will be with you until the very end of the age. 00:14:42.139 --> 00:14:45.740 I will never leave you. I will never forsake 00:14:45.740 --> 00:14:48.759 you. I'm not inviting you to go ahead in front 00:14:48.759 --> 00:14:53.740 of me. I'm inviting you to follow me. And you 00:14:53.740 --> 00:14:57.039 can do that because of something he said at the 00:14:57.039 --> 00:14:59.659 very beginning. Now, if you are a Christian, 00:14:59.840 --> 00:15:01.480 and you've been a Christian for a long time, 00:15:01.639 --> 00:15:04.340 you already know what we just read. This passage 00:15:04.340 --> 00:15:08.080 is commonly known as the... Great commission, 00:15:08.539 --> 00:15:11.179 right? The great commission, because this is 00:15:11.179 --> 00:15:14.779 the foundation of all the churches around the 00:15:14.779 --> 00:15:17.379 world that are following Jesus. This is their 00:15:17.379 --> 00:15:20.820 mission, is to make disciples of Jesus, followers 00:15:20.820 --> 00:15:24.419 of Jesus. But at the beginning of this section, 00:15:24.539 --> 00:15:27.940 there's something that Jesus said that is the 00:15:27.940 --> 00:15:31.620 foundation of everything. And in case you missed 00:15:31.620 --> 00:15:36.620 it, let me read it for you. I have been given 00:15:36.620 --> 00:15:44.399 all authority in heaven and on earth. And because 00:15:44.399 --> 00:15:48.340 I have all authority in heaven and on earth, 00:15:48.440 --> 00:15:53.000 now you can follow me and you can serve me. You 00:15:53.000 --> 00:15:58.120 can follow me confidently. Because I have a unique 00:15:58.120 --> 00:16:03.250 and matched authority that no one else has. Because 00:16:03.250 --> 00:16:05.769 he's the only one that died and resurrected. 00:16:05.909 --> 00:16:09.889 He's the only one that overcame the power of 00:16:09.889 --> 00:16:14.269 Satan and the kingdom of darkness. And therefore, 00:16:14.370 --> 00:16:19.330 as Jesus calls us to follow him, is to follow 00:16:19.330 --> 00:16:21.909 him but with this understanding that he's indeed 00:16:21.909 --> 00:16:24.629 the one that has all authority in heaven and 00:16:24.629 --> 00:16:32.210 on earth. But authority for what? One of the 00:16:32.210 --> 00:16:35.169 first things that we learn from Jesus is that 00:16:35.169 --> 00:16:41.970 he has the authority to forgive sins. We heard 00:16:41.970 --> 00:16:45.330 about the story of Peter, the one that betrayed 00:16:45.330 --> 00:16:50.289 Jesus, how Jesus forgave him. And that song that 00:16:50.289 --> 00:16:52.950 you got to hear about the story of Peter and 00:16:52.950 --> 00:16:55.490 how he doubted the resurrection and then finally 00:16:55.490 --> 00:16:59.830 he meets the resurrected Christ. And the powerful 00:16:59.830 --> 00:17:02.690 song, by the way, was so powerful. Beautiful 00:17:02.690 --> 00:17:09.150 song. He is alive. But Peter had to experience 00:17:09.150 --> 00:17:12.470 what it was like to be forgiven before he could 00:17:12.470 --> 00:17:21.369 follow Jesus. And it's hard. Because when you're 00:17:21.369 --> 00:17:24.130 following Jesus and you engage in things that 00:17:24.130 --> 00:17:30.369 you shouldn't, shame kicks in. And when you know 00:17:30.369 --> 00:17:32.289 that there are things you have done in your past 00:17:32.289 --> 00:17:37.289 that are so shameful, the doubt that Jesus can 00:17:37.289 --> 00:17:43.069 really erase that by His grace is almost unfathomable. 00:17:43.910 --> 00:17:50.109 And that idea escapes your experience. The Apostle 00:17:50.109 --> 00:17:53.049 Peter wrote about this in his own words later. 00:17:53.549 --> 00:17:57.490 At the end of 1 Peter, he told us these words. 00:18:00.009 --> 00:18:02.769 My purpose in writing is to encourage you and 00:18:02.769 --> 00:18:06.410 assure you that what you're experiencing is truly 00:18:06.410 --> 00:18:12.029 part of God's grace for you. He really has the 00:18:12.029 --> 00:18:16.049 authority to forgive everything, even my betrayal. 00:18:18.190 --> 00:18:20.470 And there's something you need to understand. 00:18:21.509 --> 00:18:32.779 You need to stand firm in this grace. If you 00:18:32.779 --> 00:18:39.460 are struggling with shame, if you feel that you 00:18:39.460 --> 00:18:46.039 are beyond God's reach, Jesus has all authority 00:18:46.039 --> 00:18:48.380 on heaven and on earth, and he has authority 00:18:48.380 --> 00:18:52.759 to forgive everything. And he's asking you to 00:18:52.759 --> 00:18:55.980 follow him, but follow him as someone who has 00:18:55.980 --> 00:19:02.519 been forgiven. The problem is not, Whether Jesus 00:19:02.519 --> 00:19:06.880 has the authority to forgive your sins. The problem 00:19:06.880 --> 00:19:09.619 is, will you trust his authority to forgive your 00:19:09.619 --> 00:19:14.759 sins? I will never forget the time I was having 00:19:14.759 --> 00:19:17.380 this conversation and time of focused prayer 00:19:17.380 --> 00:19:20.920 with a friend. And as we got to this part, he 00:19:20.920 --> 00:19:23.259 loved Jesus. He was following Jesus, but he was 00:19:23.259 --> 00:19:27.660 being held back by this deep sense of regret 00:19:27.660 --> 00:19:30.400 and shame of something that he had engaged many 00:19:30.400 --> 00:19:33.789 years ago. Before he started even following Jesus. 00:19:34.910 --> 00:19:37.970 And as I was praying for him. And I said do you 00:19:37.970 --> 00:19:42.430 receive God's grace. And his forgiveness. For 00:19:42.430 --> 00:19:49.690 this. And he paused in silence. And then he says. 00:19:49.970 --> 00:19:57.950 I can't. I can't. Because it was. Too shameful. 00:20:00.109 --> 00:20:02.890 And at that moment, we realized he was under 00:20:02.890 --> 00:20:06.769 the power of a stronghold of the enemy. Making 00:20:06.769 --> 00:20:09.750 him believe that following Jesus meant that you 00:20:09.750 --> 00:20:11.509 believe in him, but you also have to help him 00:20:11.509 --> 00:20:14.569 a little bit. Because what you have done is so 00:20:14.569 --> 00:20:17.230 bad that it's beyond the power of Jesus to forgive. 00:20:18.970 --> 00:20:21.750 And for the first time in his life, he was able 00:20:21.750 --> 00:20:26.789 to say, yes, Jesus, I trust your forgiveness 00:20:26.789 --> 00:20:32.900 for my shame. And that trust comes with tears, 00:20:33.000 --> 00:20:39.240 emotions. Are you trusting Jesus' authority to 00:20:39.240 --> 00:20:42.640 forgive your sins? Or are you walking in shame? 00:20:45.180 --> 00:20:51.400 Jesus is risen. He wants you to walk in freedom. 00:20:51.819 --> 00:20:56.440 He is our Redeemer. He paid the price. It is 00:20:56.440 --> 00:21:04.640 done. But Jesus also has the authority to restore. 00:21:06.460 --> 00:21:10.700 We heard the story of Mary Magdalene. Who was 00:21:10.700 --> 00:21:13.680 not only engaged in prostitution. But she herself 00:21:13.680 --> 00:21:18.140 was one who was under deep spiritual oppression. 00:21:18.799 --> 00:21:22.400 Demonic oppression. That it could be even counted. 00:21:22.500 --> 00:21:26.650 Seven demons that were oppressing her. She was 00:21:26.650 --> 00:21:31.069 engaging in the kingdom of darkness. With everything 00:21:31.069 --> 00:21:35.650 she was. And Jesus met her in that place. Called 00:21:35.650 --> 00:21:39.190 her to follow him. And then her life was completely 00:21:39.190 --> 00:21:43.589 transformed after that time. And when the resurrection 00:21:43.589 --> 00:21:48.329 comes. She's one of the first people in the history 00:21:48.329 --> 00:21:52.630 of humanity to see the resurrected Christ. For 00:21:52.630 --> 00:21:56.089 some reason Jesus chose. To appear to her first. 00:21:56.369 --> 00:21:58.910 And to let her know. Go and tell the apostles. 00:21:59.589 --> 00:22:02.849 That I'm alive. But she did. But it didn't work 00:22:02.849 --> 00:22:05.170 so much. Because they were not believing her. 00:22:09.049 --> 00:22:13.930 But how. Could God not only love someone. That 00:22:13.930 --> 00:22:18.789 is so far out there. And not only that. But turn 00:22:18.789 --> 00:22:22.670 their life around. If he could do that for her. 00:22:24.559 --> 00:22:30.819 Could you do that for me? Often, when we come 00:22:30.819 --> 00:22:33.539 from places that have been so dysfunctional, 00:22:33.539 --> 00:22:38.240 so toxic, because not only you did not know Jesus, 00:22:38.420 --> 00:22:41.759 but you did not know morality, you did not know 00:22:41.759 --> 00:22:47.740 stability, your home was broken. Some were involved 00:22:47.740 --> 00:22:50.740 in witchcraft themselves, worshipping demons. 00:22:54.059 --> 00:22:59.839 Could Jesus have authority to restore that life 00:22:59.839 --> 00:23:04.759 and rewrite it completely? There's something 00:23:04.759 --> 00:23:07.240 that the Apostle Paul wrote about this as he 00:23:07.240 --> 00:23:10.039 was reflecting on the experience of following 00:23:10.039 --> 00:23:13.359 Jesus and leading people to follow Jesus. And 00:23:13.359 --> 00:23:16.440 he wrote it in these words. He says, you know 00:23:16.440 --> 00:23:20.259 what I realize? God showed things despised by 00:23:20.259 --> 00:23:24.029 the world. Things counted as nothing at all. 00:23:25.529 --> 00:23:28.609 And use them to bring to nothing what the world 00:23:28.609 --> 00:23:36.069 considers important. Yes, you may feel like damaged 00:23:36.069 --> 00:23:42.589 goods. Granted, you may feel like you're not 00:23:42.589 --> 00:23:49.029 good enough. Common. But you know in reality, 00:23:49.869 --> 00:23:52.150 It doesn't matter what you have believed until 00:23:52.150 --> 00:23:55.970 this day. Because the resurrected king is telling 00:23:55.970 --> 00:23:59.450 you. That following him means that he has the 00:23:59.450 --> 00:24:04.150 power to restore your life. To transform it. 00:24:04.230 --> 00:24:07.710 To restore your calling. And he has the power 00:24:07.710 --> 00:24:11.589 to now call you from where you left. Into a future 00:24:11.589 --> 00:24:14.730 that you have not yet experienced. But you will 00:24:14.730 --> 00:24:19.789 by the grace and power of Jesus Christ. So the 00:24:19.789 --> 00:24:22.410 problem is not whether Jesus has the authority 00:24:22.410 --> 00:24:24.910 to restore your life. The problem is whether 00:24:24.910 --> 00:24:28.829 you will trust him and submit to his authority 00:24:28.829 --> 00:24:32.450 to redeem your life, redeem your marriage, everything 00:24:32.450 --> 00:24:36.170 that you regret. He doesn't want you to look 00:24:36.170 --> 00:24:39.150 at the past. He wants you to walk into the future, 00:24:39.190 --> 00:24:46.890 but this time with him. Would you let him? Would 00:24:46.890 --> 00:24:50.039 you follow him? Will you trust his authority? 00:24:57.319 --> 00:25:00.619 At the core of the resurrection and the power 00:25:00.619 --> 00:25:05.140 that Jesus has and his authority, there's one 00:25:05.140 --> 00:25:07.700 more thing that he talked about and the Bible 00:25:07.700 --> 00:25:13.259 mentions. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. 00:25:15.579 --> 00:25:19.589 And he has already conquered death. So Jesus 00:25:19.589 --> 00:25:25.609 has the authority now to bring life into our 00:25:25.609 --> 00:25:33.650 lives, even beyond the grave. And this authority 00:25:33.650 --> 00:25:38.130 to give life means that one day, even if our 00:25:38.130 --> 00:25:42.349 body has to be turned to the grave, that is not 00:25:42.349 --> 00:25:45.579 the end. Of our story. Not for those of us. Who 00:25:45.579 --> 00:25:48.240 follow Jesus. Because the Bible says. That the 00:25:48.240 --> 00:25:52.059 same. Miraculous experience. Of overcoming death. 00:25:52.380 --> 00:25:56.079 And being resurrected. Is the experience. That 00:25:56.079 --> 00:25:59.519 those of us. Who follow Jesus. Will have. When 00:25:59.519 --> 00:26:07.579 Jesus comes back. We. Will also. Resurrect. And 00:26:07.579 --> 00:26:09.480 if I already lost you. At the beginning. With 00:26:09.480 --> 00:26:12.269 saying that Jesus resurrection was. True, not 00:26:12.269 --> 00:26:16.089 myth. Now you may be thinking, Pastor Pablo, 00:26:16.210 --> 00:26:20.150 now you sound like crazy. What? You're going 00:26:20.150 --> 00:26:24.130 to resurrect after you die? How would that work? 00:26:24.509 --> 00:26:30.369 I mean, that's pretty hard, wouldn't it? Welcome 00:26:30.369 --> 00:26:37.150 to following Jesus. Jesus has authority over 00:26:37.150 --> 00:26:46.380 death. And this is the power of the gospel. In 00:26:46.380 --> 00:26:49.859 fact the apostle Paul wrote this to us. So that 00:26:49.859 --> 00:26:54.000 we will not forget. When Jesus comes back. There 00:26:54.000 --> 00:26:56.599 is something that is going to happen to us. And 00:26:56.599 --> 00:26:59.680 this is our living hope. Will you read what the 00:26:59.680 --> 00:27:01.880 apostle Paul wrote? Will you read it with me 00:27:01.880 --> 00:27:06.019 out loud? We know that God. Who raised the Lord 00:27:06.019 --> 00:27:10.559 Jesus. Will also raise us with Jesus. And present 00:27:10.559 --> 00:27:16.740 us to himself. Together with you. God. Not only 00:27:16.740 --> 00:27:20.500 resurrected Jesus his son. But he will resurrect 00:27:20.500 --> 00:27:25.059 us as well. And we will be with the Lord forever. 00:27:25.500 --> 00:27:28.480 Therefore for those of us. Who are following 00:27:28.480 --> 00:27:32.440 Jesus. Trusting his authority over death. Death 00:27:32.440 --> 00:27:40.099 is not the end of our story. If you are experiencing 00:27:40.099 --> 00:27:47.559 anxiety attacks. Fear about death. Then I pray 00:27:47.559 --> 00:27:50.420 that today you encounter the resurrected king. 00:27:51.039 --> 00:27:54.920 Because this Jesus has power to destroy that 00:27:54.920 --> 00:27:57.440 fear from your life. Once you understand that 00:27:57.440 --> 00:28:00.779 he has authority over death. And the day that 00:28:00.779 --> 00:28:04.220 we are told that we have a few days left to live 00:28:04.220 --> 00:28:07.960 on this earth. That is not a day for us to fear. 00:28:08.099 --> 00:28:12.819 It's a day for us to welcome what is next. In 00:28:12.819 --> 00:28:15.099 experiencing the authority and power of Jesus. 00:28:17.519 --> 00:28:21.759 Death has been defeated. Praise Jesus. He is 00:28:21.759 --> 00:28:25.970 alive. The problem. It's not whether Jesus has 00:28:25.970 --> 00:28:31.390 authority over death. The problem is will you 00:28:31.390 --> 00:28:35.710 trust him with that authority so that you can 00:28:35.710 --> 00:28:40.930 let go of the fear and follow him freely. He's 00:28:40.930 --> 00:28:43.710 inviting you to experience eternal life and that 00:28:43.710 --> 00:28:48.809 is what he wants to give you. Jesus has authority 00:28:48.809 --> 00:28:53.089 to forgive. You don't need to walk in shame anymore. 00:28:54.799 --> 00:28:57.359 Jesus has the authority to restore your life. 00:28:57.420 --> 00:29:03.400 You don't need to walk in regret anymore. And 00:29:03.400 --> 00:29:09.000 Jesus has authority to bring life even beyond 00:29:09.000 --> 00:29:15.259 the grave. You don't need to walk in fear anymore. 00:29:17.259 --> 00:29:22.740 So Lord, as we stand in your presence, We desperately 00:29:22.740 --> 00:29:27.019 need, right now, I'm here to meet you, Lord, 00:29:27.099 --> 00:29:33.279 our resurrected King. That those who are here 00:29:33.279 --> 00:29:37.160 still enslaved to shame and to regret and to 00:29:37.160 --> 00:29:40.380 fear, today they find the freedom that their 00:29:40.380 --> 00:29:47.380 heart and soul has been hungering for. Lord, 00:29:47.500 --> 00:29:52.380 as we worship you, Will you break through our 00:29:52.380 --> 00:29:55.759 darkness? Will you break through the chains? 00:29:56.720 --> 00:29:59.720 Will you bring the freedom that the authority 00:29:59.720 --> 00:30:05.440 of Jesus only can bring? And it is in the power 00:30:05.440 --> 00:30:08.579 and authority of Jesus that I proclaim to the 00:30:08.579 --> 00:30:12.319 world and to the kingdom of darkness. Jesus is 00:30:12.319 --> 00:30:16.160 our king. And it is in his authority that the 00:30:16.160 --> 00:30:19.740 power of darkness is broken. That the lie is 00:30:19.740 --> 00:30:23.980 defeated. And today in the power and grace of 00:30:23.980 --> 00:30:29.539 Jesus, freedom is taking place. In the powerful 00:30:29.539 --> 00:30:38.579 name of Jesus we pray. Amen. Thank you for tuning 00:30:38.579 --> 00:30:42.759 in to the ECB Sermon Podcast. Whether near or 00:30:42.759 --> 00:30:45.920 far, if you are looking for community or are 00:30:45.920 --> 00:30:49.490 in need of prayer, we welcome you to engage by 00:30:49.490 --> 00:30:54.970 sending us an email to office at ecb .asia. If 00:30:54.970 --> 00:30:57.450 God is calling you to support our ministries, 00:30:57.470 --> 00:31:00.170 you will find giving options on our website. 00:31:00.970 --> 00:31:04.410 And remember to join us next week. God bless 00:31:04.410 --> 00:31:04.650 you.