WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.879 By design our musical Celebration of Christ's 00:00:03.879 --> 00:00:08.240 Resurrection is a bit extended this morning but 00:00:08.240 --> 00:00:11.619 we do want to take a few moments to focus on 00:00:11.619 --> 00:00:14.359 a passage from God's Word. I invite you to turn 00:00:14.359 --> 00:00:18.120 to Romans chapter 8 where we'll look at verses 00:00:18.120 --> 00:00:24.320 11 and then 16 and 17. Romans chapter 8 beginning 00:00:24.320 --> 00:00:29.519 in verse 11. But if the Spirit of him who raised 00:00:29.519 --> 00:00:33.780 Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised 00:00:33.780 --> 00:00:37.659 Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life 00:00:37.659 --> 00:00:41.280 to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who 00:00:41.280 --> 00:00:46.659 indwells you." Now verse 16, the Spirit himself 00:00:46.659 --> 00:00:49.659 bears witness with our spirits that we are the 00:00:49.659 --> 00:00:53.219 children of God and if children, heirs also. 00:00:53.439 --> 00:00:57.380 heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ if 00:00:57.380 --> 00:01:00.939 indeed we suffer with him in order that we may 00:01:00.939 --> 00:01:05.680 also be glorified together. The glorious event 00:01:05.680 --> 00:01:07.900 of the resurrection of Jesus Christ happened 00:01:07.900 --> 00:01:12.480 2 ,000 years ago. That's a long time. But it's 00:01:12.480 --> 00:01:15.939 not an occurrence that is isolated or disconnected 00:01:15.939 --> 00:01:21.980 from us in 1994. On the first Sunday of Easter, 00:01:22.250 --> 00:01:25.870 Jesus Christ rose from the dead and began a parade 00:01:25.870 --> 00:01:31.329 of the redeemed following him into heaven. He 00:01:31.329 --> 00:01:34.890 is the forerunner who has entered heaven for 00:01:34.890 --> 00:01:39.810 us. And so for the last 2 ,000 years the vast 00:01:39.810 --> 00:01:43.489 army of the redeemed has marched victoriously 00:01:43.489 --> 00:01:47.530 behind him from this world into the next under 00:01:47.530 --> 00:01:51.840 the banner of his cross. Today, we follow in 00:01:51.840 --> 00:01:54.599 the train of millions of people who have lived 00:01:54.599 --> 00:01:58.459 before us, who have believed on Jesus Christ, 00:01:58.719 --> 00:02:01.980 fought the good fight of faith, kept the holy 00:02:01.980 --> 00:02:05.560 faith, and then filed onward to join the captain 00:02:05.560 --> 00:02:10.659 of our salvation in His heavenly glory. Jesus 00:02:10.659 --> 00:02:14.780 Christ is leading a grand procession of His people, 00:02:15.280 --> 00:02:19.639 the children of God. He and they are united in 00:02:19.639 --> 00:02:24.280 every experience in life. As we look at our text 00:02:24.280 --> 00:02:27.360 we notice three experiences in particular that 00:02:27.360 --> 00:02:33.219 are shared by Jesus Christ and his people. The 00:02:33.219 --> 00:02:37.379 first is that Christ suffered. Verse 11 says 00:02:37.379 --> 00:02:42.080 that he died, he suffered unto death. Christ 00:02:42.080 --> 00:02:47.080 suffered, God's children, likewise will suffer 00:02:47.080 --> 00:02:51.860 for him. The suffering I'm talking about is not 00:02:51.860 --> 00:02:56.659 having a bad day, coming down with some disease, 00:02:57.919 --> 00:03:02.080 or having a flat tire on vacation. The suffering 00:03:02.080 --> 00:03:04.620 I'm talking about here from Romans chapter 8 00:03:04.620 --> 00:03:08.000 is not the cancellation of your favorite TV show. 00:03:09.699 --> 00:03:12.139 The suffering that is mentioned in Romans chapter 00:03:12.139 --> 00:03:17.189 8 is the suffering that comes to us because of 00:03:17.189 --> 00:03:21.909 our faith in Christ and the life values which 00:03:21.909 --> 00:03:28.389 that faith entails. This persecution or harassment 00:03:28.389 --> 00:03:31.509 of God's children is to be expected in this world. 00:03:33.370 --> 00:03:35.949 Jesus said, if you were of the world, the world 00:03:35.949 --> 00:03:40.189 would love its own. But because you are not of 00:03:40.189 --> 00:03:44.039 the world, But I chose you out of the world, 00:03:44.680 --> 00:03:49.039 therefore the world hates you. If they persecuted 00:03:49.039 --> 00:03:56.060 me, they will also persecute you." In light of 00:03:56.060 --> 00:03:59.960 this, Peter wrote, If you are reviled for the 00:03:59.960 --> 00:04:04.719 name of Christ, you are blessed. If anyone suffers 00:04:04.719 --> 00:04:07.400 as a Christian, let him not feel ashamed, but 00:04:07.400 --> 00:04:14.189 in that name let him glorify God. Christ suffered, 00:04:15.030 --> 00:04:18.829 God's children suffer also for Him in this world. 00:04:19.589 --> 00:04:22.410 That oppression of suffering comes in many different 00:04:22.410 --> 00:04:28.009 ways. It can come in a physical sense with beatings, 00:04:28.290 --> 00:04:32.430 jail, death, or as we see in the case of our 00:04:32.430 --> 00:04:38.730 missionary, being held captive, kidnapped. The 00:04:38.730 --> 00:04:42.290 suffering can come in a social way. as most of 00:04:42.290 --> 00:04:44.730 us have experienced at some time or another with 00:04:44.730 --> 00:04:49.589 a look of disdain toward us, or words of ridicule 00:04:49.589 --> 00:04:55.470 or rejection by our peers. This oppression can 00:04:55.470 --> 00:04:59.750 come in an economic way, as one who is faithful 00:04:59.750 --> 00:05:05.569 to Jesus Christ is not promoted, or he has refused 00:05:05.569 --> 00:05:09.490 consideration of a job because of his faith. 00:05:10.860 --> 00:05:14.079 You say that doesn't happen. It does happen and 00:05:14.079 --> 00:05:16.339 it's happened to people in our congregation in 00:05:16.339 --> 00:05:21.560 the last year The Apostle Paul said for to you 00:05:21.560 --> 00:05:26.560 it has been granted for Christ's sake Not only 00:05:26.560 --> 00:05:33.519 to believe on him But also to suffer for his 00:05:33.519 --> 00:05:38.500 sake Just as we have been given the gracious 00:05:38.500 --> 00:05:42.550 gift of salvation through our faith in Christ, 00:05:43.370 --> 00:05:46.709 we have been graciously given by God the privilege 00:05:46.709 --> 00:05:51.550 of suffering, shame in this world for Christ's 00:05:51.550 --> 00:05:57.290 sake. He suffered in our place on the cross in 00:05:57.290 --> 00:06:03.110 a way that could never be repeated. And yet there 00:06:03.110 --> 00:06:06.970 is a sense in which we also suffer in His place 00:06:06.970 --> 00:06:11.379 in the world every day. because we belong to 00:06:11.379 --> 00:06:16.720 Him and are united with Him. Jesus Christ suffered 00:06:16.720 --> 00:06:18.759 in this world and those who are the children 00:06:18.759 --> 00:06:22.439 of God will suffer for Him as well. And may I 00:06:22.439 --> 00:06:25.860 say that never are believers closer to Christ 00:06:25.860 --> 00:06:32.379 than when we suffer for His sake. There's a second 00:06:32.379 --> 00:06:34.779 experience that we share with Him. Christ was 00:06:34.779 --> 00:06:39.709 glorified. and God's children will be glorified 00:06:39.709 --> 00:06:47.269 with him. Jesus said, was it not necessary, was 00:06:47.269 --> 00:06:52.370 it not essential for the Christ to suffer these 00:06:52.370 --> 00:06:58.670 things and to enter into his glory? You see, 00:06:58.689 --> 00:07:03.250 there was a divine order. It is an order that 00:07:03.250 --> 00:07:07.500 extends till this day. It is Suffering first, 00:07:07.959 --> 00:07:12.259 glory later. We would like to dispense with the 00:07:12.259 --> 00:07:14.740 suffering and get on with the glory, but that 00:07:14.740 --> 00:07:21.019 isn't God's plan. Suffering comes now, glory 00:07:21.019 --> 00:07:25.560 comes later. And just as surely as Christ was 00:07:25.560 --> 00:07:28.980 glorified, so will God's children be glorified 00:07:28.980 --> 00:07:33.819 with Him. Peter said the Spirit of Christ predicted 00:07:33.819 --> 00:07:37.360 the sufferings of Christ and the glories to follow. 00:07:39.560 --> 00:07:42.079 Yes, we may suffer for Christ in this world, 00:07:42.120 --> 00:07:44.199 but the fact is that we're leaving this world 00:07:44.199 --> 00:07:48.019 one day to be glorified with Christ in heaven. 00:07:49.899 --> 00:07:53.800 Jesus' glory began with his resurrection. Twice 00:07:53.800 --> 00:07:57.959 in verse 11, the fact that he was raised from 00:07:57.959 --> 00:08:04.610 the dead is said. As surely as He was raised 00:08:04.610 --> 00:08:10.310 from the dead, so will we be raised from the 00:08:10.310 --> 00:08:15.129 dead. He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead 00:08:15.129 --> 00:08:19.490 will also give life to your mortal bodies, He 00:08:19.490 --> 00:08:24.290 says. These are the mortal bodies, the ones that 00:08:24.290 --> 00:08:29.050 we live in. They are subject to death. Our bodies 00:08:29.050 --> 00:08:33.519 decay. They become sick. eventually they die, 00:08:33.580 --> 00:08:38.679 they are mortal. But the one who raised Jesus 00:08:38.679 --> 00:08:42.120 Christ from the dead, that is the Father, will 00:08:42.120 --> 00:08:47.059 also raise us from the dead in a different kind 00:08:47.059 --> 00:08:51.559 of body, recognizable but fundamentally different, 00:08:52.159 --> 00:08:55.240 a glorified body, one that will never be subject 00:08:55.240 --> 00:09:00.529 to decay, disease, or death. Christ was glorified 00:09:00.529 --> 00:09:04.210 and we who know Jesus Christ will one day be 00:09:04.210 --> 00:09:08.009 resurrected with a glorified body just like his. 00:09:08.730 --> 00:09:13.409 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all shall 00:09:13.409 --> 00:09:18.490 be made alive. But each in his own order, Christ 00:09:18.490 --> 00:09:23.169 the first fruits, after that those who are Christ's 00:09:23.169 --> 00:09:27.019 at his coming. Just as it was impossible for 00:09:27.019 --> 00:09:32.240 the grave to hold Jesus, so it is impossible 00:09:32.240 --> 00:09:36.080 that the grave can hold the body of those who 00:09:36.080 --> 00:09:41.019 have been redeemed by Jesus. Christ was glorified 00:09:41.019 --> 00:09:44.399 and God's children will be glorified with him 00:09:44.399 --> 00:09:49.779 one day in heaven. On this Easter, if you are 00:09:49.779 --> 00:09:51.940 thinking of someone who worshipped here with 00:09:51.940 --> 00:09:55.690 you last year, whom you knew or loved, or someone 00:09:55.690 --> 00:09:59.250 in your more distant past who has died and gone 00:09:59.250 --> 00:10:02.830 on to be with Christ, rejoice this Easter in 00:10:02.830 --> 00:10:06.950 the hope that is ours. In that Jesus Christ has 00:10:06.950 --> 00:10:10.009 risen from the dead and because He lives, we 00:10:10.009 --> 00:10:15.850 too shall live. And your own mortal body will 00:10:15.850 --> 00:10:18.549 one day be changed to be like His. That is your 00:10:18.549 --> 00:10:22.230 hope in Christ. Not a hope in the sense of it's 00:10:22.230 --> 00:10:25.360 something you wish would happen. but a hope in 00:10:25.360 --> 00:10:28.700 the sense of something you know will happen. 00:10:30.720 --> 00:10:33.919 There's a third experience that arises in our 00:10:33.919 --> 00:10:38.419 text that we share with Christ. Christ suffered, 00:10:38.600 --> 00:10:42.220 we suffer. He was glorified, we shall be glorified. 00:10:42.759 --> 00:10:47.639 Third, Christ is heir and God's children are 00:10:47.639 --> 00:10:56.690 heirs with Him. Jesus Christ is the heir of everything. 00:10:58.850 --> 00:11:05.350 Everything. All that is in creation belongs to 00:11:05.350 --> 00:11:10.450 Him by right of inheritance. He is the heir of 00:11:10.450 --> 00:11:16.629 all things. And we who are in Christ, we who 00:11:16.629 --> 00:11:19.970 have believed and received Him as Lord and Savior, 00:11:20.440 --> 00:11:24.480 are said to be, in verse 17, not only children 00:11:24.480 --> 00:11:30.700 because of our faith, but heirs also. Yes, he 00:11:30.700 --> 00:11:37.000 says, even fellow heirs with Jesus Christ. Now 00:11:37.000 --> 00:11:41.360 you stop to think about that for a moment. With 00:11:41.360 --> 00:11:47.279 Jesus Christ, we too will inherit all things. 00:11:48.639 --> 00:11:55.350 Everything. When it says that we are co -heirs 00:11:55.350 --> 00:11:58.950 with Christ, it suggests the fact that He will 00:11:58.950 --> 00:12:03.629 receive His inheritance when all of His co -heirs 00:12:03.629 --> 00:12:08.250 are present with Him. We all have to be there 00:12:08.250 --> 00:12:14.230 together when the will is opened and the inheritance 00:12:14.230 --> 00:12:18.129 is distributed. That's a lot to look forward 00:12:18.129 --> 00:12:22.980 to. There was a headline in the newspaper some 00:12:22.980 --> 00:12:27.460 time ago that said winners only hope a long life. 00:12:29.220 --> 00:12:31.240 The story went on to tell about a man who had 00:12:31.240 --> 00:12:38.440 won $1 ,250 ,000 in some contest. The winnings 00:12:38.440 --> 00:12:41.759 would be paid to him in annual payments of $62 00:12:41.759 --> 00:12:48.080 ,500 for 20 years. His only problem was that 00:12:48.080 --> 00:12:53.129 he was 68 years old. The bottom line of the article 00:12:53.129 --> 00:12:56.730 stated, I just hope I live long enough to get 00:12:56.730 --> 00:13:02.009 all of them. You can understand his hopes and 00:13:02.009 --> 00:13:05.909 his dilemma. Let me tell you something. We who 00:13:05.909 --> 00:13:09.190 are the heirs of God and who are joint heirs 00:13:09.190 --> 00:13:13.610 with Jesus Christ have all of eternity to enjoy 00:13:13.610 --> 00:13:17.990 our spiritual inheritance. It will just keep 00:13:17.990 --> 00:13:24.350 coming and coming. coming forever and forever. 00:13:27.730 --> 00:13:32.230 What guarantee do we have that we are God's children? 00:13:33.750 --> 00:13:36.470 What assurance do we as God's children have that 00:13:36.470 --> 00:13:41.169 our suffering in this world will lead to glory? 00:13:42.389 --> 00:13:46.190 Well, he tells us that it's the Holy Spirit in 00:13:46.190 --> 00:13:50.179 both cases. In the first place, it is the Holy 00:13:50.179 --> 00:13:52.960 Spirit who bears witness with our spirit that 00:13:52.960 --> 00:13:56.220 we are the children of God. Do you have that 00:13:56.220 --> 00:13:58.779 witness of the Spirit of God within this morning? 00:14:00.279 --> 00:14:05.419 Or is there a question mark in your life? God 00:14:05.419 --> 00:14:08.299 doesn't want us to live with question marks, 00:14:09.139 --> 00:14:13.350 especially this one. You see, we can have an 00:14:13.350 --> 00:14:16.350 exclamation point in our lives knowing that we 00:14:16.350 --> 00:14:20.789 are the children of God. Earlier in this chapter 00:14:20.789 --> 00:14:23.210 it says that if a person does not have the Holy 00:14:23.210 --> 00:14:28.330 Spirit, he is not God's child. You say, how can 00:14:28.330 --> 00:14:32.009 I have the Holy Spirit? How can I have the assurance 00:14:32.009 --> 00:14:35.269 that I'm God's child? The answer is very simple. 00:14:36.490 --> 00:14:40.779 It is to turn from your sin in repentance and 00:14:40.779 --> 00:14:47.179 to come to Jesus Christ in simple faith. It means 00:14:47.179 --> 00:14:50.559 more than just knowing about Jesus or even singing 00:14:50.559 --> 00:14:53.679 Easter songs, it means to open the heart and 00:14:53.679 --> 00:14:56.240 to give one's life to Him and at the same point 00:14:56.240 --> 00:15:02.559 receive Him as Lord and Savior of the life. That's 00:15:02.559 --> 00:15:05.940 how we become the children of God. And when we 00:15:05.940 --> 00:15:09.139 receive Him, the Holy Spirit begins His work 00:15:09.139 --> 00:15:14.220 inside of us, witnessing to us, you're a child 00:15:14.220 --> 00:15:19.240 of God. You're a child of God. I hope that that's 00:15:19.240 --> 00:15:22.460 an assurance that you possess, and that if you 00:15:22.460 --> 00:15:25.240 don't possess it this morning, you would trust 00:15:25.240 --> 00:15:28.899 Jesus Christ as your own Lord and Savior, that 00:15:28.899 --> 00:15:31.259 you may have that assurance from the God Spirit. 00:15:34.059 --> 00:15:37.139 What guarantee do we have that we are going to 00:15:37.139 --> 00:15:41.720 receive glory for our suffering? Well if you 00:15:41.720 --> 00:15:45.360 have the Holy Spirit residing in you as a child 00:15:45.360 --> 00:15:50.200 of God, the Holy Spirit is a down payment of 00:15:50.200 --> 00:15:55.460 all of the inheritance that is to come. He Himself 00:15:55.460 --> 00:16:00.779 is the guarantee from God that you will receive 00:16:00.779 --> 00:16:05.980 the glory. of God with Jesus Christ as his co 00:16:05.980 --> 00:16:10.460 -heir. And there is nothing on earth or in hell 00:16:10.460 --> 00:16:15.080 that can keep you from that inheritance, because 00:16:15.080 --> 00:16:21.159 the Spirit of God is the seal within you, guaranteeing 00:16:21.159 --> 00:16:24.519 that one day you will arrive there. And because 00:16:24.519 --> 00:16:28.100 you are already named as a co -heir with Jesus 00:16:28.100 --> 00:16:32.929 Christ, you must be there. So that he then can 00:16:32.929 --> 00:16:37.210 receive all things as part of his inheritance 00:16:37.210 --> 00:16:44.990 No wonder we sing hallelujah No wonder we sing 00:16:44.990 --> 00:16:47.590 of him who is the king of kings and the Lord 00:16:47.590 --> 00:16:52.830 of lords on This day we celebrate the cross we 00:16:52.830 --> 00:16:56.230 lift it high the cross is empty. He has paid 00:16:56.230 --> 00:17:01.440 the price for our sin at the cross He has been 00:17:01.440 --> 00:17:04.339 buried in the grave. He has resided there for 00:17:04.339 --> 00:17:07.420 three days and three nights. But now on this 00:17:07.420 --> 00:17:09.940 first day of the week we celebrate that he is 00:17:09.940 --> 00:17:14.299 alive. He has been raised from the dead. And 00:17:14.299 --> 00:17:17.819 the Holy Spirit who dwells in our hearts says, 00:17:18.119 --> 00:17:23.859 yes. Amen. He is yours. You are his. And all 00:17:23.859 --> 00:17:28.079 of the experiences of life and all of the experiences 00:17:28.079 --> 00:17:33.509 of eternity. You as a child of God share with 00:17:33.509 --> 00:17:37.529 Him who is the resurrected King. Let's pray. 00:17:42.009 --> 00:17:44.490 In the quietness of this moment, if you do not 00:17:44.490 --> 00:17:47.650 know Jesus Christ as your Savior, would you as 00:17:47.650 --> 00:17:51.509 an act of faith just pray silently within your 00:17:51.509 --> 00:17:55.910 own heart, Lord Jesus Christ, I need you, I want 00:17:55.910 --> 00:18:03.440 you. cleanse me of my sin and my guilt. I believe 00:18:03.440 --> 00:18:06.019 that you died for me and rose again from the 00:18:06.019 --> 00:18:09.140 dead and I receive you right now into my life. 00:18:12.279 --> 00:18:14.619 The Spirit of God will begin witnessing with 00:18:14.619 --> 00:18:17.779 your spirit that you're God's child. And those 00:18:17.779 --> 00:18:19.960 of us this morning who are the children of God, 00:18:19.980 --> 00:18:25.359 let us rejoice. Let our hearts be lifted high 00:18:25.359 --> 00:18:30.859 on this day. that Jesus lives and we live in 00:18:30.859 --> 00:18:36.119 him. God, we give praise and thanks to you for 00:18:36.119 --> 00:18:40.619 him who is our King and who is the King of kings 00:18:40.619 --> 00:18:45.200 and the Lord of lords. Hallelujah. Amen.