Transcription downloaded from https://yetanothersermon.host/_/church4u/sermons/87262/the-power-of-christs-resurrection-in-your-life-resurrection-newlife-risenwithchrist/.

Disclaimer: this is an automatically generated machine transcription - there may be small errors or mistranscriptions.
Please refer to the original audio if you are in any doubt.


[0:00] The resurrection of Christ, it means something for you and me today. This is not just some! historic event. It's something that means something for you and me today. Something happened for you! And to you at the tomb, at the empty tomb. We're going to look into some of that truth today.

[0:25] The Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, He answered into human history to redeem us from sin, to reconcile us to God. He stepped down from the glorious throne to come and be a humble human being.

[0:43] But the perfect man of God, the perfect man, very God and very man in one body. And through His sacrificial death on the cross, He bore the weight of our sins, offering us forgiveness and salvation.

[1:02] Our sin, it says, was nailed there. As they drove the nails into that quivering flesh, our sin was nailed in His body on the tree. Every hammer blow that struck those spikes was nailing, your sin, your sin, your sin, my sin. Nailed, crucified, the very sacrifice for our sin, the very one bearing our pain, our penalty. As they held His hands and feet to the cross, those spikes held our sin in His own body on the tree. The sin of mankind was there, yours and mine. That's a gripping thought. The wages of our sin, the penalty of our sin, the death penalty, the word tells us that it was our sin in His own body. But the story does not end there at the cross. We know death could not hold Him. Christ triumphed over death through His resurrection, demonstrating His power over all the evils and sin and the devil. And He promises to you and me everlasting, everlasting life. How does resurrection happen? Now we could try to go down to the morgue here and we could try really hard to raise the dead. We could shout really loudly to that dead body to come alive, but it won't. As hard as we can try, we can massage that dead body, but it will stay dead. We could shake it, we could do all kinds of ceremonies, but it won't change a thing. That body won't react because it's dead. And try as we might, only God, only God can raise the dead. And the Bible tells us that people all around us are spiritually dead.

[3:11] They are as dead men towards the gospel. This was an occasion where we were out door knocking and I think it was Halloween time or something, or maybe they left it there all the time, but there was a skeleton there and I had some gospel tracks and we, and I asked permission, why can I take a photo of your skeleton? To the guy there, he was an unbeliever. And really, it's a graphic picture really of the wages of our sin. Truly, it's death, isn't it? And here was a man, I got to him too late with the gospel.

[3:41] I got to him too late with the track. This is true, isn't it? That we're dead. We're spiritually dead. We're as dead men towards the gospel. And it's like that when we go and speak to people about the gospel, we tell them about the savior of salvation. We tell them to trust God to do his saving work in their hearts. But sometimes it's too late. We get to them too late. And really, when we go witnessing, it's not our words, our skill, our technique that will do it. God has to do it. Amen. Because it's God who raises the dead. God has to do it. And when that happens, there's no mistaking it. Dead. That's what lost men are. If you're outside of Christ today, you're a dead man walking. Dead, lifeless, cold.

[4:28] It tells of the lost, they're blind, ignorant, astray, hopeless, hardened. That was me. That was me. Lost. Damned. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God. The gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Without God's gift of salvation, we're dead. We're truly dead. We might look alive, but really we're dead. We're hell bound. Death's penalty. Sin's penalty is death. And we're under that condemnation of death. And it is God, only God, who can raise the dead. And it's the same spiritually so too, isn't it? Only God can bring salvation. When the body of Christ lay in that dark, cold tomb, it was God that did the resurrection work. The question is asked by some, who resurrected Jesus Christ from the dead? And the answer really is God. Acts 2 24, Peter says, God hath raised up Christ from the dead. Interestingly, the Bible says that all three persons of the Godhead raised Christ from the dead raised Christ from the dead. The resurrection of Christ was the work of God,

[5:40] Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Galatians 1 1 says the Father raised Jesus from the dead. 1 Peter 3 18, it says that the Spirit raised Jesus from the dead. And John 2 19, our Lord Jesus says that He will raise up Himself from the dead. And again, John 10 18. So to answer the question, who raised Jesus Christ from the dead? God. God did it. And that means the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Now for a dead body to be raised to life, it takes the work of God, doesn't it? We can't do it. It's the same for you and me, spiritually so. The resurrection of Christ, it has meaning for us. The Bible says God has raised us to life. And the people of God are those that He has raised to life. Just like He identified with us, our Lord identified with us as He bore our shame and sin, we can so be identified with Christ, the risen

[6:41] Christ. When the resurrection happened, it's profound. It's a profound impact on us today. So we look back as the world would remember the resurrection in whatever warped way that they do, by using all kinds of silly things like bunnies. We look back and we think the resurrection happened some 2,000 years ago and it's got an impact on every human. Everyone that trusts Him can know that. That means something to me. And our risen Saviour's rising to life again is something we're actually part of. We're actually part of it. And when that happens, we get a new perspective on life.

[7:23] For example, Colossians 3 talks about this truth that the resurrection is something for us. It says, Colossians 3 verse 1, If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God. Are you such a one? One brought to life from the dead? That's what it means to be saved, isn't it? We that were hell bound, held captured by death, the wages of our sin, He's raised us to life. This change is absolute. It says, If ye then be risen with Christ, that's telling you and me we can be raised to life. We can be risen with Christ and we can identify with the risen Saviour Himself such that it's no longer I that lives, but Christ who lives in me. It's life changing, eternal life changing, eternal destiny changing, isn't it? Risen, risen with Christ. That's a dramatic change that happens, a dramatic dynamic change.

[8:40] What happens when we get saved? We have a change, a change of master, a new life, a new affection, things above, a new motive, a change of family, a change of fellowship, a change of world view. We get whole new lenses to see things like they really are, a change of outlook. People of God, you are risen, risen with Christ. Think of that truth. So when our Lord Jesus rose from that grave, from that tomb, He tore the bars away, the bars of death, He tore them away. And when He rolled that stone away, when His dead body came to life again, His resurrection means something for you and me. His resurrection is the reason that we can have eternal life, because He's conquered death and hell. And we have a lively hope, a living hope. It talks about a hope that's beyond the grave, it's beyond the present, beyond this earthly, it's forever, a forever hope, a certain hope, a glad hope. And it says we're risen. You are risen, you that believe are risen with Christ. Think of that, that He's taken you out of the death, that sin manifests, and He's given us life, everlasting life, truly. He's quickened us, which means made us alive. We see this living hope, this made alive, that He's made us alive. He brings dead ones to life and He still does.

[10:16] And life with God, really, it's a new dimension, isn't it? It's a new life, life abundant, life forever. And 1 John 5 tells us this is the record, this truth that we can read about, this is the record, it's, God's recorded it and we can guarantee it's true. This record is true, this is the record that God has given, He's given it to us, eternal life. And this life, it says, it's in His Son. And he that hath the Son hath life, and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. This is about life, it's about really living. We might be born out of our mother's womb, but as much as they might declare us alive, we're actually born to die, aren't we? We're born dead, dead in our trespasses and sins, but we can be born again. I like to think really my born again birthday is more important than the first one.

[11:13] We're born again, aren't we? Into a whole new way of living, a whole new purpose. And something alters our destiny, it's the power of God, it's the power that raised Jesus from the dead, can manifest in our own life, and our own eternity can be changed. We can get a new heart, a new mind, a renewed mind, we have a new identity, such that, and yeah, actually you can identify as a Christian, did you know that? Yeah, you might identify as this. When we were talking yesterday, wasn't it, about people identifying as a cat, and you know, you can try as hard as you possibly can, but you can't be a cat, honestly. Get real, all right? But I can tell you today, there's something you can identify as, and I know I was talking with one of the fellas that were working on Saturday, and he's saying he identified as a Christian, and then the heat came, the heat came on him. You know, you can identify as a Christian, and it's real, isn't it? It's real. I'm a believer. I'm saved by the grace of God. You can have a new identity, a new creature in Christ that, wow, the old is gone, the new has come, the old Andrew Craig's dead and buried, and I'm alive, truly alive. And that's what happens when you get saved. There's a new purpose, a new calling. It makes a difference. It's radical, isn't it? A radical change. So we get a whole new wavelength, a whole new way of living. And we answer this new dimension. It's massive. It's as huge as a dead man coming to life again, as with our

[12:45] Saviour. And really, Christ is unique, isn't it? You can look for the tombs of Buddha and Muhammad, you name it. These dead prophets are still there. They're buried, but Christ is risen. And if you are risen with Christ, there's some seeking to do. What does it say? It tells us to seek those things, seek those things that are above. Above. It's like there's a whole new way of looking at life in general, isn't there? We seek those things which are above. Our Lord calls us to a higher walk.

[13:20] It's a high calling, a heavenly calling. It doesn't mean that we're so heavenly minded that we're of no earthly good. There's things that, I know there's some of you political animals here that you see, and we should all be mindful of what's going on in the world. There's some really, they're calling it the religious freedom bill, aren't they? But really, it's a religious persecution bill. When you read between the lines, there's all sorts of horrific things. What they're doing to Christian schools now, where they're getting muzzled and even having to accept perversion. There's all kinds of horrendous things in the pipeline, and we should be minded about what's going on and be politically active in a good way for the good things that we should speak up about.

[14:04] But the earthly things are one thing, but our affection, our affection is on things above. That's where our affection is. You might be affectionate about your footy team, but this is way, way more an affection on things above, isn't it? There's no comparison. Because we've got a higher, heavenly calling. We're called to rise above, above the things of earth, and set our hearts and minds on that which is eternal, in duration on heavenly things. This must become a priority, our spiritual growth, because why? We're risen with Christ. We become dead to sin, the things of the world, made truly alive with our living Saviour. That's what happens when you get saved, something happens. There's a whole new way of seeing everything. Our affection is on things above, and our desires and thoughts are in alignment with the will of God, God helping us, that will pursue righteousness and godliness and truth, and the things of eternal value, that these things of earth will grow strangely dim. And He does the work. God must raise the dead. He must save you. You might say, well, I'll turn over a new leaf. Now, when we lived in Moonsa, there was a man who became a Jehovah's Witness, and he stopped smoking, he stopped drinking, he turned over a new leaf. But he wasn't changed on the inside, because he's not saved. We can try as you like to turn over a new leaf, try to resurrect yourself, but you must have

[15:33] Christ. You must be saved. He must do the work. And when he does, he makes us truly complete. We who are only in part, he makes us complete. And he fills that vacuum, the emptiness of our heart, that only he can fill with himself. And he gives us abundance of life. We who had such great lack, he gives us abundance of what really matters. It's God. God, who raises the dead. He makes dying men to live again. Amen.

[16:02] That's true now. Today, it says you were dead. And when God affects that new birth, that regeneration, God makes you truly to live, truly alive, a new creature. It tells us Ephesians 2, And you hath he quickened, which means you hath he made alive. You know, of course, we know that the phrase, the quick and the dead, you're either quick or you're dead. All right? Pray that you're going to get quick. Get quick, get quick and quickly too. Don't put it off. You hath he quick and he's made alive.

[16:32] You that were dead in trespasses and sins, wherein time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience. There's a spirit working. There's a spirit working. It was working back then and it's working in 2024. The same spirit. The same spirit. The same demons that they had back then are still happening now, isn't it? And we used to walk according to the course of this world, according to the spirit of this world, according to the conduct of this world. But then God gives us a totally new path, a new way of living, a new way of walking. We used to walk according to the prince of the power of the air. Now we're walking according to the prince of peace. Now we've got a whole new different dimension, a whole new governance, authority over us. God takes charge. Ephesians 2, it reads on, of the lost of the children of disobedience, among whom also we had our conversation in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind. And we're by nature the children of wrath, even as others. But God, but God, who is rich in mercy for his great love, wherewith he loved us, even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us, hath quickened us together with Christ.

[17:57] By grace are you saved. So at the resurrection, it says that you got quickened together with Christ. When that risen Christ left that tomb, you were quickened together with him. Amen. That's a glory, isn't it? That's a glorious thought. And for you and me who are a dead one, God creates new life.

[18:17] Now, friends today, the greatest doctors and scientists of earth simply cannot do that. They cannot create life from non-life. They used to think that was a thing that they could, but really it was bacteria in the air that made mold or whatever. And so they used to think, oh, it's just kind of spontaneously generated. But no, only God can create life out of non-life.

[18:43] And even if doctors and scientists, the best of them, even if they have a body that's just died, all of the body parts are there, everything there, it should theoretically just be easy to get that body to restart to live. But modern science cannot create the spark to make it truly live again.

[19:03] But God can. God can. When we get saved, he affects a new sense of eternity in us. We're quickened, made alive. We that were dead, he's made you alive. You that trust him, you're alive today.

[19:16] And for such a people that says there's some reckoning to do, for example, Romans 6, 11, there's some reckoning to do that we have to do. We who were once dead toward God, he now calls us to be dead towards sin. Likewise, reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let not therefore sin reign in your mortal body that you should obey in the lust thereof. Notice it says we're meant to be alive unto God. There's a change of allegiance here of rulership. He's talking about a reigning of ruling, a change of kingship, of lordship, or reign over us. Sin has to be deposed from the throne and Christ take up the throne, his throne in your heart. And there's some obeying not to do. It says obey not sin, the lust of it, to be no longer a slave to that. And thank God it's possible. These words are possible for you to reckon, to so reckon, dead to sin, alive to God. It's almost having that mind to actually, I'm going to leave that. I'm going to have that new affection, that new love, that new desire. And it's by his spirit because God has to raise the dead. You can try as you might of your own effort, but we need the power of God, don't we?

[20:46] The resurrection power to overcome. And it goes on, there's some yielding to do, some surrender. Romans 6, 13 reads on, neither yield you your members as instruments of righteousness unto sin, but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. Don't yield your members, in other words, your body, unto sin, unto unrighteousness, but yield yourselves, surrender yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead. And that's what we are. So in other words, make a decision about what you're going to yield to.

[21:30] And that's a constant for all of us, isn't it? The most mature Christian still has to get this right, to make a decision about what we're going to yield to. Is it yielding to unrighteousness, unrighteousness, or yielding to righteousness unto God? How does all this happen? It's God who raises the dead. It's God's power. We're not able. We're not able of our own effort. It's like the scientists trying to restart that body. When the spark of life is gone, the breath of life is gone, it's breathed out, it's not going to come back in that body. And our own effort and strength cannot affect this, but God can. God can.

[22:21] It's got to be the dynamic of God, hasn't it? Resurrection power, resurrection life. Who can do this? God, who raises the dead can. He can help you live the Christian life. He can help you have victory.

[22:34] Day by day, step by step victory. It's God who raises the dead. And that's the one we should trust in. In part 2 Corinthians 1, 9 says, we should not trust in ourselves, but in God, which raises the dead. Thank God he's got more power. He is able to affect his promises.

[22:55] It matters who we trust in. What will we trust in? Will we believe God who raises the dead? Think of that. The one who can raise the dead. Surely he can do something for us in our day by day walk.

[23:08] Ephesians 2, we read, even when we were dead in sins, he has quickened us together with Christ. So on that resurrection day, he's made us alive. And what's more, verse 6, he's raised us up together and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. Now you're sitting on some nice comfy chairs this morning. You're sitting on some nice comfy chairs, but it's saying actually we're actually seated.

[23:35] We're sitting together in heavenly places. It sounds a bit strange to read it so, but there's that dimension where we're actually living in a whole new heavenly way of living, a whole new heavenly way of thinking that when we're saved, he's raised us up together. He's made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus. That in the ages to come, he might show the exceeding riches of his grace and his kindness towards us through Christ Jesus. So God the Father, it says, you who are dead in sins, he's quickened us. He's made us alive together with Christ. He's made us alive together with Christ.

[24:15] And he's made us to sit together with Christ. Where's Christ sitting? In heaven. He's sitting on the throne, isn't he? On his Father's throne at his right hand. And you are a trophy of the grace of God, the exceeding riches of his grace. He's raised us up in Christ and we're risen with Christ and we're seated with Christ.

[24:37] So, it's a concept that's probably hard to put into simple, understandable language. I'm trying to understand it myself as I'm preaching it. But that sense that we're seated in heavenly places in Christ.

[24:58] But when Christ's resurrection happened, we were made alive together with Christ. When Christ's formerly dead body came back to life, we also were made truly alive by the grace of God. We've been given new life.

[25:10] We've been empowered such that we've got transformed lives. Not only are we quick and made alive together with Christ, what's more we're made to sit together with Christ. Christ is seated on heaven's throne.

[25:22] So, it's got the, I guess the correlation here, Christ is seated on heaven's throne. We're raised up brought to life. We're made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ. We are seated like kings.

[25:42] There's a sense where, and I know I've said this before and it almost sounds a bit trite and a bit laughable really, but really you are the royal family. You know, they make all this fuss about Catherine and William and Kate, um, Charles. Who are they? You know, we're actually seated on heavens, in, in a heavenly places. That we're so loved by our Father that we should be counted as sons and daughters of the living God. The creator of the whole universe has so loved you that the exceeding riches of his grace and his kindness is so extended towards you that you are seated like kings in heavenly places.

[26:31] And when you think of that thought, if we're seated with Christ, it's almost like we look at earth's goings on from a heavenly standpoint. You know, they, there's a management term of taking the helicopter view. You sort of step back and see what's happening and you don't get too deep in the machinations, but you take a helicopter view. You see, what's, what's the whole situation here?

[26:57] Think of it. You're, you've got better than a helicopter view. You've got a heavenly view. Amen. But you can step back and see things from a heavenly point of view, from God's point of view. When you see all the dilemmas and dramas of life, of, of earthly living, you see the struggles of the day by day, actually just step back. Just, just, uh, remember you're on a throne in heaven, in heavenly places. And you're just seeing all these little tests and trials of life. Really it's inconsequential in the scheme of things, isn't it? We can get so caught up in earth's trials that we have to actually forget. Actually that's just a, an eye blink of time, isn't it? And we're above it all.

[27:44] We're identified with Christ, the risen Christ. Do you know his saving today? This is really important. It reads on for by grace are you saved through faith that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God have before ordained that we should walk in them. So there's a whole purpose here that he's made you. You who are dead, now made alive, now seated in, in his very presence by the very throne of God. He's made you a new creation and you're his workmanship such that you've got a job to do. We're created unto this, it's the master's plan. Our true purpose, our true life purpose is to bring him glory and due honour. And at the cross he bore our sin, as we referred to before.

[28:37] Get this right. You might say, preacher, I don't know that I'm a Christian today. Well, I go to church every once in a while. I try to pray, read the Bible, do the right thing. Do you know that your sins have been paid? Your sins, your very sin, that your sin was paid. Have you claimed that for yourself, that trust that he paid? Paid for your sin. And as we said before, when those cruel soldiers nailed him, hands and feet, it says his own self, his own body, it bore our sins on the tree, on that word, that we being dead to sin should live unto righteousness by whose stripes he were healed. So it's saying here that our sins were paid, the death penalty, and it says we should live.

[29:37] So at the cross there's death, but there's life. At the resurrection, at the empty tomb, there was that dead body now brought to life. It says that we now are risen with Christ. We raised up together with him.

[29:50] It says we can live, truly live. As we identify with Christ as our sin bearer, as the risen Christ, we also identify with him, that we raised up together with him. We made truly alive. Without Christ, we're actually not alive, not truly living. How is this possible?

[30:10] Being quickened together with Christ means that we share in his life, his victory, his glory. Think of the resurrection of the glory, the glory of it, as you've heard, of that tomb. It's now empty. And I know Julie and I had the privilege of our trip of a lifetime. We'd like to do another trip, but of Israel. We went to that garden tomb and many think that it could be the very place or certainly near the place. Jerusalem's only so big, but we looked into that tomb and it's empty. Amen. It's empty. He's not there. He is not here. He is risen.

[30:56] He's risen indeed. Yeah. And think of the glory of that, the victory over sin, death, hell, the resurrection power that brought him out to live. It's transforming you and me too. We're risen with Christ. We're seated with Christ. He's raised us up together with Christ. He's quickened us, made us alive together with Christ, such that our old self can be raised to a newness of life. And it happens when we trust him, that you trust Christ. Yes, Jesus, my Lord, you died for me. My sin was there when they nailed you. My sin was paid in your death. And I want to live for you. I want to know that life, new life, fellowship with God, victory.

[31:51] Think of what the resurrection means of the empty tomb. The devil was totally beaten, wasn't he?

[32:03] Totally thrashed. And that very power, we can know it, personally know it. So you are risen with Christ. He's raised up Christ from the dead. He set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, and you're there too. Wow. That's something, isn't it? How do we grasp that? How do we fathom that?

[32:30] Wow. That we are made the royal family of God, made God's very children by faith. And this very life force that that tore the bars of hell, that rolled that stone, that very power, you can know it. The very power that Christ emerged from that dark domain of death, and he knew such great victory. God's transformative power, you can know his power.

[33:14] The Holy Spirit. He's still the same. He's still the same as he was. Is it Genesis 1 verse 2, when he started moving? He's still moving. He's still moving. He's still moving. The Holy Spirit. He's moving in hearts. He moved that stone away.

[33:31] And he can move in our very lives such that we can know victory over sin. We can know salvation. That's beyond compare, isn't it? Death is swallowed up in victory. He vanquished all the host of hell.

[33:46] He has risen, exalted far above all principality, power, might, dominion, every name. And we can know the exceeding greatness of his power towards us who believe. Think of it, friends, as we wrap up. You share in that victory.

[34:03] The world would think of Easter eggs and Easter bunnies and you name it. We think of an empty tomb, don't we?

[34:13] We think of an empty tomb. The power of the resurrection. And it's meaningful for you and me. You can know it. This is not just some theological concept. This is not some doctrinal truth. It's actually real for you and me that believe.

[34:32] This transformation is the cornerstone of the Christian faith, the resurrection, victory. And you're engaged in that too. You're a part of it. You can live in the power, that hope of the resurrection. The same power empowers us.

[34:49] And we can walk in righteousness. The same power that raised Jesus from the dead lives in you, that believe. You might say, preacher, I don't believe yet. Simply trust. Simply trust. Christ died for my sin. That's what it says. I believe it.

[35:05] He died for my sin. I'm going to trust him. I'm going to give my heart and life. I'm going to yield to him. I'm going to ask him to help me live what is right and true. And that same power that raised Jesus from the dead will dwell in you.

[35:19] Dwell in you. And something happened for you and to you that believe at the empty tomb. You are risen, risen with Christ.

[35:31] Let us pray. Lord God, we thank you that as the world thinks of such a time of this event, Lord, as some would deny it yet, truly it is undeniable.

[35:47] There is no other explanation than you have risen. And that faltering church, that failing church, those weak, unlearned men became a dynamic force because they saw you.

[36:10] This was no pretense. This was no falsehood. You truly rose from the dead, our Lord Jesus. And Lord, we thank you that by faith we can know our sin paid.

[36:25] We can know you as the risen saviour living in our hearts by faith. And know that great victory can be ours as we yield, as we seek those things above, as we trust God who raises the dead.

[36:42] We thank you, Lord, for your great life-giving power, that it's transformative. Such that we just start by simple faith and you lead us on, you help us grow. We pray for each one here that they'll have that heart trust.

[36:56]  They'll say, Lord Jesus, thank you for dying for my sin. I trust you. I want to follow you. I want my life to be yours now. That you will be glorified in it. In Jesus' name. Amen. Amen.