[0:00] Go back with me to Luke chapter number 24. Here in a moment, I'm going to make sure that I read to you the portion of the story that I skipped over. Do you believe that when we ended chapter 22 and we skipped to chapter 24, verse 12, that the story and the verses that we skipped over, do they matter to Peter's story?
[0:19] And the answer is yes. And they matter to every story that will ever be told. When we end chapter number 22, what happens next is that Jesus will be taken before Pilate.
[0:31] Pilate will say that this man is innocent, that he is not guilty of anything, but then he'll be brought before Herod. And Herod says that he wanted to see Jesus. And the reason was he always wanted to see a miracle.
[0:42] And so he's so glad that now he gets a chance with Jesus coming. From that, we go into a story told about Barabbas, just a few verses here, and Luke. But it was the custom and tradition that one man was going to be let go.
[0:55] And on that day, it was going to be between Barabbas and Jesus. But the crowd chose Barabbas and said, give us Barabbas. We could spend our morning on that and every morning for a long time on that.
[1:07] After that story, Jesus is headed to the cross. And a man named Simon is brought over to help him carry that cross. And as we just continue, we find different people in the story to the time we get to the place where Jesus is on the cross.
[1:21] He says, Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do. He tells Israel as he's headed to the cross, I feel for you because you have the wrath of God will come upon you, and I am going to take that.
[1:32] But then he goes to the cross, and he dies a horrific death. And after he dies, a man named Joseph, who had been one of those secret disciples from the distance, it says that he went and he begged for the body of Jesus.
[1:47] Not during the life of Christ, was he known as one of the disciples, but afterwards, he takes that second chance that he has, and he goes and he begs for the body of Jesus. And so that brings us to chapter 24.
[1:59] I'm going to read for you verses 1 through 12. Let me read that again, okay?
[2:22] And they entered in, and they found not the body of the Lord Jesus. And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments.
[2:35] And as they were afraid and bowed down their faces to the earth, they said unto them, Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen. Remember how he spake unto you when he was yet in Galilee, saying, The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again.
[2:56] And they remembered his words. And they returned from the sepulcher, and told all these things unto the leaven, and to all the rest. And it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, and Mary the mother of James, and the other women that were with them, which told these things unto the apostles.
[3:13] And their words seemed to them as idle tales, and they believed them not. Then arose Peter, and he ran into the sepulcher. Stooping down, he beheld the linen cloths laid by themselves, and departed, wondering in himself at that which was to come, was come to pass.
[3:35] A little bit ago, as we were reading, we saw Peter get to a place, the last time he sees Jesus, he denies him, the gaze of Jesus upon Peter, and then shortly after that, they will cover and blindfold Jesus.
[3:48] That will be the last time that Peter will get to see Jesus, up until the crucifixion. He is crucified, the disciples scatter, John is there with Jesus' mother, Mary.
[4:00] But then now we get to the place, that word had come to Peter, about the women in the story here, and they have the opportunity, to be the first to share this message. As every man and woman, when we hear the message, we should go and share it with other people.
[4:13] They gave the example here to us. And so they go to Peter, and some people saw it as an idle tale, but then it says, then arose Peter, and he ran to that tomb, and he went in there.
[4:25] And it's, you may know this, and it's quite funny, right? Somebody outruns Peter. Who is it? It's John. And that gets recorded in the Bible. Somebody was faster than Peter, and they outran John. And then it says that he stopped, and Peter went in, and I know what that was.
[4:39] He was probably catching his breath, right? I don't know what it was, but he stops, and he allows Peter to go in. But Peter goes in, and the word that's used here, is he wonders in himself. So we just stay there, just for a moment, and just think about, all that would have went through his mind, about the desire to find answers.
[4:59] Jesus is not here. When you and I, or anybody, when we don't know something, or when we don't know enough, we often substitute emotion for truth.
[5:11] Can't imagine what life must have been like for Peter from that time of denying Christ. Immediately afterwards, it says that he wept bitterly. I don't imagine that disappeared anytime quickly. He wept bitterly.
[5:22] His last time with Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the one that he loved, the one that he had followed, the one that had cared for him, he had denied him, and he weeps bitterly. He had denied the Christ, the one that he had loved.
[5:34] And so now as he sits there in that empty tomb, and he must wonder, is there going to be a second chance? Where is Jesus? Will I see him again? Hope can only be found in one person, and that is in Jesus Christ.
[5:49] But hopelessness can be expressed in many different stories. Thursday night, we heard a story. Miguel showed a picture of a man that was on a bridge that he was able to share the hope of Jesus Christ with.
[6:02] You and I know many stories. Some are as vivid as I, and others are not, but we know, we've all felt, what hopelessness feels like, also what it looks like. The world knows it as well, and it expresses it.
[6:13] Here's a poem and a quote I'll put up here for you by Louisa Fletcher Tarkington, and she says it like this, I wish there were some wonderful place called the land of beginning again.
[6:26] A place called the land of beginning again, where all of our mistakes, and heartaches, and all of our selfish greed could be dropped like a shabby old coat at the door and never put on again.
[6:40] Those are the ways in which the world would describe this feeling of hopelessness. The world in which we live in, we wish it would give us a second chance. The world in which we live in, it feels broken, and I wish there was a way that I could just take it like a shabby old coat and lay it to the side.
[6:58] You've experienced it, you've seen it, the world we live in is broken. Peter was desperate for another chance to see Jesus. Herod was looking for a miracle.
[7:10] Israel was looking for a king to help remove the oppression. Barabbas needed a substitute and somebody to pardon him. Pilate was looking for a way to clear his conscience knowing that he had crucified a man.
[7:22] They needed a way to set off this dirty old coat and get just a second chance. They didn't realize it, but the hope they were looking for could only be found in the resurrection.
[7:36] It could only be found in the resurrection. Could you imagine that hopelessness of knowing the resurrection? People have talked about it. John Lennon speaks about it when he says, could you imagine a world with peace and harmony where we didn't have the burden of God and it's easy if you try.
[7:52] And those of us that know Jesus know it's not easy. It's not even possible. The Chronicles of Narnia where we give an imagination, imagine a winter with no Christmas. That's what it would be like.
[8:03] This bleak life without God. That wondering that Peter experienced, the thing that's expressed in this poem, the things that many people have wrote about, we are told in God's word by the writings of Paul inspired by God that we should consider that as well.
[8:19] We should consider life today and this year in 2023 what life would look like. And so Paul caught on a church to imagine what life would be like without the resurrection.
[8:31] And let me share with you in 1 Corinthians chapter number 15 and verse number 6 before he lists it I just want to remind you that Paul said to them he says, remember that he was seen of over 500 brethren at once.
[8:44] There is nothing in history that's more verifiable than the resurrection of Jesus. It passes every test that you could ever imagine of what would be verified and needed.
[8:55] He was seen of 500 afterwards and he knows. And if you're in here today and you would say well of course you say he was resurrected because you're a preacher and that's what preachers say.
[9:06] Well I can bring you a lawyer I can bring you a doctor I can bring you a missionary I can bring you a stay at home mom I can bring you whatever you want today that will show you that we believe that that is the case.
[9:19] And all through history people have seen this and have understood it and we rejoice in this fact. Scene of over 500. But then they're going to summarize it in four words.
[9:29] Let me share these four words that are going to summarize it. Empty false lost and miserable. Paul takes us to a dark place there and imagining what life would be like.
[9:42] If Peter went into the tomb and Jesus would have been there if there had been no resurrection then what would life be like for every one of us. It's describing the life that you and I would have today.
[9:53] The first word here is empty and that's seen in verse number 14. And if Christ be not risen then it is our preaching vain and your faith is also vain.
[10:04] One man said if Jesus is not risen then we have found just a horrible hobby for our Sunday mornings. There would be no reason that would gather us here today if he had not risen.
[10:18] If the tomb was not empty then all of us would be today, right? We'd be without hope. We'd be looking. We'd be searching. Our wondering would not lead to answers but it would just lead to more hopelessness.
[10:29] It would lead to more questions that could not be asked. So without the resurrection there is no gospel. There is no good news. Without the resurrection there is no good news.
[10:40] And Christianity would be no better than any fairy tale. We would be empty today. The message that you'd share with your kids. No Christmas story to share.
[10:51] No Easter story to share. Just questions that had no answers to them. We would be empty today. Not only would it be empty but next we see that we'd be living lives that are built upon a false understanding of God.
[11:05] Verse 15 of that same chapter. Yea, and we are found false witnesses of God because we have testified of God that He raised up Christ whom He raised whom He raised not up if so be that the dead rise not.
[11:20] Without the resurrection we have a false witness of God and we have been sent on a false message by Jesus. Everything we've ever been taught about God's word would be false.
[11:33] He would not be a promise keeper. His death in our place was not sufficient for us. So the Bible doesn't only just give us the facts but it interprets the facts for us. And if it was not true if the resurrection was not true then we would throw out everything that we have found in this word.
[11:50] If God is not trustworthy then we have no source of real truth in His word. If God is not trustworthy but He proved that day that He was empty, false and lost.
[12:01] Fifth verse 17 And if Christ be not raised your faith is in vain and you are yet in your sins you and I would still be living and we would die in our sins and we would spend all eternity paying for those and not just ours but in verse 18 but those that had fallen asleep that have died before us that nobody has ever had hope that everyone who has ever died has died in their sins and then the simple in verse number 19 and if this life only we have hope in Christ we are all men most miserable we would be miserable people here today and Peter had to feel all those emotions through that time where he saw Jesus he wept bitterly and he goes into the tomb he had to feel lostness he had to feel wonder he had to feel emptiness but as he stood in that empty tomb he began to wonder is there a second chance is there hope yesterday we had lunch with my in-laws and my sister-in-law
[13:04] Amy as you know they're missionaries in South Africa just a couple days ago a teenager that Chase and Tyler and Luke they would have known growing up and he was part of their kids home and in December he moved out and he moved back with his family and he just passed away a couple days ago of meningitis and it hurt for me to see my sister-in-law crying and seeing pictures of a kid who had had birthday parties in their home and had been there with him but she had a letter and in the picture of the letter he had written out his testimony and he talked about coming to Christ and how the message it came and how wonderful it was that they had that but there's something greater than that letter right it's that empty tomb so you can look at a person and you can have a message of hope without an empty tomb there's nothing to be said that could console anybody in those moments sit with a friend this week as well talked about how life didn't go exactly as they would have thought the relations the disease had come upon their mother and they had lost years of communication and what they wanted their body had failed them but Jesus never fails us and in the resurrection that's possible of you and I we will have life eternity with those that we know and love time and time again we have these places and wondering and we have these feelings of lostness of being miserable but we turn our attention to an empty tomb and the answer it gives us hope there's Peter and he begins to wonder
[14:41] I love this in Mark chapter number 16 an angel is speaking and he says but go your way and tell his disciples and Peter that he goeth before you in the Galilee there shall you see him as he said unto you tell the disciples and then it adds on to it and Peter I might have expected something else maybe the antagonist of the story hey go tell the disciples and tell Herod and go tell Pilate and go tell everybody who crucified the Lord go tell them that he is risen again or maybe appreciation go tell the disciples but especially tell John who was there with Mary as Jesus is upon the cross or maybe this exclusion go tell all the disciples but don't tell Peter alright he doesn't deserve to know this truth but we see affection being shown go tell the disciples and make sure you tell Peter not because of his position among the disciples but so that he would know that he had been forgiven and that he was included among them even though with his denial you know in the life of Peter we're reminded of something that is so true is that sin it's personal and the Lord turned in Luke 22 61 and he looked upon Peter and he felt the gaze
[16:00] James I'm going to stare at you here a moment okay you're going to be okay with that right and so there Peter denying Jesus Christ and he turns and he looks at him you and I and our sins we don't feel that gaze when you do that's conviction we most certainly should feel the gaze but we ought to be aware of the fact that we have sinned against the person of Jesus Christ he's reminded of how personal it is it wasn't just the breaking of a command it wasn't just the breaking of law but it was the breaking of the heart of our Savior it was a sin against the person of Jesus Christ he knew that Peter knew that remorse says I've broken the law but repentance says I have sinned against the person who loves me and so sin is it's personal but also sin is more than just imperfection it's important to recognize that it is a transgression it is the breaking of the law sometimes you'll hear people say well we all sin so it's not a big deal actually all that it means is that because we all sin it's still a big deal but we're all in need of forgiveness
[17:12] Peter appropriately felt the weight of his sin he knew that it was personal and he knew that it was against Christ and it could not be a small matter at all I've shared with you how horrific our softball team is right here at Vision we don't win any games that is not a sin the time that I walked eight players right in a row all right Dan looked at me he kind of thought it was a sin but it wasn't a sin all right not being perfect is not a sin but that's not what we're talking about we're not talking about the limitations we have we're talking about making a choice against the creator of the universe we're talking about having the opportunity to do right but the denying Christ it's personal and it's more than imperfection it is sin against a loving God it is treason against the one who has made us another thing that we're aware of is that sin always requires a payment we learn it on the very first pages of scripture in the garden where it says on the day that you will eat this then you will surely die that the death is the penalty for sin that death is the wages for our sins and you may remember that story as you were taught with a kid as a kid and they ate of the fruit and you see it and they're still alive physically they still seem to be alive but hopefully you've learned more of the story that the death they received it was worse than a physical death it would have been separation for all eternity please don't raise your hand in here but if you have you ever received a large life-changing inheritance from somebody every one of you could raise your hand in here because the answer is yes from our first parents
[19:00] Romans 5 12 says wherefore as by one man sin entered into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned every one of us had received this inheritance of death that had come upon us sinners by birth sinners by nature and as we grow up we become sinners by choice and Adam knew that Adam had that realization and so what does he do as he sins knowing that it's personal knowing that it was a choice knowing that there's going to be a payment for it he hides himself in Genesis 3 9 and as the Lord comes and Adam hears his voice he said that he was afraid and he hid himself because he's avoiding the look of the one who walked with him in the day he's avoiding that look that Peter would have experienced Adam knew that it was personal he had sent us the creator Adam knew that his decision was one of his will he knew that there would be consequences Adam had to feel empty he had believed a lie and now he was miserable but the question now is would there be a second chance would there be any hope for his story and since Adam every man and woman has found themselves at the place where they have sinned against God and they wonder is there going to be an opportunity to be reconciled in my relationship with him and so the apostle
[20:28] Paul encourages us to spend some time wondering in that tomb to spend some time wondering if Jesus was not risen then what would life be like for all of us but and then in verse number if you head back with me 1 Corinthians 15 it doesn't stop there in the teaching there's an excitement and wonder that Peter must have experienced if he said he is not here he must be risen what is it if Jesus is risen verse 20 but now is Christ risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that slept for since by man came death by man came also the resurrection of the dead the resurrection of Jesus not only alters history but it has the power to change every story those of us who are born from Adam all of us in here we need a second chance we need the forgiveness that can only be offered because of the resurrection and this has incredible implications for us today we sing that he is our hope in life and in death
[21:31] Peter there wondering in himself at that which is to come to pass is he going to have another chance to see his savior he had been empty but now he could be filled with joy what he was believing wasn't false but it was true he was not lost but he was found he will not be miserable but he will have a life that is filled with hope and the resurrection gives us hope that we so desperately need that portion of scripture that I skipped over in Peter's story from the time that he betrayed him to the time that he enters into the tomb that portion of scripture it changes every story it is the miracle that Herod was wanting to see it is the way in which Pilate can receive forgiveness of his sins and his conscience it brings purpose to the service that Simon did in carrying the cross it changes everything about every story Stephanie and I just a couple years ago had the privilege to watch as Bob Preston one of the members here pass from this life on to the next one and we were there with him but the night before as we realized that his hours had been numbered
[22:42] I was with Michelle and it was late into the night and the doctor was going to have to tell Michelle that we're in the last moments of his life and being young a young pastor and I just was there thinking I want to say something that will bring comfort to her I want to say something that's an encouragement to her and as I was sitting there that doctor took her by the hand and she looked at her and said this the miracle that your husband need happened 2,000 years ago when Jesus Christ died for him and then rose again there was nothing that could be said in that moment of greater significance and that comfort just swept over us in that moment the miracle that we needed that she could be reunited with her husband because of this and do you wonder if there's hope today in your story and regardless of what causes you the wonder regardless what causes those feelings of being lost and miserable whatever troubles that you're feeling whatever kind of loss some of your experience in Easter for the first time and some of you in here know that by this time next year that you have a loved one that you very likely won't get to see again and where can I take you but to an empty tomb and say because of that there is hope in life and in death this hope should shape our lives my favorite type of candy and I may be 40 years old but when I go to the gas station
[24:10] I'm an 8 year old alright I buy all the goofy candy alright all the gross stuff some of you wouldn't like and my favorite type of candy is any candy that is shaped holiday shaped because this is my theory it's either really new or it's really old alright and so a lot of times you can get a Reese's peanut butter cup that is shaped like something and it just came right out of the factory just a little bit ago it tastes better try me on this okay and you know none of that comes like that chocolate doesn't come shaped in anything like that I'm grateful that Cadbury eggs the price of eggs didn't affect those this year okay and I was quite worried about that but we know that all of that is shaped it's put into a mold if you spend any time in Sunday school you should know the answer to this question who is it that it should be shaping your life and the answer is Jesus the answer is always Jesus in Sunday school right if you don't know say Jesus 9 out of 10 times you're going to get it right who is it that should be shaping your life Jesus this resurrection story it's shaping the story of
[25:14] Peter we're seeing here it changes it completely you pull out the passage of scripture I didn't read he denies Jesus and he never sees him again and he dies miserable and lost without any hope he's given no second chance he lives his life without any hope if you remove that story from shaping it Paul fights about this disconnection between our daily lives and the knowledge of the resurrection the fact that the tomb is empty yes it gives us hope and death and I hope that you know that today and I would love to show you if you don't know how the death of Jesus Christ and the resurrection can change your eternity it changes your tradition on a Sunday morning like this or on every Sunday morning but there is a connection between the resurrection and our lives look what it does to Peter in John chapter number 21 oh I love this we know Peter is the one who walked on water so we see that one story that's well known not everybody has taken notice of this one in John 21 verse 7 therefore this is after he's in the tomb
[26:17] Peter and he's wondering he knows that Jesus is risen and now he has been fishing with his friends in verse 7 therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter it is the Lord now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord he girt his fishers coat unto him for he was naked and he did cast himself into the sea and the other disciples came in a little ship for they were not far from land but as it were 200 cubits dragging the net with fishes there Peter is after the resurrection and he sees somebody on the shore and he says is that Jesus and Jesus says that it is and Peter gets his clothes on and that's for another day I'm not sure what all that's going on there alright and he gets his clothes on and he jumps overboard and 100 yards he might not have been a very good runner but apparently he thinks he's a good swimmer and he went 100 yards and the other disciples are like yeah I think we're just going to stay in the boat alright and they get into a little boat and they drag the nets in that were full because of what Jesus had just done but Peter's reaction to it because he was going to have an opportunity just like he had betrayed
[27:29] Christ he's about to have an opportunity where he is going to sit with Jesus and that there's going to be a reset there's going to be a second opportunity to look at him the one that he had betrayed there was hope hope causes you to do things that life that would just wouldn't make sense without it 100 yards this may seem to be odd behavior but I think in here we understand it seems very reasonable to me a second opportunity just filled with hope in that situation a hope that would be what you and I would do as well hope was shaping his life hope should determine today's decisions your life should be shaped by the hope we have Peter's decision to jump out of that boat was shaped by the fact that there was hope that he would get to see Christ again three ways in here for you as believers when you were younger which would be anything besides the day right being younger if you ever come to know
[28:29] Christ you did that when you were younger and if you came to know Christ that information in your story that chapter number 23 of Luke somebody shared that with you and you realized that you weren't lost and miserable anymore but there was truth and it changed you but it hasn't stopped there the resurrection should be shaping your life knowledge of the resurrection should continue to shape and mold your life one way that we see in 1 Corinthians chapter number 15 has to do with worship when Paul is speaking to the Corinthians there he brings to their attention if what you're doing in worship this regarding baptism none of it makes any sense if Jesus Christ had not been risen from the dead the resurrection of Jesus ought to shape our worship every one of you in here you worship you know that you're doing it on Sunday morning but you're also doing it on Monday night and you're doing it on Wednesday afternoon we worship and the question is to whom will we worship and what will it how will it shape our lives and Jesus claimed this day when he arose from the dead and we gladly give him that's why we choose to meet on Sunday morning we worship and we celebrate how the resurrection has changed his life if you haven't already made that commitment in your life
[29:48] I would encourage you so strongly today unless health prevents you that you unless health prevents me I will meet with believers on the first day of the week to celebrate the resurrection as I said earlier some of you are passing through but you found a group of believers that were worshiping and today all around the world because the tomb is empty churches are filled today with people on the first day of the week and I pray that you've made that decision make it in right now have it settled of all the decisions that you're going to make throughout the week that decision is settled no matter where you're at in the world if Mark gets to lead a service in Taiwan or if he has to sit there and listen to his friend this morning he knew that he would be among God's people worshiping and then I'm going to go a step even further maybe a decision you've never thought of before if you ever find yourself at a place where there is not a group of people that can meet on the first day of the week and to celebrate the resurrection you do everything in your power to start one commissioning every one of you to start a church if you've ever found a place in which there are not people that are gathered in the most simple form that's what our missionaries do is they create places that believers are going together and they're going to worship on that first day of the week and I pray and trust that you've made that commitment that the resurrection is going to shape your worship it's going to shape your weekly schedule but it's going to shape the way you worship and that worship isn't going to be confined to Sunday morning for a week always giving the first of everything to him to say that you're
[31:23] Lord and you have preeminence in our lives so the resurrection shapes our worship but also the resurrection changes our evaluation of risk the resurrection changes our evaluation of risk I take that from verse number 30 of 1 Corinthians 15 30 so after Paul had told them your worship wouldn't make any sense if there's no if there is no resurrection this baptism makes no sense if there's no resurrection then he said and why stand we in jeopardy every hour and it says why stand we in jeopardy every hour if you want to know who the we is in that verse you can look back in verse 11 it was those that we that preached Christ it was those in verse number 14 that if the resurrection hadn't happened we would have a false witness and it's the we of verse number 19 that says that we have hope and I ask you today are you part of that group are you part of the we that has been changed is your life being shaped by the knowledge of the resurrection you can find this many examples throughout the bible but I'll just show you in Acts chapter number 26 how the apostle
[32:27] Paul expresses how he is being changed by the gospel in Acts chapter number 26 in verse number 6 and 7 it says and now I stand and I am judged and he's being judged based on what for the hope of the promise made of God unto our fathers so they're judging him and it says down to verse number 7 unto which promises our 12 tribes instantly serving God day and night hope to come for which hope's sake King Agrippa I'm accused of the Jews Paul is saying that all he had done as a Christian was done because of the hope and the future resurrection rooted in Jesus we blame many things for our actions right my kids blame their siblings sometimes my siblings they blame they blame the devil alright he gets blamed sometimes we blame circumstances of why something couldn't happen sometimes we blame time sometimes we blame a lack of knowledge but when was the last time you did like the apostle Paul and you just said
[33:30] I blame hope as he was standing there before them and he said I had no other choice it's because of the hope that was promised to us I have to preach this message that would contain it when's the last time you blamed hope for your actions I didn't want to do it but I was just so hopeful I couldn't help but help somebody else I didn't want to but I was so filled with hope that I had to forgive that person when it seemed unforgivable I couldn't contain my hope and it just came out from me in praise Paul is saying here his life being shaped by hope he's looking at them and he says if you had the hope that I had then you would act in the same way that I was having and he blames hope as the reason for the actions that he made I pray that you can do that as well that your life is being shaped by the fact that you have hope and then lastly of the three things that I'll show you here in 1 Corinthians 15 is that the knowledge of the resurrection changes our pursuit of knowing God it changes our pursuit of holiness a separation from this world to God 1 Corinthians 15 30 it says and while we stand in jeopardy every hour
[34:41] I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord I die daily if after the manner of men I have fought with the beasts of Ephesus and it says what advantage in me if the dead rise not let us eat and drink for tomorrow we die Ecclesiastes the book of James we see that expression often if there is no if there's no purpose if there's no Jesus if there's no resurrection the best you will ever do is to eat and drink and die some people without the gospel their lives may seem quite elaborate but if it really just boils down to what are they going to live in what are they going to eat some people do it in a more advanced manner than others but it just really comes down to I'm eating and drinking until I die because that's all there is available to me that's the whole purpose of man it's just not to be the case but that's not for us right in understanding the resurrection so the question is what advantage of me what advantages to the Christian life knowing that we have a resurrected king verse 33 be not deceived evil communication corrupt good manners awake to righteousness and sit not for some have not the knowledge of God and I speak that to your shame awake to righteousness the same command that they were given last week wake up be awake and pray we're told to wake up and to recognize the truth
[36:08] Benjamin Franklin he takes this verse and this is how he paraphrased it he says he that lie down with a dog shall rise up with fleas your family probably has some kind of expression about it right to say that talking about the friendships of your friends is that evil communication corrupts good manners is to say that if you hang out with the wrong people then you're going to have the wrong actions here Paul's not speaking about hanging out with the wrong types of friends but it's talking about the wrong kind of thoughts and beliefs false teachers had come in here and they have corrupted people's thinking about the resurrection and Paul wanted to make sure they did not believe that the false teachers who taught there was no resurrection was having an effect and influence upon them because what you and I believe about the resurrection has the greatest of influences upon our lives and so it says awake to righteousness so I ask you today what is it that is shaping you and making you into the person that you are becoming is your life one of worship are you willing to take risk for the gospel are you pursuing godliness and what needs to be changed in your life if it is going to be shaped by the truth of the resurrection as you musicians are going to return here and get in the place and begin to play and in a moment we will sing in life and death as they do that
[37:30] I want to read to you just a little bit more scripture here today turn with me to John chapter number 21 before we end the day I want to take that conversation remember when I left you last in the story of Peter Peter had jumped off the boat he had swam 100 yards and he made his way to Christ and now that he has made his way to Christ he is going to sit down with him and I want you to listen to the words in which Jesus says to Peter after the resurrection before he ascends into heaven we will see the second chance that can only be provided by the resurrection John chapter number 21 and as soon as they were come to land they saw a fire of coals there and fish laid on there on and bread Jesus saith unto them bring of the fish which you have now caught Simon Peter went up and drew the net to the land full of great fishes 150 and 3 for they all were so many yet was not the net broken and Jesus saith unto them come and dine and none of the disciples durst ask him who art thou knowing that it was the Lord we had seen earlier that in the way he would break the bread that they could tell him that that was their savior
[38:44] Jesus then cometh and taketh the bread and he giveth it to them and the fish likewise before I continue reading would you look at that Jesus had taken the fish that they caught he had prepared it and he had shared it with them could we have any more clear example of the fact that Jesus cares about us completely your current and your temporal needs as well as your eternal needs Jesus is feeding Peter last time there was a meal Peter said I would never betray you he was there in arrogance now Peter after the resurrection is sitting there humbly Jesus is handing him this food now this is now the third time that Jesus showed himself to his disciples after that he was risen from the dead so when they had dined Jesus saith to Simon Peter Simon son of Jonas lovest thou me more than these and he saith unto him yea Lord thou knowest that I love thee and he saith unto him feed my lambs he saith to him again the second time
[39:46] Simon son of Jonas lovest thou me he saith unto him yea Lord thou knowest that I love thee and he saith unto him feed my sheep he saith unto him a third time Simon son of Jonas lovest thou me Peter was grieved because he had said unto him the third time lovest thou me and he said unto him Lord thou knowest all the things that thou knowest that I love thee and Jesus saith unto him feed my sheep the one that had denied Christ three times has now given this opportunity three times over to tell him I love you and Jesus says I know this verily verily I say unto thee when thou was young thou girdest thyself and walkest whether thou wouldest but when thou shall be old thou shall stretch forth thy hands and another shall gird thee and carry thee whether thou wouldest not he spake he signifying by what death he should glorify my god and when he had spoken this he saith unto him follow me Jesus tells Peter of the death that he is going to eventually die then Peter turning about seeth the disciples whom
[40:49] Jesus loved John following which had leaned upon the breast at supper the one that had said Lord who is going to betray you and Peter turns and he says unto Jesus what about this man what shall he do how is he going to die what is his lot in life and Jesus saith unto him what is it if he tarry till I come follow thou me Peter focus on this opportunity that you're given don't look to your right and to your left don't be worried about a decision another person need to make the decision that you have to make it became personal sin was personal and forgiveness was personal go and tell dine and Peter has a second chance to sit across from Jesus and the gaze and Jesus is saying to Peter welcome back to the ministry go feed my sheep feed my lambs you know this sometime in the future you're going to be old you're going to be arrested you're going to be crucified you have a decision to make today will you follow me second
[41:52] Peter this happens he says Peter knows that the day is coming where he will take off his tabernacle and he will set it aside and he has endeavored that he would be an example to all those who remembers the words of Christ on the shore that day and in that crucial moment where Peter had denied him at one time here Jesus assures Peter most assuredly he would face the challenge of the cross once again and he would embrace it so it brings us to a time for the response in here we have an opportunity because of the resurrection believer in here we wondered but we've now been given an answer and we have a second chance in our life we were born sinners but he died for us and now we receive forgiveness of our sins it wasn't a second chance for us to do better because we wouldn't but our account that exchanged life for him and so it changes our eternity now we ask ourselves is that hope shaping our lives are we seeing it as Paul said to Agrippa as Peter jumps out of the boat is our lives being shaped by the hope that we have or are we living as people that are lost and as miserable that believe that act as if we pray to him and say father
[43:10] I submit my life to following you I want my life to be shaped by the gospel and as you're praying I speak to those in here today maybe you're always that person says I wish there was a land of new beginnings where I could just take this robe that I have and say it aside I wish there was a second chance I know that I possibly in here believer you know the things that hope should be shaping you know the decisions that need to be made and before you leave the day let me encourage you to set that in the motion you're not jumping out of a boat and swimming but there may be an action that hope would call on you to take the day meet somebody at the next table speak to somebody in the fore you're in here today and you don't know where you're at you know that you have betrayed and you've sinned against the
[44:33] God of heaven you know that it's personal but you don't know that you have received forgiveness personally just like in the story with Peter he says don't worry about the person besides you John you have a decision to make are you going to follow me what a wonderful day to say yes I am going to follow Jesus what a wonderful day to receive that forgiveness of sin I'd ask that today and here today if you're in here today and you know that you have the hope that is in Jesus Christ you know that you have been forgiven of your sins would you just raise your hand as a sweet testimony as just an accent to say that to the would you please allow this to be the day that you find out there is hope and abundance that is waiting for you and there's no reason that you should live wondering the resurrection has happened and how it could change your story