I appreciate your being here for the whole service
and the way we're going to end this service
because it is designed to be from beginning to end
a time of celebrating
what God has done for us in Christ,
not just His death on the cross for our sins,
but His victorious resurrection,
His demonstration that Jesus has conquered
sin, death,
even defeated the devil
through His triumphant resurrection.
But I want to ask you as an individual,
is this truly a time of celebration for you?
Everybody knows Easter is supposed to be
a celebration service like what we've had,
but for you as an individual,
is there this sense of, feelings of, thoughts of,
real joy, celebration,
thanking God, praising God
for what He has done for you
in the death and resurrection of Jesus?
I want you to look with me, if you would,
at the book of 1 Corinthians chapter 15,
where the Apostle Paul explains the resurrection
in the most detail that you'll find anywhere
in the New Testament.
The Apostle Paul helps us understand
various reasons why we should truly be excited,
happy, celebrating the resurrection this morning.
There's all kinds of things from chapter 1
through the end of the chapter
that explains the significance of,
the historical reality of,
what it means that Christ arose.
If you've never read 1 Corinthians 15,
if you're not familiar with it,
I'd encourage you to read it this day,
this Easter Sunday.
But right now,
I want us to read together verses 12 through 20.
And what you're going to see,
Paul explains the significance of the resurrection
from the perspective of
what we would not have
if Christ had not risen.
So understand,
that's how he's explaining the resurrection
in these verses.
Let's read it together.
Verse 12, 1 Corinthians 15.
Now, if Christ is proclaimed
as raised from the dead,
how can some of you say
that there is no resurrection of the dead?
Some in that church
were saying,
there's no such thing as a resurrection.
People don't come back to lie.
The body certainly would not be.
They were under the influence
of Greek philosophy maybe.
Some of them were just under the influence
of unbelief.
They just struggled with it.
Verse 13,
But if there is no resurrection of the dead,
then not even Christ has been raised.
And if Christ has not been raised,
then our preaching is in vain
and your faith is in vain.
We are even found to be misrepresenting God
because we testified about God
that He raised Christ
whom He did not raise
if it's true that the dead are not raised.
For if the dead are not raised,
not even Christ has been raised.
And if Christ has not been raised,
your faith is futile
and you are still in your sins.
Then those also
who have fallen asleep in Christ
have perished.
He's telling them,
your family members and friends
who died as Christians,
they're doomed.
They've perished.
There's no hope.
Verse 19,
If in Christ
we have hope in this life only,
we are of all people
most to be pitied.
But in fact,
Christ has been raised from the dead,
the first fruits
of those who have fallen asleep.
I want us to look at a couple of reasons
why we must celebrate the resurrection.
We celebrate the resurrection of Jesus
because it assures us of God's forgiveness.
Paul states this truth,
what you would consider in a negative way
in verse 17.
Look at it again.
And if Christ has not been raised,
your faith is futile.
Some translations say
worthless,
useless.
You are still in your sins.
If Jesus Christ did not rise from the grave,
what Paul is saying is,
you are still guilty of sin
and under the condemnation of sin.
You are separated from God by your sin.
You have no hope,
if Christ has not been raised,
of forgiveness,
of ever being made right with God.
You will pay the penalty for your own sins,
is what he's saying here.
If Christ has not been raised,
your faith is absolutely worthless,
of no value.
You are still in your sins,
condemned,
doomed,
the separation from God for all eternity,
in hell.
But the good news,
what Paul is trying to stress
from every conceivable angle,
is that Christ did rise from the grave.
And so,
we could just restate this
from a more positive perspective like this.
Since Christ has been raised,
your faith is priceless.
You are forgiven,
set free from the guilt
and power of your sins.
We are here today
because Jesus Christ is alive.
You know,
there are people who are involved
in world religions,
and their key figure,
their prophet,
is dead.
And they know he's dead.
And many people travel
to see the grave,
the tomb,
that holds their founder's bones.
But as Christians,
if we choose to go to the place,
the tomb where Jesus
was buried,
it's open.
There's nothing there
because he arose
three days after he died.
He is alive today.
He is coming back
literally into this world
for his people
one day.
The resurrection
is a historical reality.
I want you to understand that.
what Christians believe
is not just wishful thinking.
It's not just some type
of mystical religion.
It's not some philosophy
somebody invented.
The Christian faith
is based on things
that really happened
in time
2,000 years ago.
Jesus
appeared.
He died.
He was buried.
He arose.
And he appeared
to many different people
in many locations
over a period of time.
I want you to look back up
in 1 Corinthians 15.
Note in verse 5
that it said
he appeared
to all these people.
He appeared to Cephas.
That's Peter.
Another name for Peter.
Then to the 12.
Then he appeared
to more than 500 brothers
at one time.
Most of whom
are still alive.
Though some
have fallen asleep.
Then he appeared
to James.
And then to all
the apostles
last of all
as to one
untimely born
he appeared
also
to me.
Now these
appearances
to all these
different people
different places
different geographical
locations
they took place
over
a 40 day period.
Look in Acts
chapter 1.
It says
after his suffering
he presented himself
to them
and gave many
convincing proofs
that he was alive.
He appeared to them
over a period
of 40 days
and spoke about
the kingdom of God.
What happened
was not just
some people
had some kind
of dream
got caught up
in some excitement
the emotion
of the day
of a couple
of day period.
Jesus
appeared to
all
different
kinds
groups
sizes
of people
not talking
about fat
and skinny
and tall
and short
I'm talking
about one
or two
a big crowd
a little crowd
over a period
of 40 days.
You see
the point
that the Bible
writers are
trying to say
trying to make
when they talk
about the
resurrection
of Jesus
like this
it really
happened
there were
eyewitnesses
who verified
it
you can
bank on
the fact
that the
resurrection
is a historical
reality
but also
the resurrection
changed the
lives of his
followers.
Most of you
in this room
know that
when Jesus
was arrested
his disciples
scattered
they were
afraid
they ran
after Jesus
was crucified
and put in
that tomb
before
they saw
him
before he
arose from
the grave
they were
still hiding
out.
In fact
some of the
times when
Jesus appeared
to his
disciples
they were
hiding out.
They were
behind locked
doors
when he
appeared to
them.
But after
the crucifixion
after they
saw the
resurrected
Jesus
and after
they were
filled with
the spirit
of God
on the day
of Pentecost
that you can
read about
in Acts
chapter 2
they came
out of
hiding
and they
preached
the gospel
the good
news about
the death
and resurrection
of Jesus
they preached
it to
everyone
that they
could find.
They stood
before the
people they
had been
hiding from.
They stood
before the
people who
were responsible
for killing
Jesus.
They stood
time and time
again after they
were warned
don't do this
anymore.
Stop talking
about him.
Don't say
this junk
that Jesus
is alive.
They still
said it
after they
were beaten
after they
were imprisoned
after some
one of the
apostles the
first martyr
James
was killed.
the disciples
they saw
Jesus
that changed
their life
especially after
they were
filled with
the Holy
Spirit.
This helps
us see the
Christian message
it's not
just a
message about
the cross.
It's not just
a message about
the death of
Jesus as
important as
that is.
it is equally
about an
empty tomb.
The gospel
that we
believe if we
believe it
the one that
we're called
to share with
other people
is that Jesus
died on the
cross as our
substitute
to experience
the death
that we deserve
because we're
the ones who
are guilty of
sin.
His death
was real.
He was buried
in a sealed
tomb.
But that's
not the end
of the story.
Jesus arose
came forth
from that
tomb.
He came
back to
life.
And in
coming back
to life
being seen
like he
did
he demonstrated
he proved
that the
penalty for
sin had been
paid and
God had
accepted it.
Chuck Swindoll
describes this
in a very good
way.
Look at his
statement.
He says we
know that
Christ
death completed
the work of
atonement
because God
raised him
from the
dead.
If God
had not been
satisfied in
the death
of his
son the
son would
have remained
a lifeless
corpse in
the tomb.
When the
father raised
the son it
represented his
stamp of
approval.
The
resurrection of
Jesus means
that everyone
who truly
puts their
faith and
trust in
him
can have
confidence
my sins
are forgiven.
I want you
to understand
if you are a
true believer
follower of
Jesus
if you are
really and
truly united
him by
faith
the penalty
for your
sins has
been paid
you need to
be confident
of your
forgiveness.
You don't
need to be
dragging around
the weight
of guilt
any longer
because Jesus
suffered what
you should have
suffered.
He paid
the price
your actions
deserve.
Don't be a
prisoner of
your past
sin and
guilt if you
are truly
trusting in
Jesus.
Leave your
past behind.
Forget it.
The penalty
has been
paid.
Move forward
with confidence
that you are a
child of God
forgiven,
cleansed.
The penalty
for your sin
has been paid.
The power of
sin has been
broken.
Trust him.
Now if you're
not a Christian
I want you to
understand that
what I've just
said to
Christians this
can become
true about
you.
But what
you've got to
do is you've
got to come
clean with
God and
admit your
sin, your
rebellion against
him, your
breaking of
his law.
You're choosing
to live your
way instead of
his way.
And if that
really and
truly bothers
you it'll
grieve you.
You'll be
able to
sincerely express
sorrow to
God for the
way that you
have sinned
against him
and truly
turn from
that mindset
way of
life.
I encourage
you to
don't just
turn from
your sin but
turn to God
in faith.
Trust that
when Jesus
died on the
cross he
died in your
place taking
your punishment.
Trust him.
Put your
confidence in
him.
Depend upon
him for your
salvation.
call upon
him right
now to
come into
your life
and save
you.
Surrender
it to him
now.
Let him
know that
from this
day forward
you're going
to follow
him.
No one
else, not
even yourself,
but he is
going to be
your Lord.
Now I
want to
remind everyone
in this room,
every single
person, regardless
of what your
relationship
with God
is.
Saving
faith is
continuing
faith.
Look where
we are in
1 Corinthians
15.
Look at the
first two
verses.
Paul writes
to these
people,
Now I
would remind
you, brothers,
of the
gospel I
preached to
you, which
you received,
in which you
stand, and by
which you are
being saved, if
you hold fast to
the word I
preached to
you, unless
you believed in
vain.
hear me.
There are
many people
who could say
on any
Easter Sunday
morning, I
believe Jesus
is real, that
he lived in
this world, that
he died on a
cross, he was
buried in a
tomb, and I
believe he arose
from the grave.
But you only
believe that as
historical facts,
the truth is,
you don't
trust him.
You're not
trusting him as
your Savior.
You're not
committed to him
as the Lord of
your life.
You've never
really and
truly repented
of your sins,
changed your
mind, turned
from sin, and
put your faith
in Jesus, surrendered
all to him, and
continued to
trust him.
I became a
Christian a long
time ago, many
years ago now.
But you know
why I know that
he is my Lord
this morning?
Not because of
some kind of
decision I made
many years ago,
but because I'm
trusting him right
now, this moment,
as my Savior.
I'm surrendered
to him right now
as my Lord.
Truth is,
I failed him on
many occasions.
Truth is,
sometimes I am
selfish, and I
just choose to do
what I want to do
instead of what he
wants me to do.
Every Christian in
here, that's your
testimony, isn't it?
But the way that we
know we really are
the Lord's is
because as
Christians, the
Spirit of God
lives within us.
And when we
rebel, when we
ignore God, when we
live our way instead
of his way, sooner
or later, the Spirit
of God convicts us,
inflicts guilt upon
us.
God disciplines us
if we're really his
children.
And he does that to
wake us up, to get
our attention, and to
call us back to
himself.
If you don't have
that experience, if
you don't understand
what I'm talking
about, according to
Scripture, I just
don't see how you
could call yourself a
Christian.
Because saving
faith is continuing
faith.
John 3, 16, that
most everybody in
this room has at
least heard of, for
God so loved the
world that he gave
his only begotten
Son, that whoever
believes in him will
not perish but have
everlasting life.
It talks about whoever
believes in him.
It's not talking about
believes in him one
day in the past.
It's talking about
whoever believes in
him continuously.
Whoever trusts him,
whoever has a
relationship with him,
is the one who will
not perish but have
everlasting life.
So I want to ask you
on this Resurrection
Sunday, the Sunday
that we should be
celebrating, can you
celebrate your
relationship with the
risen Lord Jesus?
thank him for your
forgiveness.
Thank him for the
eternal life that is
yours now and forever.
If you can, do it.
Celebrate.
Praise and worship him.
But if you can't, then
right now, this moment,
humble yourself before
him, the risen Lord.
You may be a church
member, you may be a
church leader.
You may be a church
leader.
Here are some other
church.
But if you don't have
this real relationship,
if there's not real
life-altering faith,
trust, confidence in your
heart for this Lord,
I encourage you right now,
admit it to God,
repent of your sins,
put your trust in Jesus,
call upon him to save you
now.
I want us to bow
together.
I want us to spend this
time right now responding
to the Lord as he speaks
to you.
That's all you need to do.
Listen to him.
He is fully capable of
making it clear what you
need to do.
You just obey him.
And then,
ask him to help you to
take it one day at a
time,
one hour at a time,
as you move forward from
here.
After I pray,
I'm going to be here at
the front.
If you'd like for me to
pray with you,
talk with you about your
relationship with the
Lord, I'll be happy to do
that.
If you know someone that
you'd rather talk to,
about your relationship
with the Lord,
and they're in this room,
go and talk to them now.
Go and talk to them
before the sun goes down
today.
This Easter Sunday,
2017,
can be a day for everyone
to celebrate
because everyone can
come to Christ
if you want to
and if you will
the way that he says.
So let's pray.
Dear God,
show us how we should
respond to you.
Dear God,
work in people's hearts
who are not Christians
to call them to trust
Jesus.
Show them that when
Jesus died on the cross,
it was for their sins.
Help them to know it's
because you love them
that you sent Jesus to do
that.
Help them to understand,
dear God,
that this Jesus is not
dead,
but is alive.
And so,
help them right now
to call upon him
to come into their life
and be their savior
and surrender their life
to him as their living
Lord,
master,
boss right now.
And in this attitude
of prayer,
let's just be still
and quiet
as musicians play.
Again,
I'd be happy to speak
with you here at the front,
pray with you
you come forward
during this time.