WEBVTT

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 Good morning, church.

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 Good morning, church.

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 Good morning, church.

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 Good morning, church.

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 In other words, I want to know that I've done something meaningful with my life, that I haven't lived it in vain.

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 This Easter morning, we're looking at one of the most famous and classic New Testament texts on the resurrection.

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 And what we find is that the resurrection of Jesus has everything to do with that deep human longing not to live our lives in vain.

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 So turn with me to 1 Corinthians chapter 15.

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 It's page 961 in the Pew Bible.

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 1 Corinthians 15.

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 961.

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 We're not going to read all of 1 Corinthians 15 this morning, but we're going to read selections of it.

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 Let me pray for us before we turn to the Word.

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 God, thank you so much for this Sunday when we can focus with laser-like intensity on the resurrection of Jesus.

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 Holy Spirit, we ask that you would open our hearts to see Christ afresh to your glory, Father.

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 In his name we pray.

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 Amen.

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 Paul writes this,

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 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,

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 if you hold fast to the word I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.

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 For I deliver to you as of first importance what I also received,

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 that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,

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 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures,

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 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve.

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 Then he appeared to more than 500 brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep.

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 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles.

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 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me.

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 For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.

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 But by the grace of God, I am what I am.

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 And his grace toward me was not in vain.

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 On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me.

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 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach, and so you believed.

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 Now, if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead,

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 how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead?

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 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.

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 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain, and your faith is in vain.

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 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ,

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 whom he did not raise, if it is true that the dead are not raised.

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 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised.

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 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile, and you are still in your sins.

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 Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.

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 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

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 But, in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead.

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 The first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.

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 For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead.

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 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive.

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 But each in his own order, Christ the first fruits.

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 Then at his coming, those who belong to Christ.

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 Skip ahead down to verse 55.

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 Oh death, where is your victory?

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 Oh death, where is your sting?

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 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law.

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 But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through Jesus Christ our Lord.

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 Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable,

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 always abounding in the work of the Lord,

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 knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

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 It's easy, isn't it, to get distracted from what truly matters.

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 So Paul begins this chapter by reminding us of the gospel.

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 The good news that Christ died for our sins, was buried,

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 was raised bodily on the third day, and was seen by many witnesses.

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 And isn't that what Easter Sunday is really all about?

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 In the midst of everything else that fights for our attention,

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 to remind ourselves again of the good news of Jesus' death,

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 and above all, his resurrection.

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 And Paul says this is of first importance.

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 In other words, this gospel is not something that we kind of master,

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 and then move beyond.

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 Rather, it's the center that holds it all together.

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 It's the life-giving well that we come back to again and again,

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 and continually, continually draw water that satisfies.

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 And you know, it's worth pointing out that 1 Corinthians 15,

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 this chapter we just read from,

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 is the climax of a letter to a very troubled church.

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 If you were to read the rest of the book,

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 you'd find that the church in Corinth was wrestling with issues of unity.

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 There were factions all over tearing it apart.

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 They were struggling with holiness,

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 wondering what kind of ethics they should live their lives by.

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 They were struggling most of all with love,

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 as they tore one another apart,

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 even in their very worship services.

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 And now Paul brings it all to a head by saying,

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 let me remind you of what's of first importance.

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 Friends, could it be that each of these problems,

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 in their life and in ours,

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 come from a failure to understand and apply the gospel.

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 So we need to get the gospel straight, don't we?

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 And in particular, on Easter,

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 we need to get our thinking about the resurrection straight.

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 Because in Corinth, and for us,

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 I don't think we really grasp the significance

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 of what we mean when we say,

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 Christ is risen.

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 And we can begin by considering the very word gospel itself.

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 Which if you've hung around Trinity long enough,

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 you know that the word gospel means good news.

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 And that means this, you see,

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 Easter, the resurrection,

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 all of what we're doing this morning,

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 isn't just a really helpful metaphor

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 about how there can be light after darkness,

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 or hope from despair.

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 It's not a figurative way of saying

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 that there can be new beginnings after loss.

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 No.

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 What the first Christians were spreading

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 wasn't a metaphor,

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 but news.

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 They were making a historical claim

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 about something that happened

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 in space and time.

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 Easter wasn't a nice way of dressing up the belief

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 that there's sunshine after the rain.

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 It's a concrete, flesh and blood,

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 historical claim that something happened

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 in and through Jesus of Nazareth.

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 It's news.

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 It's a claim.

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 And the first part of this claim,

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 as we see here,

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 is that Christ died.

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 Now it's hard for us to imagine

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 how paradoxical,

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 even offensive,

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 that would have sounded

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 to a first century Jew.

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 that God's long-promised king and liberator,

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 the Christ,

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 the Messiah,

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 died.

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 And died by Roman crucifixion

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 like a common criminal.

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 It's about as absurd as saying

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 that the Canadian military forces

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 have successfully staged a takeover

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 of the United States government.

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 That doesn't make sense

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 in anybody's universe, right?

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 There's no such thing

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 as a three-sided square

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 and the Messiah wasn't supposed to die.

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 The Christ was supposed to conquer,

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 to get victory,

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 to elevate Israel above her enemies,

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 not be executed

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 by the very oppressors

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 he was meant to overthrow.

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 And so you see,

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 from the moment

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 of Jesus' crucifixion,

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 around 30 AD,

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 which no historian doubts,

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 there was no reason,

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 absolutely none,

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 why the little movement

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 from Galilee

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 that had started to gather around him

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 should have gone on existing at all.

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 There was no reason

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 that it should have spread

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 like wildfire,

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 such that within the lifetime

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 of those first disciples,

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 there were followers of Jesus

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 in nearly every corner

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 of the Roman Empire.

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 You see,

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 there had been plenty,

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 plenty of messianic

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 or quasi-messianic movements

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 in the first century.

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 And most of those leaders

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 end up being squashed.

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 And the reason why

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 you've never heard

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 of any of those people

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 is because they amounted to nothing.

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 Every single one

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 of those movements collapsed

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 practically right away.

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 except for one.

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 Except Jesus.

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 And why?

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 What made Jesus

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 any different

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 from all those other

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 failed messiahs?

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 Well, the reason

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 all the earliest followers gave

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 for why they worshipped

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 and followed

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 a crucified messiah,

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 following him

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 even to the point

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 of giving up their own lives,

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 the reason why

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 they went from a frightened

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 and dejected band

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 of nobodies

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 who bet on a losing

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 messiah

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 and were transformed

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 into a community

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 of such joy

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 and resilience

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 that they laid down

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 their life

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 for their faith in Jesus,

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 the reason that they gave

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 was that three days

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 after his burial,

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 Christ

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 was raised.

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 Now, understand

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 what is

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 and is not

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 being said here

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 in verse 4.

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 When the earliest

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 followers of Jesus

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 said that God

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 had raised him

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 from the dead,

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 it was not

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 a nice way

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 of saying

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 that Jesus

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 simply went to heaven.

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 And it wasn't

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 a nice way

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 of saying

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 that he was

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 spiritually present

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 to his followers.

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 They had lots

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 of words

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 to describe

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 that sort of thing.

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 But that is not

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 what the words

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 raised

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 and resurrection

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 meant.

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 Now, if I told you

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 that my family

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 was having an Easter egg hunt

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 with our neighbors

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 this afternoon,

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 which we are,

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 you wouldn't think

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 that that was

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 just a nice way

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 of saying

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 that I'm headed home

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 to take a nap.

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 Though I might

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 take a nap

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 after the Easter egg hunt.

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 No, you see,

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 we have words

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 for taking a nap

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 and we have words

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 for hunting for eggs.

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 And though they may

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 be related

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 in my little world,

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 they mean different things.

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 And when the followers

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 of Jesus

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 said

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 that he had been

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 raised,

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 they were saying

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 something very specific

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 and very concrete.

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 Resurrection

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 for first century Jews

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 meant that Jesus

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 was bodily

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 alive again.

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 That he had broken

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 the bars of death,

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 come out

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 through the other side

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 into a fully

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 embodied life,

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 never to die

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 again.

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 That was the claim

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 they all made.

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 That the tomb

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 was empty,

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 that he had defeated

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 death,

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 and he was gloriously

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 alive again,

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 body and all.

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 And that meant

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 that this one

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 who claimed

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 to be Messiah,

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 that this one

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 was the one

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 who claimed,

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 not just to point

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 to the truth

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 like other religious

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 leaders,

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 but claimed himself

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 to be

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 the way

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 and the truth

00:13:32.480 --> 00:13:33.299
 and the life.

00:13:35.159 --> 00:13:36.080
 The resurrection

00:13:36.080 --> 00:13:36.899
 means

00:13:36.899 --> 00:13:38.779
 that he was

00:13:38.779 --> 00:13:40.240
 and is

00:13:40.240 --> 00:13:41.720
 who he says

00:13:41.720 --> 00:13:42.320
 he is,

00:13:42.779 --> 00:13:44.139
 the Lord.

00:13:44.139 --> 00:13:49.299
 Of course,

00:13:49.340 --> 00:13:49.519
 Jesus'

00:13:49.699 --> 00:13:50.639
 bodily resurrection

00:13:50.639 --> 00:13:51.620
 is a hard claim

00:13:51.620 --> 00:13:52.779
 to wrap our minds

00:13:52.779 --> 00:13:53.319
 around.

00:13:53.480 --> 00:13:54.399
 I fully get that.

00:13:55.240 --> 00:13:55.740
 Maybe you're here

00:13:55.740 --> 00:13:56.220
 this morning

00:13:56.220 --> 00:13:56.939
 and that just seems

00:13:56.939 --> 00:13:58.679
 completely implausible.

00:13:59.259 --> 00:14:00.019
 How can we

00:14:00.019 --> 00:14:01.679
 in the 21st century

00:14:01.679 --> 00:14:03.500
 believe such a thing?

00:14:07.240 --> 00:14:07.879
 Well, you know,

00:14:07.899 --> 00:14:08.319
 it would have been

00:14:08.319 --> 00:14:09.200
 just as implausible

00:14:09.200 --> 00:14:10.100
 in the first century,

00:14:10.240 --> 00:14:10.379
 too.

00:14:10.379 --> 00:14:13.620
 After all,

00:14:13.700 --> 00:14:14.200
 the idea that

00:14:14.200 --> 00:14:14.860
 dead people

00:14:14.860 --> 00:14:15.779
 stay dead

00:14:15.779 --> 00:14:16.500
 wasn't something

00:14:16.500 --> 00:14:17.340
 we just all of a sudden

00:14:17.340 --> 00:14:18.159
 discovered in the

00:14:18.159 --> 00:14:18.700
 Enlightenment.

00:14:21.720 --> 00:14:22.460
 Everybody kind of

00:14:22.460 --> 00:14:23.000
 knew that in the

00:14:23.000 --> 00:14:23.460
 first century,

00:14:23.600 --> 00:14:23.779
 too.

00:14:25.379 --> 00:14:26.200
 And what's more,

00:14:26.279 --> 00:14:26.820
 nobody in the

00:14:26.820 --> 00:14:27.220
 first century

00:14:27.220 --> 00:14:28.059
 was even expecting

00:14:28.059 --> 00:14:29.000
 something like this.

00:14:29.320 --> 00:14:29.860
 Your typical

00:14:29.860 --> 00:14:30.899
 first century pagan

00:14:30.899 --> 00:14:31.860
 may have believed

00:14:31.860 --> 00:14:32.460
 in some sort of

00:14:32.460 --> 00:14:33.860
 afterlife and souls

00:14:33.860 --> 00:14:34.399
 and spirits

00:14:34.399 --> 00:14:35.139
 and the underworld

00:14:35.139 --> 00:14:35.580
 and such,

00:14:35.700 --> 00:14:36.480
 but they knew

00:14:36.480 --> 00:14:37.100
 that you didn't

00:14:37.100 --> 00:14:37.740
 come back,

00:14:37.779 --> 00:14:38.379
 not in a body.

00:14:38.539 --> 00:14:39.500
 Nobody beat death.

00:14:41.100 --> 00:14:41.559
 And besides,

00:14:41.659 --> 00:14:42.320
 many Greeks and Romans

00:14:42.320 --> 00:14:42.779
 wouldn't have thought

00:14:42.779 --> 00:14:43.240
 that coming back

00:14:43.240 --> 00:14:44.019
 in a body

00:14:44.019 --> 00:14:44.980
 was such a good

00:14:44.980 --> 00:14:45.679
 thing anyway.

00:14:46.519 --> 00:14:46.899
 Soma,

00:14:47.299 --> 00:14:47.639
 Sema,

00:14:47.799 --> 00:14:48.360
 they used to say.

00:14:48.439 --> 00:14:49.000
 The body

00:14:49.000 --> 00:14:50.059
 is a tomb.

00:14:50.419 --> 00:14:50.919
 The quicker

00:14:50.919 --> 00:14:51.620
 we're released

00:14:51.620 --> 00:14:52.379
 from our fickle,

00:14:52.519 --> 00:14:53.100
 corrupt bodies,

00:14:53.159 --> 00:14:53.639
 the better.

00:14:54.500 --> 00:14:55.279
 So a bodily

00:14:55.279 --> 00:14:55.980
 risen Christ

00:14:55.980 --> 00:14:56.559
 certainly isn't

00:14:56.559 --> 00:14:57.019
 something that the

00:14:57.019 --> 00:14:57.539
 Greeks would have

00:14:57.539 --> 00:14:57.980
 made up.

00:14:58.899 --> 00:14:59.439
 They would have

00:14:59.439 --> 00:14:59.960
 had a hard time

00:14:59.960 --> 00:15:00.600
 wrapping their minds

00:15:00.600 --> 00:15:00.980
 around it,

00:15:01.059 --> 00:15:01.539
 too, you see.

00:15:03.460 --> 00:15:04.000
 But you know,

00:15:04.039 --> 00:15:04.759
 the same is true

00:15:04.759 --> 00:15:05.580
 for first century

00:15:05.580 --> 00:15:07.019
 Jewish culture as well.

00:15:08.519 --> 00:15:08.840
 You see,

00:15:08.899 --> 00:15:09.480
 all the earliest

00:15:09.480 --> 00:15:10.320
 followers of Jesus

00:15:10.320 --> 00:15:11.180
 were good,

00:15:11.740 --> 00:15:13.080
 monotheistic Jews,

00:15:13.539 --> 00:15:14.320
 which meant

00:15:14.320 --> 00:15:15.300
 that they

00:15:15.300 --> 00:15:16.600
 most certainly

00:15:16.600 --> 00:15:17.180
 believed

00:15:17.180 --> 00:15:17.980
 in a great

00:15:17.980 --> 00:15:19.139
 final resurrection

00:15:19.139 --> 00:15:20.480
 of all God's

00:15:20.480 --> 00:15:21.019
 people at the

00:15:21.019 --> 00:15:21.620
 end of the day

00:15:21.620 --> 00:15:22.820
 when God would

00:15:22.820 --> 00:15:23.440
 come to put an

00:15:23.440 --> 00:15:24.060
 end to evil

00:15:24.060 --> 00:15:24.600
 and injustice

00:15:24.600 --> 00:15:25.840
 and to heal

00:15:25.840 --> 00:15:26.539
 his creation.

00:15:27.980 --> 00:15:28.639
 So yes,

00:15:28.700 --> 00:15:29.240
 they were looking

00:15:29.240 --> 00:15:30.300
 forward to a

00:15:30.300 --> 00:15:30.960
 resurrection of

00:15:30.960 --> 00:15:31.740
 all God's people

00:15:31.740 --> 00:15:32.440
 at the end of

00:15:32.440 --> 00:15:32.659
 history,

00:15:32.779 --> 00:15:33.200
 but what they

00:15:33.200 --> 00:15:34.259
 weren't expecting

00:15:34.259 --> 00:15:36.720
 was the

00:15:36.720 --> 00:15:37.340
 resurrection of

00:15:37.340 --> 00:15:38.139
 one person

00:15:38.139 --> 00:15:39.700
 in the middle

00:15:39.700 --> 00:15:40.240
 of history.

00:15:42.039 --> 00:15:43.019
 That was off

00:15:43.019 --> 00:15:43.480
 the grid.

00:15:45.319 --> 00:15:45.840
 Think of

00:15:45.840 --> 00:15:46.139
 baseball.

00:15:46.840 --> 00:15:48.019
 We fully expect

00:15:48.019 --> 00:15:48.819
 one team

00:15:48.819 --> 00:15:49.700
 at the end of

00:15:49.700 --> 00:15:50.100
 the season

00:15:50.100 --> 00:15:50.819
 to win the

00:15:50.819 --> 00:15:51.259
 whole thing,

00:15:51.419 --> 00:15:51.860
 to be the

00:15:51.860 --> 00:15:52.200
 victor.

00:15:53.480 --> 00:15:54.159
 But what we

00:15:54.159 --> 00:15:54.759
 don't expect

00:15:54.759 --> 00:15:55.360
 is a single

00:15:55.360 --> 00:15:56.159
 player in the

00:15:56.159 --> 00:15:56.600
 middle of the

00:15:56.600 --> 00:15:57.259
 season to be

00:15:57.259 --> 00:15:57.639
 crowned the

00:15:57.639 --> 00:15:58.120
 World Series

00:15:58.120 --> 00:15:58.439
 MVP.

00:15:59.919 --> 00:16:00.639
 It just doesn't

00:16:00.639 --> 00:16:01.259
 work that way.

00:16:01.259 --> 00:16:03.379
 So you see,

00:16:03.439 --> 00:16:03.620
 Jesus'

00:16:03.799 --> 00:16:04.659
 resurrection in

00:16:04.659 --> 00:16:05.159
 the middle of

00:16:05.159 --> 00:16:05.679
 history was

00:16:05.679 --> 00:16:06.480
 something that

00:16:06.480 --> 00:16:07.019
 no Jewish

00:16:07.019 --> 00:16:08.080
 person would

00:16:08.080 --> 00:16:08.379
 have made

00:16:08.379 --> 00:16:08.639
 up.

00:16:09.919 --> 00:16:10.620
 So for Jew

00:16:10.620 --> 00:16:11.139
 and Gentile

00:16:11.139 --> 00:16:12.399
 alike, the

00:16:12.399 --> 00:16:13.179
 resurrection of

00:16:13.179 --> 00:16:14.340
 Jesus was

00:16:14.340 --> 00:16:15.220
 unexpected,

00:16:16.240 --> 00:16:16.799
 surprising,

00:16:17.779 --> 00:16:18.179
 shocking,

00:16:19.399 --> 00:16:20.220
 even hard to

00:16:20.220 --> 00:16:20.620
 believe.

00:16:22.399 --> 00:16:23.299
 Just like it

00:16:23.299 --> 00:16:23.720
 is for us

00:16:23.720 --> 00:16:23.980
 today.

00:16:25.700 --> 00:16:26.480
 So given

00:16:26.480 --> 00:16:27.100
 all that,

00:16:28.159 --> 00:16:29.120
 how did

00:16:29.120 --> 00:16:30.000
 they come

00:16:30.000 --> 00:16:30.799
 to believe

00:16:30.799 --> 00:16:30.980
 it?

00:16:31.259 --> 00:16:34.019
 our text

00:16:34.019 --> 00:16:34.399
 tells us

00:16:34.399 --> 00:16:34.700
 in verse

00:16:34.700 --> 00:16:35.059
 5,

00:16:36.779 --> 00:16:37.059
 he

00:16:37.059 --> 00:16:38.740
 appeared.

00:16:41.399 --> 00:16:42.080
 He came

00:16:42.080 --> 00:16:42.399
 to them

00:16:42.399 --> 00:16:43.819
 and they

00:16:43.819 --> 00:16:44.500
 saw him

00:16:44.500 --> 00:16:45.059
 with their

00:16:45.059 --> 00:16:45.639
 own eyes.

00:16:46.319 --> 00:16:46.960
 The account

00:16:46.960 --> 00:16:47.480
 from John's

00:16:47.480 --> 00:16:48.019
 gospel that

00:16:48.019 --> 00:16:48.340
 we read

00:16:48.340 --> 00:16:49.000
 earlier tells

00:16:49.000 --> 00:16:49.319
 us that

00:16:49.319 --> 00:16:49.980
 Mary even

00:16:49.980 --> 00:16:50.860
 embraced him.

00:16:51.980 --> 00:16:52.419
 And the

00:16:52.419 --> 00:16:52.879
 gospel of

00:16:52.879 --> 00:16:53.259
 Luke tells

00:16:53.259 --> 00:16:53.500
 us that

00:16:53.500 --> 00:16:53.980
 they ate

00:16:53.980 --> 00:16:54.360
 with him.

00:16:55.439 --> 00:16:55.840
 And in

00:16:55.840 --> 00:16:56.240
 Matthew's

00:16:56.240 --> 00:16:56.600
 account of

00:16:56.600 --> 00:16:56.860
 all this,

00:16:56.919 --> 00:16:57.200
 we're even

00:16:57.200 --> 00:16:57.639
 told that on

00:16:57.639 --> 00:16:58.080
 those first

00:16:58.080 --> 00:16:58.519
 occasions,

00:16:58.639 --> 00:16:58.960
 seeing the

00:16:58.960 --> 00:16:59.360
 risen Jesus,

00:16:59.500 --> 00:16:59.840
 some of

00:16:59.840 --> 00:17:00.240
 them still

00:17:00.240 --> 00:17:00.899
 doubted.

00:17:01.259 --> 00:17:02.799
 which shows

00:17:02.799 --> 00:17:03.419
 how great

00:17:03.419 --> 00:17:03.740
 of a

00:17:03.740 --> 00:17:04.140
 worldview

00:17:04.140 --> 00:17:04.660
 shift was

00:17:04.660 --> 00:17:05.160
 happening

00:17:05.160 --> 00:17:06.079
 for even

00:17:06.079 --> 00:17:06.779
 the followers

00:17:06.779 --> 00:17:07.440
 of Jesus.

00:17:08.980 --> 00:17:09.720
 Also tells

00:17:09.720 --> 00:17:10.019
 us some of

00:17:10.019 --> 00:17:10.559
 the honesty

00:17:10.559 --> 00:17:10.859
 of the

00:17:10.859 --> 00:17:11.619
 gospel writers,

00:17:11.720 --> 00:17:12.119
 doesn't it?

00:17:13.839 --> 00:17:14.740
 So after the

00:17:14.740 --> 00:17:15.119
 resurrection,

00:17:15.279 --> 00:17:15.680
 Jesus spent

00:17:15.680 --> 00:17:16.579
 40 days with

00:17:16.579 --> 00:17:17.099
 his disciples,

00:17:17.240 --> 00:17:17.759
 teaching them,

00:17:18.079 --> 00:17:18.480
 being with

00:17:18.480 --> 00:17:18.700
 them,

00:17:18.980 --> 00:17:19.599
 assuring them

00:17:19.599 --> 00:17:19.960
 that he was

00:17:19.960 --> 00:17:20.220
 risen,

00:17:20.480 --> 00:17:21.059
 and then he

00:17:21.059 --> 00:17:21.740
 ascended to

00:17:21.740 --> 00:17:22.220
 the Father

00:17:22.220 --> 00:17:22.819
 and sent

00:17:22.819 --> 00:17:23.259
 them out

00:17:23.259 --> 00:17:24.079
 as witnesses

00:17:24.079 --> 00:17:25.019
 of his

00:17:25.019 --> 00:17:25.579
 resurrection,

00:17:26.160 --> 00:17:26.539
 of his

00:17:26.539 --> 00:17:27.359
 lordship,

00:17:27.359 --> 00:17:28.779
 and of

00:17:28.779 --> 00:17:28.919
 his

00:17:28.919 --> 00:17:29.399
 grace.

00:17:32.899 --> 00:17:33.339
 And it

00:17:33.339 --> 00:17:33.699
 wasn't just

00:17:33.699 --> 00:17:34.000
 single

00:17:34.000 --> 00:17:34.679
 individuals who

00:17:34.679 --> 00:17:34.959
 saw the

00:17:34.959 --> 00:17:35.439
 risen Jesus,

00:17:35.639 --> 00:17:36.279
 just two

00:17:36.279 --> 00:17:37.899
 or one or

00:17:37.899 --> 00:17:38.240
 two people

00:17:38.240 --> 00:17:38.500
 here or

00:17:38.500 --> 00:17:38.639
 there,

00:17:38.759 --> 00:17:39.179
 isolated.

00:17:39.379 --> 00:17:39.779
 We're told

00:17:39.779 --> 00:17:40.019
 that the

00:17:40.019 --> 00:17:40.559
 twelve saw

00:17:40.559 --> 00:17:40.779
 him,

00:17:41.159 --> 00:17:41.639
 and the

00:17:41.639 --> 00:17:42.299
 apostles saw

00:17:42.299 --> 00:17:42.539
 him,

00:17:42.879 --> 00:17:43.279
 and even

00:17:43.279 --> 00:17:43.979
 500 at

00:17:43.979 --> 00:17:44.779
 once saw

00:17:44.779 --> 00:17:44.959
 him,

00:17:45.039 --> 00:17:45.459
 Paul says.

00:17:45.839 --> 00:17:46.199
 And Paul's

00:17:46.199 --> 00:17:46.559
 writing all

00:17:46.559 --> 00:17:46.899
 this in a

00:17:46.899 --> 00:17:47.399
 public letter

00:17:47.399 --> 00:17:47.779
 as if to

00:17:47.779 --> 00:17:47.979
 say,

00:17:48.099 --> 00:17:48.259
 look,

00:17:48.299 --> 00:17:48.639
 you can go

00:17:48.639 --> 00:17:49.079
 talk to

00:17:49.079 --> 00:17:49.219
 them,

00:17:49.259 --> 00:17:49.659
 they'll tell

00:17:49.659 --> 00:17:49.979
 you what

00:17:49.979 --> 00:17:50.339
 they saw.

00:17:52.039 --> 00:17:52.519
 And it

00:17:52.519 --> 00:17:52.939
 wasn't just

00:17:52.939 --> 00:17:54.279
 insiders that

00:17:54.279 --> 00:17:54.959
 Jesus came to

00:17:54.959 --> 00:17:55.339
 either,

00:17:55.419 --> 00:17:55.659
 right?

00:17:55.660 --> 00:17:57.420
 We know

00:17:57.420 --> 00:17:57.740
 that the

00:17:57.740 --> 00:17:58.620
 James mentioned

00:17:58.620 --> 00:17:59.019
 in verse

00:17:59.019 --> 00:17:59.620
 seven was

00:17:59.620 --> 00:17:59.900
 Jesus'

00:18:00.100 --> 00:18:00.360
 brother.

00:18:00.700 --> 00:18:00.960
 And we

00:18:00.960 --> 00:18:01.220
 know from

00:18:01.220 --> 00:18:01.600
 the gospel

00:18:01.600 --> 00:18:02.220
 accounts that

00:18:02.220 --> 00:18:02.640
 during Jesus'

00:18:02.800 --> 00:18:03.180
 ministry,

00:18:03.440 --> 00:18:03.900
 his brothers

00:18:03.900 --> 00:18:04.440
 and relatives

00:18:04.440 --> 00:18:05.400
 totally rejected

00:18:05.400 --> 00:18:05.600
 him.

00:18:05.680 --> 00:18:05.940
 They thought

00:18:05.940 --> 00:18:06.160
 he was

00:18:06.160 --> 00:18:06.680
 crazy.

00:18:07.480 --> 00:18:07.700
 Which,

00:18:07.800 --> 00:18:08.040
 by the way,

00:18:08.100 --> 00:18:08.380
 you would

00:18:08.380 --> 00:18:09.240
 have too if

00:18:09.240 --> 00:18:09.620
 your brother

00:18:09.620 --> 00:18:10.000
 was telling

00:18:10.000 --> 00:18:10.320
 you that

00:18:10.320 --> 00:18:10.600
 he was

00:18:10.600 --> 00:18:11.060
 the Christ.

00:18:14.060 --> 00:18:14.400
 And yet

00:18:14.400 --> 00:18:14.720
 we know

00:18:14.720 --> 00:18:15.440
 that historically

00:18:15.440 --> 00:18:16.900
 within a few

00:18:16.900 --> 00:18:17.420
 years,

00:18:17.580 --> 00:18:18.200
 the person

00:18:18.200 --> 00:18:18.840
 leading the

00:18:18.840 --> 00:18:19.259
 church in

00:18:19.259 --> 00:18:20.060
 Jerusalem is

00:18:20.060 --> 00:18:20.779
 none other

00:18:20.779 --> 00:18:21.860
 than James,

00:18:22.279 --> 00:18:22.980
 the half

00:18:22.980 --> 00:18:23.920
 brother and

00:18:23.920 --> 00:18:25.000
 once despiser

00:18:25.000 --> 00:18:25.839
 of the

00:18:25.839 --> 00:18:26.200
 crucified

00:18:26.200 --> 00:18:26.700
 Jesus.

00:18:28.440 --> 00:18:29.200
 What would

00:18:29.200 --> 00:18:29.680
 have changed

00:18:29.680 --> 00:18:30.380
 his life

00:18:30.380 --> 00:18:31.599
 so radically?

00:18:33.579 --> 00:18:34.240
 And then,

00:18:34.319 --> 00:18:34.500
 of course,

00:18:34.539 --> 00:18:35.119
 there's Paul

00:18:35.119 --> 00:18:36.319
 who was a

00:18:36.319 --> 00:18:36.680
 young,

00:18:36.960 --> 00:18:37.400
 zealous

00:18:37.400 --> 00:18:38.240
 Pharisee,

00:18:38.319 --> 00:18:39.000
 had persecuted

00:18:39.000 --> 00:18:39.460
 the early

00:18:39.460 --> 00:18:39.880
 church for

00:18:39.880 --> 00:18:40.920
 their blasphemy

00:18:40.920 --> 00:18:41.759
 in claiming

00:18:41.759 --> 00:18:42.079
 that the

00:18:42.079 --> 00:18:42.440
 crucified

00:18:42.440 --> 00:18:43.039
 Jesus was

00:18:43.039 --> 00:18:43.400
 Lord.

00:18:44.400 --> 00:18:45.119
 But again,

00:18:45.200 --> 00:18:45.700
 within a few

00:18:45.700 --> 00:18:46.099
 years of

00:18:46.099 --> 00:18:46.319
 Jesus'

00:18:46.500 --> 00:18:46.900
 death,

00:18:47.359 --> 00:18:48.019
 it's Paul

00:18:48.019 --> 00:18:49.420
 who's risking

00:18:49.420 --> 00:18:50.140
 his life

00:18:50.140 --> 00:18:51.319
 to start

00:18:51.319 --> 00:18:51.859
 churches

00:18:51.859 --> 00:18:52.960
 that are

00:18:52.960 --> 00:18:53.480
 proclaiming

00:18:53.480 --> 00:18:53.839
 Jesus

00:18:53.839 --> 00:18:54.619
 crucified and

00:18:54.619 --> 00:18:54.839
 risen.

00:18:55.000 --> 00:18:55.700
 as Lord.

00:18:57.339 --> 00:18:57.819
 Friends,

00:18:57.859 --> 00:18:58.299
 this is the

00:18:58.299 --> 00:18:59.140
 core of

00:18:59.140 --> 00:18:59.579
 the gospel

00:18:59.579 --> 00:19:00.099
 message.

00:19:00.519 --> 00:19:01.599
 Christ died,

00:19:02.039 --> 00:19:02.720
 was buried,

00:19:03.619 --> 00:19:04.019
 and was

00:19:04.019 --> 00:19:05.079
 bodily raised,

00:19:06.299 --> 00:19:07.019
 offering his

00:19:07.019 --> 00:19:08.119
 grace to

00:19:08.119 --> 00:19:08.440
 all who

00:19:08.440 --> 00:19:08.819
 believe.

00:19:10.839 --> 00:19:11.279
 Now,

00:19:11.319 --> 00:19:11.500
 if you're here

00:19:11.500 --> 00:19:11.940
 this morning

00:19:11.940 --> 00:19:12.440
 and you're not

00:19:12.440 --> 00:19:12.819
 a Christian,

00:19:12.960 --> 00:19:13.299
 we're really

00:19:13.299 --> 00:19:13.700
 glad you're

00:19:13.700 --> 00:19:13.900
 here.

00:19:14.200 --> 00:19:14.700
 You picked

00:19:14.700 --> 00:19:15.180
 like the

00:19:15.180 --> 00:19:16.119
 best Sunday

00:19:16.119 --> 00:19:16.740
 to come to

00:19:16.740 --> 00:19:17.079
 church,

00:19:17.240 --> 00:19:17.539
 right?

00:19:19.779 --> 00:19:20.539
 And I hope

00:19:20.539 --> 00:19:20.920
 you're starting

00:19:20.920 --> 00:19:21.420
 to see that

00:19:21.420 --> 00:19:22.019
 this claim

00:19:22.019 --> 00:19:22.519
 about Jesus'

00:19:22.660 --> 00:19:23.059
 resurrection

00:19:23.059 --> 00:19:23.859
 isn't just

00:19:23.859 --> 00:19:24.279
 kind of a

00:19:24.279 --> 00:19:24.980
 nice private

00:19:24.980 --> 00:19:25.919
 thing for

00:19:25.919 --> 00:19:26.559
 Christians to

00:19:26.559 --> 00:19:26.899
 believe.

00:19:27.599 --> 00:19:28.240
 I hope you're

00:19:28.240 --> 00:19:28.759
 starting to see

00:19:28.759 --> 00:19:29.179
 that from the

00:19:29.179 --> 00:19:30.019
 very start,

00:19:30.220 --> 00:19:30.879
 it's always

00:19:30.879 --> 00:19:31.619
 been a claim

00:19:31.619 --> 00:19:32.440
 about something

00:19:32.440 --> 00:19:32.899
 that happened

00:19:32.899 --> 00:19:33.819
 publicly in

00:19:33.819 --> 00:19:34.859
 history that

00:19:34.859 --> 00:19:35.480
 has changed

00:19:35.480 --> 00:19:36.220
 the course of

00:19:36.220 --> 00:19:37.559
 history and

00:19:37.559 --> 00:19:38.079
 will change

00:19:38.079 --> 00:19:40.000
 your life if

00:19:40.000 --> 00:19:40.659
 you believe it.

00:19:42.599 --> 00:19:43.379
 I wonder how

00:19:43.379 --> 00:19:44.000
 you make sense

00:19:44.000 --> 00:19:44.519
 of this claim.

00:19:44.619 --> 00:19:45.079
 How do you

00:19:45.079 --> 00:19:45.919
 deal with the

00:19:45.919 --> 00:19:46.339
 resurrection?

00:19:46.339 --> 00:19:48.599
 And you

00:19:48.599 --> 00:19:48.659
 know,

00:19:48.699 --> 00:19:48.819
 if we're

00:19:48.819 --> 00:19:49.699
 being honest,

00:19:49.939 --> 00:19:50.519
 there is

00:19:50.519 --> 00:19:51.279
 one thing

00:19:51.279 --> 00:19:51.599
 that we

00:19:51.599 --> 00:19:52.279
 can't say.

00:19:53.740 --> 00:19:54.619
 We can't

00:19:54.619 --> 00:19:55.220
 say that

00:19:55.220 --> 00:19:55.519
 Jesus'

00:19:55.779 --> 00:19:56.319
 resurrection

00:19:56.319 --> 00:19:57.279
 is just

00:19:57.279 --> 00:19:57.859
 a legend

00:19:57.859 --> 00:19:58.720
 that grew

00:19:58.720 --> 00:19:59.439
 up over

00:19:59.439 --> 00:19:59.939
 time.

00:20:00.619 --> 00:20:01.299
 Maybe like

00:20:01.299 --> 00:20:01.720
 a great

00:20:01.720 --> 00:20:02.519
 extravagant

00:20:02.519 --> 00:20:03.179
 game of

00:20:03.179 --> 00:20:03.879
 whisper down

00:20:03.879 --> 00:20:04.339
 the alley.

00:20:06.099 --> 00:20:06.459
 You see,

00:20:06.539 --> 00:20:06.899
 Paul wrote

00:20:06.899 --> 00:20:07.279
 this letter

00:20:07.279 --> 00:20:07.740
 that we call

00:20:07.740 --> 00:20:08.399
 1 Corinthians

00:20:08.399 --> 00:20:08.980
 in the early

00:20:08.980 --> 00:20:09.459
 50s,

00:20:09.500 --> 00:20:09.919
 just a couple

00:20:09.919 --> 00:20:10.539
 decades after

00:20:10.539 --> 00:20:10.799
 Jesus'

00:20:10.939 --> 00:20:11.279
 death.

00:20:11.799 --> 00:20:12.079
 And did

00:20:12.079 --> 00:20:12.339
 you see what

00:20:12.339 --> 00:20:12.699
 he says in

00:20:12.699 --> 00:20:13.179
 verse 3?

00:20:13.519 --> 00:20:14.179
 This gospel

00:20:14.179 --> 00:20:14.879
 that I declared

00:20:14.879 --> 00:20:15.480
 to you is

00:20:15.480 --> 00:20:16.059
 what I also

00:20:16.059 --> 00:20:16.659
 received.

00:20:17.179 --> 00:20:17.480
 In other

00:20:17.480 --> 00:20:17.639
 words,

00:20:17.720 --> 00:20:18.019
 Paul is

00:20:18.019 --> 00:20:18.379
 saying that

00:20:18.379 --> 00:20:19.379
 this is

00:20:19.379 --> 00:20:19.759
 the core

00:20:19.759 --> 00:20:20.299
 teaching that

00:20:20.299 --> 00:20:21.039
 the earliest

00:20:21.039 --> 00:20:22.000
 followers of

00:20:22.000 --> 00:20:22.579
 Jesus believed

00:20:22.579 --> 00:20:22.899
 and taught

00:20:22.899 --> 00:20:23.259
 and passed

00:20:23.259 --> 00:20:23.480
 on to

00:20:23.480 --> 00:20:23.899
 everyone else.

00:20:24.139 --> 00:20:24.480
 So what

00:20:24.480 --> 00:20:24.740
 we've been

00:20:24.740 --> 00:20:25.460
 unpacking in

00:20:25.460 --> 00:20:25.879
 verses 3

00:20:25.879 --> 00:20:26.419
 through 7

00:20:26.419 --> 00:20:27.659
 is Paul

00:20:27.659 --> 00:20:28.379
 citing for

00:20:28.379 --> 00:20:29.019
 us one

00:20:29.019 --> 00:20:29.259
 of the

00:20:29.259 --> 00:20:29.740
 earliest

00:20:29.740 --> 00:20:30.299
 Christian

00:20:30.299 --> 00:20:30.819
 summaries

00:20:30.819 --> 00:20:31.099
 of the

00:20:31.099 --> 00:20:31.659
 good news.

00:20:33.339 --> 00:20:33.679
 And this

00:20:33.679 --> 00:20:33.960
 means that

00:20:33.960 --> 00:20:34.339
 when Paul

00:20:34.339 --> 00:20:34.919
 started his

00:20:34.919 --> 00:20:35.519
 own ministry

00:20:35.519 --> 00:20:35.799
 in the

00:20:35.799 --> 00:20:36.559
 mid-30s,

00:20:36.980 --> 00:20:37.619
 just a few

00:20:37.619 --> 00:20:38.179
 years after

00:20:38.179 --> 00:20:38.500
 Jesus'

00:20:38.700 --> 00:20:38.980
 death,

00:20:40.099 --> 00:20:40.659
 this was

00:20:40.659 --> 00:20:41.279
 his message.

00:20:42.659 --> 00:20:43.279
 Christ died

00:20:43.279 --> 00:20:43.679
 for our

00:20:43.679 --> 00:20:44.079
 sins.

00:20:44.980 --> 00:20:45.279
 He was

00:20:45.279 --> 00:20:45.720
 buried.

00:20:46.059 --> 00:20:47.379
 And he

00:20:47.379 --> 00:20:47.980
 was bodily

00:20:47.980 --> 00:20:48.659
 raised on

00:20:48.659 --> 00:20:49.000
 the third

00:20:49.000 --> 00:20:49.339
 day.

00:20:50.220 --> 00:20:50.619
 And he

00:20:50.619 --> 00:20:50.980
 was seen

00:20:50.980 --> 00:20:51.440
 by many

00:20:51.440 --> 00:20:51.839
 witnesses.

00:20:53.960 --> 00:20:54.200
 You see,

00:20:54.259 --> 00:20:54.779
 as deep

00:20:54.779 --> 00:20:55.480
 as you

00:20:55.480 --> 00:20:56.700
 go in

00:20:56.700 --> 00:20:57.279
 the historical

00:20:57.279 --> 00:20:57.759
 record,

00:20:57.879 --> 00:20:58.399
 back to the

00:20:58.399 --> 00:20:59.460
 earliest years

00:20:59.460 --> 00:21:00.019
 after Jesus'

00:21:00.179 --> 00:21:00.359
 death,

00:21:00.460 --> 00:21:00.940
 this is the

00:21:00.940 --> 00:21:01.259
 claim.

00:21:02.339 --> 00:21:02.940
 He's risen.

00:21:04.159 --> 00:21:05.000
 He's Lord.

00:21:05.000 --> 00:21:07.339
 And it's

00:21:07.339 --> 00:21:07.679
 time to

00:21:07.679 --> 00:21:08.159
 decide.

00:21:08.160 --> 00:21:09.160
 God's

00:21:09.160 --> 00:21:10.160
 God.

00:21:12.320 --> 00:21:12.600
 But you

00:21:12.600 --> 00:21:12.700
 know,

00:21:12.740 --> 00:21:13.100
 1 Corinthians

00:21:13.100 --> 00:21:13.640
 15 was

00:21:13.640 --> 00:21:14.060
 originally

00:21:14.060 --> 00:21:15.360
 written for

00:21:15.360 --> 00:21:16.000
 Christians,

00:21:16.620 --> 00:21:17.480
 for believers.

00:21:19.680 --> 00:21:19.860
 So,

00:21:19.960 --> 00:21:20.060
 fellow

00:21:20.060 --> 00:21:20.360
 Christians,

00:21:20.480 --> 00:21:20.800
 I wonder

00:21:20.800 --> 00:21:21.060
 if you

00:21:21.060 --> 00:21:21.320
 have a

00:21:21.320 --> 00:21:22.060
 right sense

00:21:22.060 --> 00:21:22.880
 of how

00:21:22.880 --> 00:21:23.360
 important

00:21:23.360 --> 00:21:24.100
 this is.

00:21:25.019 --> 00:21:25.580
 Does the

00:21:25.580 --> 00:21:26.040
 resurrection

00:21:26.040 --> 00:21:26.700
 carry the

00:21:26.700 --> 00:21:27.019
 weight of

00:21:27.019 --> 00:21:28.480
 first importance

00:21:28.480 --> 00:21:29.100
 for us?

00:21:30.019 --> 00:21:30.480
 Or do we

00:21:30.480 --> 00:21:30.860
 spend more

00:21:30.860 --> 00:21:31.440
 time building

00:21:31.440 --> 00:21:32.100
 and worrying

00:21:32.100 --> 00:21:32.740
 and dreaming

00:21:32.740 --> 00:21:33.680
 and contemplating

00:21:33.680 --> 00:21:34.200
 about other

00:21:34.200 --> 00:21:34.660
 things?

00:21:34.660 --> 00:21:36.860
 Paul goes

00:21:36.860 --> 00:21:37.160
 on to say

00:21:37.160 --> 00:21:37.380
 in verses

00:21:37.380 --> 00:21:37.980
 12-19

00:21:37.980 --> 00:21:38.279
 that if

00:21:38.279 --> 00:21:38.800
 Christ hasn't

00:21:38.800 --> 00:21:39.340
 been raised,

00:21:39.620 --> 00:21:39.759
 look,

00:21:39.800 --> 00:21:40.060
 if none

00:21:40.060 --> 00:21:40.279
 of this

00:21:40.279 --> 00:21:40.779
 is true,

00:21:41.259 --> 00:21:41.700
 pack it

00:21:41.700 --> 00:21:42.400
 up and

00:21:42.400 --> 00:21:42.980
 go home.

00:21:44.500 --> 00:21:44.860
 Stop

00:21:44.860 --> 00:21:45.320
 making us

00:21:45.320 --> 00:21:45.620
 use the

00:21:45.620 --> 00:21:46.200
 balcony on

00:21:46.200 --> 00:21:46.500
 Easter.

00:21:46.980 --> 00:21:47.440
 It's not

00:21:47.440 --> 00:21:48.000
 worth it,

00:21:48.060 --> 00:21:48.340
 right?

00:21:50.060 --> 00:21:50.540
 Without

00:21:50.540 --> 00:21:51.200
 the resurrection,

00:21:51.440 --> 00:21:52.019
 it's all

00:21:52.019 --> 00:21:52.580
 in vain.

00:21:52.820 --> 00:21:52.940
 Our

00:21:52.940 --> 00:21:53.279
 preaching,

00:21:53.460 --> 00:21:53.840
 our faith,

00:21:54.040 --> 00:21:54.420
 our hope

00:21:54.420 --> 00:21:55.180
 is futile.

00:21:55.480 --> 00:21:56.000
 The whole

00:21:56.000 --> 00:21:57.480
 ship sails

00:21:57.480 --> 00:21:57.960
 on the

00:21:57.960 --> 00:21:58.860
 reality of

00:21:58.860 --> 00:21:59.420
 the resurrection.

00:21:59.759 --> 00:22:00.120
 Take it

00:22:00.120 --> 00:22:00.779
 away and

00:22:00.779 --> 00:22:01.200
 it's empty

00:22:01.200 --> 00:22:01.820
 and pointless.

00:22:02.100 --> 00:22:02.360
 Nothing

00:22:02.360 --> 00:22:02.900
 changes.

00:22:03.380 --> 00:22:03.800
 We're still

00:22:03.800 --> 00:22:04.120
 in our

00:22:04.120 --> 00:22:04.500
 sins,

00:22:04.500 --> 00:22:05.140
 Paul says,

00:22:05.259 --> 00:22:05.880
 and nothing

00:22:05.880 --> 00:22:06.380
 matters.

00:22:06.960 --> 00:22:07.400
 If Christ

00:22:07.400 --> 00:22:07.720
 hasn't been

00:22:07.720 --> 00:22:07.980
 raised,

00:22:08.059 --> 00:22:08.539
 we die,

00:22:08.660 --> 00:22:09.160
 we perish,

00:22:09.279 --> 00:22:09.720
 that's the

00:22:09.720 --> 00:22:10.099
 end.

00:22:11.599 --> 00:22:12.279
 The great

00:22:12.279 --> 00:22:14.079
 yawn of

00:22:14.079 --> 00:22:15.000
 non-existence.

00:22:17.299 --> 00:22:17.940
 There's no

00:22:17.940 --> 00:22:18.579
 halfway here.

00:22:18.640 --> 00:22:19.059
 If it's not

00:22:19.059 --> 00:22:19.380
 true,

00:22:20.039 --> 00:22:20.740
 find something

00:22:20.740 --> 00:22:21.480
 better to do

00:22:21.480 --> 00:22:21.759
 with your

00:22:21.759 --> 00:22:22.079
 time.

00:22:24.359 --> 00:22:25.079
 But if it

00:22:25.079 --> 00:22:25.640
 is true,

00:22:27.880 --> 00:22:28.380
 well then,

00:22:28.460 --> 00:22:28.799
 Paul says,

00:22:28.859 --> 00:22:29.220
 everything

00:22:29.220 --> 00:22:31.039
 changes and

00:22:31.039 --> 00:22:31.420
 everything

00:22:31.420 --> 00:22:31.960
 matters.

00:22:31.960 --> 00:22:34.259
 And how

00:22:34.259 --> 00:22:34.600
 so?

00:22:36.200 --> 00:22:36.600
 Well,

00:22:36.640 --> 00:22:36.819
 first,

00:22:36.920 --> 00:22:37.220
 Paul says,

00:22:37.259 --> 00:22:37.660
 it changes

00:22:37.660 --> 00:22:38.200
 our future.

00:22:39.559 --> 00:22:39.960
 Look again

00:22:39.960 --> 00:22:40.200
 at verse

00:22:40.200 --> 00:22:40.539
 20.

00:22:41.539 --> 00:22:41.819
 But in

00:22:41.819 --> 00:22:42.220
 fact,

00:22:42.960 --> 00:22:44.019
 Christ has

00:22:44.019 --> 00:22:44.779
 been raised

00:22:44.779 --> 00:22:45.140
 from the

00:22:45.140 --> 00:22:45.400
 dead.

00:22:46.039 --> 00:22:46.620
 The first

00:22:46.620 --> 00:22:47.120
 fruits of

00:22:47.120 --> 00:22:47.660
 those who

00:22:47.660 --> 00:22:48.259
 have fallen

00:22:48.259 --> 00:22:48.880
 asleep.

00:22:50.740 --> 00:22:51.180
 Now,

00:22:51.279 --> 00:22:52.019
 first fruits,

00:22:52.120 --> 00:22:52.620
 as you might

00:22:52.620 --> 00:22:53.360
 have guessed,

00:22:53.480 --> 00:22:54.059
 is a metaphor

00:22:54.059 --> 00:22:55.059
 from agriculture,

00:22:55.220 --> 00:22:55.920
 from farming.

00:22:56.059 --> 00:22:56.880
 The first fruits

00:22:56.880 --> 00:22:57.579
 were the initial

00:22:57.579 --> 00:22:58.259
 part of an

00:22:58.259 --> 00:22:58.960
 incoming harvest.

00:22:58.960 --> 00:22:59.600
 it was the

00:22:59.600 --> 00:23:00.279
 initial crop

00:23:00.279 --> 00:23:00.880
 that told you

00:23:00.880 --> 00:23:01.480
 what you could

00:23:01.480 --> 00:23:02.519
 expect from

00:23:02.519 --> 00:23:02.980
 what was to

00:23:02.980 --> 00:23:03.200
 come.

00:23:03.519 --> 00:23:04.019
 It was a

00:23:04.019 --> 00:23:05.039
 taste of

00:23:05.039 --> 00:23:05.700
 what was

00:23:05.700 --> 00:23:06.079
 coming.

00:23:08.120 --> 00:23:08.579
 Think of it

00:23:08.579 --> 00:23:08.819
 this way.

00:23:08.880 --> 00:23:09.819
 Imagine standing

00:23:09.819 --> 00:23:10.940
 before a dam,

00:23:11.319 --> 00:23:11.799
 solid,

00:23:12.180 --> 00:23:12.819
 impenetrable,

00:23:13.340 --> 00:23:14.019
 stories high,

00:23:14.079 --> 00:23:14.640
 a whole lake

00:23:14.640 --> 00:23:15.500
 of water behind

00:23:15.500 --> 00:23:16.259
 it, a little

00:23:16.259 --> 00:23:16.759
 sort of small

00:23:16.759 --> 00:23:17.440
 river trickling

00:23:17.440 --> 00:23:17.840
 from it,

00:23:17.960 --> 00:23:18.680
 and suddenly,

00:23:19.100 --> 00:23:19.940
 contemplating said

00:23:19.940 --> 00:23:20.840
 dam, you see

00:23:20.840 --> 00:23:21.579
 a stream of

00:23:21.579 --> 00:23:22.420
 water come

00:23:22.420 --> 00:23:23.120
 shooting out of

00:23:23.120 --> 00:23:23.980
 a crack right

00:23:23.980 --> 00:23:24.460
 in the middle.

00:23:24.460 --> 00:23:28.799
 Now, you

00:23:28.799 --> 00:23:29.200
 don't have to

00:23:29.200 --> 00:23:29.819
 be a structural

00:23:29.819 --> 00:23:30.539
 engineer to

00:23:30.539 --> 00:23:31.920
 know that

00:23:31.920 --> 00:23:32.620
 something is

00:23:32.620 --> 00:23:33.340
 inevitably going

00:23:33.340 --> 00:23:33.819
 to happen.

00:23:35.319 --> 00:23:36.920
 That dam is

00:23:36.920 --> 00:23:37.759
 going to

00:23:37.759 --> 00:23:38.799
 break, and

00:23:38.799 --> 00:23:39.660
 nothing is going

00:23:39.660 --> 00:23:40.400
 to stop it.

00:23:41.400 --> 00:23:42.240
 And that

00:23:42.240 --> 00:23:43.940
 stream is

00:23:43.940 --> 00:23:44.759
 going to turn

00:23:44.759 --> 00:23:45.819
 into a flood.

00:23:47.319 --> 00:23:48.059
 Paul says

00:23:48.059 --> 00:23:48.579
 it's the same

00:23:48.579 --> 00:23:49.200
 with Christ.

00:23:49.840 --> 00:23:50.400
 What's true

00:23:50.400 --> 00:23:51.340
 of him will

00:23:51.340 --> 00:23:51.819
 be true of

00:23:51.819 --> 00:23:52.100
 those who

00:23:52.100 --> 00:23:52.799
 belong to him.

00:23:53.100 --> 00:23:53.400
 He has

00:23:53.400 --> 00:23:54.440
 broken the

00:23:54.440 --> 00:23:55.720
 dam of

00:23:55.720 --> 00:23:56.759
 death, and

00:23:56.759 --> 00:23:57.460
 nothing will

00:23:57.460 --> 00:23:58.259
 stop him from

00:23:58.259 --> 00:23:59.200
 one day bringing

00:23:59.200 --> 00:24:00.360
 the whole thing

00:24:00.360 --> 00:24:01.160
 down.

00:24:01.640 --> 00:24:02.259
 And those who

00:24:02.259 --> 00:24:03.080
 belong to him,

00:24:03.360 --> 00:24:03.779
 those who have

00:24:03.779 --> 00:24:04.980
 believed in him,

00:24:05.120 --> 00:24:06.120
 and taken him

00:24:06.120 --> 00:24:07.039
 as their Lord,

00:24:07.360 --> 00:24:08.000
 will be like

00:24:08.000 --> 00:24:08.940
 that flood

00:24:08.940 --> 00:24:10.600
 rolling over

00:24:10.600 --> 00:24:11.279
 the rubble

00:24:11.279 --> 00:24:12.259
 of death,

00:24:12.680 --> 00:24:13.640
 rushing into

00:24:13.640 --> 00:24:14.240
 the world to

00:24:14.240 --> 00:24:14.440
 come.

00:24:18.039 --> 00:24:18.720
 We don't

00:24:18.720 --> 00:24:19.160
 often get

00:24:19.160 --> 00:24:19.860
 amens at

00:24:19.860 --> 00:24:20.120
 Trinity.

00:24:20.279 --> 00:24:20.519
 That's

00:24:20.519 --> 00:24:20.960
 thanks.

00:24:20.960 --> 00:24:23.980
 we're a

00:24:23.980 --> 00:24:24.180
 pretty

00:24:24.180 --> 00:24:25.720
 solid,

00:24:25.880 --> 00:24:26.559
 stolid,

00:24:26.680 --> 00:24:27.200
 sort of

00:24:27.200 --> 00:24:27.900
 quiet bunch

00:24:27.900 --> 00:24:28.180
 here.

00:24:30.160 --> 00:24:30.700
 Don't you

00:24:30.700 --> 00:24:30.980
 see what

00:24:30.980 --> 00:24:31.360
 Paul's saying

00:24:31.360 --> 00:24:31.660
 in verses

00:24:31.660 --> 00:24:32.100
 20 through

00:24:32.100 --> 00:24:32.539
 23?

00:24:33.279 --> 00:24:33.740
 What's true

00:24:33.740 --> 00:24:34.360
 of the king

00:24:34.360 --> 00:24:35.200
 will one day

00:24:35.200 --> 00:24:35.700
 be true of

00:24:35.700 --> 00:24:36.039
 the kingdom.

00:24:36.779 --> 00:24:37.279
 If he has

00:24:37.279 --> 00:24:37.840
 been raised,

00:24:38.200 --> 00:24:38.819
 then so shall

00:24:38.819 --> 00:24:39.019
 we.

00:24:40.600 --> 00:24:41.600
 Next Sunday,

00:24:42.100 --> 00:24:42.840
 Worcester Square

00:24:42.840 --> 00:24:43.440
 will be having

00:24:43.440 --> 00:24:43.860
 their Cherry

00:24:43.860 --> 00:24:44.680
 Blossom Festival.

00:24:45.860 --> 00:24:46.539
 Small group

00:24:46.539 --> 00:24:47.000
 activity.

00:24:47.340 --> 00:24:47.819
 There you go.

00:24:47.819 --> 00:24:49.460
 And if you

00:24:49.460 --> 00:24:49.960
 were to go to

00:24:49.960 --> 00:24:50.639
 Worcester Square

00:24:50.639 --> 00:24:51.460
 and stand in

00:24:51.460 --> 00:24:51.919
 the park

00:24:51.919 --> 00:24:52.619
 and face

00:24:52.619 --> 00:24:53.139
 north,

00:24:53.599 --> 00:24:54.119
 you'd actually

00:24:54.119 --> 00:24:54.799
 be looking up

00:24:54.799 --> 00:24:55.439
 a little street

00:24:55.439 --> 00:24:56.279
 called Hughes

00:24:56.279 --> 00:24:56.899
 Place.

00:24:57.939 --> 00:24:58.720
 And the trees

00:24:58.720 --> 00:24:59.319
 along Hughes

00:24:59.319 --> 00:25:00.059
 Place every

00:25:00.059 --> 00:25:00.939
 year always

00:25:00.939 --> 00:25:02.339
 peak about

00:25:02.339 --> 00:25:03.279
 three to five

00:25:03.279 --> 00:25:03.879
 days before

00:25:03.879 --> 00:25:04.439
 the rest of

00:25:04.439 --> 00:25:04.799
 the square.

00:25:06.279 --> 00:25:06.759
 So you see,

00:25:06.839 --> 00:25:07.359
 when you see

00:25:07.359 --> 00:25:08.799
 them starting

00:25:08.799 --> 00:25:09.339
 to come into

00:25:09.339 --> 00:25:09.700
 bloom,

00:25:10.299 --> 00:25:11.079
 you know that

00:25:11.079 --> 00:25:11.779
 at any day

00:25:11.779 --> 00:25:12.819
 that whole

00:25:12.819 --> 00:25:13.539
 square is going

00:25:13.539 --> 00:25:15.159
 to erupt into

00:25:15.159 --> 00:25:16.480
 color and be

00:25:16.480 --> 00:25:17.039
 transformed.

00:25:17.819 --> 00:25:19.359
 For my money,

00:25:19.439 --> 00:25:19.879
 that's probably

00:25:19.879 --> 00:25:20.359
 one of the most

00:25:20.359 --> 00:25:21.359
 beautiful moments

00:25:21.359 --> 00:25:22.099
 in our city.

00:25:23.519 --> 00:25:24.079
 And it's the

00:25:24.079 --> 00:25:25.339
 perfect metaphor

00:25:25.339 --> 00:25:27.139
 for what Paul's

00:25:27.139 --> 00:25:27.980
 trying to get us

00:25:27.980 --> 00:25:28.859
 to see here.

00:25:30.359 --> 00:25:31.399
 The Christian

00:25:31.399 --> 00:25:31.939
 hope,

00:25:32.099 --> 00:25:32.279
 friends,

00:25:32.319 --> 00:25:32.879
 is determined

00:25:32.879 --> 00:25:33.799
 by Christ.

00:25:34.279 --> 00:25:35.039
 He's the first

00:25:35.039 --> 00:25:35.339
 fruits.

00:25:35.720 --> 00:25:36.119
 If he has

00:25:36.119 --> 00:25:37.059
 erupted into

00:25:37.059 --> 00:25:37.559
 life,

00:25:37.679 --> 00:25:38.539
 then so shall

00:25:38.539 --> 00:25:38.879
 we.

00:25:39.220 --> 00:25:40.019
 If he's been

00:25:40.019 --> 00:25:40.579
 raised in a

00:25:40.579 --> 00:25:40.960
 body,

00:25:41.240 --> 00:25:41.960
 then so shall

00:25:41.960 --> 00:25:42.200
 we.

00:25:42.259 --> 00:25:43.000
 If he's broken

00:25:43.000 --> 00:25:43.960
 through death

00:25:43.960 --> 00:25:45.859
 into incorruptible

00:25:45.859 --> 00:25:47.079
 physicality

00:25:47.079 --> 00:25:48.259
 and beauty,

00:25:49.039 --> 00:25:50.099
 then that is

00:25:50.099 --> 00:25:50.500
 where God

00:25:50.500 --> 00:25:51.259
 is taking us.

00:25:52.960 --> 00:25:53.559
 Now get

00:25:53.559 --> 00:25:54.039
 this.

00:25:54.519 --> 00:25:55.419
 This means

00:25:55.419 --> 00:25:56.099
 that your

00:25:56.099 --> 00:25:58.379
 future isn't

00:25:58.379 --> 00:25:59.859
 as a disembodied

00:25:59.859 --> 00:26:00.919
 spirit floating

00:26:00.919 --> 00:26:01.599
 on a cloud

00:26:01.599 --> 00:26:02.339
 in some

00:26:02.339 --> 00:26:02.859
 ethereal

00:26:02.859 --> 00:26:03.579
 afterlife.

00:26:06.699 --> 00:26:07.539
 But it's

00:26:07.539 --> 00:26:08.099
 in a renewed

00:26:08.099 --> 00:26:08.639
 body,

00:26:09.740 --> 00:26:10.299
 free of

00:26:10.299 --> 00:26:10.799
 decay and

00:26:10.799 --> 00:26:11.139
 death,

00:26:11.859 --> 00:26:12.359
 filled with

00:26:12.359 --> 00:26:13.599
 glory and

00:26:13.599 --> 00:26:14.079
 the spirit

00:26:14.079 --> 00:26:14.579
 of God.

00:26:14.579 --> 00:26:16.379
 And if

00:26:16.379 --> 00:26:17.000
 that's the

00:26:17.000 --> 00:26:17.740
 future Christ

00:26:17.740 --> 00:26:18.399
 guarantees for

00:26:18.399 --> 00:26:18.559
 us,

00:26:18.579 --> 00:26:18.879
 then don't

00:26:18.879 --> 00:26:19.159
 you see,

00:26:19.399 --> 00:26:19.859
 the pleasures

00:26:19.859 --> 00:26:20.240
 of this

00:26:20.240 --> 00:26:21.139
 life are

00:26:21.139 --> 00:26:21.819
 only a

00:26:21.819 --> 00:26:22.119
 rumor.

00:26:22.480 --> 00:26:22.659
 They are

00:26:22.659 --> 00:26:23.319
 only a

00:26:23.319 --> 00:26:23.899
 whisper of

00:26:23.899 --> 00:26:24.240
 what's to

00:26:24.240 --> 00:26:24.460
 come.

00:26:24.720 --> 00:26:25.379
 The drink

00:26:25.379 --> 00:26:25.980
 and the

00:26:25.980 --> 00:26:26.359
 laughter

00:26:26.359 --> 00:26:27.079
 and the

00:26:27.079 --> 00:26:28.099
 love now,

00:26:28.199 --> 00:26:28.599
 they're only

00:26:28.599 --> 00:26:29.199
 a dim

00:26:29.199 --> 00:26:30.319
 reflection of

00:26:30.319 --> 00:26:30.740
 what's in

00:26:30.740 --> 00:26:31.059
 store.

00:26:31.759 --> 00:26:32.119
 One of the

00:26:32.119 --> 00:26:32.819
 main metaphors

00:26:32.819 --> 00:26:33.179
 that Jesus

00:26:33.179 --> 00:26:34.619
 uses for the

00:26:34.619 --> 00:26:35.299
 new creation

00:26:35.299 --> 00:26:36.000
 is of a

00:26:36.000 --> 00:26:36.599
 wedding feast.

00:26:36.839 --> 00:26:37.000
 Friends,

00:26:37.079 --> 00:26:37.379
 what could

00:26:37.379 --> 00:26:38.460
 engage our

00:26:38.460 --> 00:26:39.299
 physical senses

00:26:39.299 --> 00:26:40.419
 more than a

00:26:40.419 --> 00:26:40.799
 feast?

00:26:41.220 --> 00:26:41.599
 Where we

00:26:41.599 --> 00:26:42.259
 eat and

00:26:42.259 --> 00:26:42.960
 drink and

00:26:42.960 --> 00:26:43.699
 dance and

00:26:43.699 --> 00:26:43.960
 laugh.

00:26:43.960 --> 00:26:44.720
 That's

00:26:44.720 --> 00:26:45.140
 what's in

00:26:45.140 --> 00:26:45.500
 store.

00:26:46.120 --> 00:26:46.779
 Not less

00:26:46.779 --> 00:26:47.120
 physical,

00:26:47.279 --> 00:26:47.799
 but more.

00:26:50.299 --> 00:26:50.920
 And that

00:26:50.920 --> 00:26:51.200
 means that

00:26:51.200 --> 00:26:51.460
 no matter

00:26:51.460 --> 00:26:52.620
 what happens

00:26:52.620 --> 00:26:54.039
 or doesn't

00:26:54.039 --> 00:26:55.600
 happen to

00:26:55.600 --> 00:26:56.140
 you in

00:26:56.140 --> 00:26:56.759
 this life,

00:26:57.180 --> 00:26:57.660
 you are

00:26:57.660 --> 00:26:59.799
 not ultimately

00:26:59.799 --> 00:27:01.360
 going to

00:27:01.360 --> 00:27:02.660
 miss out.

00:27:04.579 --> 00:27:05.559
 So if you

00:27:05.559 --> 00:27:06.039
 never take

00:27:06.039 --> 00:27:06.680
 that epic

00:27:06.680 --> 00:27:07.740
 hiking trip

00:27:07.740 --> 00:27:08.600
 through Europe,

00:27:09.519 --> 00:27:10.460
 if you

00:27:10.460 --> 00:27:11.079
 never land

00:27:11.079 --> 00:27:11.740
 that dream

00:27:11.740 --> 00:27:12.279
 job,

00:27:12.279 --> 00:27:14.160
 if you

00:27:14.160 --> 00:27:14.700
 never meet

00:27:14.700 --> 00:27:15.259
 that someone

00:27:15.259 --> 00:27:15.819
 special,

00:27:16.440 --> 00:27:18.399
 you're not

00:27:18.399 --> 00:27:18.599
 going to

00:27:18.599 --> 00:27:19.000
 miss out.

00:27:19.879 --> 00:27:20.680
 Your life

00:27:20.680 --> 00:27:21.700
 isn't ultimately

00:27:21.700 --> 00:27:22.299
 going to be

00:27:22.299 --> 00:27:22.720
 incomplete.

00:27:23.720 --> 00:27:24.220
 Christ has

00:27:24.220 --> 00:27:24.639
 something in

00:27:24.639 --> 00:27:25.359
 store for you

00:27:25.359 --> 00:27:26.460
 that's more

00:27:26.460 --> 00:27:27.579
 real than you

00:27:27.579 --> 00:27:28.180
 can imagine,

00:27:28.680 --> 00:27:29.220
 a feast.

00:27:30.779 --> 00:27:31.059
 Do you see

00:27:31.059 --> 00:27:31.720
 how liberating

00:27:31.720 --> 00:27:32.299
 that is?

00:27:32.839 --> 00:27:33.639
 Here and

00:27:33.639 --> 00:27:33.960
 now?

00:27:34.960 --> 00:27:35.859
 The world

00:27:35.859 --> 00:27:36.440
 to come is

00:27:36.440 --> 00:27:36.940
 going to be a

00:27:36.940 --> 00:27:37.379
 flood.

00:27:37.980 --> 00:27:38.420
 It's going to

00:27:38.420 --> 00:27:39.359
 be an explosion

00:27:39.359 --> 00:27:40.000
 of cherry

00:27:40.000 --> 00:27:40.899
 blossom leaves

00:27:40.899 --> 00:27:42.779
 that takes

00:27:42.779 --> 00:27:43.199
 our breath

00:27:43.199 --> 00:27:43.539
 away.

00:27:45.039 --> 00:27:45.899
 And you'll

00:27:45.899 --> 00:27:46.359
 be a part

00:27:46.359 --> 00:27:46.679
 of it.

00:27:48.679 --> 00:27:49.859
 So relax.

00:27:51.619 --> 00:27:52.179
 Give.

00:27:53.299 --> 00:27:53.839
 Make

00:27:53.839 --> 00:27:54.519
 sacrifices.

00:27:55.859 --> 00:27:56.339
 Forbear.

00:27:57.679 --> 00:27:57.979
 Forgive.

00:27:57.979 --> 00:27:58.219
 Forgive.

00:28:00.799 --> 00:28:01.639
 Easter's the

00:28:01.639 --> 00:28:02.240
 great promise,

00:28:02.359 --> 00:28:02.500
 friends,

00:28:02.559 --> 00:28:03.079
 that death

00:28:03.079 --> 00:28:03.740
 has been

00:28:03.740 --> 00:28:04.379
 swallowed up

00:28:04.379 --> 00:28:04.879
 in victory

00:28:04.880 --> 00:28:05.900
 and what's

00:28:05.900 --> 00:28:06.820
 in store

00:28:06.820 --> 00:28:08.420
 is unmitigated,

00:28:08.920 --> 00:28:09.700
 unashamed,

00:28:10.760 --> 00:28:12.580
 material joy.

00:28:16.040 --> 00:28:17.040
 And if that's

00:28:17.040 --> 00:28:17.240
 what the

00:28:17.240 --> 00:28:18.100
 resurrection of

00:28:18.100 --> 00:28:18.800
 Jesus means

00:28:18.800 --> 00:28:19.220
 for our

00:28:19.220 --> 00:28:19.540
 future,

00:28:20.660 --> 00:28:21.260
 then here's

00:28:21.260 --> 00:28:21.620
 what it means

00:28:21.620 --> 00:28:21.900
 for our

00:28:21.900 --> 00:28:22.240
 present.

00:28:23.300 --> 00:28:24.000
 Paul ends

00:28:24.000 --> 00:28:24.620
 this great

00:28:24.620 --> 00:28:25.160
 chapter on

00:28:25.160 --> 00:28:25.700
 the resurrection

00:28:25.700 --> 00:28:26.320
 by saying,

00:28:26.480 --> 00:28:26.760
 therefore,

00:28:27.260 --> 00:28:27.780
 my beloved

00:28:27.780 --> 00:28:28.200
 brothers,

00:28:28.580 --> 00:28:29.420
 be steadfast,

00:28:29.780 --> 00:28:30.180
 immovable,

00:28:30.580 --> 00:28:31.420
 always abounding

00:28:31.420 --> 00:28:31.880
 in the work

00:28:31.880 --> 00:28:32.280
 of the Lord,

00:28:32.440 --> 00:28:33.340
 knowing that

00:28:33.340 --> 00:28:34.020
 in the Lord

00:28:34.019 --> 00:28:34.960
 your labor

00:28:34.960 --> 00:28:35.839
 is not

00:28:35.839 --> 00:28:36.379
 in vain.

00:28:38.119 --> 00:28:39.139
 The reality

00:28:39.139 --> 00:28:39.460
 of the

00:28:39.460 --> 00:28:39.839
 resurrection,

00:28:40.059 --> 00:28:40.220
 friends,

00:28:40.279 --> 00:28:41.000
 doesn't make

00:28:41.000 --> 00:28:42.000
 us less

00:28:42.000 --> 00:28:42.900
 engaged

00:28:42.900 --> 00:28:43.539
 in this

00:28:43.539 --> 00:28:44.039
 life,

00:28:44.259 --> 00:28:45.099
 but more.

00:28:46.119 --> 00:28:46.900
 Because the

00:28:46.900 --> 00:28:47.319
 bodily

00:28:47.319 --> 00:28:47.859
 resurrection

00:28:47.859 --> 00:28:48.539
 of Jesus

00:28:48.539 --> 00:28:48.980
 is the

00:28:48.980 --> 00:28:49.379
 great

00:28:49.379 --> 00:28:50.220
 affirmation

00:28:50.220 --> 00:28:50.900
 that God

00:28:50.900 --> 00:28:51.500
 is at

00:28:51.500 --> 00:28:51.920
 work

00:28:51.920 --> 00:28:52.920
 redeeming

00:28:52.920 --> 00:28:53.660
 this

00:28:53.660 --> 00:28:54.480
 world.

00:28:55.799 --> 00:28:56.339
 And the

00:28:56.339 --> 00:28:56.779
 work that

00:28:56.779 --> 00:28:57.259
 we do

00:28:57.259 --> 00:28:57.960
 in the

00:28:57.960 --> 00:28:58.319
 Lord

00:28:58.319 --> 00:28:59.500
 for his

00:28:59.500 --> 00:28:59.859
 kingdom,

00:29:00.059 --> 00:29:00.400
 out of

00:29:00.400 --> 00:29:00.900
 love and

00:29:00.900 --> 00:29:01.279
 gratitude

00:29:01.279 --> 00:29:02.400
 toward him,

00:29:02.639 --> 00:29:03.680
 that work

00:29:03.680 --> 00:29:04.600
 will not

00:29:04.600 --> 00:29:05.500
 be lost

00:29:05.500 --> 00:29:06.480
 or wasted

00:29:06.480 --> 00:29:07.519
 or useless.

00:29:07.700 --> 00:29:08.000
 In the

00:29:08.000 --> 00:29:08.259
 Lord,

00:29:08.360 --> 00:29:08.880
 your labor

00:29:08.880 --> 00:29:09.600
 is not

00:29:09.600 --> 00:29:10.140
 in vain.

00:29:12.299 --> 00:29:12.920
 And that

00:29:12.920 --> 00:29:13.279
 certainly

00:29:13.279 --> 00:29:13.840
 applies to

00:29:13.840 --> 00:29:14.320
 our witness

00:29:14.320 --> 00:29:14.860
 bearing,

00:29:15.019 --> 00:29:15.220
 right?

00:29:15.340 --> 00:29:15.680
 To the

00:29:15.680 --> 00:29:15.960
 work that

00:29:15.960 --> 00:29:16.320
 we do

00:29:16.320 --> 00:29:17.060
 to introduce

00:29:17.060 --> 00:29:17.500
 others to

00:29:17.500 --> 00:29:17.960
 Christ and

00:29:17.960 --> 00:29:18.240
 to help

00:29:18.240 --> 00:29:18.759
 others grow

00:29:18.759 --> 00:29:19.000
 in the

00:29:19.000 --> 00:29:19.220
 faith.

00:29:19.759 --> 00:29:19.980
 Because

00:29:19.980 --> 00:29:20.220
 there's no

00:29:20.220 --> 00:29:20.560
 doubt about

00:29:20.560 --> 00:29:20.680
 it,

00:29:20.720 --> 00:29:21.259
 that work

00:29:21.259 --> 00:29:21.640
 can be

00:29:21.640 --> 00:29:22.039
 hard,

00:29:22.360 --> 00:29:22.900
 and sometimes

00:29:22.900 --> 00:29:23.160
 it can

00:29:23.160 --> 00:29:23.620
 feel like

00:29:23.620 --> 00:29:24.080
 it's in

00:29:24.080 --> 00:29:24.400
 vain.

00:29:25.360 --> 00:29:25.740
 When the

00:29:25.740 --> 00:29:26.220
 neighbor that

00:29:26.220 --> 00:29:26.500
 you've been

00:29:26.500 --> 00:29:27.140
 praying for

00:29:27.140 --> 00:29:28.120
 doesn't seem

00:29:28.120 --> 00:29:28.680
 to show any

00:29:28.680 --> 00:29:29.560
 spiritual interest.

00:29:30.500 --> 00:29:31.080
 When the

00:29:31.080 --> 00:29:31.680
 Christian friend

00:29:31.680 --> 00:29:32.080
 that we've been

00:29:32.080 --> 00:29:33.060
 encouraging and

00:29:33.060 --> 00:29:33.539
 meeting with

00:29:33.539 --> 00:29:34.339
 doesn't seem

00:29:34.339 --> 00:29:34.559
 to be

00:29:34.559 --> 00:29:34.920
 growing.

00:29:36.920 --> 00:29:37.779
 But this is

00:29:37.779 --> 00:29:38.039
 what the

00:29:38.039 --> 00:29:38.420
 resurrection

00:29:38.420 --> 00:29:39.139
 means,

00:29:39.299 --> 00:29:39.619
 that in

00:29:39.619 --> 00:29:40.200
 Christ,

00:29:40.779 --> 00:29:41.500
 God's new

00:29:41.500 --> 00:29:42.399
 creation work

00:29:42.399 --> 00:29:43.339
 has broken

00:29:43.339 --> 00:29:43.819
 into the

00:29:43.819 --> 00:29:44.159
 world.

00:29:46.240 --> 00:29:46.940
 And that

00:29:46.940 --> 00:29:47.859
 Christ is at

00:29:47.859 --> 00:29:48.639
 work to bring

00:29:48.639 --> 00:29:49.379
 life and

00:29:49.379 --> 00:29:49.799
 renewal,

00:29:50.019 --> 00:29:50.619
 even in the

00:29:50.619 --> 00:29:51.319
 hardest and

00:29:51.319 --> 00:29:52.019
 most unlikely

00:29:52.019 --> 00:29:52.420
 of places.

00:29:52.659 --> 00:29:52.819
 Friends,

00:29:52.980 --> 00:29:53.779
 if Christ has

00:29:53.779 --> 00:29:54.799
 conquered sin

00:29:54.799 --> 00:29:55.440
 and death

00:29:55.440 --> 00:29:56.399
 and a grave,

00:29:56.980 --> 00:29:58.960
 surely he

00:29:58.960 --> 00:29:59.680
 can soften a

00:29:59.680 --> 00:30:00.279
 hard heart

00:30:00.279 --> 00:30:01.819
 and cause

00:30:01.819 --> 00:30:02.139
 us to

00:30:02.139 --> 00:30:02.399
 grow.

00:30:04.399 --> 00:30:04.960
 So our

00:30:04.960 --> 00:30:05.339
 labors of

00:30:05.339 --> 00:30:05.859
 witness-bearing

00:30:05.859 --> 00:30:06.500
 are not in

00:30:06.500 --> 00:30:06.619
 vain.

00:30:06.700 --> 00:30:06.899
 But this

00:30:06.899 --> 00:30:07.399
 also applies

00:30:07.399 --> 00:30:07.819
 not just to

00:30:07.819 --> 00:30:08.460
 our witness-bearing,

00:30:08.799 --> 00:30:10.000
 but to our

00:30:10.000 --> 00:30:10.660
 image-bearing,

00:30:11.339 --> 00:30:13.000
 to the work

00:30:13.000 --> 00:30:13.500
 that we do

00:30:13.500 --> 00:30:14.160
 as humans

00:30:14.160 --> 00:30:15.399
 in bearing

00:30:15.399 --> 00:30:16.200
 the image

00:30:16.200 --> 00:30:16.700
 of God,

00:30:16.980 --> 00:30:17.740
 in glorifying

00:30:17.740 --> 00:30:18.940
 him in our

00:30:18.940 --> 00:30:19.599
 endeavors of

00:30:19.599 --> 00:30:21.460
 work and

00:30:21.460 --> 00:30:22.220
 of artistry

00:30:22.220 --> 00:30:22.879
 and creativity

00:30:22.879 --> 00:30:23.819
 and of

00:30:23.819 --> 00:30:24.339
 justice.

00:30:24.339 --> 00:30:27.159
 when we do

00:30:27.159 --> 00:30:28.279
 these things

00:30:28.279 --> 00:30:29.399
 as part of

00:30:29.399 --> 00:30:30.039
 our loving

00:30:30.039 --> 00:30:30.959
 response to

00:30:30.959 --> 00:30:32.119
 Christ and

00:30:32.119 --> 00:30:32.819
 his grace,

00:30:33.220 --> 00:30:33.899
 they too

00:30:33.899 --> 00:30:34.879
 are not in

00:30:34.879 --> 00:30:35.159
 vain.

00:30:36.399 --> 00:30:36.959
 Christ has

00:30:36.959 --> 00:30:37.519
 assured us by

00:30:37.519 --> 00:30:38.179
 his resurrection

00:30:38.179 --> 00:30:38.720
 that this

00:30:38.720 --> 00:30:40.599
 world matters,

00:30:41.439 --> 00:30:41.799
 that God

00:30:41.799 --> 00:30:42.519
 created this

00:30:42.519 --> 00:30:42.919
 world of

00:30:42.919 --> 00:30:43.159
 matter,

00:30:43.379 --> 00:30:43.579
 that he

00:30:43.579 --> 00:30:43.939
 called it

00:30:43.939 --> 00:30:44.379
 good,

00:30:44.619 --> 00:30:44.899
 and though

00:30:44.899 --> 00:30:45.439
 it's broken

00:30:45.439 --> 00:30:45.899
 in sin,

00:30:46.000 --> 00:30:46.480
 God isn't

00:30:46.480 --> 00:30:46.939
 simply going

00:30:46.939 --> 00:30:47.659
 to replace

00:30:47.659 --> 00:30:47.859
 it,

00:30:47.980 --> 00:30:48.679
 but renew

00:30:48.679 --> 00:30:49.699
 it and heal

00:30:49.699 --> 00:30:49.859
 it.

00:30:50.039 --> 00:30:50.319
 He's going

00:30:50.319 --> 00:30:50.799
 to redeem

00:30:50.799 --> 00:30:51.079
 it.

00:30:53.000 --> 00:30:53.720
 And this

00:30:53.720 --> 00:30:54.199
 means that

00:30:54.200 --> 00:30:54.620
 the new

00:30:54.620 --> 00:30:55.519
 creation work

00:30:55.519 --> 00:30:56.400
 that broke

00:30:56.400 --> 00:30:56.840
 out of the

00:30:56.840 --> 00:30:57.700
 tomb at

00:30:57.700 --> 00:30:58.240
 Easter in

00:30:58.240 --> 00:30:58.940
 Jesus' own

00:30:58.940 --> 00:30:59.960
 resurrection and

00:30:59.960 --> 00:31:00.940
 continues now

00:31:00.940 --> 00:31:01.480
 through the

00:31:01.480 --> 00:31:02.080
 church will

00:31:02.080 --> 00:31:03.039
 all be swept

00:31:03.039 --> 00:31:03.860
 up in the

00:31:03.860 --> 00:31:05.019
 symphony that's

00:31:05.019 --> 00:31:06.019
 to come when

00:31:06.019 --> 00:31:06.960
 Christ returns

00:31:06.960 --> 00:31:07.900
 and his glory

00:31:07.900 --> 00:31:08.700
 covers the

00:31:08.700 --> 00:31:09.480
 earth like the

00:31:09.480 --> 00:31:10.380
 waters cover

00:31:10.380 --> 00:31:10.799
 the sea.

00:31:13.340 --> 00:31:14.100
 The resurrection

00:31:14.100 --> 00:31:15.460
 assures us that

00:31:15.460 --> 00:31:16.660
 nothing will be

00:31:16.660 --> 00:31:17.580
 wasted when it's

00:31:17.580 --> 00:31:18.180
 done for him.

00:31:19.620 --> 00:31:20.340
 Not in the

00:31:20.340 --> 00:31:22.600
 lab or in the

00:31:22.600 --> 00:31:23.000
 office.

00:31:23.000 --> 00:31:24.799
 or in the

00:31:24.799 --> 00:31:26.599
 classroom or

00:31:26.599 --> 00:31:26.859
 in the

00:31:26.859 --> 00:31:28.680
 studio or at

00:31:28.680 --> 00:31:29.240
 home with the

00:31:29.240 --> 00:31:29.660
 kids.

00:31:31.460 --> 00:31:32.099
 Friends, all of

00:31:32.099 --> 00:31:33.220
 that work will

00:31:33.220 --> 00:31:34.259
 find its fitting

00:31:34.259 --> 00:31:35.720
 place and

00:31:35.720 --> 00:31:36.740
 purpose and

00:31:36.740 --> 00:31:38.619
 part to play in

00:31:38.619 --> 00:31:38.900
 the new

00:31:38.900 --> 00:31:39.380
 creation.

00:31:40.900 --> 00:31:41.640
 We might not

00:31:41.640 --> 00:31:42.119
 know how it

00:31:42.119 --> 00:31:42.839
 will all fit in

00:31:42.839 --> 00:31:43.299
 in the end.

00:31:43.880 --> 00:31:44.440
 Surely there

00:31:44.440 --> 00:31:45.200
 will be surprises.

00:31:46.619 --> 00:31:47.039
 Didn't Jesus

00:31:47.039 --> 00:31:48.160
 say that the

00:31:48.160 --> 00:31:48.740
 kingdom of God

00:31:48.740 --> 00:31:49.119
 is like a

00:31:49.119 --> 00:31:50.460
 mustard seed and

00:31:50.460 --> 00:31:51.539
 sometimes the

00:31:51.539 --> 00:31:52.359
 first are last

00:31:52.359 --> 00:31:53.059
 and the last

00:31:53.059 --> 00:31:53.559
 are first.

00:31:54.859 --> 00:31:55.599
 But to be

00:31:55.599 --> 00:31:57.200
 sure, nothing

00:31:57.200 --> 00:31:58.680
 will go

00:31:58.680 --> 00:32:00.039
 unadorned.

00:32:01.259 --> 00:32:02.039
 Nothing will

00:32:02.039 --> 00:32:02.599
 be in vain.

00:32:04.599 --> 00:32:05.339
 And so

00:32:05.339 --> 00:32:06.279
 Easter, friends,

00:32:06.899 --> 00:32:08.139
 is this great

00:32:08.139 --> 00:32:09.599
 glorious

00:32:09.599 --> 00:32:10.639
 bulwark

00:32:10.639 --> 00:32:12.019
 against

00:32:12.019 --> 00:32:12.859
 cynicism

00:32:12.859 --> 00:32:14.740
 and nihilism

00:32:14.740 --> 00:32:15.879
 and burnout.

00:32:17.500 --> 00:32:18.379
 Your labor's

00:32:18.379 --> 00:32:19.079
 not in vain.

00:32:19.079 --> 00:32:20.559
 It reminds me

00:32:20.559 --> 00:32:21.019
 of a story I

00:32:21.019 --> 00:32:21.480
 once read about

00:32:21.480 --> 00:32:22.359
 Christopher Wren,

00:32:22.460 --> 00:32:22.779
 who was a

00:32:22.779 --> 00:32:23.539
 British architect

00:32:23.539 --> 00:32:24.819
 who designed

00:32:24.819 --> 00:32:25.879
 London's St.

00:32:25.939 --> 00:32:26.599
 Paul's Cathedral.

00:32:27.679 --> 00:32:28.179
 The story goes

00:32:28.179 --> 00:32:28.619
 he was once

00:32:28.619 --> 00:32:29.039
 touring the

00:32:29.039 --> 00:32:29.579
 cathedral site

00:32:29.579 --> 00:32:30.259
 during construction

00:32:30.259 --> 00:32:30.919
 to talk to the

00:32:30.919 --> 00:32:32.339
 various artisans

00:32:32.339 --> 00:32:32.839
 who were working

00:32:32.839 --> 00:32:33.439
 there about how

00:32:33.439 --> 00:32:33.740
 things were

00:32:33.740 --> 00:32:34.139
 progressing.

00:32:34.759 --> 00:32:35.139
 And he was

00:32:35.139 --> 00:32:35.500
 talking to

00:32:35.500 --> 00:32:36.019
 masons and

00:32:36.019 --> 00:32:36.619
 carpenters and

00:32:36.619 --> 00:32:37.240
 sculptors and

00:32:37.240 --> 00:32:37.799
 stained glass

00:32:37.799 --> 00:32:38.159
 artists.

00:32:38.379 --> 00:32:38.960
 And as he was

00:32:38.960 --> 00:32:39.480
 finishing his

00:32:39.480 --> 00:32:39.980
 story, he came

00:32:39.980 --> 00:32:40.759
 across this old

00:32:40.759 --> 00:32:42.759
 man whose job

00:32:42.759 --> 00:32:43.859
 was to stir

00:32:43.859 --> 00:32:44.799
 cement with his

00:32:44.799 --> 00:32:46.119
 shovel to keep

00:32:46.119 --> 00:32:46.819
 the cement from

00:32:46.819 --> 00:32:47.220
 hardening.

00:32:47.220 --> 00:32:49.160
 And when the

00:32:49.160 --> 00:32:49.600
 great architect

00:32:49.600 --> 00:32:50.100
 asked the man

00:32:50.100 --> 00:32:50.480
 what he was

00:32:50.480 --> 00:32:51.440
 doing, the

00:32:51.440 --> 00:32:51.860
 man, not

00:32:51.860 --> 00:32:52.140
 knowing it

00:32:52.140 --> 00:32:52.480
 was Christopher

00:32:52.480 --> 00:32:52.839
 Wren who

00:32:52.839 --> 00:32:53.220
 was asking,

00:32:53.360 --> 00:32:53.779
 answered him,

00:32:55.120 --> 00:32:57.640
 Why, sir, I'm

00:32:57.640 --> 00:32:58.480
 building a great

00:32:58.480 --> 00:32:59.839
 cathedral to the

00:32:59.839 --> 00:33:00.740
 glory of God.

00:33:03.700 --> 00:33:04.360
 Friends, in the

00:33:04.360 --> 00:33:05.519
 same way, those

00:33:05.519 --> 00:33:06.240
 who belong to the

00:33:06.240 --> 00:33:07.120
 risen Christ can

00:33:07.120 --> 00:33:07.880
 know that they

00:33:07.880 --> 00:33:08.799
 too, no matter

00:33:08.799 --> 00:33:10.059
 what their task,

00:33:10.319 --> 00:33:11.360
 are part of a

00:33:11.360 --> 00:33:12.620
 great project to

00:33:12.620 --> 00:33:13.339
 the glory of God.

00:33:13.440 --> 00:33:14.220
 The greatest

00:33:14.220 --> 00:33:15.079
 project that there

00:33:15.079 --> 00:33:15.220
 is.

00:33:15.220 --> 00:33:16.039
 The project of

00:33:16.039 --> 00:33:17.319
 God's new

00:33:17.319 --> 00:33:17.900
 creation.

00:33:21.900 --> 00:33:22.680
 So the great

00:33:22.680 --> 00:33:24.299
 question that

00:33:24.299 --> 00:33:24.960
 runs under the

00:33:24.960 --> 00:33:26.259
 surface for all

00:33:26.259 --> 00:33:28.480
 of us, is this

00:33:28.480 --> 00:33:29.019
 making any

00:33:29.019 --> 00:33:29.539
 difference?

00:33:30.299 --> 00:33:31.180
 Am I living my

00:33:31.180 --> 00:33:32.059
 life in vain?

00:33:33.180 --> 00:33:35.180
 Is answered in

00:33:35.180 --> 00:33:36.720
 the resurrection of

00:33:36.720 --> 00:33:37.519
 Jesus Christ.

00:33:38.519 --> 00:33:39.339
 For those who

00:33:39.339 --> 00:33:39.980
 belong to the

00:33:39.980 --> 00:33:40.960
 risen Jesus,

00:33:41.559 --> 00:33:42.880
 nothing is in

00:33:42.880 --> 00:33:43.120
 vain.

00:33:43.119 --> 00:33:43.179
 life.

00:33:44.739 --> 00:33:45.259
 You see, friends,

00:33:45.299 --> 00:33:45.699
 in his

00:33:45.699 --> 00:33:47.519
 resurrection, he

00:33:47.519 --> 00:33:49.299
 has ended our

00:33:49.299 --> 00:33:51.899
 emptiness and

00:33:51.899 --> 00:33:52.619
 filled us with

00:33:52.619 --> 00:33:52.899
 life.

00:33:54.919 --> 00:33:55.839
 And he'll do the

00:33:55.839 --> 00:33:58.119
 same for all who

00:33:58.119 --> 00:33:58.399
 believe.

00:34:01.859 --> 00:34:03.699
 Christ is risen,

00:34:04.019 --> 00:34:04.719
 we say.

00:34:04.720 --> 00:34:16.539
 Christ is risen,

00:34:16.539 --> 00:34:16.940
 indeed.

00:34:18.079 --> 00:34:18.760
 Let's pray.

00:34:25.599 --> 00:34:26.380
 Father, what a

00:34:26.380 --> 00:34:27.079
 great act of

00:34:27.079 --> 00:34:29.579
 grace it is that

00:34:29.579 --> 00:34:30.460
 you have raised

00:34:30.460 --> 00:34:31.220
 Jesus from the

00:34:31.220 --> 00:34:31.480
 dead.

00:34:31.480 --> 00:34:34.059
 God, I pray

00:34:34.059 --> 00:34:34.559
 that you would

00:34:34.559 --> 00:34:36.480
 grant clarity to

00:34:36.480 --> 00:34:37.039
 those who are

00:34:37.039 --> 00:34:37.840
 still searching.

00:34:39.280 --> 00:34:39.900
 God, that they

00:34:39.900 --> 00:34:41.240
 would see Christ's

00:34:41.240 --> 00:34:42.559
 resurrection as

00:34:42.559 --> 00:34:43.539
 meaningful and

00:34:43.539 --> 00:34:44.340
 true and real.

00:34:44.400 --> 00:34:44.840
 And God, for

00:34:44.840 --> 00:34:45.619
 those of us whom

00:34:45.619 --> 00:34:46.219
 you've brought to

00:34:46.219 --> 00:34:47.820
 faith, help us to

00:34:47.820 --> 00:34:48.800
 live lives in line

00:34:48.800 --> 00:34:49.420
 with the truth of

00:34:49.420 --> 00:34:49.800
 the gospel.

00:34:52.380 --> 00:34:53.199
 God, fill our

00:34:53.199 --> 00:34:53.840
 hearts with the

00:34:53.840 --> 00:34:54.940
 joy of the new

00:34:54.940 --> 00:34:55.420
 creation.

00:34:56.420 --> 00:34:57.719
 Give us tasks that

00:34:57.719 --> 00:34:58.760
 we might, like

00:34:58.760 --> 00:35:01.860
 Paul, run with

00:35:01.860 --> 00:35:02.680
 this grace that

00:35:02.680 --> 00:35:03.340
 you've given us.

00:35:05.100 --> 00:35:06.100
 We ask all this in

00:35:06.100 --> 00:35:06.740
 Jesus' name.

00:35:06.960 --> 00:35:07.200
 Amen.

00:35:09.080 --> 00:35:09.640
 Friends, let's