Resurrection - God Saves.

Steve Gentry

[0:00] My name is Steve. I’m one of the pastors here [0:03] If you have your Bibles go ahead and open them up to first Corinthians chapter 15 verse 17 and hold your thumb there and [0:12] Then turn the other way to Matthew chapter 28 [0:16] Verses 1 through 9 last week [0:19] We took a look at the great love of God for man as shown and completely [0:25] Revealed in the cross of Jesus Christ

[0:28] And we talked about the fact that Jesus knew he was going headlong [0:33] Towards his death from before he even came to the earth [0:37] He knew that he was born to die that his life would serve as a sacrifice [0:42] For the sin of the world that has been done against and in rebellion to God the Father and in the cross [0:51] He finds justice [0:53] for sin

[0:55] But also in the cross we find grace [0:59] For our sin we find security [1:02] We find the fact that our sin has been taken from us put on to Jesus and that his obedience has been credited [1:08] towards us [1:09] But in Luke chapter 18 which is one of the texts that we looked at last week and starting in verse 31 [1:15] We read and taking the 12

[1:18] He said to them see we are going up to Jerusalem and everything that is written about the Son of Man by the prophets will [1:23] Be accomplished for he will be delivered over to the Gentiles and will be mocked and shamefully treated and spit upon and after flogging [1:31] Him they will kill him and on the third day [1:35] He will rise [1:37] so Jesus [1:39] Not only did he know that he was going to die

[1:43] Not only did he know that he was walking into Jerusalem where he would die a death that he did not deserve [1:48] But he also [1:51] knowingly [1:52] Went to rise [1:53] He knew that he would rise from the dead and in speaking about the resurrection [1:59] Paul writes this in first Corinthians 15, which is one of our main texts for today

[2:04] Paul writes and if Christ has not [2:08] been raised your faith is futile or [2:13] Pointless or meaningless or to put it in our terms stupid

[2:22] And you are still in your sins [2:27] So the death of Jesus Christ is [2:32] This amazingly important doctrine that we must rally around that we must look upon that we must [2:39] Take our grace from that we must see because it paints our sin as it really is as ugly and as [2:47] Rebellious as it really is and we have to go towards that to [2:51] Understand what we have done and how we can get through it because there is a cost

[2:58] To our sin forgiveness is not cheap [3:02] but if [3:04] Paul’s point if all Jesus had done is [3:10] Gone to the cross and died and that was the end of the story [3:15] Then we are still as dead in our sins and we are still running headlong [3:23] Towards the wrath of God as we were before the death of Christ

[3:28] Because if he had simply died

[3:33] Then there would be no victory [3:35] All there would be would be tragedy [3:38] If all Jesus had done were to face death and go into death and give up the ghost and die [3:45] Then all those things that we talked about last week [3:48] If you weren’t here listen to the podcast because that would take me like an hour and you don’t want that

[3:54] If that’s all there was

[3:58] Is death and those things would not be secure for us

[4:04] Because sin would be proven to be triumphant over God

[4:11] And then he would not be much of a God then

[4:15] Because he would be the servant of sin and he would be just simply another dead

[4:23] religious zealot [4:25] Just like everyone else in a long line of religious zealots every religion that we have [4:31] Their leaders died their original leaders died and they stayed that way [4:37] They didn’t rise from the dead, but the difference Christianity is [4:42] That we not only have a God who came and dwelt with us [4:46] We not only have a God who sacrificed for us

[4:49] But we also have a God who revealed and showed himself to be completely triumphant over every law

[4:58] That we have [5:01] It was once said that the only two things that are certain in this life are death and taxes

[5:09] That was not so for Jesus because while he faced death he did not stay that way [5:16] He rose again and today when we started this series [5:20] We talked about the fact that we’re gonna talk about some issues as a church that we’re gonna have with an open hand [5:26] Some issues that we can kind of disagree on and as long as you’re respectful and realize that the pastors have final say [5:34] It’s it’s okay [5:35] If you don’t think exactly the same when we talk about how creation that there there are some issues in there that you know

[5:41] You don’t have to hold too completely to to be a member to be a part and to to come and play with us [5:47] And but there are some closed-handed issues and today by and large [5:51] I don’t know that there’s anything in this sermon. That’s not a closed-handed issue [5:57] So if what I preach today if there are some questions about it, that’s fine [6:02] We’ll come together and we’ll talk but if you are just completely opposed to the resurrection of Jesus Christ in the way that we’re gonna [6:09] Talk about it today quite frankly. I don’t know that that that you’re gonna be happy here

[6:15] It’s not so much that I don’t want you here because God knows I do [6:19] Just want you to repent but [6:21] It’s that I don’t think you’ll be happy because what we’re gonna talk about today is the basis [6:29] For which we do everything that we do

[6:33] There’s nothing that we do there’s nothing that I believe there’s nothing that we as a church [6:39] Will rally around that does not find its foundation in the literal bodily physical [6:46] I can’t say it too many ways. It’s the same thing but in the actual resurrection of Jesus Christ [6:53] If Jesus had not risen from the dead, I would not be a Christian [6:59] Because as Paul said he’s not been raised all of this is futile [7:08] It’s all pointless because you are still in your sins. There is no victory. We are

[7:16] Condemned right where we stand [7:20] Okay, so let’s talk about that resurrection point number one this morning and every every point that comes after this is gonna be on [7:27] This point and this point is gonna be really teachy. All right. I know sometimes we don’t like that, but there’s no way around it [7:34] All right, Jesus physically rose from the dead [7:38] That’s the basis that this sermons on it’s what we’re jumping off of the death with that [7:42] Jesus rose from the dead that in Luke 18 when he said and three days later

[7:45] He will rise Jesus was not joking around [7:48] He literally did that and we’re gonna unpack today why we believe that how we believe that how we did that and all that [7:56] Stuff so turn to Matthew chapter 28 [8:00] If you’ve been in church for any significant period of time, you’ve probably taken a look at this passage

[8:07] Starting in verse 1 of Matthew 28 we read

[8:11] Now after the Sabbath toward the dawn of the first day of the week [8:15] Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb and [8:20] Behold there was a great earthquake [8:21] For an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it [8:26] His appearance was like lightning and his clothing white as snow and for fear of him [8:30] The guards trembled and became like dead men side note when I was in high school

[8:35] I played like one of those dead men in a play

[8:40] It was my greatest performance if you missed it, I’m sorry, it was brilliant actually I think that was middle school [8:49] verse 5 [8:50] That holds no significance to the sermon by the way [8:53] It just came in and came out [8:55] But the angel said to the women do not be afraid for I know that you seek Jesus who is crucified [9:01] He is not here for he has risen as he said come see the place where he lay

[9:08] Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead and behold [9:12] He is going before you to Galilee there. You will see him see I have told you so they departed [9:18] Quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy and ran to tell his disciples and behold Jesus met them and said greetings [9:26] And they came up and took hold of his feet [9:30] and worshiped him [9:33] Now here we have a record of the resurrection of Jesus written by Matthew

[9:39] All right [9:40] And he writes that Jesus rose and that after he rose that something very interesting happened that an angel came [9:46] rolled the stone away sat on it and when Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came which was not [9:52] unfamiliar in Jewish culture for people to come to the tomb a few days after to and basically everybody thinks they were coming to pour [9:59] Perfume on the body so there wouldn’t be such a great stench. It was something that they did in honor of lost loved ones [10:08] And so when they come to the tomb they fully expect to find Jesus dead

[10:14] They fully assume that Jesus is going to be there you have to understand at this point in time [10:20] Resurrection was not something that people were really focused in on [10:26] outside of the Jewish culture and religion [10:29] In T. Wright a brilliant scholar writes that [10:33] Resurrection was not even a part of what they they assumed could possibly happen in the afterlife [10:38] Much of culture at that time especially in Greek thought what they had was is this rejection of all things physical as being evil

[10:47] Basically the thing that was a holding everyone back from being what they were created to be was [10:53] Matter was everything that was physical so the thing that’s holding you back is the fact that you’re kind of stuck in this body [10:59] And after you die your intellect is free [11:03] Finally be united with some kind of universal [11:07] Unity and they didn’t really have any way of thinking they didn’t know what they were talking about they would even say this is all [11:13] Speculation, but we assume that we will be freed to the metaphysical or the mystical even inside of Judaism

[11:20] At that point they had gone so far from having any type of [11:24] understanding of what the Old Testament was really about that they did not think that there was going to be a resurrection for them from [11:30] the dead as much as there was going to simply someday be a [11:35] Resurrection of Israel as a whole and how they would take a part of that they didn’t really know [11:41] But they just simply assumed that someday Israel would rise and that most of the resurrection talk was about them [11:48] rising over all of the other nations of the world

[11:52] So when Jesus died even though he had made so many comments to the contrary [12:00] They simply assumed this is it he’s gone [12:05] So when they come to the tomb [12:08] They’re literally shocked [12:10] Number one there’s an angel there and that’s shocking [12:14] But then number two the message of the angel shocks them that Jesus has risen and then he kind of tells them as

[12:21] He said he would should have been expecting this

[12:27] And so they run and at some point while they’re going to tell the disciples [12:33] Jesus is right there and [12:37] the only [12:38] Possible response was that they grabbed hold of his feet. They they fell on their faces and they worshiped him

[12:48] Now you have to understand the resurrection of Jesus [12:51] isn’t like any other resurrection you might find in Scripture because some people may say but Jesus isn’t the only person that [12:59] Again in scriptures, but it’s different [13:02] You see when Jesus rose Lazarus from the dead when I don’t know the right vernacular to say that even when he went and he [13:08] Said Lazarus come forth because Lazarus had been dead for three days and everyone assumed he was dead

[13:14] Lazarus died again [13:17] It’s got to be kind of unfortunate doesn’t it? [13:20] Have to go through that twice [13:22] But there came a day when Lazarus once again died [13:26] And in the Old Testament when when you see [13:30] Elisha and Elijah do this type of stuff those people died again, but there’s something else that’s very significant

[13:35] Especially if you look at Lazarus, why does Lazarus come back? [13:41] Because Jesus tells him to and when God tells you to do something it doesn’t matter you just do it [13:46] Or at least that’s the way it should be

[13:50] Comes because [13:52] Jesus told him to and the prophets [13:54] Use the power of God, but in Jesus we have something very significant. We have a resurrection that

[14:01] an outside source isn’t so much taking credit for as Jesus himself takes credit for [14:06] And he does it the scripture says there’s this great combination of Trinitarian power [14:11] Where the father and the son joined forces and the body of Jesus comes back so Jesus [14:16] very much comes back to life under his own power under his own authority and [14:21] Still in the same body that he rose with and he will be for an eternity according to the book of Revelation

[14:29] So Jesus will never die again [14:32] But still we have a lot of theories that we need to deal with this morning as to what that [14:38] Resurrection was like because there’s a few different theories and they’re false theories as to what happened in the resurrection [14:45] All right, the first theory that is kind of not championed that much because it’s so stupid [14:50] But it’s the look-alike theory. All right in the look-alike theory [14:56] There’s this kind of theory that Jesus had an imposter

[15:00] Go to the cross for him or some people even say Jesus may have had a twin brother [15:05] They look exactly like I mean he went to the cross and that three days later Jesus kind of came out of hiding [15:12] He’s like haha [15:14] It’s a great con [15:16] The problem with this is history number one because there’s no record of there being a look-alike [15:22] There’s no record of there being a brother that looked like him in that way because remember they had different fathers

[15:29] All of his brothers did so you have to also assume that that Mary was not a virgin to buy this theory [15:36] But this just has no significance plus Mary’s mother was at the cross [15:41] We have that recorded and I think she would have known [15:44] Whether or not that was her son [15:47] Then second there’s the swoon theory and it’s almost as ridiculous but it has more [15:52] Belief a lot of people from the Jesus seminar kind of buy into this one and and that is the belief that Jesus didn’t die

[15:58] On the cross. He just kind of was suffering so much that he went into a brief coma and three days later [16:03] He just kind of came to [16:06] now this theory [16:09] presupposes that the professional executioners [16:12] Who if they got it wrong would have been executed themselves

[16:18] Pronounced a living man dead [16:20] Alright that didn’t happen in Rome these executioners were not just guys [16:25] They grabbed off the street to kill people now. They did this for a living that was their life [16:31] Secondly we have the kind of in even in Roman history [16:34] It’s recorded that Jesus was pierced with a spear and that piercing and medically [16:39] Pierced the sack that holds the fluid that protects your heart. You don’t live through that and

[16:46] then on top of that Jesus is put in a tomb a [16:51] massive stone rolled in front of it [16:54] soldiers are placed in front of it and [16:57] He had to come to after being beaten almost to death after being nailed onto a cross for a huge matter of time [17:05] After being pierced in the side with this spear and after being pronounced dead [17:09] He came to rolled a boulder away

[17:12] Beat a couple of soldiers senseless then ran seven miles to walk on the road to Emmaus [17:18] And then for 40 days people were seeing him in perfect health

[17:24] It doesn’t hold any weight [17:26] And there’s another theory and that’s that the disciples stole his body [17:31] And this is the one that was propagated by Rome in Israel [17:37] There’s a few problems with this. All right, if the disciples had done that [17:42] Okay, then they would have been wanted men for the rest of their lives and would have been executed

[17:48] But they don’t go into hiding we see [17:51] About a month later. They come out and begin to preach Jesus resurrected. They were never taken into custody for [17:59] That crime

[18:03] Also you have to understand that the disciples

[18:08] Went to death claiming that Jesus rose from the dead and while this is somewhat circumstantial [18:14] I don’t know a lot of people especially when you get people as a group together [18:18] That would die for a lie that if they told the truth about they would be allowed to live

[18:26] I [18:27] Have to understand all of the disciples [18:29] Saved John who many people believe he was eventually martyred as well [18:34] But he was originally just exiled to the Isle of Patmos where he wrote the book of Revelation [18:38] They weren’t killed because they stole the body of Jesus. They were killed because they were proclaiming resurrection and this was heresy

[18:48] And I don’t know many people that would proclaim a lie to the point where they’d be willing to die for it [18:53] every single one of them [18:56] And plus there’s just no evidence for it and then finally there’s what I think is probably the most ridiculous one the hallucination theory [19:03] The disciples just simply hallucinated the whole thing [19:08] There’s no record of mass hallucinations in 1st Corinthians 15 [19:13] Paul writes that Jesus appeared to over 500 people while some of them were dead Paul said many of them are still alive

[19:20] And I can go show them to you so over 500 people hallucinated that they saw Jesus [19:27] Now every once in a while a person will hallucinate [19:30] But if four people beside him see the same thing it might not be a hallucination [19:36] There’s no record in history of a mass hallucination of this caliber. This would be the only one [19:42] So the hallucination theory holds no weight historically, but it also holds no weight [19:47] Psychologically it just doesn’t happen that way

[19:50] All right [19:51] So none of the theories about the death of Jesus now if you’ve ever heard of the Jesus seminar if you haven’t don’t worry [19:57] You’ve ever heard of the Jesus seminar many of them actually embrace the hallucination theory [20:02] Which makes them even more ridiculous than they already are [20:05] It’s a group of liberal theologians trying to disprove the resurrection of Jesus Christ while still claiming to be Christians

[20:13] weird

[20:16] Now

[20:18] There are [20:20] Biblical evidences for [20:22] The resurrection of Jesus Christ [20:24] so what I want to do right now is I want to take a little look at the different examples that we have in scripture of [20:31] people who came into [20:33] encounters with Jesus and people that actually saw him and bore eyewitness testimony that they saw the man who died on the

[20:40] Cross who was buried they saw him physically after he rose from the dead [20:43] The first one I want you to look at is gonna be in Matthew 28 9 and that’s the two Mary’s [20:49] Alright, they actually took a hold of his feet and worshiped him [20:54] And I’m not gonna read through every one of these passages and the second one [20:57] I want you to see is that he appeared immediately after his resurrection [21:01] To the disciples on the road to Emmaus and if you want to read about that one

[21:05] In Luke chapter 24 where he actually comes into a counter with these two men and walks with them for a series of miles [21:12] Alright, and then he actually eats with them breaks bread for them disappears [21:18] Shares that meal then then there’s in Luke 24 a little bit later that right after this he appears in his physical body [21:24] To the disciples and Luke 24 36 through 42 you actually see him saying look at my scars [21:31] Look at what’s happened and they touch him they talked to him [21:34] Jesus is physically there with him and then in Acts chapter 10 we see Peter later

[21:42] Publicly saying I ate and drank with this man [21:46] after his death [21:49] Then in John chapter 20 and this is one of my favorite examples because Thomas comes and he kind of wasn’t there [21:55] I don’t really know where he was [21:56] He wasn’t there when Jesus makes his appearance and he tells them you guys are all crazy Jesus is dead [22:01] We saw it and then Jesus comes again and he says hey Thomas

[22:06] It’s me and he’s if you want me to prove it here touch my scars [22:09] And that’s where Thomas says my Lord and my God [22:15] Because he’d risen

[22:19] Then on top of that we have history that points because some people will point you if you’re dealing in an [22:26] Apologetic sense they will point you and say the Bible is not enough [22:30] The first century Christians because they’re gonna attack first the inerrancy of Scripture and say well you can’t trust the Bible [22:36] The first century Christians never proclaimed Jesus risen from the dead. They just were people that talked about his teachings [22:44] well history [22:45] Differs on that and actually records that there was a great group of people in the century

[22:51] Following his death that truly believed and went to their death because they believed in the resurrection of Jesus Christ [22:58] The first example is a biblical example, but it’s the Apostle Paul who lived from 85 to 80 [23:04] 67 and the Apostle Paul wrote in 1st Corinthians 15 that I know 500 people that saw him in his resurrection body

[23:14] You don’t really claim that if you don’t actually know those people because the problem is what if someone calls you on it

[23:21] Then [23:22] Josephus who was born just a little bit after the death of Jesus Christ [23:26] but Josephus wrote in his great book because remember everything was in Latin at that point in

[23:34] Pardon my pronunciation if you’re a Latin scholar. I hope you’re not [23:37] Testimonium Flavianum. There we go [23:42] It wrote basically that there were in his lifetime a group of people that were completely [23:48] Zealous and were going around the world proclaiming the resurrection of Jesus Christ [23:54] and [23:55] That they would meet and that they would publicly proclaim it and we’re trying to get people to come to their faith

[24:02] then [24:04] Nero’s biographer if you know anything about Nero, he was a pretty unkind guy, but his biographer records [24:10] That from 54 to 68 which was during Nero’s reign that Christians were persecuted [24:16] Because they were a superstitious people that believed in resurrection

[24:23] So what we would call a secular biography of a very wicked ruler

[24:31] He records that one of the most important parts of the reign of Nero was the fact that he wanted to kill these people [24:37] that believed in the resurrection [24:39] And then finally in 80 from 80 62 to 81 13. There was this man [24:43] Pliny the younger that he got picked on he wrote in [24:47] 8111 that Christians were meeting on Sunday to celebrate the resurrection of their God

[24:55] So as you can see while this doesn’t prove that Jesus rose from the dead [25:00] And I’m not going to be able to do that that is something that you have to have faith in you have to trust in [25:04] It is not simply a theory that has no merit [25:10] If you’re a historian [25:11] You know that the most trusted record of history is that which was recorded during [25:17] contemporary history of when the event actually happened and

[25:23] You have two recordings you have first the biblical recordings and then secondly you have extra biblical [25:30] Recordings about the people that proclaimed the resurrection of Jesus Christ [25:35] So it is not something that is without merit [25:39] But rather it’s something with incredible merit that you either must deny

[25:46] or [25:47] Trust as a factual event that actually took place [25:52] In if [25:55] Jesus rose from the dead [25:58] Then he is God

[26:03] If he did it under his own power and then rose to say I am God then you must [26:10] Either say no you didn’t and buy into one of the false theories

[26:16] or [26:17] You must say yes [26:18] You are and you are Lord and God because everyone else that rose from the dead from Lazarus to the Old Testament [26:24] Gave credit to an outside source saying this is God and he did this [26:31] But Jesus has a different story. He says I am God and I did this [26:37] He goes so far in the end of Matthew 28 to say all authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me

[26:45] Now if Jesus rose from the dead and I’m going to come today to the conclusion that he did

[26:53] Then this is and was the ultimate defeat of sin [26:58] This is where our hope of what we talked about last week really lies in that Jesus [27:04] Resurrection was and is the ultimate defeat of sin if you look in Genesis chapter 3 [27:09] what we talked about from basically the beginning of this series as [27:13] That which everything else of scripture kind of jumps out of you see that God makes this [27:18] Pronouncement on sin that through the very way in which sin entered into the world

[27:23] It will also be eradicated from the world [27:27] And the fact of the matter is is that what God was talking about was not only the death of Jesus [27:33] But also the resurrection of Jesus because like we talked about just a minute ago [27:37] And I’ll say it in passing once again [27:38] So you really grasp a hold of this if Jesus hadn’t risen from the dead. He would not have defeated sin

[27:47] Sin would have triumphed over him if he hadn’t risen from the dead [27:53] Then he would have been proving then [27:57] That he was dying for his own sin. He hadn’t risen from the dead. He’s not God [28:02] And if he’s not God [28:05] Then whoever God is has not offered a way out of our sin, but rather we’re running headlong into his wrath [28:12] We see in Romans chapter 4 verses 22 through 25 that through the resurrection

[28:18] faith and God’s promises are vindicated as Jesus delivers redemption from sin by completing the work of [28:24] Justification which frees us from his wrath and delivers us over into his favor. Here’s what it says

[28:32] That is why his faith was counted to him as righteousness what we’re speaking of here is he’s making the connection between [28:39] Abraham’s faith and our faith in Jesus [28:42] But the words it was counted to him were not written for his sake alone [28:47] In other words in Genesis chapter 15 when Abraham trusted that God was being honest when he said made his Abrahamic covenant [28:54] He looks to Abraham and he says your faith is what is giving you my righteousness [29:01] But he says it was not written for his sake alone

[29:04] But for ours also it will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead [29:10] Jesus our Lord who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification [29:17] in other words without the resurrection there is no [29:22] Justification for your sin there is no pathway in which you can go from being sinful [29:30] to being righteous [29:32] Because justification in the legal sense the way the term works is that you who had sin now

[29:39] The guilt is removed from you and you are back in favor with who you wronged

[29:47] Jesus is God’s way he was killed because of our sin

[29:54] But he was raised so that that sin could not triumph [30:02] Adrian Warnock the pastor and scholar writes resurrection is the only answer to the problem of death [30:08] Jesus resurrection shouts out that this hope is real and that we can fully trust God to resurrect us [30:16] Because here’s the reality that you have to deal with [30:20] Resurrection is necessary for life [30:24] If you do not have resurrection, then you do not have life

[30:29] I cannot stress to you enough what dire situation we are in without Jesus in our lives [30:35] All right first I want to deal with the future [30:39] Reality of what sin is going to bring and then I want to deal with the present reality because we all like the future better [30:45] All right in the future the book of Revelation in Revelation 20 verse

[30:52] 14 [30:52] Writes then death and Hades were thrown in the lake of fire. This is the second death the lake of fire [31:00] So we have this [31:01] Pronounsment at the end of the Bible that there is coming a day when death itself [31:07] All right that very thing that we spend our entire lives avoiding [31:11] All right, if you go to the gym more than trying to fit into your favorite pair of jeans

[31:18] You’re more so trying to lessen death in your life [31:22] You’re trying to stave it off just a little while longer [31:27] All right [31:28] But in this it says there’s coming a day when death itself and hell will be thrown somewhere else [31:35] They will be consumed in the lake of fire, but then it’s very interesting that it calls it the second death [31:41] so there’s a first death that you have to think about and then there’s an

[31:45] Unfortunately a second death that scripture gives us as a reality the second death happens after [31:52] physical death [31:54] And you may think man. That’s as bad as it gets when you physically die. No, there’s another one

[32:01] All right, so it’s kind of unfortunate but after death there’s another one that you’re gonna have to deal with [32:08] But God says that he’s throwing death in Hades and so maybe we’ll avoid that one [32:13] Well in chapter 21 if I can get that revelation 21 passage he who has an ear let him hear [32:20] What the Spirit says to the churches? [32:23] Revelation 21 there we go [32:25] But as for the cowardly the faithless the detestable as for murders the sexually immoral sorcerers

[32:32] Idolaters and all liars. I like the way John writes this because he doesn’t leave anybody out and at the end [32:37] He’s like wait a second. What if someone avoids that one? Okay liars

[32:41] Because you all did that at one point [32:43] Their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur which is the second death

[32:55] There’s no avoiding it [32:57] You’re not smart enough. You’re not shrewd enough. You’re not loyal enough [33:04] You are on this list [33:09] Let’s just start with lying [33:12] You’ve all done it [33:15] And if you say you haven’t you’re doing it

[33:19] So first stop it. Nobody likes a liar [33:23] Second [33:24] Admit that you’re a liar [33:26] Because you’re on this list [33:28] But what he’s saying here is that when death and Hades are thrown in the lake of fire [33:34] There’s also a judgment by which we will be held to and in that judgment when our sin is found

[33:42] We will be thrown with it

[33:46] The wages of sin is death guess what if you take part in that you’re going to the lake of fire with death

[33:58] So [33:59] Resurrection is a reality that if you do not deal with you will go to hell

[34:07] You will take part in the second death [34:13] And ultimately that second death what it is is God [34:18] eradicating from his presence sin forever

[34:24] And he will not deal with it ever again and it will simply burn while those [34:31] You do not die the second death [34:34] Will not experience it. But how do you avoid that second death? [34:39] Revelation chapter 2 I just love the way I go backwards [34:42] Revelation chapter 2 puts it this way because this is basically the idea behind the entire book of Revelation [34:48] And this is kind of the book ends

[34:51] He who has an ear let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches [34:55] The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death [35:04] So you have to some kind of ask yourself how [35:09] Do you conquer? I don’t know some of you really feel like quite a conqueror [35:15] But you cannot do it [35:17] Because as we’ve seen in Revelation 21 you’ve already failed

[35:23] Because conquering means not sinning [35:26] Conquering means being completely righteous [35:29] Conquering means completely obedient [35:31] Conquering means having some form of righteousness that is your own and none of you have had it

[35:39] The only hope that you have of conquering the second death does [35:46] Not lie within you [35:51] It lies within the person and work of Jesus Christ who we looked at last week [35:57] scripture records that he went to the cross for [36:02] Your sin and he rose again for your righteousness [36:08] Look in Romans chapter 6 verses 5 through 6

[36:13] In that text we read

[36:17] I can find it for if we have been united with him in a death like his we shall certainly be [36:23] United with him in a resurrection like his we know that our old self was [36:29] Crucified with him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing so that we may no longer be [36:35] Enslaved to sin and then look in Acts chapter 17 verse 30

[36:42] The [36:43] Times of ignorance God overlooked [36:45] But now he commands all people everywhere to repent because he has fixed a day on which to [36:51] He will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed and of this has given assurance to all [36:59] By raising him from the dead what that means is is at the end of time of our concept of time [37:07] There will be one judge and that judge is the only one who has ever risen from the dead that

[37:14] Judge is Jesus and Jesus will look over us to see if we have any form of [37:22] Righteousness and that form of righteousness according to Romans chapter 6 is only in [37:29] trust in him

[37:33] We must trust that his righteousness

[37:38] Is victorious over sin we must trust that his death [37:43] Was to be a substitute for our [37:47] second death [37:49] That his resurrection was so that we could have new life in which sin does not reign over us [37:56] Because just a little further down in Romans chapter 6 and verse 11 we start to read this [38:02] So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus

[38:08] Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body to make you obey its passions [38:13] Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness [38:18] But present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life and your members to God as instruments for [38:25] Righteousness for sin will have no dominion over you since you are not under law but under grace

[38:35] So we must have a life that can come into us [38:40] onto us and be counted for us and that is what Jesus was doing on the cross and in the [38:49] resurrection if you simply look to Jesus as someone who set a really good example for you and who’s [38:56] There for you when you need him and who will make you successful in this life and who will make you successful [39:01] And who will give you what you need and what you want so that you can simply be happy in this life [39:08] Then you have not trusted in the resurrected Jesus

[39:13] Because it’s not for this life alone that you need to worry

[39:20] It’s for the next life when you have to stand account for your sins and if all the righteousness that you have in your life is [39:27] Your righteousness then you will not be forgiven

[39:34] You will experience the second death which is eternal separation from God in the light of fire

[39:41] There’s a second reality that the resurrection gives us and that is the reality that is in this life

[39:48] Romans chapter 6 you saw that in this life

[39:56] Resurrection [39:57] Makes it so that your old self has been crucified and that a new self has been risen a new [40:05] Self has come that can now obey God and the way that it actually puts it is that do not [40:11] Present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness [40:15] But present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life and your members to God as [40:22] Instruments for righteousness now

[40:24] There’s one way of looking at the resurrection of Jesus Christ in which you look at it and what you see is hope to avoid hell [40:33] And praise God it is [40:36] But that’s not all that it is if you only have hope for the afterlife [40:42] Then you do not have hope at all because the resurrection does not simply give you hope for the afterlife [40:49] But rather it gives you a new life to live right now [40:54] When Paul writes present yourselves as instruments to God to be used by him

[40:59] He’s not giving you a reality by which okay your sins have been forgiven now earn some favor excuse me some favor [41:07] Now what he’s saying is in light of the fact that God can raise people up from the dead [41:15] Which is a pretty amazing power in [41:18] Light of that realize that he can also make you [41:24] obedient to himself [41:27] So not only do we experience life in the afterlife, but we get to experience it now

[41:33] Eternity does not begin when you die or when the second coming happens [41:39] Eternity begins for those who follow Jesus when they start following him [41:46] The resurrection changes everything

[41:55] If Jesus rose from the dead [41:58] Then he is God [42:00] So I submit to you, but I also submit to you this if he is God

[42:09] Then he commands our lives

[42:15] If he’s God then he knows how life should be lived [42:19] If he’s God then he knows what we should do if he’s God then he can stake [42:27] Claim on us in John chapter 11 verse 25 Jesus said to her [42:31] I am the resurrection of life whoever believes in me though [42:35] He died yet shall he live and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die [42:41] Do you believe this here’s what Jesus says it’s very interesting right there is when he says in

[42:48] Verse 26 everyone who lives and believes those are not tenses that are far off. That is the present [42:57] Tense that is continuing [43:00] What he’s saying is that if you believe you will start to live the resurrected life now

[43:10] The greatest example of this and then we’ll be done is [43:14] What happens in the lives of the disciples in the lives of the disciples? [43:18] Here’s what we have before the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus [43:22] We have 12 of the dumbest people I have ever met in my life [43:28] All right, they just seem to just never get anything. They’re completely dense Jesus will tell them straight up [43:37] Everything about himself and then they’ll be like who are you again?

[43:45] Peter will say you are the Messiah you’re the Christ of God and [43:51] Then he denies him [43:53] Says I don’t know the guy [43:55] I’m more scared of a couple of people warming their hands around a fire than I am God

[44:03] We have Thomas [44:06] Who after Jesus has said hey, I’m going to Jerusalem and I’m gonna die it’s gonna look pretty bad [44:12] But three days later, I’m gonna rise from the dead three days later [44:15] The disciples come to Thomas and say hey, guess what he rose from the dead. No, he didn’t

[44:23] We have often in the gospel accounts Jesus looks to the disciples and he says how long do I have to put up with? [44:31] your ignorance [44:33] In other words, why are you so dumb?

[44:38] But here’s what happens after the resurrection

[44:42] You have 12 guys who weren’t really good disciples [44:47] Then they completely abandoned Jesus when he was arrested [44:52] only [44:52] We only really see John show up with Mary and that’s at the foot of the cross and he’s just there for moral support [44:59] Everybody else is in hiding

[45:05] We [45:06] See these 12 men

[45:10] Give my math right. I think it’s 50 to 60 days later

[45:16] Stand in the streets of Jerusalem at Pentecost 50 days [45:22] 50 days later, they stand in the streets of Jerusalem in the one of the highest holidays in Israel [45:30] When they risk their lives proclaiming that he’s risen from the dead and they plant churches and [45:38] They go around the world risking their lives and then eventually all of them are killed [45:43] For their faith rather than denying the risen Savior [45:47] You see them sacrifice their careers because where does Jesus find them after he rose from the dead?

[45:53] Where does he find the fishermen back on their boats? [45:56] And so well that didn’t work out. Let’s go back to dad [45:59] Guess we’re gonna fish [46:02] But they never return [46:04] Once they see Jesus risen they never return [46:09] We see tax collectors give everything up to plant churches

[46:14] We see people risk their careers risk their political standing [46:20] We see people risk their families and leave them for you for years [46:24] Sometimes we see Paul who was a Pharisee we see a man who was persecuting Christians [46:32] He encounters the risen Christ and he gives up all of his riches all of his fame [46:38] All of his positions to become a criminal who literally spans the globe at that time [46:46] planting churches based on the resurrection of Jesus Christ so that as many people as

[46:53] Possible can hear the news of the resurrection in their lifetime. They will risk everything

[47:03] Paul [47:03] Speaking to the Corinthians he writes I’ve been shipwrecked. I’ve been beaten [47:08] I’ve been stoned and left for dead and when I talk about stone [47:12] I’m talking about the rock kind of stone [47:14] They picked up rocks and they stoned him with them until they thought he was dead dragged him out of the city [47:23] Because it was against their rules to have a dead body in the city

[47:26] Isn’t that something you can murder as long as you take them outside [47:30] And then leave him and Paul which some people believe is a miracle of God comes back

[47:37] Dusts himself off and goes back in and starts preaching again

[47:44] The beating with the cat of nine tales that Jesus experienced Paul experienced it twice

[47:50] Peter was crucified upside down because he said I don’t deserve to die the same death [47:55] My risen Savior died turn the cross upside down if you’re gonna crucify me [48:00] That’s one like satanic people draw upside down crosses. I’m like who do you it’s actually a pretty good sign for martyrdom

[48:11] Paul history tells us was beheaded in Rome [48:15] They couldn’t figure out a better way to kill him so they just cut his head off [48:18] Because he lived through so much [48:21] History tells us that the Apostle John was probably boiled to death

[48:27] James the half-brother of Jesus now here’s here’s here’s a proof of resurrection. All right [48:32] My sister is she would be out to prove that I didn’t rise from the dead. All right [48:37] Jesus’s half-brother [48:40] converts [48:42] Becomes the pastor of the Church of Jerusalem [48:45] They take him to the top of the temple say deny the resurrection

[48:49] He won’t do it they throw him off the top of the temple, which is really high he lived

[48:56] So they came down stoned him and stabbed him with a sword [49:01] He’d rather die than not live for the resurrection of Jesus Christ [49:08] In first Corinthians chapter 15 Paul puts it this way verse 42 [49:13] Now excuse me verse 19, I’m gonna skip that one for time because these people like lunch so much [49:19] if in Christ [49:21] We have hope in this life only we are of all people

[49:25] most to be pitied [49:27] But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead [49:29] the first fruits of those [49:32] Who have fallen asleep and that text right there. I promise I’m done after this [49:38] That text right there has always given me trouble [49:41] Because I’ve heard it said that

[49:44] If there if it comes out that Jesus didn’t rise from the dead and he wasn’t God well [49:49] It’s good to be a Christian because it’s a good thing for you. Okay [49:52] And Paul seems to say yeah, that’s stupid. Don’t say that [49:56] Because he says if Jesus didn’t rise from the dead and we only have hope in this life and we’re above all people to [50:00] Be pitied because we will be condemned for our sin [50:03] But more than that I think his idea here and in John Piper helped me with this his pastor in Minnesota

[50:09] He wrote that Paul’s idea here is that the resurrection is this great truth that man can be [50:15] reconciled to God and then man can live in worship of God and [50:19] Roman 6 is a reality in which we can present ourselves as [50:23] instruments to be used by our Redeemer to proclaim the gospel to all and what Paul is saying is is that we are so [50:31] Saturated with the truth of the resurrection. We’re so overcome with the greatness [50:36] We’re so overcome in worship when we see that God sent him to die for us and then he arose again from the dead

[50:42] We’re so overcome and changes so absolutely that if the resurrection were taken away from us [50:48] Then no part of our life would make any sense because we’ve given absolutely all of it to God [50:54] We’ve given him everything and if you take that away, we’ve got nothing

[50:59] I [50:59] Want to be kidding

[51:04] So when I finally understood that

[51:11] It didn’t give me relief

[51:16] Because it made me look at my life and ask

[51:23] Myself [51:24] The resurrection weren’t true

[51:30] I [51:31] Would my wife [51:33] Be that bad [51:35] Would it be that different would anything change?

[51:41] If the resurrection weren’t true would it change why I wake up in the morning or would my values basically be the same [51:47] I’m living for a paycheck [51:49] I’m living for my wife and my son. I’m living to get a good retirement. I’m living for my career [51:57] I’m living for basically the same thing. Everyone else is living for the resurrection doesn’t really mean that much

[52:05] So if it wasn’t true [52:09] Life wouldn’t change

[52:15] And that’s why I became a church planner

[52:21] So I ask you the same question this morning

[52:25] If the resurrection weren’t true what would change?

[52:37] Would there be any difference

[52:45] Folks that is the difference

[52:51] Between true belief false hope

[53:00] Because you have not believed if you have not changed

[53:13] Believe

[53:16] Trust

[53:20] Live for the gospel because it’s true

[53:26] This morning [53:28] By way of sort of closing [53:32] What I want us to do is well the band comes up [53:35] I want I want us to really I want them to just play for a minute for us

[53:42] And I know we don’t have much time, but in the time that we do have [53:46] What I want us to do is I want us to look at our lives and I want you to ask the question [53:50] Do I believe?

[53:54] Have I trusted [53:56] Have I changed [53:59] Am I following Jesus because when we look at the lives of the disciples, I think sometimes we say well [54:06] It’s different for us. No, it’s not

[54:12] Are we living for the resurrection and if we’re not have we believed

[54:19] And if you’re sitting here and you say I don’t know [54:24] Or if you’re sitting there and you read Romans chapter 6 where it says present your members as [54:30] Instruments to be used by God for his righteousness

[54:35] You’re saying I don’t know if I have I don’t know if I do

[54:39] I want us as a church to simply say

[54:47] Jesus died for my own belief [54:49] And he rose again and he’s giving me belief [54:52] And I want us to truly repent this morning if you’ve not trusted Jesus trust him this morning. Do not wait

[55:04] But [55:04] If you’re there and you’ve trusted you’re saying I see evidence but it’s not as much as should be there [55:09] I want you today to there up here back there as you reflect on communion [55:16] I want you to begin a life of continued repentance in which you are [55:22] Walking further and further into the life of Jesus and further and further out of the life that you have set up in your sin

[55:32] For some of you you need to be redeemed this morning I can see it I can feel it

[55:40] I’ll be up here. There’ll be people back there. Don’t hesitate