Why The Resurrection Changes Everything (Sunrise Service 4-9-23)
Notes
Transcript
Good morning, my name is Rick Schwartz, I have the privilege of serving at First Missionary Church as senior pastor.
and the privilege of being here with you this morning.
In my short time, I want to show you why Easter, that is the resurrection of Jesus Christ, changes everything for us.
that may be a big statement to make—but it’s true! (the R of JC changes everything!)
3 points — why the R of JC changes everything—the first 2 I think are obvious, the 3rd maybe not so much.
Here are the obvious ones...
#1 — The R of JC matters..b/c it means/it proves our sins are actually forgiven. Romans 4:25
Romans 4:25 (NIV)
25 He (Jesus) was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.
the resurrection of Jesus was needed for our justification.
that word justification is a legal word—meaning that when we believe and embrace Jesus—God the judge declares us not guilty and actually righteous in His sight. as if we have done everything Jesus did.
and yes we needed Jesus’ death to accomplish that, but the R proves Jesus’ death actually did it.
it’s like a CVS receipt—ever get one of those? I recently saw a post online where someone said the earth is about 8 CVS receipts from the sun—that’s how long they are.
The R is proof—the longest CVS receipt ever—that our sins are paid for.
when you are struggling with sin, guilt, shame, regret, confess it—and stand on this massive receipt called the resurrection of Jesus.
when Satan the accuser roars—you can pull out the receipt—paid in full—the cross and the resurrection of Jesus!
that’s good news!
any faithful Gospel presentation has to talk not just about the death of Jesus—but the resurrection.
#2 another obvious is it’s proof that we need not fear death but will one day get a resurrection body like Jesus’.
since the wages of sin is death—and our sin problem is dealt with if we are in Christ due to his death and resurrection, our death problem can be dealt with.
1 Corinthians 15:20 says this
1 Corinthians 15:20 (NIV)
20 But Christ has indeed been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. (the firstfruits was the earliest part of the crop—showing more was to come)(Jesus is the firstfruits—experiencing resurrection life of more to come—that’s us in Christ)
1 Corinthians 15:21–23 (NIV)
21 For since death came through a man (Adam), the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man (Jesus).
22 For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive.
23 But each in turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him.
incredible statements.
If we are in Christ, united to Christ, embraced Christ—Jesus’ resurrection life is a preview of what our future life will be like, our future resurrection body will be like.
Death will not have the last word—it is an enemy—but death only enhances our life. in some ways, that’s when real life begins.
one of the privileges we have as pastors is walking with people on their death beds, and doing their funerals.
And when you are with a dear Christian who has walked with Jesus a long time, and is ready to go, there is something holy, powerful, and precious—b/c they will be with Jesus.
they don’t have to live in ultimate fear of death—they look forward to being with Jesus.
death can only enhance and bring them closer to life eternal with Jesus...
do you have that confidence as you face death someday—you can—through your hope and confidence in the R of JC.
the R of JC gives us hope that we need not fear death.
so the R of JC changes everything b/c...
-- our sins are forgivien
—death has been dealt with - we need not fear death...
Last one…why the R of JC changes everything...
3. b/c it becomes something we personally know and experience now. what? It’s not just future.
10 I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,
Jesus’ resurrection power is something we can know—now, Paul says, not just here (our heads) but here, in our hearts and in our lives.
Paul goes on to say--
18 I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people,
19 and his incomparably great power for us who believe. That power is the same as the mighty strength
20 he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms,
one theologian says it like this...so not only do we have hope for the future...
but we have hope NOW from the future...
one of my favorite movie trilogies is the Back to the Future trilogy about time travel... with Michael J. Fox as Marty and Christopher Lloyd as Doc the Scientist,
and Doc famously tells Marty at the end of the first movie—
that he is back from the future—and they got to go back to the future...
Jesus b/c of his resurrection is a little bit like Doc— “His resurrection power is back...from the future… impacting now”
one day, Jesus is going to come back a 2nd time, and He will set everything right. the kingdom of God will be here fully and finally—no more sin, suffering, disease, or brokeness.
The fact that Jesus rose now—shows that the future kingdom of God has broken in now—at some level—not fully yet, but it’s here. It’s from the future—HERE NOW.
Listen carefully...
b/c Jesus rose, he brought the future kingdom of God into the present…right now. he brought power from the future—resurrection power… into our lives now RIGHT NOW. Jesus’ power is here—from the future. and the resurrection proves that
it is not here fully yet (it will be one day when He returns) but it is here in a real and powerful way.
this is power that comes by the Holy Spirit when we are united to Christ.
Paul prays for the Ephesians that they would know and experience this resurrection power now that same power that raised Christ from the dead.
do you pray that? DO YOU BELIEVE that with Jesus’ resurrection—this future kingdom of God power has come in now. It’s from the future—NOW.
what does this look like?
when we fix our eyes on Jesus, and put our hope in Him (ordinary means of grace), resurrection power of Jesus gives us real power to change…to say no to sin and yes to God. to count ourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
resurrection power means that as a community we can expect at times that God will bring awakenings, revival, real change—just think of Asbury recently…we get foretastes of heaven on earth now b/c of Jesus’ resurrection power given by the Holy Spirit
resurrection power means we can pray big, bold prayers for God to move…and yet entrust that even if He doesn’t, He is our sovereign king.
resurrection power means we don’t have to wallow in our sin and shame—but Jesus paid it all, the R proves it
resurrection power means that you have a new identity…you are ‘IN CHRIST.’ your sins are covered and when the Father sees you—He sees a treasure. to the degree that you know this—it will change your very identity—no longer is it up in down, in the things of this world—but it is in Christ. no longer does criticism shake you—b/c you are in Christ, resurrection power.
resurrection proves that Satan and his kingdom is initially defeated and will one day be defeated—we don’t live in fear of those powers. we have real power through Jesus over them
pool noodle theology—resurrection power challenges the ideas of this world. Most of us think the way up is up....grab all you can, rise to the top.
Scripture says no. if you go up—pride—you are going to fall.
the way up is actually down.
this u-shaped resurrection life.
Jesus humbled himself to death on a cross, obedient, serving, humbling himself—that led to resurrection life.
the same is true for us—resurrection power enables us to humbles ourselves, follow in his footsteps, and b/c of Him, achieve a type of resurrection power life with Jesus now.
i said at the beginning...
the R of JC changes everything...
do you believe that?
now, here is the thing, as we close—I believe our hearts are like leaky buckets—buckets with holes in them—we fill them up with the knowledge and grace of God…but it leaks.
we need to meditate on this, think about it, sing about it, read about it in Scripture, pray it into our hearts---be reminded that the resurrection of Jesus truly changes everything.
let’s pray.