Resurrection Hope
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Good Morning .
Welcome, I am so glad that you are with us this morning.... This year Easter Service is extra special as we gather in person…welcome to those joining us online.. What a joy it is to be with all of you and your families...
Thank you for all those who helped prepare and serve us our wonderful breakfast.. I can’t think about Easter breakfast without thinking of Nadines special bread rolls.. I have to say that.. The Country morning bakery cinnamon rolls came in a close second...
Happy Easter… everyone.. He is Risen.. He Risen indeed..
Peggy Key in an article entitled, heart to heart… tells this story of when she was driving to church on Easter Sunday,
when she decided to use the car ride to tell her children the Easter story. She explained that...
"This is the day we celebrate Jesus coming back to life,"
Right away, her 3-year-old son, Kevin, piped up from the back seat, "Will He be in church today?"
Don’t you love the way children can be so literal!…
Today is Resurrection Sunday…and what we celebrate is the literal and physical bodily resurrection of Jesus from the dead… The whole Christian faith holds together on the hinge of the Resurrection… it is the belief that Jesus was a historical figure… that Jesus lived among real people… Jesus died on a real cross and was buried in a tomb… but on the third day — He came back to life in his physical body…
The resurrection matters..
Paul himself said that if Christ is not raise from the dead our faith is futile, as we are still in our sins..
19 If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.
The last few weeks we have been in a sermon Series in the book of 1 Peter…
One of the things that has stood out.. is Peter’s passion the Gospel…
Peter talks of having been born again into a living hope..through the resurrection of Jesus…
Peter is known as the apostle of Hope…and He is writing to the church in the first Century, who find themselves scattered and dispersed throughout Asia minor… modern day turkey..…they are experiencing persecution and are feeling the pain of isolation as they are distanced from one another… They become discouraged, fearful and in desperate… “Sounds familiar.. doesn't it!)
As they contemplated their future they dont find much hope..… …
Peter in his letter Points upwards — He urges them to take there eyes of the their problems and look towards the Hope of resurrection..
What is resurrection hope?
There is a huge difference between what the dictionary calls hope and what the Bible calls hope..The oxford dictionary tells us that the grounds for hope is believing that something may happen.
Cross your fingers and hope for the best...
Resurrection hope on the other hand is a sure WORD, it is a confident expectation that God will be found faithful both now and in the future. Resurrection Hope is holding on to your Faith..
Hebrews 11 gives us this definition of what it means to have Faith… and Hope...
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.
First of all It says… .. Faith is in the present tense…faith needs to be in the the now… Faith is not what you believed yesterday… or what you hoped for 10 years ago… Faith is now...
Secondly.. Faith has confidence.. confidence in the things that are Hoped for - it is the conviction of the things not seen… What are the things not seen?
They are everything in the space between today and tomorrow… the now and then.. the here and there… It is all that the unknowns … the unknowables… the uncertainties… of tomorrow…
In other words.... Faith is the “hope”/confidence that we will experience the fullness of God’s goodness and blessing… It is the confidence that God will meet you in this moment and he will present for you in the next...
T/s When we live with this kind of Hope it changes our outlook .
How does this happen? Firstly..
1. Hope Reframes our Perspective.
1. Hope Reframes our Perspective.
What a challenging year this has been?
It is interesting that during the hardest moments of 2020 ..that Bible searches soared online .....
The YouVersion Bible App saw searches increase by 80 percent, totaling nearly 600 million worldwide.
on a side note...The Bible app is a wonderful tool to use daily for devotions … . if would like to join in daily devotionals… just speak to Pam… she will get you connected...
Do you what the most searched word was on the app in 2020? Fear”
It makes sense…it is natural in crisis to experience.. Fear — It is one of the ways our bodies copes with crisis..… The problem is that fear can turn into anxiety… and
Anxiety can have a huge impact on our lives…
it can literally change your brains chemistry, and it has the ability to affect the way you think in the future...
Between.. 2008 -2011.. I hit a major wall in my life and suffered with terrible anxiety… when I had my first panic attack.. I had no idea what it was happening to me…It was normal day…I was at the office helping the church secretary fix a computer when my legs buckled… the room began spinning.. my heart was racing... I thought this must be a heart attack… I had no idea.. but… I found myself in hospital with no diagnosis…for next three years I battled with anxiety… I literally had to talk myself into everything I did… I broke up every task into small actions..
I told myself all I have to do is get to the car… then I have to do is drive and to the school…or to the shops.. .. . If you have had anxiety maybe your relate to some of this…
It was slow recovery… but it happened by renewing my mind… through the word of God.
… One of the tools we can use to deal with fear and anxiety.… is to change the story… change the messaging.. by meditating on the word..
Anxiety in a man’s heart weighs him down,
but a good word makes him glad.
One of the techniques that Jesus used in his teaching - was to Reframe the perspective... For example.. in the sermon on the mount.. Jesus said you have heard it been said.. then he says.. but I say to you.....
That’s reframing… it is looking a the same problems with a different set of lenses.
In our text, Peter reframes the circumstances..of the the early church is facing....
1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,
2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace be multiplied to you.
Peter starts out by addressing the Letter to the Elect Exiles…
Peter changes the messaging. Peter reframes their situation in light of the Good news of Hope... they are not just exiles... they are chosen by God.… God in His foreknowledge -- knew of their current challenges and fears......but there is hope because God has a purpose…
—
Peter reframes their circumstances through the perspective of the cross…
The cross is a symbol of suffering..
Nicky Gumble .. in the Alpha course talks about the cross being equivalent to the electricchair.. it was a form of execution.. he then asks why would people ware Symbol of torture that around their kneck as jewelry.
The reason is that symbolizes what was accomplished by Jesus on the cross…
Peter tells us is that what transpired on good Friday was not simply the death of Jesus…..but Jesus died and his blood was shed as an offering for our sins…they were powerless to atone for their mistakes, blunders failures…
… . .
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
The cross symbolizes what not punishment but what was accomplished.. healing.. you see..
The cross is bigger than your mistakes, bigger than your regrets, bigger than the secrets you hold. The cross stands above it all.
What follows death is a Resurrection..
…new life… new start… New Birth… Regeneration.. means that we made new in Christ.. …
the cross is a symbol of Hope.and blessings…The ct
ross brings us into grace and peace....
Grace and Peace would be multiplied to them..…
T/s When we live with Hope it changes our outlook .. How does this happen?
1. Hope Reframes our Circumstances.
2. Hope Reframes our Failures.
2. Hope Reframes our Failures.
Malcolm Muggeridge has said that failure is the most creative phenomenon of life,... If we did not fail, we would never make any progress. Failure demands that we assess our past methods to see what we have done right or wrong.
Failure helps us discard the obsolete and opens us to new ideas
In the gospels.. Peter is always the first…on the scene.. Peter was one of the first disciples to be called to follow Jesus…
Peter was the first to acknowledge that Jesus was the Son of God..
Jesus said Blessed are you Simon because flesh and blood has not revealed this to you but the Father in heaven.. then He says to Peter you are Petra the Rock… ... You are the “Rock”I will be build my church…
Up and untill this point.. Peter … looked like he had it all together... but in reality.. Peter life is was fraught with fears and insecurities… things begin to unrave....
When Jesus confides in his disciples and tells them that he is to go to Jerusalem and must suffer many things and on the third day be raised…
Peter takes Jesus aside and rebukes him....far be it from you, Lord this will never happen to you…
Jesus responds.. get behind me Satan… You are a hinderance and setting you mind on things of this world..
When Jesus in the Garden of Gasthemene Peter instead of praying… falls asleep… Jesus asks Peter could you keep watch with me for one hour? Watch and Pray so you will not fall into temptation…
when the religious leaders came to arrest Jesus..
Peter makes another blunder he drew his sword and cut off the ear of one of the priests…
Jesus says to Peter -- Put your sword away -- don’t you know that I could pray to the father and would send legions of angels to deliver me…
Jesus at the last super predicted Peter would deny him....
33 Peter said to him, “Lord, I am ready to go with you both to prison and to death.”
But ...
When Jesus was taken from the garden of gesthemene to the courtyard to be tried before before the High Priest Caiaphas — Peter scatters with all the other disciples..
-- We are told that- He followed at a distance … and mingled in the crowd
Then a young servant girl recognizes Peter as one of Jesus disciples… she called him out…she cries.. out... this is one of them … I recognize his accent… He sounds like one those Galileans....
When you have an accent it’s hard to blend into the crowd. One of the most common questions we get asked is where are you from often .. and we say Richvale. And response is where are you really from?
Peter denies knowing Jesus.. this happens a second and third time and we are told that Peter denies knowing with an oath… He says I sware that I do not know the man.”
As this happen..
We told that immediately the rooster crowed..
Peter remembered the words of Jesus…and went away and wept bitterly…
Here is the thing...
Jesus saw through all the Peters exteriors .. He knew all the insecurities… all of his failings....
He still called him… Jesus say Peter when you return encourage the brothers..
Have you every notice that front stage of our lives always look different from backstage… Just like the everything visible on the front stage is perfect and in place …prepared for the audience … But when you go back stage there all kinds props and ropes.. that are kind of messy.... Here is the thing we can have the front stage organized..
God knows us better than we know ourselves.. We may think that God is done with us… but He is really isn't..
Howard Hendricks esteemed professor from
Dallas seminary… tells us that one of the reasons He believes Bible written by God — is that he doesn’t white wash story… He didn’t remove all the failures…
Rather ....
God wrote this story of His grace because he wanted you and me to profit from the experience of failure...
T/s When we live with Hope it changes our outlook .. How does this happen?.
1. Hope Reframes our Circumstances.
2. Hope Reframes our Failures.
3. Hope reframes our Expectations
3. Hope reframes our Expectations
Have you ever been disappointed by the wrong expectations? Maybe you booked air and b and when you arrived it didn't match the photos on the website.. most of us have pre conceived ideas of what is and what ought to be,
On that first Sunday… Resurrection Morning.. we are told that Mary Magdalene, Mary, James woke up early and brought spices to anoint the body of Jesus…and the expected things to be like a regular gave yard..
lets read this text in Mark...
2 And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb.
3 And they were saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb?”
4 And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large.
5 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed.
6 And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him.
7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.”
AS they approach the tomb
What where their expectations?
They expected to find tomb of Jesus tightly shut and sealed....
They even talked about who was going to help them remove the stone… when they arrived…
Sometimes we Frame our lives with certain expectations… We can can expect the worst...
But what these disciples found was the unexpected..
The stone was rolled away…
As they enter into the tomb they are met with an angel who is dressed in a white robe.. they are visibly shocked … the angel tells them to not be alarmed.... because Jesus of Nazareth who was was crucified…is not risen...
the Angel gives them a mission.. he says
vrs 7 i .. But go and tell his disciples … AND PETER...
So they go and find the disciples And Peter! The disciples dont believe it! it seemed like a fairy tail --- But Peter.. when he heard that Jesus wanted to see him personally.. He could let that go… he had been suffering in shame and guilt...
Peter immediately rose and ran to the tomb and saw for himself that Jesus was Risen…and he marvelled at these things..
Peter was the first disciple to believe in the news of the resurrection…
I wonder if some of the things that Jesus taught began to come to mind… Peter once asked Jesus how many time you forgive someone who has sinned against you… seven times? Jesus responded seventy times seven..
What we find is that one of the first things Jesus does after his resurrection is restore Peter..
For Peter the Resurrection meant.. HOPE… the receiving of mercy and grace.. Peter writes this Athem of praise..
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you,
As Peter Reflects on the calling of the church… He is look through the lenses of someone who had failed… but has been wonderfully restored..
He things of God’s Great mercy towards him.. It is according to God’s great mercy that he has been caused to be born again to a living hope...
.. when he failed Jesus didn't Jesus did not walk away... he didn't write him off... you messed up and now you are out..
but instead Peter says Mercy came to me... God had caused me to be born again into a living hope... through the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead.
God’s calling is not only to living hope… but to an inheritance that will never fail…
Conclusion
Rick Warren, the pastor of Saddleback Church and the author of The Purpose Driven Life, and his wife, Kay, went through a devastating loss when their twenty-seven-year-old son Matthew took his own life after battling depression and mental illness for years.
About a year after this tragedy, Rick said, "I've often been asked, 'How have you made it? How have you kept going in your pain?' And I've often replied, 'The answer is Easter.'
"You see, the death and the burial and the resurrection of Jesus happened over three days.
Friday was the day of suffering and pain and agony.
Saturday was the day of doubt and confusion and misery.
But Easter—that Sunday—was the day of hope and joy and victory.
"And here's the fact of life: you will face these three days over and over and over in your lifetime.
And when you do, you'll find yourself asking—as I did—three fundamental questions.
Number one, 'What do I do in my days of pain?'
Two, 'How do I get through my days of doubt and confusion?'
Three, 'How do I get to the days of joy and victory?'
"The answer is Easter. The answer … is Easter."
The good news of Resurrection is this...,
1. You are worse than you think you are and loved by God more than you believe (Tim Keller
The bible teaches that we have been separated by God by our own efforts and attempts… but...
The Good News
Jesus Christ didn’t come to improve you or make you a better person.
Jesus came to bring dead people back to life.
He came to cancel the debt you owed to God.
He came to bring you out of the darkness and into the light.
He came to give you unshakable hope.
Now ...
There are typically three responses to Jesus today.
1. Some Are Fans of Jesus
Jesus had lots of fans. He attracted huge crowds, but many followed safely at a distance. It’s one thing to believe in Jesus, it’s quite another thing to trust and follow him.
2. Those who Reject Jesus
There are those who simply dont want Jesus to interfere with their lives. They want to stay in power and in control.
lastly.. there are those who...
3 thos who Embrace Resurrection..
Those who says Yes Lord.. I believe… place their faith and trust in Him..
Jesus on Easter is to trust and follow him. To receive his peace, presence, and power. To live with unshakable hope.
What about you? What will your response be?
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