Easter Sunday morning....the day that God the Father proved to the entire world that Jesus Christ was indeed the Son of God. This is the foundation of our faith. This foundation is predicated upon a Person and an Event.
That Person is Jesus Christ.... The Events is the Resurrection of Jesus Christ....
The apostle Paul said: "If Christ be not raised, your faith is vain, and ye are yet in your sins." Christianity is not something that you have to dismiss your brain to believe. Our faith is grounded on logic and reason. It is based on an irrefutable person and event. We can present it to the best minds in town. Paul boldly declared it before Kings.....
I. The resurrection is the logical proof that Jesus Christ is both Lord and God.
A. Death could not hold Him..
1. The grave could not hold Him.
2. The grave clothes could not hold Him...
3. Roman guards could not hold Him....
B. It simply follows... "The creation cannot hold the Creator."
II. The death, burial and resurrection is the focal point of all time.
A. From the fall in the garden....men looked forward in faith to God's planned redemption.
B. And from Calvary to the present time men have looked back with faith to God's accomplished redemption.
C. The victory cry of the universe heard in heaven...on earth.. and through out hell was "IT IS FINISHED"
1. Without the resurrection...our leader Jesus Christ would have no power to save.
2. Would not be victor over death hell and the grave.
3. But because He lives....we shall live also....He promised!!!!
III. The truth of the resurrection has a transforming power.
A. The disciples were ordinary men who were transformed by the power of the resurrection.
1. Judas betrayed the Lord,
a. He took his own life before he could witness the resurrection.
b. How tragic...
2. Peter denied the Lord.
a. But he witnessed the resurrection and was transformed.
b. And being filled with the Holy Spirit became a powerful preacher of the gospel message.
3. Saul of Tarsus was a Jewish zealot and a confirmed enemy of the cross.
a. But Jesus met him on the road to Damascus.
b. He captured his heart and turned him into a missionary-evangelist, church planter and proclaimer of the gospel.
B. The resurrection is still transforming lives of people today.
IV. Aspects Of The Resurrection
A. The resurrection is totally supernatural and miraculous.
B. Only God could accomplish such feat.
1. To resurrect...
2. Jesus did not have to open the tomb to get out (the stone was rolled away to show us that the tomb was empty!)
3. He didn't have to unwind the grave clothes to free Himself.
4. His resurrected body was not subjects to natural laws of this world.
a. He could miraculously appear or disappear in and out of a locked room.
b. He was not just an illusion or an illusionist.
c. Mary clung to His feet and legs...He was tangible.
d. He invited His believers to touch Him and see that He was more than just a spirit.
C. Only God Could Do This
(JOHN 3:2) "THE SAME CAME TO JESUS BY NIGHT, AND SAID UNTO HIM, RABBI, WE KNOW THAT THOU ART A TEACHER COME FROM GOD: FOR NO MAN CAN DO THESE MIRACLES THAT THOU DOEST, EXCEPT GOD BE WITH HIM."
1. Nicodemus was getting very close to the truth here.
2. Jesus claimed to be more than just a teacher that God was with....
3. He claimed to be God in the flesh, reconciling the world unto Himself.
(JOHN 14:9) "JESUS SAITH UNTO HIM, HAVE I BEEN SO LONG TIME WITH YOU, AND YET HAST THOU NOT KNOWN ME, PHILIP? HE THAT HATH SEEN ME HATH SEEN THE FATHER; AND HOW SAYEST THOU THEN, SHOW US THE FATHER?"
4. The resurrection proves that He was.
a. The apostles were totally convinced....to the point of sealing their faith with their blood.
b. Some were beheaded ...others were crucified.
c. Some were torn apart by horses, others skinned alive,
d. Some were run through with a sword, and still , others were stoned, boiled in oil, or burnt at the stake.
e. Why were these men willing to die for their faith?
f. Because they were totally convinced of the resurrection!
What about you and I....has it done anything for us? The Bible is God's Word and it declares that Jesus Christ is God's Son and is proven to be by the resurrection.
(ROM 1:4) "AND DECLARED TO BE THE SON OF GOD WITH POWER, ACCORDING TO THE SPIRIT OF HOLINESS, BY THE RESURRECTION FROM THE DEAD:"
(ROM 10:9-10) "THAT IF THOU SHALT CONFESS WITH THY MOUTH THE LORD JESUS, AND SHALT BELIEVE IN THINE HEART THAT GOD HATH RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD, THOU SHALT BE SAVED. {10} FOR WITH THE HEART MAN BELIEVETH UNTO RIGHTEOUSNESS; AND WITH THE MOUTH CONFESSION IS MADE UNTO SALVATION."
Do you believe this morning? If you have never trusted Jesus Christ for salvation, will you come this morning? Will you allow His resurrection power to change your life? Whatever your need, come today!