gtcotr/ss032308
I do not want to waste the precious time each of you give to attend Church nor the opportunity Jesus affords me to deliver a relevant message to His Bride. I want this time to be meaningful, not boring.
However, what I have for you this Easter Morning is admittedly a sermon someone else has already preached. It is not original to me and it is possible that some of you have already heard this message. However, it is The Best Easter Sunday Message Ever
I ask for your attention while I repeat what I learned from this Man’s message. By the way, this is not my first time to borrow from one of His sermons.
Let me give you some background on what we are going to hear today.
* It was originally a two part sermon with 5 broad points
> Part One and point one was preached at a Sunday Morning outdoor Easter
> The remaining four points were preached that Sunday evening, in a more intimate setting at a home group prayer meeting. * Not all of the regular attendees could be there to hear it, so this well known traveling Preacher decided to come back the following week where He preached it again for those who had missed it the first time.
Here are the five points: Don’t expect me to do as good as the Original Preacher.
Point #1. Go And Tell
> The Preacher told how that:
* Jesus chose a woman to be the first evangelist
* He told her to proclaim the resurrection
* We learn that some people who are looking for Jesus don’t always recognize Him, and how that:
* One word from the Master can change everything.
Point #2. Don’t Let Fear Rule Your Life
> Here He taught that:
* Even when there are reasons, we should not let fear control us or let problems keep us away from the Body of Christ.
* Jesus knows where we are, even in our secret places, our hurts, fears and disappointments, however …
* We cannot lock God out of our lives
* When we least expect it and may not deserve it, Suddenly Jesus shows up with a plan
* Jesus does not mind proving nor repeating Himself
Point #3. We Are Ambassadors Of Christ
> This point teaches that:
* It‘s not over, Resurrection is just the beginning
* The Believer’s duty is now as important as Jesus’ was
* Every Believer has authority in the Name of Jesus
Point #4. Receive The Holy Spirit
> Here the Preacher taught that:
* This was not just a suggestion, but an imperative
* The Holy Spirit is an evident necessity
* God’s presence is with His people
* Our cry, (should be) “Breath on me, Lord Jesus.”
* This and this alone can change the unchangeable
Point #5. What We Do Makes A Difference
> Finally that Sunday evening, those there heard how that:
* Jesus transferred real power and authority to His followers.
* Believers hold a key to setting others free
I happen to have an outline of the notes from that sermon right here.
I. Go and Tell That The Resurrection Is A Reality
II. Don’t Be Afraid
III. You Have Authority In My Name
IV. I Am With You
V. What You Do Makes An Eternal Difference
In fact, I recently purchased a copy of the transcript of that preacher’s sermon. I don‘t mean to bore you, but allow me read it to you in it’s entirety. I don’t think that I can do it justice, so I’m going to let Him speak for Himself. The preacher that Sunday, Jesus!
Would you turn in your bibles to that first Easter Sunday sermon.
John 20 (NLT)
1 ¶ Early Sunday morning, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and found that the stone had been rolled away from the entrance.
2 She ran and found Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved. She said, "They have taken the Lord’s body out of the tomb, and I don’t know where they have put him!"
3 Peter and the other disciple ran to the tomb to see.
4 The other disciple outran Peter and got there first.
5 He stooped and looked in and saw the linen cloth lying there, but he didn’t go in.
6 Then Simon Peter arrived and went inside. He also noticed the linen wrappings lying there,
7 while the cloth that had covered Jesus’ head was folded up and lying to the side.
8 Then the other disciple also went in, and he saw and believed—
9 for until then they hadn’t realized that the Scriptures said he would rise from the dead.
10 Then they went home.
11 ¶ Mary was standing outside the tomb crying, and as she wept, she stooped and looked in.
12 She saw two white-robed angels sitting at the head and foot of the place where the body of Jesus had been lying.
13 "Why are you crying?" the angels asked her. "Because they have taken away my Lord," she replied, "and I don’t know where they have put him."
14 She glanced over her shoulder and saw someone standing behind her. It was Jesus, but she didn’t recognize him.
15 "Why are you crying?" Jesus asked her. "Who are you looking for?" She thought he was the gardener. "Sir," she said, "if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and get him."
16 "Mary!" Jesus said. She turned toward him and exclaimed, "Teacher!"
17 "Don’t cling to me," Jesus said, "for I haven’t yet ascended to the Father. But go find my brothers and tell them that I am ascending to my Father and your Father, my God and your God."
18 Mary Magdalene found the disciples and told them, "I have seen the Lord!" Then she gave them his message.
19 ¶ That evening, on the first day of the week, the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! "Peace be with you," he said.
20 As he spoke, he held out his hands for them to see, and he showed them his side. They were filled with joy when they saw their Lord!
21 He spoke to them again and said, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you."
22 Then he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.
23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you refuse to forgive them, they are unforgiven."
24 One of the disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), was not with the others when Jesus came.
25 They told him, "We have seen the Lord!" But he replied, "I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side."
26 ¶ Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. He said, "Peace be with you."
27 Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here and see my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!"
28 "My Lord and my God!" Thomas exclaimed.
29 Then Jesus told him, "You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who haven’t seen me and believe anyway."
This Preacher was Jesus, the sermon was His. It was so good, the message so powerful that everyone needed to hear it, but not all of the disciples were present at that first home group prayer meeting.
So, Jesus showed up the following week and proclaimed the resurrection message again to those who had only heard it from others, but had not yet believed it for themselves.
You know, He is still showing up each week to confirm His resurrection in the hearts, the homes and the houses of worship all over the world.
He is here today, right here, in this sanctuary, in your home, office, hotel room, in your secret place. You see:
The Crucifixion provides Reconciliation.
Our trust in the cross saves our souls for eternity.
The Resurrection makes New Creation Realities available to every believer.
When we embrace the Holy Spirit we receive the power to live these New Creation Realities as a witness to the whole world.
Won’t you hear and believe what Jesus is saying today?
I. Go and Tell That The Resurrection Is A Reality
II. Don’t Be Afraid(Don’t isolate yourself or stay away from the Body)
III. You Have Authority In My Name
IV. I Am With You
V. What You Do Makes An Eternal Difference
You can leave here today and tell people that you have just heard the best Easter Sunday sermon in the world.
And don’t forget to tell them that Jesus is Alive!
