“Please Accept My Advice”

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It was a Thursday, June 28^th, 1787, when Benjamin Franklin, considered to be one of the least religious of America’s Founding Fathers, rose to speak at the Constitutional Convention held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

George Washington, who would later become the first president of the United States presided over the convention and it was to him Benjamin Franklin addressed his speech. Others in attendance included men like James Madison and Alexander Hamilton, 55 delegates in all. Notably Thomas Jefferson and John Adams were absent due to their diplomatic appointments in Europe.

The 81-year-old Benjamin Franklin, long the statesman, eloquent in speech and sentiment, told the Assembly they were all “groping as it were in the dark to find political truth, and scarce able to distinguish it when presented to us …” At this age, having helped to formulate and guide the conscience of the revolution to its recent success, Franklin deserved the respect he had gained among his peers. They listened, and so should we.

Franklin continued his famous speech: “I have lived, Sir, a long time and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth -- that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without His notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? We have been assured, Sir, in the sacred writings that "except the Lord build the House they labor in vain that build it." I firmly believe this; and I also believe that without His concurring aid we shall succeed in this political building no better than the Builders of Babel:”

Truly, God governs in the affairs of man. And Benjamin Franklin was not the first man to note and espouse this truth. 1700 years earlier the Apostle Paul wrote:

Romans 13:1 Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God.

Looking even farther back into the sacred writings of our historical accounts we find a king named Nebuchadnezzar. King Nebuchadnezzar ruled the Babylonian Empire (about 600BC) in the days of the prophet Daniel. It was King Nebuchadnezzar who defeated the Egyptian empire and besieged Jerusalem. He brought Daniel and his three friends back to Babylon, which is in modern-day Iran. Nebuchadnezzar was the one who threw Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego into the fiery furnace (Daniel 3).

Nonetheless Daniel confirmed that God had ordained Nebuchadnezzar to be the King and ruler of the empire.

Daniel 2 NLT

37  Your Majesty, you are the greatest of kings. The God of heaven has given you sovereignty, power, strength, and honor.

38  He has made you the ruler over all the inhabited world and has put even the wild animals and birds under your control. You are the head of gold.

It seems like King Nebuchadnezzar was pretty smart and really good at his job. Of course, that’s what we expect from someone God has chosen. I mean, If God chooses a person to do something it seems only reasonable that He would also equip them to do it. The problem is that people sometimes think it is by their own power or might or intelligence or strength that they accomplish something others could not accomplish.

King Nebuchadnezzar definitely succeeded in doing some things others could not do, but he failed to recognize it was God doing those things through him. He became filled with pride. Every success seemed to puff him up a little more. This king failed to recognize God’s hand on his life and rather imagined that he was just smarter and better than everyone else.

On top of this, several of the king’s counselors fed into his pride and even talked him into making a statue of himself for others to worship. God gave him time to repent but finally God had enough. Nebuchadnezzar tells the story better than I could. Let’s read it from the New Living Translation in Daniel 4. (There are a lot of verses … it’s a long read … so I’ll provide a little commentary along the way to keep us connected.)

Daniel 4 NLT

4 ¶  “I, Nebuchadnezzar, was living in my palace in comfort and prosperity.

5  But one night I had a dream that frightened me; I saw visions that terrified me as I lay in my bed.

6  So I issued an order calling in all the wise men of Babylon, so they could tell me what my dream meant.

7  When all the magicians, enchanters, astrologers, and fortune-tellers came in, I told them the dream, but they could not tell me what it meant.

8  At last Daniel came in before me, and I told him the dream. (He was named Belteshazzar after my god, and the spirit of the holy gods is in him.)

9  “I said to him, ‘Belteshazzar, chief of the magicians, I know that the spirit of the holy gods is in you and that no mystery is too great for you to solve. Now tell me what my dream means.

10  “ ‘While I was lying in my bed, this is what I dreamed. I saw a large tree in the middle of the earth.

11  The tree grew very tall and strong, reaching high into the heavens for all the world to see.

12  It had fresh green leaves, and it was loaded with fruit for all to eat. Wild animals lived in its shade, and birds nested in its branches. All the world was fed from this tree.

13  “ ‘Then as I lay there dreaming, I saw a messenger, a holy one, coming down from heaven.

14  The messenger shouted, “Cut down the tree and lop off its branches!     Shake off its leaves and scatter its fruit! Chase the wild animals from its shade and the birds from its branches.

15  But leave the stump and the roots in the ground, bound with a band of iron and bronze and surrounded by tender grass. Now let him be drenched with the dew of heaven, and let him live with the wild animals among the plants of the field.

16  For seven periods of time, let him have the mind of a wild animal     instead of the mind of a human.

17  For this has been decreed by the messengers; it is commanded by the holy ones, so that everyone may know that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world. He gives them to anyone he chooses — even to the lowliest of people.”

18  “ ‘Belteshazzar, that was the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now tell me what it means, for none of the wise men of my kingdom can do so. But you can tell me because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.’

19 ¶  “Upon hearing this, Daniel (also known as Belteshazzar) was overcome for a time, frightened by the meaning of the dream. Then the king said to him, ‘Belteshazzar, don’t be alarmed by the dream and what it means.’ “Belteshazzar replied, ‘I wish the events foreshadowed in this dream would happen to your enemies, my lord, and not to you!

20  The tree you saw was growing very tall and strong, reaching high into the heavens for all the world to see.

21  It had fresh green leaves and was loaded with fruit for all to eat. Wild animals lived in its shade, and birds nested in its branches.

22  That tree, Your Majesty, is you. For you have grown strong and great; your greatness reaches up to heaven, and your rule to the ends of the earth.

23  “ ‘Then you saw a messenger, a holy one, coming down from heaven and saying, “Cut down the tree and destroy it. But leave the stump and the roots in the ground, bound with a band of iron and bronze and surrounded by tender grass. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven. Let him live with the animals of the field for seven periods of time.”

24  “ ‘This is what the dream means, Your Majesty, and what the Most High has declared will happen to my lord the king.

25  You will be driven from human society, and you will live in the fields with the wild animals. You will eat grass like a cow, and you will be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven periods of time will pass while you live this way, until you learn that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses.

26  But the stump and roots of the tree were left in the ground. This means that you will receive your kingdom back again when you have learned that heaven rules.

27  “ ‘King Nebuchadnezzar, please accept my advice. Stop sinning and do what is right. Break from your wicked past and be merciful to the poor. Perhaps then you will continue to prosper.’

28 ¶  “But all these things did happen to King Nebuchadnezzar.

29  Twelve months later he was taking a walk on the flat roof of the royal palace in Babylon.

30  As he looked out across the city, he said, ‘Look at this great city of Babylon! By my own mighty power, I have built this beautiful city as my royal residence to display my majestic splendor.’

31  “While these words were still in his mouth, a voice called down from heaven, ‘O King Nebuchadnezzar, this message is for you! You are no longer ruler of this kingdom.

32  You will be driven from human society. You will live in the fields with the wild animals, and you will eat grass like a cow. Seven periods of time will pass while you live this way, until you learn that the Most High rules over the kingdoms of the world and gives them to anyone he chooses.’

33  “That same hour the judgment was fulfilled, and Nebuchadnezzar was driven from human society. He ate grass like a cow, and he was drenched with the dew of heaven. He lived this way until his hair was as long as eagles’ feathers and his nails were like birds’ claws.

34 ¶  “After this time had passed, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven. My sanity returned, and I praised and worshiped the Most High and honored the one who lives forever. His rule is everlasting, and his kingdom is eternal.

35  All the people of the earth are nothing compared to him. He does as he pleases among the angels of heaven and among the people of the earth. No one can stop him or say to him, ‘What do you mean by doing these things?’

36  “When my sanity returned to me, so did my honor and glory and kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored as head of my kingdom, with even greater honor than before.

37  “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and glorify and honor the King of heaven. All his acts are just and true, and he is able to humble the proud.”

If you’re smart, it’s because God made you smart … smart enough to manage the tasks for which He created you.

Your power and position do not make you better than others. And your intelligence didn’t get you your power or position. God has graced you with abilities commensurate with the calling on your life. He hopes you will use it to accomplish what He wants you to do.

Conclusions:

·        Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God and He will exalt you in due time. (1 Peter 5:6)

·        Stop sinning and do what is right. (Daniel 4:27)

·        God governs in the affairs of men. (Romans 13:1)

Who is Your Thomas?

We are one week removed from the celebration of our risen savior Jesus. It was a wonderful celebration, not just for our church but also for the global church as a whole. Easter Sunday is a great representation of what the disciples got to celebrate when they encountered Jesus 2000 years ago. The only difference is that the disciples actually knew Jesus, lived with Him, dined with Him, walked with Him, talked with Him, witnessed Him perform miracles and other things. And in an instant He was gone.

I believe that the encounter the disciples had with Jesus meant so much more than we can ever realize. Its not just about what took place on that Easter Sunday, it is also because of what happened eight days later.

Let’s dive into the text.

Jesus has risen from the grave that Sunday morning. Jesus revealed Himself to Mary Magdalene, Mary (mother of James), Salome, and other women, and to the two disciples on the Road to Emmaus. These were all special encounters that gave hope and life to each disciple that saw Him. Each encounter ends with worship and amazement.

That evening, the rest of the disciples (minus Thomas) were locked in a room in a home in Jerusalem. Many scholars believed it was the same upper room they were in with Jesus the last time they were together with Him. Not sure, but it makes sense:

•   They already knew the location

•   The room was large enough to hold everyone

•   It had also become a familiar meeting place

So just imagine, they are all together (the core disciples and the other followers who were with them) upstairs in a private home. The doors are shut tight, locked, windows likely covered and carefully watched. They were all here because they were afraid, confused, and uncertain. They were all trying to make sense of everything.

•   Women said the tomb was empty

•   Mary said she saw Jesus

•   Peter claimed to have had his own encounter with Him

•   Two disciples just came back from Emmaus saying that they saw Him

However, while some believed others still doubted. Some of them are confused, some are trying to connect the dots. There in a room full of fear, questions, and wondering of what comes next. In that room were differing levels of faith. There were some who had seen Jesus (Mary, Peter, Emmaus disciples), some who only heard the reports, and those who were still unsure and possibly doubted.

It was in that moment that Jesus showed up…

John 20:19-22

“19 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being locked where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 20 When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”

In the midst of all that was happening, Jesus showed up! In the midst of everything they were going through, Jesus came in at the right time. Jesus wasn’t waiting for them to be full of faith and doing all of the right things. He showed up in the middle of their fear and doubt. That is encouraging!

Jesus doesn’t just wait for you to have it all together to meet you where you are at. He meets you in the middle of your discouragement, if you will allow Him.

When Jesus showed up, He gave them three things:

1.     Peace
v19 — “Peace be with you…”
Jesus gave them peace in the middle of their fear and doubt. He silenced all the confusion and brought clarity to their mind and their hearts.

2.     Proof
v20 — “When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord.”
Jesus reassured them that He indeed was alive and that He had risen from the grave. He vindicated those who saw Him and encouraged those who were still doubting.

3.     Purpose
v21-22 — “As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” 22 And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”
Jesus commissioned them to be His witnesses. Jesus:

‣    Sends them — As the Father sent Him

‣    Empowers them — with the Holy Spirit

‣    Gives them Authority — of His own

So, imagine the scene… All of the disciples have seen Jesus first hand. They have inspected the wounds and have seen that He is truly risen. They are filled with joy and excitement. Jesus gives them peace, proof, and purpose. All is going well! However, one thing is off— Thomas its not present.

Every believer there was just like Thomas: scared, confused, and uncertain. The difference is that they still gathered together. It was when they were altogether that Jesus showed up. They were elated and filled with joy and certainty. However, their friend was still struggling. So they did what any born-again friend should do, they reached out to him!

They linked up with Thomas and told him all that happened.

John 20:24-25 — “24 Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin,[d] was not with them when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.”

The other disciples saw the Lord! They knew He was risen and they all had a life changing encounter with Him. While this was true, they didn’t just keep it to themselves. No, they reached out to their friend and told him what happened. They were fulfilling their Christian duty to share with Thomas what had happened.

Like these disciples, we too have a Christian responsibility to share with our friends what Jesus has done in our life. We too have seen that Jesus is risen and have a personal testimony of how He has encountered our lives. It is our duty to share it with others!

Thomas did not and would not believe them. No matter what they said, he refused to believe their report. Thomas was adamant about staying in his position due to his hurt and disappointment. What I love about this is that the disciples didn’t just give up. Quite the opposite— they took him up on his offer when he said that he would only believe if he saw Jesus for himself. So they did what only made sense, they brought him where they knew Jesus would show up again, in the gathering of believers; they brought him to church! (Sunday)

One of the best things we can do is to invite someone who is struggling to believe to church with us. Why? Because Jesus shows up.

And that is exactly what happened when Thomas was invited that next Sunday:

John 20:26-28

“26 Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” 28 Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!””

Wow! Thomas when from a doubting skeptic to a professing believer, all in one moment: when Jesus showed up. Thomas truly believed! Not only did he believe, Thomas was with the disciples when Jesus commissioned them again,. Thomas was there when the Holy Spirit fell upon all of the disciples. Not only that, but Thomas went on to be an incredible witness for Jesus as a missionary to India, allegedly being the first person to evangelize the people of India with the gospel. That is amazing! But that all happened because of his friends.

1.     They told him about Jesus when he didn’t believe

2.     They didn’t give up on him when he doubted

3.     They stayed connected to him the entire time

4.     They got him to the place where Jesus would show up

Because they did all of that, they also got to witness his breakthrough. They were there when Thomas proclaimed, “My Lord and my God!” What a reward it was for them to be there in that moment. But it all happened because they refused to give up on a friend.

Let me encourage you, don’t give up on people too soon. Stay consistent with them and keep believing for them. Even when it seems like they aren’t going to change their position, they might be one moment away from encountering Jesus just like you did.

What would have happened if the disciples would have moved on? What would have happened if they had never reached out to Thomas? What would have happened if they had given up on him because he refused to believe in that moment? We don’t know the answer to that question, but we do know that he believed because his Christian friends refused to give up on him.

Let us too refuse to give up on our friends and family and continue to reach out to them, stay connected to them, and continue to believe for them.

TAKEAWAYS

I.      Stay in the room—even when you don’t understand

‣    The disciples where scared, confused, and uncertain

‣    However, they still gathered together

‣    Don’t disappear when life gets hard

‣    Don’t isolate yourself when your faith feels weak

‣    Stay connected to your fellow believers

II.     Tell people about Jesus—even when they don’t believe

‣    The disciples told Thomas “We have seen the Lord!”

‣    Thomas didn’t believe them, but it didn’t stop them from sharing

‣    The disciple’s testimony was still powerful even though Thomas doubted

‣    Keep sharing what God has done in your life

‣    Don’t let someone’s response silence your witness

‣    Your testimony is still powerful even when its not immediately received

III.   Don’t give up on people who are struggling to believe

‣    Thomas pushed back and he pushed back hard

‣    However, they did not give up on Thomas— they stayed consistent

‣    Don’t write people off as “they will never believe”

‣    Don’t label people by where their current season

‣    Keep loving on them, keep reaching out to them, keep believing for them
A doubter today might become a disciple tomorrow

IV.   Your role is not to change them—but to get them in front of Jesus

‣    They couldn’t convince Thomas no matter how hard they tried

‣    But they could bring them back to where Jesus would show up

‣    Invite them

‣    Bring them

‣    Sit with them

‣    Let Jesus do what He can only do

Here is my question to you this morning…

Who is your Thomas?

Who is it God that God has put on your heart to believe for? To pray for? To reach out to?

Resurrection Day

 Gtcotr/ss040526

Mark 16 NLT

9 ¶  After Jesus rose from the dead early on Sunday morning, the first person who saw him was Mary Magdalene, the woman from whom he had cast out seven demons.

·        Sunday – the new day of rest.

·        Those who have been forgiven much, love much. (Luke 7:47)

·        Why did Jesus appear first to Mary Magdalene? Because she was there.

o   If we wish to be a part of Jesus doing miracles, we need to be present at the place where miracles are happening.

o   If we want a paycheck, we need to show up at work.

·        Jesus didn’t come to Mary … Mary went to Him!

o   She didn’t give up on her dream of serving Him.

o   She was committed to serve Him in life and in death, in the good days and in the difficult times.

10  She went to the disciples, who were grieving and weeping, and told them what had happened.

·        Everyone handles grief differently.

·        I am often sad about a circumstance or situation, but I have learned to not allow myself to be worried, become afraid, or get depressed.

·        The disciples were worried, afraid, and dysfunctional.

·        While Mary was working, the disciples were weeping.

·        While Mary was going, the disciples were grieving.

11  But when she told them that Jesus was alive and she had seen him, they didn’t believe her.

·        This event is a picture of what world evangelism is like.

·        It is repeated over and again each day

·        People sent like Mary was to go and tell … they go and tell the lost and hurting, the fearful and worried … and often people refuse to believe.

·        So, what does Jesus do? He just keeps sending more witnesses …

12  Afterward he appeared in a different form to two of his followers who were walking from Jerusalem into the country.

·        According to Luke (Chapter 24) these two followers were aware of Mary’s story and how she claimed to have seen Jesus alive … but they didn’t believe her.

·        Jesus is not going to stop trying to get through to you at the first no.

·        Jesus appeared to these two men personally … He walked with them and talked with them … and finally they believed.

·        What was the first thing they wanted to do?

13  They rushed back to tell the others, but no one believed them.

·        The 11 disciples were determined to wallow in their misery and no amount of encouragement from friends was going to make things better.

·        “Pray for me.” “Quote scriptures to me.” “Tell me the testimony of how God helped you in your time of need.” And try hard to make me feel better … but I’m not going to let go of my pain, my worry and disappointment. “My dream died!” (Yep … and one day you are going to die too … get over it! Get up and get back into the game.)

·        The disciples still didn’t believe … “no one believed them.”

·        But guess what … Jesus is not going to stop at the second “no” either.

14 ¶  Still later he appeared to the eleven disciples as they were eating together. He rebuked them for their stubborn unbelief because they refused to believe those who had seen him after he had been raised from the dead.

·        Misery loves company … “they were eating together” … Be careful when you’re hurt, sad, or fearful that you don’t surround yourself with hurt, sad, and fearful people.

·        Notice – they weren’t too sad to eat …

·        Jesus appeared to them and He wasn’t all that happy.

·        When I see Jesus, I hope the first thing He does is hug me with a smile on His face instead of rebuke me for being hard hearted and stubborn.

·        They finally saw past their sorrows when they saw Jesus.

John 20:29  Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”

The resurrection of Jesus sets Him apart from every other religious martyr people have claimed to be their God. Jesus is alive. We have the written records and sworn testimonies of several eyewitnesses. This well-documented historical fact has completely changed the world in the past 2000 years.

The life, death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus is the most told story in every generation since. And the Bible is the most sold, the most read, the most quoted, and the most followed book ever in the history of the world.

I’ve been to the Garden Tomb, and I am here to tell you He is not there, Jesus is alive! I believe the witness of Mary and the story of the two men on the road to Emmaus, and the accounts of the disciples. Plus, I’ve experienced the life change that comes from knowing Jesus as my personal Savior and Lord.

You can know Him today by simply inviting Him into your heart. He will hear your prayer and forgive you of your sins and save your soul. Everything begins to change, just like it did for the disciples, when you believe. For the lost and hurting today; for the worried and fearful today; for the disappointed and depressed today:

“Believe upon the name of the Lord Jesus and you and your household will be saved!” (Acts 16:31)

For those who have already believed … Jesus has a personal word for you today. It’s the same word He spoke to those who believed in Him on that first Resurrection Day.

Mark 16:15  And then he told them, “Go into all the world and preach the Good News to everyone.”

Tell the Good News everywhere you go this week. Jesus is alive!

Let’s pray …

The Emptiness of Easter

Today we are going to talk about the power of emptiness. That may sound funny because empty things are usually void of power. Not only that, we typically don’t celebrate things that are empty. 

•  Empty gas tank = stress

•  Empty bank account = worry

•  Empty house = loneliness

•  Empty toilet paper roll = bad timing

All jokes aside, emptiness usually means that something is missing. However, Easter completely flips that notion. What was empty on that Easter Sunday is exactly what changed everything.

Today we are going to talk about 4 things that we left empty on Easter in order that you and I would experience fullness.

1.    The Empty Cross

The reason there was an empty cross was because Jesus had died. World scholars unanimously agree and do not dispute the two facts that Jesus really lived and that Jesus really died.

Jesus was beaten, whipped to the bone (His flesh torn off of Him), mocked, scorned, crucified, and hung left to die. Jesus was dead within 6 hours. His death was confirmed when both blood and water exited His side after a guard pierced Him with his Roman spear. Separation of blood from serum is one of the strongest legal medical proofs of death.

Upon knowing that His death was near, Jesus was thirsty. A guard gave Him a sip of sour wine through a dirty sponge. After taking His last sips, He shared His final words…

John 19:30 — “It is finished…”

Now why would Jesus say that? Because His work on the cross had been complete. The cross was empty because Jesus finished the work.

Luke 23:52-53 — “52 This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. 53 Then he took it down and wrapped it in a linen shroud and laid him in a tomb cut in stone, where no one had ever yet been laid.”

They took Him down from the cross; that is the body that carried your sin and the body that bore your punishment, it was removed. Why? Because Jesus had paid the price for our sin.

That price was death.

The cross is no longer occupied!

•   He didn’t partially save you

•   He didn’t almost save you

•   Your salvation was totally and completely PAID IN FULL

•   The work of salvation is complete.

•   The cross was left empty because your debt was paid in full.

But how many of you know that if the story ended there, we wouldn’t be here today.

2.    The Empty Tomb

When Jesus was laid in His tomb, there were women who followed to find out where Jesus was laid. On Easter Sunday, they brought spices to where Jesus was at and found the tomb empty. Jesus was nowhere to be found. The text says that these ladies were “perplexed” as to why Jesus’ body was no longer there.

It was at about this two angels appeared before these women and said:

Luke 24:5-6 — “Why do you seek the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen.”

The tomb was empty, not because Jesus went missing, but because Jesus was alive! Jesus had been raised from the dead.

This is important!! Because it is upon this event that 12 men surrendered their  lives to spreading the truth of the gospel all around the known world. Not only did they surrender their lives to the telling of the gospel, but even died a grueling death…based upon what they had seen. That is the dead Christ risen from the dead.

It also means that Jesus has proven that He has defeated sin and death. There were other people who were raised back to life from the dead. Lazarus was raised from the dead (John 11:1-44). Jairus’ daughter was raised from the dead (Mark 5:35-43). The widow’s son was raised from the dead (Luke 7:11-17). However, their resurrection was different from Jesus’ resurrection.

•   When these people were raised from the dead, they died again.

•   When Jesus raised from the dead, He was raised in newness of life.

•   Therefore, if you believe in Jesus, the resurrection gives us the promise that:

1.     We too will have eternal life

2.     We can walk in new life with Christ today
Through the power of the Holy Spirit, you can experience true transformation from the inside out.

•   What that means is that you cannot find true life in:

•   Good behavior

•   Career achievements

•   401K

•   Material possessions

•   Personal relationships

•   These are all good things. However, none of these have the power to change us or give us true life.

So that question still echoes today:

•   “Why do you look for the living among the dead?”

True life is found in Jesus, who is risen from the dead.

3.    The Empty Grave Clothes

After their encounter with the angel, Mary Magdalene ran back and told Peter and John that the tomb was empty. Peter and John ran back to the scene to see for themselves.

John 20:6-7 — “6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen cloths lying there, 7 and the face cloth, which had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen cloths but folded up in a place by itself.”

When Jesus rose from the dead, he left the grave clothes behind.

Grave clothes represent the old life that we used to live.

•   Old habits

•   Old desires

•   Old things we used to do

•   All of those things were left behind

•   Colossians 3:1-3
“1 If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”

If you have placed your faith in Jesus, your new life is no longer found here on this earth. Your life is now found in Christ and in the things of God. The resurrected life that we are called to live here on earth is not just about Jesus getting up, its also about what you’re willing to lay down.

4.    The Empty Space (in our heart)

The cross was left empty.
The grave was left empty.
The grave clothes were left empty.

And you know what else was left empty? The space in your heart.

We all know what that emptiness feels like:

•   You can be surrounded by people and still feel alone

•   You can be successful and still feel unsatisfied

•   You can stay busy and still feel unfulfilled

•   We go through life and we try to fill that space in our heart with stuff that we think we make us happy, and yet we are still left feeling empty.

•   Why is that?

Ecclesiastes 3:11 — “He has put eternity into man's heart…”

•   That emptiness that we fill is by design. Our hearts are like a glove that is meant for the hand of God. The problem is that we try to fill a God-sized space with temporary things that just don’t fit. The only thing meant to fit is the hand of God.

•   That is the emptiness of Easter; it is an invitation by God Himself to meet you right where you are.

•   Revelation 3:20 — “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.”

•   Jesus is standing at the door of our heart, knocking. The emptiness you feel inside of you is the sound of Jesus knocking. He is asking for you to let Him in to your heart.

Will you let Him?

Takeaways:

Because Jesus is risen from the dead…

1.     Your debt has been paid

2.     Death has been defeated

3.     Jesus is knocking at the door of your heart