1 00:00:00,370 --> 00:00:03,560 - This sermon this morning is a two part sermon, 2 00:00:03,560 --> 00:00:05,350 I'm going to finish this evening. 3 00:00:05,350 --> 00:00:08,100 This morning, The Most Important Event in the World. 4 00:00:08,100 --> 00:00:11,920 Tonight, The Most Important Thing in the World. 5 00:00:13,600 --> 00:00:15,080 Every once in a while on the news, 6 00:00:15,080 --> 00:00:17,840 they do a flashback to an important date, 7 00:00:17,840 --> 00:00:21,020 or event in history, and you know, 8 00:00:21,020 --> 00:00:23,590 they report on what happened, and how this event 9 00:00:23,590 --> 00:00:26,330 may still affect us today. 10 00:00:27,200 --> 00:00:29,630 The end of World War 2, for example, 11 00:00:29,630 --> 00:00:32,520 where they kind of go over World War 2, and what happened, 12 00:00:32,520 --> 00:00:36,980 or the first man on the moon, or the 9/11 terrorist attack. 13 00:00:37,890 --> 00:00:40,940 And the media will focus on that, and go through that, 14 00:00:40,940 --> 00:00:43,820 and remind us of these things. 15 00:00:43,820 --> 00:00:45,650 I've seen a lot of these shows, 16 00:00:45,650 --> 00:00:49,290 but despite all of my TV watching, 17 00:00:49,290 --> 00:00:52,580 no news, or any other program for that matter, 18 00:00:52,580 --> 00:00:57,580 has ever featured the most significant life-changing event 19 00:00:58,070 --> 00:01:03,070 in all the history of mankind, and that is the resurrection 20 00:01:04,230 --> 00:01:07,200 from the dead of Jesus Christ. 21 00:01:08,150 --> 00:01:13,150 Oh yes, television is polite, well, less so today, 22 00:01:13,910 --> 00:01:17,480 but anyways, there was a time that television was polite 23 00:01:17,480 --> 00:01:21,980 with the resurrection, treating it as a religious festival, 24 00:01:23,270 --> 00:01:28,270 but never as a hard fact, never as history. 25 00:01:31,530 --> 00:01:33,290 Regardless of what the media says, 26 00:01:33,290 --> 00:01:36,920 the resurrection of Jesus remains the single most 27 00:01:36,920 --> 00:01:41,920 volatile and important event of our age. 28 00:01:43,500 --> 00:01:46,410 More important than any war, or political idea, 29 00:01:46,410 --> 00:01:49,890 or movement, or sports story, 30 00:01:49,890 --> 00:01:52,500 and it has been important to many people 31 00:01:52,500 --> 00:01:55,260 for a long, long time. 32 00:01:57,760 --> 00:02:00,350 For example, before there was such a thing 33 00:02:00,350 --> 00:02:02,020 as television, or the Internet, 34 00:02:02,020 --> 00:02:05,160 or even such a thing as news, 35 00:02:06,140 --> 00:02:08,360 the resurrection was important. 36 00:02:09,750 --> 00:02:13,980 It was important even before it happened. 37 00:02:15,070 --> 00:02:19,670 For example, it was important to the Old Testament prophets 38 00:02:19,670 --> 00:02:24,670 who spoke of Christ's resurrection long before he appeared. 39 00:02:25,140 --> 00:02:29,540 In Psalm 16:10, the writer says, "For You will not abandon 40 00:02:29,540 --> 00:02:34,140 "my soul to Sheol; nor will You allow Your Holy One," 41 00:02:34,140 --> 00:02:37,860 there's the Holy One, the Resurrected One, 42 00:02:37,860 --> 00:02:40,010 "to undergo decay." 43 00:02:41,070 --> 00:02:44,920 It mattered to these people here, this person right here, 44 00:02:44,920 --> 00:02:47,170 writing thousands of years before Christ. 45 00:02:47,170 --> 00:02:49,640 It mattered to them, because their hope of 46 00:02:49,640 --> 00:02:53,340 life after death rested on this event, 47 00:02:54,680 --> 00:02:59,410 that they spoke of taking place in the future. 48 00:03:00,440 --> 00:03:05,340 It was important to the Jewish leaders who, 49 00:03:05,340 --> 00:03:08,480 centuries later, condemned and conspired to 50 00:03:08,480 --> 00:03:11,520 put Jesus to death on a cross. 51 00:03:11,520 --> 00:03:14,640 We read in Matthew 27, "Now on the next day, 52 00:03:14,640 --> 00:03:17,580 "the day after the preparation, the chief priests 53 00:03:17,580 --> 00:03:20,060 "and the Pharisees gathered together with Pilate, 54 00:03:20,060 --> 00:03:23,205 "and said, 'Sir, we remember that when He was 55 00:03:23,205 --> 00:03:25,810 "'still alive,'" here they're speaking of Jesus, of course, 56 00:03:25,810 --> 00:03:28,930 "'When He was still alive, that deceiver said, 57 00:03:28,930 --> 00:03:32,500 "'"After three days I am to rise again."' 58 00:03:32,500 --> 00:03:35,220 "'Therefore, give orders for the grave to be made secure 59 00:03:35,220 --> 00:03:37,750 "'until the third day, otherwise His disciples 60 00:03:37,750 --> 00:03:40,570 "'may come and steal Him away and say to the people, 61 00:03:40,570 --> 00:03:44,080 "'"He has risen from the dead," and the last deception 62 00:03:44,080 --> 00:03:47,470 "'will be worse than the first.'" 63 00:03:47,470 --> 00:03:51,440 It was important to these people, the resurrection was, 64 00:03:51,440 --> 00:03:53,980 in a negative sort of way. 65 00:03:53,980 --> 00:03:57,010 They were afraid that the mere teaching of the doctrine 66 00:03:57,010 --> 00:04:00,000 of the resurrection, even one that may have been 67 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:03,220 based on a lie, would destroy their religion. 68 00:04:06,340 --> 00:04:10,680 It was important to the Apostles, 69 00:04:12,680 --> 00:04:15,410 who gave up their lives in order to proclaim 70 00:04:15,410 --> 00:04:18,900 their eyewitness account of His resurrection. 71 00:04:20,910 --> 00:04:23,940 The Apostles saw in the resurrection the proof 72 00:04:23,940 --> 00:04:28,310 that His claims about being Lord and Christ were valid. 73 00:04:28,310 --> 00:04:33,310 It was what motivated them to face martyrdom without fear. 74 00:04:38,500 --> 00:04:42,240 It was important to the Gentiles, in other words, 75 00:04:42,240 --> 00:04:47,240 the non-Jews, who rejected Christianity for this very fact. 76 00:04:50,860 --> 00:04:54,530 In Acts 17, we read, "Being then the children of God, 77 00:04:54,530 --> 00:04:56,910 "we ought not to think that the Divine Nature 78 00:04:56,910 --> 00:04:59,300 "is like gold or silver or stone, 79 00:04:59,300 --> 00:05:02,050 "an image formed by the art and thought of man." 80 00:05:02,050 --> 00:05:07,050 Here, Paul is talking to the Greeks, the Greek scholars, 81 00:05:08,670 --> 00:05:10,810 and he says to them, "Therefore, having overlooked 82 00:05:10,810 --> 00:05:13,760 "the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men 83 00:05:13,760 --> 00:05:17,300 "that all people everywhere should repent, 84 00:05:17,300 --> 00:05:20,640 "because He has fixed a day in which He will judge 85 00:05:20,640 --> 00:05:24,060 "the world in righteousness through a Man whom 86 00:05:24,060 --> 00:05:27,200 "He has appointed, having furnished proof 87 00:05:27,200 --> 00:05:32,200 "to all men by raising Him from the dead." 88 00:05:33,100 --> 00:05:35,700 "Now when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, 89 00:05:35,700 --> 00:05:38,120 "some began to sneer, but others said, 90 00:05:38,120 --> 00:05:42,930 "'We shall hear you again concerning this.'" 91 00:05:42,930 --> 00:05:44,610 The Jews, they stumbled, 92 00:05:44,610 --> 00:05:47,330 meaning they stopped short of believing. 93 00:05:47,330 --> 00:05:51,460 They stumbled at the fact that Jesus was crucified. 94 00:05:51,460 --> 00:05:54,090 They couldn't accept the idea that their Messiah 95 00:05:54,090 --> 00:05:57,610 could be executed by pagans on a Roman cross. 96 00:05:57,610 --> 00:06:00,280 The Gentiles, however, they stumbled, 97 00:06:00,280 --> 00:06:03,750 stopped short of belief, at the fact of the resurrection. 98 00:06:03,750 --> 00:06:05,650 They couldn't accept the possibility 99 00:06:05,650 --> 00:06:08,330 of life after death for a human being. 100 00:06:09,410 --> 00:06:12,700 This disbelief simply demonstrated that the idea 101 00:06:12,700 --> 00:06:16,680 of life after death was very important, 102 00:06:16,680 --> 00:06:18,900 even to those who didn't believe it. 103 00:06:21,550 --> 00:06:26,550 The resurrection was also important to the early Christians. 104 00:06:26,870 --> 00:06:29,140 The early Christians were being challenged 105 00:06:29,140 --> 00:06:32,880 on this very point, and Paul writes about it 106 00:06:32,880 --> 00:06:35,840 to the Corinthians in 1 Corinthians 15. 107 00:06:35,840 --> 00:06:38,850 It says, "Now if Christ is preached, 108 00:06:38,850 --> 00:06:41,330 "that He has been raised from the dead, 109 00:06:41,330 --> 00:06:43,430 "how do some among you say that 110 00:06:43,430 --> 00:06:45,930 "there is no resurrection of the dead? 111 00:06:45,930 --> 00:06:48,250 "But if there is no resurrection of the dead, 112 00:06:48,250 --> 00:06:50,500 "not even Christ has been raised; 113 00:06:50,500 --> 00:06:52,910 "and if Christ has not been raised, 114 00:06:52,910 --> 00:06:57,910 "then our preaching is vain, and your faith also is vain." 115 00:07:00,560 --> 00:07:02,710 Paul tells them that their faith and hope 116 00:07:02,710 --> 00:07:06,060 rests squarely on the truth of this fact, 117 00:07:06,060 --> 00:07:09,140 and their persecution was caused by it. 118 00:07:09,140 --> 00:07:11,250 They didn't persecute the early Christians 119 00:07:11,250 --> 00:07:13,250 because of their morality. 120 00:07:14,560 --> 00:07:16,900 Because they didn't divorce their wives, 121 00:07:16,900 --> 00:07:21,850 and you know, because they were not drunkards. 122 00:07:22,760 --> 00:07:24,950 They didn't persecute Christians because 123 00:07:24,950 --> 00:07:27,250 Christians were the ones that were finding 124 00:07:27,250 --> 00:07:29,890 little babies that had been left in the open fields 125 00:07:29,890 --> 00:07:32,040 to die because the parents didn't want them, 126 00:07:32,040 --> 00:07:34,330 and Christians were taking them into their homes. 127 00:07:34,330 --> 00:07:39,330 They didn't get killed and drug into the forums 128 00:07:39,720 --> 00:07:42,890 to be eaten by lions because they were good people. 129 00:07:45,070 --> 00:07:47,560 They killed them because they had the gall to say 130 00:07:47,560 --> 00:07:52,110 there's only one God, and we know who He is 131 00:07:52,110 --> 00:07:55,060 because our Lord has resurrected from the dead, 132 00:07:55,060 --> 00:07:57,210 and He's going to judge everybody. 133 00:07:57,210 --> 00:07:58,840 That's why they killed them. 134 00:08:05,750 --> 00:08:07,790 Paul tells them that their faith and hope 135 00:08:07,790 --> 00:08:11,210 rests squarely on the truth of this fact. 136 00:08:11,210 --> 00:08:14,840 If there is no resurrection, brothers and sisters, 137 00:08:14,840 --> 00:08:17,750 you and I are the most foolish of people, 138 00:08:17,750 --> 00:08:22,490 and we are just wasting our time in this place. 139 00:08:23,950 --> 00:08:27,160 2,000 years later, in the midst of all kinds 140 00:08:27,160 --> 00:08:29,360 of doctrines, of reincarnation, you know, 141 00:08:29,360 --> 00:08:32,880 like Hinduism, and New Age, and the Occult, 142 00:08:32,880 --> 00:08:36,530 the resurrection of Jesus still matters. 143 00:08:36,530 --> 00:08:39,600 It mattered to them, and it matters to us, 144 00:08:39,600 --> 00:08:44,600 because His resurrection accomplishes three unique things. 145 00:08:46,500 --> 00:08:51,190 First of all, the resurrection establishes 146 00:08:51,190 --> 00:08:54,230 Jesus as the Divine Messiah. 147 00:08:55,710 --> 00:08:58,800 Many claim to believe in reincarnation, 148 00:08:58,800 --> 00:09:03,000 even that they themselves were alive in some other form, 149 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:07,840 but Christianity proclaims that Jesus returned as Himself. 150 00:09:09,020 --> 00:09:12,770 This accomplishment entitles Him to be considered 151 00:09:12,770 --> 00:09:16,380 as Lord and Christ, I ask you, who else is going 152 00:09:16,380 --> 00:09:20,320 to be Lord in this world, except the only one 153 00:09:20,320 --> 00:09:22,490 who has come back from the dead? 154 00:09:22,490 --> 00:09:24,900 Is there anyone else who can be Lord? 155 00:09:28,350 --> 00:09:30,950 This was the point of Peter's first sermon 156 00:09:30,950 --> 00:09:35,530 on Pentecost Sunday in Acts chapter 2, verse 29. 157 00:09:35,530 --> 00:09:38,370 He says, "Brethren, I may confidently say to you, 158 00:09:38,370 --> 00:09:40,960 "regarding the patriarch David that he both died 159 00:09:40,960 --> 00:09:44,160 "and was buried, and his tomb is with us to this day. 160 00:09:44,160 --> 00:09:47,780 "And so, because he was a prophet and knew 161 00:09:47,780 --> 00:09:50,320 "that God had sworn to him with an oath 162 00:09:50,320 --> 00:09:53,340 "to seat one of his descendants on his throne, 163 00:09:53,340 --> 00:09:56,380 "he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection 164 00:09:56,380 --> 00:10:00,270 "of the Christ, that He was neither abandoned to Hades, 165 00:10:00,270 --> 00:10:05,130 "nor did His flesh suffer decay." 166 00:10:05,130 --> 00:10:10,130 Peter said that through the mouth of David, the prophet, 167 00:10:10,130 --> 00:10:13,370 God promised that He would resurrect the Christ, 168 00:10:13,370 --> 00:10:16,070 that this is what the sign would be. 169 00:10:16,070 --> 00:10:19,630 How will we know who is the person you sent, Lord? 170 00:10:19,630 --> 00:10:23,080 Will He do miracles, will He say something in particular? 171 00:10:23,080 --> 00:10:25,070 How are we going to know for sure? 172 00:10:25,070 --> 00:10:27,820 And Peter says, the way that God has told us 173 00:10:27,820 --> 00:10:30,180 that you will know for sure is that 174 00:10:30,180 --> 00:10:33,820 He will raise up His Christ from the dead. 175 00:10:33,820 --> 00:10:37,670 That will be the undeniable fact. 176 00:10:37,670 --> 00:10:42,670 That will be the clearest image of His will. 177 00:10:42,960 --> 00:10:47,100 People were and are looking for a sign from God, 178 00:10:47,100 --> 00:10:52,070 and the resurrection is the sign from God. 179 00:10:52,070 --> 00:10:55,190 "This Jesus God raised up again, 180 00:10:55,190 --> 00:10:58,260 "to which we are all witnesses." 181 00:10:58,260 --> 00:11:02,310 So Peter claims that this prophecy has come true, 182 00:11:02,310 --> 00:11:07,310 he has seen it with his own eyes, the resurrection of Jesus. 183 00:11:09,020 --> 00:11:11,980 In verse 33, he continues, and he says, 184 00:11:11,980 --> 00:11:14,760 "Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, 185 00:11:14,760 --> 00:11:17,060 "and having received from the Father the promise 186 00:11:17,060 --> 00:11:19,740 "of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth 187 00:11:19,740 --> 00:11:23,180 "this which you both see and hear. 188 00:11:24,160 --> 00:11:26,680 "For it was not David who ascended into heaven, 189 00:11:26,680 --> 00:11:29,770 "but he himself says: 'The Lord said to my Lord, 190 00:11:29,770 --> 00:11:33,020 "'"Sit at My right hand, Until I make Your enemies 191 00:11:33,020 --> 00:11:35,180 "'"a footstool for Your feet."'" 192 00:11:35,180 --> 00:11:39,730 So Peter goes on to explain where he and the other Apostles 193 00:11:39,730 --> 00:11:42,500 have gotten the power to perform the miracles 194 00:11:42,500 --> 00:11:45,120 that they were doing, speaking in tongues 195 00:11:45,120 --> 00:11:47,200 at that particular moment. 196 00:11:47,200 --> 00:11:49,965 "The resurrected Jesus," he says, "Has empowered them 197 00:11:49,965 --> 00:11:54,965 "with the Holy Spirit in order to perform signs 198 00:11:55,330 --> 00:11:57,320 "to confirm that their witness 199 00:11:57,320 --> 00:12:00,070 "about the risen Christ is true." 200 00:12:01,890 --> 00:12:06,890 If not Jesus, then who then has given them this power? 201 00:12:06,900 --> 00:12:08,690 That's his argument. 202 00:12:08,690 --> 00:12:12,310 And then in verse 36, he says, "Therefore let all the house 203 00:12:12,310 --> 00:12:16,370 "of Israel know for certain," no doubt about it, 204 00:12:16,370 --> 00:12:20,120 "that God has made Him both Lord and Christ, 205 00:12:20,120 --> 00:12:24,500 "this Jesus whom you crucified." 206 00:12:24,500 --> 00:12:28,560 So Peter assures them that by the sign of the resurrection, 207 00:12:28,560 --> 00:12:32,500 God has fulfilled the prophecy concerning the Messiah, 208 00:12:32,500 --> 00:12:36,330 and that Jesus is that Christ, he is that Lord, 209 00:12:36,330 --> 00:12:40,420 he is the Divine Savior. 210 00:12:40,420 --> 00:12:44,730 All this said to confirm that it is through the resurrection 211 00:12:44,730 --> 00:12:48,120 that Jesus is declared, and proven to be 212 00:12:48,120 --> 00:12:53,120 the Son of God, the Divine Messiah and Savior of the world. 213 00:12:54,800 --> 00:12:58,022 Another reason why the resurrection is important, 214 00:12:58,022 --> 00:13:00,323 first of all, it demonstrates that 215 00:13:00,323 --> 00:13:02,461 Jesus is the Divine Messiah. 216 00:13:02,461 --> 00:13:04,313 How do I know that He's the Divine Messiah? 217 00:13:04,313 --> 00:13:07,364 Because God said He would resurrect from the dead, 218 00:13:07,364 --> 00:13:09,344 the one He would send. 219 00:13:09,344 --> 00:13:13,890 Another reason why the resurrection is important, 220 00:13:13,890 --> 00:13:16,780 the resurrection produces faith. 221 00:13:17,660 --> 00:13:20,610 We can demonstrate that the Bible, for example, 222 00:13:20,610 --> 00:13:25,530 is an inspired book, and a revelation from God. 223 00:13:25,530 --> 00:13:28,210 I mean, through the accuracy of the prophecy, 224 00:13:28,210 --> 00:13:31,010 through the harmony of complex material, 225 00:13:31,010 --> 00:13:33,430 the superiority of thought that it has, 226 00:13:33,430 --> 00:13:37,070 you know, we have all kinds of apologetic material 227 00:13:37,070 --> 00:13:40,330 to demonstrate and prove that the Bible's not just any book, 228 00:13:40,330 --> 00:13:44,500 that it really is an inspired book from God. 229 00:13:44,500 --> 00:13:46,470 But I want you to notice something. 230 00:13:46,470 --> 00:13:49,640 Notice that Jesus did not send His Apostles out 231 00:13:49,640 --> 00:13:53,010 to convince the world according to the accuracy, 232 00:13:53,010 --> 00:13:57,530 and the harmony, and the superiority of the Scriptures. 233 00:13:57,530 --> 00:14:00,660 Peter didn't get up on Pentecost Sunday and make an argument 234 00:14:00,660 --> 00:14:04,180 for the fact that the Scriptures were from God. 235 00:14:04,180 --> 00:14:06,470 That wasn't his argument. 236 00:14:06,470 --> 00:14:09,380 No, he sent them out to proclaim the eyewitness 237 00:14:09,380 --> 00:14:13,280 of Jesus' resurrection, that was the point. 238 00:14:13,280 --> 00:14:15,770 You see, brothers and sisters, 239 00:14:15,770 --> 00:14:18,530 doubters and disbelievers are not persuaded 240 00:14:18,530 --> 00:14:22,390 by logical arguments about God's word. 241 00:14:22,390 --> 00:14:24,970 They are persuaded by God's power, 242 00:14:24,970 --> 00:14:28,760 as seen in the resurrection. 243 00:14:28,760 --> 00:14:33,760 Prophecy, accuracy of scripture, superiority of thought 244 00:14:34,900 --> 00:14:38,830 may make you believe that the Bible is a special book, 245 00:14:38,830 --> 00:14:42,570 but that in itself will not save your soul. 246 00:14:42,570 --> 00:14:46,030 A lot of people believe that the Bible is special. 247 00:14:46,030 --> 00:14:50,480 I remember when I was in Montreal, taking some additional 248 00:14:51,500 --> 00:14:56,500 college courses, graduate work in theology, and in ethics, 249 00:14:57,210 --> 00:14:59,140 and the professor who was there, 250 00:15:02,260 --> 00:15:06,410 double PhD, he spoke fluently in Hebrew, 251 00:15:06,410 --> 00:15:08,840 he read from the Hebrew Bible, he read from the Greek, 252 00:15:08,840 --> 00:15:12,500 you know, academically, well-qualified. 253 00:15:15,010 --> 00:15:18,990 But he thought the Bible was just literature. 254 00:15:20,880 --> 00:15:24,420 For him, it was just literature, nothing more. 255 00:15:28,690 --> 00:15:32,210 The idea, God doesn't send us out 256 00:15:32,210 --> 00:15:35,820 to prove that the Bible is inspired. 257 00:15:36,950 --> 00:15:39,470 He sends us out to declare that 258 00:15:39,470 --> 00:15:42,970 Jesus Christ is the risen Savior. 259 00:15:42,970 --> 00:15:46,730 As I say, a lot of people believe that the Bible is special. 260 00:15:48,320 --> 00:15:50,900 It's the faith in Christ as the Son of God 261 00:15:50,900 --> 00:15:53,910 produced by the witness of the resurrection, 262 00:15:53,910 --> 00:15:57,460 recorded in the Bible, that saves a person from Hell, 263 00:15:57,460 --> 00:16:00,630 not simply the belief that the Bible is from God. 264 00:16:00,630 --> 00:16:04,320 Without the resurrection, this is not possible, 265 00:16:04,320 --> 00:16:06,210 faith is not possible. 266 00:16:07,640 --> 00:16:11,530 Another reason, the resurrection is important 267 00:16:11,530 --> 00:16:15,580 because it eliminates man's greatest fear, death. 268 00:16:16,790 --> 00:16:18,290 Death. 269 00:16:18,290 --> 00:16:20,600 In Hebrews chapter 2, the writer says, 270 00:16:20,600 --> 00:16:23,740 "Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, 271 00:16:23,740 --> 00:16:27,330 "He," referring to Christ, "He Himself likewise 272 00:16:27,330 --> 00:16:31,870 "also partook of the same," meaning Jesus became human, 273 00:16:32,900 --> 00:16:36,570 "That through death He might render powerless him who had 274 00:16:36,570 --> 00:16:38,990 "the power of death, that is, the devil, 275 00:16:38,990 --> 00:16:42,410 "and might free those who through the fear of death 276 00:16:42,410 --> 00:16:46,940 "were subject to slavery all of their lives." 277 00:16:46,940 --> 00:16:51,850 From the fall of Adam, this has been man's greatest fear. 278 00:16:53,190 --> 00:16:55,390 People are afraid to die. 279 00:16:59,750 --> 00:17:03,190 Everywhere we look around us, we see death. 280 00:17:04,340 --> 00:17:06,640 The flowers are coming up in the spring, 281 00:17:06,640 --> 00:17:09,030 but pretty soon those flowers are going to die, 282 00:17:09,030 --> 00:17:11,350 and a nice big oak tree in your back yard 283 00:17:11,350 --> 00:17:13,250 stays there for 40 years or whatever, 284 00:17:13,250 --> 00:17:16,000 but eventually that oak tree's going to give away, 285 00:17:16,000 --> 00:17:17,440 and it's just going to die. 286 00:17:18,290 --> 00:17:21,180 And grandpa's great, and we love grandpa, and great-grandpa, 287 00:17:21,180 --> 00:17:23,330 and great-grandpa's got a lot of energy, 288 00:17:23,330 --> 00:17:25,770 boy, he runs around like a 30 year old, 289 00:17:25,770 --> 00:17:27,200 but grandpa's going to die. 290 00:17:28,330 --> 00:17:29,990 Everybody dies. 291 00:17:30,840 --> 00:17:33,260 People give themselves over to this world, 292 00:17:33,260 --> 00:17:36,260 and to sin, and are discouraged in the doing 293 00:17:36,260 --> 00:17:39,480 of what is good and right because they believe 294 00:17:39,480 --> 00:17:42,230 in death's final power. 295 00:17:43,200 --> 00:17:45,520 They think this is all there is, 296 00:17:45,520 --> 00:17:47,270 so they might as well live it up, 297 00:17:47,270 --> 00:17:48,730 they might as well suck it up, 298 00:17:48,730 --> 00:17:50,930 because that's all there is, is this. 299 00:17:53,610 --> 00:17:58,610 In 1 Corinthians 15, however, Paul says, 300 00:17:58,700 --> 00:18:00,540 "But when this perishable will have put on 301 00:18:00,540 --> 00:18:03,320 "the imperishable, and this mortal will have 302 00:18:03,320 --> 00:18:07,430 "put on immortality, then will come about the saying 303 00:18:07,430 --> 00:18:11,550 "that is written, 'Death is swallowed up in victory. 304 00:18:11,550 --> 00:18:13,600 "'O Death, where is your victory? 305 00:18:13,600 --> 00:18:15,760 "'O death, where is your sting?' 306 00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:19,250 "The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; 307 00:18:19,250 --> 00:18:23,350 "but thanks be to God who gives us the victory," 308 00:18:23,350 --> 00:18:24,300 what victory? 309 00:18:24,300 --> 00:18:29,300 The resurrection victory, "Through our Lord Jesus Christ." 310 00:18:29,970 --> 00:18:33,500 Paul describes the final victory of the Christian, 311 00:18:33,500 --> 00:18:36,820 the victory over death made possible how? 312 00:18:36,820 --> 00:18:39,390 By the resurrection of Jesus. 313 00:18:39,390 --> 00:18:42,890 Now some may ask, well, how does Christ's resurrection 314 00:18:42,890 --> 00:18:46,480 destroy the fear of death in me? 315 00:18:46,480 --> 00:18:48,420 And the answer? 316 00:18:48,420 --> 00:18:51,090 The resurrection of Jesus demonstrates 317 00:18:51,090 --> 00:18:56,090 in a dramatic fashion that death is not final, 318 00:18:56,200 --> 00:18:59,050 that it can be overcome, and that the one 319 00:18:59,050 --> 00:19:04,050 who defeated death can also give to others the same power. 320 00:19:05,490 --> 00:19:07,930 John chapter 6. 321 00:19:07,930 --> 00:19:12,860 Jesus Himself says, "This is the will of Him who sent Me, 322 00:19:12,860 --> 00:19:16,200 "that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, 323 00:19:16,200 --> 00:19:20,010 "but raise it up on the last day. 324 00:19:20,010 --> 00:19:21,790 "For this is the will of My Father, 325 00:19:21,790 --> 00:19:26,200 "that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him 326 00:19:26,200 --> 00:19:29,700 "will have eternal life, and I Myself 327 00:19:29,700 --> 00:19:32,200 "will raise Him up on the last day." 328 00:19:32,200 --> 00:19:35,580 Why are people afraid of dying? 329 00:19:35,580 --> 00:19:38,420 They're afraid of dying because their faith in Christ 330 00:19:38,420 --> 00:19:43,310 is either nonexistent or weak, that's why. 331 00:19:46,640 --> 00:19:49,890 You who believe, if you say I believe, 332 00:19:49,890 --> 00:19:51,680 and you are afraid of death, 333 00:19:51,680 --> 00:19:54,020 it means that your faith is weak. 334 00:19:54,020 --> 00:19:59,020 I'm not, you know, harassing you here. 335 00:19:59,920 --> 00:20:02,110 I'm diagnosing you. 336 00:20:02,110 --> 00:20:04,410 You don't get mad at Dr. Carey, do you, 337 00:20:04,410 --> 00:20:05,710 when you go see him, and he says, 338 00:20:05,710 --> 00:20:07,400 well, you got a thing over here? 339 00:20:08,520 --> 00:20:10,820 You don't get mad at him for pointing out, you know, 340 00:20:10,820 --> 00:20:13,020 your blood pressure's too high, or whatever. 341 00:20:14,670 --> 00:20:17,460 Well, this is a spiritual diagnosis. 342 00:20:18,730 --> 00:20:21,050 The more you are afraid of dying 343 00:20:21,050 --> 00:20:23,310 is a sign of how weak your faith is. 344 00:20:27,950 --> 00:20:30,050 The great promise of the Gospel is that 345 00:20:30,050 --> 00:20:33,860 for all of those who believe in Jesus Christ, 346 00:20:33,860 --> 00:20:36,400 personal resurrection from the dead 347 00:20:36,400 --> 00:20:39,630 will be a reality for them in the same way 348 00:20:39,630 --> 00:20:42,640 that it was a reality for Jesus Christ. 349 00:20:42,640 --> 00:20:46,440 Jesus won his victory over death on Calvary. 350 00:20:46,440 --> 00:20:51,440 The scene of our victory is in the water of baptism. 351 00:20:51,800 --> 00:20:55,540 We die with Christ, in the waters of baptism, 352 00:20:55,540 --> 00:20:59,970 we resurrect with Christ from the waters of baptism. 353 00:20:59,970 --> 00:21:00,803 Romans 6. 354 00:21:01,970 --> 00:21:05,810 God requires faith, but not blind faith. 355 00:21:05,810 --> 00:21:09,400 He promises us that there is a life after this life, 356 00:21:09,400 --> 00:21:12,800 and He has provided the resurrection of Jesus Christ 357 00:21:12,800 --> 00:21:17,800 as the once for all proof that this is so, amen church? 358 00:21:17,920 --> 00:21:18,753 Amen. 359 00:21:21,510 --> 00:21:25,370 So the resurrection's important, the most important event 360 00:21:25,370 --> 00:21:29,230 because it establishes Jesus as divine, 361 00:21:29,230 --> 00:21:33,060 and it generates saving faith, and it provides us 362 00:21:33,060 --> 00:21:36,560 with hope for eternal life, you know, it's the most, 363 00:21:36,560 --> 00:21:40,850 I know maybe your team, if your team wins the NBA, 364 00:21:40,850 --> 00:21:43,410 good for you, but that will not help you to raise 365 00:21:43,410 --> 00:21:45,410 from the dead, you know what I'm saying? 366 00:21:46,640 --> 00:21:49,480 As far as important things are concerned, 367 00:21:49,480 --> 00:21:52,580 that you pay off your mortgage, that's an important thing, 368 00:21:52,580 --> 00:21:55,520 but paying off your mortgage is not going to contribute 369 00:21:55,520 --> 00:21:58,020 to you being raised from the dead. 370 00:22:04,600 --> 00:22:06,660 Believing in Christ, 371 00:22:10,080 --> 00:22:13,630 that contributes to your resurrection. 372 00:22:15,710 --> 00:22:20,500 So when I say I believe, 373 00:22:20,500 --> 00:22:24,280 what exactly am I saying? 374 00:22:24,280 --> 00:22:27,410 You know, those here today, those of you who believe 375 00:22:27,410 --> 00:22:29,843 in the resurrection, say amen. 376 00:22:29,843 --> 00:22:31,086 - [Congregation] Amen. 377 00:22:31,086 --> 00:22:33,324 - Amen, I think there are a couple of voices I didn't hear. 378 00:22:33,324 --> 00:22:34,157 [laughter in congregation] 379 00:22:34,157 --> 00:22:37,580 We'll be taking names later. [laughs] 380 00:22:39,540 --> 00:22:41,990 When you say you believe in the resurrection, 381 00:22:41,990 --> 00:22:45,940 what exactly are you saying, according to the Bible? 382 00:22:46,830 --> 00:22:48,560 Well first of all, what you're saying is, 383 00:22:48,560 --> 00:22:52,810 the resurrection is historical, not allegorical. 384 00:22:52,810 --> 00:22:54,860 In other words, despite what TV says, 385 00:22:54,860 --> 00:22:59,860 you are saying the resurrection is a historical fact. 386 00:23:00,010 --> 00:23:03,770 In Acts chapter 4, Peter says, or Luke writes, 387 00:23:03,770 --> 00:23:06,580 "Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, 388 00:23:06,580 --> 00:23:09,110 "'Rulers and elders of the people, if we are on trial 389 00:23:09,110 --> 00:23:11,770 "'today for a benefit done to a sick man, 390 00:23:11,770 --> 00:23:16,320 "'as to how this man has been made well, 391 00:23:16,320 --> 00:23:19,270 "'let it be known to all of you and to all the people 392 00:23:19,270 --> 00:23:22,650 "'of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Narazene, 393 00:23:22,650 --> 00:23:26,390 "'whom you crucified, whom God raised by the dead, 394 00:23:26,390 --> 00:23:28,380 "'by this name this man stands here 395 00:23:28,380 --> 00:23:30,200 "'before you in good health.'" 396 00:23:30,200 --> 00:23:33,020 Here, Peter was talking to the leaders, 397 00:23:33,020 --> 00:23:35,040 the Jewish leaders, and they were asking him, 398 00:23:35,040 --> 00:23:37,490 what are you doing, how did this man, 399 00:23:37,490 --> 00:23:39,020 how did you do this miracle? 400 00:23:40,110 --> 00:23:43,050 And so before the Sanhedrin, facing punishment, 401 00:23:43,050 --> 00:23:46,800 even death, the Apostles maintained that they saw Jesus 402 00:23:46,800 --> 00:23:51,100 resurrect from the dead, in other words, it was a fact. 403 00:23:52,420 --> 00:23:55,730 We don't just believe it, we believe it's a fact. 404 00:23:55,730 --> 00:23:57,640 That's very important. 405 00:23:59,040 --> 00:24:03,800 In 1 Corinthians, chapter 15, verses 3, 406 00:24:03,800 --> 00:24:06,610 Paul says, "For I delivered to you as of first importance 407 00:24:06,610 --> 00:24:09,550 "what I also received, that Christ died for our sins 408 00:24:09,550 --> 00:24:13,300 "according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, 409 00:24:13,300 --> 00:24:17,100 "and that He was raised on the third day according 410 00:24:17,100 --> 00:24:20,550 "to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Cephas, 411 00:24:20,550 --> 00:24:22,860 "then to the twelve. 412 00:24:22,860 --> 00:24:25,640 "After that He appeared to more than five hundred brethren 413 00:24:25,640 --> 00:24:28,260 "at one time, most of whom remain until now, 414 00:24:28,260 --> 00:24:31,590 "but some have fallen asleep; then He appeared to James, 415 00:24:31,590 --> 00:24:33,760 "then to all the apostles; and last of all, 416 00:24:33,760 --> 00:24:37,200 "as to one more untimely born, He appeared to me also." 417 00:24:37,200 --> 00:24:40,600 And so the early missionaries claim to have seen 418 00:24:40,600 --> 00:24:43,490 the actual Jesus return from the dead. 419 00:24:43,490 --> 00:24:47,130 He wasn't a zombie, He wasn't a hallucination. 420 00:24:47,130 --> 00:24:50,900 He was a real person with all of His faculties intact. 421 00:24:50,900 --> 00:24:53,070 We read in the New Testament that He ate, 422 00:24:53,070 --> 00:24:55,430 He spoke, He prayed, He taught them, 423 00:24:55,430 --> 00:24:59,870 all after His resurrection, so when I say 424 00:24:59,870 --> 00:25:02,770 I believe Jesus rose from the dead, 425 00:25:02,770 --> 00:25:05,760 I repeat the witness of the Apostles 426 00:25:05,760 --> 00:25:08,330 that this was a historical event, 427 00:25:08,330 --> 00:25:11,130 not a vision, not a dream. 428 00:25:12,800 --> 00:25:14,290 What do we believe? 429 00:25:15,730 --> 00:25:18,250 So what are we saying when we say, 430 00:25:18,250 --> 00:25:20,860 and when we say we believe the resurrection? 431 00:25:20,860 --> 00:25:24,640 Well, we say the resurrection is a historical event. 432 00:25:24,640 --> 00:25:29,120 We also say, His was the first of many resurrections. 433 00:25:29,120 --> 00:25:32,520 Again, back to 1 Corinthians 15, 434 00:25:32,520 --> 00:25:34,910 "But now Christ has been raised from the dead, 435 00:25:34,910 --> 00:25:37,170 "the first fruits of those who were asleep. 436 00:25:37,170 --> 00:25:39,030 "For since by a man came death, 437 00:25:39,030 --> 00:25:43,710 "by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. 438 00:25:43,710 --> 00:25:46,360 "For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ 439 00:25:46,360 --> 00:25:48,020 "all will be made alive. 440 00:25:48,020 --> 00:25:50,880 "But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, 441 00:25:50,880 --> 00:25:54,510 "after that those who are Christ's at His coming." 442 00:25:54,510 --> 00:25:58,290 So, the resurrection has significance for us only 443 00:25:58,290 --> 00:26:01,770 in the fact that it points to our own resurrection. 444 00:26:01,770 --> 00:26:05,640 Otherwise, why would it give us joy or hope? 445 00:26:05,640 --> 00:26:07,440 I mean, think about it for a second. 446 00:26:08,300 --> 00:26:11,300 If the resurrection of Jesus was just that, 447 00:26:13,591 --> 00:26:16,850 you know, like, Jesus didn't say, 448 00:26:16,850 --> 00:26:18,710 you're going to resurrect like I resurrected. 449 00:26:18,710 --> 00:26:22,390 It was just, He resurrected, well, good for Him. 450 00:26:24,017 --> 00:26:25,770 It's an amazing religious thing. 451 00:26:25,770 --> 00:26:28,690 I'm glad for Jesus, 2,000 years ago, 452 00:26:28,690 --> 00:26:31,720 He rose from the dead, wow, how about that? 453 00:26:31,720 --> 00:26:34,442 I wish I could do that. 454 00:26:34,442 --> 00:26:35,429 Who would care? 455 00:26:35,429 --> 00:26:37,610 Who would give up their life? 456 00:26:37,610 --> 00:26:40,820 Who would be a martyr for such an idea? 457 00:26:40,820 --> 00:26:42,450 No, the important thing is, 458 00:26:42,450 --> 00:26:46,600 His resurrection points to my resurrection. 459 00:26:46,600 --> 00:26:48,820 That's the significance of it, 460 00:26:49,760 --> 00:26:51,620 that's the importance of it. 461 00:26:52,790 --> 00:26:56,030 Jesus' resurrection is only a joyful thing for me 462 00:26:56,030 --> 00:26:59,720 because it is a preview of my own resurrection one day. 463 00:26:59,720 --> 00:27:02,950 He merely shows me that it is possible. 464 00:27:02,950 --> 00:27:04,160 Oh, I flipped the thing around, 465 00:27:04,160 --> 00:27:06,310 let's flip it around, shall we? 466 00:27:06,310 --> 00:27:08,730 Let's say, He dies on the cross, 467 00:27:08,730 --> 00:27:10,980 so He pays the price for our sins, okay? 468 00:27:10,980 --> 00:27:13,390 And then straight to Heaven. 469 00:27:14,560 --> 00:27:16,250 "I don't want to hang around with these people anymore. 470 00:27:16,250 --> 00:27:18,070 "Forty more days with these people, 471 00:27:18,070 --> 00:27:19,120 "I've had enough of these people. 472 00:27:19,120 --> 00:27:20,670 "I just want to go back to the Father." 473 00:27:20,670 --> 00:27:24,350 He's back to the Father in Heaven. 474 00:27:26,690 --> 00:27:29,640 And all He does is he sends an angel, 475 00:27:29,640 --> 00:27:31,920 and the angel tells Peter, "Hey, tell everybody, 476 00:27:31,920 --> 00:27:33,640 "if they believe, they're going to raise 477 00:27:33,640 --> 00:27:35,120 "from the dead one day." 478 00:27:36,130 --> 00:27:38,020 How many of you would be here this morning 479 00:27:38,020 --> 00:27:40,000 if that was the promise? 480 00:27:40,000 --> 00:27:41,730 If that was the Gospel message? 481 00:27:41,730 --> 00:27:43,670 Not too many, I don't think. 482 00:27:45,240 --> 00:27:47,670 When I say that I believe that the resurrection 483 00:27:47,670 --> 00:27:51,110 of Jesus in the past is a fact of history, 484 00:27:51,110 --> 00:27:53,170 I am saying that I believe that my own 485 00:27:53,170 --> 00:27:56,930 resurrection in the future is also a fact. 486 00:27:57,810 --> 00:27:59,510 Not wishful thinking. 487 00:28:01,100 --> 00:28:03,250 And it is a sure fact at that, 488 00:28:03,250 --> 00:28:08,050 because He who raised Jesus can and will also raise me. 489 00:28:08,050 --> 00:28:09,050 What does Paul say? 490 00:28:09,050 --> 00:28:12,520 Romans 8, "But if the Spirit of Him who raised 491 00:28:12,520 --> 00:28:15,100 "Jesus from the dead dwells in you, 492 00:28:15,100 --> 00:28:17,640 "He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead 493 00:28:17,640 --> 00:28:21,080 "will also give life to your mortal bodies 494 00:28:21,080 --> 00:28:23,850 "through His Spirit who indwells you." 495 00:28:23,850 --> 00:28:27,000 He even explains the mechanics of how it'll happen. 496 00:28:29,530 --> 00:28:31,620 You confess Christ, repent of your sins, 497 00:28:31,620 --> 00:28:33,500 you're buried in the waters of baptism, 498 00:28:33,500 --> 00:28:36,220 what does Acts 2:38 say? 499 00:28:36,220 --> 00:28:38,620 Your sins are forgiven, and what else do you receive? 500 00:28:38,620 --> 00:28:40,080 The gift of the Holy Spirit, 501 00:28:40,080 --> 00:28:41,580 the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. 502 00:28:41,580 --> 00:28:42,780 Why is that important? 503 00:28:42,780 --> 00:28:46,220 Because that indwelling Spirit is going to raise your body. 504 00:28:46,220 --> 00:28:48,100 There is the power that will raise you 505 00:28:48,100 --> 00:28:50,600 from the dead when the time comes. 506 00:28:52,180 --> 00:28:54,940 Every time I take communion, therefore, 507 00:28:54,940 --> 00:28:57,840 I express and confirm this belief. 508 00:28:57,840 --> 00:29:00,300 Every time I neglect communion, 509 00:29:00,300 --> 00:29:05,300 I also ignore the opportunity to express my own hope. 510 00:29:07,860 --> 00:29:10,910 To deny Jesus' resurrection is to deny 511 00:29:10,910 --> 00:29:14,030 the possibility of our own resurrection. 512 00:29:14,030 --> 00:29:17,150 To say that His was just a vision, or a ghost, 513 00:29:17,150 --> 00:29:20,030 or a hallucination is to assign this same 514 00:29:20,030 --> 00:29:23,330 phenomenon to our own resurrection. 515 00:29:23,330 --> 00:29:25,890 We cannot attach more of a hope 516 00:29:25,890 --> 00:29:28,960 to our future resurrection than we grant 517 00:29:28,960 --> 00:29:31,020 to that of God's son. 518 00:29:34,490 --> 00:29:39,490 His resurrection, as I said, makes my resurrection possible. 519 00:29:40,270 --> 00:29:44,380 So, let's summarize, shall we, what we've studied today. 520 00:29:45,430 --> 00:29:49,730 The resurrection is the most important event in history, 521 00:29:49,730 --> 00:29:52,560 and it affects each one of us personally, 522 00:29:52,560 --> 00:29:54,130 and here is why. 523 00:29:55,730 --> 00:29:58,330 The resurrection is what separates Jesus 524 00:29:58,330 --> 00:30:02,790 from every other religious leader or prophet in history. 525 00:30:02,790 --> 00:30:04,260 Think about it. 526 00:30:04,260 --> 00:30:07,960 None of them ever claimed resurrection. 527 00:30:07,960 --> 00:30:11,170 Mohammed never said, "And I will raise from the dead." 528 00:30:11,170 --> 00:30:13,820 The Buddha never claimed that, nobody, 529 00:30:13,820 --> 00:30:16,700 no prophet, no one has ever claimed 530 00:30:16,700 --> 00:30:19,970 that they will resurrect from the dead, 531 00:30:19,970 --> 00:30:22,580 and then completed it. 532 00:30:23,780 --> 00:30:26,780 Through the resurrection, God has established Jesus 533 00:30:26,780 --> 00:30:31,470 as His only Divine Son, and Savior of the world. 534 00:30:31,470 --> 00:30:36,470 I go back to our original reading, in Romans 1:4. 535 00:30:36,650 --> 00:30:40,080 "Who was declared the Son of God with power 536 00:30:40,080 --> 00:30:42,470 "by the resurrection from the dead, 537 00:30:42,470 --> 00:30:44,670 "according to the Spirit of Holiness, 538 00:30:44,670 --> 00:30:46,630 "Jesus Christ our Lord." 539 00:30:46,630 --> 00:30:51,440 This is what my faith is anchored on, 540 00:30:51,440 --> 00:30:53,300 this right here, this event. 541 00:30:54,470 --> 00:30:57,590 Secondly, what have we said? 542 00:30:57,590 --> 00:31:01,020 The resurrection is important because it initiates faith. 543 00:31:01,020 --> 00:31:05,030 It is the spark by which the flame of our faith is lit. 544 00:31:05,030 --> 00:31:08,560 Skeptics and doubters are not convinced by the love of God, 545 00:31:08,560 --> 00:31:12,330 but rather by the power of God seen in the resurrection. 546 00:31:12,330 --> 00:31:15,350 I can believe what Jesus said, and obey 547 00:31:15,350 --> 00:31:18,080 what He has commanded me to do because of 548 00:31:18,080 --> 00:31:20,940 this powerful and unmistakable sign. 549 00:31:20,940 --> 00:31:23,070 I don't know about you, but I want 550 00:31:23,070 --> 00:31:25,550 to resurrect from the dead. 551 00:31:25,550 --> 00:31:27,410 I want to keep going. 552 00:31:27,410 --> 00:31:29,690 I don't want the me to be extinguished, 553 00:31:29,690 --> 00:31:31,420 this is why I'm not a Buddhist. 554 00:31:34,920 --> 00:31:37,160 That's why I'm not a Buddhist. 555 00:31:37,160 --> 00:31:41,840 I don't want my whole life to be about extinguishing myself. 556 00:31:41,840 --> 00:31:46,840 I want to live, I want to be, I want to exist, forever. 557 00:31:47,360 --> 00:31:49,730 Is that pride? No. 558 00:31:50,810 --> 00:31:55,810 That is hardwired into me, because I am made, 559 00:31:56,560 --> 00:31:59,980 and you are made, in the image of God. 560 00:32:00,970 --> 00:32:04,990 Anybody who wants to die has not understood, 561 00:32:04,990 --> 00:32:09,990 or has lost contact with his or her essential nature. 562 00:32:11,060 --> 00:32:13,820 Our essential nature is that we are made 563 00:32:13,820 --> 00:32:17,700 in the image of God, we don't want to die, we want to live. 564 00:32:20,200 --> 00:32:24,120 The hard part is carrying around this old carcass of ours, 565 00:32:24,120 --> 00:32:26,550 for 80, 90, 100 years, you know, 566 00:32:26,550 --> 00:32:30,500 until we are finally released. 567 00:32:33,470 --> 00:32:34,640 That's the hard part. 568 00:32:40,110 --> 00:32:41,600 The resurrection is important 569 00:32:43,600 --> 00:32:45,740 because it gives me real hope 570 00:32:45,740 --> 00:32:49,760 that I too will be resurrected one day. 571 00:32:49,760 --> 00:32:52,140 Prophets, and astrologers, and mystics 572 00:32:52,140 --> 00:32:55,250 can write all they want to about the other world. 573 00:32:55,250 --> 00:32:58,000 People can go on TV can talk about the tunnel, 574 00:32:58,000 --> 00:33:00,330 or the white light that they have seen 575 00:33:00,330 --> 00:33:02,670 in their near death experiences, 576 00:33:02,670 --> 00:33:05,600 but only Jesus actually died and resurrected 577 00:33:05,600 --> 00:33:08,940 three days later to show me, personally, 578 00:33:08,940 --> 00:33:13,040 that it is possible, and promised the same for me one day. 579 00:33:14,070 --> 00:33:16,990 Jesus has the ability to promise me this thing 580 00:33:16,990 --> 00:33:19,860 because He has the power over life and death, 581 00:33:19,860 --> 00:33:24,050 and His resurrection is the unmistakable proof. 582 00:33:24,050 --> 00:33:26,530 One more scripture. 583 00:33:26,530 --> 00:33:28,320 "For this reason the Father loves Me, 584 00:33:28,320 --> 00:33:32,190 "because I lay down My life so that I may take it again. 585 00:33:32,190 --> 00:33:34,130 "No one has taken it away from Me, 586 00:33:34,130 --> 00:33:37,160 "but I lay it down on My own initiative. 587 00:33:37,160 --> 00:33:39,420 "I have authority to lay it down, 588 00:33:39,420 --> 00:33:42,480 "and I have authority to take it up again. 589 00:33:42,480 --> 00:33:45,310 "This commandment I received from My Father." 590 00:33:45,310 --> 00:33:47,800 This is the Lord I want to follow. 591 00:33:49,800 --> 00:33:53,090 This is the person I want to follow. 592 00:33:53,090 --> 00:33:55,740 The one who says, I have the power to lay My life down, 593 00:33:55,740 --> 00:33:57,610 and I have the power to take it back up again. 594 00:33:57,610 --> 00:33:59,740 This is the guy I want to follow. 595 00:34:03,070 --> 00:34:05,330 Our greatest problem is not that we don't know 596 00:34:05,330 --> 00:34:07,660 about the resurrection, our greatest problem is 597 00:34:07,660 --> 00:34:11,400 that we don't stake our entire lives on this fact. 598 00:34:11,400 --> 00:34:13,600 Because if we did, we would be more eager 599 00:34:13,600 --> 00:34:16,870 to tell other people about this fantastic thing, 600 00:34:16,870 --> 00:34:20,120 an experience that they could also have. 601 00:34:20,120 --> 00:34:21,910 We would start living like people 602 00:34:21,910 --> 00:34:24,230 who are going to live forever. 603 00:34:24,230 --> 00:34:27,330 We'd forget the petty quarrels, and worldly worries. 604 00:34:27,330 --> 00:34:30,020 We'd give up sinful habits and people. 605 00:34:30,020 --> 00:34:32,220 We would be more careful with our salvation, 606 00:34:32,220 --> 00:34:34,710 and the salvation of our children, and our friends, 607 00:34:34,710 --> 00:34:36,080 and not take chances. 608 00:34:36,080 --> 00:34:37,920 My children are going to live forever, 609 00:34:37,920 --> 00:34:39,900 my grandchildren are going to live forever, 610 00:34:39,900 --> 00:34:41,740 and I'm not going to do anything that will 611 00:34:41,740 --> 00:34:43,600 jeopardize that for them. 612 00:34:45,610 --> 00:34:48,750 And we would not put off until tomorrow the baptism, 613 00:34:48,750 --> 00:34:52,220 or the repentance, or the restoration that could give us 614 00:34:52,220 --> 00:34:55,440 the promise of eternal life today. 615 00:34:56,440 --> 00:35:00,260 The resurrection of Jesus, the greatest, 616 00:35:00,260 --> 00:35:02,720 most important event in history, 617 00:35:02,720 --> 00:35:05,800 but the most important event in your history 618 00:35:05,800 --> 00:35:09,960 will be your own resurrection. 619 00:35:09,960 --> 00:35:12,490 Make sure that when it happens 620 00:35:12,490 --> 00:35:13,830 that it'll be to the joy 621 00:35:13,830 --> 00:35:16,310 and to the glory with Jesus, 622 00:35:16,310 --> 00:35:19,300 and not to the judgment of disbelief. 623 00:35:19,300 --> 00:35:22,810 If you wish to take hold of that promise today, 624 00:35:22,810 --> 00:35:24,210 and have not done so already, 625 00:35:24,210 --> 00:35:26,520 we encourage you to come forward now, 626 00:35:26,520 --> 00:35:29,370 as we stand and as we sing our song of encouragement.