1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:03,576 Hello and welcome to the Middletown Baptist Church podcast 2 00:00:03,688 --> 00:00:06,584 where we are proclaiming the truth to the world. 3 00:00:06,672 --> 00:00:09,672 My name is Pastor Josh and I want to thank you for listening to 4 00:00:09,696 --> 00:00:10,760 this podcast. 5 00:00:10,920 --> 00:00:14,616 I hope that this podcast can be a blessing to you and strengthen 6 00:00:14,648 --> 00:00:16,300 you in the word of God. 7 00:00:16,800 --> 00:00:20,120 Now come along, let's look into the Bible and see what God has 8 00:00:20,160 --> 00:00:21,700 for us here today. 9 00:00:23,440 --> 00:00:26,756 Well, we're going to take the next few moments to discuss a topic 10 00:00:26,788 --> 00:00:29,316 and the topic is the results of the resurrection. 11 00:00:29,508 --> 00:00:30,948 Why does this even matter? 12 00:00:31,084 --> 00:00:33,876 Why do we come here on Sunday mornings? 13 00:00:33,988 --> 00:00:37,780 Why do we come here on this Resurrection Sunday and celebrate? 14 00:00:37,940 --> 00:00:40,324 Well, the Bible tells us that we have a reason to celebrate. 15 00:00:40,372 --> 00:00:44,244 The Bible says that we have wonderful things that we can praise 16 00:00:44,292 --> 00:00:45,604 God for in our life. 17 00:00:45,772 --> 00:00:49,240 And it's not just about the here and now, but for eternity. 18 00:00:49,580 --> 00:00:51,044 In the book of First Corinthians. 19 00:00:51,092 --> 00:00:52,900 If you have your Bibles, you can turn there with me. 20 00:00:52,940 --> 00:00:54,356 First Corinthians, chapter 15. 21 00:00:54,428 --> 00:00:57,778 It tells us what we have in the resurrection. 22 00:00:57,954 --> 00:01:00,722 If you are a believer here this morning, the Bible says that 23 00:01:00,746 --> 00:01:04,274 there are many things that we possess because of the resurrection. 24 00:01:04,322 --> 00:01:07,426 Now before we go any further, we need to understand what the resurrection 25 00:01:07,458 --> 00:01:08,030 is. 26 00:01:08,410 --> 00:01:11,922 You've heard here at our church that we are celebrating the 27 00:01:11,946 --> 00:01:13,026 resurrection here this weekend. 28 00:01:13,058 --> 00:01:14,466 This has been our resurrection weekend. 29 00:01:14,498 --> 00:01:17,202 And we've had different events and different things pointing to 30 00:01:17,226 --> 00:01:18,146 that word resurrection. 31 00:01:18,178 --> 00:01:21,362 But what are we talking about when we talk about the word resurrection 32 00:01:21,426 --> 00:01:23,612 specifically in the context of the Bible? 33 00:01:23,786 --> 00:01:27,048 Well, we're talking about the bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ. 34 00:01:27,184 --> 00:01:28,168 Most of you know the story. 35 00:01:28,224 --> 00:01:31,368 Jesus lived on this earth for around 33 years. 36 00:01:31,504 --> 00:01:34,584 And the Bible says that he knew no sin, meaning he did not sin 37 00:01:34,632 --> 00:01:35,000 one time. 38 00:01:35,040 --> 00:01:38,424 And he did not come to destroy the law as some people think, but 39 00:01:38,432 --> 00:01:41,256 he came to, as the Bible says, fulfill the law. 40 00:01:41,408 --> 00:01:43,992 What that means is basically Jesus came and lived a life that 41 00:01:44,016 --> 00:01:45,220 none of us could live. 42 00:01:45,600 --> 00:01:49,256 We might try to be good people, we might try to be honorable 43 00:01:49,288 --> 00:01:51,484 people, good citizens, so to speak. 44 00:01:51,612 --> 00:01:53,308 But the Bible says that there is none good. 45 00:01:53,364 --> 00:01:57,580 No, not one except for Jesus Christ says that he came to this 46 00:01:57,620 --> 00:02:00,556 earth and and the earth and the people that lived on the earth 47 00:02:00,588 --> 00:02:01,500 rejected him. 48 00:02:01,620 --> 00:02:04,732 And the Bible says that Jesus came and lived that perfect life 49 00:02:04,836 --> 00:02:08,520 and he was crucified because of who he was. 50 00:02:08,820 --> 00:02:11,052 People didn't like what Jesus was teaching. 51 00:02:11,196 --> 00:02:13,852 Jesus was teaching something different than what the religious 52 00:02:13,916 --> 00:02:15,346 leaders of that day were teaching. 53 00:02:15,508 --> 00:02:18,454 Jesus was teaching a relationship with God, not a works 54 00:02:18,502 --> 00:02:19,574 based salvation. 55 00:02:19,622 --> 00:02:22,614 He was preaching that, hey, you must know God, you must personally 56 00:02:22,662 --> 00:02:23,270 understand him. 57 00:02:23,310 --> 00:02:24,694 And have faith in him. 58 00:02:24,862 --> 00:02:27,350 And Jesus came and preached and the people didn't like that. 59 00:02:27,390 --> 00:02:30,970 And so they rejected him and put him on a cross. 60 00:02:31,550 --> 00:02:33,830 And Jesus willingly gave himself for us. 61 00:02:33,950 --> 00:02:36,742 We've been singing about that here this weekend that, that he went 62 00:02:36,766 --> 00:02:40,486 to the cross and, and on the cross he took physical pain, no doubt 63 00:02:40,518 --> 00:02:40,870 about that. 64 00:02:40,910 --> 00:02:42,406 The Bible says that he was scourged. 65 00:02:42,518 --> 00:02:45,350 The Bible says that he had a crown of thorns upon his head. 66 00:02:45,390 --> 00:02:47,462 The Bible says that he was nailed to the cross. 67 00:02:47,606 --> 00:02:50,454 A great, great affliction, excruciating pain. 68 00:02:50,502 --> 00:02:54,198 But the Bible also says that Jesus Christ took the sin of you, 69 00:02:54,254 --> 00:02:56,118 took the sin of me upon him. 70 00:02:56,254 --> 00:02:59,250 The Bible says he who knew no sin became sin for us. 71 00:03:00,350 --> 00:03:01,702 Romans chapter 5, verse 8. 72 00:03:01,726 --> 00:03:04,102 But God commended his love towards us in that while we were 73 00:03:04,126 --> 00:03:05,782 yet sinners, Christ died for us. 74 00:03:05,886 --> 00:03:11,392 Christ knowingly went to the cross because he loves us even though 75 00:03:11,416 --> 00:03:13,376 we are sinners, even though that we fall short. 76 00:03:13,448 --> 00:03:16,128 God says, I still love you enough to send my only begotten son 77 00:03:16,144 --> 00:03:16,400 for you. 78 00:03:16,440 --> 00:03:17,744 So Jesus dies on the cross. 79 00:03:17,872 --> 00:03:21,600 Shortly after that, what happens is Jesus is put into a tomb. 80 00:03:21,760 --> 00:03:25,536 A fellow named Joseph of Arimathea has a tomb and he takes 81 00:03:25,568 --> 00:03:27,760 Jesus along with a fellow named Nicodemus. 82 00:03:27,840 --> 00:03:29,296 And they put Jesus in a tomb. 83 00:03:29,328 --> 00:03:33,056 And his disciples were scared, his disciples were fearful. 84 00:03:33,088 --> 00:03:36,190 His disciples were in, in question, in doubt, and actually 85 00:03:36,230 --> 00:03:37,166 were in hiding. 86 00:03:37,278 --> 00:03:39,774 But the Bible says that three days later on that Sunday morning, 87 00:03:39,862 --> 00:03:43,086 the same type of Sunday that we have here today, on the sunrise 88 00:03:43,118 --> 00:03:46,942 of that day, the followers come to the tomb and Jesus is no 89 00:03:46,966 --> 00:03:47,582 longer there. 90 00:03:47,686 --> 00:03:50,094 And the Bible says that the same power that rose Jesus from the 91 00:03:50,102 --> 00:03:52,894 dead is the same power that's living in with believers today. 92 00:03:53,062 --> 00:03:54,766 And so Jesus was raised from the dead. 93 00:03:54,798 --> 00:03:57,886 And we saw that here in this dramatic interpretation of that. 94 00:03:58,038 --> 00:04:01,462 And, and Jesus's resurrection is a bodily resurrection. 95 00:04:01,526 --> 00:04:03,974 It demonstrates the power of God. 96 00:04:04,102 --> 00:04:06,166 It demonstrates God's all powerful nature. 97 00:04:06,198 --> 00:04:08,614 Who do we know in this world that can conquer death? 98 00:04:08,782 --> 00:04:11,030 There's some individuals that are trying to conquer death through 99 00:04:11,070 --> 00:04:12,406 living really healthy lives. 100 00:04:12,558 --> 00:04:15,142 I, I, I've seen videos of these fellows that are trying to 101 00:04:15,166 --> 00:04:19,990 live for 150 years by trying to reanalyze their genetics and try 102 00:04:20,030 --> 00:04:23,526 to get it all where they can live just maybe 40, 50 years longer 103 00:04:23,558 --> 00:04:24,854 than the average person. 104 00:04:25,022 --> 00:04:27,642 The truth is, is that eventually there will be an end. 105 00:04:27,806 --> 00:04:30,642 And the Bible says the only person who can conquer death, the 106 00:04:30,666 --> 00:04:34,130 only person that can extend everlasting life is Jesus Christ. 107 00:04:34,250 --> 00:04:36,962 And so we have the demonstration of God's power in the 108 00:04:36,986 --> 00:04:41,298 resurrection and we see that God conquers death through the resurrection. 109 00:04:41,474 --> 00:04:42,818 And so why is that so important? 110 00:04:42,874 --> 00:04:46,594 It's so important because it shows us that God keeps His word 111 00:04:46,722 --> 00:04:48,914 in, in Jesus's teachings to his disciples. 112 00:04:48,962 --> 00:04:52,962 He said many times that he would come to Jerusalem, that he 113 00:04:52,986 --> 00:04:56,200 would be crucified on a cross, and then that he would conquer death 114 00:04:56,240 --> 00:04:56,984 through the resurrection. 115 00:04:57,032 --> 00:04:59,816 Mark, chapter 8, verse 31, says. 116 00:04:59,888 --> 00:05:02,424 And he began to teach them that the Son of Man, that's Jesus, 117 00:05:02,472 --> 00:05:06,312 must suffer many things and be rejected of the elders and of the 118 00:05:06,336 --> 00:05:08,696 chief priests and scribes and the killed. 119 00:05:08,728 --> 00:05:10,792 And after three days rise again. 120 00:05:10,976 --> 00:05:12,968 Another chapter over in Mark, chapter nine. 121 00:05:13,024 --> 00:05:14,920 Mark, chapter nine, verse 31. 122 00:05:14,960 --> 00:05:18,152 Again, Jesus teaches his disciples that he would need to go 123 00:05:18,176 --> 00:05:20,862 to the cross, but he would conquer death through the resurrection. 124 00:05:21,056 --> 00:05:23,522 Says that the Son of Man is delivered into the hands of men and 125 00:05:23,546 --> 00:05:24,290 they shall kill him. 126 00:05:24,330 --> 00:05:26,178 And after that he is killed, he shall rise. 127 00:05:26,274 --> 00:05:28,898 The third day again in Mark, chapter 10. 128 00:05:29,034 --> 00:05:31,970 So we see Mark, chapter 8, Mark, chapter 9, Mark, chapter 10. 129 00:05:32,010 --> 00:05:34,050 Jesus teaches that he would resurrect. 130 00:05:34,210 --> 00:05:38,562 Mark, chapter 10, verse number 34 says, and they shall mock him 131 00:05:38,586 --> 00:05:41,650 and shall scourge him, and shall spit upon him and shall kill 132 00:05:41,690 --> 00:05:41,890 him. 133 00:05:41,930 --> 00:05:43,874 In the third day he shall rise again. 134 00:05:44,042 --> 00:05:45,618 And so why is the resurrection important? 135 00:05:45,674 --> 00:05:46,418 Number one, Jesus. 136 00:05:46,434 --> 00:05:48,450 Jesus claimed to be the one who could conquer death. 137 00:05:48,490 --> 00:05:51,314 And he told his disciples that he would resurrect. 138 00:05:51,362 --> 00:05:52,898 And therefore he kept his word. 139 00:05:52,994 --> 00:05:56,722 And I want to tell you this morning that God keeps His word no 140 00:05:56,746 --> 00:05:57,538 matter what we do. 141 00:05:57,594 --> 00:05:58,738 God keeps his word. 142 00:05:58,834 --> 00:06:02,274 No, no matter how crazy this world gets, God keeps His word. 143 00:06:02,402 --> 00:06:04,770 The Bible says that he will never leave us nor forsake us. 144 00:06:04,810 --> 00:06:06,354 That means he will keep his word. 145 00:06:06,482 --> 00:06:08,146 The Bible says that he loves us. 146 00:06:08,218 --> 00:06:08,946 He keeps his word. 147 00:06:08,978 --> 00:06:10,610 He demonstrates his love towards us. 148 00:06:10,730 --> 00:06:12,562 And so the resurrection is important that way. 149 00:06:12,586 --> 00:06:13,854 But it also gives us hope. 150 00:06:13,962 --> 00:06:15,030 It gives us victory. 151 00:06:15,110 --> 00:06:17,670 It gives us the understanding that we're living for more than just 152 00:06:17,710 --> 00:06:18,326 this world. 153 00:06:18,398 --> 00:06:22,486 I don't know if any of you maybe have struggled with the idea 154 00:06:22,518 --> 00:06:23,334 of this. 155 00:06:23,502 --> 00:06:24,662 Is this it? 156 00:06:24,846 --> 00:06:25,462 Is this it? 157 00:06:25,486 --> 00:06:30,470 In life, these, these 70, 80, 90, maybe 100 years, is this it? 158 00:06:30,590 --> 00:06:33,702 And sometimes, if we look at it from that perspective, just go 159 00:06:33,726 --> 00:06:34,422 to work every day. 160 00:06:34,446 --> 00:06:36,774 And I'm just trying to work and work and work until I can get 161 00:06:36,782 --> 00:06:39,158 to retirement, then I'm retired, and then eventually I'll 162 00:06:39,174 --> 00:06:39,782 do what I want to do. 163 00:06:39,806 --> 00:06:40,326 But the folk. 164 00:06:40,358 --> 00:06:41,674 Folks, folks, the truth is this. 165 00:06:41,762 --> 00:06:43,450 If we are living for this world, we are. 166 00:06:43,490 --> 00:06:45,190 We are not living for the right thing. 167 00:06:45,570 --> 00:06:47,070 It does not satisfy. 168 00:06:47,970 --> 00:06:50,362 It is not sufficient, as the Bible says. 169 00:06:50,466 --> 00:06:52,922 And so the Bible says that we have to live for something more. 170 00:06:52,946 --> 00:06:54,858 We have to live for the eternal. 171 00:06:55,034 --> 00:06:57,674 And so what we're going to see here this morning in First Corinthians, 172 00:06:57,722 --> 00:07:01,070 chapter 15 are the results of the resurrection. 173 00:07:02,850 --> 00:07:05,418 Says here in verse number one of First Corinthians, chapter 15, 174 00:07:05,474 --> 00:07:07,914 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the Gospel. 175 00:07:07,962 --> 00:07:08,746 Now, what's the Gospel? 176 00:07:08,778 --> 00:07:11,562 The Gospel is the good news of Jesus Christ that he came to this 177 00:07:11,586 --> 00:07:13,482 earth, that he lived that perfect life, that he died on the 178 00:07:13,506 --> 00:07:15,610 cross, and that he conquered death of the resurrection. 179 00:07:15,690 --> 00:07:19,034 So, so Paul says here, in this case, the Apostle Paul says, hey, 180 00:07:19,082 --> 00:07:22,490 I have been declaring unto you the good news, the gospel which I 181 00:07:22,530 --> 00:07:24,746 preached unto you, which also ye have received. 182 00:07:24,818 --> 00:07:27,178 And so he's speaking to folks who have received the Gospel. 183 00:07:27,274 --> 00:07:30,122 And by the way, I think that it's a biblical thing to teach that 184 00:07:30,146 --> 00:07:32,890 we must receive the gospel and believe the gospel. 185 00:07:33,050 --> 00:07:35,482 And this morning, unapologetically, I'm going to be 186 00:07:35,506 --> 00:07:38,872 proclaiming to you that it's a necessity for you to believe the 187 00:07:38,896 --> 00:07:41,832 gospel, to trust in the truth of the good news of Jesus Christ. 188 00:07:41,936 --> 00:07:44,296 It says here in First Corinthians, chapter 15, verse 1, 189 00:07:44,368 --> 00:07:47,300 he says, this is what you have received and wherein ye stand. 190 00:07:47,600 --> 00:07:49,400 So it's one thing to receive the word of God. 191 00:07:49,480 --> 00:07:50,888 It's one thing to believe the word of God. 192 00:07:50,904 --> 00:07:53,560 It's another thing to stand in the word of God in confidence. 193 00:07:53,720 --> 00:07:56,024 He says, verse 2, by which also ye are saved. 194 00:07:56,072 --> 00:07:57,544 The Gospel is what saves us. 195 00:07:57,632 --> 00:08:00,248 The Gospel is what extends everlasting life to us. 196 00:08:00,384 --> 00:08:03,784 Says, if you keep in memory what I preach unto you, unless ye 197 00:08:03,832 --> 00:08:05,900 have believed in vain. 198 00:08:06,360 --> 00:08:09,568 And so Paul here in First Corinthians, chapter 15, speaks of 199 00:08:09,704 --> 00:08:11,136 vanity or emptiness. 200 00:08:11,248 --> 00:08:14,464 And then he speaks the substance and belief. 201 00:08:14,592 --> 00:08:17,584 And the truth is this morning that all of us in this room and watching 202 00:08:17,632 --> 00:08:19,760 online, we're either in two camps. 203 00:08:19,920 --> 00:08:23,600 We're either living our life in vanity and emptiness and hopelessness, 204 00:08:23,760 --> 00:08:26,544 or we're living our life in substance and faith in Jesus Christ. 205 00:08:26,632 --> 00:08:29,120 And so it says here in verse three, for I delivered unto you first 206 00:08:29,160 --> 00:08:31,136 of all that which I also received. 207 00:08:31,208 --> 00:08:34,470 And then he's about to explain what this gospel message is, how 208 00:08:34,510 --> 00:08:37,530 that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures. 209 00:08:37,950 --> 00:08:41,046 He always ends this statement with according to the Scriptures 210 00:08:41,158 --> 00:08:44,150 because he wants to point back to the truth that God keeps his word, 211 00:08:44,230 --> 00:08:48,678 that God is fulfilling the truth of Jesus Christ in the Gospel, 212 00:08:48,774 --> 00:08:51,750 that the truth of the Messiah, the truth of everlasting life. 213 00:08:51,790 --> 00:08:56,406 And so he says, okay, I Preach unto you the fact that Christ died 214 00:08:56,438 --> 00:08:59,244 for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that he was a buried 215 00:08:59,342 --> 00:09:02,496 and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. 216 00:09:02,688 --> 00:09:05,360 And so I want you to see number one here, the very first point 217 00:09:05,400 --> 00:09:06,416 on the back of your bulletin. 218 00:09:06,448 --> 00:09:09,632 The first result of the resurrection is what we call conversion. 219 00:09:09,776 --> 00:09:12,576 Conversion, or another word we could use is salvation. 220 00:09:12,768 --> 00:09:16,128 We would not have salvation outside of the resurrection. 221 00:09:16,304 --> 00:09:17,280 Why is that the case? 222 00:09:17,320 --> 00:09:19,632 Because there have been a lot of religious leaders that have come 223 00:09:19,656 --> 00:09:22,016 through this world that have promised a lot of things, but they've 224 00:09:22,048 --> 00:09:22,896 never kept their word. 225 00:09:22,928 --> 00:09:26,230 They've never fulfilled the ultimate promise of conquering death 226 00:09:26,400 --> 00:09:27,786 and giving hope and giving substance. 227 00:09:27,818 --> 00:09:30,154 I'm going to tell you here this morning, the tomb is empty. 228 00:09:30,202 --> 00:09:31,162 That's why we're celebrating. 229 00:09:31,226 --> 00:09:34,026 Jesus said that he would conquer death, and he did so. 230 00:09:34,098 --> 00:09:36,666 And so therefore, this morning we have hope in Jesus Christ. 231 00:09:36,738 --> 00:09:40,762 And it goes on to say in verse 14, and if Christ be not risen, if 232 00:09:40,786 --> 00:09:44,682 there isn't a resurrection, says, then are preaching vain. 233 00:09:44,826 --> 00:09:48,170 What I'm doing today would be vain if Jesus did not conquer death 234 00:09:48,210 --> 00:09:49,386 through the resurrection. 235 00:09:49,578 --> 00:09:51,786 Now, some of you might think today, I don't know what your background 236 00:09:51,818 --> 00:09:51,962 is. 237 00:09:51,986 --> 00:09:52,802 I don't know if you're. 238 00:09:52,906 --> 00:09:54,386 You're a churchgoing person. 239 00:09:54,458 --> 00:09:57,378 I don't know if you're here just because, hey, it's Easter Sunday 240 00:09:57,434 --> 00:09:58,450 and I got to be there. 241 00:09:58,570 --> 00:10:01,154 I don't know if a family member took you here, which is a 242 00:10:01,162 --> 00:10:01,634 good thing. 243 00:10:01,722 --> 00:10:03,442 But I'm going to tell you here, this, this morning, you might 244 00:10:03,466 --> 00:10:05,666 think, hey, this guy up here preaching, he's preaching in vain. 245 00:10:05,698 --> 00:10:08,962 I'm going to tell you, the Bible says because of the resurrection, 246 00:10:09,106 --> 00:10:10,738 this preaching is not in vain. 247 00:10:10,914 --> 00:10:13,682 And what we can see here this morning is it says that your faith, 248 00:10:13,746 --> 00:10:18,050 if, if there is no resurrection, verse 14, and your 249 00:10:18,090 --> 00:10:22,136 faith is also vain, everything that we do would be empty, worthless 250 00:10:22,168 --> 00:10:24,696 if there's not a resurrection of Jesus Christ. 251 00:10:24,848 --> 00:10:27,976 Everything hangs in the balance when it comes to the resurrection. 252 00:10:28,088 --> 00:10:29,640 And so we would not have salvation. 253 00:10:29,720 --> 00:10:31,336 We would not have everlasting life. 254 00:10:31,408 --> 00:10:32,792 We would not have forgiveness. 255 00:10:32,856 --> 00:10:34,860 By the way, salvation is forgiveness. 256 00:10:35,280 --> 00:10:37,848 The Bible says, for all have sinned and come short of the glory 257 00:10:37,864 --> 00:10:38,504 of God. 258 00:10:38,632 --> 00:10:40,616 All have sinned, you say, well, I. 259 00:10:40,688 --> 00:10:41,640 You don't know me. 260 00:10:41,760 --> 00:10:42,616 I'm not a sinner. 261 00:10:42,648 --> 00:10:44,568 The Bible says, for all have sinned and come short of the glory 262 00:10:44,584 --> 00:10:48,930 of God, you might be a good quote, unquote, good person, better 263 00:10:48,970 --> 00:10:49,730 than my neighbor. 264 00:10:49,810 --> 00:10:51,666 The Bible says that none of us can be perfect. 265 00:10:51,778 --> 00:10:54,226 And so it says, for all have sinned and come short of the glory 266 00:10:54,258 --> 00:10:54,594 of God. 267 00:10:54,642 --> 00:10:56,386 And what does the Bible say about sin? 268 00:10:56,418 --> 00:10:58,450 It says, for the wages of sin is death. 269 00:10:58,490 --> 00:11:00,946 Now, some of you might say, by the way, before you go any farther, 270 00:11:01,058 --> 00:11:02,150 what is sin? 271 00:11:03,130 --> 00:11:03,874 What is sin? 272 00:11:03,922 --> 00:11:04,914 Sin is literally. 273 00:11:04,962 --> 00:11:06,962 It means missing the mark of God. 274 00:11:07,106 --> 00:11:08,978 God has a perfect plan. 275 00:11:09,034 --> 00:11:10,354 He has a perfect way. 276 00:11:10,442 --> 00:11:11,890 He has a perfect word. 277 00:11:11,970 --> 00:11:14,426 The Scriptures tell us that this is what we should follow. 278 00:11:14,538 --> 00:11:17,514 And the Bible says that when we sin, we miss the mark of God's 279 00:11:17,562 --> 00:11:18,010 plan. 280 00:11:18,130 --> 00:11:20,682 We disobey, we reject him. 281 00:11:20,866 --> 00:11:21,994 We feed our flesh. 282 00:11:22,042 --> 00:11:22,202 We. 283 00:11:22,226 --> 00:11:24,234 We do what our body wants to do. 284 00:11:24,322 --> 00:11:24,570 We. 285 00:11:24,610 --> 00:11:26,490 We do all those things that make us feel good. 286 00:11:26,530 --> 00:11:27,994 And we put ourselves before him. 287 00:11:28,082 --> 00:11:28,666 That is sin. 288 00:11:28,698 --> 00:11:31,706 And so the Bible says that sin, the wages of sin or the payment 289 00:11:31,738 --> 00:11:33,510 of sin is death. 290 00:11:33,890 --> 00:11:34,394 Death. 291 00:11:34,482 --> 00:11:38,330 Not just physical death, but spiritual death, separation from 292 00:11:38,370 --> 00:11:38,990 God. 293 00:11:39,410 --> 00:11:42,028 And the Bible says that that wage of sin is death. 294 00:11:42,084 --> 00:11:44,412 But there's a second part of that verse in Romans, chapter 6, 295 00:11:44,436 --> 00:11:45,340 verse 23. 296 00:11:45,460 --> 00:11:50,012 But the gift of God, the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus 297 00:11:50,076 --> 00:11:50,796 Christ our Lord. 298 00:11:50,828 --> 00:11:53,980 And so our conversion, our salvation, is a gift then. 299 00:11:54,020 --> 00:11:55,708 Now, does a gift have to be worked for? 300 00:11:55,764 --> 00:11:59,052 No, it wouldn't be a gift then if I was to say, as you guys head 301 00:11:59,076 --> 00:12:00,028 on out today, I have. 302 00:12:00,084 --> 00:12:03,452 I have at the door envelopes for every single one of you. 303 00:12:03,556 --> 00:12:06,002 In that envelope is $20,000. 304 00:12:06,196 --> 00:12:08,966 Some of you are like, wow, I'm gonna start coming to this church 305 00:12:08,998 --> 00:12:09,782 more often. 306 00:12:09,966 --> 00:12:10,502 We. 307 00:12:10,606 --> 00:12:12,310 This is a hypothetical situation. 308 00:12:12,470 --> 00:12:15,222 Well, let's say we had $20,000 for everyone back there. 309 00:12:15,246 --> 00:12:19,046 As you head on out and you walk back there and, okay, who's 310 00:12:19,078 --> 00:12:19,526 up first? 311 00:12:19,598 --> 00:12:20,118 And. 312 00:12:20,254 --> 00:12:21,830 And you know, mister. 313 00:12:21,910 --> 00:12:22,262 Mr. 314 00:12:22,326 --> 00:12:24,726 So and so walks up there and he says, okay, I want My. 315 00:12:24,798 --> 00:12:25,814 My $20,000. 316 00:12:25,862 --> 00:12:29,542 And we say, okay, what are you going to do? 317 00:12:29,726 --> 00:12:30,934 What are you going to do for the church? 318 00:12:30,982 --> 00:12:31,570 Now? 319 00:12:32,360 --> 00:12:33,280 You got to start working. 320 00:12:33,320 --> 00:12:34,592 You got to work 20 hours a week. 321 00:12:34,616 --> 00:12:36,368 You got to work 200 hours this year. 322 00:12:36,424 --> 00:12:37,888 You got to do this, got to do that. 323 00:12:37,944 --> 00:12:39,824 Folks, at that point in time, it's no longer a gift. 324 00:12:39,872 --> 00:12:40,944 It's something that I have to earn. 325 00:12:40,992 --> 00:12:43,616 The Bible says, for by grace are you saved through faith. 326 00:12:43,648 --> 00:12:44,848 And that not of yourselves. 327 00:12:44,944 --> 00:12:47,456 It is a gift of God, not of works. 328 00:12:47,488 --> 00:12:50,736 Lest any man should boast, the Bible says that salvation is because 329 00:12:50,808 --> 00:12:54,720 of the victory of Jesus Christ through his life, through his death, 330 00:12:54,760 --> 00:12:55,872 and through his resurrection. 331 00:12:55,936 --> 00:12:59,152 So without the resurrection, we would not have conversion, we 332 00:12:59,176 --> 00:13:00,192 would not have salvation. 333 00:13:00,256 --> 00:13:02,520 By the way, how can we find that salvation? 334 00:13:02,600 --> 00:13:05,592 Is that just extended to Everybody is that extended. 335 00:13:05,656 --> 00:13:06,824 Just everyone, universally. 336 00:13:06,872 --> 00:13:07,960 The Bible says no. 337 00:13:08,080 --> 00:13:12,536 The Bible says that is a gift of God that must be received in faith. 338 00:13:12,648 --> 00:13:14,264 For by grace are you saved. 339 00:13:14,312 --> 00:13:14,904 God's grace. 340 00:13:14,952 --> 00:13:17,528 Grace is a gift given to us that we don't deserve. 341 00:13:17,624 --> 00:13:20,840 For by grace are you saved through faith. 342 00:13:20,920 --> 00:13:22,200 Faith is believing. 343 00:13:22,360 --> 00:13:23,820 Faith is trusting. 344 00:13:24,400 --> 00:13:28,042 Faith is not looking at all of the situation and saying, well, what 345 00:13:28,066 --> 00:13:28,730 can I do? 346 00:13:28,770 --> 00:13:29,642 What do I have to do? 347 00:13:29,666 --> 00:13:31,338 Faith is saying, I can't do anything. 348 00:13:31,434 --> 00:13:33,434 I'm trusting that God will do it for me. 349 00:13:33,522 --> 00:13:36,314 Every other religion in the world, every other religion in the 350 00:13:36,322 --> 00:13:40,090 world teaches what you have to do to get to some point of salvation, 351 00:13:40,170 --> 00:13:42,730 some point of peace, some point of satisfaction. 352 00:13:42,810 --> 00:13:46,026 And I'm going to tell you that biblical Christianity, the faith 353 00:13:46,058 --> 00:13:49,050 that we are talking about here this morning, has nothing to do with 354 00:13:49,090 --> 00:13:50,058 what I do. 355 00:13:50,194 --> 00:13:51,322 Because I can't work my way. 356 00:13:51,346 --> 00:13:52,550 I can't do enough. 357 00:13:52,930 --> 00:13:54,874 You might not know me that well, but I'm going to tell you, 358 00:13:54,882 --> 00:13:57,818 if you get to know me, you're going to realize that I cannot do 359 00:13:57,874 --> 00:13:58,762 what I need to do. 360 00:13:58,786 --> 00:13:59,722 I am not enough. 361 00:13:59,826 --> 00:14:01,962 And I think if we're all honest this morning, all of us would 362 00:14:01,986 --> 00:14:03,242 agree that we are not enough. 363 00:14:03,346 --> 00:14:06,042 But the Bible says that our type of faith is trusting in a work 364 00:14:06,066 --> 00:14:07,050 of somebody else. 365 00:14:07,130 --> 00:14:08,442 Well, whose work are we trusting in? 366 00:14:08,466 --> 00:14:10,298 We're trusting in Jesus's work on the cross. 367 00:14:10,394 --> 00:14:12,682 We're trusting in Jesus's work in the resurrection. 368 00:14:12,746 --> 00:14:15,514 And so without the resurrection, we would not have conversion. 369 00:14:15,562 --> 00:14:17,642 So the result of the resurrection, number one, is our 370 00:14:17,666 --> 00:14:20,986 conversion, our salvation, and that's tied to the good news of Jesus 371 00:14:21,018 --> 00:14:21,546 Christ. 372 00:14:21,698 --> 00:14:24,170 But then number two, I want you to see that we would not have 373 00:14:24,210 --> 00:14:26,276 change without the resurrection. 374 00:14:26,418 --> 00:14:29,152 Another way that we could say this is we would not have transformation. 375 00:14:29,216 --> 00:14:32,416 The Bible says in Second Corinthians, chapter 5, verse 17, 376 00:14:32,568 --> 00:14:35,872 that we are new creations in Christ, that we are new creatures. 377 00:14:36,016 --> 00:14:37,456 We are transformed. 378 00:14:37,568 --> 00:14:42,464 The Bible talks about Romans chapter 12, verse 2, that we are 379 00:14:42,632 --> 00:14:45,264 transformed by the renewing of our mind. 380 00:14:45,432 --> 00:14:48,944 Folks, when we come to Christ in our conversion, in our salvation, 381 00:14:49,072 --> 00:14:50,832 in faith, he changes us. 382 00:14:50,936 --> 00:14:54,690 He transforms us into a new creation, a new creature. 383 00:14:55,030 --> 00:14:58,142 The word transformation there In Romans chapter 12 speaks of a 384 00:14:58,166 --> 00:15:01,330 word that we use in our language called metamorphosis. 385 00:15:01,750 --> 00:15:04,382 And of course, you know, maybe metamorphosis. 386 00:15:04,446 --> 00:15:06,014 I know my kids like to study that. 387 00:15:06,102 --> 00:15:09,010 When there's a little caterpillar that crawls up on a branch, 388 00:15:09,350 --> 00:15:13,182 creates a chrysalis, and then in a short amount of time comes out 389 00:15:13,206 --> 00:15:14,238 and looks totally different. 390 00:15:14,294 --> 00:15:15,598 That's Transformation. 391 00:15:15,774 --> 00:15:18,494 And the Bible says that at the moment of our salvation, we begin 392 00:15:18,542 --> 00:15:19,958 that process of growth. 393 00:15:20,014 --> 00:15:22,454 But at that moment of salvation, we have that transformation. 394 00:15:22,502 --> 00:15:23,302 We are changed. 395 00:15:23,366 --> 00:15:25,462 We are no longer our own. 396 00:15:25,566 --> 00:15:27,126 We are bought with a price. 397 00:15:27,278 --> 00:15:30,390 The Bible says that God paid the price in his son, Jesus Christ, 398 00:15:30,430 --> 00:15:31,590 for our salvation. 399 00:15:31,750 --> 00:15:33,062 And so what does that mean for me? 400 00:15:33,086 --> 00:15:33,766 That means this. 401 00:15:33,838 --> 00:15:36,770 I am no longer bound by the sin that I am in. 402 00:15:37,230 --> 00:15:41,930 The Bible likens our sin and our brokenness and our pain to shackles. 403 00:15:42,270 --> 00:15:44,742 And the truth is, is that before we come to Christ, we are 404 00:15:44,766 --> 00:15:45,574 bound by that. 405 00:15:45,662 --> 00:15:49,776 There's nothing else we can do other than being set in that sin, 406 00:15:49,808 --> 00:15:52,832 set in that brokenness, set in that emptiness, set in that hopelessness. 407 00:15:52,976 --> 00:15:55,408 But what the Bible tells us is that the moment of salvation, those 408 00:15:55,464 --> 00:15:56,176 chains are broken. 409 00:15:56,208 --> 00:15:58,672 We are no longer under the bondage of sin, but we are under 410 00:15:58,696 --> 00:15:59,648 the bondage of grace. 411 00:15:59,744 --> 00:16:02,784 And therefore we have an opportunity to have a changed life. 412 00:16:02,952 --> 00:16:08,736 Romans chapter 8, verse 1 says an amazing thing. 413 00:16:08,808 --> 00:16:10,048 An amazing thing. 414 00:16:10,184 --> 00:16:14,282 Romans, chapter 8, verse 1 says, there is therefore now no condemnation, 415 00:16:14,346 --> 00:16:18,282 no judgment to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after 416 00:16:18,306 --> 00:16:19,978 the flesh, but after the Spirit. 417 00:16:20,154 --> 00:16:23,034 We go on to see In Romans chapter 8, verse 11, something amazing. 418 00:16:23,082 --> 00:16:26,234 It says, but if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the 419 00:16:26,242 --> 00:16:30,666 dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall 420 00:16:30,698 --> 00:16:34,234 also quicken or make alive your mortal bodies by the Spirit 421 00:16:34,282 --> 00:16:35,750 that dwelleth in you. 422 00:16:36,370 --> 00:16:37,002 What does that mean? 423 00:16:37,026 --> 00:16:39,354 The transformation is not that I become, hey, I'm a. 424 00:16:39,362 --> 00:16:41,990 I'm a better person now because look at me, I look different. 425 00:16:42,550 --> 00:16:45,854 The transformation is an inward transformation, the indwelling 426 00:16:45,902 --> 00:16:46,958 of the Holy Spirit. 427 00:16:47,054 --> 00:16:49,486 If you are a believer this morning, if you have trusted in Jesus 428 00:16:49,518 --> 00:16:51,838 Christ and faith, if you've received that gift of salvation, 429 00:16:51,934 --> 00:16:55,838 the Bible says that we had the Holy Spirit living within us, making 430 00:16:55,894 --> 00:16:58,942 us different, changing us, giving us new desires, giving us 431 00:16:58,966 --> 00:17:02,078 new hopes, giving us new dreams, giving us a new purpose. 432 00:17:02,254 --> 00:17:04,606 Some people are looking for a purpose in this world, folks. 433 00:17:04,638 --> 00:17:07,102 If you're a believer in Jesus Christ, you have your purpose to 434 00:17:07,126 --> 00:17:09,130 glorify him in everything that you do. 435 00:17:09,560 --> 00:17:11,824 And so we have our conversion or our salvation. 436 00:17:11,872 --> 00:17:14,224 We have our change or our transformation. 437 00:17:14,272 --> 00:17:15,520 But I want you to see number three. 438 00:17:15,560 --> 00:17:17,300 Here we have confidence. 439 00:17:17,800 --> 00:17:19,540 Confidence or assurance. 440 00:17:19,880 --> 00:17:21,808 I don't know about you, but one of the things that I struggle 441 00:17:21,824 --> 00:17:22,864 with is confidence. 442 00:17:22,992 --> 00:17:24,624 I wake up in the morning and I think, you know what? 443 00:17:24,632 --> 00:17:25,552 I'm not enough. 444 00:17:25,736 --> 00:17:27,340 I don't know if I can do this. 445 00:17:27,640 --> 00:17:28,768 Fear grips me. 446 00:17:28,824 --> 00:17:30,688 Maybe I'm the Only one that has that struggle. 447 00:17:30,784 --> 00:17:33,776 But the truth is, is that when we have Jesus Christ, when we know 448 00:17:33,848 --> 00:17:36,924 what the resurrection brings us, it brings us assurance and confidence. 449 00:17:37,072 --> 00:17:38,836 Look at First Corinthians, chapter 15. 450 00:17:38,908 --> 00:17:42,372 We're going to go all the way to the end of the chapter, all the 451 00:17:42,396 --> 00:17:42,852 way to the end. 452 00:17:42,876 --> 00:17:43,716 We started at the beginning. 453 00:17:43,748 --> 00:17:46,452 We looked at Paul saying, this is the gospel, and if without the 454 00:17:46,476 --> 00:17:48,052 resurrection, everything's in vain. 455 00:17:48,116 --> 00:17:51,844 And then he goes and he talks about verse number 55. 456 00:17:51,932 --> 00:17:53,280 He talks about death. 457 00:17:54,540 --> 00:17:57,764 Now some of you might say, why are we talking about death on resurrection 458 00:17:57,812 --> 00:17:58,400 Sunday? 459 00:17:59,340 --> 00:18:03,344 Because the resurrection brings confidence over death. 460 00:18:03,532 --> 00:18:06,072 Verse 55, First Corinthians, chapter 15. 461 00:18:06,256 --> 00:18:10,060 O death, where is thy sting? 462 00:18:10,720 --> 00:18:13,544 O grave, where is thy victory? 463 00:18:13,592 --> 00:18:14,904 The sting of death is sin. 464 00:18:14,952 --> 00:18:17,656 If we're based in our sin, that's the sting of death. 465 00:18:17,728 --> 00:18:20,392 And the strength of sin is the law, meaning, hey, you know what 466 00:18:20,416 --> 00:18:23,528 the only reality is, is that if we are based in the law alone, 467 00:18:23,704 --> 00:18:26,984 if we're based in our works alone, we are going to find ourselves 468 00:18:27,112 --> 00:18:28,024 empty, broken. 469 00:18:28,072 --> 00:18:28,920 But verse 57. 470 00:18:28,960 --> 00:18:33,350 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our 471 00:18:33,390 --> 00:18:35,750 Lord Jesus Christ, we're get again. 472 00:18:35,790 --> 00:18:37,318 This is in the context of the resurrection. 473 00:18:37,334 --> 00:18:39,734 He says, because of the resurrection, we have the victory 474 00:18:39,782 --> 00:18:40,662 in Jesus Christ. 475 00:18:40,766 --> 00:18:41,638 Verse 58. 476 00:18:41,694 --> 00:18:47,430 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, unmovable, 477 00:18:47,590 --> 00:18:49,526 always abounding in the work of the Lord. 478 00:18:49,558 --> 00:18:54,342 For as much as you know that your labor is not in vain in the 479 00:18:54,366 --> 00:18:55,052 Lord. 480 00:18:55,246 --> 00:18:57,040 And so we have that confidence. 481 00:18:57,200 --> 00:18:59,744 The Bible says in Philippians chapter one, verse six. 482 00:18:59,832 --> 00:19:03,648 Another amazing thing, this is something that we as a family tried 483 00:19:03,664 --> 00:19:05,136 to claim as our confidence. 484 00:19:05,248 --> 00:19:06,640 Philippians, chapter one, verse six. 485 00:19:06,680 --> 00:19:11,328 It says this being confident of this very thing, that he which 486 00:19:11,384 --> 00:19:14,512 hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of 487 00:19:14,536 --> 00:19:15,040 Jesus Christ. 488 00:19:15,080 --> 00:19:18,672 And so my confidence as a Christian is not in myself. 489 00:19:18,816 --> 00:19:22,454 My confidence as a Christian is not in the church building. 490 00:19:22,542 --> 00:19:24,950 The confidence of a Christian is not in my government. 491 00:19:25,070 --> 00:19:26,214 It's not in my work. 492 00:19:26,302 --> 00:19:27,494 It's not in my health. 493 00:19:27,582 --> 00:19:30,550 My only confidence is in Jesus Christ to know that I'm living for 494 00:19:30,590 --> 00:19:31,334 something more. 495 00:19:31,422 --> 00:19:34,854 If someone took away everything in my life, great. 496 00:19:35,022 --> 00:19:35,590 Guess what? 497 00:19:35,630 --> 00:19:37,030 I still have Jesus Christ. 498 00:19:37,150 --> 00:19:38,566 I still have my salvation. 499 00:19:38,678 --> 00:19:40,118 I still have my eternal focus. 500 00:19:40,174 --> 00:19:41,814 I still have my eternal destination. 501 00:19:41,942 --> 00:19:44,966 And so the Bible says that heaven is that eternal destination 502 00:19:45,078 --> 00:19:46,374 and eternal life with him. 503 00:19:46,462 --> 00:19:49,250 So we have conversion, change and confidence. 504 00:19:49,750 --> 00:19:51,950 Some of us have our confidence in all of the wrong things. 505 00:19:51,990 --> 00:19:54,142 That word confidence just means with faith. 506 00:19:54,286 --> 00:19:54,606 It's. 507 00:19:54,638 --> 00:19:55,534 It's a Latin word. 508 00:19:55,582 --> 00:19:57,278 Con, meaning with fide. 509 00:19:57,374 --> 00:19:58,302 Meaning faith. 510 00:19:58,446 --> 00:19:59,070 Confidence. 511 00:19:59,150 --> 00:20:00,318 Having faith. 512 00:20:00,494 --> 00:20:02,490 Where is our confidence here this morning? 513 00:20:04,070 --> 00:20:07,294 It's easy to get distracted, let me tell you. 514 00:20:07,462 --> 00:20:09,470 It's easy to get distracted. 515 00:20:09,630 --> 00:20:12,254 But what I would say this morning is let's realign ourselves 516 00:20:12,302 --> 00:20:15,050 to what is the only object of faith that is worth it. 517 00:20:15,380 --> 00:20:17,800 Let's say, for example, I had two chairs up here. 518 00:20:18,180 --> 00:20:20,012 One chair looks. 519 00:20:20,076 --> 00:20:20,700 I made. 520 00:20:20,740 --> 00:20:22,764 Let's say I made the chair, okay? 521 00:20:22,892 --> 00:20:25,132 Now, some of you might say, well, he might be a great woodworker. 522 00:20:25,196 --> 00:20:25,788 I am not. 523 00:20:25,844 --> 00:20:27,884 I do not work well with my hands at all. 524 00:20:27,972 --> 00:20:30,908 If I put a chair together, it would fall, it would break. 525 00:20:31,044 --> 00:20:33,676 And so let's say the chair I made's over here, and it's all rickety 526 00:20:33,708 --> 00:20:37,292 and wobbly and doesn't look very secure, right? 527 00:20:37,396 --> 00:20:40,364 And then we have a chair over here, and let's say someone in our 528 00:20:40,372 --> 00:20:43,022 church who is a great woodworker, great carpenter, has 529 00:20:43,046 --> 00:20:44,830 it together, and it's stable, it's sturdy. 530 00:20:44,910 --> 00:20:45,150 And. 531 00:20:45,190 --> 00:20:47,230 And I was standing over by that chair, and. 532 00:20:47,270 --> 00:20:47,470 And. 533 00:20:47,510 --> 00:20:49,870 And our, you know, resident carpenter was standing over by this 534 00:20:49,910 --> 00:20:50,206 chair. 535 00:20:50,278 --> 00:20:51,886 And I said to you guys, which. 536 00:20:51,958 --> 00:20:53,570 Which chair do you trust? 537 00:20:54,230 --> 00:20:57,614 If you were wise, you would sit in the chair that looks sturdy, 538 00:20:57,662 --> 00:20:58,110 right? 539 00:20:58,230 --> 00:21:01,758 The one who could hold you up, the one who could handle your weight, 540 00:21:01,854 --> 00:21:04,590 the one who could handle, you know, maybe the. 541 00:21:04,630 --> 00:21:06,238 The luggage that you're bringing with you that you don't 542 00:21:06,254 --> 00:21:06,974 want to set down. 543 00:21:07,062 --> 00:21:10,472 And the truth is, is that if you came to my chair, why would that 544 00:21:10,496 --> 00:21:11,192 be a bad choice? 545 00:21:11,256 --> 00:21:14,856 Because the object of that faith that you're placing your faith 546 00:21:14,888 --> 00:21:16,820 in cannot hold you up. 547 00:21:17,600 --> 00:21:19,480 And the same thing happens for us in our own lives. 548 00:21:19,520 --> 00:21:22,488 We have confidence in the wrong things, and we expect those 549 00:21:22,544 --> 00:21:25,896 things to hold us up, the wrong objects of faith. 550 00:21:26,008 --> 00:21:28,344 But when we look at the only object of faith that can hold us 551 00:21:28,352 --> 00:21:30,408 up, that's Jesus Christ, the sure foundation. 552 00:21:30,504 --> 00:21:32,376 We know that he can hold us up no matter what. 553 00:21:32,448 --> 00:21:33,688 And that's our confidence. 554 00:21:33,784 --> 00:21:36,342 Our confidence is knowing that he is enough for us. 555 00:21:36,456 --> 00:21:37,850 He can fill in all the gaps. 556 00:21:37,930 --> 00:21:40,762 He takes us all the way to the end, he being confident. 557 00:21:40,826 --> 00:21:43,722 This very thing which starts a good work and you will finish it 558 00:21:43,746 --> 00:21:45,658 or perform it to the day of Jesus Christ. 559 00:21:45,794 --> 00:21:46,858 So we have confidence. 560 00:21:46,954 --> 00:21:49,450 So we have our conversion, our change, our confidence. 561 00:21:49,530 --> 00:21:51,914 But I want you to see another one here, because this is a beautiful 562 00:21:51,962 --> 00:21:52,362 thing. 563 00:21:52,466 --> 00:21:55,242 One of the results of the resurrection would be the comfort. 564 00:21:55,386 --> 00:21:56,270 Comfort. 565 00:21:56,850 --> 00:21:59,562 Look at 2 Corinthians, chapter one with me. 566 00:21:59,746 --> 00:22:04,400 2 Corinthians, chapter one, verse number three. 567 00:22:05,820 --> 00:22:10,420 It says something Very interesting here that, that as a 568 00:22:10,460 --> 00:22:15,636 believer in Christ, as someone who is trusted in the gift of grace, 569 00:22:15,828 --> 00:22:18,760 we all receive the comfort of God. 570 00:22:19,340 --> 00:22:21,636 And it says there's a purpose for that comfort of God. 571 00:22:21,668 --> 00:22:25,204 Verse 3, it says, Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord 572 00:22:25,252 --> 00:22:28,036 Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. 573 00:22:28,068 --> 00:22:31,540 That's one of my favorite names of God, the God of all comfort. 574 00:22:32,600 --> 00:22:34,816 And in our world today, we are seeking after comfort. 575 00:22:34,848 --> 00:22:36,416 But again you're seeing a theme. 576 00:22:36,448 --> 00:22:38,192 We're seeking after the wrong comfort. 577 00:22:38,336 --> 00:22:41,072 We want the nicest bed, we want the nicest car, we want the 578 00:22:41,096 --> 00:22:41,968 nicest clothes. 579 00:22:42,064 --> 00:22:44,656 We think that that's going to give us the comfort that we need. 580 00:22:44,728 --> 00:22:48,048 But the Bible says that it is only God who is the God of all comfort, 581 00:22:48,144 --> 00:22:52,432 verse four, who comforteth us in all our tribulation, all of our 582 00:22:52,456 --> 00:22:57,370 struggles, all of our trials, that we may be able to comfort them 583 00:22:57,410 --> 00:22:58,538 which are in any trouble. 584 00:22:58,634 --> 00:23:01,818 So, so the Bible actually tells us the purpose of God's comfort 585 00:23:01,834 --> 00:23:02,250 in our life. 586 00:23:02,290 --> 00:23:04,154 Number one, to comfort us because he loves us. 587 00:23:04,242 --> 00:23:07,290 But number two, so that we can comfort others as they are going 588 00:23:07,330 --> 00:23:08,282 through trials. 589 00:23:08,426 --> 00:23:11,498 So we are vessels of God to extend that comfort to every everyone 590 00:23:11,554 --> 00:23:11,930 else. 591 00:23:12,010 --> 00:23:15,002 So, so we see there it says we are to comfort those that are in 592 00:23:15,026 --> 00:23:17,722 any trouble by with the comfort wherewith we ourselves are 593 00:23:17,746 --> 00:23:19,390 comforted of God. 594 00:23:20,060 --> 00:23:23,396 For as the suffering of Christ abound in us, so our consolation 595 00:23:23,508 --> 00:23:24,948 also aboundeth by Christ. 596 00:23:25,004 --> 00:23:27,908 Meaning as we are identified with Christ, we understand that Christ 597 00:23:27,964 --> 00:23:29,812 suffered, we understand that we will suffer. 598 00:23:29,876 --> 00:23:34,532 But ultimately, together as a body, as a group of believers, we 599 00:23:34,556 --> 00:23:37,876 receive the comfort of God and we point other people to that comfort 600 00:23:37,908 --> 00:23:38,548 as well. 601 00:23:38,684 --> 00:23:41,748 And so we have conversion, change, confidence, comfort. 602 00:23:41,844 --> 00:23:44,340 And then you say, well, how do we comfort people? 603 00:23:44,460 --> 00:23:46,040 How can I comfort somebody? 604 00:23:46,760 --> 00:23:48,384 Well, it's okay, I've been there before. 605 00:23:48,472 --> 00:23:49,568 Well, that's okay. 606 00:23:49,744 --> 00:23:52,368 Or, or maybe you can say, you ever, ever told someone this, hey, 607 00:23:52,384 --> 00:23:53,136 it's going to be okay. 608 00:23:53,168 --> 00:23:55,040 And they looked at you and they're like, I don't believe that. 609 00:23:55,160 --> 00:23:57,552 Because you remember when you're going through a struggle, 610 00:23:57,616 --> 00:23:59,504 sometimes someone comes alongside of you and goes, it's going 611 00:23:59,512 --> 00:24:00,160 to be okay. 612 00:24:00,240 --> 00:24:01,024 It's all going to work out. 613 00:24:01,032 --> 00:24:04,112 And you're like, well, it's easy for you to say so, so, so what 614 00:24:04,136 --> 00:24:05,472 do we point to for the comfort? 615 00:24:05,536 --> 00:24:08,980 I want you to see 1st Thessalonians, 1st Thessalonians, 616 00:24:10,520 --> 00:24:11,936 chapter 4, verse 13. 617 00:24:12,008 --> 00:24:13,768 This is how we comfort other people. 618 00:24:13,944 --> 00:24:17,112 Ultimately, ultimately, this is how we comfort other people. 619 00:24:17,216 --> 00:24:20,504 The spirit of Our comfort would be coming from this passage 620 00:24:20,552 --> 00:24:21,300 right here. 621 00:24:21,680 --> 00:24:22,660 Number one. 622 00:24:22,960 --> 00:24:26,744 Because Jesus Christ has conquered death through the resurrection. 623 00:24:26,792 --> 00:24:29,960 And we are identified with Christ in the resurrection and in 624 00:24:30,000 --> 00:24:30,472 our faith. 625 00:24:30,536 --> 00:24:32,856 The Bible says that we too have the hope of the resurrection 626 00:24:32,888 --> 00:24:33,620 as well. 627 00:24:34,240 --> 00:24:36,744 We too will have glorified bodies one day. 628 00:24:36,832 --> 00:24:39,016 We too will have presence with God. 629 00:24:39,048 --> 00:24:41,492 And so it says in 1 Thessalonians, chapter 4 says, But 630 00:24:41,516 --> 00:24:44,600 I would not have you to be ignorant. 631 00:24:45,180 --> 00:24:46,420 Those are some strong words. 632 00:24:46,500 --> 00:24:47,732 All ignorant means is just. 633 00:24:47,756 --> 00:24:49,892 You don't know, you're unaware. 634 00:24:50,036 --> 00:24:52,532 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them 635 00:24:52,556 --> 00:24:53,156 which are asleep. 636 00:24:53,188 --> 00:24:56,548 And that doesn't mean sleeping, that means being passed 637 00:24:56,564 --> 00:24:56,692 away. 638 00:24:56,716 --> 00:24:59,428 It was a term that they use for that says that you sorrow not. 639 00:24:59,484 --> 00:25:00,212 He says that you. 640 00:25:00,236 --> 00:25:00,532 That you. 641 00:25:00,556 --> 00:25:02,692 You don't have to have the sorrow like other people have in 642 00:25:02,716 --> 00:25:03,108 their life. 643 00:25:03,164 --> 00:25:07,060 Because it says we have hope even as others which have no hope. 644 00:25:07,100 --> 00:25:08,000 Meaning this. 645 00:25:09,340 --> 00:25:12,724 When someone dies in this world and they have no hope in Jesus 646 00:25:12,772 --> 00:25:14,148 Christ, that is the end. 647 00:25:14,284 --> 00:25:18,132 But we as believers have a greater hope that we will see them 648 00:25:18,156 --> 00:25:18,340 again. 649 00:25:18,380 --> 00:25:19,524 We know where they go. 650 00:25:19,612 --> 00:25:24,276 And he says, for if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even 651 00:25:24,348 --> 00:25:27,652 so them also which sleep or that are dead in Jesus, meaning they 652 00:25:27,676 --> 00:25:30,372 died and they were believers, will God bring with him. 653 00:25:30,396 --> 00:25:32,788 Meaning there's going to be that eternal relationship absent 654 00:25:32,804 --> 00:25:34,316 with the body present with the Lord. 655 00:25:34,468 --> 00:25:38,540 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which 656 00:25:38,580 --> 00:25:41,484 are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent 657 00:25:41,532 --> 00:25:42,876 them which are asleep. 658 00:25:43,068 --> 00:25:43,516 Okay? 659 00:25:43,548 --> 00:25:45,452 So he says, hey, we're not going to go before them. 660 00:25:45,476 --> 00:25:46,556 They're going to come before us. 661 00:25:46,628 --> 00:25:47,196 Verse 16. 662 00:25:47,268 --> 00:25:50,332 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, 663 00:25:50,476 --> 00:25:52,652 with the voice of an archangel, and with the trump of 664 00:25:52,676 --> 00:25:52,876 God. 665 00:25:52,908 --> 00:25:55,644 And the dead in Christ shall rise first. 666 00:25:55,732 --> 00:25:58,460 So those that have gone before us will rise and have glorified bodies. 667 00:25:58,540 --> 00:26:01,644 We too will will be arise and have glorified bodies. 668 00:26:01,692 --> 00:26:02,308 Verse 17. 669 00:26:02,404 --> 00:26:04,820 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together 670 00:26:04,860 --> 00:26:07,060 with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. 671 00:26:07,100 --> 00:26:10,120 And so shall we ever be with the Lord. 672 00:26:11,180 --> 00:26:12,260 Then he says this. 673 00:26:12,300 --> 00:26:13,060 This is why we're here. 674 00:26:13,100 --> 00:26:17,108 This is the point wherefore comfort one another with these words. 675 00:26:17,284 --> 00:26:19,428 He says, what do we comfort each other with? 676 00:26:19,484 --> 00:26:20,916 The hope of eternity? 677 00:26:21,108 --> 00:26:22,996 The hope of being with our Savior one day. 678 00:26:23,068 --> 00:26:24,964 So I don't come alongside of you and go, well, things are going 679 00:26:24,972 --> 00:26:25,668 to get better. 680 00:26:25,804 --> 00:26:27,280 What if they don't get better? 681 00:26:27,660 --> 00:26:30,948 Because the truth is, is that your life might have struggles and 682 00:26:31,004 --> 00:26:33,428 problems And I don't have the power to promise you that that's 683 00:26:33,444 --> 00:26:34,184 going to be taken. 684 00:26:34,332 --> 00:26:34,736 You. 685 00:26:34,808 --> 00:26:36,960 The only thing that I can tell you is the truth of Jesus Christ, 686 00:26:37,000 --> 00:26:38,592 that, hey, we're living for something more. 687 00:26:38,696 --> 00:26:40,240 One day you will be with your Savior. 688 00:26:40,320 --> 00:26:41,840 One day we will be without sin. 689 00:26:41,920 --> 00:26:43,280 One day we'll be without pain. 690 00:26:43,360 --> 00:26:44,608 One day we'll be without death. 691 00:26:44,664 --> 00:26:46,720 And so what we're dealing with now is not the here. 692 00:26:46,760 --> 00:26:49,184 And the here and now was not eternity. 693 00:26:49,312 --> 00:26:50,528 This is not our focus. 694 00:26:50,664 --> 00:26:52,992 And so the way that we comfort each other is the eternal hope in 695 00:26:53,016 --> 00:26:53,856 Jesus Christ. 696 00:26:54,008 --> 00:26:56,540 Like, hey, look, we're living for something more. 697 00:26:56,840 --> 00:26:58,272 You're going to be with your Savior one day. 698 00:26:58,296 --> 00:27:00,454 You're going to be reunited with your loved ones one day, going 699 00:27:00,462 --> 00:27:02,662 to be with him and see him face to face. 700 00:27:02,766 --> 00:27:04,566 And so we have the comfort of God. 701 00:27:04,598 --> 00:27:05,574 How do we comfort people? 702 00:27:05,662 --> 00:27:07,542 We comfort people by pointing them to Christ. 703 00:27:07,646 --> 00:27:09,542 We comfort them by pointing them to His Word. 704 00:27:09,606 --> 00:27:12,370 We comfort them by pointing them to his will. 705 00:27:13,150 --> 00:27:17,910 And with that comes the last result of the resurrection. 706 00:27:17,990 --> 00:27:19,638 That is the challenge. 707 00:27:19,814 --> 00:27:20,454 The challenge. 708 00:27:20,502 --> 00:27:23,410 Go back with Matthew, Matthew, chapter 28. 709 00:27:24,110 --> 00:27:28,844 We started there dealing with the resurrection, and we will finish 710 00:27:28,892 --> 00:27:29,480 there. 711 00:27:30,020 --> 00:27:31,260 Matthew, chapter 28. 712 00:27:31,300 --> 00:27:31,628 At the. 713 00:27:31,684 --> 00:27:37,680 At the very end of Matthew, chapter 28, Jesus, he has returned 714 00:27:40,580 --> 00:27:43,100 and he has revealed himself to his disciples. 715 00:27:43,180 --> 00:27:47,772 And right before he ascends into heaven, he gives a challenge 716 00:27:47,916 --> 00:27:49,900 to his disciples. 717 00:27:50,060 --> 00:27:51,644 We call it the Great Commission. 718 00:27:51,812 --> 00:27:55,096 He charges them with a job, and that is this. 719 00:27:55,168 --> 00:27:58,580 He says at the very end, verse number 18. 720 00:27:59,200 --> 00:28:03,048 And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, all power is given 721 00:28:03,104 --> 00:28:05,128 unto me in heaven and in earth. 722 00:28:05,304 --> 00:28:09,480 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations or make disciples. 723 00:28:09,560 --> 00:28:12,600 Thou of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and 724 00:28:12,640 --> 00:28:15,352 of the Son and of the Holy Ghost, teaching them to observe all 725 00:28:15,376 --> 00:28:15,976 things whatsoever. 726 00:28:16,008 --> 00:28:16,808 I commanded you. 727 00:28:16,864 --> 00:28:19,380 And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world. 728 00:28:19,770 --> 00:28:21,010 What does Jesus say here? 729 00:28:21,050 --> 00:28:24,178 He says, if you have received the comfort, if you have received 730 00:28:24,234 --> 00:28:26,754 the salvation, if you have received the forgiveness, if you 731 00:28:26,762 --> 00:28:29,554 have received everlasting life, your job is not done yet. 732 00:28:29,642 --> 00:28:30,786 You've got a ticket to heaven. 733 00:28:30,818 --> 00:28:34,658 Yes, but now the opportunity is to serve him and to proclaim him 734 00:28:34,794 --> 00:28:38,018 and to tell others the beautiful truth of the gospel message 735 00:28:38,034 --> 00:28:39,154 of Jesus Christ. 736 00:28:39,322 --> 00:28:40,354 We all have a challenge. 737 00:28:40,402 --> 00:28:42,386 If you are a believer here this morning, you have a challenge. 738 00:28:42,418 --> 00:28:43,634 It's not just for pastors. 739 00:28:43,762 --> 00:28:45,400 It's not just for people that are. 740 00:28:45,490 --> 00:28:48,876 We would call in the ministry the challenge for the Great Commission. 741 00:28:48,948 --> 00:28:52,220 The challenge to tell people about Jesus is to all believers. 742 00:28:52,300 --> 00:28:54,492 And so if you are a believer here this morning, you need to take 743 00:28:54,516 --> 00:28:58,060 up the challenge along with many other believers in many, many 744 00:28:58,100 --> 00:28:59,532 different centuries and say, you know what? 745 00:28:59,556 --> 00:29:00,908 I want to proclaim the message. 746 00:29:01,004 --> 00:29:03,244 We talked about it this morning in our sunrise service. 747 00:29:03,332 --> 00:29:05,548 You think about that small number of people that understood 748 00:29:05,564 --> 00:29:07,052 the resurrection of Jesus Christ. 749 00:29:07,156 --> 00:29:09,148 It was his inner circle initially. 750 00:29:09,324 --> 00:29:13,184 I think about how much that inner circle, those originally it 751 00:29:13,192 --> 00:29:17,168 was 11, plus some fringe people there at that time. 752 00:29:17,304 --> 00:29:20,464 Think about how many people have been multiplied and added to 753 00:29:20,472 --> 00:29:22,288 the family of God over the centuries. 754 00:29:22,464 --> 00:29:25,312 And think about the impact of just that small group of people. 755 00:29:25,416 --> 00:29:26,640 Why did they have that impact? 756 00:29:26,680 --> 00:29:28,540 We saw that in the drama this morning. 757 00:29:28,840 --> 00:29:31,056 We saw the lady passing it down to her family. 758 00:29:31,128 --> 00:29:31,408 The. 759 00:29:31,464 --> 00:29:33,552 The truth of what Jesus Christ meant to her. 760 00:29:33,656 --> 00:29:37,248 The reason why they were able to change, the reason why they're 761 00:29:37,264 --> 00:29:39,940 able to impact, the reason why, why they were able to reach 762 00:29:39,980 --> 00:29:42,980 people for the cause of the gospel was because Jesus was real 763 00:29:43,020 --> 00:29:43,252 to them. 764 00:29:43,276 --> 00:29:45,252 The resurrection was real to them. 765 00:29:45,436 --> 00:29:48,884 You could not convince them another way. 766 00:29:49,052 --> 00:29:50,740 They knew that Jesus conquered death. 767 00:29:50,780 --> 00:29:52,180 They saw it with their own eyes. 768 00:29:52,260 --> 00:29:54,132 And I'm going to tell you this morning, you can see it with your 769 00:29:54,156 --> 00:29:56,040 own eyes right here in the word of God. 770 00:29:56,780 --> 00:29:59,540 The same power that rose Jesus from the dead is living within you. 771 00:29:59,580 --> 00:30:02,148 Therefore, think about if every one of us in this building 772 00:30:02,204 --> 00:30:06,276 went out with that type of confidence, that type of compassion, 773 00:30:06,388 --> 00:30:07,700 that type of conviction. 774 00:30:07,780 --> 00:30:10,596 Think about how many people we could reach for the gospel. 775 00:30:10,788 --> 00:30:13,380 Think about how many people we could bring to the truth. 776 00:30:13,540 --> 00:30:15,796 Folks, it's not about adding people to a group. 777 00:30:15,868 --> 00:30:18,068 It's about adding people to the kingdom of God. 778 00:30:18,164 --> 00:30:20,292 It's about extending everlasting life. 779 00:30:20,396 --> 00:30:22,516 Jesus said, here, and this is where we're going to end. 780 00:30:22,588 --> 00:30:28,692 Jesus said in John 11, John 11:25, a truth that I think we all 781 00:30:28,716 --> 00:30:29,834 need to take with us. 782 00:30:29,972 --> 00:30:32,798 Okay, what does Jesus tell us here? 783 00:30:32,854 --> 00:30:38,450 Well, John 11:25, Jesus is dealing with a family that's broken. 784 00:30:38,950 --> 00:30:40,702 See, what family are you talking about? 785 00:30:40,806 --> 00:30:42,126 Mary, Martha and Lazarus. 786 00:30:42,158 --> 00:30:44,750 If you remember, Lazarus died. 787 00:30:44,830 --> 00:30:48,782 And Martha believed that Jesus could have done something, but he 788 00:30:48,806 --> 00:30:49,770 didn't do something. 789 00:30:50,710 --> 00:30:51,070 And. 790 00:30:51,110 --> 00:30:52,462 And Martha is confused. 791 00:30:52,606 --> 00:30:55,570 And Martha doesn't understand the bigger picture. 792 00:30:56,000 --> 00:30:56,360 And. 793 00:30:56,400 --> 00:30:59,464 And she says, jesus, I believe that you can bring my brother back 794 00:30:59,552 --> 00:31:00,424 one day. 795 00:31:00,592 --> 00:31:01,128 That's what. 796 00:31:01,184 --> 00:31:02,984 If you actually read the passage of Scripture, that's what 797 00:31:02,992 --> 00:31:03,800 she's talking about. 798 00:31:03,920 --> 00:31:04,600 She doesn't. 799 00:31:04,680 --> 00:31:04,920 She. 800 00:31:04,960 --> 00:31:06,280 She believes that he could bring her back. 801 00:31:06,320 --> 00:31:06,520 But. 802 00:31:06,560 --> 00:31:08,312 But she's like, okay, one day you're gonna bring him back. 803 00:31:08,336 --> 00:31:09,608 I Know in the resurrection you will. 804 00:31:09,664 --> 00:31:11,096 And Jesus says something very interesting. 805 00:31:11,128 --> 00:31:15,180 In verse 25, Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection. 806 00:31:15,680 --> 00:31:18,088 He doesn't say, he just has the power to resurrect. 807 00:31:18,184 --> 00:31:22,340 Jesus says, I am the resurrection and the life. 808 00:31:24,160 --> 00:31:27,640 He that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he 809 00:31:27,680 --> 00:31:28,260 live. 810 00:31:28,720 --> 00:31:31,032 Jesus is saying an amazing truth here. 811 00:31:31,136 --> 00:31:34,472 He says, the only way that you can find resurrection, the only way 812 00:31:34,496 --> 00:31:37,272 that you can find victory over death, the only way that you can 813 00:31:37,296 --> 00:31:38,984 have everlasting life is through him. 814 00:31:39,072 --> 00:31:39,960 John 14:6. 815 00:31:40,000 --> 00:31:42,260 Jesus says, I am the way, the truth, and the life. 816 00:31:42,640 --> 00:31:43,000 So. 817 00:31:43,040 --> 00:31:44,040 So Jesus is teaching this. 818 00:31:44,080 --> 00:31:45,016 He is the resurrection. 819 00:31:45,048 --> 00:31:48,744 It's not a church, it's not a way of thinking. 820 00:31:48,792 --> 00:31:50,220 It's not a philosophy. 821 00:31:50,700 --> 00:31:52,052 It's not a membership. 822 00:31:52,116 --> 00:31:53,780 It's not even what you do and how you. 823 00:31:53,820 --> 00:31:57,460 Look, the Bible says the only way to find resurrection, the only 824 00:31:57,500 --> 00:32:01,476 way to find life, and in this context, everlasting life is through 825 00:32:01,548 --> 00:32:02,276 Jesus Christ. 826 00:32:02,348 --> 00:32:03,588 We know that through the next. 827 00:32:03,644 --> 00:32:07,956 In the next verse, he says, and whosoever liveth and believeth 828 00:32:07,988 --> 00:32:09,012 in me shall never die. 829 00:32:09,076 --> 00:32:10,532 Believest thou this? 830 00:32:10,636 --> 00:32:12,580 Jesus says, hey, if you believe in me, you're never going 831 00:32:12,620 --> 00:32:13,320 to die. 832 00:32:14,220 --> 00:32:17,364 And he's talking about the aspect of spirituality, your end, 833 00:32:17,452 --> 00:32:18,178 so to speak. 834 00:32:18,284 --> 00:32:21,174 A lot of people believe that you're done, you die, and it's darkness 835 00:32:21,222 --> 00:32:21,718 forever. 836 00:32:21,814 --> 00:32:26,182 Jesus says, hey, if you want to live on forever through that death, 837 00:32:26,366 --> 00:32:27,206 what does he say? 838 00:32:27,278 --> 00:32:28,850 He says, believe in me. 839 00:32:29,150 --> 00:32:31,158 And then he turns to her and he asks her a question. 840 00:32:31,214 --> 00:32:31,638 This is. 841 00:32:31,694 --> 00:32:33,250 This is the call to action. 842 00:32:33,790 --> 00:32:36,070 So he doesn't just say, hey, everyone, you should all believe 843 00:32:36,110 --> 00:32:36,678 in Jesus. 844 00:32:36,774 --> 00:32:39,718 He says this, okay, you believe in me, you'll never die. 845 00:32:39,814 --> 00:32:43,190 And then he turns right to Martha and he looks at her and he 846 00:32:43,230 --> 00:32:46,120 says, believest thou this? 847 00:32:46,420 --> 00:32:49,196 And here this morning, I want to challenge you with that. 848 00:32:49,348 --> 00:32:52,300 You know, you may or may not believe when I'm preaching here this 849 00:32:52,340 --> 00:32:52,920 morning. 850 00:32:53,620 --> 00:32:57,480 And, and my prayer for you is that this is something that's real. 851 00:32:57,860 --> 00:32:58,268 My. 852 00:32:58,324 --> 00:33:01,980 My prayer for you is that you can believe in Jesus Christ for your 853 00:33:02,020 --> 00:33:02,396 salvation. 854 00:33:02,428 --> 00:33:04,988 And so what I would like to do this morning is pose that same question 855 00:33:05,044 --> 00:33:05,516 to you. 856 00:33:05,588 --> 00:33:07,276 Jesus says, believe in him. 857 00:33:07,428 --> 00:33:08,716 Believe in him and be saved. 858 00:33:08,748 --> 00:33:10,438 Believe in him and have everlasting life. 859 00:33:10,524 --> 00:33:12,910 And the question is, is, do you believe that? 860 00:33:13,210 --> 00:33:13,634 Let's. 861 00:33:13,682 --> 00:33:16,178 Let's even say Jesus is directly asking us this morning, 862 00:33:16,234 --> 00:33:18,002 do you believe that? 863 00:33:18,026 --> 00:33:22,510 If you trust in him and him alone for salvation, do you believe 864 00:33:22,890 --> 00:33:23,554 in that? 865 00:33:23,642 --> 00:33:24,402 For salvation? 866 00:33:24,466 --> 00:33:25,746 Are you believing in something else? 867 00:33:25,778 --> 00:33:28,626 All of us believe in Something just a matter of whether or not we're 868 00:33:28,658 --> 00:33:33,270 going to put our faith in that object that will fall eventually. 869 00:33:33,690 --> 00:33:35,762 Maybe a few of you could sit in that chair for a little while 870 00:33:35,786 --> 00:33:39,010 and it might work, but after a while it might fall. 871 00:33:39,550 --> 00:33:43,558 Or are you going to sit in that chair that's going to stand 872 00:33:43,614 --> 00:33:44,250 true? 873 00:33:44,590 --> 00:33:45,894 Are you going to put your object. 874 00:33:45,942 --> 00:33:47,910 You're going to put your faith in the object that's going to stand 875 00:33:47,950 --> 00:33:51,654 true for eternity, the One who always has been and always will be 876 00:33:51,742 --> 00:33:55,494 the God of all creation, the Lord of Lords, the King of Kings, 877 00:33:55,542 --> 00:33:56,390 the Prince of Peace. 878 00:33:56,470 --> 00:33:59,330 Are we going to put our faith in the resurrection and the life? 879 00:34:00,430 --> 00:34:03,730 And so I have a few reflection questions to ask you here this morning. 880 00:34:04,690 --> 00:34:07,994 Have you trusted in the good news or the gospel? 881 00:34:08,122 --> 00:34:09,146 We talked about the gospel. 882 00:34:09,178 --> 00:34:09,930 What's the gospel? 883 00:34:10,010 --> 00:34:11,786 Jesus died on the cross for our sins. 884 00:34:11,898 --> 00:34:13,670 He rose again on the third day. 885 00:34:14,450 --> 00:34:15,350 Do you. 886 00:34:15,970 --> 00:34:19,310 Do you trust in the gospel for your salvation? 887 00:34:19,890 --> 00:34:22,890 If not something you have to come to grips with, it's something 888 00:34:22,930 --> 00:34:24,282 that you have to reconcile in your life. 889 00:34:24,306 --> 00:34:25,990 You have to put your faith in something. 890 00:34:26,690 --> 00:34:28,282 Some of us put our faith in ourselves. 891 00:34:28,346 --> 00:34:29,978 Some of us put our faith in things. 892 00:34:30,034 --> 00:34:31,251 Some of us put our faith in. 893 00:34:31,305 --> 00:34:32,143 In an institution. 894 00:34:32,191 --> 00:34:34,899 The Bible says, put your faith in him and him alone. 895 00:34:35,719 --> 00:34:38,351 But the second question that I would ask you here this morning is 896 00:34:38,375 --> 00:34:38,559 this. 897 00:34:38,599 --> 00:34:41,739 Are you telling others about the good news that you received? 898 00:34:42,599 --> 00:34:45,103 Maybe someone shared the good news with you a long time ago. 899 00:34:45,191 --> 00:34:46,459 Praise God for that. 900 00:34:47,239 --> 00:34:49,631 Maybe this is the first time you've ever heard the good news of 901 00:34:49,655 --> 00:34:50,159 Jesus Christ. 902 00:34:50,199 --> 00:34:51,151 I don't know. 903 00:34:51,335 --> 00:34:54,383 But the truth is, is that all of us have an opportunity to comfort 904 00:34:54,431 --> 00:34:56,623 those who need comfort. 905 00:34:56,671 --> 00:34:59,367 And the only way that we can ultimately comfort people is how? 906 00:34:59,463 --> 00:35:00,968 By showing them Jesus. 907 00:35:01,144 --> 00:35:02,696 Are we showing other people Jesus? 908 00:35:02,728 --> 00:35:06,056 Are we proclaiming Jesus to those around us or are we proclaiming 909 00:35:06,088 --> 00:35:06,780 ourselves? 910 00:35:07,680 --> 00:35:08,232 You know what? 911 00:35:08,256 --> 00:35:08,456 I'm. 912 00:35:08,488 --> 00:35:12,296 I'm a nice person in my flesh until someone goes against me. 913 00:35:12,448 --> 00:35:16,024 Then I'm like, all right, you're against me, I'm against you. 914 00:35:16,192 --> 00:35:16,760 Okay? 915 00:35:16,840 --> 00:35:21,752 We are nice people in our flesh, in our own selves, if we have 916 00:35:21,776 --> 00:35:23,032 it all going our way. 917 00:35:23,136 --> 00:35:25,320 But the Bible says that that's not what life's about. 918 00:35:25,360 --> 00:35:26,872 Life's not about having to go our way. 919 00:35:26,896 --> 00:35:28,462 It's about having to go God's way. 920 00:35:28,536 --> 00:35:30,482 And so there's a point in our life where we have to say, I love 921 00:35:30,506 --> 00:35:30,898 that person. 922 00:35:30,954 --> 00:35:33,698 Not because they are lovable, but I love them because God loves 923 00:35:33,714 --> 00:35:33,890 them. 924 00:35:33,930 --> 00:35:35,666 And I love them enough to tell them the truth. 925 00:35:35,778 --> 00:35:38,002 And so the question would be this, are you telling others about 926 00:35:38,026 --> 00:35:42,818 the good news, or are you living a life that points people 927 00:35:42,874 --> 00:35:44,670 to the good news of Jesus Christ? 928 00:35:45,130 --> 00:35:49,058 Or you might say that you believe in Jesus, but your life points 929 00:35:49,114 --> 00:35:50,230 a different direction. 930 00:35:50,810 --> 00:35:53,010 So the question here this morning for all of us is, number 931 00:35:53,050 --> 00:35:54,290 one, do you trust in Him? 932 00:35:54,330 --> 00:35:55,538 Number two, are you telling others? 933 00:35:55,594 --> 00:35:58,634 Number three, does your life match up with what you say? 934 00:35:58,802 --> 00:36:02,090 There have been many people over many years that have said certain 935 00:36:02,130 --> 00:36:04,030 things about themselves, and it's not true. 936 00:36:04,370 --> 00:36:07,050 I can sit here all day and say, I'm the best father in the world. 937 00:36:07,090 --> 00:36:08,426 I'm the best husband in the world. 938 00:36:08,498 --> 00:36:10,106 You know who you need to ask about that? 939 00:36:10,178 --> 00:36:12,470 Don't ask me, ask my family. 940 00:36:13,250 --> 00:36:16,906 And the truth is, is that the way that we show our love for God 941 00:36:17,018 --> 00:36:19,706 is not by telling people that we love Him. 942 00:36:19,778 --> 00:36:23,066 The way that we show God that we love him is by obeying him, following 943 00:36:23,138 --> 00:36:25,138 him, serving him, glorifying him. 944 00:36:25,194 --> 00:36:27,890 And the way that we do that is through following his scriptures 945 00:36:27,970 --> 00:36:31,730 and following the charge, the challenge of telling other people 946 00:36:31,770 --> 00:36:32,990 about Jesus Christ. 947 00:36:33,290 --> 00:36:36,194 So the results of the resurrection, number one, our conversion, 948 00:36:36,242 --> 00:36:39,250 number two, the change, number three, the confidence, number four, 949 00:36:39,290 --> 00:36:39,794 the comfort. 950 00:36:39,842 --> 00:36:41,698 And number five, the challenge. 951 00:36:41,874 --> 00:36:44,322 Because of the resurrection, we need to take up the challenge 952 00:36:44,386 --> 00:36:46,258 to tell others about Jesus Christ. 953 00:36:46,394 --> 00:36:49,202 If you're able to with me this morning, I'm going to ask for you 954 00:36:49,226 --> 00:36:49,490 to stand. 955 00:36:49,530 --> 00:36:50,658 We're going to have some music playing. 956 00:36:50,714 --> 00:36:54,290 I'm going to have what we call an invitation or a call to action. 957 00:36:55,390 --> 00:36:55,798 And. 958 00:36:55,854 --> 00:37:00,310 And really, this is your chance in the next few moments to 959 00:37:00,350 --> 00:37:04,370 respond to that question that Jesus asked Martha so long ago. 960 00:37:05,950 --> 00:37:09,686 Martha said, jesus, I know you had the power to resurrect the dead, 961 00:37:09,718 --> 00:37:11,014 but I'm not sure. 962 00:37:11,182 --> 00:37:14,130 And Jesus says, hey, believe in me. 963 00:37:15,070 --> 00:37:17,116 Believe in me and you'll never die. 964 00:37:17,278 --> 00:37:19,420 Believe in me and you'll have eternal life. 965 00:37:20,360 --> 00:37:23,100 And then he looks at her and he says, do you believe this? 966 00:37:23,560 --> 00:37:25,712 The question would be here this morning is, do you believe in 967 00:37:25,736 --> 00:37:26,512 Jesus Christ? 968 00:37:26,616 --> 00:37:29,140 Do you believe not just in his existence? 969 00:37:29,800 --> 00:37:32,416 The people back then had no problem believing in the existence 970 00:37:32,448 --> 00:37:33,300 of Jesus. 971 00:37:33,640 --> 00:37:35,104 All they had to do was open their eyes. 972 00:37:35,152 --> 00:37:36,208 He was right there. 973 00:37:36,344 --> 00:37:37,712 But that wasn't enough to save them. 974 00:37:37,736 --> 00:37:39,712 And so believing that he exists is not enough. 975 00:37:39,816 --> 00:37:44,422 It's believing that he exists and he is who he says he is and that 976 00:37:44,446 --> 00:37:47,670 he conquered death and that he alone can forgive you of your sins. 977 00:37:47,750 --> 00:37:49,302 He alone can bring you comfort. 978 00:37:49,366 --> 00:37:50,790 He alone can bring you peace. 979 00:37:50,870 --> 00:37:52,790 He alone can bring you confidence. 980 00:37:52,870 --> 00:37:55,050 He alone can bring you salvation. 981 00:37:55,550 --> 00:37:57,142 It's him and him alone. 982 00:37:57,286 --> 00:37:59,730 The way, the truth and the life. 983 00:38:00,830 --> 00:38:02,150 I know some of you and I. 984 00:38:02,190 --> 00:38:05,814 And I don't know some of you, but I'm going to tell you that God 985 00:38:05,862 --> 00:38:06,850 knows your heart. 986 00:38:07,630 --> 00:38:11,010 God knows you in a more personal way than you can ever know. 987 00:38:11,520 --> 00:38:13,992 And some of you might say, okay, I'm glad that he knows me. 988 00:38:14,016 --> 00:38:16,504 And some of you might say, I, I don't want God to know my every 989 00:38:16,592 --> 00:38:17,352 dark secret. 990 00:38:17,456 --> 00:38:19,048 The truth is, is he already knows. 991 00:38:19,144 --> 00:38:20,936 And here's the blessing of that. 992 00:38:21,088 --> 00:38:22,580 He still loves you. 993 00:38:23,440 --> 00:38:27,480 And if he loves you in your worst, what an amazing thing it is 994 00:38:27,520 --> 00:38:28,760 to come to him and know him is. 995 00:38:28,800 --> 00:38:31,624 Know that he can change you and that he can give you that salvation 996 00:38:31,672 --> 00:38:32,600 that he extends. 997 00:38:32,680 --> 00:38:36,424 And so here this morning, I'm going to ask a very, very poignant 998 00:38:36,472 --> 00:38:36,728 question. 999 00:38:36,784 --> 00:38:40,280 And I hope that you can understand that it's done in love. 1000 00:38:40,740 --> 00:38:43,260 But how many of you this morning, no one's looking around. 1001 00:38:43,300 --> 00:38:45,452 I encourage you not to look around and judge other people. 1002 00:38:45,556 --> 00:38:47,340 This is between you and the Lord. 1003 00:38:47,500 --> 00:38:48,300 How many of you? 1004 00:38:48,340 --> 00:38:51,880 And I want you to do this because I want to pray for you. 1005 00:38:52,900 --> 00:38:55,372 I've been studying the Bible recently, and the more and more I 1006 00:38:55,396 --> 00:38:57,212 see is if I love people, I need to pray for them. 1007 00:38:57,236 --> 00:38:59,980 And I, I love you because Jesus tells me to love you. 1008 00:39:00,100 --> 00:39:04,012 And so here this morning, if you want to trust in Jesus Christ 1009 00:39:04,116 --> 00:39:06,958 as your savior, if you, if you know that that's not what you're 1010 00:39:06,974 --> 00:39:09,070 putting your faith in, maybe you're putting your faith in something 1011 00:39:09,110 --> 00:39:09,470 else. 1012 00:39:09,550 --> 00:39:10,974 Maybe you're putting your faith in yourself. 1013 00:39:11,022 --> 00:39:14,414 Maybe you're putting your faith in your works or your outcome 1014 00:39:14,462 --> 00:39:16,302 or your health or whatever it is. 1015 00:39:16,406 --> 00:39:19,518 If you are putting your faith in anything outside of Jesus Christ 1016 00:39:19,574 --> 00:39:22,206 here this morning, and you want to put your faith in Jesus Christ, 1017 00:39:22,358 --> 00:39:24,702 the Bible says, call upon the name of the Lord and you shall be 1018 00:39:24,726 --> 00:39:25,118 saved. 1019 00:39:25,214 --> 00:39:26,910 It's, it's simple belief. 1020 00:39:27,070 --> 00:39:27,406 It's. 1021 00:39:27,438 --> 00:39:27,966 It's belief. 1022 00:39:27,998 --> 00:39:31,438 Turning away from that old way of doing things, turning away from 1023 00:39:31,494 --> 00:39:34,372 my way of doing things, and turning to the way that Jesus does 1024 00:39:34,396 --> 00:39:34,532 things. 1025 00:39:34,556 --> 00:39:37,972 And that is by faith alone, in grace, he saves us. 1026 00:39:37,996 --> 00:39:39,812 And so how many of you would just slip your hand up in the air? 1027 00:39:39,836 --> 00:39:40,948 I'm not going to call you out. 1028 00:39:41,084 --> 00:39:44,180 I'm not even going to come up and, and talk to you after the service 1029 00:39:44,220 --> 00:39:45,956 if you don't want that, but I want to pray for you. 1030 00:39:46,028 --> 00:39:47,220 How many of you would say, you know what? 1031 00:39:47,260 --> 00:39:48,644 That's something that I would like to consider. 1032 00:39:48,732 --> 00:39:49,844 I would like to think about. 1033 00:39:49,932 --> 00:39:51,780 I, I would like to even do this morning. 1034 00:39:51,820 --> 00:39:53,940 I want to trust in Jesus Christ as my savior. 1035 00:39:54,020 --> 00:39:55,908 It's not about what you do, but it's about what you believe. 1036 00:39:55,964 --> 00:39:58,676 How many of you would just put your hand up in there and say, pastor, 1037 00:39:58,708 --> 00:39:59,444 just pray for me. 1038 00:39:59,532 --> 00:40:02,276 I'd like to know what it means to know Jesus Christ as my personal 1039 00:40:02,348 --> 00:40:03,080 savior. 1040 00:40:03,580 --> 00:40:05,396 We're going to have some people up here in a few moments. 1041 00:40:05,428 --> 00:40:08,612 And if you're nervous about that, if you're scared about that, 1042 00:40:08,636 --> 00:40:10,852 folks, it's the number one decision that you can ever make. 1043 00:40:10,956 --> 00:40:13,348 The best decision you could ever make is trusting in Jesus Christ 1044 00:40:13,404 --> 00:40:14,292 as your Savior. 1045 00:40:14,436 --> 00:40:17,220 So here for a few moments, I'm just going to have the music play. 1046 00:40:17,260 --> 00:40:19,076 It's going to be silent in here outside of the music. 1047 00:40:19,148 --> 00:40:21,588 If you need to come forward here, if you need some help with 1048 00:40:21,644 --> 00:40:24,292 some people, they can show you in the word of God what it means 1049 00:40:24,316 --> 00:40:26,280 to know Jesus and to know forgiveness. 1050 00:40:26,590 --> 00:40:29,142 Folks, it's the greatest burden that can ever fall off of 1051 00:40:29,166 --> 00:40:32,918 your back to know that you are no longer responsible for your own 1052 00:40:32,974 --> 00:40:37,010 guilt, but God has taken that away through the blood of Jesus Christ. 1053 00:40:37,390 --> 00:40:40,598 And so here this morning, I'm going to challenge you to come forward 1054 00:40:40,654 --> 00:40:40,870 now. 1055 00:40:40,910 --> 00:40:42,854 Maybe some of you, maybe some of you say, you know what? 1056 00:40:42,862 --> 00:40:43,350 I'm a tr. 1057 00:40:43,390 --> 00:40:46,982 I trust in Jesus Christ as my Savior, but I'm not proclaiming him. 1058 00:40:47,006 --> 00:40:48,054 I'm not living for him. 1059 00:40:48,142 --> 00:40:50,930 I'm not demonstrating to him the truth of Jesus Christ. 1060 00:40:51,630 --> 00:40:54,726 I'm not demonstrating to the others around me the love of Jesus 1061 00:40:54,758 --> 00:40:55,354 Christ, the. 1062 00:40:55,422 --> 00:40:56,770 The comfort of Jesus Christ. 1063 00:40:56,890 --> 00:40:59,586 Hey, come forward this morning and rededicate yourself to the cause 1064 00:40:59,618 --> 00:41:00,290 of the Gospel. 1065 00:41:00,370 --> 00:41:03,922 Rededicate yourself to serving him and loving him and allowing the 1066 00:41:03,946 --> 00:41:06,338 results of the resurrection to show in your life. 1067 00:41:06,474 --> 00:41:08,498 Lord, I pray that you'd be in this time of invitation, working 1068 00:41:08,554 --> 00:41:09,522 hearts and lives. 1069 00:41:09,706 --> 00:41:11,202 We ask all these things in Jesus name. 1070 00:41:11,226 --> 00:41:11,990 Amen. 1071 00:41:12,330 --> 00:41:14,994 Thank you again for listening to the Middletown Baptist Church 1072 00:41:15,042 --> 00:41:15,794 podcast. 1073 00:41:15,922 --> 00:41:18,510 I hope that this sermon has been a blessing for you. 1074 00:41:18,890 --> 00:41:20,162 You would like to find out more. 1075 00:41:20,186 --> 00:41:22,612 Information about our church or this sermon, you can find us at 1076 00:41:22,636 --> 00:41:27,720 middletownbaptistchurch.org or find us on Facebook or YouTube. 1077 00:41:28,140 --> 00:41:33,444 You can also email me directly at Josh Massaro, Middletown BaptistChurch.com 1078 00:41:33,612 --> 00:41:37,156 if you've enjoyed this podcast, please subscribe and follow 1079 00:41:37,228 --> 00:41:40,200 along for future podcast and updates. 1080 00:41:40,540 --> 00:41:41,700 Thank you so much. 1081 00:41:41,820 --> 00:41:42,644 God bless. 1082 00:41:42,772 --> 00:41:43,820 Have a wonderful day.