1 00:00:01,360 --> 00:00:05,160 Well, today we come to our last in this series of the essentials 2 00:00:05,160 --> 00:00:05,840 of faith. 3 00:00:06,560 --> 00:00:08,680 And I hope it's been helpful to you. 4 00:00:08,680 --> 00:00:12,120 It's been helpful to me to study and to go back to the essentials. 5 00:00:12,120 --> 00:00:14,640 I mean, some of you are athletes, and, you know, sometimes 6 00:00:14,960 --> 00:00:17,360 it's important as an athlete to go back to the. 7 00:00:17,360 --> 00:00:22,640 Basics of football or soccer or basketball, whatever it is. 8 00:00:23,040 --> 00:00:25,840 If you're an artist, it's important to go back to the basics. 9 00:00:26,860 --> 00:00:28,500 If you're a scientist, it's important to. 10 00:00:28,500 --> 00:00:29,820 Never lose sight of the basics. 11 00:00:29,980 --> 00:00:33,980 Whatever we do, going back to the core is often so important. 12 00:00:34,380 --> 00:00:36,060 And so that's what we've done this semester. 13 00:00:36,060 --> 00:00:39,900 And I pray that's been helpful to look at these essentials of faith. 14 00:00:39,900 --> 00:00:44,620 And today we come to the resurrection, which puts it all together 15 00:00:45,260 --> 00:00:46,540 in one spot. 16 00:00:46,620 --> 00:00:51,180 Everything we talked about this whole semester is only possible 17 00:00:52,270 --> 00:00:54,190 because of the resurrection of Jesus. 18 00:00:54,910 --> 00:01:01,630 Jesus being crucified and raised from the dead is what makes 19 00:01:01,630 --> 00:01:04,790 all the rest of it come to reality. 20 00:01:04,790 --> 00:01:06,590 The goodness of God come to us. 21 00:01:07,070 --> 00:01:12,190 The invitation to heaven, the release of sin from our lives because 22 00:01:12,190 --> 00:01:16,510 of grace, the truth that God gives us that we know is true because 23 00:01:16,510 --> 00:01:20,560 he is God building character in our life because the Holy Spirit 24 00:01:20,560 --> 00:01:24,840 has come, and the love that we can have, and understanding the sovereignty 25 00:01:24,840 --> 00:01:28,320 of God and then the purpose for our life, all of it comes together 26 00:01:28,560 --> 00:01:30,320 in the resurrection. 27 00:01:31,280 --> 00:01:36,800 And so it really brings to even tighter focus this question 28 00:01:37,200 --> 00:01:39,280 or quote we've been looking at from C.S. 29 00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:44,000 Lewis each week that says Christianity, if false, false is 30 00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:45,000 of no importance. 31 00:01:45,480 --> 00:01:49,600 And if true is of infinite importance, the only thing it cannot 32 00:01:49,600 --> 00:01:52,120 be is moderately important. 33 00:01:52,120 --> 00:01:55,400 You see, Christianity is an all or nothing thing. 34 00:01:55,800 --> 00:01:58,600 And that's where most people get in trouble with their faith. 35 00:01:58,600 --> 00:02:03,040 They want to take parts of it, they want to follow aspects of it 36 00:02:03,040 --> 00:02:07,800 that they like, but they don't realize it's an all or nothing commitment. 37 00:02:07,960 --> 00:02:12,840 And when you understand the infinite importance of Christianity, 38 00:02:13,570 --> 00:02:18,530 then you can begin to accept the fullness of God's teaching through 39 00:02:18,530 --> 00:02:19,330 the scripture. 40 00:02:19,650 --> 00:02:24,090 And so I think there's a quote from Tim Keller that even puts this 41 00:02:24,090 --> 00:02:26,690 a little bit stronger in a way that I think is helpful. 42 00:02:26,690 --> 00:02:31,850 He said if Jesus rose from the dead, then you have to accept all 43 00:02:31,850 --> 00:02:32,770 that he said. 44 00:02:34,290 --> 00:02:38,610 If he didn't rise from the dead, then why worry about any of 45 00:02:38,610 --> 00:02:39,410 what he said? 46 00:02:40,350 --> 00:02:45,270 The issue on which everything hangs is not whether or not you like 47 00:02:45,270 --> 00:02:50,910 his teaching, but whether or not he rose from the dead. 48 00:02:52,670 --> 00:02:56,830 If he didn't rise from the dead, he must have been mentally 49 00:02:56,830 --> 00:03:01,070 ill. That's the only conclusion you can come to. 50 00:03:01,070 --> 00:03:02,910 Cause he said he was God. 51 00:03:03,710 --> 00:03:08,630 And if he said he's God and he's not God, then he may have been 52 00:03:08,710 --> 00:03:12,390 some savant that had nice teaching, that's helpful. 53 00:03:13,110 --> 00:03:14,710 But he was mentally ill. 54 00:03:15,670 --> 00:03:21,750 If he was God and he said he was God, then that changes everything. 55 00:03:22,630 --> 00:03:25,910 And this is the central question of our faith. 56 00:03:26,470 --> 00:03:29,510 Was Jesus God or was he not? 57 00:03:34,080 --> 00:03:37,040 What Jesus taught is a life of. 58 00:03:37,040 --> 00:03:40,920 Love and of purpose and of meaning and relationships. 59 00:03:40,920 --> 00:03:45,120 And his teaching is so rich and deep and transformative. 60 00:03:45,920 --> 00:03:49,680 But he claims so much more than just that. 61 00:03:51,440 --> 00:03:52,960 He claimed he was God. 62 00:03:53,680 --> 00:03:58,080 He said Jesus said to her, I am the resurrection and the life. 63 00:03:59,320 --> 00:04:04,440 He who believes in me will not live even if will live, even if he 64 00:04:04,440 --> 00:04:04,840 dies. 65 00:04:05,560 --> 00:04:09,560 And everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. 66 00:04:10,520 --> 00:04:12,520 Do you believe this? 67 00:04:16,440 --> 00:04:18,200 If he wasn't raised from the dead,. 68 00:04:19,160 --> 00:04:23,840 Then his life was a fraud and it really doesn't matter what he 69 00:04:23,840 --> 00:04:24,080 taught. 70 00:04:24,080 --> 00:04:26,850 I mean, you can take it and that's fine, but it's kind of a self 71 00:04:26,850 --> 00:04:27,450 help book. 72 00:04:27,690 --> 00:04:28,970 That's all the Bible is. 73 00:04:29,130 --> 00:04:31,690 If he didn't raise from the dead, it's just a nice self help 74 00:04:31,690 --> 00:04:33,370 book along with a whole bunch of others. 75 00:04:34,650 --> 00:04:40,650 But if he rose from the dead, it changes everything. 76 00:04:41,849 --> 00:04:46,330 If he rose from the dead, then he is God as he said he was. 77 00:04:47,450 --> 00:04:50,250 And everything he said cannot be ignored. 78 00:04:50,330 --> 00:04:56,110 If that was really God come to earth to walk among people and to 79 00:04:56,110 --> 00:05:00,310 teach and to preach and also give. 80 00:05:00,310 --> 00:05:02,190 His life as a sacrifice for us. 81 00:05:02,510 --> 00:05:07,590 If he really was God, he came to earth as the son of God and he 82 00:05:07,590 --> 00:05:09,070 had power over everything. 83 00:05:10,910 --> 00:05:15,870 If he really was God, he came to earth as the Messiah, the Savior, 84 00:05:16,750 --> 00:05:18,750 the one who would be the ultimate. 85 00:05:19,590 --> 00:05:21,430 Sacrifice for our sins. 86 00:05:21,990 --> 00:05:26,150 See, our whole faith is founded on whether or not this is 87 00:05:26,150 --> 00:05:26,550 true. 88 00:05:28,070 --> 00:05:31,190 And if it's true, it makes all. 89 00:05:31,190 --> 00:05:33,430 The difference in the world. 90 00:05:37,430 --> 00:05:41,590 The resurrection of Jesus actually happened. 91 00:05:42,950 --> 00:05:45,030 It actually happened. 92 00:05:45,620 --> 00:05:47,620 It is a statement of fact. 93 00:05:49,460 --> 00:05:54,340 And I want to talk to you about the facts that prove it happened. 94 00:05:54,500 --> 00:05:56,900 And then answer the question, what difference does it make? 95 00:05:57,220 --> 00:05:59,300 But first I want to give you four reasons. 96 00:05:59,940 --> 00:06:02,180 Four reasons why we know for sure. 97 00:06:02,740 --> 00:06:04,900 That it actually happened. 98 00:06:06,180 --> 00:06:06,980 Four facts. 99 00:06:06,980 --> 00:06:09,860 The first where's the proof? 100 00:06:11,710 --> 00:06:13,630 Bible eyewitnesses. 101 00:06:14,430 --> 00:06:15,790 We have four gospels. 102 00:06:16,830 --> 00:06:20,150 Four gospels were written by four different people who walked 103 00:06:20,150 --> 00:06:22,110 and talked and lived with Jesus. 104 00:06:22,670 --> 00:06:27,510 Those four men who had very different perspectives because of 105 00:06:27,510 --> 00:06:30,110 the way they were raised, the way they were trained, their education, 106 00:06:30,910 --> 00:06:33,630 even their relationship with Jesus was all a little bit different. 107 00:06:34,590 --> 00:06:39,290 And in those four gospels, Matthew, Mark and Luke and John we 108 00:06:39,290 --> 00:06:44,010 have stories from their life together during those three years. 109 00:06:44,730 --> 00:06:48,650 And in some of those gospels, we have one story, and in another 110 00:06:48,890 --> 00:06:51,770 gospel, two of them might cover the same story. 111 00:06:52,490 --> 00:06:56,250 In one gospel, one covers it in great detail, the other one just 112 00:06:56,250 --> 00:06:57,490 barely talks about it. 113 00:06:57,490 --> 00:07:01,890 Some ignore some stories that others covered, they're not the same 114 00:07:01,890 --> 00:07:05,860 at all, except they're telling the same story of Jesus. 115 00:07:05,860 --> 00:07:11,260 Except when it comes to the resurrection, when it comes to the 116 00:07:11,260 --> 00:07:18,420 death of Christ on a cross and him rising from the dead, they all 117 00:07:18,580 --> 00:07:20,100 tell that same story. 118 00:07:20,260 --> 00:07:23,820 Now, they don't tell it exactly the same because, see, they 119 00:07:23,820 --> 00:07:27,140 had different perspectives, they had different experiences. 120 00:07:27,380 --> 00:07:31,590 Like if you and I, I mean, if I ask you to write about this chapel, 121 00:07:31,590 --> 00:07:33,870 and you'd probably all write about it a little bit differently 122 00:07:33,870 --> 00:07:36,870 because your perspective's differently because of your background 123 00:07:36,870 --> 00:07:39,030 and your history and your education and where you are in your 124 00:07:39,030 --> 00:07:40,350 life and whatever it might be. 125 00:07:40,590 --> 00:07:44,390 So you'd all experience the same thing, but how you would write 126 00:07:44,390 --> 00:07:45,550 it would be a little bit different. 127 00:07:46,110 --> 00:07:47,310 Well, that's what they did. 128 00:07:47,629 --> 00:07:49,230 How they wrote it was a little bit different. 129 00:07:49,710 --> 00:07:53,270 But you see, the resurrection changed everything. 130 00:07:53,270 --> 00:07:56,670 And the resurrection was so important that they were going to 131 00:07:57,310 --> 00:08:02,230 dramatically changed their lives, risked their lives over this 132 00:08:02,230 --> 00:08:04,230 fact that Jesus rose from the dead. 133 00:08:04,390 --> 00:08:09,270 So if they made it up, if they made it up, why wouldn't they. 134 00:08:09,270 --> 00:08:11,110 Get their stories exactly the same? 135 00:08:13,510 --> 00:08:16,110 Why wouldn't they get their stories exactly the same? 136 00:08:16,110 --> 00:08:21,790 So nobody would question it because they didn't make it up, because 137 00:08:21,790 --> 00:08:22,150 it was. 138 00:08:22,150 --> 00:08:25,730 Real and they reflected it from their. 139 00:08:25,730 --> 00:08:28,250 Perspective and their experience. 140 00:08:30,730 --> 00:08:35,650 So we know that for all of them, this was a pivotal event. 141 00:08:35,650 --> 00:08:38,930 Because this is about the only thing that all four of those gospels 142 00:08:38,930 --> 00:08:39,290 include. 143 00:08:39,850 --> 00:08:41,330 They all explain it differently. 144 00:08:41,330 --> 00:08:45,170 But here's one other really important proof of why we know it's 145 00:08:45,170 --> 00:08:45,530 true. 146 00:08:46,970 --> 00:08:50,210 The reason we know now that proof of why we know it's true is 147 00:08:50,210 --> 00:08:54,980 the stories tell about Mary Magdalene and the women coming to 148 00:08:54,980 --> 00:08:56,860 Jesus tomb. 149 00:08:58,860 --> 00:08:59,180 After. 150 00:08:59,180 --> 00:09:01,260 He died on Sunday morning. 151 00:09:02,060 --> 00:09:04,140 They were the first ones to come to the tomb. 152 00:09:04,380 --> 00:09:06,620 They were there and we'll talk about it here in a minute, about 153 00:09:06,620 --> 00:09:07,420 to treat the body. 154 00:09:07,580 --> 00:09:13,580 But women in those days were not a credible witness. 155 00:09:14,700 --> 00:09:17,660 Doesn't seem possible to us now, but. 156 00:09:17,660 --> 00:09:20,300 In biblical times, they were not a credible witness. 157 00:09:21,090 --> 00:09:25,330 If you had a law case in those times, you wouldn't ever bring a 158 00:09:25,330 --> 00:09:29,570 woman to defend you because her story wouldn't matter. 159 00:09:30,610 --> 00:09:34,930 It was insignificant because that's how the culture was built. 160 00:09:36,130 --> 00:09:41,610 So if this story was made up by these Gospel writers, why in the 161 00:09:41,610 --> 00:09:45,050 world would they Say that women were the first ones to come 162 00:09:45,050 --> 00:09:45,650 to the tomb. 163 00:09:46,620 --> 00:09:48,460 It was like they discredited the whole thing. 164 00:09:50,140 --> 00:09:51,660 But that's what they put in because. 165 00:09:51,660 --> 00:09:56,380 It was true, because that's what actually happened. 166 00:09:57,180 --> 00:09:58,620 So we know from the people who. 167 00:09:58,620 --> 00:10:01,980 Were there the account of what happened. 168 00:10:03,340 --> 00:10:05,420 And there's more than enough evidence to. 169 00:10:05,420 --> 00:10:08,060 Say there's no way they made it up. 170 00:10:09,100 --> 00:10:11,940 There's no way they made it up, or they wouldn't have written 171 00:10:11,940 --> 00:10:13,770 it that way if they had. 172 00:10:15,050 --> 00:10:17,610 Well, secondly, we had the empty tomb. 173 00:10:19,370 --> 00:10:22,410 We had the empty tomb with the stone rolled away. 174 00:10:23,690 --> 00:10:25,610 It was a remarkable Sunday morning. 175 00:10:27,370 --> 00:10:32,330 Mary Magdalene and the other women went to that tomb to treat 176 00:10:32,330 --> 00:10:32,770 the body. 177 00:10:32,770 --> 00:10:34,890 You see, Jesus died on Friday. 178 00:10:35,850 --> 00:10:38,410 He was crucified on Friday at noon. 179 00:10:39,400 --> 00:10:43,680 And by the time he died at 3 o', clock, it was getting close to 180 00:10:43,680 --> 00:10:46,440 sundown, which was the start of the Sabbath. 181 00:10:47,000 --> 00:10:51,200 And on the Sabbath, for a good Jewish person, you didn't do any 182 00:10:51,200 --> 00:10:51,560 work. 183 00:10:51,800 --> 00:10:55,640 It didn't matter how important it was, you didn't do any work starting 184 00:10:55,640 --> 00:10:55,880 then. 185 00:10:55,880 --> 00:11:00,160 Until through Saturday night, because that was their Sabbath beginning 186 00:11:00,160 --> 00:11:01,720 on Friday evening. 187 00:11:02,520 --> 00:11:05,880 And so they took the body quickly after that. 188 00:11:06,460 --> 00:11:10,420 He died on the cross and they took him to this tomb and they put 189 00:11:10,420 --> 00:11:13,700 him in there, thinking they would come back Monday and treat 190 00:11:13,700 --> 00:11:20,300 the body in the way that culture treated a dead body at that 191 00:11:20,300 --> 00:11:24,380 point, with spices and wrappings and cleaning it up. 192 00:11:24,380 --> 00:11:25,060 I'm sure it was. 193 00:11:25,060 --> 00:11:27,740 I mean, it was a bloody, messy, horrible death. 194 00:11:27,980 --> 00:11:30,980 And I'm sure the body was just a mess and they wanted to clean that 195 00:11:30,980 --> 00:11:32,420 up because that would be the. 196 00:11:32,420 --> 00:11:34,550 Proper way to treat someone who died. 197 00:11:35,030 --> 00:11:37,630 So they came back on Sunday morning with all the stuff to do 198 00:11:37,630 --> 00:11:37,910 that. 199 00:11:39,430 --> 00:11:44,470 Well, the Romans had heard this rumor that Jesus was going to 200 00:11:44,470 --> 00:11:46,150 be God and raised from the dead. 201 00:11:46,150 --> 00:11:49,030 And they didn't want that to happen because that would be a threat 202 00:11:49,030 --> 00:11:49,990 to their power. 203 00:11:50,630 --> 00:11:54,270 And so when they put him in the tomb, they put guards in front 204 00:11:54,270 --> 00:11:57,510 of that tomb and they took a huge stone and they rolled it in 205 00:11:57,510 --> 00:12:00,800 front of that tomb and then they put the seal on the tomb, which 206 00:12:00,800 --> 00:12:03,440 means that seal can't be broken because that's an official 207 00:12:03,440 --> 00:12:04,400 government seal. 208 00:12:04,480 --> 00:12:06,640 And to do that was probably a death penalty. 209 00:12:06,800 --> 00:12:11,440 So they put all that there and told the guards, no matter what happens, 210 00:12:11,440 --> 00:12:13,600 don't let anybody come and steal this body. 211 00:12:13,760 --> 00:12:16,759 Cause if they come and steal that body, they're going to save 212 00:12:16,759 --> 00:12:19,600 Rose from the dead and then they're going to take away our power. 213 00:12:19,600 --> 00:12:20,880 You can't allow that to happen. 214 00:12:21,920 --> 00:12:23,920 So that's the scenario of what was going on. 215 00:12:25,040 --> 00:12:33,300 And in that morning, here they come to treat the body, to ask those 216 00:12:33,300 --> 00:12:36,660 guards if they would roll the stone back so they could get to this. 217 00:12:37,460 --> 00:12:39,700 Body of Jesus that was now dead. 218 00:12:40,340 --> 00:12:43,699 And instead what they found was the. 219 00:12:43,699 --> 00:12:45,140 Stone had been rolled away. 220 00:12:46,180 --> 00:12:48,100 These were big round stones. 221 00:12:48,100 --> 00:12:49,420 That's the way they did them. 222 00:12:49,420 --> 00:12:50,820 They'd roll them in front of the tomb. 223 00:12:51,460 --> 00:12:56,020 They rolled that stone away and inside the tomb was an angel. 224 00:12:57,120 --> 00:13:00,120 And he said, he's not here, he's. 225 00:13:00,120 --> 00:13:02,640 Risen, as he said. 226 00:13:04,560 --> 00:13:10,480 Now the really interesting thing about the empty tomb is the 227 00:13:10,480 --> 00:13:14,400 angel didn't roll away the stone so Jesus could get out. 228 00:13:15,760 --> 00:13:18,200 Because we have accounts later on where. 229 00:13:18,200 --> 00:13:26,200 Jesus would appear in rooms in his transformative state of eternal 230 00:13:26,200 --> 00:13:26,680 Satan. 231 00:13:26,920 --> 00:13:31,560 So we know he didn't need that stone rolled out so he could get 232 00:13:31,560 --> 00:13:31,880 out. 233 00:13:31,960 --> 00:13:34,000 The stone was rolled away so we. 234 00:13:34,000 --> 00:13:37,080 Could see in, so we could see. 235 00:13:37,720 --> 00:13:42,120 Clearly that Jesus rose from the grave. 236 00:13:43,000 --> 00:13:46,520 And the angel was there to tell them the news. 237 00:13:47,560 --> 00:13:48,920 So we have the empty tomb. 238 00:13:49,550 --> 00:13:54,350 The third thing we have is a post resurrection appearance, a number 239 00:13:54,350 --> 00:13:58,230 of post resurrection appearances right after this happened. 240 00:13:58,230 --> 00:14:01,870 He first appeared to Mary Magdalene and the other women and 241 00:14:02,110 --> 00:14:03,910 he told them, go tell the disciples. 242 00:14:03,910 --> 00:14:05,950 And they ran off to tell the disciples. 243 00:14:06,350 --> 00:14:08,590 And then Jesus appeared to the disciples. 244 00:14:09,790 --> 00:14:11,550 Thomas wasn't with them at the time. 245 00:14:11,950 --> 00:14:12,990 We don't know where he was. 246 00:14:12,990 --> 00:14:15,670 But when they came back, Thomas said, well, I don't believe 247 00:14:15,670 --> 00:14:15,950 it. 248 00:14:16,660 --> 00:14:20,420 And Jesus appeared to him and he let him touch the wounds in his. 249 00:14:20,420 --> 00:14:22,820 Hands to see it really was him. 250 00:14:23,540 --> 00:14:29,940 Over those next 40 days after Jesus rose from the grave, he appeared 251 00:14:29,940 --> 00:14:32,419 to over 500 people. 252 00:14:34,420 --> 00:14:36,500 And they all told everybody they knew. 253 00:14:38,180 --> 00:14:40,020 So this wasn't some secret. 254 00:14:40,740 --> 00:14:45,820 This wasn't something that you could have made up unless promise 255 00:14:45,900 --> 00:14:47,420 everybody to keep the secret. 256 00:14:47,420 --> 00:14:54,220 Okay, we're going to have 500 people say they see Jesus and all 257 00:14:54,220 --> 00:14:54,940 keep the secret. 258 00:14:54,940 --> 00:14:55,780 Nobody tell. 259 00:14:55,780 --> 00:14:58,420 Because if you do, it's going to ruin what we're going to try and 260 00:14:58,420 --> 00:14:58,700 do. 261 00:15:00,700 --> 00:15:03,180 To tell the story of him being the Messiah. 262 00:15:03,500 --> 00:15:04,460 It wouldn't happen. 263 00:15:05,740 --> 00:15:08,700 Y' all can't keep a secret from here to the end of the sidewalk. 264 00:15:09,260 --> 00:15:10,060 Nobody can. 265 00:15:11,030 --> 00:15:11,910 Secrets are told. 266 00:15:12,870 --> 00:15:16,710 Nobody could keep that as a secret if it wasn't true. 267 00:15:16,790 --> 00:15:20,630 It's impossible, impossible. 268 00:15:22,070 --> 00:15:25,110 So we know by the post resurrection. 269 00:15:25,110 --> 00:15:29,750 Appearances to so many people that this really was true. 270 00:15:30,550 --> 00:15:34,310 And then fourthly, we have the transformation of the disciples. 271 00:15:36,150 --> 00:15:38,980 Complete transformation of the disciples. 272 00:15:39,700 --> 00:15:42,300 These were guys who were still fighting about who was going to sit 273 00:15:42,300 --> 00:15:45,060 in the right hand and sit in the left hand when they went to heaven. 274 00:15:45,620 --> 00:15:47,620 They were Talking about the trivial stuff. 275 00:15:47,860 --> 00:15:52,260 And then when the pressure got on, I mean, you remember when Jesus 276 00:15:52,260 --> 00:15:57,860 was arrested and during that weekend, Peter denied him three times. 277 00:15:58,660 --> 00:16:00,260 The disciples ran away. 278 00:16:00,980 --> 00:16:03,300 Those disciples knew he was being crucified. 279 00:16:03,300 --> 00:16:06,470 They watched it, but they weren't close because they were afraid 280 00:16:06,470 --> 00:16:07,470 they were going to be next. 281 00:16:07,950 --> 00:16:09,870 And there was a real possibility they were going to be 282 00:16:09,870 --> 00:16:10,070 next. 283 00:16:10,070 --> 00:16:11,310 So they had a real fear. 284 00:16:11,630 --> 00:16:13,910 So they were running away from a distance. 285 00:16:13,910 --> 00:16:15,350 They were staying away from a distance. 286 00:16:15,350 --> 00:16:20,110 And when he died, they went and hid together in a room because 287 00:16:20,110 --> 00:16:22,110 they were afraid what was going to happen to them. 288 00:16:24,510 --> 00:16:30,710 And Jesus appears multiple times to them over those 40 days 289 00:16:30,710 --> 00:16:31,110 following. 290 00:16:32,710 --> 00:16:36,870 And as Jesus appeared, they realized it was true. 291 00:16:37,190 --> 00:16:38,630 He did rise from the. 292 00:16:38,630 --> 00:16:44,230 They saw him die, dead, totally dead on that cross. 293 00:16:44,630 --> 00:16:48,630 They saw him die, and now they saw him alive. 294 00:16:49,590 --> 00:16:52,110 And it transformed them so much that. 295 00:16:52,110 --> 00:16:55,910 They were bold enough to begin to tell the story and to claim he 296 00:16:55,910 --> 00:16:59,620 was the Messiah and really give up. 297 00:16:59,620 --> 00:17:00,620 Their life for it. 298 00:17:00,940 --> 00:17:02,100 Obviously, we don't have it in the. 299 00:17:02,100 --> 00:17:05,020 Scripture because the scripture doesn't carry on that far. 300 00:17:05,980 --> 00:17:10,420 But legend and other historical documents tell. 301 00:17:10,420 --> 00:17:12,420 Us every one of those disciples is. 302 00:17:12,420 --> 00:17:14,220 Eventually persecuted for their faith. 303 00:17:14,620 --> 00:17:19,940 Well, why would you go from guys who were selfish, guys who were 304 00:17:19,940 --> 00:17:22,220 picky with each other, guys who didn't really. 305 00:17:22,220 --> 00:17:23,780 Get it all the way, even though. 306 00:17:23,780 --> 00:17:27,350 They lived with him, to this kind of transformation that you would 307 00:17:27,350 --> 00:17:30,430 give up your life for this idea if it was made up? 308 00:17:33,070 --> 00:17:34,270 It wasn't made up. 309 00:17:35,230 --> 00:17:36,030 It was real. 310 00:17:37,470 --> 00:17:40,350 And it's just as real now as it was for them then. 311 00:17:42,830 --> 00:17:47,430 So the resurrection of Jesus is the. 312 00:17:47,430 --> 00:17:49,230 Pivotal moment of history. 313 00:17:49,790 --> 00:17:51,910 You see all that's in the Old Testament. 314 00:17:51,910 --> 00:17:54,690 If you read the Old Testament in a fresh way. 315 00:17:54,930 --> 00:17:58,250 Somebody told me last week, she told me, she said, you know, 316 00:17:58,250 --> 00:18:01,490 I learned to read the Old Testament looking for Jesus in it. 317 00:18:01,490 --> 00:18:02,850 And it's all through there. 318 00:18:02,930 --> 00:18:03,650 And it is. 319 00:18:04,210 --> 00:18:08,130 All the Old Testament was leading up to Jesus and the resurrection 320 00:18:08,130 --> 00:18:12,610 and everything after that is about Jesus and the resurrection. 321 00:18:12,850 --> 00:18:16,370 All of it is about the resurrection of Christ, who died, 322 00:18:16,610 --> 00:18:21,430 actually physically died, and rose from the grave after being. 323 00:18:21,430 --> 00:18:22,870 A sacrifice for sin. 324 00:18:25,190 --> 00:18:27,270 So what does the resurrection do for us? 325 00:18:27,830 --> 00:18:30,950 What does the resurrection of Christ do for us? 326 00:18:30,950 --> 00:18:34,310 It didn't simply start a new religion. 327 00:18:35,830 --> 00:18:38,230 It didn't simply start a new ethic. 328 00:18:39,670 --> 00:18:46,070 It started a new creation in us because we are forgiven by grace 329 00:18:47,010 --> 00:18:48,370 because of his sacrifice. 330 00:18:49,330 --> 00:18:50,610 So what did it do for us? 331 00:18:50,850 --> 00:18:53,650 Let me give you four ideas. 332 00:18:53,730 --> 00:18:59,090 The first one is we have victory over evil and death. 333 00:19:00,690 --> 00:19:02,609 We have victory over evil and death. 334 00:19:02,609 --> 00:19:10,850 The cost of evil that evil brings is death, physical death or 335 00:19:10,850 --> 00:19:12,130 separation from God. 336 00:19:12,290 --> 00:19:16,020 We've talked many times this semester how God is, is holy and 337 00:19:16,020 --> 00:19:18,980 perfect and we are sinful, we can't be in the presence of God. 338 00:19:19,140 --> 00:19:26,580 So there is a separation, a death of soul, if we are not reconnected 339 00:19:26,580 --> 00:19:27,140 to God. 340 00:19:27,780 --> 00:19:33,460 Romans 6 says the wages of sin is death, because corruption kills 341 00:19:33,460 --> 00:19:34,020 eventually. 342 00:19:36,340 --> 00:19:39,620 And the power of evil was not controlled. 343 00:19:40,260 --> 00:19:44,100 When Jesus rose from the dead, he. 344 00:19:44,100 --> 00:19:46,820 Gave us victory over death. 345 00:19:49,300 --> 00:19:50,260 In that moment. 346 00:19:52,900 --> 00:19:54,980 And he also promised eternal life for. 347 00:19:54,980 --> 00:19:56,740 Us, not just for him. 348 00:19:57,380 --> 00:19:59,060 Of course, he was going to be raised from the dead. 349 00:19:59,060 --> 00:19:59,860 And they saw that. 350 00:19:59,940 --> 00:20:05,540 And he was in a transformed body and position to prepare to go 351 00:20:05,540 --> 00:20:06,100 to heaven. 352 00:20:06,580 --> 00:20:12,280 But it was also promise of victory over death for us as well. 353 00:20:13,000 --> 00:20:16,000 Because that same week, the week all this happened, and he was 354 00:20:16,000 --> 00:20:16,360 killed. 355 00:20:16,440 --> 00:20:20,280 The beginning of that week, he went to Lazarus house because Lazarus 356 00:20:20,280 --> 00:20:20,920 had died. 357 00:20:22,040 --> 00:20:27,160 And in that we have this response of Jesus to the death of 358 00:20:27,160 --> 00:20:29,000 Lazarus and said Jesus wept. 359 00:20:30,920 --> 00:20:33,000 His friend Lazarus had died. 360 00:20:34,370 --> 00:20:35,570 But why did he cry? 361 00:20:37,090 --> 00:20:44,610 Because he was angry over death that evil brings to our world. 362 00:20:45,010 --> 00:20:46,770 He was sad for the family. 363 00:20:47,410 --> 00:20:50,850 We cry about death, and we should, because there are people 364 00:20:50,850 --> 00:20:52,370 we love and that we lose. 365 00:20:52,370 --> 00:20:54,850 And we don't have them in our life in the same way. 366 00:20:55,010 --> 00:20:59,530 But as Christians, we also have a promise of a reality of eternal 367 00:20:59,530 --> 00:20:59,810 life. 368 00:21:00,160 --> 00:21:03,440 And in the resurrection, we know that reality is there because 369 00:21:03,440 --> 00:21:05,080 Jesus brought victory. 370 00:21:05,080 --> 00:21:07,520 Over evil and death for him. 371 00:21:08,000 --> 00:21:10,000 And he does for us as well. 372 00:21:11,680 --> 00:21:14,160 Secondly, we have hope restored. 373 00:21:15,120 --> 00:21:19,840 We have hope restored because Jesus took our sin as a sacrifice 374 00:21:22,640 --> 00:21:23,520 on himself. 375 00:21:26,330 --> 00:21:31,370 So that we don't die in sin, but we can live with him in eternity. 376 00:21:31,610 --> 00:21:34,090 He restored us wholly to God. 377 00:21:34,170 --> 00:21:38,890 We're no longer separated from God because Jesus gives us forgiveness 378 00:21:39,210 --> 00:21:40,330 through his grace. 379 00:21:40,330 --> 00:21:44,530 Not that we earn, but totally through his grace in that we can 380 00:21:44,530 --> 00:21:45,770 be restored with God. 381 00:21:45,930 --> 00:21:51,170 Romans 5 said, While we were still sinners, he was willing to 382 00:21:51,170 --> 00:21:52,090 do this for us. 383 00:21:53,500 --> 00:21:56,020 Jesus didn't say, well, if you all get your act together and you 384 00:21:56,020 --> 00:21:58,860 be good and you do the right stuff, then I'll die from the cross 385 00:21:58,860 --> 00:21:59,260 for you. 386 00:21:59,260 --> 00:22:02,980 No, it says while we were still sinners, he was willing to 387 00:22:02,980 --> 00:22:03,500 do this. 388 00:22:04,220 --> 00:22:11,180 And he broke the chains of sin and he gave us the reality of eternal 389 00:22:11,180 --> 00:22:11,500 life. 390 00:22:13,980 --> 00:22:14,940 Eternal life. 391 00:22:15,500 --> 00:22:20,170 And that is a critical part of our lives today. 392 00:22:20,890 --> 00:22:22,010 Because I'll tell you this. 393 00:22:24,410 --> 00:22:26,010 Can I talk real slight to you? 394 00:22:26,650 --> 00:22:27,610 I'll tell you this. 395 00:22:29,210 --> 00:22:32,010 If this life is all there is, it's way too short. 396 00:22:34,010 --> 00:22:35,210 It's way too short. 397 00:22:36,570 --> 00:22:41,410 I got a few years on You, I'll probably be in heaven foremost to. 398 00:22:41,410 --> 00:22:42,290 You, not all of you. 399 00:22:42,290 --> 00:22:45,660 I hate to tell you because I've had too many students die through 400 00:22:45,660 --> 00:22:50,420 the years ahead of me, but for most, I will be. 401 00:22:51,700 --> 00:22:53,540 But I tell you, life's just too short. 402 00:22:54,180 --> 00:22:54,900 If this was. 403 00:22:56,460 --> 00:22:57,060 Wasn't enough,. 404 00:22:59,940 --> 00:23:04,340 That's why the reality of eternal life is so important to us 405 00:23:05,140 --> 00:23:09,500 and how we get the most from this life to worship and honor the 406 00:23:09,500 --> 00:23:12,200 one who's promised us eternity. 407 00:23:15,320 --> 00:23:19,840 The Christian life is this life, but it's also eternal life. 408 00:23:19,840 --> 00:23:21,160 It's not wishful thinking. 409 00:23:21,480 --> 00:23:21,960 It's not. 410 00:23:21,960 --> 00:23:23,000 I sure hope there's more. 411 00:23:23,000 --> 00:23:25,720 After this I'm going to die, but I sure hope there's more. 412 00:23:25,720 --> 00:23:27,560 No, we know for sure there's more. 413 00:23:27,560 --> 00:23:30,560 Because Jesus rose from the dead and. 414 00:23:30,560 --> 00:23:34,120 He cried over Lazarus and brought him back to life as well. 415 00:23:34,600 --> 00:23:37,780 We have hope restored because of the resurrection. 416 00:23:37,780 --> 00:23:43,820 Thirdly, we have received unlimited love because of the resurrection. 417 00:23:44,220 --> 00:23:48,660 Jesus, willing to die for us, shows us the length that he will 418 00:23:48,660 --> 00:23:50,380 go to to love us. 419 00:23:53,900 --> 00:23:54,540 That much. 420 00:23:55,980 --> 00:23:57,540 You know, it does raise the question though. 421 00:23:57,540 --> 00:23:59,020 Why did Jesus have to die? 422 00:23:59,660 --> 00:24:01,340 Couldn't they have done it some other way? 423 00:24:02,710 --> 00:24:04,550 Well, he took on our punishment. 424 00:24:04,870 --> 00:24:08,070 And all through the Old Testament, again leading up to Christ, 425 00:24:08,070 --> 00:24:12,430 it was a blood sacrifice that was the way to be restored back to 426 00:24:12,430 --> 00:24:12,790 God. 427 00:24:13,270 --> 00:24:21,030 And so this blood sacrifice, God put into the system of redemption. 428 00:24:21,590 --> 00:24:24,070 And Jesus was the ultimate sacrifice. 429 00:24:24,550 --> 00:24:26,070 But there's a reason for that. 430 00:24:26,230 --> 00:24:27,270 We'll get to it in a second. 431 00:24:27,690 --> 00:24:33,610 Secondly, there's this battle of spiritual forces and evil forces, 432 00:24:34,010 --> 00:24:37,530 and that battle goes on around us far more than we ever know. 433 00:24:37,690 --> 00:24:39,930 And Jesus on the cross was in. 434 00:24:39,930 --> 00:24:41,770 The crux of that battle. 435 00:24:43,290 --> 00:24:46,490 And then thirdly, it proved he was God. 436 00:24:47,370 --> 00:24:53,610 When he actually died in a public way, everybody knew he died. 437 00:24:54,390 --> 00:24:58,390 And then he actually rose from the grave and he was alive. 438 00:24:59,750 --> 00:25:02,390 That's when everything changed. 439 00:25:02,790 --> 00:25:05,670 Maybe, you know, God could have said, well, you just kind of 440 00:25:06,070 --> 00:25:09,350 go do your thing on earth and after that you'll kind of ascend 441 00:25:09,350 --> 00:25:11,190 into heaven and just go away. 442 00:25:11,350 --> 00:25:13,790 And if it had, people wouldn't have. 443 00:25:13,790 --> 00:25:16,590 They would have said, well, that was made up, or that was some 444 00:25:16,590 --> 00:25:18,710 kind of trick or some kind of whatever. 445 00:25:18,710 --> 00:25:24,980 No, they had to actually see him die on a cross, cross, a sacrifice. 446 00:25:25,540 --> 00:25:27,860 They had to see the blood run. 447 00:25:27,860 --> 00:25:31,300 Out of him and the breath come out of him. 448 00:25:32,180 --> 00:25:36,340 So he died and then he rose from the grave. 449 00:25:38,820 --> 00:25:44,820 And that's why God built this system on a blood sacrifice, all 450 00:25:44,820 --> 00:25:48,460 for the moment when Jesus would be the sacrifice. 451 00:25:48,460 --> 00:25:51,220 Because if he didn't die, they never. 452 00:25:51,220 --> 00:25:55,780 Would have given their lives for the transformation he could bring 453 00:25:56,500 --> 00:25:59,420 because they wouldn't be sure that what happened after that was 454 00:25:59,420 --> 00:25:59,700 real. 455 00:26:00,420 --> 00:26:02,740 It was very, very real. 456 00:26:04,740 --> 00:26:10,220 But how much Jesus loves us is shown on that cross that he's willing. 457 00:26:10,220 --> 00:26:13,140 To die for his children. 458 00:26:14,910 --> 00:26:16,590 You know, I got two kids I love to death. 459 00:26:17,630 --> 00:26:20,110 If somebody walked into my house with a gun and said, I'm going 460 00:26:20,110 --> 00:26:22,150 to either kill you or I'm going to kill your kids, I wouldn't 461 00:26:22,150 --> 00:26:22,430 have to. 462 00:26:22,430 --> 00:26:24,110 Think one half second about that decision. 463 00:26:24,670 --> 00:26:25,710 Put the bullet right there. 464 00:26:25,710 --> 00:26:26,270 I'm good. 465 00:26:28,590 --> 00:26:29,950 That's what Jesus did. 466 00:26:30,990 --> 00:26:34,590 I love you that much that I will die for you. 467 00:26:36,350 --> 00:26:37,390 Unlimited love. 468 00:26:37,550 --> 00:26:40,190 And then fourthly, our lives are transformed. 469 00:26:40,720 --> 00:26:45,120 The resurrection is not just a historical event or a past event. 470 00:26:46,480 --> 00:26:51,960 The one who gave his life to transform your life and mine transforms 471 00:26:51,960 --> 00:26:52,480 you today. 472 00:26:55,120 --> 00:26:58,600 You see, we can't just take the parts of what Jesus said that 473 00:26:58,600 --> 00:26:59,120 we like. 474 00:26:59,520 --> 00:27:03,680 We can't just take the parts that are easy because he really was 475 00:27:03,760 --> 00:27:04,240 God. 476 00:27:05,440 --> 00:27:09,040 And if he really was God, which I think I've proven to you 477 00:27:09,040 --> 00:27:12,230 and show you what differences it makes, you got to take the whole 478 00:27:12,540 --> 00:27:13,260 of what he said. 479 00:27:13,420 --> 00:27:17,100 And sometimes it's hard, and sometimes it goes against the grain 480 00:27:17,100 --> 00:27:17,900 of what we want. 481 00:27:18,780 --> 00:27:21,020 And sometimes it calls us to obedience. 482 00:27:21,180 --> 00:27:22,940 That's not comfortable for us. 483 00:27:23,740 --> 00:27:25,740 But he wants the best for us. 484 00:27:25,980 --> 00:27:29,620 So why would he instruct us when he loves us so much to do. 485 00:27:29,620 --> 00:27:31,020 Something that would be bad for us? 486 00:27:31,020 --> 00:27:31,740 He never would. 487 00:27:32,700 --> 00:27:34,700 So what he guides us to do. 488 00:27:35,180 --> 00:27:38,780 Is what brings us the most out of life. 489 00:27:39,420 --> 00:27:43,420 Jesus offers us the restoration with God. 490 00:27:44,380 --> 00:27:47,340 And then he said in those 40. 491 00:27:47,340 --> 00:27:48,580 Days, at the end of that, he. 492 00:27:48,580 --> 00:27:53,260 Said, I need to go now so that the Holy Spirit will come. 493 00:27:54,860 --> 00:27:59,820 You see, Jesus went to heaven, and then God in the Holy Spirit, 494 00:27:59,820 --> 00:28:04,140 the third part of the Trinity, which was just as much God as God 495 00:28:04,140 --> 00:28:07,130 is or Jesus is, came and lives among us. 496 00:28:07,770 --> 00:28:11,050 And so that conviction you feel at times, that's the Holy Spirit, 497 00:28:11,610 --> 00:28:14,330 that guidance you feel at times, that's the Holy Spirit. 498 00:28:14,570 --> 00:28:18,010 That's God living among us and in us. 499 00:28:21,050 --> 00:28:24,650 We can have transformed lives because God is here. 500 00:28:25,530 --> 00:28:30,250 Because Jesus gave his life as a sacrifice, rose from the dead, 501 00:28:30,250 --> 00:28:33,570 and that allowed the Holy Spirit to come and live among his 502 00:28:33,570 --> 00:28:34,810 people because we're redeemed. 503 00:28:34,810 --> 00:28:37,700 Remember Jesus, you can't be with God if you're not pure. 504 00:28:38,580 --> 00:28:40,020 And none of us are pure. 505 00:28:40,020 --> 00:28:43,060 So how do you get with God in the Holy Spirit? 506 00:28:43,300 --> 00:28:45,940 Only because of the sacrifice of Jesus. 507 00:28:46,020 --> 00:28:49,220 And his grace, does the resurrection matter? 508 00:28:50,820 --> 00:28:52,180 It's all that matters. 509 00:28:53,220 --> 00:28:55,940 Nothing else matters without it. 510 00:28:57,940 --> 00:29:04,310 Scripture says for God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the 511 00:29:04,310 --> 00:29:08,750 offering for our sins so that we could be made right with God through 512 00:29:08,830 --> 00:29:09,230 Christ. 513 00:29:09,230 --> 00:29:10,510 In second Corinthians,. 514 00:29:12,910 --> 00:29:14,350 It was the only way. 515 00:29:16,430 --> 00:29:20,990 The death and the resurrection was the only way God could defeat 516 00:29:20,990 --> 00:29:25,950 the powers of evil and establish his kingdom and restore 517 00:29:25,950 --> 00:29:32,850 his creation and prove that he was God and offer healing and forgiveness. 518 00:29:33,330 --> 00:29:34,610 To those he loves. 519 00:29:36,130 --> 00:29:41,330 That's why the resurrection is a centerpiece of everything of our 520 00:29:41,490 --> 00:29:41,970 faith. 521 00:29:44,130 --> 00:29:45,330 Essentials of faith. 522 00:29:45,810 --> 00:29:49,970 Everything we talked about comes down to the resurrection, if 523 00:29:49,970 --> 00:29:54,620 you will grasp the reality of that and it changes everything in 524 00:29:54,620 --> 00:29:56,540 your faith and your life. 525 00:29:57,820 --> 00:29:58,700 Let's pray together. 526 00:29:59,500 --> 00:30:07,020 Thanks to the Lord for your gift, which is hard for us to comprehend. 527 00:30:07,020 --> 00:30:10,780 The magnitude of your death and resurrection. 528 00:30:11,100 --> 00:30:12,860 Because you love us so much. 529 00:30:15,580 --> 00:30:20,660 Help us to worship you because of your sacrifice. 530 00:30:21,620 --> 00:30:24,900 Help us to thank you because of your grace, and help us to live 531 00:30:25,140 --> 00:30:28,180 in your grace and your teaching because you are God. 532 00:30:28,980 --> 00:30:30,300 In your name we ask it. 533 00:30:30,300 --> 00:30:30,900 Amen. 534 00:30:31,700 --> 00:30:33,460 Thanks for listening this semester. 535 00:30:33,700 --> 00:30:36,500 God bless and I hope you have a happy Thanksgiving.