The Easter Story: How to enjoy it
Andrew Chan
Romans 5:10-11 (New Living Translation)
For since we were restored to friendship with God by THE DEATH OF HIS SON while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be delivered from eternal punishment BY HIS LIFE. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God—all because of what our Lord Jesus Christ has done for us in making us friends of God.
Introduction
• Two facts of Easter
• The death and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth
– Read 1 Corinthians 15:1-11
Question:
• How do I personally benefit from the Easter Story?
• What can I really enjoy about these facts of Easter?
Allow me to speak on “the 4 R’s of Easter enjoyment”
• Relaxing
• Rejoicing
• Resilience
• Receiving
1. Relaxing
• He came once for all time, at the end of the age, to remove the power of sin forever by his sacrificial death for us. And just as it is destined that each person dies only once and after that comes judgment, so also Christ died only once as a sacrifice to take away the sins of many people. Hebrews 9:26-28 (NLT)
• a. Sin’s Total Extermination
• b. PAID IN FULL: No other payback is needed.
Prophet Isaiah says:
• he was wounded and crushed for our sins.
• He was beaten that we might have peace.
• He was whipped, and we were healed
• We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the guilt and sins of us all.
Because of that we can Relax in the Father’s love.
2. Rejoicing
• “So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God” Romans 5:11 (NLT)
• “Let them praise the Lord for his great love and for all his wonderful deeds to them. Let them offer sacrifices of thanksgiving and sing joyfully about his glorious acts.” Psalm 107:20-21 (NLT)
Vancouver knows a bit of that with the Canucks come from behind win on Friday 4-3 against the Minnesota Wild. Mike Weir knows that as he wins the Masters in Augusta, a couple of weeks ago.
Too bad much rejoicing happens only in sport, sad that it does not happen in church.
Bible tells us due to the dual Easter facts of death and resurrection, we can rejoice in a new relationship. Let us praise sing joyfully offer out shouts of joy! It is right to do so.
3. Resilience
…let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us. 2 We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish. He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy he knew would be his afterward. Now he is seated in the place of highest honor beside God’s throne in heaven. 3 Think about all he endured when sinful people did such terrible things to him, so that you don’t become weary and give up. Hebrews 12:1-3 (NLT)
A Word Picture: again to hockey. 1.2 seconds left in game, and Canucks scored tying goal 3-3. Why cause they did not give up. Resilience! Keep their eyes on the goal and they did not give up. No way they can come back I thought 3-1 down against the tough Wild defense. But they did!
They stuck to it, and it resulted in a 4-3 win. Never say die, like Jesus who endured the shameful and torturous death on the cross and he knew there’s joy ahead. So he did not give up and say he won’t go thru’ it.
If we don’t give up, The Bible says…
• “we are heirs – heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ” Romans 8:16
We will be amply rewarded, heirs of God’s riches!
4. Receiving
• 8 God saved you by his special favor when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. Ephesians 2:8-9 (NLT)
• it is a gift from God.
Ahmed al-Khatib 18 year old suicide bomber
Thought that killing others could be his passport to heaven. No we need not resort to violence or martyrdom, we receive from God a gift, it is a done deal!
• 12 But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. 13 They are reborn! This is not a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan—this rebirth comes from God. John 1:12-13 (NLT)
See picture of my son receiving his birthday gift – look at the face, that smile, that joy. But you gotta look into the heart of the giver, my heart, the heart of the father.
You gotta see God the Father’s heart when he sees u receiving His gift by faith, by trusting in Him remembering what He did concerning the dual Easter facts.
What This Means
• To enjoy you need to enter… just like entering through the gates of a park. You need to go in to enjoy the benefits of the park. Can’t stay on the outside – go in.
• In other words, sign up! And receive the gift!
If you do that you can say…
I will now…
• 1. RELAX in God’s love.
• 2. REJOICE in my new relationship with God.
• 3. BE RESILIENT in my faith.
• 4. RECEIVE the gift of God through Christ.
Next Steps
• Get growing
And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to live in obedience to him. Let your roots grow down into him and draw up nourishment from him, so you will grow in faith, strong and vigorous in the truth you were taught. Let your lives overflow with thanksgiving for all he has done.
Colossians 2:6.7 (NLT)
• Get going with this growth!
• Remember 4 R’s of Easter ENJOYMENT
1. Relaxing
2. Rejoicing
3. Resilience
4. Receiving
