Experiencing Resurrection Power

EXPERIENCING RESURRECTION POWER

John 20:1-18; Phil. 3:10

Intro: 1. The resurrection of Christ is one of the central points of Christianity – The resurrection was an amazing event – wouldn’t it have been nice to have been there on that day – to go to the tomb and see that it was empty – would we have believed or doubted

2. We all agree that the resurrection was a powerful event that changed the course of history – but today I want to bring it down to where we live – how the resurrection impacts our life – what does it mean for us

3. The Word of God serves several purposes – it reveals who God is – it reveals who man is – it reveals what God wants to do in and through man

4. The resurrection is not an event that just happened long ago and is now over – in other words it is not just another history lesson – although it was an event that took place almost 2000 years ago - the power of that event is still working today

5. The power of that event is tied up in the person of that event – Jesus – it is all and always about Jesus – it was his obedience that brought about the event

6. Phil. 3:10 “I gave up all that inferior stuff so I could know Christ personally, experience his resurrection power, be a partner in his suffering, and go all the way with him to death itself. If there was any way to get in on the resurrection from the dead, I wanted to do it. (The Message)

7. Paul said something very unique – I want to experience his resurrection power – I want to have that power working in me

8. Experience = the actual participation in something or the direct contact with

9. This is the purpose of the message this morning that we may all, like Paul, begin to experience the resurrection power in our lives

10. We must ask ourselves what this resurrection power is

I. IT IS A CONVERTING POWER

1. Man has a problem – this problem is sin (disobedience to God) – He made the rules – whether you want to accept this or not it does not change the truth – God is the sovereign one – everything works according to His plan

2. The bible makes it clear that mans disobedience separated him from God – Gen. = Adam and Eve – Romans 5:12 “Therefore just as sin entered the world through one man, and death through sin, and in this way death came to all men, because all sinned.”

3. We are all born into sin (with a propensity to sin) – Romans 3:23 “for all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” – I John 1:8 “If we claim to be without sin (on our own), we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us.”

4. Sin separated man form God and there was nothing we could do to change the problem – our works, our desire – nothing of ourselves could bring us back into relationship with God

5. What could solve this problem? – the answer is Jesus – He came to earth, lived a sinless life, gave his life and was resurrected all to bring me and you back into fellowship with God

6. Through His resurrection we have been given the opportunity to be changed and come back to God – not coming back to Him is like not coming back to a parent that has been perfect in every way

7. Eph. 2:1-10 “1As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, 2in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. 3All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature£ and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. 4But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, 5made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved. 6And God raised us up with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms in Christ Jesus, 7in order that in the coming ages he might show the incomparable riches of his grace, expressed in his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.