In the midst of “Desert Storm,” Sept. 27, 1991, Ruth Dillow from Illinois received a heartbreaking message from the military.
Her son, Private First Class Clayton Carpenter, had stepped on a mine in the Persian Gulf and had been killed.
Mrs. Dillow wrote, “I can’t begin to describe my grief and shock. It was almost more than I could bear.
• For three days I wept.
• For three days I expressed anger
• For three days I experienced true loss
• For three days people tried to comfort me, to no avail because the loss was too great.”
But three days after she received that message, the telephone rang.
The voice on the other end was unmistakably that of Clayton.
“Mom, it’s me, I’m alive!”
Ruth Dillow said, “I couldn’t believe it at first. But I recognized his voice and he really was alive.”
She said, “I laughed, I cried, I felt like turning cartwheels, because my son, whom I thought was dead, was really alive. I’m sure none of you can even begin to understand how I felt.”
She’s probably right in regard to you and me.
In reality, Her son was dead. In all reality her son came back from the dead.
However, look at the change in her life knowing the truth about her son being alive.
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It’s been 2,000 years – and in reality Jesus was dead!
• The one who claimed godhood – was dead
• The one who performed miracles – opened blinded eyes --- fed the hungry --- raised others from the dead – was dead himself
• The one who said, “Destroy this temple, and I will rebuild in 3 days.” – laid in a tomb.
He was dead! His disciples believed he was dead – they hid
Mary believed he was dead – she wondered who would roll away the stone.
But then look at the change made in the lives of those who found the empty tomb – and believed the truth of his resurrection.
Did the resurrection make a difference to those first disciples?
How?
Can the resurrection make a difference today?
I believe so!
Let me spend the balance of our time together this morning with two areas of our thinking in which the resurrection can make a difference.
I believe that if we accept the fact of Jesus’ resurrection – it can make a big difference in…
I. The Way We Think About Life.
A. What are the basic necessities of life? Food, drink, clothes, shelter?
If then, by reason of the resurrection, Jesus is Lord of heaven and earth, and he has all authority…
Then his words are truth! ---right?
And if his words are truth then, when he says in Matthew 6,
“Do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink, or about your body, what you will wear… do not worry about tomorrow…”
There are two things he’s changed in your way of thinking here:
1. He will provide.
If you have taken him as Lord of your life –in faith-- because of his resurrection--- he promises to provide your basic necessities.
That is a big load off your back, isn’t it?
What do we spend most of our lives doing? – Working to provide.
Now, I am not saying, “quit work?”
No! on the contrary… I’m saying work harder.
But-- because He is our provider—Jehovah Jirah-- we no longer have to kill ourselves just working for the basic necessities of life. He will provide!
We now work for Him--not for provisions --- because of the truth of his word. He is Lord – because of His resurrection!
Col. 3:23 “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men.”
God wants our work to mean something for his kingdom. So we do it with all our hearts… for Him, because we know - He’ll provide!
We can view our work differently --- as a mission field – with opportunities to glorify God. To share with others, to show our family how God works,
--to illustrate what God is like in the workplace.
We can now “seek first his kingdom and His righteousness.” And not be concerned about provisions. We think differently about our work in life.
Secondly, because He provides…
2. We do not have to worry
Jesus, who is now Lord, because of His resurrection says,
“Isn’t life more valuable than food?
Isn’t the body more important than clothes?”
I believe Jesus is introducing his readers to the idea that the purpose in “life” is not about the physical –
• He is Lord – he has all authority
• He created you—your needs and desires.
• He knows all about you – He will provide for the journey.
Don’t you be anxious for those things. They are temporary! You are eternal!
You concern yourself with the eternal purpose of the journey –
• His Kingdom
• His righteousness
He came to give you peace and joy and victory
His peace –His joy – His victory,--- not worry –
Worry tears down… Jesus came to give hope & confidence
How can you have peace & joy and victory in the midst of worry?
If we are worried about everything in the world, how in the world can we say we believe in Jesus who said, “Don’t be afraid, I have overcome the world.”
If we are worrying about anything …but his kingdom,
then our eyes are not on him.
He’s not in first place anymore. Is He not Lord- because of the resurrection?
The way we think about life will clearly demonstrate to the world what we believe about the resurrection.
Can His resurrection make a difference in the way we view life? YES!
If we truly believe and accept the fact that God desired His best for us, eternal life – that He gave his very best, Jesus – his son whom He raised from the dead on our behalf, because He loves us… Then why should we worry about life?
He’ll provide! That’s Freedom! Let Go… and Let God! Go God!
Secondly, I believe if we accept the fact of Jesus’ resurrection that it can make a big difference in…
II. The Way we Think about Death.
What do you think about death? Let’s make this second point short and sweet.
Let me connect the two… life & death.
What you believe about life – the way you view life – is also what you believe about death.
If you have accepted the fact of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,
• that He is the Way, the Truth, the Life, and no one can get to heaven accept through Him and him only…
• That it is in Christ and Christ alone that we have forgiveness of sins,
• That the same God who loved us so much to sacrifice him for us, to save us for eternity
Then your view of life will demonstrate what you believe about death.
For you, death becomes an entrance into the Holy of Holies forever.
For you, death means seeing Jesus, the one who provided…
• Love
• food
• Joy He provided LIFE! ABUNDANTLY!
• Shelter because you didn’t have to worry!
• Peace
• Clothing
Your faith in His resurrection brings victory to life already.
That makes a difference in the way we live.
• The way we talk – giving blessing instead of cursing
• The way we walk – free to go where he takes us
• The way we sing – freedom is a sweet song
That makes a difference in the way we die.
• Our death will be a trend – not an event.
• Our death will be daily for him as we offer our lives as a “living sacrifice”
• If we live the fact of the resurrection then death will simply be a transition to Life eternal.
Oh, we will grieve at the death of our loved ones ---
but if they have claimed the fact of the resurrection in their “LIFE” then we don’t grieve like those who have no HOPE.
We’ve read the back of the book – We win!!!!
We will live again… because he lives. (amen?)
Picture it this way:
Imagine that you are an ice skater in competition.
You are in first place with one more round to go.
If you perform well, the trophy is yours.
You’re nervous, anxious, and frightened.
Then, only minutes before your performance, your trainer rushes over to you with the thrilling news: “You’ve already won!”
The judges tabulated the scores and the person in second place can’t catch you. You are too far ahead.
Upon hearing that news, how will you feel? Exhilarated?
And how will you skate? --- Timidly? Cautiously? Of course not!
How about courageously and confidently?
You bet you will.
You will do your best because the prize is yours.
You will skate like a champion because that is what you are!
You will hear the applause of victory…
Philippians 3:10 Paul says, “I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings, becoming like Him in his death, and so to attain to the resurrection from the dead.
Romans 6:3-10
If you are in Christ – United in his death through baptism –
Then you shall be like him in his resurrection.
Jesus laid down his life to take away your guilt and shame and sin, then rose on the third day to show he meant it.
And he says to you… “You are Victorious! The prize is yours.”
“There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”
Now live like it!
