Easter
Theme: NEW RACE WITH NEW RAYS
Text: Mark 16:9-20
Greetings
I wish you all Happy Resurrection Day of Christ. This sermon is covering the theme “New Race with New Rays’.
God’s Race: God created us as a Holy Race and God’s race without defile.
Fallen Race: but the fall of first parents made us to be defiled and lose the image of God.
Restored Race: Jesus Christ being the very nature and embodiment of God came into this world to bring back our likeness into God’s likeness. The Holy Spirit gives us the new rays to shine for Christ and live as Holy people.
This sermon takes you to get the glimpses of the resurrected Lord and his power to live as powerful and useful New Race with God’s rays.
1. Jesus Rose again as New Person (v.9-14)
New Person: Jesus rose again and appeared to Mary Magdalene, Emmaus Disciples and the Eleven as New Person with new Identity.
Not able to recognize: Because of his new identity, they were not able to recognize him either in the Garden, or on the road, or on the seashore or on their houses.
Disciples were Mourning and Weeping (v.10). They were mourning and weeping with shame and hopelessness.
Feelings of internal fears: they were living in fear of life and fear of future
Fear of the external forces: fear of rulers and authorities. Fear of Sanhedrin, fear of everyone.
Self-Pity: Always our present situations lead us to realize our inabilities, our weaknesses, our failures and our frailties.
At one point we comprehend that every day and every time we see ourselves in a defeated situation and dangerous circles. Our hidden personalities, talents and capacities either undermined or undervalued first by ourselves because of overpowering and hovering of the principalities, and powers upon us (Ephesians.6:11-12).
Gideon undermined his Power. Disciples were looking at them with self-pity. But the new personality made them to speak boldly, convincingly and apologetic manners.
God’s assessment: But the resurrected Lord JESUS CHRIST says that not only you are special but YOU are exceptional. He has greater plan for us with greater future. The rays which are set on us is so powerful (Acts.2:2-3).
Entry of Jesus Christ: Many are fooled in our society that their birth days and dates determine their future. Some even think that change of their given name or change of a letter in their given name can take them to further heights, and change the fortunes of the Life.
But we must be sure that neither our date of birth nor letters in our name govern our life. Our life is in God’s hand (Pr.8:35). The entry of the resurrected Lord can completely change your status, change your fear and future.
If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. New person, a person with new dignity, new value and new opportunities. Whoever came to Jesus or to whomsoever Jesus went, their life had been changed. Jesus changes our personality with new Power.
The superior and ulterior power of God, takes us further to the greater heights and position (Ps.61:2). Nothing can stop the blessings of God.
2. Jesus Rose again with new Authority (v.15-18)
Accepting resurrected Christ is more than finding a jackpot, that means when we find Christ, we found everything for life. There is No place for a word known as ‘good luck’ when Christ is with us (Phil.4:13). Christ changes our life on earth. Without Christ we were running after many avenues and profitable things. But when we are in Christ everything becomes new (2 Cor.5:17).
Interests Changed: Our interest becomes smaller and God’s interest becomes great.
Controller of Life situations: Our life on earth is controlled and being pretentious or affected by our emotions, financial status, friendship circle, adversaries, fear of powers, rulers, authorities, subordinates, colleagues and so on.
However, all these are changeable and time oriented.
But the New Race in Christ means New Heir and new life. The entry of the resurrected Christ and the outpouring of the Holy Ghost in our life changes all scenarios.
New Authority and New power: it is nothing but Prayer. Whoever is in Christ, he gets the right keys to open the right doors of affluence, success, well beings and blessings (Mt.16:19).
Many at times we struggle with our wrong and inept keys. That simply makes to hope for the good days. The best right key is Prayer as promised in Jere.33:3 and John.14:13-14.
Many Doors but one Key: Often, we stand before the doors without the main key, known as Prayer.
Many Mathematical problems has Zero as their only answer. In life many of our problems can be made Zero and nothing by using the name of Jesus Christ as the right and valid formulae.
Walking with resurrected Lord Changed their perspectives on Life on earth and beyond (Ac.5:41), changed their understanding of the Word of God (LK.24;32), changed their standpoints on others. Let’s live as new race in Christ, Amen.
3. Resurrected Jesus makes us a New Race with New Rays (v.19-20)
Restored to the image of God: We are special precious race on earth (Is.43:1). In the beginning of the world and creations. God created Adam and Eve in His own image and likeness. (Gen.1:26-27, 5:1, 9:6).
The image of God is Compassionate and gracious, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.
Punishes the guilty (Ex.34:6-7). HE is good and upright (PS.25:8, 34:8, Nah 1:7), righteous, just, holy (Lev.11:45), Unchanging (Mal.3:6), Always the same (Ex.3:14).
Never tells lie, never deceives, never cheats, never betrays, never hates and so on.
He is Wonderful counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace (Is.9:6). The identification with Christ makes everyone into the image of God. We transcend to that state of image hood of God.
Loose the Image of Adam: But the fall of Adam and Eve brought the Race after the image and Likeness of ADAM. Man lost his original image and acquired the Original Sin.
The Original sin had defamed us, disfigured our feature and made us to have low self-esteem (Gen.5:3). The original sin overpowered the original thinking, original love, original holiness, original humanity, original care and concerns.
The acceptance of Jesus Christ as our personal Lord and Savior helps us to have the Image of Christ.
That image is with the power of the resurrected God, and it penetrates into our being and brings changes in our heart, mind and spirit (Phil.3:10-11).
Our thinking is changed, our attitudes are changed, our directions are changed and our values are changed.
We become honorable vessels in the hands of God for his glorious kingdom. We put Satan under our feet. Our place in Jesus changes all our stand.
As new Race we will be enjoying the Kingdom of God on earth. As new race we have to bring saltiness to the earth, bring light to the world, bring hope to the hopeless and needy.
We are not to compete with the world but to complete the Kingdom of God and bring changes in the lives.
Our presence makes people to understand that there is justice, truth, love on earth.
We as new race are given following tasks:
1. Preach good news – imparting high values against evil, corrupted and harmful values of the given day.
2. Drive out demons - counseling the people who are misled by the forces of the principalities and the world.
3. Handling snakes and deadly poisons – teaching the believers to understand the difference between the good and the bad, life giving and destroying matters in the world.
4. Place their hands-on sick people – healing ministry
5. Jesus was present with their works.
The resurrected Christ crowns us with his new personality with his new power and makes us to shine with new rays of Prayer, counseling, healing and life values.
Conclusion: Let this Easter bring new grace to live like Eagle flying higher and higher with high altitudes in life. Victory is our honor and rights. No more defeats of any forms.
