The Power of the resurrection
"But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ?the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith. 10 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, 11 and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead".
There is power in the resurrection;
The resurrection of our Lord is what separates Christianity from all other religions.
-All of the founders of other religions are dead.
-Buda is dead, Mohamed is dead, Joseph Smith is dead, Mita is dead but Christ is alive.
*1 Corinthians 15:55; ?Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death is your sting?
DEATH COULD NOT STOP THE SON OF GOD!
Paul could boast as much as anyone in his Jewish religious achievements;
1. He was circumcised a Jew at the correct age.
2 He was from the tribe of benjamin
3. He was tought in the Hebrew language and tradition.
4. Paul was a Pharisee, the sect that interpreted the Mosaic Law most strictly.
5. He kept the Jewish law so strictly that he persecuted Christians even unto death.
Five things that Paul wanted to know;
He says in (verse 10); "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."
IT’S IMPOSSIBLE FOR ANYONE TO APPRECIATE WHAT JESUS HAS DONE WITHOUT knowing Him.
#1. Paul said; "I want to know Christ". (The Easter hype ain’t nothing if you don’t know Him.).
-Without knowing him, Easter is only emotionalism.(IT’S ONLY ANOTHER HOLIDAY, ANOTHER REASON TO PARTY, just another reason not to go to work)
PEOPLE THAT DON’T KNOW JESUS ARE CONFUSED ABOUT EASTER
-To know Him is to have real life; Jesus said, "I am the bread of life", (John 6:35).
-To know Him is to walk in the light; He said, I am the light of the world, He who follows me will never again walk in darkness", (John 8:12).
-To know Him is to have eternal life; He said, "I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die".
#2. Paul said; "I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection"
There are many powers in the world today just as in Paul’s time;
1. The power of knowledge
2. The power to work and accumulate wealth.
3. The power to rule over others, etc.
Paul said; "But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things."
(I WANT TO KNOW ALL THERE IS TO KNOW ABOUT HIM!)
The resurrection of Jesus is a fact;
It was witnessed by manyTen different appearances of our risen Lord are recorded in the New Testament. They may be arranged as follows:
(1.) To Mary Magdalene at the sepulchre alone, *John 20:11?18.
(2.) To certain women,the other Mary, Salome, Joanna, and others, as they returned from the sepulchre. Matthew 28:1?10.
(3.) To Simon Peter alone on the day of the resurrection,( Luke 24:34; 1 Cor. 15:5.)
(4.) To the two disciples on the way to Emmaus on the day of the resurrection, *Luke (24:13?35.
(5.) To ten disciples (Thomas being absent) and others with them, at Jerusalem on the evening of the resurrection day, *John 20:19?24.
(6.) To the disciples again (Thomas being present) at Jerusalem (Mark 16:14-18; Luke 24:33-40; John 20:26-28.
(7.) To the disciples when fishing at the Sea of Galilee, *John 21:1?23.
(8.) To the eleven, and above 500 at once in Galilee *1 Cor. 15:6.
(9.) To James,*1 Cor. 15:7.
(10.) To the apostles immediately before the ascension. They accompanied him from Jerusalem to Mount Olivet, and there they saw him ascend, till a cloud received him out of their sight, (Mark 16:19; Luke 24:50-52; Acts 1:4-10).
-He spoke with them face to face.
-They touched him (Matt. 28:9; Luke 24:39; John 20:27)
-he ate bread with them (Luke 24:42, 43; John 21:12, 13).
(11.) In addition to the above, manifestation of himself to Paul at Damascus, who speaks of it as an appearance of the risen Saviour (Acts 9:3-9, 17; 1 Cor. 15:8; 9:1).
- *Acts 1:3, there may have been other appearances of which we have no record.
2.There is evidence.
-The grave-clothes in which Christ had been burid were found folded at the tomb, where he laid dead.
-The tomb is empty.
-The stone had been removed.
3.2000 years later it?s the single event in history that has changed more lives and impacted more people than anything else.
The power of the resurrection
1.Is the power of God for eternal life.
2.Is the power of the Holy Spirit.
3.IS THE POWER OF FAITH, it?s the power that God gives to believe the impossible.
4.It?s resurrection power. Just like it resurrected Jesus, It will resurrect your marriage, your relationships, your passion. (IT?S THE SAME POWER THAT GAVE VITALITY TO Abraham at 99 to reproduce.
#3. Paul said; "I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in his sufferings."
- In His suffering we find out how much God truly loves us.
- Thru the death on the cross Jesus demonstrates His love for us, 1 Peter 2:21.
- The powers of evil were defeated at the cross, Colossians 2:15
#4 Paul said;. "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".
-The only way to become like Him in His death is by having the resurrection power of Christ within you
-By dying to self. Someone said that everyone wants to go to heaven but no one want?s to die to get there.
John the Baptist said; "I must decrease so that He can increase."
Jesus said; "If anyone wants to come after me, He must take up his cross and follow me."
#5. (verse 11) "And so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead."
-The resurrection of Jesus from the dead guarantees our own resurrection someday.
