Resurrection Good News
(adapted from the outline of chp. 17 in Max Lucado’s book, The Grip of Grace.)
Read Romans 8:18-39 (though the focus will be on 8:31-39)
INTRO.
I heard about an atheist who was a little bit upset because of all the holidays that people of faith celebrated. He said to a friend, “You Christians have Christmas and Easter. And Jews celebrate their holidays like Passover and Yom Kippur. But we atheists don’t have recognized holidays. It’s unfair discrimination.”
His friend thought about it for a moment and said, “Well, you atheists could celebrate April 1. That could be your holiday. You know, April Fool’s Day. It fits, because ‘the fool has said in his heart there is no God.’ ” And that is, in fact, what the Bible tells us in Psalm 14:1 and 53:1.
However, Easter is for everyone. It is not about bunnies or brightly colored eggs, however. Rather it is about Jesus, and specifically, it is about Jesus crucified and risen again from the dead. Christ is the resurrection and the life; and if we believe in Him, though we die here, yet shall we live eternally (John 11:25).
Because Jesus has died and has risen again, it means that we as believers do not have to be afraid of death. As 1 Corinthians 15:20 tells us, “But the fact is that Christ has been raised from the dead. He has become the first of a great harvest of those who will be raised to life again” (NLT). Jesus has gone to the other side, He has returned, and He has the keys to death and hell.
It’s hard for us to accept that our bodies are wearing out. Yet the Bible says we will have new bodies one day: “Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies.” (Romans 8:23 NIV). Resurrection life and resurrection bodies like Christ’s own, when He comes again to make all things new.
Here is the message of Jesus: In Christ, You are going to see your loved ones again. You will be with them. Not only are they a part of your past, but they are also part of your future. He is the resurrection and the life, and if we believe in Him, though we were dead, yet shall we live.
1. The Question of Protection
"If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Rom. 8:31).
The question is not simply, "Who can be against us?" You could answer that one. The question is, IF GOD IS FOR US, who can be against us?
(Have congregation repeat with you the sentence, "God is for us," 4 times emphasizing 1st word, then 2nd and so on.)
God is for you. Your parents may have forgotten you, your teachers may have neglected you, your siblings may be ashamed of you; but within reach of your prayers is the maker of the universe.
God is for you! (Isa. 49:15-16)
2. The Question of Provision.
"He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all--how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?" (Rom. 8:32).
Would he who gave his Son not meet our needs?
But still we worry. We worry about the IRS and the SAT and the FBI. We worry about education, recreation, and constipation.
We worry that we won’t have enough money, and when we have money we worry that we won’t manage it well.
We worry that the world will end before the parking meter expires. We worry what the dog thinks if he sees us step out of the shower. We worry that some day we’ll learn that fat free yogurt was fattening.
Would he who gave his Son not meet our needs? (Ps. 91:11)
3. Two Questions about Guilt and Grace
"Who will bring any charge against those whom God has chosen? It is God who makes them right. Who is he that condemns? Christ Jesus, who died—more than that, who was raised to life—is at the right hand of God and is also interceding for us." (Rom. 8:33-34).
Max Lucado tells the story of a youngster who was shooting rocks with a slingshot. He could never hit his target. As he returned to Grandma’s backyard, he spied her pet duck. On impulse he took aim and let fly. The stone hit, and the duck was dead. The boy panicked and hid the bird in the woodpile, only to look up and see his sister watching.
After lunch that day, Grandma told Sally to help with the dishes. Sally responded, "Johnny told me he wanted to help in the kitchen today. Didn’t you Johnny?" And she whispered to him, "Remember the duck!" So, Johnny did the dishes.
What choice did he have? For the next several weeks he was at the sink often. Sometimes for his duty, sometimes for his sin. "Remember the duck," Sally’d whisper when he objected.
So weary of the chore, he decided that any punishment would be better than washing more dishes, so he confessed to killing the duck.
"I know, Johnny," his grandma said, giving him a hug.
"I was standing at the window and saw the whole thing. Because I love you, I forgave you" I wondered how long you would let Sally make a slave out of you."2
He’d been pardoned, but he thought he was guilty. Why? He had listened to the words of his accuser.
The devil is "the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accused them day and night before our God" (Rev. 12:10).
God silences the accuser: "The wages of sin is death," explains the judge, "but in this case the death has already occurred. For this one died with Christ." (cf. Isa. 50:7-8).
4. The Question of Endurance
"Can anything separate us from the love Christ has for us?" (Rom. 8:35).
We want to know (deep within, don’t we really want to know?), how does God feel about me when …I’m a jerk? Not when I’m peppy and positive and ready to tackle world hunger. Not then. I know how he feels about me then. Even I like me then.
I want to know how he feels about me when I snap at anything that moves, when my thoughts are gutter level, when my tongue is sharp enough to slice a rock. How does he feel about me then?
That’s the question. That’s the concern.
Did I drift too far? Wait too long? Slip too much? That’s what we want to know.
Untethered by a body and space, unhampered by time, God sees us all. And he loves what he sees. The maker of the stars turns to us, one by one, and says, "You are my child. I love you dearly. I’m aware that someday you’ll turn from me and walk away. But I want you to know, I’ve already provided you a way back."
And to prove it, he did something extraordinary. Stepping from the throne, he removed his robe of light and wrapped himself in skin God became a human being. He lived our life in our skin.
And He died for us in our place. He rose from the dead and intercedes for us at the Father’s right hand. And He is coming again. Then we will receive “the redemption of our bodies” (Romans 8:23 NIV)... resurrection life and resurrection bodies like Christ’s own, when He comes to make all things new, and join us to Himself eternally.
"You wonder how long my love will last? Find your answer on the cross, and in the resurrection life. That’s I how much I love you."
"Can anything come between you and me?" asks the firstborn Son.
Hear the answer and stake your future on the triumphant words of Paul:
"For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Rom. 8:38-39).
This is the resurrection Good News of Easter. Amen!
