Rejoice, We Are Alive In Christ

I. EXORDIUM:

Why do you rejoice?

Because of the LORD. I was made alive and was found.

Luke 15:24 (Amplified Bible)

15:24 Because this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found! And they began to revel and feast and make merry.

II. AUDIENCE PROFILE:

Believers

III. OBJECTIVES:

To show the reasons why we rejoice, it's because of the LORD JESUS in our hearts, He made us alive and He found us.

IV. TEXT:

Luke 15:32 (Amplified Bible)

15:32 But it was fitting to make merry, to revel and feast and rejoice, for this brother of yours was dead and is alive again! He was lost and is found!

V. THESIS:

Praise, worship and thank You very much LORD JESUS for I rejoice in You and because of You, You made me alive and You found me.

VI. TITLE:

Rejoice, we are alive in CHRIST

VII. EXPLICATION:

A. Author: Dr. Luke, The Beloved Physician (close friend and traveling companion of Paul)

B. Audience: Theophilus (Greek means friend of GOD, a Christian)

C. Purpose: To give a connected and orderly narrative of the life of CHRIST as seen by eyewitnesses

VIII. MAIN BODY:

A. Rejoice

"But it was fitting to make merry, to revel and feast and rejoice,"

Make merry or "euphraino" in Greek meaning:

1. to put in a good frame of mind

2. rejoice: - fare, make glad, be (make) merry, rejoice

Be glad or "chairo" in Greek meaning:

1. to be full of cheer

2. calmly happy or well off

3. be well: - farewell, be glad, God speed, greeting, hail, joy (-fully), rejoice

Isaiah 35:10 (Amplified Bible)

35:10 And the ransomed of the Lord shall return and come to Zion with singing, and everlasting joy shall be upon their heads; they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.

Romans 15:9-13 (Amplified Bible)

15:9 And [also in order] that the Gentiles (nations) might glorify God for His mercy [not covenanted] to them. As it is written, Therefore I will praise You among the Gentiles and sing praises to Your name.

15:10 Again it is said, Rejoice (exult), O Gentiles, along with His [own] people;

15:11 And again, Praise the Lord, all you Gentiles, and let all the peoples praise Him!

15:12 And further Isaiah says, There shall be a Sprout from the Root of Jesse, He Who rises to rule over the Gentiles; in Him shall the Gentiles hope.

15:13 May the God of your hope so fill you with all joy and peace in believing [through the experience of your faith] that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound and be overflowing (bubbling over) with hope.

Rejoicing is a part of CHRISTian life/walk here on earth. We don't rejoice for physical reasons, we only rejoice in the LORD. Our reason for rejoicing and celebration is because of the LORD.

Illustration:

Unbelievers celebrate their birthdays, they do videoke all night long, sing, eat and drink to their heart's content but deep inside they don't know what they are celebrating, and when the morning comes, hang over also comes and headaches and they regretted the night they celebrated. Believers celebrate JESUS in their life everyday, because they know it's all because of JESUS that they are alive and that they are found in JESUS. When morning comes, it will be another morning/day that the LORD gifted every believers and we rejoice in the LORD

Philippians 4:4 (Amplified Bible)

4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always [delight, gladden yourselves in Him]; again I say, Rejoice!

Psalms 37:4 (Amplified Bible)

37:4 Delight yourself also in the Lord, and He will give you the desires and secret petitions of your heart.

B. Reasons to rejoice

1. For we were once dead, now alive in CHRIST

2. For we were once lost, now found in CHRIST

"for this brother of yours was dead and is alive again! He was lost and is found!"

Luke 15:24 (Amplified Bible)

15:24 Because this my son was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found! And they began to revel and feast and make merry.

Ephesians 2:1-10 (Amplified Bible)

2:1 AND YOU [He made alive], when you were dead (slain) by [your] trespasses and sins

2:2 In which at one time you walked [habitually]. You were following the course and fashion of this world [were under the sway of the tendency of this present age], following the prince of the power of the air. [You were obedient to and under the control of] the [demon] spirit that still constantly works in the sons of disobedience [the careless, the rebellious, and the unbelieving, who go against the purposes of God].

2:3 Among these we as well as you once lived and conducted ourselves in the passions of our flesh [our behavior governed by our corrupt and sensual nature], obeying the impulses of the flesh and the thoughts of the mind [our cravings dictated by our senses and our dark imaginings]. We were then by nature children of [God’s] wrath and heirs of [His] indignation, like the rest of mankind.