The Change Of The Resurrection

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.