The Resurrection Changes Everything!

The Resurrection Changes Everything!

Easter 2012

I want to start off today with some powerful words that Paul put to paper 2000 years ago for a bunch of believers who were living in the city of Corinth.

AND – let’s stand together as I read those words.

NOW – standing as we read Scripture is something that we do almost every week at Maple Grove… BECAUSE

Now, brothers, I want to remind you of the gospel I preached to you, which you received and on which you have taken your stand. By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain.

For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve.

After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also, as to one abnormally born.

– 1 Corinthians 15:1-8

Prayer

Two thousand years ago, God the Son (the alpha and omega… the beginning and the end… the prince of peace, the everlasting Father, the Mighty God) 2000 years ago Jesus LEFT - all the glories of heaven, put on human flesh (accepting it’s limitations) and entered human history… OR – should I say, entered HIS STORY…

UNDERSTAND - all of human history, every bit of it is REALLY ‘His’ Story. IN – the beginning God CREATED everything. AND SINCE – the dawn of creation the overriding theme of human History has been God’s passionate pursuit of a prodigal people. HAS BEEN – the story of a loving God doing whatever it takes (and I mean, absolutely whatever it takes… God so loved the world…) to bring people back to Himself.

That’s why Easter is the focal point of all history – because Jesus Christ (Our Savior King) is the center point of all human history I MEAN - think about it all time revolves around Jesus.

LISTEN – every time you date a check, every time create an event on your goggle calendar… every time this unbelieving world puts a date on a news paper (like the New York Times or Wall Street Journal) or a magazine cover (like People or Time) they are (whether they realize it or not, whether they admit it or not) bearing witness to the truth that Jesus lived, Jesus died and Jesus rose again…

YOU SEE – our world no matter how hard it tries, no matter how creative or hostile it gets, just cannot get away from JESUS. That’s why 2000 years later over 2 billion people all around the world are celebrating His Resurrection this weekend.

NOW MY GOAL – Easter 2012, is for this to be the most powerful and impacting Easter any of us have ever experienced in our lives. AND – the way I intend on making this goal a reality is by encouraging everyone in this room (that’s you and that’s me) to both understand and embrace the greatest truth in the universe… that, The Resurrection Changes Everything!

For those who have lost hope

For those who have lost heart

For those who has put their dreams on a shelf

For those who are disqualifying themselves

For those who don’t have it all together

The Resurrection changes Everything!

For the tired and broken

For the hungry and the thirsty

The lost and the found

The Resurrection changes Everything!

UNDERSTAND

YOU are NOT here by accident

In these sacred moments

YOU’VE been INVITED to ENCOUNTER

The risen Savior

The One who died and rose again

The Resurrection changes Everything!

QUESTION

Do YOU believe that?

Do YOU believe that ‘The Resurrection Changes Everything?

Would you like to believe it?

On a Sunday morning 2000 years ago a couple of ladies got up early before the sun had even risen in the sky… QUESTION… what are they doing up so early? What was it that drove them from their beds before dawn, and put them on a dark up hill climb, to a tomb.

UNDERSTAND - the thing that drove them, was their love for and devotion to Jesus… YOU SEE -- someone had to prepare His body for burial and no one else had volunteered; Peter didn’t, James didn’t, neither did John -- So it was up to these 2 faithful followers, 2 women who had never left the side of Jesus, 2 woman who were with Him until the very end -- it was up to them to do it, and they did..