The Risen Savior Is Our Living Hope

II. OUR LIVING HOPE OF VICTORY.

A. There was to be no questions or doubts. The empty tomb was proof that Christ came back to life!

1. Some had doubted. Some did not believe. The guards spread rumors.

2. No matter, Christ was / is alive. His resurrection means our victory is guaranteed. Verse 22.

B. Paul writes briefly of the resurrection order or timeline. Verse 23. Christ rise first, then believers.

1. Paul was looking to the end of the lives of believers and also to the end of the world.

2. Verse 24. On the Last Day, Judgment Day, Christ destroys every enemy of his church.

C. After this victory Jesus hands over his kingdom to his Father. This is the end of sin and death forever.

1. Until that Last Day we are blessed to know Christ is in complete control. Verse 25.

2. Christ rules from heaven on our behalf. The risen Savior is our living hope.

3. Whether it be the end of our earthly life or the end of the world in verse 26 = victory is ours!

D. We celebrate and rejoice on this special anniversary of Jesus’ resurrection. Many in the world do not celebrate Jesus’ victory because they do not care. They do not celebrate Jesus’ victory because they sim-ply do not know. How amazing that God’s grace has called us out of darkness into his marvelous light. How amazing that God’s power has changed our hearts of stone into believing hearts of flesh. We do not deserve God’s grace, we have not earned it and we cannot buy it in any store. God freely gives amazing grace to believers as living hope of victory. "For everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who be-lieves that Jesus is the Son of God"(1 JOHN 5:4,5).

E. We celebrate and rejoice this morning, actually every day, that to each of us our gracious God has also provided and guaranteed victory over death. Visit with your neighbors and acquaintances. Ask them about death. You may be surprised at how many are uncertain or even fearful. That future beyond earthly living is unknown to many. How sad, to live in fear and ignorance. Scripture is abundantly clear. "’He will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign LORD will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove the disgrace of his people from all the earth.’ The LORD has spoken"(ISAIAH 25:8). The guar-anteed victory of the living hope is seen in Jesus’ resurrection in the fact that The LORD has spoken!

F. Today’s Scripture lessons (listed at the bottom of the page) also re-emphasize God’s victory of the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Still our lives may seem filled with trouble and sorrow. We may even be bothered about death from time to time. The world does a good job in making it seem like enjoying life here on earth is the only thing that really matters. Life here on earth ends up being dis-appointing and in the end hopeless. The Lord promises his victory to us and for us. "Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory" (COLOSSIANS 3:2-4).