What The Resurrection Means To You

WHAT THE RESURRECTION MEANS TO YOU

1 PETER 1:3–6 PRAISE BE TO THE GOD AND FATHER OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST! IN HIS GREAT MERCY HE HAS GIVEN US NEW BIRTH INTO A LIVING HOPE THROUGH THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST FROM THE DEAD, 4AND INTO AN INHERITANCE THAT CAN NEVER PERISH, SPOIL OR FADE—KEPT IN HEAVEN FOR YOU, 5WHO THROUGH FAITH ARE SHIELDED BY GOD’S POWER UNTIL THE COMING OF THE SALVATION THAT IS READY TO BE REVEALED IN THE LAST TIME. 6IN THIS YOU GREATLY REJOICE, THOUGH NOW FOR A LITTLE WHILE YOU MAY HAVE HAD TO SUFFER GRIEF IN ALL KINDS OF TRIALS.

INTRODUCTION: AS WE CONTINUE WITH OUR EASTER SERIES, I WOULD LIKE TO TURN OUR ATTENTION TO WHAT THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST MEANS TO US. IN OTHER WORDS, WHAT IS THE BENEFIT OF THE RESURRECTION. YOU WILL REMEMBER THAT LAST WEEK WE ANSWERED THE QUESTION OF WHY EASTER MATTERS.

IN LOOKING AT GENESIS CHAPTER THREE AND THE INTRODUCTION OF SIN IN THE WORLD, EASTER MATTERS BECAUSE IT IS THE EVENTS OF EASTER THAT GAVE US THE WAY TO RETURN TO GOD. WITH OUT THE DEATH OF CHRIST – THE PERFECT SACRIFICE, WE WOULD HAVE NO AVENUE TO RESTORE THE RELATIONSHIP MAN HAD WITH GOD IN THE BEGINNING.

TRANSITION: NOW, THIS MORNING, I WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A FEW MOMENTS AND LOOK AT WHAT THE RESURRECTION MEANS TO US, AND THERE ARE A FEW POINTS THE TEXT GIVES US TO ANSWER THAT QUESTION.

1. THE RESURRECTION IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO THANK GOD FOR SALVATION.

a. OUR TEXT TELLS US THAT PRAISE – THANKS SHOULD BE DIRECTED TO GOD FOR OUR SALVATION.

b. ONE OF THE INTERESTING THINGS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT, IS THAT MAN WAS RESTRICTED FROM EVER GETTING CLOSE TO GOD.

c. HE RELIED ON OTHERS, THE PRIESTS, TO GO TO GOD FOR HIM

d. HE WAS ALWAYS DOING SOMETHING TO EITHER KEEP HIMSELF RIGHT WITH GOD, OR RESTORE HIMSELF RIGHT WITH GOD

e. THIS CAME IN THE FORM OF SACRIFICES. IN ESSENCE MAN WAS ALWAYS DOING SOMETHING REGARDING HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.

f. WITH THE RESURRECTION, WE FIND THAT THIS WAS AN ACT OF GOD’S GRACE

i. GRACE IS DEFINED AS GETTING WHAT WE DO NOT DESERVE. AND I AM SURE YOU HAVE HEARD ME GIVE THIS DEFINITION BEFORE.

ii. THIS IS A HUGE SHIFT

iii. INSTEAD OF US GIVING TO GOD WHAT HE DESERVES -- SACRIFICES FOR OUR SINS

iv. GOD GAVE US WHAT WE DID NOT DESERVE – A PERFECT SACRIFICE FOR OUR SINS THAT PROVIDES A WAY BACK TO HIM,

g. SINCE THE FALL OF MAN GOD HAS ALWAYS WANTED THE RELATIONSHIP, HE HAD WITH HIS CREATION AT THE BEGINNING OF TIME

h. WHAT MAKES THIS SALVATION SO WORTHY OF THANKS IS THAT IS ALL COMES FROM GOD. ONCE ONE COMES TO KNOW JESUS CHRIST AS SAVIOR AND LORD’S THERE IS NO GUESS WORK AS TO WHETHER THE CROSS WORK OF CHRIST WAS ENOUGH.

i. JESUS SAID IT BEST WHILE HANGING ON THE CROSS – “IT IS FINISHED.”

ON DECEMBER 6, 1865, JUST MONTHS AFTER THE CIVIL WAR ENDED, THE THIRTEENTH AMENDMENT OUTLAWING SLAVERY WAS RATIFIED AND BECAME THE LAW OF THE LAND. BUT THAT DIDN’T MEAN EVERY STATE APPROVED THE RATIFICATION OF THE AMENDMENT. MISSISSIPPI’S STATE LEGISLATURE, FOR EXAMPLE, WAS DOMINATED BY WHITES BITTER OVER THE DEFEAT OF THE CONFEDERACY, AND THEY REJECTED THE MEASURE.

ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY YEARS PASSED BEFORE MISSISSIPPI TOOK ACTION. BY 1995, MISSISSIPPI WAS THE ONLY STATE IN THE UNITED STATES, THAT HAD NOT APPROVED THE RATIFICATION OF THE THIRTEENTH AMENDMENT.

FINALLY, ON THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1995, THE MISSISSIPPI SENATE VOTED UNANIMOUSLY TO OUTLAW SLAVERY BY APPROVING THE RATIFICATION OF THE THIRTEENTH AMENDMENT TO THE CONSTITUTION. SENATOR HILLMAN FRAZIER, A MEMBER OF MISSISSIPPI’S LEGISLATIVE BLACK CAUCUS, SAID, “I THINK IT’S VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO SHOW THE WORLD THAT WE HAVE PUT THE PAST BEHIND US.”

ii. WITH THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST – WHAT WAS WRONG WAS MADE RIGHT.

iii. IF YOU ARE SITTING HERE TODAY AND YOU NEVER ACCEPTED CHRIST AS YOUR SAVIOR

1. YOU ARE STILL SEPARATED FROM GOD BY YOUR SINS

2. YOU HAVE MISSED THE OPPORTUNITY TO SAY THANK YOU TO GOD FOR ALL HE DID

3. AND, PROVIDENTIALLY, YOU CAN “GET IT RIGHT”. INVITE JESUS IN!

2. THE RESURRECTION IS THE CATALYST THAT CHANGED HOPELESSNESS IN TO HOPE.

a. WITHOUT THE RESURRECTION, WE WERE HOPELESS

b. WE HAVE NO CONFIDENCE OF OUR FUTURE ETERNITY

i. WE ALREADY KNOW THAT WE HAVE ALL SINNED AND FALLEN SHORT OF THE GLORY OF GOD

ii. WE KNOW THE WAGES OF OUR SIN IS DEATH – SEPARATION FROM GOD

iii. WITHOUT THIS HOPE, ALL WE CAN BE EXPECTED TO HEAR IS, “DEPART FROM ME – I NEVER KNEW YOU.”

c. WITH THE RESURRECTION COMES HOPE