Read Luke 24:1-12
He is Risen!
He is Risen Indeed!
There are physical structures like the Great Wall of China or Taj Mahal which are wonders that defy our imagination Today we celebrate an event that has changed millions of peoples souls an event that continues to release spiritual power into our lives 2000 years after it took place . . . This event . . . that millions will celebrate this weekend - world wide . . . is the single most important moment in all of history (all others moments pale in comparison to it!). Not only because of what happened (2000 years ago) . . . but because of the personal impact it can have on your life even today - right now - in this hour at Lakeview Church . . .
See today folks . . . I'm gonna talk to you about life transformation . . . today I'm gonna talk to you about how very alive God can be in your life . . . and about how you can receive spiritual power in your life . . . In fact you can receive the same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead . . . that power can be alive in your life - today! And that's no small/trivial message. This is great news!
Here's what I think . . . I think that that's why we come here, to church (especially on Easter Sunday) - I think we come to church because we want to believe in something bigger than ourselves - we want to believe in something outside the boundaries of life and death/outside the boundaries of pain and sorrow . . . and we want to believe in something bigger than . . . our down falls or our addictions . . . I think that's a big reason a lot of us are here today . . . we think there's something bigger out there too. Help us become who we are suppose to be.
Here's what I'm realizing about myself . . . that without God . . . it is impossible to create enduring positive change in my life . . . without God I cannot transform myself into who I want to be . . . really in any area of significance . . . let me give you an example.
Here's a simple thing - that I have tried on my own to change in my life since I was 20 . . . (a little honesty from the preacher today . . . confession is good for the soul . . . )
Here it is when I get stressed or uptight or down or frustrated (or even just hungry or tired) (I get angry) and I take it out in the people I love the most - my family - snap at kids - impatient with Pam I take all the negative stuff I'm feeling and I pass it on to them . . . . . .
Now I don't mean to do that, but I do it . . . I can't seem to change it on my own . . . and it just cycles back on me, time and time again . . . And you know what? I've come to realize that I'll never see it change on my own - I'll never get a hold of that and see it change long term without God changing me.
Folks do you (ever feel that kind of thing in your life you know - cycles of fairly destructive behaviour). (When it comes to being hungry) Some of you are nearly there already - no time for breakfast and lunch is a ways away !! Reality is - I need power to change my life that is different than I can get on my own and so do you if you want to create enduring change.
But today (on Easter Sunday) - even for me there is good news - The power of the resurrection is about that transformation . . . its about God's power coming alive in us to change us into the people God intended for us to be . . .
The power of the resurrection is all about:
- Darkness being replaced with light
- Weakness being replaced with strength
- Foolishness being replaced with wisdom
- Sin being replaced with grace
- Pain being transformed into healing
- Regret being transformed into forgiveness
- Sorrow being transformed into joy
- Depression being transformed into hope
And folks if we're honest that's why we came here today . . . to begin to be transformed . . . into the people God created us to be . . . So please hear this message clearly - there is great hope for all of us today.
One of the best lines Jesus ever said to someone is found in a story in Mark Chapter 9 when a man brings his ailing son to Jesus for help . . . and then the guys says . . . "If it's possible, will you heal my son?" and I love Jesus response . . . He says what do you mean . . . if its possible? "All things are possible to the one who believes."
Then listen to the father's response . . . "I believe, help my unbelief ". . . and folks that's me - that's where I live . . . " I believe, help my unbelief" . . . and that line is also one of the keys to unlocking our spiritual lives . . . see . . .being a Christ follower is not about eliminating doubt (that guy had huge doubts . . . about whether Jesus could help is son . . . but that's not what being a Christ follower is about (not about eliminating doubt) . . . it's about acting on faith . . . and you don't need a whole bunch of it . . . in fact . . . Jesus said . . . "If you only have faith (just a little bit . . .) . . . you'll be able to move any mountain standing in your way . . .
" If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."
Matthew 17:20 NIV
But his point was simple you must act on that faith . . . (I'm gonna ask you to) (think about that over the next few minutes . . . ) - I'll give you a chance to respond and (act on faith) . . . in a few moments.
Three ideas connected with the resurrection and your spiritual life.
I. FEED HOPE
On that 1st Easter Sunday morning a group of women were going to the tomb where they expected to find Jesus body . . . but instead they meet an angel who says . . . He isn't here - He's risen! He's Alive! . . . And then the angel says remember what Jesus told you . . . ? And I love the next part of this story . . . it says . . . "Then they remembered Jesus words" (about His death and resurrection and what He must accomplish) and when they remembered what Jesus had said (when he was alone). . . something happened inside of them . . . something bubbled up . . . something began to change . . . and that something was hope . . . and if you follow the story through . . . it says they then, ran back to tell everybody else what the angel had said . . .and spread that Hope around . . . See . . . Hope is an amazing source of power - God uses Hope - to hold us up - to suspend us with His strength - (Even in the face of death or evil or darkness) and like an invisible wind . . . He uses Hope to call us to soar to new heights in life . . . People, hope is a hugely essential ingredient to life . . . did you know we were created to be hopeful? . . . That's how God made us . . . He made us in his own image and (God is full of hope). . . see . . . hope represents the basic character of who God is . . . God is:
all good
all loving
all of which create hope . . .
all merciful
all powerful
In fact He is all of those, all at the same time . . . and the Bible says everything in this whole universe is being worked out towards God's purpose . . . and you know what? . . . (catch this)That means love is always gonna be more powerful than hate . . . and good will always be more powerful than evil . . . and that also means, that good will eventually triumph over evil . . . Forever . . . (and that creates great hope within us) . . . and folks let me tell you . . . (trust me on this one . . . ) without hope . . . we die . . . ((now) for some it may be a slow death) - but if there is no hope - there is no life . . . we'd fall like a kite with no wind . . .
You know, in every civilization throughout history . . . people have held a belief and a hope that life doesn't end at the grave . . . Every civilization pictures life after death . . . they always have - because life after death is the essence of hope - hope anticipates the best possible scenario . . . hope believes the best is yet to come (so how do you build hope?) If you can't live without it - how can we build it in our lives.
In Luke 24 the women at the tomb built hope by listening (not just with their ears but) with their hearts . . . and "they remembered His words" in their hearts . . . So . . . how do you feed hope in your life? How do you build hope that will last? This sounds pretty simple - but I think it's truth . . . (If you want to build hope in your life . . . ) I would suggest it's about what you're listening to . . . and its about who your listening to . . . Do you know that This Book . . . The word of God is active and alive . . . and it feed's your heart and your spirit at a deeper level . . . You can build hope in your life by remembering Christ's words in the Bible . . . How else can you feed hope?
By listening to Jesus words every day as you connect and grow your relationship with Him . . . That's one way to feed hope . . . by listening with your heart to the words of Christ
Philippians 4:13 says
"I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength"
Here's the deal . . . the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is in me and is in you . . . as we follow Christ (I don't know if you heard me . . . the same power) (that's big power . . . ) And Jesus said . . . Nothing is impossible with God It's like an invisible wind underneath us (God's possibilities) . . . Robert Schuller said this . . . "Build a dream and a dream will build you . . . " And folks that is just the truth . . .
That's how you can feed hope and build hope into your life . . . . . . by having a dream that's big enough that only God can accomplish it in your life time . . . .
We need God sized dreams . . . Thursday afternoon - dozens of Easter food hampers went out the doors of this church and into our community . . . and I saw people delivering those hampers who had God sized dreams - Dreams that someday God could impact people in need in every corner of this city and in the very core . . . through this church . . . (That's a God sized dream)
And we need God sized dreams to feed hope . . . Chapter 6 is part of a God sized dream that began all the way back in 1923 Sarah Radke is 1923 had a God sized dream and it turned into Lakeview Church. I remember being 22 years old (1st year here) in a board meeting and listening to (my boss) Pastor Glen Teal and the Elders of this church in 1989 dream about someday having over 500 seeking people become part of this community of faith (and now there is that is nearly every service) and how, even then, they dreamt of this next stage of our history (called Chapter 6) that we are living out . . . and let me tell you, those God sized dreams fed my Hope at 22 years old and it's never left . . . I told a friend here on Wednesday morning . . . that I would give the best years of my life to see a dream of God sized proportions become a reality here at Lakeview Church - WHY?
Dreams feed Hope!! And without hope we die Hope is what creates soul breath in our lives . . .
People hear this . . . "You can do all things through Christ" all things . . . whether it's a dream God is building in you, or a rut he wants to pull you out of, or an addiction that's eating you up - or a relationship that's frustrating or failing . . . or worse . . . You can do all things - endure all things - conquer all things- through Christ . . . How? When you walk with Jesus - He gives you the same power from God . . . that God used to raise him from the dead . . .
Here's what I know to be true . . Jesus will never leave you alone - He will never leave you stranded and He'll never turn His back on you And as you turn your life over to Him everyday more and more every day . . . . He will accomplish what He began in you the moment your were created . . . He will finish what He started . . . He will work in your life powerfully . . . and, . . . by the same power that raised Jesus from the dead . . . He will transform you (and me) into who we really are . . . and He will fill you up and make you whole and alive and allow you to soar . . . like you've never imagined . . . amazing. People . . . feed hope - it is an essential of life . . .
I Peter 1:8 "Though you have not seen Him . . . you love Him and even though you don't see Him now, you believe in Him . . . and . . . (Here comes the hope) are filled with an expressible and glorious joy . . . "
Feed hope - it is a gift of life direct from the hand of God. Here's another idea to remember on Easter Sunday morning . . . After you feed your hope . . .
II. Act on Faith
Listen to what happens in our story in Luke 24, as the women (filled with hope) run back to tell everyone else - (Jesus disciples).
"But the others did not believe the women, because their words seemed to them like nonsense. Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened."
Luke 24:11 & 12 NIV
So the women went to the men and shared this news with them that Christ had been raised from the grave . . . Now it's interesting that the women hadn't seen Jesus with their own eyes yet - They had only heard . . . but had moved from hope to action. (I won't make any comment about how slow the men were to respond . . . at least 11 or the 12).
Now . . . if you read that verse - what's the difference between Peter and the other 10 disciples? See Peter, just like the others, didn't believe the resurrection could logically happen . . . But here's what he did . . . he held off - on his doubts, he suspended his disbelief . . . in order to act on faith and he ran to the tomb . . . Peter still had huge doubts but (the difference is) the other 10 disciples sat on their doubts and didn't act . . .
People to fully experience the power of the resurrection you have to suspend your disbelief - and act on God's possibilities. You have to hold back on your doubts long enough to take a step of faith . . .
See Peter knew that a resurrection from the dead was not logical - or probable - it just doesn't happen very often and he knew that . . . (as a rule once your dead your dead) . . . But he was willing to suspend disbelief and act on faith and run to the tomb . . .
See folks, the question we have to ask, is not what is logical - but what is possible . . . what does God want to do? What are the possibilities . . . ?
One thought comes to my mind here . . . about a person who leads here at the church . . .
His name is Don Pogoda . . . about 6 - 7 years ago or so - Don and I had a coffee - he was working at Dodge City Autobody - (paint and body guy his whole life) - but he had gifts and talents that I knew God could use in the church . . . I love telling Don's story - I tell it all over where I go - because it doesn't make sense . . . It isn't logical - but God wanted to do something . . . And so you all know the story - an autobody guy - took a huge pay cut and a huge jump of faith to become the best Jr. High Pastor in western Canada . . . and 100's of kids will grow up knowing more about Jesus because of Don Pogoda - no theological training - no church experience - not even any, outside the church, kids experience . . . made no sense - but God saw him and uses him and blesses all of us through him - every week. And Don suspended his doubt long enough to act . . . and God blessed Don and his ministry to kids . . .
See folks - no matter who it is Don Pogoda or me or you . . . the same principle applies . . . (you have to believe in what you don't see, in order to experience the power of God) (repeat) Faith is not based on what is, obvious or physically visible no once we come to Jesus Christ . . . we need to begin to see - not with the eyes in our heads - but with the eyes of our hearts.
Catch this - (I think this will help us understand . . . ) Electricity is absolutely vital to our society - in fact civilization as we know it - can be immobilized by the lack of electricity . . . but did you know that electricity has existed since the beginning of time (we just couldn't tap into it . . . ) . . . We just didn't know about it until Ben Franklin put a kite up in the sky with a key hanging from it in a thunder storm (you know the story?) . . . and the invisible power of the lightning got connected with that key and fried that kite to nothing . . .
Electricity is an invisible source that drives the visible - (power lights out on stage). So is the wind - you can't see the wind, but you can certainly feel it's power- it is the power of the invisible, that holds up the visible . . . Well folks in our lives . . . there is incredible power - available to us . . . and if we act on faith - and engage our lives (in possibility not just logic) . . . (in the unseen not just the seen) . . . We will see that power work in our lives in ways we can't imagine.
So, how can you build resurrection power (in your life?). By faith . . . feed your hope and don't act on your doubt . . . even if you only have a little bit of faith - get up and act on that little bit of faith . . . and God will work wonders . . . Don Pogoda didn't even send a resume in - he just called me and said - I think I'm supposed to come and work with you . . . Think we made the right call?
One more thought and we are done . . .
III. Start Something New
(or better yet let something new be started in your!!)
Just as Christ was raised from the dead by the power of God, we too may live a new life.
Romans 6:4
Let me tell you what happened to me this week. I read my Bible . . . Now that may not seem all that profound to you . . . but it was to me . . . because when I read these verses about Easter - about the power of God in the resurrection and all that it means for us - I got pretty excited. I mean, I got it - I felt it - I understood the power of the resurrection maybe just for a second I just caught a glimpse of it . . . But . . . (let me repeat) See . . . the truth about Easter Sunday is in the power . . . that (the same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead lives inside of us . . . when we commit our lives to follow Jesus) (repeat) God actually lives in us and the Holy Spirit's power is available to us.
Did you hear that? It seems so elementary - yet so profound! The power of God power enough to make a dead man come alive - is in my life (and yours). And better yet, God wants to use that power to change my life (and yours) . . .
This kinda got me going this week . . . See, if that's true - think of the implications. If it's true that the same power that raised Jesus from the dead is available to us every day by faith . . ·
Then sin can no longer have any hold on us . . .
If it's true . . .
· Then any fear we have about the future will disappear because we will walk boldly by faith
· Then those false things we try to fill our lives up with will be shown to us as fake - because we'll really see Jesus
· And those relentless addictions or habits don't have to ruin our lives . . .
See people, if all the power of God is available to us . . . our whole lives will be transformed . . .
· And we will be able to become the person we were created to become
· We will be able to love like Jesus odes and care like Jesus cares
· We will be able to respond like Jesus does
· We will be able to have self-control like Jesus does
· We will be able to have the wisdom that Jesus does
· We will be able to see ourselves the way Jesus does . . .
- As beautiful children of the king
- As amazing creations o As gifts from God . . .
Do you see it now? Take it another step . . . If all these changes are possible, then what do you thin will happen to:
· Our friendships and the way we respond to them (If Christ is alive in our lives)
· The way we parent and how patient we are with our kids
· The way we love our spouses
· Our marriages
· Our families and the way we get along with them
· Our future and the difference we could make?
People, it's amazing to think about! I mean if you think your life is good now, think again and add this truth to the mix . . . let your heart get stirred with the emotion of it.
God wants to pour His spirit into your life - His power into your soul - God wants to transform your life! Amazing!
Folks, there's really only one response as human beings when we hear and understand this truth . . . and that's to say "thanks" . . . to fall on our knees and humbly acknowledge God's place in our lives . . . and simply say, "thanks". "Thanks for loving us so much that you sent your Son to die . . . but better yet, that you raised Him to life so we might find freedom from sin . . . and power to live on." God is so good . . .
(The apostle Paul said . . . )
I want to know Christ and the power of his resurrection. Not that I have already obtained all this, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hole of me. But one think I do : (forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead), I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.
Philippians 3:10-14
People, today I want to give you a chance to respond to the power of God. To take hold of his power . . . This news is too great to simple hear and internalize but then not allow it to impact us . . . that would not do this truth justice. We must act on faith - suspend doubt (practical) (communication cards - everyone) (I'm going to Waskesui today and I'm going to take these cards with me and pray for each of you by name.)
3 responses:
1. Say thanks (I've got the power)
2. Step into faith - into relationship (I want the power)
3. Step out of sin that's been holding you back (I want to apply the power) - even if you've followed God for a long time . . . today you can get that sin habit broken by God.
Start think about which number you are . . . If you are a #2 (I want that power in my life) here's how to step into faith with Jesus Christ - please listen carefully:
· Simply open your heart to God and ask Him to come into your life - ask Him to forgive your past (to forgive anything that has stood between you and Him), then ask Him to begin to lead your life from now on . . . I'll lead you in a prayer like this in just a minute . . .
If you're a #1 today, (I've got the power) then spend these next moments saying thanks and claiming the victory of Christ in your life. If you're a #3, (specific area where power is needed) use these moments to build your faith - to believe that Christ is alive in your life and has the power to break any sin - any habit that is destructive. I'll pray for you in a moment as well . . .
I want you to think for a minute and search your soul. Take a moment to talk to God. And then respond and act - decide which your are : #1 - thanks, I've got the power, #2 - step into faith in a new way , or #3 - apply the power to an area of sin in you life . . . |
