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-Easter Service
Because
He Lives
1
Corinthians 15:12-20
Today is
Easter Sunday. To some it means baskets, eggs, and bunnies.
·
To
others, it is just another day – another Sunday with no importance
at all
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“High
Holy” day – a day to attend church - it may be the only day of the
year they attend
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For
others, it is a day to show off the new wardrobe
For the
believer it means that Jesus Christ is alive!
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We serve
a rising Savior and He’s in the world today!
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Low in
the Grave He lay; Jesus my Savior,
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Waiting
the coming day; Jesus my Lord.
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Up from
the grave He arose; With a mighty triumph over His foes.
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He
a-rose a victor from the dark domain; and He lives forever with the
saints to reign.
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He
arose! He arose! Hallelujah – HE AROSE!
We just
finished singing “Because He Lives I Can Face Tomorrow”
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That is
so true – but the songwriter stopped short of describing the
importance of knowing that we serve a
living Savior!
I would
like to share with you this glorious Easter morning at least
THREE THINGS that we can face “BECAUSE HE LIVES!”
BECAUSE HE LIVES … I CAN FACE LIFE
A.
There are only three days that we need to concern ourselves with –
Yesterday – Today – Tomorrow
1.
Yesterday
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Yesterday is gone – there is no need to fret about it
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We
cannot change it even if we tried
FRIENDS
–
We can
learn from it
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Spiritual markers in our lives
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Burning bush experiences
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We
can learn to give God credit for where He has worked in our
lives
1.
Tomorrow
-
Tomorrow has not come – and it may not come
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So,
there is no reason to concern ourselves with it
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Proverbs 27:1 – “Boast not thyself of tomorrow; For thou knowest
not what a day may bring forth”
FRIENDS
–
This
doesn’t mean that we cannot make future plans.
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It
means that we need to be living today as if tomorrow will never
come
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We
need to take seriously living each day for Jesus
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Jesus said: “Take up your cross and follow Me daily!”
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We
need to be sharing the Gospel with as many people as possible
3.
Today
-
That
only leaves one day – and that day is TODAY!
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Psalm 118:24 – “This is the day the Lord has made; We will
rejoice and be glad in it.”
B. I
don’t have to worry
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In Matthew 6, Jesus says,
“Therefore I say unto you, take no thought for your life, what
ye shall eat, or what you shall drink; nor yet for your body,
what shall ye put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the
body than raiment?”
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“Take no thought”
- means do not be anxious!
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The
Greek word means “to be so disturbed that we distrust God and
are so distracted from faithfully doing His will.”
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Implication:
All
anxiety is provoked by worrying about material and temporal
things
-
Such
Anxiety –
causes a person to avoid the responsibility of work in order to
cooperate with God’s provision
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Anxiousness –
is a concern or grief beyond our immediate needs
FRIENDS
–
It is the direct opposite of carefulness, cautiousness, and faith.
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Therefore, even the poor are not to worry needlessly about what
they should eat, drink, or wear.
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“Is
not the life more than meat, and the body raiment?”
-
This
indicates that inner stability must come from the Spirit of God
– not from outward physical provisions
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To
set one’s heart upon material possessions or to worry about the
lack of them is to live in perpetual insecurity;
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And
to deprive one’s self of the spiritual blessings of God.
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Allow God to take your burdens
1.
Whatever life’s tragedies, Christ can give me the courage needed to
face them – He can give me the victory!
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Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through Christ which
strengthens me.”
2. Not
everything that happens to Christians is good – AMEN!
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But
God can use it for good
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Romans 8:28 – “And we know that all things work together for
good to them that love God, to them who are called according to
His purpose.”
BECAUSE HE LIVES… I CAN FACE DEATH
1. It
matters not how loud a person may declare that he does not fear
death
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How
that individual behaves when he faces death is the true
test of whether or not he fears death
Story –
Near
death one atheist cried out; “There is
one thing that mars all the pleasure of my life. I am afraid the
Bible is true. Here is what pierces my soul, if the Bible is true, I
am lost forever!”
2. Those
who have faith in Christ
-
No
one truly yearns for death – but the Christian is so assured of
eternal life that fear is not a major factor.
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Stephen could face death bravely knowing that Jesus would
receive Him
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Paul said:
“I
am now ready to be offered and the time of my departure is at
hand. I have fought the good fight, I have finished my course, I
have kept the faith.
-
(2
Tim.4:6-7).
FRIENDS
– The difference is Jesus Christ – Because HE lives I can face
death!
BECAUSE HE LIVES … I CAN FACE ETERNITY
A.
Judgment is real!
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Hebrews 9:27 – “And it is appointed unto men to die once and
then the judgment!”
1. Many
would like to do away with hell and certain judgment
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But
it cannot be done
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Hell
is as real as heaven!
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Often the same verses that speak of the blessings of eternal
life also tell of condemnation.
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John
3:36 – “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life; and
he that believeth not the Son shall NOT SEE LIFE, but the wrath
of God abideth on Him.”
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Romans 6:23 – “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of
God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.”
B. Jesus
Paid It All!
1. I can
face eternity because Jesus paid it all for me.
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Jesus paid it all – All to Him I owe;
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Sin
had left a crimson stain – He washed it white as snow!
2. I
would love to be able to stand here and tell you that everyone in
the world will be going to heaven
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But
I can’t!
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The
Bible tells me that in comparison there will be few that are
saved
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Matthew 7:14 – “Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the
way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”
CLOSE
What
about this morning friends?
Do you
know Jesus as your personal Savior?
JESUS IS
ALIVE!
BECAUSE
HE LIVES I CAN FACE – LIFE – DEATH – AND ETERNITY!
CAN YOU MAKE THE SAME CLAIM THIS MORNING?
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