John 20:1-18, 30-31, John 6:39-40 | The Grace That Raises the Dead | Shaun McGregor

Will Jesus resurrect you?

Transcript

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the Son of God and by that and that's by believing you may have life in his name. And then the last reading that is uh um chapter six chapter six only two words verse uh thirty-nine to forty chapter six verse thirty nine to forty and this is the will of him who sent me that I shall lost none of all those who he has given me but raise them up at the last a day for my father's will is that everyone who looked to the Son and believed in him shall have eternal life and I will raise them up at last a day.

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Well don't you find that most days are ordinary days one day is the same as the day before and one day seems to make no difference to the one after it and when you look back you have trouble remembering each day most days are ordinary days but there are some days aren't there that are far from ordinary and that change everything. As you think back on your life what are the days that have made the biggest difference that stand in your mind that you can picture yourself when you first heard or when it first happened it could be an accident that you weren't expecting but then brings a disability it could be a medical diagnosis or I can remember a number of times in my family when the news has come that someone has died suddenly and things will never be the same. All those things sort of happen to you but sometimes we have days that change everything where where we decide we make it happen. It's our will I think of my wedding day when by my choice I married my beautiful wife I think of the day our first child was born which I had something to do with and nothing was ever the same again. And some of you are looking forward to or perhaps can remember the day you retired and became really busy because every retired person I meet tells me how busy they are there are days in our life that are extraordinary and that change everything. Today we remember one of those days a day that changes everything. But God has another one as well another one that comes from today from the day that Jesus rose from the dead from resurrection day and we heard about it in that last verse from the Bible I wonder if you can guess what it is a teaser. Firstly on Resurrection Day Jesus rose from the dead because it was his father's will the day Jesus died was actually very ordinary we'd hide death in hospitals today and people live to an old age generally and so most of us see someone die very few times in our life. But back in Jesus' day hospitals hadn't been invented. Christians didn't get to do that until it was legalized 300 years later. And people died earlier. Historians estimate that every day in Jesus' day twenty thousand people died around the world that's about one every two minutes every two minutes someone would die like a drum beat a heartbeat except not Jesus' death of course on Good Friday was excruciating death on a cross but not unusual in his day in fact quite ordinary historians estimate that during the Roman Empire in the first century on average five people were crucified every day. Whether you died by a cross or by natural means the will to live is always overcome by the will of death Good Friday was an ordinary day. And frankly Easter Sunday was an ordinary day. We imagine maybe it was a announced as a national day of mourning but far from that by the time Jesus died the crowds that followed him had gone. His enemies were celebrating and everyone else it was just another day. Of course those who loved him were mourning but that itself is ordinary and normal isn't it they were grieving they didn't know how to go on presumably they woke up and for a brief moment they didn't remember and everything was normal and then they suddenly remembered the shock and the disbelief have you experienced that when you see that in a movie you can identify with it can't you even if you haven't experienced it yourself yet you focus on the arrangements of the funeral on the things that need to be done it's terrible but ordinary and Jesus was dead and there was nothing and no one that could change that. So what did the women do on that first Easter Sunday? They went to care for his body and what did the men do nothing but then an ordinary day became a very confusing day. Verse 1 the women came and they saw that the stone had been removed and the tomb where he had been laid was empty his body was gone do they say now he's alive? No, they say his body must have been taken so they tell the disciples Peter and John come to see and they see what do they see strips of linen and cloth verse 8 it says John saw and believed did he believe that Jesus was alive at this point? I don't think so I think it means he believed what Mary said thankfully by now they have taken the body he is not there do they then search for Jesus? Do they tell others? No the men just went back home confused. Mary herself is confused and weeping and when she sees Jesus get this she thinks he's a gardener it's all so extraordinary but death is so ordinary so normal that all they have is confusion finally finally when Jesus says her name Mary finally when he appears to the disciples and they see his hands and his side they believe and the ordinary day that became a confusing day was now Resurrection Day. I wonder where are you on this day? Do you find the evidence overwhelming? And you see that this is no ordinary day this is the resurrection day and today you are filled with joy or perhaps for you you really do think it's an ordinary day people die and they always stay dead it's sad but that's the reality it doesn't matter how much evidence there might be I'm not going to believe it. Is that you? Or perhaps you're a little more open-minded and today is a confusing day. You're not sure what to make of it. Maybe it's true maybe it's not John's gospel he gives us a series of signs to show who Jesus is this is the ultimate sign the resurrection with so much evidence. These things are written he says that you may believe if for you today is an ordinary day or a confusing day isn't it about time you investigated and worked it out why not join us at Alpha On resurrection day Jesus rose from the dead but why he's a very simple reason because God decided that because it was Jesus's father's will in verse nine of the account it says they saw the linen, the empty tomb but they were confused why verse nine they still did not understand from scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead when I was at university studying medicine one of the very clever students said to me one day I had lots of acne she said I don't get pimples because I don't like them. So they have to go away this woman is now a surgeon you'll be pleased to know why was it that Jesus rose from the dead was it that he didn't like being dead was it that he had more important things to do and so he had to rise no he had to rise because scripture the Bible said so because it was God's plan it was his will that his son would suffer and die and rise again's what Jesus said about it before he died. No one takes my life from me he said but I lay it down of my own accord his own will I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again to rise this command I received from my father he gave his flesh he rose up again because that's what his father wanted the resurrection was his father's will. In our culture we don't talk much about will do we it's a philosophical term but it's in the air that we breathe all the time you can choose who you want to be. You should choose who you want to be you do you there is nothing that you can't do we tell our children go and fulfill your dreams I was teaching a scripture class at the local school we learnt about how God created the world and so I asked the question if God created the world who then controls the future and one of the students said we do because if we can do anything we can set our minds to anything we will be able to do it. Nothing will get in our way yet we've seen recently haven't we that powerful leaders can interrupt our plans they can interrupt our plans for travel they can raise our petrol prices or if you're in the wrong place they can kill you with a missile they have a will and they use it. And we know don't we that accidents chronic sickness disability and in the end death has a will and you cannot beat it. But we think somehow don't we that God is the one person who's not allowed to have a will I shouldn't have to listen to him. But when something goes wrong of course I will blame him we expel him to the margins we don't think he's able to intervene because we are in charge and God says to us on resurrection day you're wrong you are not in charge even death is not in charge on resurrection day God declares that he has a will a will for our world a will for my life and for your life and he asks you will you now willingly submit your life to my will on resurrection day Jesus rose from the dead because it was his father's will death had been beaten God showed his will rules over every other will even death and so surely you would expect that this changes everything that from the day of the resurrection other people would be resurrected back in 1962 John F. Kennedy the young president made a bold declaration he had a will and he declared it what did he say we choose to go to the moon not because it is easy but because it is hard. By the end of this decade we commit to putting a man on the moon it was extraordinary it seemed impossible but with all the will and with all the money they managed to do it and the whole world watched as for the first time in tens of thousands of years of human history we managed to set foot on another planetary body. You've all heard of this this is not news to any of us you've seen it haven't you but did you know I didn't know this that in the next three years NASA went back five times. Once they'd done it once they could do it again and again and again until they lost interest because there didn't seem to be much point and we haven't been back for 53 years. Once you've done it once you can do it again and Jesus rose from the dead and now crucifixion is less common thankfully but death is not I looked it up how many people have died since Jesus rose from the dead what do you think one hundred billion people that's the estimate I couldn't get a picture of a graveyard with that many people but here's the next best thing it's a war graveyard D-Day in France it has almost 10,000 crosses one hundred billion the drum beat just keeps beating so what was it all about? If Jesus rose from the dead because it was the Father's will and defeated death what was the good of it all I promised you another day didn't I God has another day. He calls it the last day on the last day Jesus will raise everyone who believes in him because it is his father's will hear these words from Jesus and this is the will of him who sent me that I shall lose none of all those he has given me this is John six coming up on the screen. This is the will of all who sent me that I shall lose none of all that he has given me but raise them up at the last day for it's my father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life and I will raise them up at the last day if you give chocolate Easter eggs to children at Easter what can you be sure will happen yes they'll be eaten do you expect any of them to be safe do you expect your children to keep them safe until next Easter in case they miss out next time of course not Jesus says God has given me a group of people and I shall keep them safe I shall lose none of all those he has given me but raise them up at the last day what is this last day that he's talking about on Good Friday we heard an incredible claim from Jesus that whoever eats my flesh will live forever here is an even more incredible claim. On the last day hear this Jesus will raise everyone who has ever lived from the dead John five A time is coming when all who are in their graves will hear his voice and come out those who have done good what is good will rise to live and those who have done what is evil will rise to be condemned when I was growing up we all lived in fear of a last day nuclear Armageddon today our children grew up with a fear of a last day a climate catastrophe so why then do we scoff at the idea that God has a last day when he will raise everyone and judge everyone if God has a will if he created all things why wouldn't he set a day to finish all things? If God cares why wouldn't he set a day to judge all people? We long for such a thing. And if he's going to judge why wouldn't he do it with everyone even those who have died God has a last day and he will raise everyone to be judged. And the good news is that he's given some people to Jesus and that Jesus will raise them up to eternal life mind you that doesn't sound so reassuring doesn't it God has given some people to Jesus Jesus will lose none of them wouldn't you love to be in that group wouldn't that give you confidence for the future but how would you ever know it's God's list he's given them to Jesus it's not up to me sounds like a closed group look again at what Jesus says This is the will of him who sent me that I shall lose none of all those he has given me but raise them up at the last day. Who are they? For my father's will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life and I will raise them up at the last day. We saw on Good Friday you must eat my flesh said Jesus it's that essential it's that personal now he says you must look to the Son look to him hanging on a cross dying for your sin and believe in him and everyone everyone who looks to the sun and believes in him shall have eternal life and I will raise them up at the last day and they will have eternal life is this really true on Thursday I was at a cemetery a friend had asked me to join him and his family they were laying to rest the ashes of a a precious friend we spoke together we prayed together I prayed about the confidence that we would But as I watched the box of ashes go into the ground and we place the dirt on top, I wondered is this really true? And then even worse, as we walked away, it's a cemetery. There are hundreds and hundreds of plaques, not just hers. Some of them have been there for decades, and as I walked past them, I wondered, is this really true? Could it really be that God will raise every person who has ever lived? Raise them to a judgment, and that those who have believed in Jesus, looked to him and believed in Jesus, will be raised to eternal life. What could possibly make me think that this is true? God has two days. On resurrection day, Jesus rose because it was his will. And so it happened. And on the last day, Jesus will raise all people and those who believe in him to eternal life because it is his will. If he could do it once, he can do it again. For some of us here today, Resurrection Sunday brings confidence and joy. Jesus rose because it's the Father's will. And it's not just that he rose Jesus. He will raise all people and give us eternal life. Between Resurrection Day and the last day, if you believe in Jesus, there is no need to have a bucket list, is there, of things before you die? There is no need to have FOMO, fear of missing out. You cannot miss out. There's no need for the sadness and the regret as you look back on the past or live in fear of the future. For you can have confidence and joy. Perhaps today today is not like that for you. You're not sure whether this is an ordinary day or just a confusing day. You're not sure what to make of Jesus' resurrection. And even if you are sure that Jesus rose from the dead, you're not sure that it applies to you. Hold on to that. That is an important suspicion because you might be right. And this is something you want to be really sure about. This could be your day to look to the sun and believe. And I want to invite you to do that today, right now. It's very simple, it's not complicated. We've heard that Jesus rose from the dead because it was his father's will, and he will raise all people because it is his father's will, and he will give eternal life to those who believe in him. How do you believe in him? How do you make that step? It's a simple prayer. The words are coming up on the screen. In a moment, I'm going to pray through this prayer. And if this is your prayer today, if you are ready to take this opportunity, if you want this confidence and joy, then as I pray, I want you to simply mouth the words of the prayer as I pray them. By doing that, you are saying to God, this is my prayer. This is who I am now, this is what I want. Let's pray. Father, I thank you that it was your will to raise Jesus from the dead. I look to Jesus as your ruler for my life. Thank you that on the last day Jesus will raise me from the dead to eternal life. Amen. Can I say to you that if you looked to Jesus by speaking those words, then Jesus keeps his promise and has given you eternal life and will raise you up on the last day. It's as sure as that. If that's you, then that is very good news, and good news is worth sharing with other people. And we as a church want to help you. There are these cards on the seats beside you. I'd love everyone to take it out so no one is embarrassed because we're all doing this together. And you'll see on the card there, there's a space for you to let us know who you are and how to get in contact. And that if you did pray that prayer today for the first time, you've decided to follow Jesus today, then please tick that circle, that box. If you're not at that stage yet, but you want to find out, you want to investigate more, you want to have this confidence and find out if these things are really true, then please tick that last circle. I want to find out more about Jesus. That's a way of expressing your interest in this alpha course. And if you can't make it on a Sunday night for our alpha group of dinners, then we will find another way to help you. So please don't let that hold you back. If you're someone who's here because you love Jesus and have this confidence and joy already, then I take it that number one circle is true for you. I'm glad I came today. Let's take a moment to do that now. Some music is going to play quietly in the background, and in a couple of minutes, I'll get us back together and tell us how to hand in those cards. Thank you. Can I say that Silas and I will be the people who get to read that card and then get in contact with you if it's important for us to do that? We're now going to sing our final song as we celebrate this hope that we have in Jesus as we look towards the last day. It's a great song. I hope you enjoy singing it with us, or at least uh listening. And as that's as we're singing this song, some baskets will come around to the middle, and please just park uh pass those cards along for our welcomers to collect them. Let's