Hope Today 031 - What difference does the Resurrection make? Part 2

A program of word and music featuring an eclectic mix of christian music and teaching by Pastor Tom Cullen and Brian Evans.  Mac Wigfield starts the program with southern gospel classics.

Produced at Straight Path Studio in Uxbridge, Ontario, Canada.

Christian Artists featured are:

Anchormen

Carolina Boys

Daryl Williams Trio

Matt Maher

Tom Roe

Sarah Sadler

Jon Bryant

Reflections Trio

Allen Froese

Brooke Nicholls

Passion

Thank you for listening to HOPE TODAY. This is a program developed at Light & Life Programming, a registered charity. We are listener supported. If you would like to help with this ministry, donations can be made through our website at www.lightnlife.ca.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:06

It's time now for another inspirational program of joy and faith. Welcome to Hope Today. May you be encouraged in your understanding and uplifted with wonderful music. Pastor Tom Cullen will be considering the question, what difference does the resurrection make? The second answer in this series of questioning is, it makes a difference in our faith. These answers develop later in our program today. But first, let's take a few minutes to sit back and enjoy some good music. Mac Wigfield comes to lead us.

SPEAKER_04 0:42

Let me add my welcome to Hope Today. And let me begin by telling you this morning about a borrowed and a barely used tomb. No, no, let's let the anchorman do it.

SPEAKER_03 1:05

After the soldiers were done, he let a pilot know I'm a new gravy owned. The last resting place for God's son. Early that first Easter morning. God gave it back. There was just no more need for a morrow and burning. And the worst for a while, my team. He was just changing the roads for a journey. Then we had a grave lost and victory in a bottle and then you still try to imagine dawning on that first day. God shook the earth, an angel came down, wore the great stone away. Go to the woman that born me arm with her spice and rain. Why seek ye the living among him in the spot and start and we want to swear that lost its way?

SPEAKER_06 5:09

So sad and fearful, they felt all was lost. Forgetting he told them that he would arise in the dark of the morning. Mary went to the tomb. The stone was removed from his place. She told his disciples, and they ran to sea, not knowing they'd witness the dawning of I didn't see the Liz.

SPEAKER_05 5:53

For my heart truly knows He arose and he's living in me. Blessed are the ones who not see a be.

SPEAKER_07 8:28

Somehow you could see through the busy years I get to live. With arms open wide, you were there to provide before I even ring alive.

SPEAKER_08 8:44

All I ever wanted, all I ever need, everything I propose, what you want to be, everything I live, you are there to give all I ever need for a fellows and touch a perfect beast. Full and free. All I ever need, everything I hope, what you are to me, everything I live, you are everything, all I ever need. All I ever wanted, all I ever need, everything I hope.

SPEAKER_00 10:01

Welcome back to Hope Today. Don't you find that we spend weeks thinking about Jesus' birth? We spend more weeks thinking about Christ's death, and then there's Easter. One Sunday. Of course, we could argue that every Sunday is Resurrection Sunday. We celebrate the truth of it every week, and that would be true. But it still seems to me that we miss the chance to reflect on the wonder of the resurrection and its impact with only one special Sunday. So during these opening weeks of April, I want us to think of the wonder of the resurrection and ask the question, what difference does the resurrection make? Matt Meyer joyfully proclaims, He is risen.

SPEAKER_11 10:54

We fix the rise from the Christ and read.

SPEAKER_00 14:42

They didn't believe in the resurrection of the dead whatsoever. So Paul writes to these believers and says, Of course there's such a thing as the resurrection. And he goes on to say, if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is futile. There it is. There's the difference. Without the truth of the resurrection, our faith is useless. It's like a bucket with a hole. I was stricken hard. But he felt something else as he listened to that. Oh God, I'm grateful that I don't have to cry that cry for the leader of my soul. Oh Jesus, come back, come back. We're orphaned and stricken without you. I do not cry that cry. He has come back. It is the third day, and he's alive. It's the great truth of Christianity. We serve a risen Savior. Our faith is not futile. Tom Rowe affirms that the Lord reigns on high.

SPEAKER_10 16:44

You are the Holy One. The Lord on high. You are the prison one. Lamb that was slain. You bond us with your love, and with you we will raise. I will worship you. I will worship you. I will give you all my praise. To you my hand I raise. You are the king of me. The Lord on high. We worship along. I will worship you. I will worship you. I will give you all my praise. I will worship.

SPEAKER_00 19:32

The resurrection of Jesus Christ makes all the difference in the world to our faith. In what way? And that it gives us assurance of sins forgiven. First Corinthians chapter 15, verse 17 says, If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile. You are still in your sin. How do we know that the death was accepted? How do we know that God was satisfied and completed? And the answer is the resurrection. Jesus rose from the dead. His sacrificial death was accepted by God, and therefore he was released from sin's penalty. He was released from death. The resurrection proves that his death did the work that we could not do. Our sin is completely paid for. Sarah Sadler sings the truth with How Deep the Father's Love for Us.

SPEAKER_11 21:34

How deep the Father's love for us. How vast beyond our measure that he should give his only son to make courage his treasure. How break the pain of sin. The father turns his face away as wounds which are the chosen one, bring man essence to glory. My sand upon his shoulders, ashamed I hear my mocking voice call out among the scoffers.

SPEAKER_02 22:51

It was my sin that held him until we was calm.

SPEAKER_11 23:02

His diet has brought I know that it is fit. But how boast in Jesus Christ is down and reservation. Why should I came from his dreams? I can give a death sent over my heart on his runs and paid my rent so I should I gain from his dreams. I cannot give it to this I don't win for my heart.

SPEAKER_01 25:01

It was most likely composed by enslaved Africans and not from the pen of any one individual. The slaves used music with its unique beat to help keep the work they were doing at a good pace. It also provided a testimony of the hope and faith that transcended their current and sometimes inhumane treatment. The first published iteration of Were You There came in 1899 when William Barton included it in the section called Recent Negro Melodies, printed in his publication, Old Plantation Song. It is not surprising that the African American association to the cross of Christ was because Jesus suffered just like they did, and he knew their pain and bondage. One day, like the Son of God, they too would be resurrected to a life of rest and freedom with Christ. Were you there has become one of the most prominent and popular spirituals of them all, and has now been included in almost every major hymnal. Ponder these questions as you listen to John Bryant sing, Were You There?

SPEAKER_11 26:10

Were you there when they crucified my Lord? Were you there when they crucified my Lord? Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble. Were you there when they crucified my way? Were you there when they laid him in the tomb? Were you there when they laid him in the tomb? Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble. Were you there when he rose out from the grave? Sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble. Were you there when he rose out from the grave?

SPEAKER_00 28:42

What difference does the resurrection make? It makes all the difference in the world to your faith. Listen, if the cross was the end of the story, if Jesus died and was buried and that was it, it would mean that God did not accept his sacrifice. And it would mean that you and I are still lost in our sins. It would not have been proclaimed righteous in God's eye. The sacrifice was accepted and we are free from the resurrection makes a difference to our faith. We can be assured our sins are forgiven. We don't have to wonder if Christ's sacrifice was acceptable. It was. Because death, the result of sin, could not hold him. Clearly, our sin has been paid for, and we now have assurance of life everlasting through faith in Jesus Christ. Here is the reflections trio with Because He Lives.

SPEAKER_05 30:22

God sent His Son The Calvin Jesus. He lived and died to buy my burdens and empty praise to prove I saved your lips because he lives. I can place tomorrow because he less comparison and life is worth a living just because he lives how sweet to hold a newborn baby and feel the prize and joy he gets but greater steps on this child can face a certain days because he lives and one day a process of my life I can finish all because it's confirmed because I also and like this worth the living just because he lives and like this worth the living just because he living.

SPEAKER_00 33:21

What difference does the resurrection make? The resurrection makes a difference to our faith. We can be assured our sin is forgiven. I don't know who came up with the idea of receipts for purchases, but I love them. My wallet is stuck full of receipts when I do any kind of shopping. Because they prove that I purchased the item. I don't want to go to the store with it. What about your sin? I believe in Jesus Christ and he died for me. What about your sin? Surely you're condemned. You can look him in the eye and say, Jesus lives, and his life is the assurance of my being cleansed from my sin. For if the penalty had not been paid, he would still be dead. But he lives forevermore. There's the receipt, Satan. Do you see the assurance you have? Jesus rose from the dead. Your sin has been dealt with fully and completely. Alan Froze sings of the power of our Lord's death and your precious blood has ransomed me.

SPEAKER_11 34:48

You came from heaven to be a ransom for Adam's fallen race, Lord. In your goodness, you suffered anguish so I could know your grace, Lord. I deserve to die. Instead, you gave your life. Now through your blood, I'm free, Lord. You've forgiven me all my chains, you broke away, no more heavy nails inside to drag me down all my saints. You washed away, no more filthy nails of sin to plague me now. You paid the penalty, your precious blood has ransomed me. From death you've risen, the curse is broken. I am turned by your blood, Lord. I deserves to die. Instead, you gave your name now. Lord, you forgiving me all my chains. You broke away. No more heaviness inside to drag me down. All my stains. You washed away. No more filtiness of stand to plague me now. You pay the penalty. You're proud to love Jesus.

SPEAKER_00 38:19

And we're asking the question what difference does the resurrection make? Here is Brooke Nichols remembering the cross where Jesus died. And turn my eyes.

SPEAKER_11 40:48

Oh, thank you, Jesus. Who are you done? Who yes? I will turn my eyes to the crows again. You wrap me in. You own me, surround me with your mercy, protecting me from every single lie. You should hold me always you love me. You have me to follow me.

SPEAKER_00 43:23

You know there are some people who believe that even though they have faith in Jesus Christ, even though they believe that he died for them and instead of them, they believe that their hope of living for God now and with God in eternity is slim. That Jesus has opened the door of forgiveness and eternal life, but just a crack. They believe that there is still a safety chain across the door, and if they obey the law and live a good life, they'll be able to squeeze into heaven. But that's not the gospel. The good news is that Jesus has completed the world, he has done all that is required, he has made an end to sin. And open the door for us to enter into righteousness and fullness and freedom and with great joy. Whosoever believes in him is not condemned and never can be. Because of our Lord's resurrection, we live under the open sky of God's grace. When I'm in the country, I love to take a deep breath. And take it in the fresh country air. My friend, today, I want you to take a deep breath and breathe in the fresh air of God's grace. For too long, some of you, even though you believe in Jesus Christ, even though you've experienced his grace and have been baptized and confessed him as Savior and Lord, for too long, you remain under Satan's arm. You continue to allow Satan to condemn you. And you don't believe that your sin has been completely done away with. You are breathing in a constricted air of condemnation and guilt and remorse. But you need to take a deep breath and take in the amazing air of God's grace through faith in Christ. He's made you new, he's given you freedom. You are a new creation. The resurrection has made the difference. Here is passion with Glorious Day.

SPEAKER_09 45:16

I was very beneath my shame. Who could carry that kind of weight?

SPEAKER_01 45:33

It was my sweet till I made.ca From Bethlehem to the cross of Calvary to the empty tomb is the story of Jesus Christ who changed the world and can change your life also to one of peace and joy. This gracious gift is yours free just for the taking. Will you take it? We look forward to being with you next time for another program of hope. Thank you for being with us.