WEBVTT 00:00:03.359 --> 00:00:04.400 Hey everybody. 00:00:05.200 --> 00:00:07.360 As Justin said, my name's Chris. 00:00:07.759 --> 00:00:12.720 My wife and I, uh Christina, uh, we do lead a mission group out of Milford. 00:00:12.880 --> 00:00:15.599 So if you are in that area, just a personal invitation. 00:00:15.759 --> 00:00:16.800 We'd love to connect with you. 00:00:16.879 --> 00:00:22.879 We'd love to uh do life with you, um, serve you and host you in our home and be of mutual encouragement to one another. 00:00:22.960 --> 00:00:25.199 It's a great joy uh for us to be able to do that. 00:00:25.359 --> 00:00:31.440 So please, uh after service, I'll be hanging out uh in the parking lot, and uh I'd love to meet you, I'd love to get to know you. 00:00:31.519 --> 00:00:36.799 Um like Justin said, we've been spending um time in uh 1 Corinthians. 00:00:36.880 --> 00:00:49.759 We did take a pause to hit 1 Peter for a while just to uh intentionally confront what what was going on in our world and in our in our communities and our families as we uh face COVID and all that it has brought uh to us. 00:00:49.920 --> 00:00:57.679 Um and so my my goal today, my hope today is that I could be of an encouragement to you in what is the most important thing. 00:00:57.759 --> 00:01:03.600 Uh it's it's literally in our scriptures uh stated the most, it's of most importance. 00:01:03.759 --> 00:01:06.400 Um so uh I'm I'm not typically up here. 00:01:06.560 --> 00:01:09.760 Um I appreciate your grace as I read more than I'd like to. 00:01:09.840 --> 00:01:12.560 Um but I promise it's better for me that I do that. 00:01:12.640 --> 00:01:17.040 It's better for you and personally my my testimony before God if I just stick to the script. 00:01:17.120 --> 00:01:18.719 Um so I'm gonna do that. 00:01:18.799 --> 00:01:23.599 Um, but but I I would like to uh share a little bit um uh about me. 00:01:23.840 --> 00:01:28.560 So uh 1 Corinthians, uh, we've been talking about these spiritual gifts. 00:01:28.719 --> 00:01:46.000 We've been talking about how we've been equipped um with uh unique talents and gifts that allow us to serve each other as the church, to build each other up, edify us toward uh Christ, um, so that we can make a good name or make make much of the name of Christ. 00:01:46.319 --> 00:01:47.920 And I'll I'll be transparent. 00:01:48.000 --> 00:01:49.760 Uh I've struggled, not struggled. 00:01:49.840 --> 00:01:57.840 I I've uh it's been hard for me this this series acknowledging some of the biases that I approach spiritual giftedness with. 00:01:57.920 --> 00:02:09.280 I I had a uh a bit of an unfortunate season in my life um with uh a culture of um making spiritual gifts or signed gifts really preeminent. 00:02:09.360 --> 00:02:16.000 Uh the thing that you strive for, the acknowledgement from God that you have made it and that he is most pleased with you. 00:02:16.080 --> 00:02:17.360 Um and that was hard for me. 00:02:17.439 --> 00:02:22.159 I came from uh originally an independent Baptist uh upbringing. 00:02:22.240 --> 00:02:31.120 And so the land of uh VBS and awana and long ties and yeah, and uh and sword drills. 00:02:31.199 --> 00:02:33.199 Um anybody ever uh compete? 00:02:33.439 --> 00:02:34.639 Yeah, Pat, you got it. 00:02:34.800 --> 00:02:36.000 You never used tabs though, did you? 00:02:36.159 --> 00:02:38.719 Did you ever have tabs on your Bible and cheat at sword drills? 00:02:39.120 --> 00:02:40.800 Okay, doesn't surprise me. 00:02:40.960 --> 00:02:41.680 The worst. 00:02:41.919 --> 00:02:49.520 Um so the the craziest that we would get from my upbringing was swapping out our soup pants for pleated khakis on Wednesday nights. 00:02:49.599 --> 00:02:51.120 And that was pretty crazy for us. 00:02:51.280 --> 00:03:01.599 So when I when I when I started attending as a sophomore youth group with my friend who was charismatic, um I could not have been less prepared for what I was what I was gonna uh jump into. 00:03:01.919 --> 00:03:14.639 Um and and I I I think more than anything, uh I grew to feel ostracized because there was this culture of again making these gifts the thing that we pursue. 00:03:15.759 --> 00:03:23.759 The sign gifts, tongues and prophecy and the like, these were indications that you were exactly where you ought to have been in your walk with the Lord. 00:03:23.840 --> 00:03:29.039 And and I was just once saved, always saved Chris that that did not have these gifts. 00:03:29.120 --> 00:03:30.560 And so I wanted them so bad. 00:03:30.639 --> 00:03:39.280 I went I wanted them uh partially because I I wanted to feel that nearness of God, but I also wanted to feel assimilated with my tribe. 00:03:39.439 --> 00:03:56.960 Um and all of this kind of culminated for me as I was uh we had this summer camp, this week-long summer camp, and uh I was attending that, and it was the last night of this summer camp, and I was preparing uh for a couple weeks ahead of that um for an open heart surgery. 00:03:57.039 --> 00:04:00.560 Um and uh this is something my church knew, my youth group knew. 00:04:00.639 --> 00:04:04.400 Um, and so we we're all summer camp has come to a head. 00:04:04.560 --> 00:04:09.280 Uh it's the last night, which you know it's just gonna be a blowout uh service. 00:04:09.439 --> 00:04:12.000 The the evangelist is really gonna bring it, and we know it. 00:04:12.240 --> 00:04:18.079 And so uh he starts, and then way too early in the sermon, we all knew it was coming, it was just way early. 00:04:18.240 --> 00:04:20.240 He said, Now hold on, I need to pause. 00:04:20.639 --> 00:04:22.639 I've received a word from the Lord. 00:04:22.879 --> 00:04:25.439 Uh there's someone here with a heart condition. 00:04:25.680 --> 00:04:30.639 And at that moment, I'm just praying that my friends stay quiet. 00:04:30.800 --> 00:04:33.439 Don't say anything, but it was the opposite. 00:04:33.519 --> 00:04:40.959 Uh, it looked like price is right when someone's name gets called and everybody around them stands up and they're like, oh, that's you. 00:04:41.040 --> 00:04:43.199 And uh, I'm not all that excited. 00:04:43.279 --> 00:04:50.720 Um, and as I recall it, I was like hoisted up and like crowd surfed to the front of the uh not really, but that's how I remember it anyway. 00:04:50.879 --> 00:05:08.480 And I find myself front and center uh in front of this preacher, and as he starts to talk about what he's gonna do and pray over me and pray for healing and all of this, uh I see men come and stand behind me, and I'm like, okay, they're expecting me to fall out. 00:05:08.639 --> 00:05:12.639 Uh and in my mind, I'm thinking, okay, God, if you have this for me, I want it. 00:05:12.800 --> 00:05:14.000 I really want it. 00:05:14.240 --> 00:05:20.879 And then a little deeper, I was thinking, please, I really want to feel one with my friends and one with my community. 00:05:21.120 --> 00:05:26.639 And so, uh, but I was I was very uh within me, I didn't want to fake it. 00:05:26.720 --> 00:05:29.120 I knew I didn't want to fake anything. 00:05:29.279 --> 00:05:37.040 And so uh the preacher's praying over me, and he crescendos and he like touches my forehead, and then nothing happens. 00:05:38.000 --> 00:05:46.000 And so he uh resets, he starts again, and this time he gets a little bit louder, and he this time he like kind of like taps my forehead. 00:05:46.079 --> 00:05:47.680 Uh it wasn't anything too bad. 00:05:47.759 --> 00:05:50.079 Um, but but then again, still nothing. 00:05:50.480 --> 00:06:09.040 And then a third time he gets really loud and he starts sweating, and he's like screaming over me at this time, and he I feel like he wound up for this, and then just like like palm strikes me to my forehead and like knocks my head back, and nothing happened except that I was assaulted. 00:06:09.279 --> 00:06:14.720 And uh and I see the Fallout boys, they left, they're like, nothing's happening here, we can leave. 00:06:14.879 --> 00:06:18.079 And I kind of did the walk of shame back to my seat. 00:06:18.480 --> 00:06:33.040 And I I think since then I've I've kind of steered clear of this topic, and and maybe it's because I I realized that I don't have these uh these gifts, maybe it's um maybe it's because I don't desire them, thank God, like I did. 00:06:33.199 --> 00:06:41.759 I just desire to be used well uh for God's name, and I know that he has gifted me in in ways that I can be of benefit to the church and of uh glory to him. 00:06:42.800 --> 00:06:57.680 Um but but what I can tell you right now is I saw as I saw the gauntlet of of scriptures that were available to assist with in preaching, um I saw all those that were talking about gifts and spiritual giftedness and even sign gifts, and I was like, okay, nope. 00:06:57.839 --> 00:07:07.360 And I found this one at the end in uh 1 Corinthians 15, and I was so excited, and I'm very excited uh to be talking about it even now because it's literally everything. 00:07:07.600 --> 00:07:08.800 It's everything to us. 00:07:08.959 --> 00:07:20.639 The the resurrection, um, the the full gospel of the life, the death, uh burial, and resurrection of Christ is literally everything, uh everything to us. 00:07:20.959 --> 00:07:26.639 So um what we have here is Paul saying this is the most important thing. 00:07:26.720 --> 00:07:40.959 Uh, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to twelve, then more to five hundred more than five hundred brothers, then to James, to apostles, and then finally Paul himself. 00:07:41.199 --> 00:07:45.920 The most important thing is that Christ came exactly as he was foretold to. 00:07:46.079 --> 00:07:51.360 He was exactly who he said he was going to be, and did exactly what he said he was going to do. 00:07:52.160 --> 00:07:55.120 So all that to say, there's much to celebrate today. 00:07:55.279 --> 00:07:58.959 And my hope is he would garner much encouragement from that uh today. 00:07:59.120 --> 00:08:09.199 I know we've talked uh through the series a little bit about um who the Corinthians were, but just as a little bit of context, uh the Corinthians were, um the city of Corinth was a well-to-do city. 00:08:09.279 --> 00:08:19.920 Um, and it was full of people that loved making much of themselves, boasting of their own accomplishments, um, making much of their own name, very inwardly focused. 00:08:20.319 --> 00:08:41.360 And so we have uh is Paul now speaking to thousands of church members that he had uh planted with the with his gospel mission very early in his uh in his uh in his missional career, if you will, um, speaking to thousands of people that want to boast of themselves and call them back to this gospel that he had preached to them uh prior. 00:08:41.679 --> 00:08:44.399 And so uh that's a little context on the Corinthians. 00:08:44.480 --> 00:08:46.000 Let's some context on Paul. 00:08:46.159 --> 00:08:52.399 You'll see him in our text saying, um, all right, look, if we're talking about hard work and achievements, I've done way more. 00:08:52.559 --> 00:08:56.960 And I'm not gonna boast of myself, but I'm gonna boast in uh in Christ. 00:08:57.360 --> 00:09:01.039 Um and I imagine it can get kind of frustrating. 00:09:01.120 --> 00:09:17.840 You've you've you've propped these you've propped these people up with a with a great word, with everything that they need to cling to, and they're uh you know, they're uh uh misguided in themselves, thinking that there's more to attain outside of this gospel, and he's got to take time out of his life uh to deal with these jokers who want their name in light. 00:09:18.000 --> 00:09:23.679 So um what we see is Paul start with the gospel because it's the cornerstone, it's the foundation of everything. 00:09:23.840 --> 00:09:29.840 That Christ was risen gives way to the hope that we can find our eventual resurrection as well. 00:09:30.080 --> 00:09:39.600 He's reminding the Corinthians that they'd received the gospel from him, that he had given this to them, and they need to cling to it now, that you need to stop missing the point. 00:09:40.799 --> 00:09:43.600 Paul had written the lion's share of the New Testament. 00:09:43.759 --> 00:09:49.840 Most of what we get in the New Testament was written by him, and he's saying, look, I've written a lot, I've said a lot, I've done a lot. 00:09:50.320 --> 00:09:53.919 If you get one thing from me, get this, that this is everything. 00:09:54.080 --> 00:09:57.120 And you can't do any of the other stuff unless you get this right. 00:09:58.799 --> 00:10:01.440 And then there's a piece that I really want to zoom in on too. 00:10:01.600 --> 00:10:10.559 It's unless you believed in vain, which uh kind of paused me in my tracks when I'm reading this, because it seems like there's a lot riding on whether or not you believe in vain. 00:10:10.799 --> 00:10:13.200 So I really want to understand what that means. 00:10:13.519 --> 00:10:18.399 And make sure that I'm not uh failing to believe uh in truth. 00:10:18.960 --> 00:10:27.360 Um Paul knew was that there were non-believers within the congregation, within the church of Corinth, and he's kind of giving a nod to them. 00:10:28.000 --> 00:10:37.039 And in 2 Corinthians 3, 5, we see Paul exhorting the church, saying, Examine yourselves, test yourselves to ensure that you're in the faith. 00:10:37.279 --> 00:10:41.360 See, Paul knows that there are non-believers in his church, and he's making a distinction. 00:10:41.519 --> 00:10:46.879 Make no mistake, this good news ought to feel invigorating to you as a believer. 00:10:47.120 --> 00:10:59.600 You ought to feel compelled to praise and to gratefulness when you hear the name of Christ proclaimed, when you hear the death and the burial and the resurrection of Christ proclaimed, that ought to give life to you. 00:10:59.759 --> 00:11:02.799 And if it doesn't, let's examine ourselves. 00:11:03.919 --> 00:11:12.320 Leave here today feeling reminded that uh that which has changed everything for you is right here in these texts that we're reading today. 00:11:12.480 --> 00:11:19.919 Leave here today assured that just as Christ has risen, if your faith is not in vain, you will rise too, and that is good news. 00:11:21.039 --> 00:11:24.159 Now that you've received it and are standing on it, hold fast to that. 00:11:24.320 --> 00:11:28.720 Maybe you're with me right now, and your faith is more of like an inherited faith. 00:11:28.960 --> 00:11:31.679 Maybe you walk through the motions, it's something you've learned. 00:11:31.759 --> 00:11:34.720 Maybe you pray often because it's habitual or something that you've learned. 00:11:34.799 --> 00:11:37.200 Maybe you even take communion or give. 00:11:38.960 --> 00:11:43.840 I would, I would, I would encourage you to know that good deeds are not what God's looking for. 00:11:44.480 --> 00:11:56.799 I'm asking you to examine yourself and determine if this resurrected Jesus is something that you believe in to your core, and if that resurrected Jesus and the knowledge of that resurrected Jesus gives you life. 00:11:57.360 --> 00:12:00.159 I would challenge you to leave the dogma behind. 00:12:00.480 --> 00:12:05.679 Maybe you're like the Corinthians, and the Christian life has been a masquerade that you've uh perpetuated. 00:12:05.759 --> 00:12:06.960 And you can lay that down. 00:12:07.200 --> 00:12:10.480 Your labor will not draw God's heart nearer to you. 00:12:12.159 --> 00:12:18.000 And you know, those of us as members and believers, we're not exempt from needing this reminder. 00:12:18.080 --> 00:12:24.000 What Paul is saying to Corinthians is you have this tendency to elevate the secondary to the preeminent. 00:12:24.639 --> 00:12:44.320 We see this the tendency for us to make status the most important, to be woke the most important, to be the first to affirm or uh not affirm whatever is most current on your newsfeed, or most popular or unpopular in your work culture. 00:12:45.440 --> 00:12:46.639 And I'm guilty of it. 00:12:46.720 --> 00:12:48.080 I get caught up in that. 00:12:48.320 --> 00:12:52.159 I believe that we're called to contend for racial unity. 00:12:52.399 --> 00:12:54.720 I believe that we're called to champion the unborn. 00:12:54.799 --> 00:12:59.840 I believe that we're called to equip men to better serve their homes and their communities. 00:13:00.080 --> 00:13:08.559 I believe there are a million worthy endeavors for us as believers, but none are worthy of being elevated above proclaiming a risen Christ. 00:13:09.840 --> 00:13:20.799 Racial reconciliation is championed when we proclaim a risen Jesus, Son of the living God, the created men, black, white, brown, the whole gamut in his image. 00:13:21.279 --> 00:13:31.919 The sanctity of life is advanced when we proclaim a risen Savior that reveals that we're fearfully and wonderfully made, knit together by the hands of the Almighty in our mother's womb. 00:13:32.879 --> 00:13:43.360 Masking and vaxxing and mail-in voting and child sex trafficking, these are all calling for our informed, gospel-centered minds. 00:13:44.080 --> 00:13:54.480 But nothing calls us like that which we're called to proclaim the perfect Christ, his propitiating death, his powerful, overcoming, definitive, actual bodily resurrection. 00:13:54.720 --> 00:13:58.480 And if that's where we walk out every day, those other pieces are going to fall into place. 00:14:01.039 --> 00:14:06.559 Looking on to verses five through eleven, that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 00:14:06.720 --> 00:14:12.720 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 00:14:12.960 --> 00:14:15.200 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 00:14:15.360 --> 00:14:24.240 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me, for I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 00:14:24.480 --> 00:14:29.279 But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. 00:14:29.440 --> 00:14:35.679 On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is within me. 00:14:36.320 --> 00:14:40.080 Whether then it was I or they, so we preach, and so you believe. 00:14:40.159 --> 00:14:41.120 So what's Paul doing here? 00:14:41.360 --> 00:14:47.200 See, he knew that the legacy of Jesus was going to be met with suspicion and skepticism. 00:14:47.519 --> 00:14:58.480 And we were talking about Jesus literally dying, then literally waking, then literally walking out of the grave that he was placed in, and then literally ascending into heaven. 00:14:58.960 --> 00:15:08.399 So what Paul does is he constructs this defense and he builds it with people that may be some of the uh lesser expected to affirm the resurrection of Christ. 00:15:08.559 --> 00:15:11.279 First, he he he starts with Cephas or Peter. 00:15:11.600 --> 00:15:18.559 Peter, uh, following the resurrection and his encounter with Jesus, boldly proclaimed his Savior as resurrected Lord. 00:15:18.799 --> 00:15:20.639 But why is that notable? 00:15:20.960 --> 00:15:27.679 It's because while an apostle walking alongside of Jesus, he was rather cowardly. 00:15:28.240 --> 00:15:38.480 He spoke very well, but when it came to action, he was the one that denied Christ three times, a betrayal that Jesus knew was coming. 00:15:39.919 --> 00:15:56.799 And then once Jesus resurrected and encountered, or and and uh Peter encountered that resurrected Christ, he went from being terrified to be associated with Jesus to preaching the gospel and even suffering a crucifixion of his own upside down for the name of that Christ that he had denied. 00:15:57.120 --> 00:15:59.440 Now, why would somebody make that turn? 00:15:59.600 --> 00:16:01.600 Because he saw and he believed. 00:16:02.639 --> 00:16:11.120 Then Paul tells us Jesus was seen alive after being dead by more than 500 believers, and he makes the point to say, look, these people, a lot of them are still there. 00:16:11.600 --> 00:16:15.519 You can you find out today, they'll tell you what they saw. 00:16:15.759 --> 00:16:18.960 I'm not talking about people that won't confirm it today. 00:16:20.159 --> 00:16:21.360 And then to James. 00:16:21.519 --> 00:16:26.080 It's notable because James was Jesus' brother, not even Jesus' only brother. 00:16:26.159 --> 00:16:32.799 Uh John 7 says that none of uh at one time, none of Jesus' brothers believed that he was who he said he was. 00:16:34.559 --> 00:16:47.039 And his transformation was such that even when uh when when uh Paul in Galatians is listing uh these pillars of our faith, these leaders of the church, he lists James before Peter and John. 00:16:49.519 --> 00:16:52.080 Finally, to all the apostles and then to Paul himself. 00:16:52.240 --> 00:16:54.960 Remember, Paul was a professional Christ follower killer. 00:16:55.120 --> 00:16:57.600 He's saying, Look, I'm infamous. 00:16:58.080 --> 00:16:59.840 My deeds are well known. 00:17:00.080 --> 00:17:10.079 I devoted so much of my life to the destruction of this man and of his followers, and now I'm telling you, I saw him resurrected personally, and he's changed my life. 00:17:11.599 --> 00:17:13.599 A little more on proclaiming the resurrection. 00:17:13.680 --> 00:17:15.839 This is in the rest of the chapter. 00:17:16.079 --> 00:17:20.880 Let's look forward a little bit, going off uh off my assignment a little bit, sorry. 00:17:21.039 --> 00:17:26.640 Uh Paul says in uh in verse 12, Some among you say that there's no resurrection of the dead. 00:17:26.880 --> 00:17:33.039 And in verse 14, he says, And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty, and your faith is also empty. 00:17:33.279 --> 00:17:44.559 And then 17 and 19, if Christ is not risen, your faith is futile, you're still in your sins, then also those who have fallen asleep or died in Christ have perished. 00:17:44.799 --> 00:17:49.519 If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most pitiable. 00:17:49.839 --> 00:17:54.079 See, if Christ did not rise from the dead, then our belief in him is a complete waste. 00:17:54.319 --> 00:18:02.720 There's no eternal life, there's no redemption, there's just a massive error in judgment and no hope for us or this dying, desperate world. 00:18:04.240 --> 00:18:06.559 So, understanding that, what does this tangibly mean? 00:18:06.720 --> 00:18:09.519 What can we take away from that truth? 00:18:09.680 --> 00:18:15.599 What are we talking about when we say the resurrection as an integral component to the gospel to the name of Jesus? 00:18:15.839 --> 00:18:17.519 What does this accomplish for us? 00:18:17.680 --> 00:18:22.799 And I'd like to point to five things that the resurrection accomplishes for us. 00:18:22.960 --> 00:18:28.640 First, the resurrection of Jesus secures for us well-founded hope that the best is yet to come. 00:18:29.440 --> 00:18:33.680 One thing we saw repeated in our passage was according to the scriptures. 00:18:33.839 --> 00:18:36.480 And it's important to acknowledge that, but why? 00:18:37.119 --> 00:18:40.640 Because what Paul is doing is saying, this is confirmation, everybody. 00:18:41.039 --> 00:18:43.279 This has been foretold for generations. 00:18:44.240 --> 00:18:50.880 I could point you to scriptures in Job, Psalms, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Hosea, Daniel. 00:18:51.039 --> 00:18:58.000 Maybe this is something new to you, but what we believe here at Sacred Mission is that this book in its entirety points to Jesus. 00:18:58.400 --> 00:19:03.519 The whole thing points us to Jesus Christ, Old Testament included. 00:19:04.640 --> 00:19:11.039 Psalm 16, 10 says, For you will not abandon my soul to Sheol or let your holy one see corruption. 00:19:11.519 --> 00:19:16.319 Now, on the surface, it's it's it may not be apparent what David is doing here. 00:19:16.720 --> 00:19:29.759 But when we look at the original text, we understand that the verb abandoned, followed by the preposition referring to leaving someone behind, we see David's expecting not to be abandoned in the place of the dead. 00:19:30.000 --> 00:19:40.799 He's not simply praying for uh protection from immediate danger, he's hopeful in overcoming death through our risen Savior. 00:19:42.079 --> 00:19:49.519 In Jonah and Hosea, we see the foretelling of the life and work and death and resurrection of Christ too, in the Old Testament. 00:19:50.240 --> 00:19:53.920 Jonah, as we know, spent some unfortunate time in the belly of a fish. 00:19:54.160 --> 00:19:57.599 And that parallels David's prophecy of our rescuer's grave. 00:19:57.759 --> 00:20:00.559 Hosea 6 says, He has torn us that he may heal us. 00:20:00.640 --> 00:20:02.799 He has struck us down and he will bind us up. 00:20:03.039 --> 00:20:04.799 After two days, he will revive us. 00:20:04.880 --> 00:20:08.480 On the third day, he'll raise us up that we may live before him. 00:20:08.880 --> 00:20:18.079 These passages themselves building upon Psalm 16, working together to anticipate the resurrection of Israel through the resurrection of their Messiah. 00:20:19.119 --> 00:20:24.880 These are just a couple of examples of the Old Testament pointing us to a Savior to come. 00:20:25.119 --> 00:20:25.839 But that's not it. 00:20:25.920 --> 00:20:47.519 The flood in the ark, the Passover in the Red Sea, God's people wandering in the wilderness and their entry into the promised land, exile and rescue, promises kept, the temple and its sacrifices, rituals, songs of lament, songs of gratitude, all throughout our scriptures pointing to this anticipated Savior. 00:20:48.079 --> 00:20:49.359 Why is that important? 00:20:50.720 --> 00:20:54.319 Because Christ came and proved He was who we'd anticipated. 00:21:02.000 --> 00:21:02.799 Jesus. 00:21:03.839 --> 00:21:18.880 And I say all that to remind you of what else we see in the scriptures, something we can trust because Jesus came and proved that He's true, that He's our cornerstone, that we can find sturdy and faithful, that Jesus actually is going to return. 00:21:19.839 --> 00:21:25.839 Something else confirmed throughout our Bible, and something that ought to bring us much peace and comfort. 00:21:26.640 --> 00:21:30.000 Take comfort that the best is not to be found here. 00:21:30.880 --> 00:21:35.039 And definitely not without the return of Jesus, who has plans of his own. 00:21:35.440 --> 00:21:42.319 Not only has Jesus promised to consummate the salvation of us, his people, but also to make things right. 00:21:42.720 --> 00:21:44.640 Everything will be right. 00:21:45.759 --> 00:21:57.279 We talked earlier about how tempting and pervasive it is to be rattled and shaken with our news cycles, to grasp onto every new injustice that we have found warranting our outrage, to make it the cause. 00:21:58.880 --> 00:21:59.759 Look at the second person. 00:22:00.160 --> 00:22:38.240 Thessalonians 1, 6 through 10 with me, since indeed God considers it just to repay affliction, those who afflict you, and to grant relief to you who are afflicted as well as to us, when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus, they will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed. 00:22:38.480 --> 00:22:45.920 Jesus is coming back, friends, and we can know that he will vindicate truth on behalf of those who have been slandered. 00:22:46.240 --> 00:22:52.640 He will deliver justice on those who have oppressed and persecuted the church and the widow and the orphan. 00:22:52.880 --> 00:22:58.000 He will reward those who have held fast to our righteousness and the only one able to exact justice. 00:22:58.160 --> 00:23:02.240 And he's the only one without sin, and he's the only one that's defeated the grave. 00:23:02.480 --> 00:23:04.079 The best is yet to come. 00:23:06.079 --> 00:23:11.920 The second thing I'd like to point us to is the resurrection of Jesus secures for us the forgiveness of our sins. 00:23:12.319 --> 00:23:25.200 Hebrews 2.17 says, Therefore, he had to be made like his brethren in all things, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God to make propitiation for the sins of the people. 00:23:25.599 --> 00:23:30.480 You see, in raising from the dead, Jesus secured our pardon because he'd taken on our sin. 00:23:39.839 --> 00:23:41.039 He bore that. 00:23:41.279 --> 00:23:46.000 And this Bible of ours tells us that there's a specific cost to that sin and that it's death. 00:23:47.359 --> 00:23:54.880 But as a resurrected Savior, not just a dead man, but as our resurrected savior, his defeat of death counts for me. 00:23:55.039 --> 00:23:57.519 And it counts for you as a believer. 00:23:57.839 --> 00:24:02.480 Jesus conquered death and ushers in the forgiveness that I need so desperately. 00:24:02.640 --> 00:24:04.559 Forgiveness for you if you trust in him. 00:24:05.359 --> 00:24:12.079 If your faith is not in vain, like Paul says, you have faith or you have hope of forgiveness. 00:24:12.400 --> 00:24:15.440 In the resurrection of our perfect Savior, we're forgiven. 00:24:15.680 --> 00:24:19.279 The payment cleared the bank, and we are out of debt. 00:24:20.720 --> 00:24:25.119 Third, the resurrection of Jesus secures for us eternal life. 00:24:25.440 --> 00:24:29.440 In John chapter 11, Jesus says, I'm the resurrection and the life. 00:24:29.599 --> 00:24:33.759 Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live. 00:24:34.240 --> 00:24:47.039 I recently had the uh the great opportunity to eulogize a family friend, and it's a responsibility that I'm honored to accept, and I've been able to do that a couple of times in my life, but it's a weighty calling. 00:24:47.759 --> 00:24:51.119 I've got 20 minutes to put words to someone's life. 00:24:51.519 --> 00:24:57.119 20 minutes to honor the legacy of someone in front of the people that care about them the most. 00:24:57.200 --> 00:25:01.920 And my words will surely fall short of that task. 00:25:02.480 --> 00:25:06.240 But I'm always encouraged that ultimately I get to point to something greater. 00:25:06.559 --> 00:25:14.480 I get to lend words to celebrating the life of someone that mattered to those around them, but more importantly, a life that mattered to the God of the living Bible. 00:25:14.799 --> 00:25:28.400 That I can cling to this truth that Jesus is leaving an empty tomb, gives everlasting life to those of us that cling to him, is so much more satisfying than celebrating the life of a mere man or a mere woman. 00:25:29.599 --> 00:25:39.279 That in that casket lay the body of a sinner that hopefully was found faithful in Christ Jesus and therefore is to be envied and not pitied. 00:25:40.160 --> 00:25:47.759 Romans 4 25 reminds us that Jesus was delivered over because of our transgressions and was raised because of our justification. 00:25:48.000 --> 00:25:55.279 See, unless Jesus steps out of that tomb, God does not justify us, and we surely do not justify ourselves. 00:25:55.839 --> 00:26:06.640 We're justified not just by a sinless Savior or a crucified Savior, but our justification, our entrance into eternal life, hinges on a resurrected Savior. 00:26:08.880 --> 00:26:14.559 Fourth, resurrection of Jesus secures for us the Holy Spirit. 00:26:18.319 --> 00:26:21.279 In John 16, Jesus has this for us. 00:26:21.519 --> 00:26:27.920 I tell you the truth, it's to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the helper will not come to you. 00:26:28.160 --> 00:26:30.480 But if I go, I will send him to you. 00:26:30.720 --> 00:26:33.680 I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 00:26:33.839 --> 00:26:37.519 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. 00:26:37.680 --> 00:26:41.680 For he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears, he will speak. 00:26:41.759 --> 00:26:43.839 And he will declare to you the things that are to come. 00:26:44.000 --> 00:26:45.839 He will glorify me. 00:26:46.079 --> 00:26:47.920 And that is a wonderful reminder. 00:26:48.160 --> 00:26:52.400 The Holy Spirit is said to be glorifying Christ. 00:26:52.559 --> 00:27:02.559 So when we get these spiritual gifts, as we'll talk about in a second, through the power of the Holy Spirit, these gifts ought to and need to glorify Christ. 00:27:02.880 --> 00:27:05.599 Because the giver of those gifts is glorifying Christ. 00:27:09.039 --> 00:27:14.799 In Acts 2, immediately following Jesus' resurrection, we see the Holy Spirit descend upon God's people. 00:27:14.960 --> 00:27:22.799 This Holy Spirit given to us to help us understand and even teach this gospel that we see Paul bringing to the Corinthian church. 00:27:24.319 --> 00:27:36.720 Giving us the power to serve God as believers, allowing us the peace of a near, loving, active, Trinitarian God given to us to convict us of the sin that seeks our destruction. 00:27:37.279 --> 00:27:40.880 Without the resurrection of Jesus, we have no Holy Spirit. 00:27:41.119 --> 00:27:43.200 And boy, do we need the Holy Spirit. 00:27:45.440 --> 00:27:50.880 And finally, number five, the resurrection of Jesus secures for us spiritual gifts. 00:27:51.759 --> 00:27:53.599 Like how I bring a full circle? 00:27:54.799 --> 00:27:59.279 And this most important thing, in the resurrection of Jesus, we can find forgiveness. 00:27:59.440 --> 00:28:00.640 We can find eternal life. 00:28:00.799 --> 00:28:06.400 We can find the help of the Holy Spirit, and we can find the subsequent dispersing of spiritual gifts. 00:28:06.640 --> 00:28:15.200 Ephesians 4 says, He who descended is himself also he who ascended far above all the heavens, so that he might fill all things. 00:28:15.359 --> 00:28:21.440 And he gave some as apostles and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, some as pastors and teachers. 00:28:21.680 --> 00:28:26.799 Before that it says, But to each one of us grace was given according to the measure of Christ's gift. 00:28:26.960 --> 00:28:33.200 Therefore it says, when he ascended on high, he led captive a host of captives, and he gave gifts to men. 00:28:33.440 --> 00:28:38.400 See, when Christ emerged victorious from his grave, he ascended back to heaven. 00:28:38.480 --> 00:28:44.240 He didn't just leave us with a fulfilled prophecy and the promise of an everlasting life. 00:28:44.640 --> 00:28:49.440 He also left us with an invitation to be a part of what he's doing right now. 00:28:49.680 --> 00:28:51.440 And he's equipped us to do it. 00:28:51.680 --> 00:29:04.079 He left with us unique gifts and talents dispensed through the power of the Holy Spirit so that we might serve God faithfully, be a blessing to his church, and point to a victorious, reigning, living Messiah. 00:29:05.440 --> 00:29:19.039 God have mercy on us for so often finding our hope in and proclaiming the names of politicians or political parties as we approach an election and fail to find our true hope in and proclaim the name of Jesus and his resurrection. 00:29:19.759 --> 00:29:40.720 God have mercy on us for so often seeking our satisfaction in a cheap, counterfeit excuse for justice as we writhe over the latest woke cause and fail to find deep, abiding peace in knowing that through Jesus, as he came first as a lamb, he will surely not be returning a lamb but as a lion. 00:29:41.200 --> 00:29:47.279 Back to keep another promise and pour out righteous, perfect justice that only he can. 00:29:47.599 --> 00:29:53.279 And in doing so, we may know that he walked out of that grave our victor. 00:29:53.680 --> 00:30:02.960 God have mercy on us for so often making idols of the very things that we ought to be proclaiming the name of our Jesus and the power of his resurrection to. 00:30:12.880 --> 00:30:16.559 Without the resurrection of Jesus, our sin is not defeated. 00:30:16.799 --> 00:30:19.119 Our future is very bleak. 00:30:19.440 --> 00:30:26.480 This hulking frame that I'm driving around in my flesh is all that there is, and when it fails me one day, and it will fail me fully one day. 00:30:29.839 --> 00:30:32.799 And I, as a believer, ought to be most pitied. 00:30:34.240 --> 00:30:36.400 Thankfully, that is not our story. 00:30:36.640 --> 00:30:41.599 For those of us that believe, Christ's resurrection is literal power within our hearts. 00:30:42.160 --> 00:30:51.920 As we stumble our way through this life, imperfect but being sanctified, Christ is not decayed like every one of us will be, like every one of us before us. 00:30:52.079 --> 00:30:56.559 No, he's holding fast to us, having conquered the grave we put him in. 00:30:56.799 --> 00:30:59.519 It's the most important thing, everybody. 00:31:00.400 --> 00:31:07.359 That Christ was crucified on our behalf, buried, and raised just as he promised to, is everything to us. 00:31:08.720 --> 00:31:14.880 In closing, if that isn't your story, or you don't feel that that story belongs to you, please know this. 00:31:14.960 --> 00:31:20.799 I don't stand up here to condemn you or judge you, discourage you, scare you, manipulate you. 00:31:21.200 --> 00:31:23.759 What I desire for you is to be set free. 00:31:24.160 --> 00:31:31.440 I don't want trying to entice you to be a part of a club that I'm in, to affirm all the things that I do. 00:31:32.640 --> 00:31:37.920 What I want to do is invite you along with us as we cling to the hope that Jesus offers. 00:31:38.559 --> 00:31:55.440 Find much rest in the most important thing that Jesus was crucified to atone for our sin, that his lifeless body was put in a tomb, that God the Father raised him from that slumber, leaving an empty tomb that has changed everything. 00:31:56.880 --> 00:31:57.839 Will you pray with me?