Sermon Tone Analysis

See also

Crossing over from death to life

He IS RISEN! (Response: He is risen indeed)

Believers continue to live by the power of the risen Christ

Today we celebrate the greatest event not only in all of Christendom but in the history of mankind.

The Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

The secular world tries to isolate this event as something that is important only to Christians.

To the world Jesus is a mere historical figure, the founder of a great religion and was crucified when He was about 30 years old.

To the world, Jesus was just another founder of a world religion.

But where are the founders of the other world religions now?

a) The body of Mohammed, the founder of Islam is enshrined in the Mosque of the prophet in Medina, Saudi Arabia.

The tomb of Muhammad lies within the confines of what used to be his wife Aisha's and his house

b) the body of Confucius, founder of Confucianism lies buried in his hometown in China.

His grave is located in a large cemetery where more than 100,000 of his descendants are also buried.

b) the body of Confucius,

He IS RISEN! (Response: He is risen indeed)

c) Buddha's body was burned.

There is a monument that was built over a portion of Buddha's ashes on the spot where he was cremated.

, the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.

People flock to churches to celebrate the fact that Jesus is risen.

You see, the founders of these world religions are dead, and we know even now where their bodies are buried.

Christianity is unique in that it is the only faith where the body of its founder is not enshrined anywhere, not buried under a grave somewhere.

In fact, what is enshrined is not a body in a grave but an empty tomb.

THIS IS NOT A MYSTERY TO US CHRISTIANS BECAUSE ON THAT FIRST EASTER MORNING WE BELIEVE THAT JESUS ROSE FROM THE DEAD AND HE IS ALIVE FOREVERMORE.

This is the greatest comeback story folks.

We all love comeback stories.

When the NFL season starts… the Denver Broncos may just win the Superbowl this year.

When they lose their first biggest test against a good team, they can still win the conference, they lose some more games, they still have a chance to win the division, looking like they’ll lose the division, oh there’s that wildcard, remember the 1997 Broncos?

When they get eliminated... we are like life goes on, that Monday morning after a disappointing loss.. we move on, but at the back of our minds, they’ll be back next year.

You’re probably wondering why I am talking about the Broncos, it’s not even football season.

Well this is the safest time to talk about them right?

The point is we all love a great comeback story.

, we are like life goes on, that Monday morning after a disappointing loss.. we move on, but at the back of our minds, there is still that glimmer of hope.. maybe they can sweep the next three games, maybe they

There is no greater defeat to come back from than death.

Because of the resurrection of Jesus, death no longer means defeat.

Death has become synonymous with victory.

THE RESURRECTION OF JESUS CHRIST IS THE GREATEST COMEBACK STORY OF ALL TIME!

Jesus did it for you and for me.

We all know that Jesus died for our sins.

But don’t forget that Jesus rose from the dead to give us life.

First lesson from the resurrection of Jesus.

The resurrection of Jesus demonstrated that the grave is not our bodies’ final destination.

1 Corinthians 15:16

How far out are we planning for our lives?

Benjamin Franklin said:

“By failing to prepare you are preparing to fail.” (Benjamin Franklin)

This is a brainy quote and it is true.

Planning for the future is wise, but is foolish not to plan far enough.

People plan for the future but not for eternity.

I had a Christian friend who passed away this week, I had regrets because she was in Denver in December and messaged me because she wanted to connect of all days, on Christmas day, busy day for a pastor.

I told her, sure I could pick you up from the airport and you can stay the night with my family but before that we have to take you with us to this Christmas gathering, and you will have to tag along with us when we go here and do that.

In other words, what I may have conveyed was: “I really have no time for you!”

I had a friend who I knew back at the church where I became a Christian several years ago.

Although we served together at that church I did not consider myself particularly close to her.

Last December, she messaged me that she was going to be in Denver -of all days- on Christmas day.

She wanted to meet up, for me and Guia to pick her up at the airport and to spend the night at our house with my family.

I was like, she knows I am now a pastor and Christmas is a busy day so with reluctance I replied ok, sure we can pick you up at the airport but there are so many things going on I have to take you with me to this Christmas gathering, and you will have to tag along with us when we go here and I do that.

In other words, what I was really saying was: “I really have no time for you!”

She did not reply to me after that, so I figured, well, probably she found a hotel to stay at.

So, cool, problem solved, there will be other opportunities to meet up with her.

Last time I saw her on Facebook was last week, boarded on a plane to the Philippines for a vacation.

She posted funny comments about asking the stewardess for kimchi because she was on Korean airlines.

She was happily posting along on her long journey to the Philippines until she finally got there.

Last Thursday, I received news that she flew to the Philippines for a vacation, didn’t feel well and was rushed to a hospital.

She didn’t make it out of that hospital.

She passed away on Wednesday evening our time.

My heart was filled with regret, how I could have connected with her on Christmas day and I could have had the opportunity to be with her before she went home to be with the Lord.

Her death reminded me of the brevity of life and that we have to take every opportunity to be a true friend to someone.

After hearing about her death, I looked at her Facebook wall and it was filled with tributes to her from people who loved her.

Friends posting stories and pictures of happy moments with her, I kept scrolling until I got to her own final postings when she was still alive and I got to that post of her long journey to the Philippines.

Then I saw her post when the plane finally landed.

She posted these words:

I’m home!!! Hallelujah!!! Praise the Lord!!! I’m home!!!

To Christians who believe in the resurrection of Jesus, the words “I am home” takes on a totally different meaning, this life is not all there is.

We are not alive now just to someday remain 6 feet under the ground.

In the resurrection, Jesus rendered death powerless.

There is promise of a glorious life after death and someday there will be a resurrection of the godly and the dead in Christ will rise in glorified bodies and thus will we ever be with the Lord.

This is great news to those who lost love ones who died in Christ.

There is a promise that you will be with them again in the future.

2. The resurrection of Jesus gives meaning to our lives.

What are we living for?

We need to provide for our ourselves and our family, nothing wrong with doing that.

We pursue our dreams.

But if your ultimate pursuit in life is an earthly dream then you are not working on something that will last.

Even the stock market will have a major correction, cryptocurrency will not hold up, the almighty dollar will someday lose its worth.

Let me tell you one thing, pun intended here.

“The buck stops at the grave.”

The grave is our money’s final destination, but not ours.

While we continue on to eternity, there is not a single precious metal, gold or silver, or any currency, dollar, bitcoin, ethereum, titanium or uranium you will take with you.

(I made up the last two)

There is wisdom in what Jesus said, do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and thieves break in and steal.

Rather, store up for yourselves treasures in heaven.

Read Matthew 6:19-20.

The Bible also says that “we brought nothing into this world, we can take nothing out of it.”

Read

The question is not what should we live for but Who should we live for?

The question is not what should we live for but Who should we live for?

Jesus’ resurrection is not only a truth to be embraced but a challenge to be taken up.

Live no longer for ourselves but for the One Who died for our sake and was raised from the dead.

The challenge is to live for Jesus, get to know Him.