My Present is filled with power

Well, we're getting closer Easter is now just two weeks away. We continue to look at our series why Easter matters? First we said that it matters because Jesus is who he claimed to be. You asked who did he claim to be. He claimed to be the Son of God given all power and authority all majesty and Dominion. And by his death and Resurrection, he proved that to be true. We also discussed last week how the resurrection matters to us because our past is Forgiven. Is resurrection assures us. We are welcomed into the household of God that our sin is not counted against us but is paid for through the death and resurrection of Christ. Today we reflect on our present situation. Where are we today? And we reflect that our presence is filled with power. Some of you might recall her and author Charles shed. He wrote a number of books. These are two of them letters to fill up letters to Karen how they were very popular books when they first came out. and he was a speaker for many many years traveled around the country in and when he first started speaking, he had a workshop that he would take two churches and it was called Ten Commandments for raising kids and he would talk to parents about the kinds of things that they needed to do to raise good healthy spiritual kids then he had some And then the title for his Talk change to 10 hints for parents. Because he wasn't quite as confident of everything as he was before he had his first child and then his second child. It came along and he had to change once again the title of his talk and this time he said it was a few suggestions for struggling parents for whatever they're worth.

You see the more he matured the more he went along it seem like the less he seem to know. I think sometimes that's the way it is in our Christian Journey. Sometimes I think they're more that we journey down that path. Sometimes we find out that there really is less and less that we know that there is so much more to the story than what we first thought. It's not just as simple as when we first believed.

One of the things that I hear more and more today and I see more and more today. I I see it through social media. I hear it through conversations. I have I I hear it and I see it in the coffee shop surround us. It's people feeling overwhelmed life is just out of control. We often hear the expression from people that I feel powerless.

And I feel powerless over so many things. I feel powerless to change the situation of their life the circumstances under which they find themselves. Whatever those might be. Feel powerless to find a different job. Maybe they're unemployed. Maybe they're underemployed. Maybe are employed in a job. That's just driving them crazy. And if you are absolutely powerless to do anything about it. But I feel powerless to get out of debt. That's something we hear over and over and over.

Our lesson dealing with my children. Even our adult children at times can make us think that we are absolutely powerless to offer them the kind of help that they need that the things that they need the support and encouragement. I can't even manage my own schedule. My day is so filled. I don't even know what's going on anymore. It's just out of control.

Got this habit. And no matter what I do. I just can't break it.

And it's not just a bad habit of chewing my fingernails. This is a destructive habit. It's poised to destroy me and relationships in my family and I just can't seem to do anything about it.

or maybe find themselves in a broken relationship. They just don't even know how to fix. how to make things right again They feel powerless. I recently read an article. They talked about the number one topic Nationwide. This was a survey done by lifeways. Number one topic that came up in church as a recurring theme. And the number one top recurring theme in America today is anxiety fear, but isn't it sad overwhelmed feeling it? Is that powerless to fix anything? How can I handle all that is going on in my life, and I'm here to tell you today that Easter matters. at those times when we feel absolutely overwhelmed trapped unable to get ourselves out of the situation change what's going on in our life, then we come to the cross and we hear this message of Easter and we see the reality in Easter and we recognize Easter matters. It matters for us today. What do all these people want they're all looking for power to change and they want to change their situation. They want to change their relationship with people. They want power to be able to do the things they want to do.

unfortunately They're looking to themselves for that power. They want to find within themselves the resolve to make this work. I'm on a new diet program called verta and this over to program. They have an app for the program it when I first got on the program and started doing some research on it and looked into this. I thought you know, that's you know, that's going to help me cuz it's on my phone. I'll really lose weight now and so I started looking into this virta app in the program and I thought how is this app? But my phone going to help me lose weight. Do I have to tell you like set it on my stomach when I sleep or something or what? How does this work? And I found out that it's because of this app is like constantly yakking at me all day long. It is constantly reminding me of why I signed up for this program. What I'm hoping to do. I have a coach coaches with me 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Yeah when she's gone. There's alternate coach that steps in and they're sending me messages of encouragement and hope and and they're checking all my readings and things that I submit every day and they're saying you're doing great. Things are called you. And I realize that's because I don't have the power to do it on my own. I just need someone to come alongside and say while I let me let me help you with that. In case you're wondering yes, it's working. sort of

so we'll see. Also came across this quote this week while doing some reading. I miss Scott. Because God used to Bear the weight of all of our expectations. Without God now out of our culture. We thrust them on one another and we were not designed the bear that weight. I think that's that overwhelming feeling we have. Should we try and take on all of these things ourselves? The Great Expectations put on us used to be something we could put on God because he had strong shoulders. He was strong and mighty and able to do great things. We read the stories of The Unbelievable ways that God intervened in the lives of his children and he still does but somehow we have forgotten that. I think as a culture we are beginning to see just how much we miss God. Just how much the expectations and demands of living are now thrust upon us.

We trust them Upon Our spouse. We trust him upon our children. Instead of putting them on God. The one who really is able to do something about him. Rescue us and help us.

Paul writes I keep asking that the god of our Lord Jesus Christ. The glory is Father may give you the spirit of wisdom and Revelation so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you. Riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people and the incomparable great power for us who believe That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at the right hand of the Heavenly Realms far above all Rule and Authority power and dominion and every name that is invoked not only in the present age, but also in the age to come. And God placed all things under his feet. Appointed him to be head over everything for the church. Deadpool rights to this church at Ephesus he begins by saying I am so thankful for you.

The life that you live for the fellowship that we share in the spirit and then he prays for them. Yes, I pray that you would grow to know this guy.

And the power that is available to you. Did you hear it? And his comparably great power for us who believe that's you and me Believers in Christ Jesus. There's this incredibly huge power incomparable. Great power. That power is the same as the mighty strength he exerted when he raised Christ from the dead and seated him at the right hand in the Heavenly realms

Did you hear that the power that Rose Christ from the dead? That's power given to us. It's given to us for our daily living that we might know the power of God that we might not bear this weight and these burdens and he scares ourselves, but we can take them to the Cross we can give them to Christ and we can save in your power and your strength carry them and if we're not even strong enough to do that. He says no you are because you have the power of Christ in you. See Jesus when he was getting ready to leave his disciples. His disciples were starting to get real confused cuz he was saying stuff that didn't make him feel real good to know about dying and going and leaving and not being there and then they were all confused. In the midst of it he knew they weren't really hearing everything. He was saying even what he was saying that was very direct. They just weren't getting it.

So he says in our text today unless I go. The helper cannot combat, but when I call. But when I go with excitement to the disciples, he loved me so but when I go he will come. And this spirit will tell you all things and and he will share with you. What comes from me. It will be something new something different. He's he's not going to change what we been talkin about the things we would know, he's just going to explain everything the stuff that right. Now you're missing he's going to explain it. You're make it clear, but that that's only going to happen if I go. So let me go. He will come.

and he did he left in a Spirit came in its place in the church. Today is blessed with the presence in the spirit of God in our life. In the water and word of holy baptism got Spirit comes to us and resides he claims Us in size. You are mine. I said everything that the father has been given to me and I share it with you. Paul says all the power and authority that raised Christ from the dead has been given to you.

We no longer have to feel powerless. We no longer have to feel trapped by the circumstances of our life if we just take them off our shoulders. Give them to someone else.

We take those burdens and pass them on. Why does Easter matter? Leslie Branch who I've only read one book of his to be perfectly honest, but it's probably one of my favorite books of all times the book called Christ in your life and he has a a reading in that book called if I really believed. I was talking about Easter why Easter matters in and what it should do in our life. Listen to these great words. If I really believed in the resurrection of Christ, no problem or difficulty weakness or didn't know insufficiency or an adequacy could destroy me? I would know an experienced that power which raised Jesus from the grave Grace to overcome my Thornton frailties. And know that God who did that colossal prodigious Act of Might and Glory would not find my problem too difficult.

I don't know what burden you carried in this morning when you came here. I don't know what you would say. Was that overwhelming. Weight that you carry today. But I do know this. It's nothing. It's nothing compared to the power and grace of God given to us.

But you're this it is something to God. It's something that God wants to hear he longs to take that burden from you. And you be so well. Compared to raising Christ of the Dead for the sins of the world. My problem is insignificant. I won't even take it to him now. Oh, don't you see that's the point? That's why he said son into the world. That's why Easter matters for us. Is that in his resurrection. He says I take all of it. All those weights and burns. You can't bear all those overwhelming things that are crushing you I take them all. I took him to the cross and I sent from the cross. It's finished. And I Rose to prove it. And in that victory that power is ours. Knowing the God who did that colossal prodigious Act of Might and Glory will not find problem too difficult.

How many of you are familiar with the Chronicles of Narnia series? Anybody near read The Chronicles of Narnia couple of you have great series written by a CS Lewis. So wonderful, fanciful tale of life and resurrection of power and strengthen and in this journey we see Ashland. Who is this lying this Christ figure who's in the book and Aslan on his journeys. I'm he meets some kids and he meets a Lucy and add this is a scene from the first of the Disney adaptation. I'm The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe the first book in the series until we see Lucy's in the red cape and she's standing next to Aslan. And later on is The Story Goes On she leaves this land of Narnia and she returns later in life. She's a little older and she returns a second time to the land. And here she is the second time she comes she's a little older a little taller and as she looks it. Roseland the lion who she met the first time And she says to him. Ashland you're bigger.

He says that's because you are older now little one.

Not because you are she says. And then listen to is beautiful response. I am not. But every year you grow you will find me bigger.

That's maturity.

Every year that we grow we will find God picker. We will find him more capable. He will have proven himself time and time again in our life and in the lives of those around us. That's why we share our stories are we talk to one another we will carry our burdens and we we lay them in front of each other in prayer and we take them together so that we might together begin to see just how big God is.

active minutes one of the I think that is really struck me in this last couple years.

Needing to proclaim the word every week. Something I wasn't used to do it. I love to talk as many of you know, but proclaim the word with boldness every week. after that, there was a there was a park in a Piece of me to begin with it, so I don't know that I have that many messages. Is there is there really that much to say? But I tell you that. The more I share with you about the nature of who Christ is and his relationship in our life what it means to be a disciple of his the more I realize I don't know. And the more I realize I'm never going to run out of material. I haven't even scratched the surface of what God has to say to his children the more that we spend time with him the older we get the more we realize just how big yes.

I pray that this morning you will in some way grasp the size of God. his ability to help and you will find his power in your present life. And that spirit that resides within us.

Next week as we close out the series and we prepare for that great Resurrection Festival. We look at why Easter matters further future. You think your present is good just gets even better.

And we'll look at that next week celebrate the reality of our future relationship with God. And all of this, of course is leading to that great day. Today when you can invite your friends and neighbors to come and hear the story that research tells us they want to hear.

The come on Easter in hear the good news. At the tomb is empty Christ has risen.

I pray that you will take opportunity that this Series has encouraged you. To bring that good news because I hope you have seen just how valuable this message of Easter is.

Try past. truck present and for our future and we want the world to know that message. Amen. And I made a strong love and strange piece of our God which passes all of our human understanding keep our hearts and our minds fixed fast on Christ Jesus until life Everlasting. Amen.