I can face tomorrow
Notes
Transcript
1 Now after the Sabbath, as the first day of the week began to dawn, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to see the tomb. 2 And behold, there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, and came and rolled back the stone from the door, and sat on it. 3 His countenance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. 4 And the guards shook for fear of him, and became like dead men.
5 But the angel answered and said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. 7 And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead, and indeed He is going before you into Galilee; there you will see Him. Behold, I have told you.”
8 So they went out quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to bring His disciples word.
9 And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!” So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him. 10 Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell My brethren to go to Galilee, and there they will see Me.”
(PRAY)
We arrive today one week after Easter Resurrection Sunday.
Jesus is alive.
My message to you today:
Because Jesus lives, get up.
Because Jesus lives, get up.
Life is possible when you get up.
Life is possible when you get up.
Anything can happen when you get up.
Exams are passed when you show up (for them).
Papers are written when you put ink to the page, fingers to the keyboard.
P-Sets are completed when you sit down to do the calculations.
Experiments are executed when you embrace the lab.
Classes are taught when you stand at the podium, when you start the laptop.
Work commences when you get in your car, when you send the email.
Friendships are mended when you apologize.
Family is encouraged when you pick up the phone to call.
Health is renewed when you exercise.
Faith is restored when your pray.
Jesus is alive. You, be alive, too.
Jesus is alive. You, be alive, too.
If Jesus would have stayed dead, then you might have an excuse not to carry on.
The disciples scattered at Jesus cruxifixction and would have stayed scattered.
Peter denied Jesus three times and would have kept the lie going.
If Jesus were not alive then we would be required to save ourselves, to pay a price than no human being can pay.
If Jesus were not alive there would be no other righteous person for, comparably, none of us is righteous, no, not one.
If Jesus were not alive, the hell that seemingly has broken loose would stay loosed.
But our Savior is risen, just as He said.
Our King lives.
Jesus is alive, and because He lives....as my old hymn has taught me,
I can face tomorrow.
You can face tomorrow.
We can face tomorrow.
But how? In what state? In what condition of mind and emotion and ability?
Because He lives we can face tomorrow with joy.
Because He lives we can face tomorrow with joy.
Before His cruxifixction, Jesus shared with His disciples how their sorrow will turn to joy.
20 Most assuredly, I say to you that you will weep and lament, but the world will rejoice; and you will be sorrowful, but your sorrow will be turned into joy. 21 A woman, when she is in labor, has sorrow because her hour has come; but as soon as she has given birth to the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a human being has been born into the world. 22 Therefore you now have sorrow; but I will see you again and your heart will rejoice, and your joy no one will take from you.
Truth be told:
A lot can happen in life. Therefore, Jesus ensured His disciples then, and ensure us today:
33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
Jesus went to the cross, was crucified, died and was buried. After Jesus' resurrection He appeared to the women who came early in the morning to His tomb and found it empty. Upon their return to bring the good news to others, Jesus met the women. Matthew records:
9 And as they went to tell His disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, “Rejoice!” So they came and held Him by the feet and worshiped Him.
Family, Get Up with joy.
With Jesus there is victory over sin and the grave.
And not just for Jesus—victory for you and me, too.
Victory in this life, and the life to come--eternal life.
The Apostle Paul expounds:
54 So when this corruptible has put on incorruption, and this mortal has put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written: “Death is swallowed up in victory.”
55 “O Death, where is your sting?
O Hades, where is your victory?”
56 The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.
Because He lives, Get Up with Joy.
Because He lives, Get Up with Joy.
Jesus has the victory (and so do all who trust in Him). Hallelujah!
Because He lives we can face tomorrow with anticipation.
Because He lives we can face tomorrow with anticipation.
Before the cruxifixction, Jesus told His disciples
1 “Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. 2 In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.
Because Jesus lives we can face tomorrow with anticipation of Christ's (2nd) coming, and anticipation of our restoration.
When Jesus rose from the dead, Jesus showed Himself to His disciples and many others, and Jesus ascended to heaven to sit at the right hand of the throne of God the Father, where Jesus is today making intercession for the saints.
Just prior to His ascension, Jesus disciples asked an important question:
6 Therefore, when they had come together, they asked Him, saying, “Lord, will You at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?”
This was and is a very important question. (Because oppression was and is still very real.)
The disciples were right to look for restoration, though Jesus was thinking much bigger than an earthly kingdom to give the Jewish people military rule (restoring their strength and glory).
Jesus responded to their question and redirected the disciple's energy:
7 And He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or seasons which the Father has put in His own authority. 8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Jesus took the disciples' hope for a better future and expanded it beyond a select few clarifying how and that when once empowered with the Holy Spirit, the disciples and people would testify all throughout their regions and world who is Jesus the Christ.
With that communication then given, Jesus left, ascended to heaven. The disciples looked on.
9 Now when He had spoken these things, while they watched, He was taken up, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. 10 And while they looked steadfastly toward heaven as He went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel, 11 who also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.”
From that day forward, the disciples and all today who believe, wait for Christ to come.
We live--early believers lived then and we live today--anticipating Christ to come.
In fact, every shared communion is an act of remembrance. Paul taught:
26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.
Well, what will happen when Christ comes? What will change when Jesus comes?
The prophecy, Revelation, gives us insight for what is to come:
1 Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea. 2 Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. 4 And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”
5 Then He who sat on the throne said, “Behold, I make all things new.” And He said to me, “Write, for these words are true and faithful.”
6 And He said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End. I will give of the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts.
Because He lives, Get Up with Joy, Anticipation.
Because He lives, Get Up with Joy, Anticipation.
Because He lives we can face tomorrow with Peace.
Because He lives we can face tomorrow with Peace.
Peace? Peace. What? How?
25 “These things I have spoken to you while being present with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid. 28 You have heard Me say to you, ‘I am going away and coming back to you.’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, ‘I am going to the Father,’ for My Father is greater than I.
29 “And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe.
Peace is the absence of war.
Peace is the absence of war.
Peace is the absence or resolution of war.
Where peace is present, conflict is absent.
Where there is peace, there is no foothold for trouble.
Scripture describes war between people,
war within ourself where our spirit and our flesh duke it out to produce holiness or sin;
there can be war within our bodies that manifests itself in our physical health and wellness.
Here in scripture, Jesus says, "Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid."
There is a peace that is a sound mind, where our belief is built up--our belief in all that Jesus has said.
Paul told Timothy
7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
I pray for you
14 But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful.
Peace—may Christ’ legacy to His disciples “sit as umpire” in your heart.
Beyond the external appearance of having it/life all together, may God’s peace be internal, in your heart.
Not evil, not envy, not strife in your hear, but peace.
Not division between brethren, but unity—peace.
Because He lives, Get Up with Joy, Anticipation, Peace.
Because He lives, Get Up with Joy, Anticipation, Peace.
Because He lives we can face tomorrow with purpose.
Because He lives we can face tomorrow with purpose.
Don’t look for purpose. Accept (your) purpose.
We continue on with Paul's words to Timothy:
7 For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me His prisoner, but share with me in the sufferings for the gospel according to the power of God, 9 who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began, 10 but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, 11 to which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.
Family, I charge you: don’t look for purpose. Accept (your) purpose.
Well, pastor, who would God have us to be? What would God have us to do?
Personally:
Love God and Love others.
37 Jesus said to him, “ ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ 40 On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”
And in loving others, share with them the good news of Jesus Christ. May others come to know God through you.
Later on Matthew records Jesus’ Great Commission to disciples
18 And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Amen.
And as we read in Acts 1:8 God will empower you to do so.
8 But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be witnesses to Me in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.”
Family, when God empowers you, it is not for you.
It is not
for your dreams to come true.
to make a name for yourself.
to prove yourself better than someone else.
to excel in your coursework so people think you are smart.
No, God’s empowerment is not for yourself. While these things may indeed happen (and prove beneficial), God empowers you to ultimately point people back to Him.
The function of your purpose is to:
15 Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.
Family, how will we do this?
By getting up!
Because He lives, Get Up with Joy, Anticipation, Peace, Purpose.
Because He lives, Get Up with Joy, Anticipation, Peace, Purpose.
Song: victory is mine
Victory is mine,
Victory is mine,
Victory today is mine.
I told Satan to get thee behind,
Victory today is mine.
Joy. Peace. Love.
4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?