Good News from the Graveyard

The virgin birth, the sinless life the sacrificial death.

Each is critical to the Christian faith. But one of them rises above them all coming your way next Pastor Paul Sheppard shares is destine for victory message good news from the graveyard. But first he joins me know from his studio for a sneak peek at what today's message is all about pastors we get set for this Easter weekend. I love how you've titled this message could news from the graveyard will usually associate the grave of bringing good news, but I think today's message remind us that death is not the end for those that trust in Jesus because of that first Easter morning so tell us what we expect this message coming up well this message is my attempt to help people understand and rejoice in the reality of the resurrection. You know the only good news I've ever heard from a graveyard is what those ladies who visited Jesus tomb stated he's not here anymore. The only good news. Every other time I've been to a graveyard. It was with morning and sober thinking. But those ladies proclaimed he's not here he is, indeed, risen, and in this message I share for true that I got first years ago when I read a book by Lee Strobel limit give him his credit, so people think I'm I'm stealing his thunder but years ago. He wrote a book and he talked about the four keys that help make the case of the resurrection I talk about those in this message. The first, he is the early accounts. The second he is the empty tomb authority is the eyewitness or the eyewitness testimony, and the fourth is the emergence of the church and Lee makes the point that look at how many people died in the early days for their faith. People don't want to lay down their lives for a lie. He said they did that because they knew Jesus was alive. So this message really gets me juice. I can't wait to share it with our audience and I pray will be blessed by will thank you.

Let's get right to this important message today is Pastor Paul Sheppard now shares some overwhelming evidence that Jesus Christ rose from the dead. Just as he promised he would pierce today's destine for victory message good news from the graveyard. The reason why the Christian church takes the time worldwide every year and designates a Sunday to celebrate Christ's resurrection. In fact, some people ask a lot of the day, jump around because it is not so much an exact day. According to our current calendar we wouldn't know what the exact day translates into our calendar but we do know it was a reality that three days after he was crucified. Our Lord rose again.

And that is what we are celebrating when we come together during the resurrection season. That is why we celebrate this in fact if the truth be told we don't wait until this day to celebrate the fact that Christ is risen, because when you become a real follower of Christ in a real worshiper of God every day that you wake up and you recognize that by the grace of God saved by that grace is a day to celebrate his resurrection whenever you open your mouth Emporium and say Lord, thank you for saving me. You're going to the resurrection so much and that day that occurred in the single most important day in human history, the resurrection, the day the original day that Christ rose from the grave. The single most important day in human history. That's why we make such a big deal about it now a lot of hope turn it into close in bunny rabbits and and all that stuff all the trappings and traditions that people have gotten involved in, but this is really about the resurrection of our Lord and that day that that occurred was the single most important day in human history. The second most important day would be the day Christ was born.

But the single most important day was the day Christ rose because of this about it. I believe in Jesus and Jesus would be insignificant holy man. Many a profit gain some spiritual has come and gone, but all of them have gravesites where their body can be found.

This is about the… Not just sin. So the next cruise and then like everybody else know about the fact that God. Sin is almost wrapped himself came in on our behalf, and you will be able to claim that all power is given to me in heaven and and I got the keys and the rebound so they will put their trust in me. The reason why we go through during the season to proclaim in drama and in every way possible that life because that is really what it's all about. And so we are celebrating for very very good reason. So make a few points and I'll let you know I'm not going keep you long but give me about two and half hours. Let me say a few things. Let's get out of here know actually don't.

Don't panic anybody. I'm playing but give me a few moments to talk to you about three things. First I want to talk a little about the reality of the resurrection. Second, I want to talk a little about the reason for the resurrection and third, I want to talk about the results of the resurrection. The reality of the resurrection. I want you to know that the reason why we pause and have such a big celebration during the season as followers of Christ is because Jesus really did rise from the grave. Let me look at one of several passages. Matthew chapter 27.

I don't take for granted that everyone is familiar with what happened after Jesus death. So Matthew chapter 27 beginning at verse 57 is where I want to focus your attention here for a few moments, the gospel of Matthew chapter 27 verse 57 as evening approached the came a rich man from Lafayette named Joseph who had himself become a disciple of Jesus going to pilot. He asked for Jesus body and Pilate ordered that it be given to him. Joseph took the body wrapped in a clean linen call and place it in his own new to that he had cut out the rock Big Stone in front of the entrance to the two men went away, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb the next day one after preparation day.

The chief priests and the Pharisees went to Pilate so they said, we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said after three days I will rise again so give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day. Otherwise, disciples may come in still the body and tell the people that he had risen from the dead. This last deception will be worse than the first guard Pilate answered goal make the tomb as secure as you know how so they went made the tomb secure by putting a seal on the stone and posting the guard into chapter 28 of Matthew after the Sabbath had gone on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the two there was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down to heaven and going to the tomb back the stone and sat on his appearance was like lightning, his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so late of them, that they shook and became like dead men. The angel said to the women. Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here. He has risen, just as he said come and see the place where he lay, then go quickly and tell his disciples he has risen from the dead, and is going ahead of you in the Galilee. There you will see him now. I have told you this is one of several accounts that proclaims the reality of the resurrection. Now over the centuries skeptics have said well the problem is the Scriptures were written by people who themselves were followers of Christ so bad best interest in propagating this story all the resurrection of Christ.

Well, the fact of the matter is true seeker of truth, then you're going to want to not just a smokescreen comment and think that it holds water. You really need to tested in the light of facts and judge for yourself in the fact of the matter is, everyone. I am aware of who truly looked at the facts objectively and with an open heart reached the conclusion that no there is clear evidence for the reality of the resurrection least Wrobel who was an atheist journalist in really enjoyed the fact that he was the kind of unless you can prove it. It's not true God, his wife came to faith in Christ. Some years ago and in an attempt to get his wife straight he began to investigate the claims of Christ, journalist, and began to use his investigation skill and investigating the claims of Christ so that he could prove that is why this is a bunch of nonsense that you got yourself involved in the depot he went into the evidence for the case for Christ. The case for creator and the case for the resurrection of Jesus Christ. He realized that these things are indeed true and he gave his life to Christ that he has become. Across the past couple of decades.

One of the leading Christian apologist, and he shares wonderful information. If you know some seekers and really want to explore this. I would encourage you to point them toward least Wrobel's website where they'll find a number of his resources that he offers the people with an open and honest heart want to be evidence what it will will be right back with more of today's destined for victory message Pastor Paul Sheppard, senior pastor, destiny Christian Fellowship in Fremont, California listen to the broadcast on demand@pastorpaul.net that's pastor Paul.net will find a host of great resources that are online store is pastor Paul with the rest of today's message of good news from the graveyard when the correction was one time he was hearing about it and he shared these with the resurrection.

I want to share both briefly in the interest of time to so much deeper stuff we could get into. But in the interest of time, let me just briefly share the 40s that I first heard from least Wrobel. The first is early account we can believe in the credibility of the account because of how early they were written they were written in the lifetime of Jesus contemporaries that were not written hundreds of years later when everybody's dead.

This proved the resurrection. If it were just a story. One of the best ways to spread a lie to make sure there's nobody around who can say that what we have in the Scriptures only accounts first century A.D. accounts written at that time dictated by scholars of that time. Who knew these stories were shared the gospel was in the first century and the message was clear.

Among people who lived at the time of Christ saw him, not only before, but after his death on that cross and one who wrote these accounts letting us know in no uncertain terms that Jesus is alive and so you have a second thing Lee talks about is empty to be empty to the back of the matter is, no one has ever been able to make the claim with any archaeological credibility that there is a tomb where Jesus body was entombed and remains to this day.

You can say that about every other significant person in the story. You can go visit the place where they lay, but from the first century on, no one has been able to say here is where the body because as we just read.

He is not here you can find the body if it is not around, and he is not here, who was annoyed about making sure that was sealed so that people could not steal the body and claimed that he was resurrected like the high priest was right about that in the 1980s.

They found this to the archaeologist were doing a in the Middle East and they found this to we know where he is the guy about is not here or he is risen as he said so you have evidence of early account you have evidence of the empty tomb number three have the evidence of witnesses testimony witnesses testimony even in all have to have an account to get to know somebody who heard something your cousins in them. Do not go to work when it comes up indicating something as important as the resurrection of Christ but what we witnessed accounts. In fact, we were told the apostle Paul when he mentioned that in first trip in chapter 15 beginning at verse five.

Here's what Paul had to say.

First, within 15 beginning with verse five he said and he that is, Jesus appeared to Peter talk about after the resurrection, and then to the 12. The original apostles. After that, he appeared to watch this more than 500 of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living at the time Paul wrote the first letter to the Corinthians. The first one he says this 11th day. Most of those 500 who saw him. Although some have fallen asleep, and he appeared to James them to all the apostles and last of all he appeared to me also asked to one abnormally born. Paul is referring therefore to the fact that he wasn't at first as a follower of Christ.

In fact, he was the greatest persecutor of the early church. But one day he met the risen Christ.

He didn't even like others met him a couple of days after his resurrection he met him some years after the resurrection body met him so powerfully on the Damascus Road that he said I witness Saul and myself. He had a supernatural experience as he was going to persecute Christians in Damascus and it turned his life around and he instead of remaining the worst persecutor.

The church ever run into. He became the most prolific author of the New Testament letters because the Lord changed his life. But look at what Paul said. He said alive today for talk to over 500 individuals who Saul, the Lord who spoke to the Lord who handled the Lord who went out on the ship. In one case with the Lord after his resurrection, Jesus spent all the after his resurrection, showing himself to be alive sneaking around you have any reason to sneak around the corner. Anybody know people that well so we don't know how many others there were to make a case for somebody being alive in a court of law and the judge said can you produce witnesses and you may make your case.

Those people themselves are credible in the back of the matter is you have the early accounts you have the empty tomb. You have the witness testimony and you have the emergence of the church. Think about this for moment the charge was born less than two months after the resurrection of Christ, the day we call the birthday of the church the day of Pentecost. It's recorded in acts chapter 2 in your Bible that made in the car days after Jesus was alive within two according to our calendar days after the resurrection, the Holy Spirit fell on Jerusalem and the church was born what the significance of that the people who established the church were the original apostles, and the original followers of Christ.

All witnesses of the resurrection. The reason they will preach with power and began to spread the good news in Jerusalem and the other parts of the reason they do that because they had seen the Lord with his spirit, and they want to proclaim his resurrection everywhere.

They happen within his resurrection. What's my point. My point is simply this. Nobody knowingly and willingly die for a lie and original apostles of the 11 that remained at the resurrection of Christ course.

Judith had already killed himself, but of the 11 that remained 10 of those men ended up dying as martyrs. They all laid down their lives for their belief in what they proclaim. They all said he's alive. We know him. We walked with him and we now serve him and we will lay down our lives for him. Peter, when you see him before doing the night that Christ was betrayed and I'll always be with you and Jesus and all before tomorrow morning 93 times and of course it happened.

This is before visit BC before the cross, but after the resurrection. When Peter denied him and he thought he would just qualify when Jesus appeared one of these accounts tells us tell my disciples and Peter to meet me in Galilee to make sure Peter knew not disqualified because you let me down. The one who told you you were going to not be able to have the power to proclaim and to stand for me, but now that he is seeing Jesus come into his life with power will preach the message Peter Peter a little said that all that he never sold Christ for that same man left and two months later is standing up in Jerusalem reaching a message. The resurrection of the Lord anybody who will hear these people had not truly seen the Lord after his death so long that you give us the gist of the message with many other words did he speak like may bring a little bit, well, you know the right note is that with many other words we know same and have asked what else he said the charge would not unless these people had seen Christ. In fact, when the men were so paranoid about somebody sneaking in and stealing the body they should've known better.

This disciples were going to do anything after the arrest of Jesus will have the boldness to sneak back in the town the next day we got to go in there and take his body known all this was a supernatural thing that Christ rolled by the power of the heavenly father that he was seen by eyewitnesses who lay down their lives because they knew Christ was alive. I want to let you know.

The resurrection is a reality it's not a myth is not a fairytale is not some old wives tale spot over the centuries, until crazy people believe it. Don't have to check your mind at the door of the church.

Our faith is credible. Our faith is this our faith is in that cannot be refuted with any credibility Lee Strobel and many others have given us that information in compelling ways and I want to let you know I serve a risen Savior. He's in the world today already living whatever man-made identities alive right resurrection is a reality. That's why we thanks so much for being here for pastor Paul Shepard's message good news from the graveyard. Remember, for your generous gift to Destin for victory will be happy to send you by request a booklet by Pastor Paul that dives into some of the key points he made in today's message. The booklet is called he's alive is our gift to you by request. When you make a generous gift to Destin for victory. So please call us at 855-339-5500 or visit Pastor Paul.net to make a safe and secure donation online course. You can also mail your gift the address Destin for victory PO Box 1767, Fremont, CA 94538, when we had no salvation. No relationship with a holy God having eternal life, having right standing before God know ourselves of sin when God got that's next time would pastor Paul Sheppard continues to share his message good news from the graveyard. Until then, remember he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion. In Christ, you are destined for victory