What if....the Resurrection is True?

The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of biblical Christianity and that's why when you go into the New Testament you will find that every sermon preached in the New Testament was a resurrection sermon in acts chapter 2 Peter preached the resurrection of the Jewish crowd at the day of Pentecost in acts chapter 7 Stephen preach the resurrection to the Jewish people were stoning him to death in acts chapter 17 Paul preached the resurrection to the philosophers on Mars Hill in Athens and in acts chapter 28 Paul again preach the resurrection to Emperor Nero of Rome and to all of his elite praetorian guard there in Rome and I could keep going, but I think the point is clear that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the foundation of the New Testament, and of all of biblical Christianity.

Now if you're here and you're not certain the resurrection actually happened that I want to direct your attention to my sermon from last year on Easter at where I gave compelling evidence that the resurrection really did happen.

You can find it online@mcleanbible.org/sermons are and I urge you to go listen to it today. However, what were going to do is assume that the resurrection happened and were going to answer the question. What if the resurrection is true, what difference does that make for you and me here in the 21st century. So are you ready all right here we go number one if the resurrection is true it means first of all that Jesus really is Jehovah God wrapped in human flash. Just as he claimed to be in John chapter 10 Jesus said all I and the father are one in John chapter 14, Jesus said he was seeing me has seen the father in John chapter 12 Jesus said he who sees me, sees the lawn you sent me. Folks don't you ever let anybody tell you that Jesus himself never claim to be God.

Jesus claimed it all the time. As a matter of fact the Jewish rabbis in John chapter 10 they were getting ready to stone Jesus and he asked him why are you stoning me and they said we are stoning you for blasphemy because you a mere man claim to be.

What's the next word God. Yes, you claim to be God pay they knew exactly what Jesus was claiming and when the rabbis asked for proof of his claim. Look where Jesus pointed them. Matthew chapter 12 he said to them, for just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the great figures so the Son of Man Jesus himself will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. In other words, for proof of his deity. Jesus pointed these guys to his resurrection. Now look it's easy for person to claim that they are a messenger from God. I me Mohammed claim that Buddha claimed that Confucius claimed that Joseph Smith claimed that Mary Baker Eddy claimed that Rabbi Schneerson claim did Jim Jones claimed it and Jesus claimed that he was a messenger from God, but Jesus claim something none of these folks ever claim and that is that he was not just a messenger from God, but that he was Jehovah God himself wrapped in human flesh and all of these guys.

Jesus, like all of them. Remember they all spent three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The difference is that all the rest of these guys are still in the heart of the earth. But Jesus is risen. Praise God for that a man let me tell you why Jesus is risen. The Bible says Jesus is risen because as Jehovah God acts chapter 2. The Bible says it was impossible for death to hold up him. Second of all, if the resurrection is true. Not only does it mean that Jesus is Jehovah God in the flesh as he claim but it means number two that Jesus is telling us the truth about the afterlife. Jesus said to the rabbis. Matthew chapter 23 you serpents, you brood of vipers, how will you escape being condemned to word to hell yeah.

And Jesus said to his disciples.

Luke chapter 10 nevertheless do not rejoice that the demons are subject to you, but rather rejoice that your names are written in the heaven. Yeah friends there really is an afterlife.

There really is a hell there really is a heaven and real people really do go to these places and they really do stay there for all of eternity in you say how can you be so sure of that well because Jesus said so in the Bible. And as Jehovah God in the flash. He ought to know. John chapter 3, Jesus was talking.

Rabbi Nicodemus, and they were talking about the afterlife and Jesus said to him I speak of that which I know and I testify, Jesus said of that which I have seen bend of the afterlife. Nicodemus I know what's over there. Nicodemus, no one other than me. No one has ever gone into heaven except the one who came from heaven. Meeting Jesus himself and yet here's the tragic part, he says, yet Nicodemus you will not believe my testimony, Bertrand Russell, the great British philosopher that I believe when I die I show rocks and nothing of my ego will survive no Bertrand that's not right. You show to believe Jesus is testimony and call Sagan said I'd love the believe that when I die, some thinking, feeling, part of me will continue, but I know of nothing to suggest that this is more than just wishful thinking. No, Carl that's not right. You should believe Jesus is testimony and Stephen Hawking says the belief that have been on afterlife awaits us is a fairy story for people afraid of death. No Stephen that's not right. You need to believe Jesus is testimony and folks, I'm begging you here today heaven is real because Jesus says it is in hell is real because Jesus says it is an odd big you believe Jesus is testimony and believe how he said you and I can escape hell and get to heaven. He said John 14 six I am the way, the truth and the life say the next two words with me say it no one say louder. No one comes to the father. No one gets into heaven except through me that you're here today and you never tried to come to heaven and eternal life to Christ you tried other ways, but not that way really give you chance a few minutes.

Let me finish the sermon first. Number three if the resurrection is true then. Third, it means that his followers of Christ, we will rise from the dead, just like Jesus did. I love this. The Bible says that his followers of Christ. When we die here on earth. A very curious thing happens. Our body separates from our spirit. Our body goes into the graver into the sea or into the earned whatever while our spirit. As a follower of Christ goes to live with the Lord in heaven. The Bible says. Second Corinthians 584 believer to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord in spirit all but that's only a temporary situation because the Bible goes on to say when Jesus returns.

He's going to raise our dead bodies back to life and he is going to transform them into glorified bodies, bodies with no sin nature bodies like his post-resurrection body bodies that we will have for the rest of time and eternity. Jesus said in John chapter 6, he said, from my father's will is that everyone who believes in the son shall have eternal life. Watch now and I will raise these people at the last day and at the last day. The Bible says Philippians 321 that Jesus will transform our lowly bodies and make them to be like his glorious body hallelujah what a future friends. What a future we have in the Lord Jesus Christ. Jesus isn't the only one is gonna rise from the dead as followers of Christ.

You and I are going to rise. Also, it's jobs that were going to be a little bit behind him in time. That's all.

These first will follow. What a great future harm and then number four and finally, if the resurrection is true that it means that Jesus has the power to backup all these promises that he makes to us. Jesus said in John chapter 10 I have the authority to lay my life down to stop there for a minute. Does anybody have that authority, don't you have that authority don't have that authority yet it authority to take your life. Right you want to okay so Jesus you are my first responses.

That's the big warp that you got the authority to take your life all but he had finished yet.

Look Jesus that I have the authority to lay my life down and I have the authority to take it back up again wall. Now that a different matter altogether to have the authority once you have taken your own life or once you've gone into the grave by your own power by your own authority to raise your self up from the dead will now that's different and nobody has that kind of authority.

Nobody has that kind of power except the eternal risen omnipotent glorified son of God. But that's who Jesus is a man you clap for that March if I so is so listen folks who Jesus is that he's Jehovah God in the flash I bank it and if Jesus says that hell is out there and only by believing in him can I stay telling get in the heaven I bank that and Jesus says that he's going to raise our bodies up from the dead, if we believe in him.

I bank that and if Jesus says he's got the power to do all these things and more. What we do. We bank that that's right because folks when somebody has the power to raise themselves from the dead. What ever they say I don't care what it is I bank you praise God for that.

Listen one more thing, you know, the most common phrase Jesus ever used in the Bible that God is ever used throughout the whole Old Testament.

What is do not be afraid, amazing, and in this is the beautiful part about Jesus's resurrection and his power if he really is the being that he says he is then when he tells me. Don't be afraid. Folks, I'm not will be afraid I'm not going to be afraid of the grave. I'm not going to be afraid of death.

I'm not going to be afraid of the afterlife and I'm not going to be afraid of anything here on this earth.

Jesus said Hebrews 13 five.

I will never leave you nor will I ever forsake you. The Bible goes on to say. Therefore, I can confidently say the Lord is my helper.

What can man do to me. I'm not afraid when I got Jesus on my side. The risen Christ a man so the beauty of the resurrection is that it empties right into the confidence we have do not be afraid of anything. Jesus said because I got the power over everything all authority in heaven and earth belong to me and I'm here to protect you. I'll take care of it when I tell you, don't fear what he was supposed to do when Jesus says don't fear where we put it in the where in the bank. That is exactly right.

My friend, you take that and you bank it and you live on it, you with me are a man now let me conclude by saying that you member all those people that we mentioned earlier, Confucius in Bhutan Bahama and all those guys remember we said they all went into the ground and they never came back out again. We don't forget each one of them when they were alive offered people a way to get to heaven and a way to get eternal life.

But the problem is now, they're all dead if their way work. Why wouldn't they still be alive. Jesus offered people a way to get to heaven and a way to get eternal life and he rose from the dead. He's alive forever more. It's almost like you got a bunch of skeletons pointing up onto doors saying this is the way to get to heaven and that you got this one door with the living risen for ever alive cry saying oh no this is the way you get there not what person in their right mind would follow a skeleton instead of a living, risen Savior, wealth, let me say to you if you're here today in your trusting anything. Anything to get you into heaven, and give you eternal life except Jesus Christ and what he did for you on the cross and his shedding of his blood to pay for your sin in the sight of a holy God. If your trust in anything else.

I hate to tell you this, but your following one of those skeletons. My friend that skeletons going to take you right where he is a follower, dead Savior will end up just like you to great news. The Bible will have that Savior right now. We got a living Savior and look follow a living Savior and you'll end up just like him who wants to follow a dead Savior.

I want a living Savior. Folks, and that's what we have in the Lord Jesus Christ. So if you're here today and you been following a skeleton were to give you a chance right now to change doors.

We don't want you going through that door Nono that door will not take you anywhere except death and hell we want you following the right door. The Lord Jesus Christ. The real way to heaven, and eternal life, and working to give you a chance to do that right now let's bow our heads together and here's what were going to do if you been following a skeleton, it's time to change right now and follow the Lord Jesus the living Christ. So we discussed say a little prayer where you going to tell the Lord that you're ready to exchange doors and that you're ready to embrace him as your Lord and Savior here we go. I meant to pray out loud. One phrase at a time to pray silently, please right behind me one phrase at a time, Lord Jesus, I come to you today because I want eternal life. I want to know for certain that I'm going to heaven when I leave this earth. And so today I renounce every other door and every other Savior I've ever followed and today I put my full weight on you my full trust in you that by your work on the cross in your shed blood for my sins that you will give me eternal life and take me to heaven if I will trust and rely on you and so I do that today. I lay my life at your feet.

I surrender my heart to you and I embrace you as my Lord and my Savior. From this point on, for the rest of my life in Jesus name I pray, amen. We look forward to the day when the Bible says every knee shall bow and every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the father. We look forward to the day that you will break every stronghold of Satan and you will throw him in the lake of fire, and we will be rid of that evil being for the rest of eternity. Lord we look forward to the day where you will pull every idol down every place of idol worship down all the high places and only the throne of Jesus will be lifted up on this or father. We look forward to the day when every tongue that has maligned you and blasphemed you and criticized you and talk other people out of believing in you and said things hateful about you that they will be forced to confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.

They were wrong, Lord Jesus, until that day you keep us faithful to you, Lord, and you remind us as we said that we have nothing to fear.

You have conquered death, you have overcome. You have conquered this world and when we are with you. There is nothing for us to fear the Lord Jesus, thank you. We've got good news for this world and that we got good news for our lives.

We worship you and we love you for being our Savior.

We pray these things in Jesus name God's people said a man