It Seems Like Nonsense... But Is It?

So, my family and friends. A guess of yours remain standing here and I hope that never gets old, a man and limitless survey standing. Listen to this. Luke 24 on the first day of the week, very early morning came to the tomb bringing the spices they had prepared found the stone rolled away from it. Soon they went in, but did not find the body of the Lord Jesus while they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men stood by them in dazzling close so the women were terrified to bow down to the ground. Why are you looking for the living among the dead. Ask them in is not here he is risen. Remember how he spoke to you when he was still in Galilee, say it is necessary that the Son of Man be betrayed into the hands of sinful men be crucified and then rise in the third day they were like oh yeah, yeah, he said that verse nine returning from it. Soon they reported all these things to the 11 and all the rest, Mary Magdalene, Joanna Mary, the mother of James and the other women with them were all telling the apostles. These things these words seem like nonsense to them and they did not believe the women Peter however got up and ran to the tomb when he stooped to look in the saw only the living clause so we went away amazed at what had happened. Some a church suggest Jesus is risen, amen, amen. The heart of Christianity is not a new approach to morality part of Christianity is not new insights into spirituality or the nature of the universe. The heart of Christianity is a dead man walked out of the grave and changed everything and I know I know some of you have a hard time believing that it seems to you maybe like it's wishful fairytales that people have invented you cannot cope with the harsh realities of life. And that's today is all about to give you a chance if you never have to believe on him to receive him. That's what you want to do and even to be baptized as a testimony of that you never have before you get all that just one more time in celebration of all that you have seen today and as a testimony that you believe in Jesus is risen from the dead. If you do indeed believe that you put your hands together as a declaration of that way we celebrate the resurrection made me as we pray father I give it 2000 years ago.

You bore my sins and put away my curse did not stay dead. You defeated the enemy's godless sin and death that had taken over my life and held me captive and given me no hope.I know that you're seeking to save some better listening to me right now. One of our campuses or maybe joining us at home.

I know that right now you were drawing them. I know that you have been for several weeks waiting when they didn't realize it. Or maybe you know how to recognize what was happening that you been working thought I would ask the Holy Spirit to allow me to enter into that work that you've already been doing in their heart and use my words my voice. Your words to draw them God to the love drew salvation's plan in the grace and brought it down the man. Thank you Lord Jesus the gifts.

Thank you for being here. Thank you from rising from the dead for us in Jesus name all God's people said amen you may be seated. Regards, Mike needs resurrection. So there you have it. No, I can't help but notice as I read this passage is the sense of wonder that pervades it. Did you notice that it is kind of indications of wonder, and I believe all figures versus verse four.

For example, says that they were perplexed about this, verse 11. Their words seemed like nonsense to them and they just did not believe it was almost like it was too good to be true is in is and imagine. Imagine you were going through your grandfather's assets and you learn that that that he had bought a few hundred dollars worth of Apple stock in the early 1980s, but he forgot to mention it to anybody. Now for like $500 million something like that or my oldest daughter just turned 18 on Wednesday, so she found out that Justin Bieber was going to MC her birthday party. I am not a know it to be still cool for 18 years old April. I don't know but for us even another Nicholas Cage was going to MC your birthday party. That's transgenerational. I think just too good to be true right that's that's how they felt just a million times more intense and so what they heard. Seemed like nonsense to them.

You know sometimes we read these ancient text, and we we just assume that people back then were a lot more gullible.

They didn't have all the sophistication that we have been known about medicine and known about death and there's things and so they were probably more likely to believe in a resurrection because everybody knew somebody that in resurrecting the dead and all right but this is not true. They knew how death works. Most of them had seen more dead bodies up close by the age of 12. The most of us will see in a lifetime.

And when somebody was dead.

Dead like like I sold a man's heart punctured by a spear and blood gushed out of it like it came out of the fountain, did they knew that you didn't come back from that. Plus, they knew the Roman garrison had been established to guard the tomb so to the report that the body was missing.

Seemed like nonsense to them. The point is, these women who came to the tomb that morning were not looking for a resurrection they were not starry eyed, gullible, miracle seeking groupies you showed up with lawn chairs appear familiar for Jesus to sign her pinkies to wipe on his body so that they can go do miracles by verse one tells you what they showed up with spices looks at spices.

By the way don't think garlic oregano Lowery seasoning salt, the greatest of all the spices. That's not what were talking about. These were spices that were used to preserve dead bodies and there would've been a lot of them. By the way, and they would've been very heavy, not just some youth around your knapsack and carried around would've been there would've been dozens of pounds of spices again. The point is that income to the tomb that morning, expecting to meet a living breathing Jesus.

They came expecting to find a cadaver they were looking for a miracle they're looking for closure.

The story was over it was time to anoint the body and the MoveOn check out Peter's response in verse 12. In fact, that Luke says it went when Peter got to the tomb and he saw it was empty. He walked away days confused. Not really sure what it all mean you would like. I knew it I think it's it like this would happen Tuesday. Mimi's computer in John's Gospel, John. Another one of the apostles tells us that he also ran with Peter. In fact we just read you what John says and John 20 verse for the two that is, Peter and John were running together, but the other disciple, that's John referring to himself outran Peter and got the tomb first. By the way, why did John point that out, but he held him Peter, what relevance does it have the story, not just whenever you're a guy telling a story and it involves you best and another guy in a feat of strength you always include that detail gave it was good not germane to the lot at all, but now renting verse five, stooping down though. John saw the linen clothes lying there, but he did not go in becoming a bring himself to where it was like he'd said he glimpsed something too good to be true something so wonderful that it took his breath away. Something he could let his heart entertain for fear that his host will be crushed again. So we stood outside the tomb and refuse to go in for fear for fear of being disappointed you see the theme here. Nobody is expecting a resurrection. Everybody doubts it, it seems like nonsense. It's just too wonderful to be true. And by the way, I have to point out the irony of God choosing women to be the first one to testify to these things usually irony how well in the first century, the testimony of a woman was not considered valid evidence in court by Josephus and for example the Jewish historian Jewish historian for the first century tells us that the witness of multiple women, even multiple women would not be acceptable in court because "his words not mine because of their levity and hysteria. Sure, not by the way, Celsus was an early Roman critic of Christianity. He mocked the gospel accounts of the resurrection because they depended so much on the testimony of women.

He said he said these women were clearly again. His words not mine. They were clearly hysterical females diluted by sorcery and so none of their testimony should be considered adequate. Now, obviously. Today we know that that's not at all fair assessment of women. It's quite misogynistic and bigoted. But here's the question in that day if Luke was making up stories to bolster a fairytale why would you choose women as your first witnesses. If you are making things up if you were trying to invent evidence.

You wouldn't show it to you and choose those whose testimonies were considered to be the most unreliable at that time the gospel writers reported women as the first witnesses because that's what happened when it was God's way of embedding into the story a clue for you.

What I 2000 years later that these are not made up stories, but the main thing I'm trying to get you to see is that for everybody who heard these things, this is just not something they expected. There were expecting or looking for a miracle and when they found evidence of it. It still seemed like nonsense to them. It seemed too good to be true to the question is, what was it about the resurrection that made it too good to be true, but it seemed too good to be true before things I think are pretty straightforward. Number one, number one, if the resurrection is true, it means that Jesus has redeemed us from our sins. See the apostle Paul explains in Romans four but Jesus's resurrection was the verification that God had accepted Jesus's sacrifice as the payment for our sins. Think of it like a receipt when you are shopping at Walmart and you pay for your items they give you a little receipt and tell you to hold onto it so that when the kind elderly gentleman stopped through the door you can show him that receipt and say this is the proof that my items have been paid for the resurrection. Paul explains is the proof that the validation the receipt that God has accepted Jesus death is the payment for our sense, it means the redemption work look down at verse 21 in chapter 24 through the disciples. Later that afternoon or walk along this dusty road to Emmaus when they are suddenly joined by a stranger who starts to walk with them.

A stranger by the way, who turns out to be Jesus incognito, they don't know that yet and the stranger asked him why they're so depressed and so they explained to the stranger that they were just devastated by Jesus death. Here's what they say. You see, we were hoping we were hoping that Jesus was the one who was about to redeem Israel. We hope you brought redemption see the Old Testament prophets promise that God would send a Redeemer I deliver and they had always assumed that that would be a political Redeemer, a warrior king who would end injustice and bring peace on earth and end world hunger and for a while it certainly looked like Jesus could do all of that right with the miracles and the feeding of the 5000 and the walking on water and whatnot.

But then again when he died or they just naturally assume that he failed the Redeemer of the world wouldn't be killed by the evil world powers that the Redeemer of the world was supposed to overcome, not suck, calm resurrection, however, showed them that Jesus was attempting a different kind of redemption and he was successful. You see, in addition, the prop assigned a warrior king would come.

Who would bring peace on earth. The Old Testament prophets also taught that our sin had incurred a penalty goalie back to Genesis 3, the first send the garden of Eden. God had said that the soul that sins will die. Every single one of us have repeated the pattern of the sin in Genesis 3 now bears took the form of eating out forbidden fruit off of a forbidden tree and we haven't done that but every single one of us has repeated the same thought pattern that they went through, which is basically I am wiser than God I know better than him how I should leave my life. I know what's good and what's not. I should play the role of God in my life, God, you shouldn't be in charge because I know better. What's best for me than you do, so I'm good to be in charge of my life. A lot of times we think of sin as these grossly immoral acts, and it certainly gets there but sin at its core is simply rebellion. Cosmic treason its mutiny and all of that brought a curse of death on every single one of us. The cross of Jesus was Jesus redeeming us from that curse by Isaiah the prophet had said Isaiah 53 that God would lay on Jesus, the Messiah, the iniquity of us all, and that the price for our peace with God was really placed on his head. I used to explain it to my kids like this might say that this book will here represent your sin is what represents your sin in this is you miss your sin. This is God appear.

It doesn't matter how much you tried to get close to God.

How many times you pray often you go to church how much you give an offering.

How many commitments you keep is a matter how close you try to get there.

That sin is always an obstacle between you and God know some of you I will work for my kids but JD you know my sin right so now we this is yours right� Supplement this book and imagine what's on the pages as of the story that relationship you wish you never gotten into mystery that series of mistakes here is not broken that that a broken promise not broken trust all the stuff between you and God. And you can try and try to get close to God, to the point is, no matter how close you get a hard you were, there's always as possible what Isaiah 53 is telling you is that God took our sin in our iniquity, and he laid it on Jesus right and when Jesus died, he put it away forever so that there's nothing that remains any longer between you and God.

That's with the death of Christ was it was redemption was Christ taking the person or place so that the curse was long that she been laid on Jesus. That's why the apostle Paul says in Corinthians that when Jesus died, he took the sting out of death.

The sting of death is not the pain of that.

It's the curse in death. Death is the next phase in eternal judgment. When Jesus died, he took the sting of death into himself so that when you and I go into death. There's no more judgment no more sting left for us not believe in death the transition into a new life general, by the way that a honeybee cannot sting you twice honeybee cannot sting you twice. That's because when a honeybee pushes it stinger out. It ruptures the bees digestive tract which leads to a quick and certain death. Death put it stinger into Jesus. And when it did the internal workings of death itself were disrupted and death itself died. At some point, a honeybee of death is going to come for each one of us but if Jesus is taken that stinger already in your death is not going to have any cursing and there's more sting. In fact, it's not really good, even to be a death at all. If the transition to new life. No jewel in life no fear in death. This is the power of Christ in me from life's first cry, the final breath Jesus commands my destiny.

If the resurrection is true. Number two of the resurrection is true, it means that that that the power for new life is here to see our sin. Scripture tells us not only put a curse over us. It released a curse into us. Death is not just something that you're going to encounter one day death is at work in you right now. Jesus said, and that shows up in the form of addictions, hate, and selfishness in our hearts, codependent relationships, dysfunctional relationships, anger and idolatry and ruin relationships. Many of you if you are honest you got a brokenness in you this morning when you tried to clean it up when you try to change you try to do better, but Iran is none of us really worked still in darkness in you that you just cannot overcome Jesus's resurrection means that there is a power in the world that can overcome that in you is the power of resurrection from the grave where Paul says is like the second ring is 517 if any man is in Christ is a new creation, not a reformed creation or cleaned up. Creation.

But a new creation. Old things are passed away behold all things become moot. By the way, that were behold in the Bible is always the indication that a miracle is about to happen. You never seem to hold like you are behold look. I addition it behold means God is just doing something soon. Paul gives the universities like hey old things are passed away behold all things are becoming new. The newness in your life is not you resolving any better that you become a more religious, being a better person than this is the release of his resurrection power in you. That means this morning that Jesus is not only able to forgive every sin, because he died for all of them on the cross he can release you from the power of every sin, because he resurrected from the dead, and he can reverse and restore whatever sin has ruined to me to about one of the women that came to the tomb that morning.

Her name was Mary Magdalene. Messinger referred to their net story. Mary when she first meets Jesus the Gospel of Mark tells us she had seven demons. Not one, not 27 demons. That is Mark's way of saying that she is hopelessly consumed by the demonic think for a moment about a life with seven demons would've been a disaster.

She would've looked like she was mentally ill. Scripture says she been a prostitute she had destroyed every relationship in her life. Her parents didn't even want to talk to her or about her.

Everybody thought of hers beyond redemption. She'd ruined every relationship and alienated everybody she never been close to just imagine her life before Jesus hopeless, destitute's who hire somebody with seven demons she's outcast. She's forgotten she's given up on Luke eight she falls in Jesus's feet and she finds healing. She's the first one to go back to the tomb alone and evidently there was a small garden area near the two men she was in it. Weeping was there that Jesus appeared to her. The first person he appeared to directly after the resurrection. Mary through her tears, and in-home grade. She didn't recognize him again. She's not really expecting a miracle were tears in a rage.

She thinks he's the gardener.

So she starts yelling at a pay what you think is by tell me where he took his body. John says he speaks her name called her name. Mary and immediately she recognizes him. What an incredible moment. The first person that Jesus appears to after being resurrected is a former prostitute was seven demons and he calls her by name and point at all because he's doing the song the same thing with some of you this morning. No Mr. significance by the wherefore they are either right where are they. She came to a grave looking for a dead man instead living man found her in the garden that grazed the garden is a metaphor for her life. She had been a grave seven demons and now she's in a garden of new life in Christ and that's the first person, Jesus appears to and it's because it's teaching something to you and to me.

I don't care what's going on in your life. I don't care what kind of sin. What kind of demonic activity even if that's what it is I'm telling you that there is more forgiveness in him than there is sin in you. There is more healing in him. Then there is sickness in you right if you listen right now he's calling your name is not to be audible to me and I can hear voices or anything like that. It's this sweet drawl in your heart just beckoning you to come right now with a maybe like Mary, you are literally struggling against spiritual forces. Maybe it's against addictions are simple habits, you can break relationships that you ruin.

Mary says to you this morning. I know I was there I'd seven demons and me. But the gospel truth is that there is more grace in him more power in him than there is death in you.

There is no struggle, there is no addiction, no brokenness that his power cannot heal. He can turn your grace in the gardens powers available to you today if you will receive a number three, number three, the resurrection means that if it's true. One day, one day every sad thing in our lives is going to come on true. The apostle Paul calls Jesus's resurrection. The firstfruits of the new creation, a taste of what is to come back in Thursday's farmers were always sure how crop is going to turn out like all the tools that we have a couldn't see. Look it at under a microscope and see if it was good seed made in all the things about crop rotation and soils we can analyze a slow metabolic almanacs and over the weather predicting patterns and so they just weren't sure. So there's very firstfruits appeared they give an indication of what the rest of the crop is going to be like right now in it's the prettiest time in North Carolina for those you that are are new to our state, it's because there's first flowers on the dogwood tree earlier right now.

By the way, it's bad news only last for a few days because there is a sea of yellow that is coming to cover everything and it's awful both for about three or four days maybe a week. It's just like heaven on earth.

Temperature and beauty and all that stuff that is dogwood flowers show you that a sea of green. The new creation of spring is on its way. The resurrection is the dogwood flower of the new creation is an indication of what is to come missing all there's nothing more terrifying.

Nothing feels more final to Austin death right under the some of you have dealt with death.

This year you're sitting here broken with sadness over somebody that she lost this year maybe was expected. It was a mom or a dad or a grandparent or maybe it wasn't expected maybe was sudden tragic death of a spouse or a brother or sister or even a child. Many are afraid of your own death because, by the way, apart from Christ, you really should be, but it's not a question of if it's just when it's just a matter of time that 23 and the thing we like him to me for my birthday or Christmas or some like that and it'll give you one things gives you is analyze your genetic makeup and engage all these percentages based on your genetic genetic makeup to resemble more 30% likely lose my hair as I age. I'm 40% likely to have mid digit here, which is that here between your knuckles which understands pretty rare trait to recessive genes. What requires and I've got it. It told me that I was 73% likely 73% likely do not have a fear of public speaking which I thought was affirming right what other things that I found encouraging in this report I have. It said the genetic makeup of an elite power athlete Tony would assess discouraging was it it said I had 40% more Neanderthal DNA than the average human. I don't even know what that means but I like it can't be good and never see the job application right were looking for some eye with a lot of Neanderthal in them all the different things and there's like dozens and dozens of others kind of the predictions like that but one prediction is not in their what it doesn't give you is the percentage of your probability of death that's been holding steady for the last however long humanities been here at 100%. It's common for all of us write a question about if it's when I death feels devastating to you is this permanent losing stuff that you never get back. I want to be depressing this morning but some of you did a taste of that. Even as you age right is what you losing stuff you never to get back until you pay things my body are not improving and not get better looking and stronger and healthier every year things getting worse mess depressing to fill the gym every year I put in the same amount of effort and the results on getting back are smaller and smaller same effort less results I will wake up sometimes sore now just from sleeping. What I do. Yet I didn't do anything. I just left so someone from this position that this position is enough to menu all funding for the rest of the day. I will even do that thing I used to do when I was younger. You tell your body fat content because what the point is depressing to measure it know how my even, working out now. I got a job at this new method may see when I get out of the shower. I stand in front of a full week near stamp my foot to start start stop watch when the last bar party quits jiggling. I stop the stopwatch and I measure that over time, and I can tell you how well I'm doing just you age so I can listen my service conjugation long time and I know some you like all master this vitamin to serve this essential oil. It was prayed over by virgins in the moonlight interviews that you cannot you feel younger every year I get. Okay, maybe I get it summit stuff may work for you, but the point is, at some point, all that stuff fails right.

Your body is AG. You can't reverse the head.

And you're going to die, but the resurrection is true, it shows us that if we are in Christ. None of that is ultimately true, there's this great reversal ahead in the day is coming when God is gonna remove the curse of death entirely from our lives. He's going to undo every injustice he's going to heal every hurt on that day. He says he's in a wipe away every tear he's in a make all things new. To use the words of J.R.R. Tolkien, the writer of the Lord of the rings on that day he's going to make every sad thing, untrue. When my favorite sections of Scripture are theirs.

In chapters of Isaiah.

What God describes for Israel what the days can be like a love love dispatch description wasn't this the wolf on that day was a lie down with the lamb, the cow will feed with the bear.

The infant will play there. The cobras then mom can be looking out the window for her five-year-old son is always just with the snakes there just hanging out there playing the wrestling in the cobras, then no problem at all it's creation working in harmony the way that we've always longed it to work together.

They will neither harm nor destroy on all my holy mountain about this from Isaiah goes on to say this is what the sovereign Lord says on that day I'll give a signal. I'll give a signal and they will carry your little sons back to you in their arms, they will bring your daughters on their shoulders and the couple at our church who lost their five-year-old son to tuberculosis this year and have him brought back to them on the shoulders of angels when a dance company, then your heart will tremble and rejoice because the abundance of the sea will become yours and the wealth of the nations is going to come to you all the beautiful things of the world can be ours. There is no pleasure, no beauty that is to be withheld from us and on that day will be so happy that we tremble can remember the last time you were so happy that you trembled on check-in. I think it probably was when I was four or five years old. Every sad thing comes untrue, and here's where it gets even more amazing all that death and sadness that we went through are going to become a part of our story, the story of our victory so that our victories menacing, sweeter and richer for having gone through all that how I know that because Paul says that in the resurrection. Death will be swallowed up in victory.

That will just be expelled or to be swallowed up we swallow something that becomes a part of the right. We swallow food that food becomes a part of you. What Paul is saying is that the pain in the struggle of life become a part of our victory so that the final product is better for us.

Having gone through it one day working to see that God use all those things in our lives to make us more like him and to increase our enjoyment of him one of my favorite biographies is the story of Joni Erickson Potter has been out for quite a while but Joni was paralyzed as a teenager in a diving accident through the biography she was brilliant. She was beautiful.

She popular athletic. She was a great artist. She had all she had it all. But she says is a 17-year-old. I was wondering away from God and God use that accident to bring me back to himself. She now has lived as a quadriplegic. No use of her arms or legacy she writes or draws its out of a pencil that they put into her mouth. She lives as a quadriplegic for more than 50 years. In her biography.

She anticipates that moment seeing Jesus in eternity them just read it to you because I can't re-create her words when I get to heaven.

She says I want to push my wheelchair to the throne of Jesus.

Notice I'll be walking, thank him for every character refining work he did in me and through me. Because of this wheelchair minimum asked Jesus to send this wheelchair straight to hell because it was only needed because of the wreckage of sin. What a beautiful day is going to be for all of us questions what that wheelchair for you what that wheelchair for you.

The gods using right now, but is not part of his ultimate plan for you and is using it for good. Yes, but one day you to be able to put it away from you forever.

Listen over the past 12 months. Many of us have wondered where life is headed Dante were attended.

It's headed to the grave, vaccine or no vaccine, you're going to die eventually, but the point is restored and housed in their because of the empty tomb. Our road does not end at the grave. If anything, it begins at the craze for those who are in Christ very quickly tell you about one of the other ladies of the tomb that morning.

Her name was also Mary. This was Mary the mother of Jesus. There are actually three Mary's at the tomb that day was Mary Magdalene. There was Mary the mother of Jesus and the other Mary. That's what little what Matthew calls are like that you get your name in the Bible, but you're the other Mary Wright three Mary's use them altogether in John 1925.

If you're curious, Mary the mother of Jesus. Just think about it, this was an especially devastating day right because the mother mother feels the pain of their child probably more acutely than the job itself to be a mother who is forced to watch her son executed unjustly watching, humiliated, mocked, misunderstood and tortured. Mary had remained at the cross when everybody else left.

Why because that's what mothers do when everybody else in this first when the crowds are gone home. Mary stayed there. Hello and he is a pastor for two decades now mothers are the ones who sit beside prison cells are in courtrooms when nobody else is there, mothers of the one to answer the phone in the middle the night when you call mom to the one who get up to pray in the middle the night when nobody else thinking about you imagine Mary sadness in this moment turning to joy, knowing that her son is not dead and gone forever, but her son has overcome and ushered her into an eternity where there will be no more pain and no more crime where the sun never sets and nobody ever has to say goodbye missing too good to be true. This is what the resurrection promises for all of us whose families die in the Lord for every mother in Christ who has had to say a tearful goodbye to their child.

That leads me to the fourth and final too good to be true thing about the resurrection number four. If it is true. If it's true, those who wait upon God will not be disappointed to see the resurrection shows you that in those moments where you feel abandoned refill. I God has forgotten you, like maybe he's not even real, and by the way we've all been there. Resurrection shows you that he has not forgotten you. Here's a question why didn't God raised Jesus from the dead immediately want to do it like Friday night at midnight. How about Saturday morning. One of reasons why wait three days until Sunday morning. One part is because that time gap is a metaphor for what life often feels like now right where is God's got even real. What you know. I thought things are going well and I thought he was going to do this, but then it died and feels like injustice is rolling and it feels like life is out of control and what's God doing are you out there. Have you forgotten me, the resurrection, the answer is no God keeps his promise to those who wait upon him. You might feel like you live in a Friday my foot you live in the darkness of a Friday or the tedium and boredom and loneliness of a Saturday for the resurrection shows you that that Sunday is coming Friday is the way maker the miracle worker is the promise keeper is the light in the darkness and that means even when we don't see it.

He's working even when we don't feel he's working he never stops. He never stops working in a Friday and Saturday of your life.

I can promise you. God is at work and he is not forgotten you. Resurrection proves that, but often tell you guys at any given moment. God is up to at least 10,000 different good things in your life you are aware of only at most maybe three of them. The resurrection assures you that he's going to accomplish all of bring. If God did not abandon you in our sin had literally crucified his son, you can be sure that he's not going to abandon you.

Now he'll come through will come through on the Lord is good to those who wait for him to those who hope in his stead. Fast love. If you feel like you're in a season of darkness is like you're waiting for God to answer prayer waiting for God to bring back a child waiting on God to heal her to bind out the womb.

Don't give God is up to something good and soon you will see his deliverance. Hello how David says it is almost a little irreverent. Psalm 2713 David says I am convinced I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living intrinsic after you land of the living. David is basis and I'm tired of all these sanctimonious pious people telling me in heaven. Everything's going to be awesome. I believe in heaven heaven. Everything is going be awesome. That's not the land of the living blend living is down here on earth. And right now while I know it's gonna be awesome in heaven.

I got people my life who need help now. I got some broken relationships. I got something to my own heart I need God's goodness to break in on me. I need God's goodness break-in on her God's goodness to come and help me with this situation and I'm convinced that is not just in the suite by-and-by that God is good, I'm convinced is good now and I'm asking God to let his goodness break in the land of the living so I can praise him for it. I need to see his goodness in the Friday and Saturday night is the ultimate Sunday tell you that that is what is offered to you right now even when you don't see it. He's working even when you don't feel it is working. You never stops never stops working again for things about the resurrection.

Each almost too good to be true.

Number one he has redeemed us from our sins. Number two the power of new life is here and ready for you. Number three. One day every seven things can become untrue number for those who wait upon God will not be disappointed, wondrously like nonsense, but that's what these women coming from the two testifying to you today.

Do you believe it semi-like JD send us a picture of these just hopeful fairytales, for people who just can't cope with the harsh realities of life. Also got to be transparent. I used to suspect that myself because I've been there. I doubt that there's any catchy one-liners that I can give you that would convince you on the spot because I just asked you to consider something in this what you been searching for your entire life. Maybe the reason that you been searching for your whole life is because it's what you created for maybe the reason that things like this seem too good to be true is because the God that created you is what is his. His answer to all the things that are wrong. I love how Blaise Pascal said he said in every human heart.

There's a gigantic void. We spent over life know what kind of fix that void and return to popularity and we turned the pleasures and return to family but none of it works because that void is in the shape of God.

Maybe it feels too good to be true because you been looking for in all the wrong places. When it's found in the God of the resurrection you believe the writer proceeded how you respond to the resurrection of your Christian you just rejoice nor'easter is a yearly time were we just get to remind ourselves of that victory that confidence and were renewed to walk. Enjoy Caesar not a Christian's only response that is you become one today to receive what Christ has done for you, as I've explained. Jesus has redeemed you from your sin is pager penalty. But now it's like a gift like any other gift you have to receive it. John 112 says as many as received him, to them he gave the right to become the children of God, which includes forgiveness. The heart of Christianity is not a new approach to morality is not new insights into spirituality or resolve to do better become a religion. The heart of Christianity is something that Jesus did for you that you could not do so. Behold, he died for your sins to redeem you to save you by me on a survey. When I first got in the ministry. I hated that term get saved.

I hated his ascent of redneck and uneducated and somewhat a fundamentalist uprising first five years. A message on, with a different term. I failed. Although, what term are you I got you know I got I got restored.

I got fixed I like many others were going.

I have saved why because I was drowning in the condemnation of my sin.

There was no way I could get it off. And Jesus took it for me and he saved me from eternal condemnation, and I doubt that work in me and he did something to me I couldn't do for myself and that is you know I forgive my sins, he gave me new life. You need to get saved then second imitations you need to be baptized. See baptism as you've seen, is like a public profession. It is a public profession well since at the wedding ring is what the clearest everybody that you're following Jesus by your own choice, which is why you're supposed to do it as soon as you receive Jesus as your Savior as of the some of you that are becoming Christians today, and you need to show that I getting baptized there's others of you that have been saved for long time. She was never taken the first act of obedience and you need to get baptized by your this is your profession of faith, your God, and bring any clothes.

I was in Winona for long time we got which modest shorts and shirts and we can we can take care of this for you okay, got it and we just want you to will let you change the name put your dry close by complex view change we can do it today you say well I know it's really isn't that important.

Yes, like I don't like it it it affects my ability to be a Christian_tell you right now on the record, I don't think it's a good idea for you to start your walk with Jesus telling him which of his commands are important which ones aren't.

He said this is what you do when you show everybody that I am that I am the Lord of your life, you say well JD. I got baptized I was a baby. My parents baptized me was on the very clear. We respect that. I think that's awesome. The question always ask is whose faith was on display amount that does your parents write you too little you think about anything your parents were exercising faith and that's awesome as you listen to this.

There 27 baptisms in the book of acts 27 all 27 times the person believe first on their own and then they show that Bobby baptized the were not saying that the you that that that would have met him was was bad were the same that it's time for you to ratify what your parents did not want to bring shame on my parents. I don't want to reject my upbringing you're not always there hope when I got there hope when they baptize you with one that you brought apologies if you get the privilege this afternoon. Call your mom and dad and say hey I know is what you hope for me like 30 years ago or 15 years ago. It happens I'm following Jesus now and I ratified what happened then I ratified it on my girl will become a Baptist understand that I generally understand see you not been baptized. The name of a denomination that has given him a bad judgment baptize you in the name of Jesus every follower of Jesus on the baptize is a profession of faith in Jesus.

If you haven't needed that today moments like this. I sometimes think about my dad tells a story that, for I was born. His newly married and he was service something like this one. They gave an invitation for people common receive Christ in us. That said, I stood and I was home on the queue in front of me so I could see the whiteness of my knuckles was clinging so hard. He said we must do some 982 verses of just as I am his and I got to write us a new I knew this was a moment to step out and out I'll I sometimes think about that moment and how it changed my eternity for some of you this decision you're about to make is not just Kennedy about using about children to be about their children. Tony don't resist the Holy Spirit. It is time for you to be serious about what Jesus is calling, lead your prayer, so that those of you who want to receive Christ can do it and I want to invite you to come for you to start the conversation about baptism.

The minute you get baptized today.

Battery close. If you would first of all, if you will receive Jesus you're not sure that you receive Jesus or you want to you can use these words that I'm going to give you uses very words as much of the come from your heart. Jesus, I know I'm a sinner and I need to be saved RCB right now is my Savior, I surrender to you is my Lord, I'm ready to follow you where to follow you say it may receive. Use Lord volume but I pray for everybody to just pray with me. I know that this is a moment where a lot of people can come to faith and express that give them courage afraid Jesus name, amen.

Look about me just a minute, stand you up obtained documents from happens. I don't know when you pray that prayer or you need to be baptized for the parade today or we can go work 10 years ago need be baptized. The moment I stand you up in one motion is what you stand, start walking to the nearest aisle.

There can be people at every campus in every aisle and they're going to take you the place where you can have that conversation is not lost of the questions right will start that conversation. Here's my only request don't come alone somebody. Next you that you know you'll come together so nobody does bubbly right now. You sense and that person X usually struggle with this and you're like I think some of them take practical prayer said Lord you want me to do this because you know is whichever type on the say hello with you step on the letter for the other with you right now I go with you when you stand you on what you do this. This is the day this is the moment for some of you everything is going to change. Hey maybe is the prayer story about Mary Magdalene really got to you know I got to know what's going on. I need deliverance or maybe just need to see Psalm 2713. The goodness of the Lord come into the land of your living just, let's pray that a lot of these people are forced to pray together with see God's goodness, your life okay any of that describes you, then the moment we stand up.

I want you to move some church were to cheer and rejoice at what God is doing a small okay to do it all on three, three stand as you move need to move and will all just just here like Jesus got out of the grave really go. I read 123 stand out with her hands together.

You move right now way always going to scope the scope.

Praise God for his guy just goes right now just go some ago was Galway just sandals horses together