It Seems Like Nonsense, But It’s Not, Part 2

Today on Senate life with Jeannie Greer 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. You might feel like you living in a Friday my foot you live in the darkness of a Friday or the tedium and boredom and loneliness of the Saturday, the resurrection shows you that that's Sunday's right, the Bible teaching ministry of Pastor Arthur and theologian Jeannie Greer. As always, I'm your host Molly, but events if you're joining us today for the first time you're jumping in at the tail end of a five week journey through the gospel of Luke.

So if teaching is a blessing. Be sure to go back and listen to the entire series on our website. Jeannie Greer.com as we close this series. Today we are asking the important question was the resurrection too good to be true because if we believe that Jesus defeated death that should change everything right so if we do truly believe it.

We know that we need to will defeat that and live eternally through the power of his blood. So the real question is do you actually believe it. So one last time. Let's open our Bibles to Luke chapter 24 and joined after Jane my birthday or Christmas or some I got one things gives you is because your genetic makeup and dig always percentages based on your genetic makeup example more 30% likely lose Myers IH 40% likely to have mid digit here, which is that here between your knuckles which understands pretty rare traits to recessive genes. What requires a I got bit told me that I was 73% likely 73% likely do not have a fear of public speaking which was affirming right what other things that I found encouraging in this report I have said the genetic makeup of an elite power athlete tell you what it says 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 thought you can't be good but never see the job obligation right were looking for someone with a lot of Neanderthal MF all the things others like dozens and dozens of others, for predictions like that, but what predictions 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 horrible on humanity's been here at 100%. It's common for all of us write a question about if it's when a death feels devastating to you is this permanent losing stuff that you never get back.

I want to be depressing the smoking but some of you did a taste of that. Even as you age right what you losing stuff you never to get back. I tell you things my body are not improving 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 but what I do you believe that you slept so someone from this position that this position is enough. The manual for the rest of the day. I don't even do that thing I used to do when I was younger you count your body fat content because what the point is depressing. Nice 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 fully mere stamp my foot to start start stop watch when the last bar party quits jiggling.

I stop the stopwatch when I measure that over time, and I can tell you how well I'm doing just you age so I can listen I serve as conjugation long time on the nose and you're like oh pastor I got this vitamin deserve this essential oil. It was prayed over by virgins in the moonlight interviews that you cannot feel younger every year. Okay, maybe I get it so much 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 habit 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 going to 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. One of 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 the fact that the Scripture was in this the wolf on that day. What was a lie down with the lamb, the cow will feed with the bear. The infant will play there. The cobras then mom to 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 its creation, working in harmony the way that we 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, then your heart will 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 tremble 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 noticing 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 when you 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's 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 and then when I 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 gonna be for all of us questions what that wheelchair for you with 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 to one day be able to put it away from you forever. Listen over the past 12 months.

Many of us have wondered where life is headed until he was headed. 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 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 he what Matthew calls are like that you get your name in the Bible, but you're the other Mary 53 Mary's use them altogether in John 1925. If you're curious for Mary the mother of Jesus.

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 and go home. Mary stayed there. Hello as 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 is 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 with the sun never sets. 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 when it raises a widening weight three days until Sunday morning when 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 and I thought things going well and I thought he was going to do this but died 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 living in a Friday my foot you live in the darkness of a Friday for the tedium and boredom and loneliness of a Saturday for the resurrection shows you that that's Sunday's coming Friday is the way maker the miracle worker is the promise keeper sees 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. The 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 and 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 come through.

The Lord is good to those who wait for it to those who hope in his steadfast 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 basically saying I'm tired of all these sanctimonious pious people telling me in heaven. Everything is going to be awesome. I believe in heaven heaven. Everything is going be awesome.

That's not the land of the living. When living 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 honey God's goodness to come in 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 into 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 is working. He never stops never stops working again for things about the resurrection.

Each almost too good to be true. Number one he is 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 you 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-likely JD send us a picture of these just hopeful fairytales come up 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 could 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 we turn 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 forward 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. No 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. So one way to respond as you become one today to receive what Christ has done for you is as I've explained.

Jesus is redeemed you from your city's major penalty, but in that way 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 of always in the first five years of managing time, with a different term. I failed.

Although it what term are you I got you know I got I got restored. I got fixed I am 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 may be baptized, see baptism as you've seen, is like a public profess. It is a public profession well since at the wedding ring i.e. it's 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 a long time.

She was never taken that first act of obedience and you need to get baptized by you, look, 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, but I don't like it it it affects my ability to be a Christian. I'm just gonna 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 and which ones aren't said this is what you do when you show everybody that I am that I am the Lord of your life say well JD. I got baptized I was a baby. My parents baptized me was on be 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 are 27 baptisms in the book of acts 27 all 27 times the person believe first on their own and then they should have been baptized were not saying that the you that that that would have met them with 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 or not but was 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 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, we will become a Baptist understand that I generally understand see you not been baptized.

The name of the denomination that has you and Emma Babbage will baptize you in the name of Jesus every follower of Jesus on be baptized as a profession of faith in Jesus.

If you haven't deleted it today. Moments like this is 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 on my knuckles was clingy and so are they said we must do some 982 verses of just as I am his and I got the rightists. I knew 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 gonna be about using the value 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 you to delete your prayer so that those of you who want to receive Christ can do it, invite you to come forward to start the conversation about baptism, the many 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 use these very words is make sure they come from your heart. Jesus, I know I'm a sinner and I need to be saved. I receive you right now is my Savior, I surrender to you is my Lord, I'm ready to follow you where to follow you say to me to 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. The resurrection covers everything in your broken life. It is more powerful every weapon in Satan's arsenal for some of you Mary Magdalene story really resonated. You need deliverance that is available right now if you made a decision today or if we can pray for you, please reach out to clear.com one of our goals is to equip everyone who listens to Senate life to help them know the Bible that are so we created a pack at 50 memory verse cards for you to carry forward throughout this next year, helping you to remember God's promises and memorize his word. We left again with these kinds today and they come with our thanks when you donate to support this program Senate like it on the radio and online by listeners like you give sacrificially to keep us on the air when a college student teams and to stay rooted in the gospel on a secular campus or when someone hears the gospel for the very first time they thinks belongs to you today commit to a regular monthly get and remember to rejoice always, Scripture memory card today is the last day you can request this resource to be sure to give us a call. Thank 335-5228 66335T 20% online. I'm only inviting you to listen again tomorrow new teaching pastor Jean Shelley Ching on the notion meaning.

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