The Resurrection Makes it Real

Katie Greer, are you willing to let the resurrection make you doubt your doubts. You pride yourself on being such a skeptical person. Write down your own doubts because maybe the undeniable fact of the resurrection auto make you consider some of the unexplainable things and realize that there is a reason the God gives us to believe it's not that when your mind out the door is believing that in light of the undeniable.

We can live with the tension of the unexplainable question. Do you ever doubt about faith.

So thankfully you're not alone. Even the first disciples had unanswered questions.

Today we rejoin Pastor Jamie in our study of the book of Romans will be reminded that the resurrection not only shows us that Jesus is who he said he was and that his death accomplish what he said it. What the resurrection is also about power available to defeat every stronghold into really make you doubt your doubts in a sermon originally delivered on Easter Sunday.

Let's remember that the resurrection truly does change everything. Here's Pastor Jane Bible has to do what I ask you every weekend. That is to take it out into open it up or turn it on and find Romans chapter 6 if you did bring a Bible but unfortunately I will not ask you if you will leave not give you what I said I will put it right from the spring for you so you can follow along like everybody else else. I love Easter because Easter is the perfect time for many of you who have been considering becoming Christians to actually cross a lot of faith in someone, many of you even reading books, and even asking questions and maybe listening to sermons. Maybe some from here. Maybe you can watch it on TV and you're like, you know, having a got enough my questions answered. I think I'm ready to do this thing and this is to be the weekend that you cross that line of faith and actually began to follow Jesus, but it's also the perfect time for those of you who are on the other end of the spectrum sounded some of you didn't come in here searching you came in here.

You got both feet on the brakes emergency brake pulled up door lock. Double bolted. You're like no way.

Not now, not ever. Truth be told, you're only here because the guilt trip your mom put you on if you skip church and encumber there this weekend is too bright for any mortal to bear and just couldn't handle that.

Or maybe you're here because that girl sit beside you is super cute super cute in your like to like only way that I will go out with you is if you go to church with me and so you're here maybe you're honestly not sure how you got in here.

You got an invitation to go to brunch and mixing a new you're walking in here and you're like I don't know what's going on you like about a serving food and no I cannot about the data. Whatever it is you're like no way you like. No way I'm not interested I just seen way too many hypocrites. Or maybe you were up in a really strict religious household and you seen religion use of the worst kinds of ways. Or maybe, maybe you do.

Got all these questions that you have in your like us don't get how if there's really a God how you allow this to happen, or, for that to happen, but you're just not interested. Like no way you like. No way will this weekend I want to present you with something that might make you reconsider some of those objections.

You see, Easter has the potential to be an end around all of your objections. Let me just think about it. If you knew if you were certain that Jesus raised from the dead. When that make you reconsider some of your objections told the congregation a few weeks ago that it is realization years ago in the midst of some of my own doubts. Some of my own questions and objections. The realization was Jesus suddenly appeared to me and did something that proved it was really gamete you took out a flight to the universe or the me back to the dawn of creation, and I know Sam mailed to me and said you know what, I'm not going to answer the questions you have right now because to be honest with you, you really don't have the mental capacity to understand and in eternity.

I'm going to expand your capacity to understand the menu understand, but for right now I'm just going to ask you to trust me, I asked myself the question, would I be willing to trust Jesus if if that scenario happened and I knew the answer was yes because even though I wouldn't necessarily handle my question answered. I would've seen something that proved that there was an answer and so what I did is I set about to discover was their real evidence was the really sufficient proof to believe that Jesus raised from the dead was there sufficient reason to believe that he really was a result he was and I found out that there was and that led to one of my favorite definitions of faith happens when the unexplainable.

The unanswered questions meets the undeniable. If you're waiting until all your questions get answered. You're probably never to get an answer, but there is something that Easter offers you a something that's undeniable and it is a back Jesus raised from the dead, the resurrection is undeniable to see that can change some of your discomfort with the unexplainable. That makes sense to realize a lot of you really pride yourself on doubting on the skeptical person. I don't take anything at face value and honesty is great right here's my question for you that are you willing to doubt your doubts and your doubts of the one things you've never really doubted.

Maybe you need to start say maybe my doubts are really telling me the truth. What if there was a reason to believe that there was an answer even if I couldn't necessarily grasp it right now.

What if I was convinced that Jesus raised from the dead would that make me doubt my doubts and suspend judgment on some of the unexplainable light of the undeniable.

By the way, that make you feel better. Evidently even the original disciples had some of their own unanswered questions so I know that one of those interesting verses in all the New Testament to me is Matthew 2817. It occurs at the end of Matthew's gospel.

After Jesus was raised from the dead after he spent 40 days with his disciples eating with them and miracles in front of them says he brings about the Mount of olives, the growth amount together. He gives them what we now call the great commission. The commander take the gospel to all the different nations of the earth and it says that he begins to ascend to heaven in front of him, then Matthew 2817 as he is ascending. Some warships, but others doubted others doubted I'm like he's been dead. Now he's alive even with over 40 daisies walk through walls. He's floating in the air right now and you're still like. I'm not sure I see the David Lane special maybe babies.

I would hold is all right. How would you doubt in a moment like that. What here's why.

The objections that they had was so emotionally complex to them.

They are still having trouble with their objection was if God was really good. And God was really in Jesus then why is Rome still in charge because for 100 years Rome had had pillage and tortured and raped and murdered and brutalized those people. The Jewish people and their like if God is really in charge. He was really Jesus, why is he leaving Rome still in charge and Jesus didn't answer that question say they learn to trust Jesus even though even though that question never got answer because they were committed to Jesus raised from the dead. That's good news for those of you with unanswered questions.

The apostles had their own and they were to trust Jesus anyway you see what I want to do is invite you to consider something that might make you reconsider your objections that might make you asked the question in light of the undeniable am I willing to accept some of the unacceptable right, you're in good company to get some of those questions so I hope today is that you at least have an open mind reconsider this.

Here's what I want to do today to show you how Paul in the book of Romans establishes the resurrection as the foundation of literally everything in Christianity already in these first five chapters of Romans, Paul is explaining that the resurrection proved two things to Paul that Paul had not always accepted that Paul had been vehemently against these things. Here's what they were. The first was that Jesus really was, was that he was. This is what Paul says in Romans four. Watch this Jesus. Paul says, was declared to be the son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead as a means of the resurrection from the dead, made him the son of God, of course, he was already the son of God is the resurrection declared him to be that it proved that he really was a son of God. Secondly, Paul said. The resurrection proves that Jesus accomplished what he said he accomplished Romans 425 Paul says Jesus was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life work for in Greek really could be read as the cause of he was raised to life because of our justification. In other words, because Jesus's death accomplished our forgiveness and use a fancy Christian work justification like he said it would. God raised him from the dead. God frees you from the day it was the verdict that his death worked. Also see the resurrection proved two things I didn't delete one was a Jesus was. We said he was the other was that he accomplished what he said he accomplished.

I didn't believe those things. In my opinion on those things changed instantaneously.

Paul given his whole life to refute those things and he changed his mind on them in the space of about seven minutes. One afternoon, what caused the change was good to see the resurrection with his own eyes. Well sometimes I think we lose the absolute astounding mess of Paul's conversion in the first century. This is the number one enemy of Christianity becoming its biggest proponent instantaneously, and by the way, in so doing, he walked away from a whorl of prestige and promise of money and power. He was a rising star in the Jewish community and he left all of that to become a poor persecuted Christian who would spend more time in prison than he did. Walking free to undergo numerous beatings. They would die by beheading walked away from all the things that to maintain this confession. I was thinking like was a modern comparison of this the best I can come up with. This is a terrible but I don't like imagine. Imagine coach K holding an emergency press conference this afternoon announcing that after a short personal retreat in the mountains. He is now a committed Tar Heel and he is virtually resigning immediately from his position as head coach of Duke University basketball and he's returning all the money he is ever made from an institution and he is now going to join you and sees coaching staff as a water boy or whatever else. Coach K has for him Friday if that actually happened this afternoon. You like what happened on that personal retreat. What happen right now.

Some of her unity through slightly this bill evil because that's what he saw. Now this is a ridiculous is a ridiculous example, but something what about Vince, even if that ridiculous scenario happened that would be about 1/1000 of what Paul's transformation cost him what he saying we saw something real you say well I wish I could see Jesus with my own eyes. I pulled it up so my doubts to you, but you have a testimony. What else when encountering something real would've because that kind of change one religious historian pointed out that whenever you have somebody teaching something they know to be false, by the way that happens sometimes. Sometimes religious leaders teach what is false.

Sometimes they think things they know to be false. This is whenever you have one that is teaching something they know to be false, you will always find that there teaching something that is false is a way of gaining the money or power, prestige or respect for something to Paul getting any of those things to his teaching know quite the opposite. Quite the opposite, in fact, he refused even to take a salary from the church is that he was establishing and serving because he didn't want them to ever get confused on his motives for doing what he did and he kept on testifying all the way to the point of martyrdom because he believed that what he had seen actually happen.

In addition to that you got the testimony of all the other apostles as well. We know that every single one of those apostles was either tortured or went to a martyr's death and not one of them.

Not one ever went back on their testimony and to be honest the idea that this was some kind of myth that just sprang up as stories got exaggerated accounts got exaggerated on the spaces, crazy. The apostles were martyred for this confession and by the way, the whole first generation of Christians were smarter, not all of them but but a large part of them for maintaining that confession, the resurrection wasn't some kind of add on to their testimony, the resurrection, if you read in acts was central it was the main thing that they testified the idea that they were willing to die or watch their friends die.

Many times their loved ones die for something they knew to be false for an exaggeration reading something they want should have absolutely sure is true that if they do that is just it's just crazy Chuck Colson who was a special counselor to Pres. Nixon right in the middle. Watergate scandal chuckles and died a couple years ago are now only passed away and Chuck Colson. He became a Christian. Years of Watergate and he said right after Watergate broke. He said that the inner circle of Nixon's advisors we got together in a room and we came up with a story I narrative a false narrative about what actually happened. Watergate we all swore together to maintain this narrative, we had to tell the same story he said looking around the room.

It was about 10 of us. He said we were some of the most accomplished toughest men in the nation.

Most of us were former Marine officers Marine captains specialized special forces we had proven that we had what it took to get the job done. He said within three weeks. Every single one of us had broken all of us had broken and confess the truth because we were offer to reduce prison time if we did so.

He said the idea that a group of untrained, uneducated fishermen could maintain a lie under duress and torture for 40 years without a single one of them ever break even telling the truth. That's absolutely impossible. By the way, one of those guys who would not break. He kept on preaching was guiding James who was Jesus is younger half-brother half-brother because they both had Mary is the mother Jesus. I got as his father and James and Joseph so not full brother but half-brother Mike James. His half-brother was executed because he kept saying that his brother was a son of God written that it but I don't get this coming you in your home. If you have an older brother raise your right, what would it take to convince you that he was God as a fair question right, what would it take to meet you… You grew up with was God like Satan, maybe, but not God is not peers James who goes to his death in yeah, the guy that I used to fight with over the last piece of chicken at the table that guy. It was God. What would cause him to say that if it wasn't you and I should believe it to be true. So Paul says the resurrection proved to me that Jesus was a recess he was many really accomplish what he said he accomplished before we go on to chapter 6 is when I ask you, what about you. Are you willing to let the resurrection make you doubt your doubts begin. You pride yourself on being such a skeptical person greatly want to doubt your own doubts because maybe the undeniable fact of the resurrection auto you consider some of the unexplainable things and realize that there is a reason that God gives us to believe it's not that when your mind out the door. It's believing that in light of the undeniable. We can live with the tension of the unexplainable. Now in chapter 6. Paul's minutes.

When one other thing that he believed the resurrection shows us about Christianity which might be the most convincing proof of all to him. He says in chapter 6 the resurrection means that the gospel is power means of the gospel is not just another competing theory of religion is not a new way to live is not a superior moral code. The gospel is about actual life giving part regenerating power and the proof of that he said is a way that it changes lives in the best proof of that to me Paul says is a way change my life because at first the resurrection change my mind about Jesus, then the resurrection actually change me much as chapter 6 begins with a question. What shall we say then we continue in sin that grace may abound.

This is a very natural question for the reader of Romans. At this point because for five chapters.

Paul has been arguing that salvation is a free gift that comes to all who will receive it every other religion in the world. All of them operate according to this premise, I obey.

Therefore, God will accept me if I obey good enough. If I obey often enough that I go to church and I'll print out the person, then God will accept me and that becomes a motivation for being good right because of your good enough, then God will accept you and the better you are, the better your chances are, you make… Check it like you make sure that you're on the nice list pulses the gospel flips that absolutely on it said the Gospels is no God has accepted me.

Therefore I will obey God has accepted me by a free act of his grace in response to that obey not because I have to do to earn my position before him, but I do gratitude for what he's given me in the gospel when it comes to my acceptance before God. All I have to do all I can do is receive it like a gift that's all you can do with the gift writers just receive it. Some of you know that I went on a short mission trip down the Dominican Republic.

One of our services. Before that, the weekend before I adjust.

I made that announcement a guy comes up to me afterwards.

A businessman comes up and says hey what time is your flight on Thursday. I don't like oh dark 30 man shows up an hour and 1/2 before my flight meets me there. The airport walked me up to the front. These were these guys like blood with deltas like a 6 million miler.

I think in you. Just crazy started he goes up to the front tape takes me in my my 11-year-old daughter everyone in the airport know; in my name, he walks up from Atlanta take this is my friend, my pastor, I want you to put him on my account and I want you to upgrade him and his daughter all the way, the Dominican Republic and back. Now, what can I do a demo like I insist on flying on my own status.

Right then I would've been not a first-class event back in a cattle car with the rest of the summit. Okay, so Paul could do was receive it cost him his points. I got his status. Also, Paul is basically said in five chapters.

When Jesus showed up as he says I'll get you there on my account.

I live the life you were supposed to live and I died a death you were condemned to die and so you can just receive it as a gift and you go to heaven on on my account because I'm offering it to you as a gift of grace well she Paul understands that that's gonna raise a question for a lot of people, but will been a Jesus paid it all. If we got this like divine Visa card with an unlimited balance that comes from the blood of Jesus. We just flashed that card whenever we stand with this unlimited balance in the Masters bars of the like that, you may wish to send whenever you want to write 30 prepaid is prepaid with an unlimited balance of the sentence and all the time to get it sorted and pay for right or an even sicker twist. Paul says, is there somebody say well maybe if God gets glory from showing grace.

Maybe we should dissent all the time because then we get more forgiveness dodges more rates you get more glory.

I sent guy get more boy that's where we should do it. Paul's answer verse two. By no means but scholar say in Greek.

This is the strongest shortest way of saying no.

One scholar said that he said it's like it's like you know while putting my own terms. I have friends who with EP.

Some of the ask him to do something he really doesn't want to do. He will save you want to Plano one word no.

Would you like the deluxe two word addition know this is Paul's deluxe two word edition had no no no way by no means how can we who died to sin.

We still live in it. Now this is going to become the question to shape the rest of the chapter. How can we who died to sin actually still live in it. So what is the phrase died to sin. What does that actually meet well for some explain what it does mean it doesn't mean that you and I have lost all interest in San after we become a believer doesn't mean that were slowly moving away from sin work slowly die into it as we mature peers two reasons. We know that first.

The word died in this verse. You see, as in past tense. It's not that were dying. It's not that something that's happening to us is something that's already happening.

We have died to sin. Secondly, in chapter 7 Paul is going to explain in the next chapter that the Christian can indeed still be tempted by and even seduced by the power of sin.

Both can explain as I listen I'm an apostle in my whole life is wrestling with sins and sometimes they get the better of me because my body, my simple body is always trying to convince me to do a bunch of stuff that I know I shouldn't doing things like half the time my body wins out over me and I do what I don't want to do so. Paul doesn't mean here that we just lost interest in sin know what Paul means is what he explained to the next verse explains a 40 verse three. Do you not know that all of us to be baptized in Christ Jesus were baptized into his death.

We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that Jesus Christ was raising the dead by the glory of the father, we too might walk in newness and newness of life pulses when you accept Christ you died to sin in two ways for members.

First, he says, you renounce sin once and for all. You died to sin by renouncing it once and for all. The picture of this Paul says his baptism when the questions we ask you when we baptize you. Are you willing to go where ever Jesus tells you to go and do whatever he tells you to do right. That is called repentance. Repentance means a change of mind. It means I was going the direction of doing what I wanted to do. I was the Lord of my own life and now at this point forward, I am going to turn an about-face and I'm going to do what Jesus wants me to do. He is now the Lord of my life and the picture about his baptism, because then we could put you into the water.

Surely you're dying to your old independent way of living and being raised to this new life following Jesus again. That is called repentance is surrender and it is the essence of conversion. By the way it is going say this if that didn't happen at your conversion and your conversion was not legitimate because becoming a Christian does not mean that you go to some ritual or pray some prayer. We got a lot of people that think. I pray this little prayer mascot. Let me to have it in boom.

That was it. Know what makes you a believer is that you that you surrender that you have an about-face that you renounce sin, surrender is your like Shelley surrender.

Today's message was titled the resurrection makes a real jump back into Raymond's teaching here on Senate line with Jamie Greer like to catch up on previous messages from earlier this year board if you want to view any of the transcript.

You can find them online. Jamie Greer.com was thrilled to be offering a three-part box set Bible study through the book of Romans this year and today you can get the second volume in the second. We want you to get a copy. See you can work through this teaching with your small group and mentor with a friend or spouse at the first volume investigated the first three chapters of Romans, which introduces us to God's righteousness in the gospel. Now the second volume we will look at chapters 4 through eight, and our hope is that we would all grow to see the gospel with greater appreciation and to love God with greater passion as we seek to apply the messages of Romans in ways that impact our everyday lives, and bear witness for Christ in our communities.

You're welcome to request that type of setting the target date for this ministry. The suggested donation is $25 or more types, remember to ask for your copy at the volume of our room and study you can call it 552 23 35. Give online Jamie Greer.com. It's great to be back in this teaching series is credible trees to digest. I'm only inviting you to listen again to Romans chapter 6 on Senate line sponsored by Jeannie