Alive Forevermore

Christianity affirms that there is a living God, and that in his mercy and his grace, he has devised and accomplished a plan of salvation so that each one of us think of is that each one of us may receive eternal life and the plan of salvation has been accomplished through our Lord Jesus Christ, who is God, the gospel writers Matthew Mark Luke and John, all of whom wrote the Gospels of the first century. Just a few years after the events regarding Jesus. They all recalled this astonishing fact that the Lord Jesus, who is God who is sinless, was crucified, but he was put to death. Not only did he die, but the only claim that he died for our sins. We also all say and write because they were witnesses of this that he was buried, and that on the third day after the crucifixion. He rose moderately physically from the dead, and he was seen by hundreds of his followers.

Now I realize that if you're a skeptic as I am by nature.

If you're a skeptic unit, you will find this claim. This claim that Jesus is alive is rather difficult to understand when you do know it is true followers of Jesus Christ. Look on the cross, not as a tragedy caused by the forces of evil, but rather we see the death of Jesus. The burial of Jesus. The resurrection of Jesus is a tremendous victory is a tremendous triumph historical evidence.

The facts of these clear prior to the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ was beaten he was flogged he was tortured long nails were put through his hands and his feet. He was nailed just think of it, actually nailed to a rough piece of wood in the shape of a cross the Roman Roman soldier who was there to his spear and pierced the side of Jesus. He did not realize that there was the Lord of glory.

So there is no doubts as to the facts that Jesus actually died by crucifixion the Romans super part of the day will experience executioners. These Roman soldiers were given the task to put these prisoners today.

You may remember there were three of them three crosses Jesus in the middle under the Roman soldiers knew how to put people to death. They were skilled in the cruel torturous act of crucifixion. Jesus died on the coastal question is that after his death. Some of his followers came and with love and care to his body done from that tree and laid it in a tumor kind of cave in the large stone was placed in front of the cave.

After three days, Jesus Christ, who was dad who was crucified. He was buried, and rose bodily physically, he rose from the dead and the resurrection of Jesus that is central central fact a crucial fact of the Christian faith. In fact, if Jesus Christ was not bodily raised from the dead Christianity totally fails is a myth.

It submitted was a fairytale everything if it comes from the imagination of some men who were deluded into thinking that the follower made a mess of things and ended up on the cross.

If that is the case, there is no Christianity. You may think of Christianity as some nice moral teaching is ethical teaching in the Christian faith.

You would think of Christianity as a way whereby we love one another and we love a neighbor as ourselves, and is certainly part of the teaching of Jesus, but central to the Christian faith is this fact. Yes, I historical fact that Jesus rose from the dead of the tomb is empty and that Christ is risen gently believe that I do risen from the dead. Amazing to think of the person who was dead, beaten, put in a K on the third day, by the power of Almighty God, rose from the dead resurrection of Jesus is not just a historical fact is that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is relevant for each one of us because the claim of Jesus, the claim of the son of God is this, that is his risen life is a resurrected life and his eternal life.

He offers that to all who place their trust in him. Jesus says to his followers of the deleted from from John chapter 14, Jesus says to his followers this morning to grasp its wonders to be embedded in your very heart and your soul.

He says to them, and this is an astonishing promise because I live, you shall live also. Think about one who not only is alive but is eternally alive alive forevermore. Jesus is not going to die again and be crucified again. He lives in his endless life. He is the eternal God, and because I live, says Jesus, you shall live also. John chapter 14, Jesus told his followers that is going to leave them the devastated nose is going to die on the cross. They have difficulty in grasping the one they followed for several years, the one who perform these medicals are given such wonderful teaching difficult understand that he's going to leave them so their troubled John chapter 14 verse 18. He says Jesus to his disciples recall them. The apostles, I will not leave you as orphans, I will come to you yet a little while and the world will see me no more, no less true.

The world is going to see Jesus because after his resurrection he ascends to heaven. Jesus in bodily form is no longer there no longer with them. The world can see Jesus that but you will see me think about the world doesn't see Jesus but you, my followers will see me because I live, you also will live.

That's when the because my Savior is eternally alive. My trust is in him. If your trust is in him we will live forever. We call this the great hope the Christian hope and the hope of the resurrection. This hope is a hope for the future it impacts us now impacts of future because in Jesus, the hope for the future is a hope which comes from the future. Think of that will in time God exists in eternity will in time the Lord Jesus Christ, the eternal God, the son of God comes from eternity and you comes into time into space as God incarnate, is the word dwelling among us.

So he says to his followers the kingdom of God is near that in Jesus Christ the future age is impacted. This present age. And so it is but here we are.

Time but we can have a hole beyond time beyond that that whatever may happen Jesus because I live, you shall live also.

That is, with the death and brittle, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Everything has changed. Everything is changed for you and for me. We can no longer go on living as we once lived.

If this is true that Jesus Christ is the resurrection and the life I want something a little more of the relevance of the resurrection.

For each one of us and of this new life which is offered for you. Yes Christ in his eternal life offers you personally take it personally offers you this like because Jesus lives the dead are made alive. But Jesus was actually dead. He died the power of God. He rose up from the grave he arose with a mighty triumph for his foes.

He arose a victory over the darkness. He arose hallelujah Christ arose arising from among the dead, eternally alive and no, there is a claim of the Christian faith that we who are spiritually dead, can be offered through Christ. You say spiritually that yes it was. Paul is writing to Christians at Ephesus. Some of us were a couple years ago it on the on the tour to where Paul we will ship with agency and went into emphasis. As he writes the references Ephesians 2, verse one says to them you well. Our past tense you are dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world.

He's reminding them that before they came face-to-face with the living Christ. They live a certain way according to the course of the world following a culture it is going along. You know what it is it so easy to do. Isn't it does live life like everyone else alive. The culture to share. I love the counter to tell you what to believe. Just go along with the flow pico under too much thinking, following the course of the world and he says to them you would dad spiritually dead in your trespasses and sins.

It's pretty horrible to be described like that isn't that. But that is the truth, spiritually speaking, you are dead just slightly flawed looking to improve yourself in some area, not just lost looking for direction, not just unfulfilled in your dreams and your potential, not just week looking for strength not just unhappy looking for more joy know that's not the condition before God before God, you are spiritually dead. Know that person does need reformation of character. That person doesn't need a change of personality that person does need a better education are to live in the and I failed on adjuster political and economic society. What is it that person needs life like occasionally I'll speak somewhere probably church where we have such great help. Of course, but occasionally I'll speak somewhere to go to speak of nothing happens. The mic is that very frustrating.

The preacher already speak Mike is right there is dead was needed. Life power spiritually speaking were dead when the dead person needs life and that is exactly what God in his grace offers to the trees in verse four, Ephesians 2, verse four but God think of this.

Describe the spiritually dead. But God, being the rich in mercy, and desire of this wayward person of an independent thinker.

I think I just drift along with God, being rich in mercy gets better because of the great love with which he loved us, not just that God's mercy for you is rich in mercy, not just that he loves you he loves you with a great love with which he loved us less vague.

Doesn't that you find sometimes people difficult to love doing. Sometimes people find you difficult to love.

Yes, there are people in life that we just individually relating to the particularly lovable when a particular lovable before God were spiritually dead wayward rebellion Bible says if I were enemies of God's we turn our back on God.

We blaspheme God liberal in life. God, who is rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we would dad in their trespasses following a even when you were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ by grace you have been saved.

Paul, a brilliant writer gets it right the were spiritually dead and I need life.

But here is what God is rich in mercy, God loves me with a great love and I can be made alive.

But coming over new leaf. By joining a church by getting baptized by cleaning up my act, no you're made to your mid life, he says, made us alive together with Christ by grace you have been saved. Julie God through the resurrection of Jesus Christ through the living Christ was alive forever more can give spiritual life to those who are dead, but here is a good use.

There's mercy for you. You'll deserve it is good use. God loves you with a great love is not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his son to be the propitiation for our sins.

What is the proof that that God loves us. The proof is Christ all right said Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners now just to show you how to love each other, something more basic something more wonderful. Here is the root of the problem that were spiritually that society could dress you up to make you look good. I can work on it with refounded passenger, you begin to work out some of the problems in your life for the cannot make this fundamental change. It is only the living Christ who can do this. Who can give you you can change you totally as you come face-to-face with the living Christ who saves you and washes away your sins and gives you new Lodge understand this is your problem is difficult for sometimes between us and God is our sin that has been dealt with the 830 service young lady was was baptized 10th grade on the floor. She was going to say. Today this Scripture the wonderful Scripture of Jesus on the cross, when he said it is finish the work of salvation perfectly and she said I trusted Jesus and realize I don't want for my salvation. He's done it all. All of it is done, finish perfect that you can to the perfect work of Jesus Christ, you can come along and say well I know Jesus did this by need to do that really know absolutely not. We need mercy. We need grace he's paid it all is paid the price in full. But this new life has to be personally received by each of us listen to Paul goes on Ephesians 2 verse 84 by grace you have been saved. We often sing amazing Grace that saved a wretch like me what's grace undeserved favor something you can work for something you don't deserve. Do you think you desire for me and have it do you think you desire to have eternal life.

Do you think you deserve to have your sins forgiven absolutely no it's all of grace and his unmerited grace, by definition, is undeserved. For by grace, says Paul, you have been saved through faith faith that saves us. We are saved through faith.

Faith is the instrument by which we are saved, faith is the outstretched hand receiving the gift of salvation, says Paul, it is a gift of God not the result of works, so that no one may boast nobles thing before God. No one saying I deserve to be a Christian because I did this week. It may, preacher, look at me. I sing for Jesus Christ in the choir for 20 years, look at me with all the money I give to the needy to the poor. Absolutely no nobles thing. Why, because God in Christ is done everything with what you to do my to do up to admit sinful to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ put my trust in Christ, who on the cross died for the sins of John Monroe's crisis per se.

And who rose again the living Christ and he will forgive your sins to wipe them out. However, by the audit and the pretty bad eternal life is absolutely free. It's all of God's grace is all of God's mercy.

This offer to you in Christ and in Christ alone is doing to come to Christ when he didn't want you to put your faith in Christ you come with empty hands up your boasting stop telling us about your achievements impressive although they are no you come with empty hands. You come not to give God anything you come not to make a little speech and say what I was trying to betterment of the best Micah time to stop doing such and such are really going to do this every week go to Calvary church. He knew God how difficult that is what I meant to do its no silence is really nothing to say nothing to bring apart from your sin, we come spiritually helpless, spiritually dead and looking to Christ who died in two rose again and who still says because I live, you shall live also. So because Jesus lives the dead are made alive.

Secondly, because Jesus lives. Our lives are transformed of our lives are changed spiritually change we call that transformation of the person you come to the living Christ. How can you stay here and say is like something getting married and then living as a single person. No change. Things are changes as a living relationship. During Christ there is a fundamental change. Paul puts it this way.

Ephesians 2 verse 10 for we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them. I watch the earlier service.

Five young men couple of 10th graders. Students or recent graduates wonderful. They are God's workmanship.

The government no lady from Saudi Arabia. These are being baptized. Think of how God works in our lives behind the scene was a young woman, Lydia 10th grade.

I got baptized in the earlier service.

She said to the terrible life I know something about it. Terrible home. North Carolina no father or mother, who didn't care. She and her siblings are placed in the group home because grandmother contacted to goes to a foster home. Then in the grace of God.

She comes to a home of a family here at Calvary church last year. Thank you. Praise God. Last year, that family adopts her into her family.

As you read the Scriptures should read from Ephesians 1 that she is not adopted into the family of God. Wonderful to be adopted into a physical family. How much more wonderful to be adopted into the family of God and the God takes this young woman from terrible background that few of us of experience brings up to Christ is God's workmanship. You are God's workmanship God made you major in your image.

Me making you to live a selfish, self-indulgent, self-absorbed life in your own little bubble know he's created you for better things. And when we meet the living Christ. Our lives are surrendered to him so that he leads us in the paths of righteousness for his namesake is the authentic Christianity is not just going through some church ritual. So just admiring Christ from afar is not just having a doctrinal statement put before you and say all yes I agree with that and I believe in some doctrine. Believe me, you can say that and still not know Christ. You can go through all the hoops is over.

Of some church and still not have saving faith in the living Christ. And when you do this wife transforms us in the very ordinance of baptism as an illustration of that is someone who goes into the water and it symbolizes that they died with Christ, they go under the water, symbolizing the brain with Christ.

This is a very low, but the come out of the water, symbolizing the new life proposes in Romans six that we walk in newness of life of the old is gone and the new has come.

We are new creations in Christ can we continue to live as we once lived.

If we truly have a passing relationship with the living Christ life is forever changed and this means that we look to Christ. The directors that we have the power within us, because the claim of the Christian faith is this that when you trust Jesus Christ. Not only is he going to Washington Pines or seven cents marvelous to give you eternal life is unbelievable. Almost certain it is going to end well.

You Christ living in me transforming us a new pilot a new direction. You wisdom earlier service I baptized an Englishman or young student came to the US from England to play soccer and he and I have different views of British soccer teams but Bible says we are to love our enemies are so baptized and I didn't hold them under too long. He likes Liverpool I like Manchester for a couple seasons Manchester United were playing terribly hard to watch them but then the manager bought a new player's name is Bruno Fernandez's Portuguese by 26 replacement field and my, what difference what difference that when I played soccer we know his level appointments field so interested in midfield players.

Just think, just imagine if I had Bruno Fernandez living in me just for a day just for a game right that his skill is my skill that his football brain is my football seems to know where the ball is going to come take up also accurately and he just runs and runs and runs this informative. I have that power that I have that wisdom that I have that skill, because Bruno Fernandez is living in John the know what I going to the soccer field. Great opposing, but Christ lives in me and will help me every day. What ever the situation. Whatever the problem how difficult it is.

He is with me transforming me on the Christian life that is not trying to please God by mowing adverts that's going to lead to frustration. This Fairhaven hypocrisy and rule following, no authentic Christianity is this, that when you come to Christ he indwells you and the living Christ lives in us were made in the image of God. And Paul is saying here is workmanship in God has created you for good works which you prepared beforehand.

You wonder what could happen next year. Three years from the US code to what you ask God for wisdom. Why do you stop depending on your own wisdom and the low, the mighty God to direct you and help you this Easter Sunday. When you understand that Jesus Christ has conquered that the Jesus Christ has defeated that I think he says something that no one else could say that all of human history here Lord uniquely can say this I listen to it. Jesus says I am the resurrection on the life. He who believes in me shall live, even though he die, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die. That is, that when I come to Jesus Christ through the resurrection of the life is conquered, that when I come to him. He gives me his life eternal life, and that when I die that life that eternal life is not quenched as my physical libel and unweighted laden symmetry earlier gardens and people say that's the end of John the know is not the end of John Monroe because it is a day coming when Beale resurrected that even though I die yes all islandwide because I eternally United to my Lord Jesus Christ says because I live, you shall live also asking you today to put your heart to Christ that open your heart to receive Jesus as your is your Savior. He's alive forevermore. Do you really want to put your hope in this life. I understand this life can be wonderful, but after of the top of the mountain is think of all of the changes that have happened in our world, which makes life so wonderful just a couple days ago. I take my take my iPhone and I press a button and I'm speaking to my brother thousands of years, dozens of miles away. I'm walking and he's walking he's walking in the mountains of, and I'm thinking why Mina did not witness another story. He's walking and this is from speaking to you, and I thought there's technology is I grew up know my was one who didn't have a telephone number generation can't understand we didn't have a phone in the house and know when the technology you go to the hospital is amazing what can be done in the medical field with her technology and information fees.

The brilliance of men think of an engineering think of the billions of our scientists and their medical research. People that can produce a vaccine so quickly. To combat this virus.

Wonderful human ingenuity in the technology that goes on in our lives is absolutely wonderful. And here we are living in the most powerful country of the world.

Americans could say this is the best country in the world to live.

I asked you this question.

If it's so good why are so many people anxious. It is so good why do many people are so many people depressed.

Why do so many people appear to be hopeless is all reason, lamb and husband overlap a routine procedure just as quickly as I can Believe me and the speaking to my nurse was very nice. We start talking about spiritual things in as she says to me of about four children raising four children. She said this is really tough 15-year-old and she said to me to know just the last few months to of his friends in Charlotte.

Two of his friends have taken the lives suicide is in our society and this wonderful country most powerful countries in the world that we have young people at high school, middle school, high school, college, and there saw the price of the field. So let's reticulum lives magician people hopeless to ask you to understand that your only hope life that is in Jesus Christ and the Jesus Christ prepares us to face that he gives us supernatural power to live here and gives us the wonderful hope of the future and says believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved. I believe that Jesus is alive because of the evidence for the resurrection. I believe in Jesus is alive because the resurrection is taught in the word of God and I believe it but I also believe it because when I was 12 years old, I had the most unforgettable experience of my life the best experience of my life as Jesus Christ to come to save me as a boy of 12, not understanding all about the Bible and theology is and I do but I did know this guy was a sinful little boy and that there was more to life and kicking a ball and I came to Christ confess my sin and look to the cross saw Christ dying for me and I realize that he rose again and I trusted him and I put my faith in him in my life has never ever been the same so I'm personally convinced this is very personal to be personally convinced of the truth of the resurrection. So convinced that my whole life is devoted to telling people about the Lord Jesus Christ is alive is not just a theory. This is not just a doctrine to base my life. I'm 100% convinced 100% convinced that Jesus rose from the dead. I love him. I know him are being transformed by him. I live my life yes is a Christian and perfect lay still in the body is still working on me, but I believe that Christ is alive, risen from the dead and is alive forevermore and death has been conquered and yes one day if he doesn't, I will die. I can face that because I'm eternally United to Jesus Christ still says because I live, you shall live also hope John done the 17th century Christian is something sent to the English poet, and he writes this day be not proud.

No, though some have called the mighty and dreadful for thou art not so one short sleep past. We wake eternally, and death shall be no more then thou shalt is the voice of a believer. Yes, this is mighty yes we many feared that, but as believers in Jesus Christ.

We believe this but our Lord Jesus Christ has conquered that the death is defeated but death I shall die the death shall be no more, because the Lord Jesus Christ is alive and still says to you and me. Do you believe it will you accept the promise because I live, you shall live also give you an opportunity 09. Open your heart and life to Christ to put your trust in Christ. I would lead you in the printer.

This prayer thing applied mechanically do anything for you some magic formula.

This is of the heart.

This is this is you coming to Christ confessing your sins, but if this prayer will help you lead you to Christ, we just bow your head prayed with me or Jesus I believe you are the son of God euros from the dead. I believe your life admit that I've sinned against God, for my own way belt return from my sin.

I confess my sin. I repent of my sin, self-centeredness, or Jesus, thank you for dying on the cross for my paying the penalty of all of my sins on the cross trust you as my Savior, Lord Jesus, forgive me, cleanse me, save me and help me before you know if you prayed the prayer would like to help you to grow. The Lord is becoming the most wonderful adventure of your life saving the pastors in the café will be in the Galleria and contact us email us helpless to help you in any way that we can sing a wonderful him. I love which tells us of our hope. Hope hope in life and hope for dead father helpless. We do pray. I pray that each person here will have that hope that hope in Jesus Christ. I pray that the doors of the century may be the very doors of eternity that none will leave without Christ, but each one will know that because he lives we live also rescued in his precious name