He Has Risen

Muggeridge was a triumphant climax with the photo on the resurrection of Jesus the Christ the son of God. To think of Jesus.

The resurrection reduces Jesus to just another prophet a good Plaza medical worker, but right at the beginning of this gospel is Matthew begins the writer. He says in chapter 1 verse one the book of the genealogy of Jesus the Christ the son of David, the son of Abraham. This is not merely Jesus is the Christ, he is the son of God, he is God and government. In chapter 1. Matthew reminds us that he's given his name Jesus is wonderful name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.

So it is a historical fact that Jesus died. He was buried, and he rose from the dead and the wonder of the gospel is that this living Christ enters into a living and an eternal relationship with his disciples through the power of the Holy Spirit. So the Christian faith must never be reduced as it sometimes is to do this don't do that the Christian faith is understanding that there is nothing Placer might.

There is nothing that we can do to save ourselves, and we depend for our salvation for the forgiveness of sins for eternal life not on what we have done or ever will. But in what God has accomplished in his son Jesus Christ through his dad through his burial, and as we'll see today.

His resurrection and by faith we receive.

Then what God in Christ has done and we then live a life of faith alive day by day, depending on God's power and grace that would come almost to the end of Matthew. Certainly the last chapter, Matthew chapter 28 and if you have your Bible and write to determine their Matthew 28 the first gospel, Matthew and Mark can look at what we call the synoptic Gospels and they were written within 13 years of the death of Jesus.

Think of that within 13 years of the death of our Lord Jesus Christ, Matthew Mark and Luke are writing the Gospels that we have these accurate accounts of what actually happened far better than the historical documents of any other religion as we would call them on finding funding documents, the Roman historian Tacitus, the Jewish historian Josephus they themselves are right all the dad, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. Historical facts.

Christian faith is not based on some William not based on some ideology is based on historical fact that this man God incarnate, came and died on the cross for our sins, and he was buried, and as we'll see today as we been singing. He was raised from the dead. With you.

Matthew 28 were going to read the first 15 verses Matthew 28 verses one through 15 now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week Mary Bagley and then the other Mary went to see the term and holder was a great ass quick for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on his appearance was like lightning's clothing, white as snow, and for fear of him. The guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the woman. Do not be afraid, for I know that you see Jesus, who was crucified. He's not here for he is risen as he said, see the place where he lay, then go quickly and tell the disciples that he is risen from the dead and bold is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him see I have told you so, they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell the disciples and all Jesus met them and said, greetings, and they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him.

Then Jesus said to them, do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee and there they will see me while they were going to hold some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all the taken place. And when the@symbol when they had assembled with the elders and taken counsel to give a sufficient sum of money to the soldiers and said, tell people is disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep and if this comes to the governor's ears. We will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble so they took the money I did as they were directed and this story has been spread among the Jews through this day. He has risen, as he said Christ has risen as he said not want this. First of all to understand the basic point that we see throughout the gospel and is reinforced here that the resurrection assures us that Jesus is Lord that he is the Christ, that he is the son of God. Matthew begins his gospel by telling us that Jesus is the Christ, that he is the Messiah long promised Messiah on the resurrection assures us that Jesus is no ordinary man. He is the Lord is the Christ. Many religions and many people I can talk about Jesus, you talk to colleges talk to those of other religions enable me quite happy to talk about Jesus but to those of us who love Jesus Christ, to those of us who are following him. He is not just Jesus.

Jesus is a beautiful name. The name means Savior but is more than Jesus. Mark and Matthew telling us he is the Christ, he is the Messiah is the son of God is God in incarnate to those of us who love Jesus and he is our Lord is the Lord Jesus Christ is our King. Matthew has been repeatedly telling us that Jesus comes in the 90s is that the kingdom of God is at hand. He is the king not only the king of the Jews, the King of Kings and Lord of lords is ours Savior are magnificent Lord Jesus Christ's and say our friends who do not following Jesus. Well, why do you think Jesus is different from any other religious figure, the bodily resurrection of Jesus. Please understand the bodily resurrection of Jesus proves that Jesus is the Christ the son of God saw a couple of weeks ago. As we look to the end of Matthew chapter 27 that when Jesus is buried when is within that term. Not only is it a great stone rolled over the it is secured in this sealed it is guarded. When these women come on the first day of the week. What did they see that the stone was rolled away. No wonder the guards were like dead men. As they stood, keeping watch and they angel like lightning comes in the sands from heaven also away the stone and sits on it, as if to say, you think you can stop us having Matthew with them with a sense of humor that he records on the angel sat on the and the song was rolled away. Of course not to let Jesus I was, but to prove to these woman others that the tomb was empty the problem to God to remove a great stone angel comes moves it and sits on it and says no this verse six. He is not here, for he is risen as he said I want to emphasize that today he is risen as he said, come see the place where you labor six and the enemies of Jesus, of course, could never produce the body of Jesus there to fabricate the storage and others so that the bribe the guards. The current concocted story that the disciples would come and stolen the body and to help them spread this fake news this disinformation.

They had to bribe them.

Unlikely guards donate for the woman to be afraid, Matthew to collect the names of the woman to support the veracity of that evidence. These woman Mary Magdalena on the other Mary the first Shuman witnesses of the empty tomb and the risen Christ compelling evidence woman in the first century were disregarded when it came to evidence in the court but here are the facts that the first Shuman eyewitnesses that the tomb was empty that Lord's day, and that Jesus was risen with these two women. The men must wait until the Lord appears to them in Galilee is what I do in verse 10, so the prove the evidence that Jesus is the son of God that he is the Christ is based on the historical fact that historical evidence that this man Jesus was put in the tomb and that he on that first Lord's day bodily rose from the dead. The fact of the resurrection that must always repeat must always be central to the gospel. The gospel is not that Jesus is your friend and will help you get through life.

The gospel is not that Jesus is there to help you fulfill your little petty dreams. I saw the gospel. The gospel is that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again and is based on historical fact that with me to the book of acts as we see the early apostles.

What do they preach they preach crucifixion of Jesus and his resurrection. Acts chapter 2 verse 22 Matthew Mark Luke John acts New Testament acts two verse 22 men of Israel, hear these words that is preaching on the day of Pentecost in the center of Jerusalem.

Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourself know that sin, the miracles of Jesus. This Jesus one that you just call Jesus. This Jesus delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God's was in God's eternal plan, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men know this. Verse 24 God raised him loosing the pangs of that because it was not possible for him to be held by verse 27 Peter quotes from Psalm 16 verse 27. You will not abandon my soul in Hades, or let your holy one see corruption. Verse 36.

Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ.

This Jesus whom you crucified.

You think you're just crucifying a man called Jesus, absolutely not. He was bodily raised from the dead, and that proves that the one you crucified. God raised and has made him both Lord and Christ is essential to the gospel. I trust you believe that there is no salvation apart from believing the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Paul says in Romans 10 nine if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised him from the dead, you shall be saved and in the great resurrection chapter Paul writes in first Corinthians 15 verse 14.

If Christ has not been raised, imaginative, Christ is not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. If Jesus Christ was not raised from the dead and preaching in vain and your faith if you believe in this is in vain. It's hopeless, it's a joke. Verse 17 and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins said great human dilemma. I will be going to have forgiveness of sins. Only one way through receiving Christ as our Savior who died for our sins and giving no compromise on this, there can be no fudging of the gospel to make it more palatable to people. People today want to reduce sin, even from the church. You have no sin, you don't need a Savior. Augustine said, if you believe what you like in the gospel and reject what you don't like it is not the gospel you believe what yourself right you want to change the gospel you want to make it more user-friendly as were sometimes told absolutely not. You change the gospel no longer have the gospel you have a false gospel rather than believing in the word of God you believing in your self know if Jesus were not raised from the dead, the whole of Christianity collapses because they can be completely rejected. Yes, there are many, many religious figures that are many people in human history have who have done wonderful things have been kind enough giving insight into living into philosophy and wonderful discoveries.

That is true, but there's only one man came from heaven to the God man, who is Jesus who is the Christ was the son of God and the resurrection of Jesus Christ demonstrates the uniqueness of Jesus. So when you're speaking to your friends who don't believe they trying tell you you're bigoted because you're saying Jesus is the only way asking this question. Who else has come from heaven to died for our sins was bodily raised from the dead, and is returned to and is alive forevermore. No other person than the Lord Jesus Christ's. So this shows us that Jesus is the Christ the son of God.

Secondly this is important. The resurrection assures us that Jesus can be trusted.

The resurrection assures us that Jesus can be trusted using. Why do you say that because several times. Jesus predicted not only his dad by cool man, but predicted his resurrection. I got on the slide that a number of references in Matthew were not going to read them all, but in Matthew chapter 16.

The first reference there.

This is where Peter declares and says to Jesus you are the Christ, the son of the living God. And then shortly after in verse 21 of Matthew 16 we seen this before, Matthew records from that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem, why must he go to Jerusalem, the place of that place of distance of crucifixion he must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed and on the third day be Roy's.

There is a prediction of his resurrection on the third day. Chapter 17 verse 23 those who were gathering in Galilee. Jesus said to them, the Son of Man is about to be delivered into the hands of man, and they will kill him and he will be raised on the third day that would Jesus say something is going to do it.

That's why the angel said in a passage Matthew 28 verse six. He is not here, for he is risen as he said, come see the place where he lay.

So there are these various references in the gospel the Lord Jesus Christ saying he was going to be killed and he was going to be resurrected Christ is risen he rose from the dead as he said that means reemphasizes and underlines this important truth in the Christian faith that God always trusted you are not always trustworthy.

You promise things are not delivered on the inside of your control, you change your mind you forgot what God says he will do. God never ever breaks his work. Jesus says in John 10 Scripture cannot be broken. Paul says that this impossible for God to live Christ predictability raised the third day, and the angel said size is risen as he said, this is only very very practical impacts every single one of us trusting God's word ends. Needless anxiety and fear, and will know anything little bit but were anxiety, concern, fear the future. Every single one of us marker cards and the way to the tomb of the woman talk and say who's going to roll away the stone. The stone had already been rolled away. God was away ahead of them sends an angel from heaven to come until rolled back the stone and to sit on it. God was at work. These women had had. I'm sure Jesus say on the third day I'm going to be resurrected.

No need for them to worry about who's going to remove the stone.

The anxiety they become sound of the women was needless ardently. Simply trust them. Jesus says something is going to happen. What I did disciples why do they not that on the third day, just waiting for the resurrection they had heard Jesus say on multiple occasions that he was going to be raised from the dead know John tells us that behind locked doors, fighting for fear of the Jews, one that followed was crucified.

The dreams of come to an end without the messianic kingdom was going to be in situ. The data and then and is not tragic. Now the Jews are going to be after us in their hiding in spite of the fact that Jesus told them I will rise again the fears and concerns of the apostles of the women are completely needless God always delivers on his promises. God can be trusted.

He's a God who can do all things and he demonstrated that he can be trusted by raising his son from the dead on the third day. So today, right now I want you to do something on you to claim some of the promises of God. Most of us here would say that we are followers of Jesus Christ.

That means your living by faith is a true the just shall live by faith with the faith and coming to Christ, but we are to live by faith life is to be a life of faith isn't it doesn't God promise that he'll never leave you nor forsake you the trust you wearing what happened when you're old going was what happened about when you go into that for that operation going about this so that your learning about the job interview, you're worried and you're fretting promise I'll never leave you nor forsake you claim the promise of your face very, very difficult temptations. Perhaps a besetting sin that comes to you over and over again when you declaim this promise.

The Scripture promises that put every temptation.

Yes, every temptation as a way of escape, God is faithful when you fall into sin.

Don't blame God. God has provided a way of escape. You've chosen not to take it claim the promise, he promises that those who believe in him will have eternal life, and they will never perish wonderful promise that if you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. You'll have eternal life, and you'll never perish, and no one can snatch you. I don't his hand that my Lord Jesus Christ has me in his hand and the father has been assigned and says Jesus I and the father are one will promise was on 27 the Lord is my light and my salvation therefore I will not fear the rates afraid of tomorrow the Lord will be your lights you're afraid to make a long decision about something I need to fear the Lord is your lights is your salvation.

Claim the promise, stop worrying claim the promises of God with you anxious about what's keeping you awake when fretting about was your worst fears in the middle of an earthquake. Goldman was asked are you afraid she says no I like this I rejoice to know that I have a God who can shake the world with some really bad thunderstorms which were good and I live special lightning ever thought about. One minister without some of our lights one night where the back porch and right in front of us… Tremendous lightning if we rephrase or do we believe that God is with us, but all things work together for good, under the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ establishes God's love for us, that I'm loved with an everlasting love and there's nothing in this whole universe which can take me away from my Savior. He never leaves me, he watches over me and he guides me but you say John Joseph holding signs very well in the Starbucks and I believe it but you don't know the difficulties in my life.

I don't get any struggles in life and disappointments in life arise God why something happens, it's is really turned their world upside down some real disappointment. Some bereavement or something.

The answer is most of us experience. I don't through the vehicle is how do we reconcile the providence of God. On the one hand on the promises of God on the other.

What I mean by God's providence God's providence is God's activity through his unlimited power and knowledge in fulfilling his purposes for you.

Do you believe that God is writing your story. I do some story I would've written my story to be very, very different to be a multi millionaire on the little Caribbean islands just about to go my yachts and perhaps on my third and fourth wife. I don't know as an unbeliever. Of course, when you write your own story of everything that do you really think you're wiser than God.

So what happens into our life. It seems that God intervenes unexpected circumstances, difficulties when there is no what I wanted. I didn't get that promotion of resentment, bitterness why on Friday as I was thinking about this I thought of Psalm 57 verse two you'll know that passion when you need to hear this.

David is being chased by Saul that David has been promise that he's going to be the king anointed by Samuel. Remember in first Samuel 17 and Samuel told Saul the kingdom is going to be taken away from you and given to another. David and yet here is David with his wonderful promise that he's going to be the king and he's being pursued by this evil man Saul over and over again.

Who's got the spear and he wants to put out right through David and David is hiding in a cave in verse two he says this of some 57 I cry out to God most high God, who fulfills this purpose for me.

God is working all things together for good to those who love him.

We understand all is happening in our lives and our nation. No unexpected hurdles, difficulties, hardships, suffering yes but behind it all is an all is Almighty God who is so powerful he can raise his son from the dead, so powerful that if you trust his son will give you eternal life so that you will be whatever with your Savior. That's pretty impressive, isn't it you are wondering and you are worrying over the situation in your little life wondering what happened to your business. One was what happened to your healthy family to your career is not opposing it was an argument in Romans eight he says that he who did not spare his son for us, but he who did not spare his son, but delivered him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things wonderful arguments, Paul is saying listen God and the sensors on the difficult thing he delivered his son for your salvation. He sent his son into this world to bear your sin in all things, then he can deal with everything else. How much more think of his argument from the greater to the lesser.

How much more will he not also with him graciously give us all things, God will give you and me all of the grace all of the strength of the help you need to look for him. One day at a time you to trust to think of the resurrection of Jesus Christ living dog ask you to trust your cases of faith, wonder why the Psalms of lament. Why will God has this happened you trust God resurrection assures us that God can be trusted. Finally, the resurrection assures us of God's power in our lives assures us that Jesus is the Christ the son of the living God also assures us that God can be trusted. Finally, the resurrection assures us of God's power in our lives is the gospel.

You believe in the Lord Jesus Christ he's going to give you supernatural salvation and transfer nation but spout yes you you place your trust in the Lord Jesus Christ.

This living Christ is alive forevermore.

He will Savior. He will forgive your sins. And he will transform your life. Think of the power that raised Jesus from the dead from the cold tomb of that victorious over the forces of darkness and evil these women is what either totally overwhelmed events. Matthew says in verse eight that they had feared and great joy is an opposite know they had a all God, we would say we realize this was also under filled with great joy that this one they love is not still in the tomb but was alive forever more easy trusting the living Christ transforms all of life. And that gives us an eternal perspective doesn't what wonderful way to live and because because Jesus Christ was dead and is alive alive forevermore.

He could share this life, this eternal life. This supernatural life of his followers to a true follower of Jesus has had a personal encounter with Jesus. He's been saved by the grace of God not I think men elders and deacons, and pastors were praying this morning before the service, and we were talking and praying about those who embrace a cultural Christianity joy cultural Christianity is a thing.

I believe the church I put my my my children and into a Christian school made. Yeah, I've got a Bible and its not use too much like our Bible church going church entity.

You may never have had a personal encounter with the living Christ. We are to believe into the Lord Jesus Christ. Not just intellectually saying I believe this is called and said that is to embrace Christ beautiful picture, but Christ comes and embraces us as a word and we abrade embrace him and when we are truly saved.

The New Testament teaches us that we have no then this united with Christ. I am in Christ and he is in me. I am united with Christ was in the ball as he explains this wonderful truth that you need to grasp, which will truly revolutionize your life in Colossians 3 questions reverse one. He says if then you have been raised with Christ is the if of argument that if a dog could say since you have been raised with Christ even raised with Christ is what baptism symbolizes that we died with Christ were buried with Christ, we been raised with Christ into this new life. Since you have been raised with Christ, seek the things which are above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on for you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

When Christ who is your life appears and you will also appear with him in glory. Paul says that Christ is your life as a tribute is a well my families my life I wife's my life, my business is my life my my hobbies my life for the Christian, no, first and foremost priority is Christ.

Christ is our life. We seek first the kingdom of God and no in the beauty of the gospel. I am in Christ, think of that on three Kabul Union you believe that shoe just to go through life knowing I am in Christ and this new life and power from the resurrected Christ transforms us recall is our sanctification. The process whereby we become more and more like Jesus.

You know this is a red Jesus refers to the disciples. These men who deserted them.

Verse 10 Jesus said to them, don't be afraid to tell my brothers to go to about Galilee, and there they will see me would've said go tell these deserters go tell these chickens go tell my others. It is the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that we believe in him are not part of the family of God that we are sons and others of God and these fearful disciples are going to be transformed into the boldest of evangelists and missionaries in the first century was a transformation that seen the resurrected Christ for about 40 days. They had been taught by the resurrected Christ between his resurrection and his ascension. They were with him and then annexed to this, but it comes down and then they are filled with the Holy Spirit filled with the living spirit of Jesus are neither prepared to suffer and die.

Why because they have seen the resurrected Christ said I am the resurrection and the life good dad. I'm therefore let me say to you, he is well worth following. I follow Jesus for many years of thinking back to my university days in Edinburgh I was there just a few weeks ago and I thought of all of the debates, all of the discussions we've had in those days with my friends. These pseudo-intellectual discussions about Marx and Lenin and Herbert Mark Koontz and all of that were going to transform the world. They thought through socialism or Marxism or communism and I thought many of them are following Marx and Lenin or Marcos today whose theories and philosophies of largely been discredited. What a waste of a life is to follow someone who's going to a dead-end.

No we follow a living Christ.

One who saves us one who one who transforms us and one then who sends us to tell others about him, but women in their save on to tell the disciples.

I will see a couple of weeks. In verse 19. The disciples are commanded to go and to preach the gospel to all nations. This news is so wonderful that it cannot be kept to ourselves.

All world needs to know that Jesus Christ died in was buried, and rose again and that he and his love embraces a holy war world. That means that you have to go, not necessarily to Kenya with her with her brother and sister. Perhaps God is going to call you to go to the other end of the world, but he sent me calling you to tell your family to tell your neighbor to tell your friends to tell your colleagues at work to see John that is very difficult. Listen with God nothing is impossible. I want you to take God's word. Paul says I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. That is when God calls you to do something he will give you all the strength all the wisdom you need as you depend on him as you live by faith. This resurrection of Jesus assures us that he's always with us in life and in that is our hope in life and in that is the tomb is empty. Christ is risen as he said CS Lewis writes something perfectly new in the history of the universe. It happened Christ defeated that the door which had always been law pad for the first time been forced open thing about mighty battle.

Think of that mighty victory accomplished by our magnificent Lord Jesus Christ is alive an assurance that he is living conquering that as he said. That means that the grave on the day for us may not be dreaded.

Not only has our Lord Jesus Christ going into dad. He's conquered it. John flavorful writing in the 17th century rights that is Dragon the grievance than a place of Dragon totter, but Christ goes into its 10 there grapples with it and for whatever overcomes it disarms all its data well said Lord Jesus Christ is the sound it will dad what is your staying grave.

What is your victory is why when one of a loved one dies, we grieve, we miss them terribly. But when the trust is in the Lord Jesus Christ will rejoice that dance has been conquered and our loved ones will not stay in that grave, but to live is Christ to die is gain the Lord Jesus Christ. When using the term. His body did not experience corruption is reread is the first fruit of those who rise from the dead. Death could not hold our Savior. Nothing can stop our Savior. So ask to go your fears all of your anxieties, bring them to the Lord to trust with all of your heart.

He is risen as he said therefore believe in him therefore trusted him brothers and sisters Saturn with all your heart is worthy of your past and love and praise him even when the hardships and difficulties come into your life. No, that is great because writing your story and that his purposes for your life and mine will be accomplished in his perfect will of God to trust them you to love and your to serve eternal God, we thank you that you're alive forevermore we are frail mortals or faith sometimes is very weak and we got your request. Should you. We thank you for your graciousness and go for Savior calling the disciples my brothers. We ask no those who don't know this, Christ personally, but your spirit will reveal their sin to the and also will reveal the wonder of Christ dying for sins being bullied and being raised again the hearts be open to receive the Savior and for us. Father may Christ truly be our role in all of life on the mountaintop and in the valleys.

He's our hope in life and that once again we thank you for magnificent Lord Jesus Christ will affect replacement look forward move forward when he shall come, we shall be perfectly like meantime father, help us to tell others is wonderful.

Good news, but Christ is risen as he said we ask. It is nine