Sunday, April 17, AM

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Sunnyside Baptist Church Easter Sunday "A Good Day to Turn the World Upside Down"

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He is risen, he is risen indeed. I got to say that again, he is risen, he is risen indeed.
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What else can be said this morning but that. We want to welcome you to Sunnyside Baptist Church this morning to worship with us on this resurrection day, beautiful day out to fellowship with one another, to worship together, to open
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God's word together. Few announcements as we get started this morning. Because it is Easter, there will not be an evening service here at the church.
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So please use that as an opportunity to spend time with friends and family and enjoy the rest of today.
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Looking ahead to Wednesday, April 20th, here at the church, we'll have the meal at our regular time, 545, to share together.
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And then at 630, prayer for the adults and tag ministry for the kids. Looking ahead to Sunday, April 24th, after the evening service that night, truth group for the young adults will meet.
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And then the next Saturday, April 30th at 10am, mugs and muffins for our ladies ministry prune to bloom that day.
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Related to that, just mugs and muffins is getting started up again. So if you're not sure what that is, see
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Haley Mounts, and she can give you some details on that. It's just an opportunity for ladies in the church to come together, open the word together, fellowship with one another, and spend some time in prayer.
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Also, you may have seen it on your way into church this morning, but there's kind of a little area in the foyer out there for gathering medical supplies for the
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Ukraine. Jill Smoot is putting that together. May 1st is the last day that you can give towards that.
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She wants to get all of those together and get them sent off as quickly as possible. Any other announcements this morning?
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Okay, I'll end with our fighter verse for this week from Deuteronomy chapter six, verses six and seven.
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And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way, when you lie down and when you rise.
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We're going to have a time to prepare our hearts for worship this morning. When we're done doing that,
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Dwight will come up and open us in prayer. Our father in heaven, the holy one of Israel, the one who is high and lifted up who inhabits eternity, whose name is holy and yet who dwells with those who are humble and lowly and who reaches out to rescue and save those who are helpless and cannot save themselves.
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You who sent your only son, who gave your only son to die on a cross to pay for our sins and who willingly and lovingly came and gave his life and was buried.
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And three days later, according to his own word and your charge rose from the dead, victorious over the grave, conquering death, hallelujah.
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And who promises to give us life, resurrected life, to bring us with himself to you.
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And so we come before you this morning to celebrate this great resurrection and to thank you, to offer up to you the sacrifices of thanksgiving and praise.
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And that they might be a sweet smelling savor that you might delight in your people this day.
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In Jesus name I pray, amen. Friday evening we had a special time of remembrance of the
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Lord's suffering and death on the cross for our sins. And today we celebrate his victorious resurrection from the dead.
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Would you stand with me for our call to worship. We're continuing in Psalms chapter 77.
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We'll be reading verses 17 through 20. Read with me together. The clouds poured out water.
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The skies gave forth thunder. Your arrows flashed on every side.
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The crash of your thunder was in the whirlwind. Your lightnings lighted up the world.
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The earth trembled and shook. Your way was through the sea. Your path through the great waters.
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Yet your footprints were unseen. You led the people like a flock by the hand of Moses and Aaron.
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We've got four songs to begin this morning. Two of them will be in your Psalms for worship hymnal.
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Pages 77B and 98B. And then after that we'll go to our regular hymnals page 220 and 218.
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So 77B, 98B, then 220 and 218.
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♪♪♪
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The Lord's deeds I remember all.
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Your wondrous works of old recall.
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I'll ponder the mighty acts each one.
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The clouds of rain and torrents poured.
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Across the sky tornadoes roared.
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The world was made when lightning flashed.
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The earth trembled and the thunder crashed.
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Verse 8. Great waters poured. Your footprints still in the ground are you.
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Your people like a flock were fed.
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By Moses and by Aaron.
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♪♪♪ 98B. To the Lord oh sing a new song. ♪♪♪
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To the Lord oh sing a new song.
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For the wonders he has done. His triumph and all your joy.
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Have for him the victory won. Let the
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Lord reveal his rescue. His salvation he may know.
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In the sight of every nation. His righteousness assure.
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With songs of joy and trumpets. Shout before the
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Lord the King. Let the sea raise heaven and earth.
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Let all his people sing. Let the rivers in their gladness.
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Drown their heads with water. Let joys be for the
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Lord. For most surely he is coming.
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Judge of all the earth to be. Justly he will judge the peoples.
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And the world with equity. I serve a risen
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Savior. Peace in the world today. I know that he is good.
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In the world the man may stay. I see his hand of mercy.
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I hear his voice of cheer. And just the time I need him.
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He is always near. He lives, he lives.
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Christ Jesus lives today. He walks with me and talks with me.
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The long -lost getaway. He lives, he lives.
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Salvation to impart. You ask me how
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I know. He lives, he lives.
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Within my heart.
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In all the world around me. I see his loving care.
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And though my heart grows weary. I never will despair.
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I know that he is leading. Through all the stormy blasts.
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The day of his appearing. He will come at last.
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He lives, he lives. Christ Jesus lives today.
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He talks with me. The long -lost getaway. He lives, he lives.
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Salvation to impart. You ask me how
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I know. He lives, he lives.
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Within my heart.
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Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian. Lift up your voice and sing.
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Eternal hallelujah. To Jesus Christ the
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King. The hope of all who seek him. The help of all who find.
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The mercy, so loving, so good. He lives,
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Christ Jesus lives today. He walks with me. I should do it.
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You ask me how I know. He lives, he lives.
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Within my heart.
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I shall stand. I know, I know.
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That by being given. That grace and love.
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Are in his hands.
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Let's open our Bibles together to the book of Isaiah. We'll be looking at chapter 22, verses 1 through 14.
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I just wanted to begin with a little bit of context for our passage this morning. We're in a rather extended section of Isaiah where God, through his prophet, is making proclamations against various nations and peoples and cities.
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And in our passage this morning, the proclamation is against the
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Valley of Vision. And if you're not familiar with that term, the Valley of Vision refers to Jerusalem, to the people of Israel.
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We'll also see the house of the forest, which may be unfamiliar. And that refers to a mighty structure that King Solomon built in Jerusalem after the temple.
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And the people of Elam are a people that were allies to Babylon when they were conquering.
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So let's give heed to the word of God. The burden against the
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Valley of Vision. What ails you now that you have all gone up to the housetops?
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You who are full of noise. A tumultuous city, a joyous city.
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Your slain men are not slain with the sword, nor dead in battle.
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All your rulers have fled together. They are captured by the archers. All who are found in you are bound together.
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They have fled from afar. Therefore, I said, look away from me. I will weep bitterly.
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Do not labor to comfort me because of the plundering of the daughter of my people. For it is a day of trouble and treading down.
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The perplexity by the Lord God of hosts in the Valley of Vision.
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Breaking down the walls and of crying to the mountain. Elam bore the quiver with chariots of men and horsemen.
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And Kerr uncovered the shield. It shall come to pass that your choicest valleys shall be full of chariots.
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And the horsemen shall set themselves in array at the gate. He removed the protection of Judah.
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You looked in that day to the armor of the house of the forest. You also saw the damage to the city of David that it was great.
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And you gathered together the waters of the lower pool. You numbered the houses of Jerusalem and the houses you broke down to fortify the wall.
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You also made the reservoir between the two walls for the water of the old pool.
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But you did not look to its maker. Nor did you have respect for him who fashioned it long ago.
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And in that day the Lord God of hosts called for weeping and for mourning.
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And baldness and for girding with sackcloth. But instead joy and gladness.
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Slaying oxen and killing sheep. Eating meat and drinking wine.
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Let us eat and drink for tomorrow we die. Then it was revealed in my hearing by the
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Lord of hosts. Surely for this iniquity there will be no atonement for you even to your death.
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Says the Lord God of hosts. Would you bow with me?
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Lord God we tremble when we come to passages like this.
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And we see your people who you brought up out of Egypt.
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Set your love upon them. Set your name upon them. And how woefully short they fall in their
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God given calling to be a faithful son of God. And we hear the faith filled cries of the psalmists and the rest of the saints.
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How long oh Lord. How long until we lay eyes on the seed of the woman who will crush the serpent's head.
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How long until we see all the nations blessed in the seed of Abraham. How long until the one who is greater than Moses appears.
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And delivers his brothers and sisters from spiritual bondage with signs and wonders.
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How long before the true Joshua ushers your people into the true promised land.
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And how long until David's son is enthroned in perpetual majesty and righteousness.
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And gives your people rest. How long oh God. For sometimes it feels as if your promises have failed when we read passages like this.
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And surely that's how the disciples felt some 2 ,000 years ago. On that bloody
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Friday and that bleak Saturday. But come
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Sunday morning they had the answer. For an open and empty tomb and clean graves clothes.
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Declared to the world in no uncertain terms. That the wait is over.
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The faithful son has come. And he has won. Our king's victory is good news.
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Lord may we see your glory in the face of your beloved and risen son this morning.
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And may we add our voices to the choir of the Lamb. For he must be praised.
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Amen. You may be seated. For our last two songs.
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We'll have in your regular hymnal page 213. Because he lives. And then also after that will be in our little eight black hymnals hymns modern ancient.
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Page 115. Oh church arise. We'll have a slightly different chorus on that.
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Follow us and the words will be on the screen. So because he lives. We can face tomorrow.
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God. He came to.
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He. I say.
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Is. This job.
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Days. Because he. Because.
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I. He. Because.
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He. Just. I.
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He. Is.
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Just. All of Christ.
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Now. In the stream.
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We. We. Was.
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So. With.
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And. Makes. the wounded whole, we will fight with faith and valor.
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With faiths with trials on every side, we know the outcome is secure.
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And Christ will have the prize for which He died, an inheritance of nations.
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Arise, shine, for the light has come.
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Arise, shine, for the risen
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Son. Let your light be on His raven bride.
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Arise, O church, arise.
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Come see the cross, where love and mercy meet, as the
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Son of God is stricken. Then see His cross, crushed beneath His feet, for the conqueror has risen.
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And as the storm is rolled away, and Christ emerges from the grave, the
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Spirit's remorse continues till the day when the iron heart shall see
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Him. So Spirit come, put strength in every stride, give grace for every hurdle that we may ride, to win the prize of a son good and faithful.
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As saints go home, still on the way, returning triumphs all
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His grace. We'll hear the calls, and come before the day when
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Christ's restanding glory. Arise, shine, for the light has come.
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Arise, shine, for the risen
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Son. Let your light be on His raven bride.
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Arise, O church, arise.
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Arise, shine, for your light has come.
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Arise, shine, for the risen
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Son. Let your light be on His raven bride.
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Arise, O church, arise. Christ is risen.
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Let us praise the Lord together in prayer. Heavenly Father, we come before you today and we give you praise for the gift of your
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Son, Jesus Christ. For He is
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God of very God, and man of very man.
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For us and for our salvation, living righteously, fulfilling all of your promises, satisfying all of your righteousness, dying for us upon the cross, and you raised
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Him the third day. Victorious, powerful, glorious.
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He has ascended to your right hand. He has been granted authority, all authority in heaven and on earth.
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And we give you praise that He reigns until all of His enemies are placed as a footstool for His feet.
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In the light of our risen Savior and Sovereign, we give you praise today. And ask that you would help us to rejoice in you, to celebrate this reality, this truth, this good news of Jesus Christ, risen from the dead.
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We pray these things in His name, for the sake of the one with whom you are well pleased.
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Amen. I invite you to open your Bibles and turn with me to the
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Gospel of Mark. Mark chapter 16. We'll be reading verses 9 through 20 in a moment.
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Mark chapter 16. The title of our sermon today is
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A Good Day to Turn the World Upside Down. Last week, we looked at the triumphal entry of Christ into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, a good day to shake things up.
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On Good Friday, we read through Mark chapters 14 and 15, a good day to make a new covenant.
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And now Mark 16, a good day to turn the world upside down. Coming to the beginning of Mark chapter 16, we see that the tenants of the vineyard have killed the heir.
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The sons of the kingdom have murdered the
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Son of God. Jealous Saul has finally found the mark and slain
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David, grasping the throne greedily. But now for the rest of the story.
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The rest of the story in Matthew 28 and Mark 16 and Luke 24 and John 20 and 21.
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The rest of the story about the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The rest of the story that is proclaimed throughout the book of Acts as the church goes forth and declares the resurrection from the dead.
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Yes, the enemies of Christ have murdered him. Yes, there were unjust wicked acts that have led to the death of Jesus of Nazareth.
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But that's not the end of the story. The rest of the story is that Jesus of Nazareth, who was a man attested by God to the
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Jews through miracles and wonders and signs, that he was delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God into the hands of his enemies.
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That they by lawless men crucified him and put him to death. But God raised him up.
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God raised him up and loosed the pains of the world that were not possible by them.
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The Jews insisted on the Holy One. They denied the
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Just One and they asked for a murderer to be granted to them. And they killed the
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Prince of Life. But God raised him from the dead and was shown to many witnesses.
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The nations raged. The peoples plotted a vain thing. The kings of the earth took their stand and the rulers were gathered together against the
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Lord and against his Messiah, against his Christ. For truly there was gathered against God's holy servant
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Jesus, whom God anointed. There was gathered against him Herod and Pontius Pilate and the
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Gentiles and the people of Israel. And they were gathered together in a conspiracy to end
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Jesus of Nazareth. But in fact, they were gathered together to do exactly whatever God's hand and God's purpose had determined beforehand to be done.
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Which was to bring about the sacrifice of the Lamb of God by whose blood the sins of the world are atoned.
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Not just the Jews, but the Gentiles also. All without distinction. To the rest of the story.
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The rest of the story that is hard to believe. Even for his own followers. The rest of the story that was hard to accept.
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Even for those who knew him best. The rest of the story after the death of Christ.
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Here in Mark 16. I invite you to stand with me as I read God's word beginning in verse 9 of Mark 16.
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This is the word of the Lord. Now when he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene out of whom he had cast seven demons.
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She went and told those who had been with him as they mourned and wept. And when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.
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After that he appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country. And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either.
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Later he appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table and he rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart because they did not believe those who had seen him after he had risen.
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And he said to them, Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He who believes and is baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe will be condemned.
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And these signs will follow those who believe. In my name they will cast out demons. They will speak with new tongues.
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They will take up serpents. And if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them. They will lay hands on the sick and they will recover.
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So then after the Lord had spoken to them, he was received up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God.
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And they went out and preached everywhere, the Lord working with them and confirming the word through the accompanying signs.
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Amen. You may be seated. Why would victorious soldiers flee in fear and shame?
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Why would thirsty men ignore the sound of rushing water?
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Why would possessors of promises live in hopeless despair?
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Why would Christians live as if Jesus were dead?
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Every Sunday, every Sunday, the first day of the week, we come to remind ourselves of this.
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He is risen. Every Sunday we remind ourselves of this.
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The most fundamental, important, vital truth in all of history, in all of our lives, that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead.
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Do we know it? Not the recitation of the fact, not the ability to tell the story, but that we possess that fact as the breath we breathe, that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead.
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We need faith. We need God's grace.
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We need His work in our lives. We need the blessing of the Holy Spirit to lay hold of that truth.
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We need each other's encouragement. We need to stir one another up to this reality, that Jesus Christ is risen from the dead, lest we live as if He didn't rise from the dead, as if we live in hopeless despair, and we live as thirsty men right next to the water and complain that there's nothing to drink.
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There's a story in 2 Kings 7, and the enemies of Israel have encamped against the capital of the northern kingdom,
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Samaria. The good prophet Elisha is cooped up in the city with all the fearful folk.
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Not allowed inside are lepers hanging out outside the walls close to the city.
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The lepers look upon their situation with some degree of honesty. Well, if we go inside, they'll kill us.
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If we stay here, we'll starve. If we go to the enemy's camp, they might kill us.
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Or we might live. That's our best chance. We're already dead men.
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We're already condemned. What can we lose? And they start toward the enemy camp.
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When they arrive, nobody is there. All of the enemy soldiers are dead or have fled.
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Their armor lies about. Their supplies lay about. Food abundant everywhere.
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Soldiers all gone. And these four lepers go nuts.
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And they start grabbing food and drink and spoils, and they begin stowing it away.
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They just became kings in the land of Israel. All the spoil for them.
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They had no idea. They had no idea what had happened. The world had been turned upside down, and just a few hours before, they were sitting in the hot sun, ready to die.
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But the world had been turned upside down, and they didn't even know it. We live in a world turned upside down.
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Do we know it? Mark 16 shows us, shows the saints, shows those who are alive in Christ, that together with, with the risen
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Christ, we overcome the world. With the risen Christ, we overcome the world.
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The system of rebellion against Christ, those who gather against Him to rage against Him, all the conspiracy towards sin and death and enslavement.
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With Christ, with the risen Christ, we overcome the world. Greater is He who is in us than he who is in the world.
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This is the promise. This is the impetus of Mark 16.
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The rest of the story. Here we see a good day to turn the world upside down.
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Verses 1 through 8, we begin with the resurrection announcement. The resurrection announcement, an announcement to Mary and to Mary and Salome.
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Verse 1, now when the Sabbath was passed, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome brought spices that they may come and anoint
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Him. Very early in the morning, on the first day of the week, they came to the tomb when the sun had risen, and they said among themselves,
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Who will roll away the stone from the door of the tomb for us?
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They had thought of everything, except for that. Look at what they're doing, and I want you to consider their expectations.
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They waited until the Sabbath was passed. From the evening to the morning in the day was the
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Sabbath. So Friday night, Sabbath began, and it ended when the sun went down on Saturday.
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So that's a really great time for merchants to make a little sale after the sun goes down, because now
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Sabbath is done. But when Sabbath was passed, so on Saturday evening, the sun's gone down,
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Sabbath is over, these women prepare for a very important work.
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They're going to go honor Jesus. They know where He is buried, and it is customary to show honor and love to the body of the deceased by anointing with spices.
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So Saturday night, they buy the spices. So they're ready, they're prepared.
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Very early in the morning, on Sunday morning, on the very first day of the week, as if we don't know that the
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Sabbath is the seventh day, but to emphasize, it's the very first day of the week, they come to the tomb when the sun had risen.
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After the sun was shining, but they come very early. They're expecting to be alone.
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They're expecting to make their journey together, but nobody else is going to be around. They're there early.
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They expect that the tomb is going to be sealed. They expect they're going to have no one to help them.
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They expect to find the dead body of Jesus inside the tomb, that the tomb is going to be filled.
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They expect that they're going to do their anointing work in great and deep sorrow.
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Do you see their expectations? Let's read what happened.
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Verse four. But when they looked up, they saw that the stone had been rolled away.
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For it was very large. And entering the tomb, they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe, sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed.
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So they were not alone. The tomb was open.
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There was somebody there to help. The tomb was empty of what they thought would be there.
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And instead of anointing, they received an announcement. Instead of sorrow, they're full of wonder and fear.
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What they expected was entirely wrong.
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Down to the very last detail. These are people who love
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Jesus. They spent a great deal of time with Him. They've given of their own personal funds to Him to support
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His ministry. They have spent many, many months of their life ministering to Him and to His disciples.
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They were true servants of Jesus. They loved Him. They loved to hear Him teach.
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They loved to be involved in His ministry. And here, on this Sunday morning, everything that they thought about Him and what would be there on that day was utterly wrong.
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They thought they would find Christ dead. But they discover that Christ is alive.
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And what is the word that is said to them? The angel says to them, do not be alarmed.
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You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He is risen. He is not here.
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See the place where they laid Him. But go, tell His disciples and Peter that He is going before you into Galilee.
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There you will see Him as He said to you. So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb.
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For they trembled and were amazed. And they said nothing to anyone. For they were, oh the love of Jesus, that He leaves word for these women who are coming in sorrow and in brokenness, to send word to His disciples who are hiding in fear and in brokenness, what love we see.
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Tell the disciples and tell Peter, Peter who denied me three times, tell them, tell them
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Jesus is alive. Go to where He told you to go.
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Go to Galilee. He is going to meet you there. And notice how reasonable this is.
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Just as He said to you. What could make more sense than that? That they would hear what
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Jesus had said to them previously and then act on that. Had He ever failed to perform that which
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He promised? Had He ever said one thing and then did another? Hadn't everything
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He always said come true? Just as He said to them.
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How reasonable is that? How logical is that? And yet watch. They leave and they flee from the tomb.
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And they trembled and were amazed. And they said nothing to anyone because they were afraid.
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I can't help but think how different this is from the shepherds watching over their flocks by night.
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They too were shocked. They too were amazed. What they expected that night to be like was nothing like that night was going to be like.
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They thought they were going to watch over sheep. And then they got introduced to the Lamb of God. And the angel declares to them the wonders of the arrival of Messiah, the great miracle of God.
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And then they go and they tell everybody. They can't be quiet about it.
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They've got to tell everybody. But these ladies are afraid. So they say nothing to anyone on their way to the disciples.
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How different that is because of the fear going on.
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Here's an important lesson. Nothing was as they expected. Nothing at all.
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But why shouldn't they have expected this? Why didn't they anticipate this?
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Why did they go to the grave? Why didn't they pack a picnic and tell the disciples, all right, we're ready for Galilee?
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Didn't He say to them this is the way it was going to be? Had He not instructed them?
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In Mark chapter 10, did He not say this to His disciples as they were heading from Jericho, heading down from Galilee, Jerusalem?
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What did He say? Verse 32 of Mark 10, And now they were on the road going up to Jerusalem, and Jesus was going before them, and they were amazed.
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So we talked about He was heading straight into the enemy camp, boldly. And as they followed, they were afraid that He took the twelve aside again and began to tell them the things that would happen to Him.
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Behold, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes, and they will condemn
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Him to death and deliver Him to the Gentiles, and they will mock Him and scourge Him and spit on Him and kill
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Him. And the third day He will rise again. Now, what did
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Jesus say? We're going to Jerusalem.
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That happened. The Son of Man will be betrayed to the chief priests and to the scribes.
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That happened. They will condemn Him to death. That happened. Delivered to the
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Gentiles. That happened. They will mock Him. That happened. And scourge
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Him. That happened as well. And spit on Him and kill Him. All of that happened. Just as He said.
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And then He said, On the third day He will rise again. Why did they not expect that to happen?
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Why were the disciples gathered together in the upper room?
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Why were the women gathering together the spices to anoint a dead body? Why were these other followers of Jesus out on the road commiserating in their misery?
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On the third day. Because their expectations were not forged by the
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Word of Christ. What they expected to happen was not being informed by the
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Word of God. They had not taken up the Word of God that was given to them by Christ.
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The one mediator. And applied it to their expectations in their life. And so all of their expectations were absolutely wrong.
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Nothing turned out the way that they had expected. Why? Apply.
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Listen to. Meditate upon. Believe. Implement.
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The Word of God. It wasn't the fear of the
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Lord that was informing their plans, their choices, their directions. It was the fear of death.
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Death so resolute. Death so gruesome. Death so... Can't get past it.
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It's over. Fear of man. An entire conspiracy of all of those in authority.
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Religious and civil authorities conspired together. And they have broken every single one of their own laws to murder
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Jesus of Nazareth. There's nothing... What can you do? When the official state religion and the state itself have conspired together.
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And have killed our Master and Lord. What can you do against that? We're going into hiding.
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The fear of death and the fear of man had enslaved them and ensnared them.
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And their expectations were entirely wrong. We need to take note.
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We need to take note. What kind of fear is shaping our expectations?
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What kind of fear is controlling the volume on our evangel?
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In the story we see that the fear of death and the fear of man had misshaped the expectations of those who loved
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Jesus. And turned the volume down on everything that they would have said about him.
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Even when they got the good news. So, what kind of fear is shaping our expectations of what today is going to be like?
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What tomorrow is going to be? What this next week is going to be? What the next month is going to be?
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What the next year is going to be? And the next ten years? And the next generation? And the generation after that?
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And the generations after that? What is shaping our expectations of what God is going to do?
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The resurrection of Jesus Christ? Or our fear of man and our fear of death?
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In our chapter, the fear of man and the fear of death are put away.
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Put aside. Put down. Because what was going to happen the next day, the next 40 days, in the coming years, in the coming generations, was nothing short of preaching the gospel to every creature under heaven.
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They go from hiding in the room. Silent as the grave as they flee from the tomb.
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To Jesus putting away the fear of man and the fear of death in their lives, so that they could turn the world upside down.
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Look at these resurrection appearances. Now, some people have a problem with verses 9 through 20.
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Envision a story where Peter, perhaps, is in Jesus.
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And his scribe, John Mark, is writing them down. And everyone is rejoicing in one color -filled, beautiful, powerful story after another.
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And as soon as they get all put down, they circulate as fast as fast can be. And spread along Roman roads with a new inscription technology that was there providentially.
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And they spread all over. And later on, Mark is able to add verses 9 through 20 to sum up everything that it meant.
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And the manuscripts that got laid aside and were not used heavily in copying, verses 9 through 20, that were used over and over again in copying, and so they got wore out and we don't have them, well, they include it.
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So, I'm cool with verses 9 through 20. Resurrection appearances.
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Now, when he arose early, verse 9, on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, out of whom he had cast seven demons.
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She went and told those who had been with him as they mourned and wept. And when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they did not believe.
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After that, he appeared in another form to two of them as they walked and went into the country. And they went and told it to the rest, but they did not believe them either.
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Later, he appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table, and he rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart.
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Because they did not believe those who had seen him after he had risen. So, we read of the full story in John chapter 20, verses 11 through 18, as Mary Magdalene meets someone that she thought was the gardener.
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Well, it was, but it was Jesus. It was Jesus Christ, the second Adam, risen from the dead.
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And she comes and announces the resurrection of Jesus Christ to his disciples. She can't get their heart around that news.
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We also hear about, in the Gospel of Luke, Luke 24, of Jesus meeting with two men on the road to Emmaus.
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And they discuss how things are going, and Jesus opens up to them that all these things had to be fulfilled, concerning the
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Messiah. And they realize that it was Christ, by the grace of God, and they come to tell the disciples.
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Well, it's hard for them to wrap their hearts around that as well. And then he appears to his own disciples.
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And you know that they were struggling with doubt. You read the Gospel of John, and you see how
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Peter's handling it, how Thomas is handling it. It's not an easy thing for them to believe.
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It's so wondrous. But he does show up.
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Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, Jesus Christ in the flesh, shows up.
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In 1 Corinthians 15, Paul says,
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Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the Gospel, the good news, which I preach to you, which you also received, and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which
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I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you, first of all, that which
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I also received, that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day, according to the
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Scriptures, and that he was seen by Cephas, and by Elphab, after that he was seen by over five hundred brethren at once, of whom the gospel of John had fallen asleep.
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After that he was seen by James, and then by all the apostles, and then, last of all, he was seen by me also, as by one born after me.
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In history, Jesus rose from the dead. In history, the grave is empty.
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In history, he shows up and speaks with his disciples. And what is the meaning of it all?
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It's according to the Scriptures. Why did it happen? Because God said it would, and ordained that it should, and revealed that it would, and so it was according to the
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Scriptures, so that we would know that our Messiah, our
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Savior, is risen from the dead. To know with absolute confidence, according to the Word of God, and to the actual reality that transpired.
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Why is this important? Well, the sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law.
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But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Our Lord Jesus Christ, who was given all authority in heaven and on earth at his resurrection, consummated in his ascension.
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He's given all authority. Now, in light of this, verse 58, 1 Corinthians 15,
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Therefore, my beloved brethren, be steadfast, immovable, in the work of the
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Lord, knowing that your labor is not in vain in the Lord. You see, when your expectations are forged by the fear of man and the fear of death, then you come away saying, well, what's the point?
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Sinking ship, you know? We're just sweeping the streets of Saigon before the
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Hueys take us out. What's the point? Our whole expectation is made convoluted and made wrong when the fear of death enslaves us and the fear of man ensnares us, but when we consider the resurrection of our
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Savior, Jesus Christ, our expectations are different now. Now we know that there's victory in Christ, and now we know that our work, our labor is not in vain in him, because he is risen.
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He is risen indeed. I'm so glad that he made these appearances.
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And they bring with these appearances, he shows his authority. So, verses 15 to 20.
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The message we see, the message of his authority in verses 15 and 16. He preached the gospel to every creature.
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He who believes and is baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe will be condemned. Notice the authority in this message.
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He tells them to go as heralds to proclaim what has transpired.
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They are not lawyers in a courtroom trying to persuade a judge and a jury contrary to evidence.
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They are not a philosopher trying to claim the center and push their thinking ahead of everybody else's.
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They are heralds of a king walking throughout the king's newly claimed territory, announcing at every convenient and perhaps inconvenient stop, who now is lord and master of these lands, and to whom everybody in my hearing must show obeisance, because Jesus Christ is king of kings and lord of lords, proven to all by God raising him up from the dead.
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They are to go forth heralding the authority of Jesus Christ.
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Jesus, in Matthew 28, says, All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore.
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Go therefore, based upon that authority, and herald the message.
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Everybody who believes versus those who do not believe. You see two different groups.
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There are some who will believe and those who do not believe. Notice, get baptized like Cornelius, Gentile.
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Jesus sends Peter to Cornelius. Peter preaches the gospel, and Cornelius and his household hear, and they repent, and they believe, and the
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Holy Spirit fills them, and they're saved. And Peter says,
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Oh wow, now we're going to have Gentile members of the church. Who am
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I to stand in God's way? Let's baptize them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, showing under whose authority these now
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Gentiles join together with the Jews. But if you reject Christ, say, we will not have this man reign over us.
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And you reject his message that is left.
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Notice the manifestations of his resurrection authority. Verses 17 and 18.
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And these signs will follow those who believe. In my name they will cast out demons, they will speak with new tongues, they will take up serpents, and if they drink anything deadly, it will by no means hurt them.
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They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover. In other words, the book of Acts. And look how, at every obstacle,
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Christ overcomes through his people. And we see the acts of the risen
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Lord Jesus Christ, and that there's the obstacles that get in their way. Are they spiritual obstacles?
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Is there spiritual warfare going on? Are the demons opposing them? Well, with Christ, they will overcome.
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What happens when they encounter people who don't speak the same language, and you're trying to communicate in the trade language, but they're in their heart language.
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They just don't get it. Well, Christ is going to overcome that as well, as the disciples are going to preach in languages that they had never learned.
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What about the obstacle of dangers? What about people trying to poison them and kill them, and plotting sinister things against them?
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Well, they're going to overcome that. What about maybe a snake coming out of the fire and biting
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Paul on the hand? No, that's not going to stop him from preaching the gospel. What about people getting sick?
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What about people's needs, that you have to overcome those obstacles to continue to preach the gospel?
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He's going to overcome that too. Why? Because he's Lord of lords. He is King of kings. He is risen, and thus we see his authority manifested in the spread of the church throughout the
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Roman world. Verse 19, the majesty...
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down at the right hand of God. Now, when you read the end of Luke, when you read
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Jesus ascends to heaven, he is taken out of sight by a cloud,
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Shekinah glory cloud. So how does Mark know where he landed? How do you know where he landed,
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Mark? First of all, you weren't there. You didn't see that happen.
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You only saw him as sin, and the cloud take him out of view. So how do you know where he went? Daniel chapter 7, verses 13 -14.
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That's how he knows. One like a son of man coming up before the ancient of days in the clouds of glory, and he was given dominion, everlasting dominion.
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King of kings, Lord of lords. The majesty of Christ.
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And look at the means of resurrection authority. Verse 20, and they went out, the saints, the disciples, the church, the followers of the way, they went out and preached everywhere.
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The Lord working with them, and confirming the word through the accompanying signs.
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The Lord working with them. How they were able to do what they did.
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And how's it going, by the way? Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, uttermost parts of the earth.
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How's it going? It's going really well.
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Down to a few hundred thousand people without the Bible in their own heart language. Gospel of Jesus Christ being preached on every populated continent around the globe.
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You know it's working. More Christians, more churches, more preaching of the gospel in every quarter of God's creation.
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The gospel being preached in remote places. You've seen the videos. We've rejoiced together.
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Look, the plane landing with the translations of Scripture for the people that can read the Bible in their own language for the very first time.
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You've heard the news, you've heard the stories of the church persisting despite great persecution in difficult places.
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That the Christians are serving the Lord and thriving. That the faith is here and remaining and prospering much brighter in places than here.
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Praise the Lord! Venezuelans sending missionaries to North Africa to preach the gospel to Muslims.
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Praise God! How in the world? We are weak.
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We are disorganized. We bicker. We're always arguing about who's the greatest. We get on each other's nerves.
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We've got little churches all over the place. Why can't we get together and be more unified? You know, your translation, my translation, blah, blah, blah.
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Your mission organization versus my mission organization. What in the world is Jesus going to do with the likes of us?
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Well, he's just going to do what he said he was going to do. And in our weakness, his strength is shown majestic and he is glorified.
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When you read through the first chapter or half chapter of Acts, Romans, 1
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Corinthians, 2 Corinthians, Romans, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, 1 and 2
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Thessalonians, 1 and 2 Timothy, Hebrews, so on. First chapter or first half chapter.
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You go look for yourself. Every single one of them declares the risen Lord Jesus Christ in some fashion. And then says, here's the gospel going everywhere.
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Every single one of those books. It's about Christ through us, us with Christ.
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He's the risen Christ. He is moving his authority forward, his kingdom forward.
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This is our wake up call. This is our rally cry for turning the world upside down.
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This is our shibboleth. This is our war chant. This is our foundation and this is our future.
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And this is the fuel to our final breath that Christ is risen. You know, those lepers outside of the walls of Samaria, running around, grabbing food.
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The world's turned upside down. How amazing is this? They came to their senses and looked at each other and said, we're not doing right.
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There's a whole city behind us full of people who are cooped up, hunkered down, ready for the world to come to an end.
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Doom, gloom. They're ready to die. And here the world's been turned upside down and they don't even know.
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So they put down their hordes of blessings. And they turned around and they ran. The lepers.
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These lepers ran. Samaria and declared the good news that the world had been turned upside down.
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Isn't that what we're supposed to do? We are simply saved, delivered beggars telling everybody else where the bread is.
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It's not doom and gloom, end of the world, give up, go home, get ready to die.
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It's Christ is risen. He is risen indeed. Let's pray.
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Father, I thank you so much for this time in the world. We thank you for the hope that we have in Christ. And I pray that we would indeed give a hearty amen in our lives to this fundamental central truth.
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That Jesus Christ is raised from the dead. We pray these things in his name. Amen. Do you stand with me for our song of benediction?
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We're going to sing, And Can It Be. And can it be that I should gain an interest in the
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Savior's blood? Died he for me.
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Caused his family to fear him.
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To tell me that I must die for me.
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He left his father's story.
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So instead I'll go and sing of him that he died for me.
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How can it be? Amazing love.
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How can it be that thou must die for me?
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Thou my nation's spirit lay.
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Thou didst send a church that in me pray.
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Rose with thorn and violet.
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Just died for me.
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O come to nature now, my friend.
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Jesus and all the earth is thine.
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Come, I beseech thee. I beseech thee.
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Holy Christ, just as divine.
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O come, my hope grows. Thee eternal glow.
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Amazing love.
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How can it be?
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That thou, my God, just died for me?
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May the love of the Father, and the grace of the Son, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with us all.