FBC Morning Worship Service

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Sunday morning service from Faith Baptist Church

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Well, he is risen and again, he is risen
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He is risen. Indeed. We thank the Lord today that we serve a risen
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Savior a living Savior Why do you seek the living among the dead was the question asked he is not here.
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He is risen he is alive and we rejoice today that our
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Savior is a living Savior we don't worship a a
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God that's made of stone or Some kind of metal that cannot hear that cannot see that cannot speak but our
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God hears he speaks and And as he speaks we listen
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I hope we've come together today to not only speak to him in our worship and praise
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But also to hear from him before we begin to this worship service itself, though Let me just emphasize a few items in your bulletin
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One of them a couple weeks from today Ron Burnett will be with us for the day and he'll bring the messages on that particular
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Sunday And there'll be a morning and then an afternoon service as well on April 18th
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Lord willing and then the next thing to note is what the what's new so on the first Sunday of 8th of May We plan to begin these two new ministries actually of the church on Sunday on the first Sunday evening of the month and part of it is going to be a young young adult young married couples with kids and Singles group and that group will meet a couple times a month one week one
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Sunday night at the Foreman's home and then a Couple weeks later here at the church on a
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Wednesday evening And then what we also want to do is encourage the rest of congregation.
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There are some many who don't have young children and Wouldn't classify them wouldn't be classified as singles
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And they're you know wouldn't really be qualified for that group but we still want to encourage some fellowship together with one another we from time to time have a
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Get get to know you a get to know a friend month Emphasis where we just encourage you sometime during a course of a month to invite somebody to your home and so forth
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Well, we're gonna kind of mix these two things together and have that invite a friend month
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Actually be an invite a friend Sunday and it'd be the first Sunday evening of each month
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And then also want to encourage us to think about this in light of an evangelistic
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Opportunity had to have friends that we can invite to our homes or to this young adult singles group
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That are not that are not believers that need Christ and and just that interaction with those who know
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Christ can Can influence them with the gospel and the gospel be communicated in those events as well so be thinking about this and praying about how to How to Employ that and participate yourself and again more details in the next several next few weeks will come out for both of these opportunities and then also last week we mentioned a project for creating a cry room for young children
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In the middle of service parents need to go out and so forth We have we have all the pieces in place for that So we thank the
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Lord for those who've given and had some donation of some furniture and television so During this next week.
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We trust we'll have that room ready. So that next Lord's Day If needed it'll be ready to use so we thank the
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Lord for each who participated in helping with that particular those projects We sent out of course, you probably got you got the word that we weren't
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Having the Sunrise Service today. We had to modify our schedule because of some kovat cases
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One family that is affected by that was affected starting last Sunday night the the person with Tested positive was not in church last
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Sunday But that family of course is quarantining and they're all doing doing okay with it there were no serious side effects one individual
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Bob because of the internet broadcasting and so forth not give full names and details, but Doing better today had a
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Spike in his temperature overnight, but the temperature came down had to have it's some more oxygen
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He is in the hospital, but not in ICU. So just continue to pray for him and pray for God to give healing and protection for the rest of his family that No one else in his family comes down with with kovat
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So we're sorry to hear that of those cases and therefore had to modify today's Schedule and services, but nevertheless
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This is the day the Lord is made and he is Providentially in control of all of those events that have led us to just to this service and justice service today
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And so let's make the most of this service. Shall we and worship and serve our risen living
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Savior as We begin the service Revelation 1 part of verse 17 and 18 say this
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Jesus said Do not be afraid. I am the first and the last I am he who lives and was dead and behold
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I am alive forevermore Amen, he said and amen
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So Jim's going to come and lead us with our opening hymn Christ. The Lord is risen today,
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Jim Thank you pastor, and that's on page number 273 273 in your hymnals
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Christ the Lord has risen today. Let's all rise together if we would and sing together all four verses
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Oh Death in vain forbids him rise
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Has opened the paradise
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Oh are we now where Christ has led
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Exalted head like him we ours the cross the grave the skies
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Remain standing brother
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Dan. Would you lead us please my father again?
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We We thank you for the Lord Jesus Thank you for his willingness to go to that cross
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Father we were so would need need that we didn't know we had and father as we
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Think about this Ford's day the risen Savior your plan
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From the past the future and in the present Father may we
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Truly see that even glorify you and everything that's said and done this day
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Father we give you all the glory and the honor Maybe be open and tenet to your scriptures father
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Maybe apply them to our hearts and lives this day We pray these things in Jesus name
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You So our
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Psalm for today's psalm 16 is actually One of the passages in the
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Old Testament that prophesies the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Psalm 16
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So on the back of your bulletin want to read this follow along as I read and then after we read it together we have in the pews the red
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Psalter books and the the first the first use of this
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Psalter on the Lord's Day will sing the psalm 16 and It'll be to a familiar tune, but I think it'll be a blessing to us.
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So psalm 16 follow along as I read Psalmist writes preserve me. Oh God for in you
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I put my trust. Oh my soul. You have said to the Lord You are my Lord.
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My goodness is nothing apart from you as For the Saints who are on the earth, they are the excellent ones in whom is all my delight
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Their sorrows shall be multiplied who hasten after another God their drink offerings of blood
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I will not offer nor take up their names on my lips. Oh Lord, you are the portion of my inheritance in my cup
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You maintain my lot The lines have fallen to me in pleasant places.
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Yes. I have a good inheritance. I Will bless the Lord who has given me counsel my heart also instructs me in the night seasons
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I have set the Lord always before me because he is at my right hand. I shall not be moved
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Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices. My flesh also will rest in hope
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For you will not leave my soul and she hole nor will you allow your Holy One to see corruption?
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You will show me the path of life in your presence is fullness of joy At your right hand our pleasures forevermore
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Let's sing it together Jim. So in your red psalter books page number 28 28
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When in the night I meditate Sing all five verses together
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Day A mercy small Migrate Inspires my tongue to bless the
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Lord my God Forever My thought the
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Lord before my face shall stay
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I Shall remain with God at my right
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With with joy and gladness fills my breast
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He comes on him my trust is day my
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In hope shall rest I know that I will not be left
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In the grave Oh Lord your
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Holy One will say The path of life you show to me of joy
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The storm is Never found that your right hand as we go to prayer together today
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We want to rejoice first of all, thank the Lord for answers to prayer Quite some time ago
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Maxine Gomer had a little fall and I guess it was a big fall And caused a lot of complications and problems and pain and so forth
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Well, we thank the Lord that Maxine could be here with us today It's been a long haul for her and I talked to her a few weeks ago and and she says
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I just don't know. I just don't know. You know what? I'm gonna be able to get back to churches So well, maybe set a goal for Easter Sunday and get get back to church on Easter Sunday And so here she is.
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So we thank the Lord for that answer to prayer but we also want to pray today for our missionary of the week the
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Bacarix serving in the Philippines and Pray for them. They have an upcoming furlough and So a lot of details to care for regarding that not the least of which are travel challenges with With kovat and so forth.
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So pray for them this Wednesday Kathy Is having surgery having hip replacement and so want to pray for her again another another one of our members church family members who have been
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Struggling for quite some time dealing with quite dealing with some physical issues for quite a while Many of you would know
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Jeannie Ludwig Jeannie is a member of church She's been in nursing home for several years now.
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She has a birthday on Tuesday so if you think of think of her send her a card, but to pray for her and our other shut -ins who
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Realize this is the second Easter Sunday that these shut -ins have not been able to Get out to the church on the
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Lord's Day and for an Easter service and Haven't allowed to haven't been allowed to have anybody come in and visit with them.
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So they have been They've been going through quite an ordeal through these last several months
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And then as I mentioned earlier pray continue to pray for Bob both Bob's one in hospital with kovat and then
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Bob Klein we've been praying for quite some time with his bout with cancer So I want to pray for these these individuals today as we pray together.
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I want to begin our prayer with one of those Valley of Vision prayers in the book the
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Valley of Vision, it's a book of prayers of the Puritans from ages gone by and This particular prayer.
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I think if I'm not mistaken is also At the end of the booklet. I I didn't get a chance to double -check that I saw this at home and said
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I want to share this prayer with us today and then Anyway after the service that reminds me after the service today.
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We do have this devotional booklet To give to each each family
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Medit some meditations for Resurrection Sunday, so be sure you get a copy of that as you leave today.
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Let's bow together in prayer. Oh God of our exodus
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Great great was the joy of Israel's sons when Egypt died upon the shore
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Far greater the joy when the Redeemer's foe lay crushed in the dust
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Jesus strides forth as the victor conqueror of death and hell and all opposing might
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He bursts the bands of death Tramples the power of darkness down and lives forever
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He our gracious surety apprehended for payment of our debt
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He comes forth from the prison house of the grave free and triumphant over sin and Satan and death
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Show us herein the proof that his vicarious offering is accepted That the claims of justice are satisfied
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That the devil's scepter is shivered That his wrongful throne is leveled
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Give us O Lord the assurance that in Christ we died in him
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We rose in his life. We live in his victory
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We triumph in his ascension. We shall be glorified
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Adorable Redeemer Thou who was lifted up upon a cross art ascended to highest heaven
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Thou who as man of sorrows was crowned with thorns art now as Lord of life wreathed with glory
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Once no shame more deep than dying. No agony more bitter. No death more cruel now
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No exaltation more high no life more glorious No advocate more effective
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Thou art in the triumph car leading captive thine enemies behind thee
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What more could be done than now has done? Thy death is our life
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Thy resurrection our peace Thy ascension our hope thy prayers our comfort and so our
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Risen Savior we come in your name to the throne of grace and we beseech in your behalf
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These for whom we care We do pray today for our church family members who are in need physically emotionally discouraged distraught we pray for Bob in the hospital today and just ask for your
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Gracious hand of healing to be his portion Strengthen his weakened body we pray
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Grant his body healing from this wretched disease And then we pray for Bob Klein at home
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Thank you for his The strength that you give and thank you for the good spirit and good and strength of heart
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As he battles with cancer We pray for Kathy as she has surgery this week and we pray that you would give peace of mind going into it skill in the hand of the physician the surgeon and We pray for great success may this procedure
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Truly give relief and help that she so desperately longs for and needs
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Father we pray for Jeannie Ludwig and for Sue Cherry we pray for Dean Kinnaman father these who are shut in and not able to get out and pray for your mercy upon them and grace and encouragement on this resurrection
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Sunday, and then we pray for Doug and Ruth back Rick and Their ministry in the
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Philippines, especially as they anticipate a furlough all the work that has to be done
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Just to get ready for that and then the complications with travel in these days I pray that you would bless them and meet their needs and provide for them every step along the way
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Again our father we are grateful today that we can come to you through the person of our living risen
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Savior our Lord Jesus Christ Bless we pray in Jesus name Amen, and amen do want to mention that we do have a
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Children's Church ages 4 through 8 as a reminder and They will be dismissed at the end of this last verse of number 52 in your hymnals number 52 thine be the glory.
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Let's all stand together. Please sing the three verses together The glory
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Risen conquering song Endless is the victory
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That's what Angels in bright rain
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Rolled the stone away Yeah, the whole the dream flows where the body lay
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Oh Jesus Mary Risen in conquering song
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Endless is the victory Though our death at one
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Jesus meets us risen from the tomb
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Lovingly he greets us Scatters fear and blue Let the church with gladness hymns of triumph sing
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For her lost at sting
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Thy risen conquering son
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Endless is the victory We doubt us
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Prince of life Life is not without He ate us in our strife
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Make us more than conquerors Through thy death
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Bring us safe to Jordan to thy home risen conquering son
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Endless is the victory Oh Please be seated and would you turn in your
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Bibles for our scripture reading for the message to mark chapter 15 Mark chapter 15 want to read verse 42
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Through chapter 16 verse 14 mark chapter 15 verses 42 through chapter 16 verse 14 to follow along in your copy of Scripture It's a read today
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John right or mark writes that now when evening had come because it was the preparation day that is the day before the
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Sabbath Joseph of Arimathea a prominent council member who was himself waiting for the kingdom of God Coming and taking courage went into Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus Pilate marveled that he was already dead and summoning the centurion.
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He asked him if he had been dead for some time So when he found out from the centurion he granted the body to Joseph Then he bought fine linen took him down and wrapped him in the linen and he laid him in a tomb which had been hewn
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Out of the rock and rolled a stone against the door of the tomb Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joseph's observed where he was laid
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Now when the Sabbath was passed Mary Magdalene Mary the mother of James and Salome brought spices that they might come and anoint him
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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? when they looked up they saw that the stone had been rolled away 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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But he said to them do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified.
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He is risen He is not here. See the place where they laid him But go tell his disciples and Peter that he is good going before you into Galilee there
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You will see him as he said to you So they went out quickly and fled from the tomb for they trembled and were amazed
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And they said nothing to anyone For they were afraid 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 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.
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They did not believe 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 Brief word of prayer
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Our Father in our God we do thank you today for this passage of Scripture because it in it we see we can see ourselves
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Some may see themselves very clearly today Open our eyes to see we pray in Jesus name.
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Amen you know, there are a lot of events in the Bible that are recorded as historical fact and they are but to the
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To the fallen unbelieving unconverted mind they seem so fantastical as to be
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Incredible hard to believe if not impossible to believe I would just take for one example
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The Old Testament account of Jonah this full -grown man thrown into the sea swallowed by a big fish
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Survives for three days in the belly of that fish and then he coughs he gets coughed up by the fish and he and he gets up he gets up and walks away to talk about it and to record the incident
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Now that that's an incredible story. That's one. It's you know stretches the ability of the fallen mind to believe and That's just one of a myriad of such stories that we can read of in the scriptures
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The fallen mind can't accept such things but surely surely the most significant of all of those fantastic historical events that are recorded in God's Word and the most difficult to accept
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Especially by the fallen mind is the one that we're celebrating today Recorded this event it's recorded in each of the four gospel accounts
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Matthew records it Mark Luke and John they all record it. They record the fact that a clearly unmistakably dead man rose from the grave and one of the points that's emphasized in each of those accounts in the
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Gospels and particularly in today's text is That we can be so so reluctant
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To believe that a dead Jesus rose from the dead and lives
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He lives. I Mean look in our text verse 11 They did not believe
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Verse 13 they did not believe verse 14.
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They did not believe Well mark isn't the only one that records that for us in Matthew 28
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We read that when the disciples saw Jesus they worshipped him, but some doubted in Luke's gospel
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Luke records for us in chapter 24 in verse 11 He says their words of Mary Magdalene and Mary Joanne and Mary the mother of James They came to told these things to disciples same thing mark tells us
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But Luke says their words seemed to them like idle tales and they did not believe them verses 40 and 41 it said
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Jesus when he had said this he showed them his hands and his feet and They still had a hard time believing verse 41 says they still did not believe for joy and marveled
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They still didn't believe It still had a hard time believing and then of course John's gospel tells us about Thomas, you know
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Thomas who wasn't there when Jesus presented himself and he said unless I can stick my finger in the nail print of his hand and Thrust my hand in the side.
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I'm not gonna believe I'm not I can't just can't believe this. I'm not gonna believe it so Just as the people who heard this news on Resurrection Sunday had some
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Difficulty some reluctance in believing that this dead man.
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Jesus was actually now alive Perhaps you too on this
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Easter Sunday morning perhaps you have heard the story that Jesus died on a cross and then rose again and You exclaimed to yourself and maybe even to others he did what are you kidding me?
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Maybe maybe you find yourself here today Out of a sense of tradition because I mean
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Easter Sunday and all you know Maybe you're listening and watching today because someone is encouraging you to do so and you're saying yeah, he did what?
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You've got to be kidding me. Really Well this text that we read this morning suggests three reasons why you might be reluctant to believe this account that Jesus a dead man
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Actually rose from the dead and still lives today So I wonder as we look at the text today, which of the three which of these three reasons these hardening agents
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Jesus calls this Difficulty to believe this unbelief a hardness of heart which of these three
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Hardening agents is causing you to be skeptical is causing you to be reluctant to believe in a risen
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Jesus Are you reluctant to believe because? well, frankly the the story goes absolutely counter to your own experience and Here's what
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I'm getting at in verses 42 in chapter 15 verses 42 down to chapter 16 verse 3
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The experience tells you that death is real Death your own experience tells you this right?
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The death is a real thing and it was a real thing for Jesus There is an emphasis of this in verses 43 and 44
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The the death of Jesus is declared in a way in verse 43 when
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Joseph of Arimathea goes to Pilate Essentially, he says to Pilate Jesus the one that was hanging on the cross in the middle, you know, who's
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The the sign you put over his head the King of Jews this this Jesus is dead Can I have his body so I can bury his body?
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So so so Joseph makes it clear to to Pilate This one is dead.
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I want his body well Pilate needs a little confirmation of that because normally it takes longer than The hours that have passed since Jesus was first hanged on that cross and crucified for someone to die
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So verse 44 Pilate was surprised. He marveled that he was already dead
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And so what he did was he wanted to have that death confirmed called for an autopsy if you will called for an independent a
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Confirmation that this Jesus was actually dead So he calls the centurion the one who was responsible for this whole affair and asked the centurion
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Is he is he really dead? the centurion would have served as an authoritative
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Objective witness and he was able to testify that yes indeed. He was dead
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I mean, this is the same centurion you read of in verse 39 chapter 15 After Jesus in verse 37 cried out with a loud voice and breathed his last the centurion was standing right there
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He saw the whole thing In verse 39 says when the centurion who stood opposite him
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Saw that he cried out like this and breathed his last he said truly this man was the
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Son of God I mean he witnessed with it for himself with his own two eyes. He saw as the last breath expired from The living
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Jesus and he is now a dead man His death is very real.
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It's declared in verse 43 It's confirmed in verse 44 and 45 and so and then in verse 46
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It's finalized that that very real death is finalized because Joseph Verse 46 tells us bought linen took
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Jesus down off of that cross Wrapped him up in these grave clothes
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Put him in a tomb his own tomb that he had hewn out of a rock laid him on the shelf in that tomb and Rolled a stone in front of the door of that tomb
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The body the dead body the corpse is wrapped It's laid
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It's buried It's sealed now.
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I don't know about your experience but When I when
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I go and do us a funeral service or attend one When you leave that cemetery you drive away from that cemetery.
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You look in the rearview mirror at That that grave It may have a tent over it depending on the weather or if it's a nice day like this there's just a mound on the side of the of the grave site with some artificial grass covering that mound so that you don't know that it's dirt, you know and The casket still sits there above the hole and you you drive away from that scene
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You see it in your rearview mirror for the last time. There is a very real sense of finality about that Not not quite as much as there used to be
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You know it used to be at a at a graveside service You would have the
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You would have the final prayer committing the the body to the earth ashes to ashes dust to dust and Then and then you would stand and watch as Perhaps the
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Paul bearers or some other men would take ropes standing on either side of that casket and lower the casket down into that hole and Then the first clumps of dirt were thrown on top of that casket.
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There is a sense of finality about that and You walk away from that gravesite or you drive away from that cemetery and you if you have any
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Sensibility at all you realize that death is a very real
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Experience. It's a very real thing We all experience that Death is real and there's a sense of settledness about death also
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In a in a few weeks perhaps Mother's Day weekend.
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We're still talking about timing but My brothers and I and my sister are all planning to get together and honor of my mom who passed away four years ago now at at her grave in Elkhart, Indiana and You know what when we go when we go there to the cemetery
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We fully expect That when we go to this to the gravesite this there's gonna be a stone there that has her name on it and there's just gonna be green grass covering the
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What was once a hole? We don't expect that there's going to be an empty hole We don't expect that the stone at that gravesite is going to be blank
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Why? Because as we all understand death is a settled thing
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It's settled for the women. I mean the death of Jesus. It's settled for the women
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You see this in verse 47 Mary Magdalene Mary the mother of Joseph's they observed where he was laid
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They knew he was dead They watched as Joseph of Arimathea placed him on the on the shelf in the tomb
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They watched as he rolled the stone in front of the tomb and then in verse 1 of chapter 16 the first day of the week
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They're going to go back to that grave site they're going to somehow get into the into this to the tomb and They're going to anoint that dead body in a way that they were not able to do
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So a couple of days earlier because of the hastening with the Jewish holiday But so that the point is that they fully anticipated anointing a dead body
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This is what they expected. Why because death settles things death is settled and And that it's settled for them also is seen in that they expected a major obstacle when they got there
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Verse 3 he's gonna roll away this stone from the door of the tomb for us The last thing that these women expected when they got there was a resurrection
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So death is settled for the women It's also settled for the disciples
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How do we know that? Well because in verse 7, you notice The the angel speaks to the to the women who are there
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When they see the that Jesus is risen and you know the but there's no body there the angel tells him he's risen tells him
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He's risen but in verse 7 The angel says go go go from here go away from here and tell his disciples
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My my point is that the disciples were not there. They weren't there at that Graveside they weren't there at the tomb
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Well, why would they be Why would they be? Death is settled
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They understood that this is the experience of life that when a person dies they die
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And they were placed in a tomb. The stone is sealed over the tomb and there they are.
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They're the body lies death is settled So they were nowhere near the grave and that indicates that that was a settled thing for them
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But more significantly I think is that they were far far away from where they should have been
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What do I mean? at the end of verse 7 The angel tells them tell it tells the women to go tell the disciples that he's he's going before you into Galilee now look look at look at the end of the verse there you will see him as he said to you as He said to you
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This matter of death being settled should not have been a settled thing for them, but it was Why how do we know?
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Because they weren't in Galilee back in chapter 14 verses 26 through 28
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Jesus is telling them that he's going to die and he tells them that he's going to resurrect. He's gonna rise again verse 27 chapter 14
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Jesus said to them all of you are going to be made to stumble because of me this night for it's written I will strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered
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But then he says this after I have been raised I will go before you to Galilee and in Matthew's account of that same that same situation
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Jesus actually had appointed to the disciples a mountain to go to in Galilee where he would meet them and yet They weren't there
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They weren't even hey, they weren't even on the way there. They weren't planning to go there
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Why not? Death this very real experience of human life is a settled thing
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We also see that it's settled for them here in our text in in the depth of their grief
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What could verse 10 last part of verse 10? Mary Magdalene went and told those who had been with him that Jesus was alive as They mourned and wept
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They mourned and wept It wasn't that they were just sad They mourned and it wasn't just that they were in mourning over a death.
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They wept They wept What this is communicating to us is that these of these disciples these who were closest to him the 11 they they were so filled with Lamentation that they were bewailing the loss that they had experienced
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Jesus was dead Not only that Not only was he dead
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But the kingdom that he promised the kingdom that we were expecting him to usher in that kingdom was gone before it ever began and the king
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Hmm. Well our hopes for this King our hopes are all completely dashed now we know that because Because of what is expressed in Luke's gospel in chapter 24
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Remember these two that Jesus meets on the road to Emmaus Listen to how they how they express their sense of settledness about the death of Jesus They say in verse in chapter 24 verse 19
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Jesus asked Jesus they're talking to Jesus and they don't even know it and They Jesus says what what things happened in Jerusalem that you're talking about?
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And so they said to him well the things concerning Jesus of Nazareth Nazareth who was note the past tense who was a prophet mighty indeed and word before God and all the people and how the
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Chief -priests and our rulers delivered him to be condemned to death and crucified. All right now listen
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But we were hoping that it was he who was going to redeem
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Israel our hopes are dashed
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Expressing the same grief and lamentation That these bewailing apostles are disciples are expressing in mark 16 and verse 10 and look with Jesus dead
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The kingdom over before it was ever started and all our hopes dashed there
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Their very purpose from here on out has been crushed Think about this
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These these 11 these these disciples of Jesus They had been with him for the last three years
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Throughout his earthly ministry where he went they went when he spoke they listened when he told him to do things
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They went and did him. I mean he was they were just with him for the last three years. Why because Jesus had said to them individually and sometimes a couple of the time follow me and I will make you fishermen of men
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Deny yourself come after me take up your cross and follow me and they say okay. All right, we're gonna do this
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You're on a mission and we're on this mission with you but not but now listen Jesus is dead
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The kingdom is over before it's ever been started all our hopes are dashed Now, what do we do
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Now, what do we do? You see how for these? You see how for these disciples of Jesus The experience of death is not only a very real thing, but it's a settled thing so I suggest to you today that you may be reluctant to believe just like they were because because The idea of a of a dead person rising from the dead.
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It absolutely contradicts your experience contradicts your experience
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Well another reason you may be reluctant to believe is that yeah, you know what this story is just too good to be true
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It's just too good to be true And I think this is the case here for These in our our account and the gospel record.
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I Mean after all what is seen what is seen here in verses 4 through 6 of chapter 16?
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What is seen is just too good Imagine the perplexing sight as these women come up come up to the to where this grave is and they're wondering
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They're wondering who's who in the world verse the verse 3 who's gonna roll away this stone from the door for us I mean, we can't do it.
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We don't have the strength to move that stone away Who's gonna do this and they get there and the stones already rolled away
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What how how did this happen? You get the sense of their surprise in verse 4 when they looked up and they saw that the stone had been rolled away
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For it was very large. You can you can see in this set just that report You you can see the perplexity on their faces.
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Can't you like Well, well what's what's going on here, how did that happen?
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I mean after all this this stone was rolled in place and it was sealed With a
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Roman seal and nobody was supposed to open this thing and yet Hmm, they were gonna violate it if they could
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But they how would they do it? It's already been done. It's already been done
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Well, that would be enough. But then they have this frightening encounter in verse 5
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They entered into that tomb and as they did so they saw a young man clothed in a long white robe
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Sitting on the right side Whoo. Oh what in the world is this and We and we were told that they were alarmed
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They were alarmed. They were frightened Wouldn't you be? Again as I often encourage you when you read these
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These narrative accounts in the Bible put yourself there put yourself in the scene
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Imagine yourself being Mary Magdalene or or or Mary the mother of James Imagine yourself being
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Salome and here you've brought these spices You're coming to the you're wanting to honor this corpse and you're wondering, you know
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How are we gonna get into this tomb? Anyway, the stone is huge and who's gonna roll this away and you that's you that's you there and you come upon this scene and the stones already rolled away and you you you know, you you're you're kind of gingerly now holding these spices and What's going on here and then you you enter into the tomb and here's this young guy in a long white robe sitting over there and and The shelf is empty.
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The shelf is empty the slab where the body was laid. It's empty We know from the other accounts that the grave clothes that Jesus was wrapped in there
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They're sitting there as well. And by now the spices are on the ground, right?
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They're on the ground. This is What I'm seeing with my eyes
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It's just too good to be true And and if what
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I see is too good to be true than what I hear is as well and What I hear in this scene is actually an interpretation of what is seen
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Isn't it verse 6 Here they are standing there they've just dropped the spices on the ground and they're looking at the empty shelf and and and there's there they're seeing this guy in bright white clothes sitting over there and there they're
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You know, the jaws are dropped wide open and they're startled and then he says to them
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Don't be alarmed. Yeah, right Isn't that one of the most interesting statements don't be alarmed
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Well, they don't have any need to be alarmed, but don't be alarmed. Are you kidding me?
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Are you kidding me? Don't be alarmed. No Indeed, don't be alarmed why what do you mean don't be alarmed because You're looking for Jesus of Nazareth the man that died on the cross the other day that man
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That's the one you're looking for. He was crucified He actually literally died
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Yes, he was crucified But he's not dead. He's not dead.
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He's not there. He's not in the tomb. He's not on that graves slab He's risen
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He's alive is what this man's telling him this angel. He's alive so what they hear is this report that is absolutely startling to them that Jesus who yes, he died.
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They acknowledge he died. He was crucified But he's alive He's alive.
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What a startling report What is heard? It's just simply too good to be true and that that Interpretation of what is seen this report that it is as it is given that is so startling leads to a responsibility
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That is downright challenging And the responsibility is brought out here in verse 7 what a
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Challenging responsibility is placed on the shoulders of these women Go tell his disciples and Peter that he's going before you into Galilee and there you will see him as he said to you they are given the responsibility placed on their shoulders of going to the disciples and convincing the disciples that number one
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Jesus lives they saw with their own eyes that Jesus died
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They have to convince these women these disciples who? Experienced what everyone in this room has experienced that death is a very real thing and it's a settled thing
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They have to convince these disciples that no death is though very real it's not always settled because Jesus is alive not to convince them of that and Secondly they're given the responsibility of convincing these disciples to go to Galilee and meet him now
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Galilee is not like I mean, it's not like going from downtown sterling across the bridge to Rock Falls You know
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Is there a hill of somewhere in Rock Falls? Yeah, I don't know. It's not like that We're talking about we're talking about getting on the road and walking for miles a couple of days at least to get from Jerusalem to this appointed place this mountain in Galilee And so the women are supposed to come to these disciples and say okay guys.
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I Know this is going to be a little hard to believe and maybe a little too good to be true
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But Jesus is alive. He's alive. His body's not in the tomb. It's not there
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What you need to do is you need to leave Jerusalem and go to Galilee and go to this mountain and there's where you're gonna meet
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Jesus Yeah, right. They're good.
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They're given this responsibility and There's one more One more point to this message this responsibility that they're given.
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They are given the challenging responsibility of Convincing the disciples that they are still loved and accepted and wanted
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How do we know that because they are the women are going to these men who had
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Expressed disbelief in Jesus. I mean before Now for sure but because of what he had said earlier remember what we remember we
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Mentioned earlier in chapter 14 verses 27 and 8 Jesus said to the disciples all of you are gonna stumble because of me this night
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I've strike. I will strike the shepherd. The sheep will be scattered after I've been raised. I will go before you to Galilee They didn't believe that Didn't believe that.
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How do you know? Where were they? in Jerusalem They weren't
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Galilee So Jesus the angel tells these women go to the disciples and and let them know convince them that Jesus still loves them accepts them and wants them in spite of their unbelief and Also in spite of their fear spite of their fear remembered back in chapter 14 verse 50
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When Jesus is actually Encountered and arrested there in the in the garden scene
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We read in verse 50 that they all forsook him and fled. They ran away
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They ran away why because they were scared and now the women are to go to these disciples who were so filled with fear and Convinced them that Jesus still loves you accepts you and wants you and You notice
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Here in our text in verse 7 that they're told to go tell his disciples and Peter and Peter there's an emphasis on Peter.
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Why? Because Peter was the one who? When Jesus was in that Courtyard being interrogated by the chief priests and and being badgered and all the rest of that This this
01:00:12
Peter was asked three different times. You're one of his followers, aren't you? No, no, no, no, no, no, not me
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Surely, you're one of his followers, aren't you? No. No, I don't know who this guy is Hey, wait a minute your speech betrays you you're it
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You're one of his followers, aren't you and then he starts to cuss and to swear and say I'm telling you I don't know who this is
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And then the rooster crowed the second time and he wept Because he's so Flagrantly denied the
01:00:44
Savior and yet These women are given this responsibility to go to Peter and Convince him along with the other disciples that you are loved accepted and wanted
01:01:03
So what is what is seen seems to be too good to be true what is heard is just too good to be true
01:01:10
And the fact of what they do how they respond to all this also indicates
01:01:16
Doesn't it that they think it is too good to be true? How so well, what did they do verse 8?
01:01:23
It says they went out quickly and they fled from the tomb for they were they trembled and were amazed
01:01:30
Well, first thing they did was they fled Now think about fleeing think about this running for a minute
01:01:37
There's two ways to see this running and the the nice thing about the
01:01:42
Greek language is that there can be a Greek word that distinguishes between these two ways of Running or bases or reasons for running?
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You can run because you're excited about getting to where you're going right, I want to get there and Because there's something that's gonna happen when
01:02:02
I get there I can't wait to get there and you might think well They fled because they couldn't wait to get to the disciples and tell the disciples is wonderful news that Jesus is risen
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But that's not the word There's another kind of fleeing another kind of running
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It's a kind of running where you're wanting to get away from what's behind you Because you're afraid
01:02:22
Because there's some there's some there's some danger. There's some perceived threat. There's something Something out of the ordinary something unusual that you want to get away from because because of that, you know
01:02:33
You're you're wanting to flee from it. That's this that's this Why were they running away?
01:02:41
So earnestly, well tells you Because they trembled and they were amazed the other translations puts it this way for for trembling and Astonishment had seized them they were filled with fear
01:02:58
This is kind of the and maybe you've been here before with this with this emotion running through you
01:03:04
Where on the one hand you are afraid to believe But you're afraid not to believe you know
01:03:13
This is these ladies they fled and they feared They feared the last part of verse 8 tells us that they were terrified
01:03:24
They were terrified. Look at how the verse ends. They said nothing to anyone
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For they were afraid That word means to be terrified be frightened and because of that fear and that terror
01:03:40
They told no one along the way Now I want you to again do a little thinking here
01:03:47
I know it's 1130 and you probably had a good Easter breakfast today and That may be long gone.
01:03:55
And now you may be looking to Easter dinner I don't know but I want you to think with me a minute if they really believed all that they had just seen and heard
01:04:07
What would they have done when they left that place? Would they have not been filled with Excitement and enthusiasm to go and tell these disciples and anybody else that they met along the way
01:04:18
Could if they truly believed can you can you see them as they're running along and and they come across this person say hey
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You know what? Listen He was right. Jesus was right and as they're running by he's not dead
01:04:32
He's alive and everybody that they pass along on the way to get to the disciples
01:04:38
They're letting them know he Jesus was right. Jesus said he was gonna rise again. He did.
01:04:43
He's alive. He's alive He's alive. They didn't do that They didn't say a word to anybody
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Till they got to those disciples Now listen, I'm not critical
01:04:57
I'm not critical of these women I'm sympathetic. I get it
01:05:03
Understand do you so you may be reluctant to believe because the story just contradicts your experience
01:05:13
Because the story is too good to be true or perhaps because the story comes from Shall we say?
01:05:21
inferior sources Here's what I mean by that when you look at verses 9 through 14 sources that You consider to be
01:05:33
Unreliable, I mean Mary Magdalene Mary Magdalene Would Jesus really appear first?
01:05:44
to a woman this would be the thinking of the 11 men those chosen special disciples
01:05:54
That were hand -picked by Jesus after that time on the mountain, you know And he named each one of them to be with him and to do all these special things would
01:06:03
Jesus first appear really when he first appear to a woman and would if he
01:06:09
Of all women would it be this woman? There would be a tendency a natural tendency a natural cultural tendency to reject her because of her gender
01:06:22
I mean, it's the men who do the important things. It's the men who get the important messages
01:06:28
It's the men who pass along the important messages Not a woman, I mean he wouldn't appear first to a woman would he and Especially because of her past right?
01:06:39
I mean the last part of verse 9 tells us that this Mary Magdalene is one out of whom he cast seven demons
01:06:48
How much stock? Should we put in a message?
01:06:54
Coming from a woman who used to be demon possessed Is there still some
01:07:03
Residual effect of that Does that cause her? Does that cause her credibility to be called into question?
01:07:13
I mean after all she's a woman with a checkered past Would Jesus really come to her first?
01:07:22
They reject her because of these things We know they reject her because verse 11 says she told him and they did not believe and They rejected her in spite of her faithfulness
01:07:37
You see in spite of her faithfulness. What am I getting at? Well in in chapter 15 verse verse 37
01:07:46
She was there when Jesus breathed out his last and in verse 47
01:07:52
She was there Mary Magdalene was there when Jesus body was placed in the tomb she was there to observe this and and in verses 40 and 41 of chapter 15.
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We're told that She followed she had followed him and ministered to him when he was in Galilee and in chapter 16 verse 1 she was there at the tomb on Resurrection Sunday morning with some spices to anoint the body
01:08:24
What what expressions of love and faithfulness on the part of this woman? Where were they during all this time?
01:08:30
Right, where were they and yet when she comes and gives this message?
01:08:38
It's dismissed. I can't believe her We can't believe her. Would he really appear first to this woman?
01:08:47
And and and would he really appear in verses 12 and 13 would he really appear to the fringe element was after that he appeared in another form to the two of them as they walked and went into the country and They went and told it to the rest.
01:09:00
They didn't believe them either. Well, who were these other two? That's the interesting thing about that account, right? We only know the names of one of them and his name was
01:09:07
Cleopas Who was Cleopas do a search in your Bible software on Cleopas?
01:09:13
You're not gonna find much He's not like one of the stellar Outstanding disciples of Jesus followers of Jesus who accomplished all kinds of things.
01:09:21
You just don't find much about him at all It's it's Jesus really going to appear to a couple of obscure disciples and go through this intensive
01:09:31
Bible study with them and all the rest of this kind of thing that the Jesus did on that Road to Emmaus and then at their houses and let me think about this
01:09:39
Why didn't he what about Mary his mother? Wouldn't he appear first to his own mother? Oh And what about John the disciple whom
01:09:48
Jesus loved wouldn't he appear first to John or Peter James and John? You know that inner circle the the three elite among the disciples wouldn't he appear first to them or wouldn't he appear first to the eleven those apostles those men who are going to be the
01:10:03
Apostles and really we're to believe this.
01:10:09
What do you appear to? That woman would he appear to the fringe among us?
01:10:17
Well verse 14 says Jesus rebuked them for their unbelief.
01:10:23
He didn't come to them and say oh boys, you know, I understand It's okay
01:10:30
Pacify them. No later Jesus appeared to the eleven as they sat at the table and he rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart because they did not
01:10:41
Believe those who had seen him after he had risen. In other words.
01:10:46
Jesus is telling these eleven Look, you're all Thomas's you're all Thomas's Right, and you know the story of Thomas.
01:10:54
You don't need to rehearse that to to you. You're all a bunch of Thomas's You're rejecting by your failure your refusal to believe you're rejecting
01:11:04
God's good news The good news that the promised Powerful death and sin conquering
01:11:12
Savior has conquered death in his resurrection You're you're dismissing.
01:11:18
You're rejecting God's good news And in rejecting God's good news, you're also rejecting
01:11:26
God's Standard operating procedure. What do
01:11:32
I mean by that? Well, first Corinthians 1 26 through 29 gives us some insight into God's standard operating procedure
01:11:42
He's Paul writes to the Corinthians He says you see your calling brethren that not many wise according to the flesh and not many mighty not many noble are called but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty and the base things of the world
01:12:05
And the things which are despised God has chosen and the things which are not to bring to nothing the things that are so that no flesh
01:12:14
Should glory in his presence You're dismissing out of hand the message of the the women who've come and told you that he is alive
01:12:23
You're dismissing the testimony of these two obscure disciples Dismissing it out of hand.
01:12:30
You are rejecting the way God normally operates so I Wonder this morning
01:12:41
Why are you reluctant? Why are you reluctant to believe? Is this all beyond anything you've experienced and therefore it's just frankly too good to be true
01:12:52
Or is it because that? important people important to you
01:12:58
They don't buy it Jesus the living risen
01:13:04
Savior comes to you in your reluctance and Through his word he rebukes you
01:13:12
For your unbelief and your hard heart and he calls upon you. He pleads with you repent and Believe in him trust in him today and Listen to the promise
01:13:29
Listen to the promise that back in Matthew 16 you skip a verse after we ended reading in verse 14
01:13:36
This is the promise He who believes and is baptized will be saved
01:13:43
He who does not believe Will be condemned. So put away your reluctance and Today believe
01:13:54
Receive this Savior the risen living
01:14:00
Savior who died on a cross to pay the penalty of sin's debt and To deliver from the curse of that sin and he lives
01:14:14
He lives To be your Savior today. I'll turn to him believe in him receive him today
01:14:24
Our father and our God we are so grateful We are so grateful for these very vivid pictures in your word of people who are like us and We we see these frailties of the human flesh in living color before us and we realize
01:14:48
Yeah, we can be just like this The father you You so worked in their hearts
01:14:56
To remove the scales from their eyes and to soften the hardness of their hearts to believe
01:15:03
Won't you do that today? Father if there is one in this room today
01:15:10
Whose heart has been hardened by sin and unbelief Would you in your mercy and in your grace?
01:15:18
Would you break that hard heart Would you open blind eyes? to see
01:15:25
That our experience Isn't the final isn't the final verdict That what seems to be good too good to be true
01:15:34
Actually is true This is the testimony of your word
01:15:40
Open those eyes to see that today For those who are your children today
01:15:45
May we rejoice in your grace That has given us eyes to see in a heart to believe in the risen living
01:15:56
Savior Jesus We pray in his name. Amen Would you take your hymnal and turn to number?
01:16:04
416 I trust that you can sing this hymn as a
01:16:11
Personal testimony, but if not, I I pray that you will today My faith has found a resting place
01:16:18
Not in device or creed, but in the ever -living one whose wounds for me shall plead
01:16:24
Let's stand together and sing number 416 the first and the last stanzas.
01:16:30
My faith has found a resting place My faith has found
01:16:45
Resting place not in device nor creed. I trust the
01:16:51
Ever -living one his wounds for me shall plead
01:16:57
I need no other Arguments, I need no other
01:17:04
It is enough that Jesus died and that he died for me and the last my heart is leaning on the word the written word of God Salvation by my
01:17:24
Savior's name salvation through his blood I Need no other
01:17:32
Argument, I need no other plea It is enough that Jesus died that he died for me
01:17:48
I trust the Lord will bless you richly with a the rest of your resurrection Sunday and however you spend it
01:17:54
Gather with some family and friends loved ones. I trust that the the presence of the
01:18:01
Lord Jesus will be with you You'll sense the Living Savior among your midst in your celebration and your fellowship together today
01:18:09
Let's close in prayer and now may the God of peace who brought up our
01:18:14
Lord Jesus Christ from the dead That great Shepherd of the sheep through the blood of the everlasting covenant
01:18:21
Make you complete in every good work to do his will working in you what is well -pleasing in his sight through Jesus Christ to whom be glory forever and ever in Jesus name we pray it.