Easter Sunday 2023

1.     Jesus was not “just” another resurrection

a.     Lazarus

                                               i.     John 11:1-3, “Now a certain man was ill, Lazarus of Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. It was Mary who anointed the Lord with ointment and wiped his feet with her hair, whose brother Lazarus was ill. So the sisters sent to him, saying, “Lord, he whom you love is ill.”

                                              ii.     John 11:43, “Lazarus, come out.”

                                             iii.     John 11: 44, “And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, ‘Unbind him, and let him go.” 

b.     Jesus

                                               i.     “Truly this was the Son of God” Matthew 27:54 

                                              ii.     ““Now on the first day of the week Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away from the tomb.” John 20:1

2.     His Resurrection Means…

a.     God Accepted the Sacrifice

                                               i.     “Was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord.” Romans 1:4

                                              ii.     "We have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous." 1 John 2:1

b.     God’s Justice Prevails

                                               i.     “He has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” Acts 17:31

                                              ii.     “So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.” Acts 14:12

c.     God’s Power is in us

                                               i.     Romans 8:11, “If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. 

                                              ii.     His power gives Joy

1.     “Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2

2.     “These things I have spoken to you, that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” John 15:11

                                            iii.     His power gives life

1.     “I am the resurrection and the life!” John 11:25

                                            iv.     His power gives victory

1.     Romans 6:4, “Just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in the newness of life.”

d.     We are Justified and Sanctified

                                               i.     “For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” Hebrews 10:14

                                              ii.     “But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” 1 Corinthians 6:11

                                             iii.     “And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” Hebrews 10:10

e.     We are Free

f.      We are not Alone

                                               i.     He is with us always

1.     “behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:20

                                              ii.     He is at God’s right hand for us

1.     “Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us.” Romans 8:34