Friday, April 18, 2014

Weekend Sermon--- The Promise of Easter

     Welcome to another edition of the Weekend Sermon.  I am glad that you are able to read the sermon today, and I hope that everyone is doing well. 
     Everything is going well at my job, and I am feeling better physically too.  For this, I give thanks and praise to the Lord.  Thank you to all that have prayed for me during the past few months.
     For today's message, I would just like to briefly focus on the meaning of Easter and the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the grave.  If you are reading this message on Friday, you know that it is Good Friday, the day that Jesus gave His life for us on the cross of Calvary. 
     On the cross, Jesus took the punishment for sin that we rightly deserved.  He died in our place.  Our sin was placed upon Jesus who was the Lamb of God who had come to take away the sin of the world.
     When the first sin was committed, God said that the result of sin was death.  Death came into this world and passed upon all creatures because of sin. 
     When Jesus died on the cross, He took care of the problem of sin.  His death provided forgiveness for all who put their faith and trust in what Jesus did for them on the cross. 
     The consequences of sin had to be dealt with as well.  When Jesus rose from the grave on the third day, he conquered the consequences of sin.  Death was forever defeated by the resurrection of Jesus.  Because of the resurrection of Jesus, we need no longer fear death because death no longer has the ultimate victory.
      When Jesus raised his friend Lazarus from the grave, Jesus said that He was the resurrection and the life.  Whoever believes in the name of Jesus will live again and have eternal life.
     This is the promise of Easter.  Death is not victorious.  Jesus is victorious. 
     The promise of Easter is very important to me.  I lost both of my parents within just a couple of months of each other about four years ago now.  This has been something that has been very hard for me to deal with.  However, I know that since Jesus rose from the grave, my parents are alive with Jesus in Heaven right this very second.  Both of my parents put their faith and trust in the risen Lord.  They trusted Him for their salvation.  Because of this, when I die, I will be reunited with my parents again in Heaven.
     This is all possible because of what Jesus did on Easter morning.  He rose from the dead, and He is the victor.  Jesus conquered sin, death, hell and the grave.
     Most of you who read this blog on a regular basis are probably believers in the Lord Jesus already.  However, I don't know everyone who will read this message or any message I post on the blog.  It is my prayer that during this Easter season, if you have not trusted in Jesus for salvation and made Him the Lord of your life that you will do so today.
     Romans 10: 9-10 tells us what we need to do to accept Jesus into our lives.  These verses state, "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.  For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved."
     Give your life to Jesus today, and you will no longer need to fear death.  Jesus is the resurrection and the life.
     Next week, I will post a book review on Wednesday.  May God bless you .  Amen.

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