Weekend Sermon -- Jesus Is The Resurrection And The Life

      It is time again for the sermon. I know that I am posting a day late. Once again, health problems are besetting me. Please keep praying. Thank you.

     In today's message, I want us to focus on what for me is the great title of Jesus given to us in the New Testament. Jesus said of Himself that He is the Resurrection and the Life. 

     While He was here on this earth, Jesus had people that meant a lot to Him. They were His friends in a special way. Mary, Martha and their brother Lazarus were good friends of Jesus. One day, word came to Jesus that His friend Lazarus was very sick. He needed Jesus to come and heal him, but Jesus delayed His coming. After a couple of days, word came to Jesus that Lazarus His friend was dead. 

     Jesus went down to Bethany the home of Mary, Martha and Lazarus. He saw the weeping at the tomb. Jesus told them that Lazarus would rise. They told Jesus that they knew Lazarus would rise at the time of the resurrection of the dead, but Jesus told them something else. He told them, "I am the Resurrection and the Life. He who believes in Me though He were dead yet shall He live. And however liveth and believeth in Me shall never die."

     Jesus told them to roll away the stone from the grave of Lazarus who had been dead for four days. Jesus told Lazarus to come forth from the grave. Lazarus came out of the grave wrapped in burial cloths. Jesus told them to loose Lazarus and let him go. Lazarus had been raised to new life. 

     Just as He had the power to bring life to those who had died physically while He was here on this earth, Jesus has the power to raise all to new life. Why? Jesus Christ has conquered death, hell and the grave. How did He do this? He did this by dying on the cross and then rising bodily from the grave on the third day just as He said He would. 

     Because Jesus rose from dead, death no longer has any power over those who are in Christ Jesus. Death is the consequence of sin. Those who have their sins forgiven by the Lord Jesus are freed from sin and death. Nothing, not even death, can separate us from Jesus Christ for all eternity. 

     This title of Jesus is really important to me because I have lost so many people during my life. My parents who I was really close with have both passed away. One of my best friends died not very long ago. Most of my aunts and uncles have passed away. My best friend Toby has gone. Losing all of these has been really hard. But as the Bible says, believers do not grieve as those who have no hope. That is because Jesus is the Resurrection and Life. All of my family and friends believed in Jesus. He was their Savior and Lord. Because of what Jesus accomplished through His death and resurrection, they are with Jesus right now in Heaven. 

     One day, when I pass from this world, I will be reunited with my friends and family. That is not because of any good that I have done, that is because of what Jesus has done for me. 

     If you are in Christ, you do not need to fear death. Those who die are immediately in the presence of Jesus. The Bible says to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. 

     At the end of this age, Jesus will come again in power and great glory. The Bible tells us that all who are in Christ will at that time receive a glorified body like Jesus' glorified body. The Lord will create a new heaven and a new earth, and that is where those who are in Christ will dwell with Him for all eternity. 

     You can be freed from the fear of death, and you can have a new life for now and for eternity in Christ. Turn to Jesus in repentance and faith. Accept Him into your life as Savior and Lord. Amen.

Prayer Requests

     I need to ask your prayers for an important decision I have to make this week. I have the opportunity to get a new job. There are advantages and disadvantages about doing this. Pray that I will have wisdom from on high to make the decision that is in keeping with the will of the Lord for my life. 

     Remember to pray for those who still need aid in Morocco and Libya. Also, pray that New York will recover from the bad flooding. 

     Keep praying for peace. Ukraine, Yemen, Syria, and many other places, need our prayers for peace at this time. 

     Pray for an end to the fires in Canada.

     For our prayer focus countries this week, let us pray for those in the nations of Kazakhstan and Brunei. Pray that many will come to know Jesus who is the Resurrection and the Life.

     Next week, we will continue with our current series. I will post the verses on Monday. May God bless you all.