The Threat of Resurrection!

Series: Radical

Sermon Title: The Threat of Resurrection!

Key Scripture: Matt 28:11-15

Thesis: God Wants To Do Greater Things In & ThroughYou...

Matthew 28:11-15 NIV

The Guards’ Report

While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. ¹² When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, ¹³ telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ ¹⁴ If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” ¹⁵ So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day.

Paul epistles were written before the gospels were recorded:

• Apostles were getting older and realized that Jesus wasn’t returning during their life time.

• They decided to record the eyewitness accounts of Jesus’ life before all the eyewitnesses and writers died off

• Until the gospel was recorded we had preaching and some of Paul’s epistles
• The focus???: The resurrection of Christ and it’s call to a new life!

➢What then was the focus of the preaching...what was the basis for faith...what was the convincing angle that drove conversions?

☀The Resurrection from the dead!!!!

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This (resurrection) is as contentious for the enemy as Jesus’ death.

• If believers don’t believe in the resurrection, it’s being registered, but not voting!
• Jesus’ death will have significance in Heaven...but not earth!
• It’s the ultimate Will Call Booth...and no one “Calls”

What did/does Resurrection mean?

• To Jesus it meant an acceptance of his sacrifice the Father’s Satisfaction
• To the lost it meant being found and raised also from a LONG DEATH
• To the enemy it meant that death and the grave were no longer victorious
• To the Jewish Religious Leaders it meant the threat of localized power
• To the Roman Officials it could mean their jobs...or worse..their lives

• To The Church it means:
• Eternal and FINAL acceptance by the Father
• A promise that death is not the end
• An invitation to live as though you have 9 Lives

➸ To everyone it meant that EVERYTHING else Jesus claimed is also true.

• He’s going to the Father
• Israel would fall
• We’d be with him in glory
• God would be our God and our Father, too.
• We’d receive power to work in His Name to live changed lives.
• We’d receive power to change the world

➸ If the resurrection is a lie, we are men most miserable (1 Cor 15.19)

➸ If the resurrection is true, it’s denial is as treasonable as the denial of his Virgin Birth (Incarnation), Sinless Miraculous Life, His Miracles, or Substitutionary Death!!

➸ If Jesus’ resurrection is true, all bets are off and no one is safe!

➸ If Jesus’ claims are true...we need to be careful to not mimic the sins of Peter or Judas.

Resurrection for Jesus meant a new position...in History & The Kingdom

It also means a new position for us!! We can’t deny that without denying Christ!

Live Large!! (Next Sunday...Threat of Power! Next Series...The Radical New Life)

Challenges

• Ask Yourself: What’s the difference between Jesus’ resurrection being a hoax and living like it doesn’t pertain to you?

• When we don’t walk with in the power of the resurrection, we are no better than the men who accepted the bribes…or, the ones who offered it!

• Resurrection is the answer to the fear of dying or failing. God will raise us up----let’s not live like we’ve got two strikes and no one on base! Let’s live like God has our back!