From Easter Celebration to Spiritual Transformation
The Hidden Truth About the Resurrected Christ
4-16-17
Questions: How did we get from one unprecedented historic event 2000 year ago, for a few hundred followers of a Jewish Rabbi, to the spiritual transformation of billions of people, including those being baptized today?How does an Easter celebration become a personal transformation for each one of us today?
Message and Gospel Truth: Resurrection Recreates Relationship with God Forever!
The life, death andresurrection of Jesus restores a love relationship with God that is a reality both now, and for eternity!
I. The Triune God is like a “Family” Relationship
Triune God IS a perfect relationship – Father, Son, and Holy Spirit
God created us for relationship with Him – God creates as expression of love; family
The Fall and Sin in the Garden is like a teenage rebellion separating “family”
members- God’s kids break His one rule and leave home.
God’s Law and commands are family “house rules” to come back to live at “home”
The Incarnation is the Father sending Jesus the Son to come and show us the way home
The death of Jesus is God’s Holy Love & Merciful Justice both forgiving and judging sin
*** Resurrection recreates relationship with God for ETERNITY – destroying sin & death
HOW? Death creates a “Faith Gap” – How do we attain and live in resurrection FAITH?
“Gap” Questions: “Gap” is the distance between point A & B. Death/Doubt– Life/Faith
How do we move from head knowledge (belief) 18” to heart experience (relationship)?
II. Accept Gospel Truths (Good News): “Faith comes by hearing (receiving) the Word of God”
III. Sin & DEATH Destroys Relationships – We need the resurrected Christ to personally
present us with the “Peace (shalom)” of God. John20:19-21; 14:27
“My peace I give not as the world”
FAILURE destroys trust – Disciples all abandoned Jesus, Peter denied, Judas betrayed
FEAR destroys faith – Disciples meeting behind closed doors fear of death!
DEATH is the ultimate enemy of love & relationship - Crisis of belief, death of the
dream, fear of future failure, grief and anger of loss, etc.
IV. Surprising Good News about Faith: DOUBT is a part of every maturing faith journey.
Vs. 24-25 Thomas story: ALLDOUBTED
*What is DOUBT?Doubt is state of mental confusion, questioning, hesitancy to accept,
1. Good DOUBT is first reaction to really GOOD NEWS! It seems too good to be true!
We need “evidence” to believe.“No way! Really! Are you sure?”
Ex. Cav’s “Believe-land”–Lebron coming back…championship hopes; the win!
2. Good Doubt is NOT a sin…it is natural part of maturing faith.
3. Good Doubt leads us to ask GOOD QUESTIONS & receive ANSWERS – Jn. 14:5-6
Jesus statement: “Go to prepare a place…you know where I’m going”
Thomas Question: “We don’t know place you’re going…wedon’t know the way?”
Jesus famous answer: “I am the Way, Truth, and Life”
4. Good Doubt MOTIVATES us to SEEK – One week later Thomas is there!
Thoughtful investigationmoves us toward maturing faith.
5. Good Doubt is an unavoidable delay in the journey of faith – traffic jam, accident,
** “Dangerous Doubt” is the “enemy” of Faith - Thomas danger “refuses” to believe
Skepticism to Cynicism…procrastinating to giving up…doubt to disbelief.
Evidence: Many arguments for God’s existence run the risk of being like pointing a flashlight toward the sky to prove the sun exists. ( Simply Christian by N.T. Wright)
Blaise Pascal’s Pensees:: It is the heart which perceives God and not the reason.
V. Jesus’ REVELATION is your Personal Invitation: Vs. 26-27 “Jesus appears to Thomas”
Personal Resurrection Encounters move us from doubt to belief;from head and heart!
Jesus does not condemn Thomas for doubt or lack of faith? Gives him what he needs.
Christ comes to reveal himself to every ONE! Good Shepherd leaves 99 to find 1 lost.
God knows everyone needs personal revelation of Jesus as the Son of God, the Christ!
Jesus INVITATION examine evidence – “Touch my nail scarred hands and pierced side”
VI. Personal Encounter with Christ leads us to a moment of DECLARATION:
Vs. 28 – Thomas declares “My Lord and my God!”
Jesus INSTRUCTION to STOPdoubting now and “be believing” – Say “YES”
In the New Testament “belief” includes TRUST – “Trust in God trust in me”Jn. 14:1
VII. Hidden Resurrection Truth –20:21-22 “He breathed on them…receive the Holy Spirit”
Living in Resurrection Faith requiresthe Holy Spirit FILLING – “Go to Jerusalem and wait...you will receive POWER when Holy Spirit comes upon you then you will be my witnesses”Acts 1:4-5
God knew humanity would need more than miraculous signs to live in a love relationship
with Him in this life.
For 2000 years the Holy Spirit has been revealing resurrected Christ to personally!
Thomas traveled to India to preach forgiveness of sin and resurrected Christ!
Holy Spirit filling is NEEDED to live “Jesus Way, Jesus Truth, Jesus Life” – John 14:6
Ephes. 1: 19I also pray that you will understand the incredible greatness of God’s power
for us who believe him. This is the same mighty power20that raised Christ from the
dead and seated him in the place of honor at God’s right hand in the heavenly realms.
Where are you today? Ready to fill you “Faith Gap”?
- Death – despair, discouraged, failure, sin? Receive Jesus “Shalom” & Forgiveness!
- Doubt – good or bad? Keep searching Scripture, ask questions, contact us,
- Declaration of FAITH - Say “Yes” to Jesus as forgiving Savior & risen Lord!
- Invitation to FILLING of the Holy Spirit - Say “Yes” Jesus “IN” you w/resurrection life
Faith & Filling Prayer: Father, thank you for forgiving my sin through Jesus death on the cross and inviting me back into a relationship with you for eternity. Jesus, I declare my faith and trust in you as my forgiving Savior and resurrected Lord. Holy Spirit, I invite you to fill me with the power and presence of God now to live in transforming love relationship with you now.
John 20:31 We are “BLESSED” – “Blessed are those who have not seen but are believing”
Resurrection Faith is far more than just an intellectual belief about eternity.
Resurrection faith makes a personal love relationship with God a present and eternal reality!
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