What If There Was No Easter?

Easter 2020

What If There Was No Easter?

1 Corinthians 15:12-20

If Jesus Was Not Raised From the Dead…

1. Our message is Meaningless (14)

2. Our witness is Worthless (15)

3. Our faith is Foolish (17)

4. Our existence is Empty (32)

Because Jesus Was Raised From the Dead, I Can Know That…

1. God is in Control

““Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with mighty works and wonders and signs that God did through him in your midst, as you yourselves know— this Jesus, delivered up according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of lawless men. God raised him up, loosing the pangs of death, because it was not possible for him to be held by it.” (Acts 2:22–24)

“And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.” (Romans 8:28)

Where is your life out of control?

2. God keeps his Promises

“See, we are going up to Jerusalem, and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the scribes, and they will condemn him to death and deliver him over to the Gentiles. And they will mock him and spit on him, and flog him and kill him. And after three days he will rise.”” (Mark 10:33–34)

“For all the promises of God find their Yes in him.” (2 Corinthians 1:20)

3. My past can be Forgiven

“I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven for his name’s sake.” (1 John 2:12)

Some people can’t get on with the present or the future because they are Stuck in the past.

Jesus Christ has the power to set you free from your past! 

4. My present can be Empowered

“and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might that he worked in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places,” (Ephesians 1:19–20)

“I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” (Philippians 4:13)

Wisdom is when you realize that you can’t manage all that life is going to send you, But God Can

What we need is God to show us what to do and then to give us a Power greater than ourselves to do what we should

5. My future can be Secure

“for he has said, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you.'” (Hebrews 13:5)

“In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also.” (John 14:2–3)

All the benefits of the resurrection can only be ours if we personally receive Jesus Christ into our lives!

How Do I Experience Easter Personally?

• Recognize

• Renounce

• Rely

 

Making It Personal:

• Have I genuinely experienced the life changing power of the resurrection in my life through renouncing my sin and relying totally on the finished work of Jesus Christ?

• How is the reality of the resurrection impacting the way that I look at the current times we are living in?

• Where in my life do I need a fresh perspective considering the reality of the resurrection?

• Where in my life do I need to experience a fresh touch of God’s power?

• Who can I share these truths with?

Blank notes 4/19