sunday, april 5, 2015 speaker: doug virgint jesus is risen – but does it matter? luke 24:1-12 the...

Sunday, April 5, 2015Speaker: Doug Virgint

Jesus is risen –But does it matter?Luke 24:1-12

The 2nd message in our 2-part Easter series.

1) Two kinds of unbelief

• Fixed, closed, natural laws

• Post-modern existentialism

2

2) The disciples’ unbelief

• The women had come to anoint his body – a sign of respect for a dead person

• They had seen him die• He was buried, guarded• Bodies that are dead remain

dead3

3) The angels’ message

• He is not here• He is risen• Jesus had told them

that this would happen

• Why seek the living among the dead?

4

3) The angels’ message

Notice here:• Christ rose bodily, not just spiritually• Like the body that died -

but not exactly• Notice the difference with Lazarus

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4) The logical response

• Experience teaches that death wins

• When a new message conflicts with experience,

that generates unbelief

6


• Peter explains this:“but God raised him on the third day and made him to appear, not to all the people but to us who had been chosen by God as witnesses, who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.”

7


• Notice the difficulty here• The women did not see Jesus

rise• They simply heard

witnesses• Instead of allowing us all to see

the risen Christ, God has provided us with witnesses 8

5) The response of faith

• The many witnessesand the historical evidences are convincing

• But finally, we have to open our heart by

faith to the Holy Spirit speaking to our heart.

9


• Unbelief does not mean that we believe in nothing

• It means that we believein

something else more strongly

10


• Experience tells us that death wins – even over

the strongest

• Life is what you get – enjoy it

while you can!11


• Easter challenges that worldview• It calls us from a belief

in death to a belief in life• Death is real, but it is not final

12


• While the other disciples considered this resurrection story “an idle tale” …

• … but Peter, at least went to see for

himself• We need to follow in his

footsteps

13


• Our story in Luke ends with Peter’s amazement

• But the Easter story continues

• God continues to challenge the certainty of death with the promise of life 14

6) It will matter to you!

• Hope when loved ones pass

• Hope when this life disappoints

• But there is another point –Paul brings

this out in his preaching to the Greek philosophers 15


• ”God … commands all people every-where to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he

will judge the world in righteousness by a man

whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” 16


• Christ’s resurrection is God’s seal of approval on him

• God will one day judge this world, and

everyperson, in total

righteousness

• And he will do it by the God/man Jesus - he will be our judge

17


• The whole world is called to repent because we have all sinned

• We are idolaters – we have allowed other

things to take the place

in our lives that must be reserved only for our Creator

18


• Paul’s last word here is significant:

• “to all” !!!!

• “The resurrection of Jesus is designed by

God to be the global

warrantor assurance that repentance is

necessary” (John Piper)

19


• Are you ready to meet the resurrected Jesus?

• Are you ready to bejudged by

him?

• Have you bowed to him in submission to make him the Saviour and Lord of your life? 20

Jesus is risen –

And it really matters!! 21

sunday, april 5, 2015 speaker: doug virgint jesus is risen – but does it matter? luke 24:1-12 the...

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