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Series Code: BOL
Program Code: BOL000713S
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00:01 (Breath of Life Theme Music)
00:07 Sermon #B713 - He's Risen 00:20 Dr. Byrd:I'm glad, and I hope today that you're glad that he will never stop loving you. 00:33 Word of God for our text today comes from the Book of Luke. Luke chapter 24, 00:39 and we're going to go to verse number one through seven in harmony with the season. 00:44 Luke chapter 24 verse number one, go there with me. 00:48 I'm going to reading your hearing from the King James Version of the Bible. 00:51 Luke chapter 24 the gospel according to Luke 24 verse number one the word of God says, 00:58 "Now upon the first day of the week, very early in the morning, they came unto the sepulcher, 01:08 bringing the spices which they had prepared, and certain others with them. 01:12 And they found the stone rolled away from the sepulcher. 01:17 And they entered in and found not the body of the Lord Jesus. 01:20 And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments: 01:27 And as they were afraid, and bowed down their faces to the Lord, they said unto them, 01:31 Why seek ye the living among the dead? He is not here, but is risen: 01:39 remember how he speak unto you when he was yet in Galilee, saying, 01:44 "The Son of man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, 01:53 and the third day rise again." 01:59 And today, I just want to challenge you in for not long, just a little while on the subject. 02:04 He's risen. He's risen. He's risen. A text culminates holy week 02:15 and the final days leading to our Savior's death. On Sunday, 02:21 Jesus makes his triumphal entry into Jerusalem to the cries of hosanna. 02:30 On Monday and Tuesday, the conflict between Jesus and the religious leaders escalates. 02:40 On Wednesday, Jesus meets with religious leaders, and Judas rather meets with the religious leaders, 02:47 and Judas arranges for Jesus' betrayal. Judas betrays Jesus with a kiss, which is a reminder to each 02:56 and every one of us that just because somebody has public affection for you doesn't mean they really love you. 03:05 Everyone that shouts on Jesus, everyone that claps on Jesus, every man at Amens' 03:13 on Jesus does not truly love Jesus. I wish I had a church in this place. On Thursday, 03:22 Jesus meets with his disciples in the upper room, and he shares the last supper with him. 03:29 On Thursday night, Jesus is arrested while praying in Gethsemane. On Friday morning, 03:38 Jesus appears in Pilate's judgment hall. He appears in Pilates courts, and when he stands before Pilate, 03:48 Pilate asks him "what is truth?", and then Pilate starts talking about who he Pilate was 03:56 and what he had the power to do. Pilate says to Jesus, "Don't you know that I have the power to take your life?" 04:07 Now you need to understand that throughout this bogus trumped-up trial, Jesus has kept his mouth shut. 04:16 But when Pilate says I have the power to take your life, Jesus speaks up. Jesus says, hold up, wait a minute. 04:27 No man takes my life. I lay it down, and if I lay it down, I've got the power to take it back up again. 04:35 Jesus says I can do whatever I want to do. Jesus says I can make a bad man a good man. 04:43 I can make a pimp a preacher. I can make a drunk a deacon. I can make a whoremonger, wholesome. 04:50 I'm Sovereign; I can do what I want, when I want, where I want, and how I want. Jesus was in Pilate's court. 05:02 But Jesus had to set Pilate straight because Jesus knew how courts can be corrupt. 05:10 Because just like Pilate's court was corrupt, we've got courts today that can be corrupt, 05:16 which is why I've been watching the George Floyd court case carefully 05:21 because the evidence can be right in your face. The evidence can be video recorded. 05:27 The evidence can be articulated by eyewitnesses, but people can still do the unjust thing. 05:35 Jesus can't get a fair trial, then surely it's not far-fetched for us not to get a fair trial. 05:43 I wish I had a witness in his place. Jesus is in Pilate's court; the people shout, "Crucify him, 05:51 crucify him." Jesus is sentenced to death 05:54 but aren't these the same people who at the beginning of the week shouted hosanna 06:00 when Jesus made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. But now, on Friday, at the end of the week, 06:07 these same people shout "crucify him." Let me tell you something, don't you put your trust in people; 06:14 they can be with you one minute and turn against you the next minute. People will backstab you. 06:20 People will dog you out. People will flip the script on you. That's why you better put your trust in Jesus. 06:28 I agree with the psalmist said, "Some trust in chariots, Some trust in horses, 06:35 but I will trust in the name of the Lord." 06:37 On Friday evening. Jesus is crucified. He's dead. He's buried. On Sabbath, 06:47 his body lay resting in the grave according to the commandment, which means even in death, 06:53 he was obedient to his law, but now in the text, we come to early Sunday morning the women in the text are sad. 07:04 The disciples in the text are scared. The disciples have laid down their lives, lay down their jobs, 07:12 lay down their careers to follow Jesus. They have left their family. 07:17 Left their friends to follow Jesus when he was healing the sick, when he was raising the dead, 07:22 when he was restoring sight to the blind; It was cool to be a disciple. But now that he's dead, 07:29 it's no longer popular to be a disciple. It's no longer safe being one of his disciples. 07:36 Somebody knows that sometimes being in the will of God causes you to be outside the favor of people. 07:42 The disciples are scared that they're going to be killed next. So they're hiding in the upper room because, 07:49 in their hearts and minds, Jesus is dead. The women are on their way to the tomb with embalming spices 07:58 and perfumes, so they can properly anoint the body of Jesus. The last time they had seen Jesus, 08:05 his hands were nailed to the cross. The last time they had seen Jesus, his feet were nailed to the cross. 08:13 The last time they had seen Jesus, he had a crown of thorns on his head. The last time they had seen Jesus, 08:22 he was dead. They remembered a blood-soaked cross on a skull-shaped hill that when man had done their worst, 08:32 God had done his best. They remember three crosses, one man dying in sin, one man dying to sin, 08:42 and one man dying for sin. But now, Jesus is dead, and they think he's still in the tomb. 08:53 On their way to the soon, the women are worried because they're asking themselves who will roll the stone away. 09:01 They can't do it. There are not strong enough who will roll the stone away. But when they get to the tomb, 09:12 the stone has already been rolled away. But the stone is not rode away so much to let Jesus out. 09:22 But the stone is rolled away to let the believers in because every resurrection needs a witness. 09:31 I wish I had a church in his place. Every time God does something wonderful. 09:37 Every time God does something awesome. Every time God does something miraculous, 09:42 there ought to be a witness somewhere. There's somebody watching me right now who can testify that there have been 09:50 some stones in your life, some obstacles in your life, some roadblocks in your life, 09:54 some barriers in your life that people have put in your way to block your progress. 10:03 But when you trust in God, when you put your trust in God, God will roll the stone away 10:11 and when God rolls the stone away, it's not always to let you out of your situation 10:18 but to let people in your life. So that they can see what God can do when somebody puts their trust in God. 10:26 I've learned sometimes that sometimes your trouble is not for you, 10:32 but your trouble is for somebody around you. 10:36 Sometimes your strife is not for you, but for somebody else to see that if you put your hand in the Lord's 10:42 hands, just like he brought me out, He'll bring you out because it is no secret what God can do. 10:50 What he's done for others, He will do for you. God has the angel roll the stone away. And then the text says, 11:02 that God through the angel, asks the women why seek ye the living among the dead, he's not here. 11:15 He has risen. Got on here what I'm saying why seek ye the living among the dead, he's not here; He's risen. 11:22 Let me say that again because somebody's not getting that because I believe somebody should be shouting 11:28 because the angel said he's with him. He's not here. And the reason he's not here is because he's risen, 11:38 and the reason he's risen is because he has power. And the reason he has power is because he's not here. 11:49 You all don't hear them saying, the reason he's not here is because risen. 11:55 And the reason he's risen is because he has power 11:59 and the reason he has power is evidenced by the fact that he's not here. And the reason he's not here is 12:06 because he's risen. The reason he's risen is because he has power the reason he has power is 12:13 because he's not here. But just because he's not here. doesn't mean he's not. 12:26 He's just not here. He is not being here doesn't mean he's not anywhere. He's just not here. 12:41 Somebody's gonna get us in minutes. So the angel says, come see where the Lord has laid him. 12:51 Come see where he was laid. In other words, come to where he used to be. Come see where he was, 13:02 He's not dead. 13:03 He's alive. The resurrection of Christ is Christianity central claim. 13:11 You see, if Christ is not risen then our preaching is empty, and our faith is void. 13:20 If Christ is not risen then we have no hope for eternal life. If Christ is not risen, 13:30 then none of what he said, none of what he taught, none of what he promised would mean anything, 13:39 but because Jesus rose everything he said, everything he taught, everything he promised means everything. 13:50 There are some people, some of you all because you've emailed me, you say to me, 13:56 we shouldn't celebrate Easter Pastor Byrd. Pastor Byrd, why do you even use the term "easter" 14:01 because it's in the bible, go and read your bible in Acts chapter 12 verse number 4, it's in there; 14:07 are you hearing what I'm saying? But they say, Pastor Byrd, we shouldn't talk about Easter. 14:12 Easter is rooted in paganism, while that may be true. Let me be clear. I'm not here to celebrate easter eggs. 14:22 I'm not here to celebrate easter bunnies. I'm not here to celebrate easter bonnets. 14:28 I'm not here to celebrate easter hats, but I'm here to celebrate the life, the death, and most importantly, 14:36 the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Praise God for the resurrection! 14:43 The resurrection is important for several reasons. Number one, 14:47 the resurrection of Jesus speaks to the power of God himself. 14:52 To believe in the resurrection is to believe in God. If God exists and if he created the universe 14:58 and has power over it that he has the power to raise the dead. If God doesn't have such power, 15:04 he isn't worthy of our faith and worship. Only God, who can create life, can resurrect life after death. 15:11 Only God who can create life can overturn in reverse the ugliness of death itself. 15:17 Only God, who created life, can remove the sting of death and gain victory over the grave 15:24 and resurrecting Jesus Christ from the grave. God reminds us of his power over life and death. 15:31 Number two, the resurrection of Jesus validates that Jesus is the Messiah the Son of God. 15:40 You see, the old testament prophecies foretold of Jesus is suffering and resurrection. 15:43 His resurrection. Also validated his own claims that he would rise on the third day. 15:48 Jesus died on Friday was buried on Friday, rested on the Sabbath, 15:56 but he rose early on the third appointed day Sunday morning according to the scriptures, 16:02 but not only that, if you read Matthew 16, 1 to 4, Jesus' 16:06 resurrection was the sign from heaven that validated his ministry. 16:11 His resurrection was attested by hundreds of eyewitnesses in First Corinthians 15, 16:15 which provides irrefutable proof that he is the Savior of the world. 16:20 Number three, the resurrection of Jesus proves his sinless character and divine nature. 16:27 Psalm. 16:10 says that "God's holy one would never see corruption". 16:34 Now, remember friends of mine that Messiah in the Hebrew means God's anointed one. 16:44 Jesus' ministry was anointed at his baptism. Remember now it was God the son Jesus who was baptized. 16:53 It was God the Father who said, "Thou art my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." But it was God, 17:00 the Holy Spirit's who descended upon Jesus in the form of a dove, 17:05 the Holy Spirit you will remember it's symbolic of the oil. You cannot be anointed without oil. 17:14 Jesus, his ministry was anointed by the oil, 17:18 by the Holy Ghost when the Holy Ghost is sending in the form of a dove. 17:21 Jesus the Messiah being is God's anointed one. Jesus never saw corruption even after he died. 17:29 So it was on the basis of the resurrection of Jesus that Paul preached through Jesus. 17:35 The Forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you through him. Everyone who believes is set free from every sin. 17:43 Number four, the resurrection of Jesus is a testimony to the resurrection of human beings, 17:52 which then is a basic tenet of the Christian faith. Unlike other religions, 17:57 Christianity possesses a Founder who transcends death and promises that his followers will do the same. 18:05 think about a friends of mine, every other religion was founded by men 18:10 or whose prophets whose end was the grave. Think about it, there are four major religions, 18:18 Buddhism, Islam, Judaism and Christianity. Buddha is found Buddhism is founded on Buddha. 18:29 Islam is founded on Muhammad. Judaism sees Abraham as the father of many nations, 18:37 but if you go to any of their graves, if you go to Buddha's grave, Muhammad's grave, Abraham's grave, 18:47 their remains are still there. But if you go to the Tomb of Jesus, if you go to the grave of Jesus, 18:56 he's not there, he's risen. Herod could not kill him. Governments cannot silence him. 19:04 Mommy could not buy him. Satan could not seduce him death could not destroy him. Hell could not handle him, 19:13 and the grave could not hold him. He's risen. 19:18 Number five, the Resurrection of Jesus guarantees that one day those of us who believe in Him will one day be 19:31 resurrected to eternal life. Let me help you understand here. If Jesus weren't ever resurrected, 19:42 then we'd have no hope that one day we'd be resurrected either. 19:46 But because Jesus rose one day when Jesus comes back, the dead in Christ are going to rise first, 19:56 then we which remain are alike and alive shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord 20:02 in the air. And so shall we ever be with the Lord? Jesus said I am the Resurrection and the life. 20:08 There is no Resurrection apart from Jesus Christ. There is no eternal life apart from Jesus Christ. 20:16 Jesus does more than give life. Jesus is life, which is why death has no power over him. 20:23 Jesus has the power to resurrect, and through His Resurrection, we will be one day resurrected to eternal life. 20:30 You will remember friends of mine that in the gospels. 20:33 Jesus wasn't the only one who was raised from the dead you will remember in his ministry that Jesus 20:38 resurrected the widow's son at name that Jesus resurrected Jarius his daughter that Jesus 20:44 resurrected Lazarus from the grave you remember that but not only that Jesus empowered his disciples to raise 20:51 the dead you will remember Peter resurrected Tabitha or Dorcas Paul resurrected Utica. 20:57 Everyone that Jesus raised, however, everyone that the disciples raised, however, they died again, 21:03 and they laid in the grave. Their Resurrection back to life was only temporary. 21:11 But Jesus is Resurrection was final and complete, he rose again, and he's alive forevermore, 21:23 and those of us who believe in him will one day personally experienced Resurrection, 21:30 and it will be final and complete because having the life that Jesus gives we overcome death. 21:38 Christ was given a death sentence, but the end result is an eternal life sentence for you 21:44 and me because of Jesus' death. Death is not a period, only a comma in the story of a life 21:53 because of Jesus when people die, we don't we as if we have no hope, we have hope in the coming of the Lord. 22:00 Jesus is Resurrection speaks to God's power, proves who Jesus is, proves his sinless character, 22:08 shows that God has power to raise us from the dead, 22:10 and it defecates guarantees that those of us who believe in Jesus will not remain dead. 22:16 But one day, will be resurrected to eternal life. Now. There are those who try to refute the Resurrection. 22:24 They try to discredit the Resurrection. 22:26 You remember study the word it was after Jesus' Resurrection that the chief priests tried to bribe 22:31 the soldiers to tell a story that was not true to refute the Resurrection. 22:35 When Jesus couldn't be found in the tomb, 22:37 you will remember the chief priest told the soldiers to say that the night disciples came 22:42 and stole him away while they were asleep. But that's weak. Why is that weak? 22:48 Because of the disciples had stolen Jesus' body, 22:50 the soldiers would not have believed to be able to tell the story. The soldiers would have been punished 22:56 and killed, but then there are some false teachings about the Resurrection that there is no resurrection of 23:02 the dead. And yes, Resurrection is not a natural thing; things that are dead normally say dead, 23:07 people that are dead stay dead, people have died in the Lord are not in heaven; they are in the grave; 23:12 they are dead because if they were already in heaven, 23:14 who would Jesus be coming back at his second coming to get. 23:18 Who would rise first according to 1st Thessalonians Chapter 4 death is a permanent Earthly state, 23:27 but Resurrection is a miraculous divine intervention Resurrection is a God-given miraculous thing, 23:38 and if there were no miraculous examples of the Resurrection of the dead, then neither the widowed son, 23:44 neither Jarius his daughter, neither Lazarus would ever been resurrected. 23:50 And then there are some who misrepresent the story that it is not only really a physical resurrection as 23:56 but a reincarnation, but that's a lie too. 23:58 Because remember Jesus had a physical body after the record Resurrection, people recognized him, 24:04 people talk with him, people touched him, people ate with him. Marry the women, the disciples Cleophus, 24:10 and the other unnamed disciple on the Emmaus Road James Paul, they all saw him. He's risen. He's alive. 24:22 He's not dead, but let's not stop there for those who try to refute his Resurrection. Let's go to science. 24:35 Science says that if there is any such thing as infallible proof, it is the repetition of the same experiment. 24:46 So, if you perform the same experiment and get the same results, it must be true. It must be fact. 25:00 So, let's look at the science. 25:02 Experiment number one, Jesus rose from the dead, and Mary Magdalene saw him. Experiment number two, 25:13 the women saw him. Experiment number three, the disciples saw him. Experiment number four, 25:24 the apostles saw him. Experiment number five, James saw him. Experiment number six, Paul saw him. 25:35 Experiment number seven, Christ was seen by 500 people in 1st Corinthians 15; 25:42 each appearance of the Risen Christ is the repetition of the same experiment. 25:50 They all encountered the same phenomenon. Jesus, who was dead, is now alive. Jesus has risen, 26:06 and I serve a risen savior. He's in the world today. I know that he is living whatever men may say. 26:18 I see his hand of mercy. I hear his voice of cheer, and just the time I need him. He's always near. 26:28 I don't serve a dead Jesus. God's not dead. God's Alive. He's not on a crucifix. 26:37 He's not still hanging on a cross. He's risen, and that's cause for celebration. 26:45 I don't understand how some Christians can't sing. Can't smile great praise. God, can't worship. God, 26:52 don't you know, he's risen? don't you know, he's alive? and if he's alive, he wants you to be alive. 27:00 You're not the Frozen chosen. You're not the first church of refrigeration. You're the same Sanctified, 27:07 blood brought, blood wash, blood soaked child of the most high God, and I'm so glad that Jesus died for me, 27:18 but I'm so glad that he not only died, but Jesus got up because of Jesus had just died. 27:26 We'd still be in our sins. If Jesus had just died. We would have had no hope for personal Resurrection. 27:34 If Jesus had just died, we have no possibility of eternal life. But I'm so glad today, that Jesus got up. 27:44 Jesus rose. Jesus Lives. Jesus has risen. Let me tell you something; I showed up this Sabbath after church. 27:53 Not just because it is the Sabbath. I showed up this Sabbath. Not just because it's Easter Sabbath. 28:00 I showed up this Sabbath. I not just hear Anthony Brown and group therapy, but I showed up this Sabbath. 28:07 I showed up today because he showed up in my life one day, and I know he's alive because he's alive in me. 28:17 Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound. That saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now I'm found was blind, 28:27 but now I see. |
Revised 2021-04-08