April 16, 2006

Easter Sunday

“Our God Died for Us”

Power that Makes Life Worth Living

Matthew 27:45-54

Prayer and Scripture: Paul

 

·       Remember a couple of winters ago when we had that big ice storm.  We were without power for several hours.  Our gas fireplace was the only heat we had, so most of the house was cold.  Our furnace wouldn’t work, our stove wouldn’t work, our TV and computer wouldn’t work.  We hated being without power.

·       None of us likes to be without electricity.  But we hate even more feeling like we’re living powerless lives.  I’ve worked for some folks in the past who, no matter how hard you worked or what you accomplished, always made you feel like you were powerless.  I’ve had relationships in the past where I felt powerless and couldn’t get out of them.  All of us feel powerless at different times in our lives, and we hate it.  Jesus gives us a way for our lives to be full of power – His power.  Let’s read about it in Matthew 27:45-54, and I’m reading from the New American Standard Bible. 

·       Matthew 27:45-54 from the NASB – Now from the sixth hour darkness fell upon all the land until the ninth hour.  46 About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “ELI, ELI, LAMA SABACHTHANI?” that is, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?”  47 And some of those who were standing there, when they heard it, began saying, “This man is calling for Elijah.”  48 Immediately one of them ran, and taking a sponge, he filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink.  49 But the rest of them said, “Let us see whether Elijah will come to save Him.”  50 And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded His spirit.  51 And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split.  52 The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; 53 and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many.  54 Now the centurion, and those who were keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, became very frightened and said, “Truly this was the Son of God!” 

·       Did you notice that in the passage there were four times tremendous power was mentioned?  The heavy curtain in the Temple that separated the Holy of Holies, the place where God had His presence, was torn completely in two.  There was an earthquake so powerful that rocks were split.  Tombs were opened up, requiring that huge stones that had been carved into discs weighing several hundred pounds each had to be either moved or destroyed.  And godly people who had been dead in those tombs were brought back to life.

·       Folks, if that isn’t power, I don’t know what is.  When Jesus died on the cross, awesome power was released.  Power that enables us to have direct contact with God, instead of relying on priests in a temple.  Power that can change the face of the earth, as in an earthquake.  Power that can move huge objects as if they were nothing.  Power that can take dead and decaying flesh and restore it and bring it back to life.  That’s the kind of power we need to live every day.  That’s the kind of power we’ve been longing for.

·       It’s easy for us to look for power in all the wrong places.  Some folks look to witchcraft.  Some look to money.  Some look to drugs.  Some look to prestige and influence on the job.  Some look to stuff.  Some look for inspiration through Harry Potter and The Da Vinci Code.  It’s too easy for us to look for power in all the wrong places and not realize that there is even greater power available to us.  The power of God through Jesus Christ.  The power that was released when Jesus died on the cross.

·       You know, there’s a funny thing about this power.  If Jesus had stayed dead, that power would have been just a one-time shot.  A nice show on God’s part, but with no lasting significance.  But Jesus did rise again.  Matthew 28:1-9 – Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave.  2 And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it.  3 And his appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow.  4 The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men.  5 The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified.  6 He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying.   7 Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you.”  8 And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to report it to His disciples.  9 And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them.  And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him. 

·       More power.  An angel full of power causing another earthquake and rolling away the stone from the tomb.  An angel so full of power that trained, professional temple soldiers were so afraid that they couldn’t even move.  And the power of God that raised Jesus from the dead.  The angel didn’t need to move the stone so Jesus could get out – he moved it so that we could see in.  God’s power moved the stone so that we can know that Jesus truly did rise from the dead.  The women saw the angel, they saw the empty tomb, they touched the risen Christ and heard His voice.  They were convinced of God’s power enough that they went and shared it with the disciples.  God’s power transformed the lives of those women, and it can transform our lives, too.  Want to know how?

·       Acts 1:1-8 – The first account I composed, Theophilus, about all that Jesus began to do and teach, 2 until the day when He was taken up to heaven, after He had by the Holy Spirit given orders to the apostles whom He had chosen.  3 To these He also presented Himself alive after His suffering, by many convincing proofs, appearing to them over a period of forty days and speaking of the things concerning the kingdom of God.  4 Gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for what the Father had promised, “Which,” He said, “you heard of from Me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”  6 So when they had come together, they were asking Him, saying, “Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel?”  7 He said to them, “It is not for you to know the times or epochs which the Father has fixed by His own authority; 8 but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” 

·       This is a key passage for us this morning, folks.  This passage tells us how all of that power that God displayed in raising Jesus from the dead can fill us and give us powerful lives.  This passage tells us how we can leave our powerlessness behind and be filled with His power.  Jesus told His disciples, those who had a personal relationship with Him, that He would fill them with His Spirit, the same Spirit that moved powerfully to raise Him from the dead.  The power that makes life worth living comes only through personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  It doesn’t come from anything or anyone else anywhere.  The power than transforms our lives comes only through personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  This power raised Jesus from the dead.  This power transformed a group of common, illiterate men into bold apostles of Jesus Christ.  This power can transform your heart and life.  This power can deliver you from a life of powerlessness.  Do you want power in your life that will make it worth living?  Jesus Christ is the only source of that power.  When you receive Him as your Savior, meaning He forgives your sins, and your Lord, meaning He’s in charge of your life, then you receive the power of the Holy Spirit to live a life that’s truly worth living.  The same power that worked so mightily in these passages of Scripture we’ve read is yours for the asking. 

·       Maybe today you already have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, but you haven’t experienced this power in your life.  Jesus is waiting to fill you with the power of His Spirit, and all you have to do is ask Him to do it.  And maybe today you don’t have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, and you want to start one so that your life can be filled with His power.  All you have to do is ask Him to be your Savior and Lord, and He’ll be more than glad to do it.  If you have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and would like to be filled with His Spirit so that you can experience His power in your life, please come forward to the altars.  Or if you’d like to begin a personal relationship with Jesus Christ today, please come forward to the altars.  Come forward now, and I will pray with you.  Experience the power Jesus has for your life.  Come forward now.