Randall Caselman
Bella Vista Church of Christ
March 31, 2002 PM
What A Difference Resurrection Makes
Reading - Luke 24. 30-35 & 48-53
In 1957 Diana Washington released a song entitled... What A Difference A Day Makes... It sold over a million copies. As we scan history, we find there are...
- Days that really make a difference...
- Days that continue to impact our lives...
December 7,... 1941... Japan bombs Pearl Harbor.
September 11... 2001... Has forever changed our lives.
Well... How about 4 BC and the birth of Jesus... God in the flesh?
I'll bet each of us has a day that has made a tremendous difference in the way we live....
-Maybe the day of our baptism...
- Perhaps a graduation day..
- Maybe our wedding day.
- A day like Abraham had at Mt. Moriah... A day he would never forget.
- A day like Israel had when they crossed the Red Sea to freedom.
- Elijah at Mt. Carmal...
- David slaying Goliath
- Paul and the appearance of Jesus on the Damascus Road?
- John being IN THE SPIRIT on the Lord's day... Receiving the apocalypse that closes our Bible.
Days... occasions that made a difference We all have them... remember them... appreciate them... maybe even hold them holy!!
Our lesson this evening is built around what a difference the resurrection has made and continues to make in our lives today. Church... Does the resurrection impact our lives?... Does it continue to make a daily difference in the way we live?... Does it? I hope so... For instance, the resurrection should make a difference in our perseverance. The Book of Revelation tells us that the reward, heaven, is for those who keep-on-keeping- on... Those who will continue to fight the fight... Run the race... Finish the course... Keep the faith.
The resurrection turns the despair and discouragement of the cross into a triumph at the tomb. As we look at the resurrection, we see a lesson God want us all to learn... Never give up. Jesus tells us that the reward is for those who are faithful until and unto death. Paul encourages us to not become weary in doing good... For... For at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Indeed the resurrection promises us that we will be rewarded if we faint not.
Church... We must know that there is no place in Christianity for us to give up. Some of you here tonight are dealing with some things in your life that... At this time may seem hopeless.
- Maybe it is a marriage on the rocks....
- Perhaps a career gone sour....
- Financial matters which seem insurmountable.
- Perhaps an alcohol or drug problem...
- An affair... Or some other ugly sin that appears to dog every step we take.
- Perhaps it is fear... worry... loneliness.
The resurrection tells us that no matter how dark the day... How long the night... How hopeless the situation... We can overcome... If we will not give up.
Years ago, Sir Winston Churchill was invited to deliver the commencement address at Harvard. He arose to speak, looked out over the graduation class and said... Never... Never... Never give up!!... Then he sat down.
When Jesus came to Bethany... He was met by Mary and Martha. Master, if you had only been here our brother would not have died. By their clock, Jesus was too late, much too late. But... you see, Jesus is never late. He is always on time, always working things to our benefit... To our good. Trust Him... Trust Him.
Secondly... The resurrection should make a difference in our enthusiasm. After Jesus appeared to two of His disciples on the road to Emmaus, they said... Didn't our hearts burn within us as he talked? Our text tonight says... And they worshipped Him... And with great joy returned to the Temple praising God. Who can read this narrative and not get caught up in the excitement of the event. Paul speaks of rejoicing in the Lord always... and again I say rejoice. David said... This is the day the LORD has made... Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
Listen to me church... When we understand the resurrection and the significance of it... What it means to us... We will not have to work up some false enthusiasm and excitement for life and living. Instead... We will look forward to each day to worship and praise Him because He is a risen, living Lord. Because the tomb is empty we can walk with Him... Everyday life can be an adventure.
For instance... Look at the difference in the life of Peter. A few days ago Peter was warming by the wrong fire... down... discouraged... disgusted... cursing... denying Jesus. Then on Pentecost, He is found... - Excitingly... - Eloquently... - Enthusiastically...Proclaiming Jesus as the Son of God.
Church... What accounted for the difference in these two men...
-Peter at the home of the High Priest...
- And Peter on Pentecost...
- Peter at the Temple in Acts three?
What changed Peter?... Of course, the resurrection.
Consider Paul... What changed his life... Turning him from a persecutor to a proclaimer?... The resurrection. When Paul understood that the Jesus he was persecuting was a risen Jesus... A RISEN LORD, the life of Paul was forever changed... What a difference that day made.
Question... Has that day made any distinguishable difference in our lives... yours and mine? Especially in our enthusiasm for life and living...
- Do we have an excitement about living daily for Him?
- Do we look forward with anticipation to serving Him tomorrow?
- Do we anticipate and encourage one another as the day of worship approaches?
- Do we get excited about becoming a living sacrifice... His instrument of righteousness?
I think it all depends upon whether or not we understand the significance of the resurrection... RIGHT?
Thirdly... The resurrection should make a difference in our enemies. The Bible indicates that we have, or should have three enemies:
- The world...
- The flesh...
- And the devil.
First... This world is our enemy.
We have learned from our Wednesday evening study that this world is our enemy... That this world is not our home... That we are aliens and pilgrims here. Listen to First John 2.15... Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in Him. James writes... Don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred towards God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God. You see, because of the resurrection, we understand that one day we too will be raised... and we will leave this world for another world... Heaven. Peter, James and John understood this. So... Peter... James and John all three tell us to not get too attached here... To not fall in love with this world.
A story is told about how a little girl who became frightened by storm clouds over Chicago... Running into Dwight L. Moody's study she yelled... Mr. Moody... Mr. Moody... The world is coming to an end. He reportedly said... That's OK... We can live without it. Indeed we can... And one day we will--made possible because of the resurrection.
Our second enemy is the flesh.
Church... Do we understand that it is our flesh nature that is responsible for all the sin in our lives?... Sinful thinking and sinful behavior. James says... It is the lust of the flesh that draws us into temptation and sin. This same John writes in First John... For everything in the world--the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does-- comes not from the Father but from the world.
Of course... The good news is that one day... This flesh nature... This body will give way to a new and different body... One that is not mortal... One that will not draw us into sin. This new body will be one that allows us to live in the presence of God eternally without sin. But... That body will not be ours until what church?... OUR own resurrection day.
Our third enemy is Satan...
Thank God that.. At our resurrection... He will have no more power over us. Jesus conquered Satan at the resurrection and made it possible for us to do likewise. He will keep us from being tempted beyond that which we are able to bear until then... He will provide a way of escape. And listen church... And if we do sin, we have an advocate with the Father. We can acknowledge that sin, and God is just to forgive all our unrighteousness as we strive to walk with Him in the light. The question is... Have we allowed the resurrection to make a difference in our enemies?... And how we deal with them?
Then finally... The resurrection should make a difference in this life and eternity.
You see... The resurrection affirms, gives credence to all that Jesus promised. Jesus said in John 10.10... I have come that you might have life, and have it more abundantly... I came that you might have life to the fullest... Life at its best. We are talking about things in the here and now... Things like...
- Forgiveness of all past sin... No guilt... This is life at its best.
- Continual forgiveness and fellowship with God... This is life to the fullest.
- Knowing that our future is in heaven, gives us daily joy and peace of mind.
Listen to Paul from Philippians three... I want to know Christ and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of sharing in His sufferings, becoming like Him in his death, and so, somehow, to attain to the resurrection from the dead. Me too... me too.. How about you??
Church... Not only is this life abundant and full, our eternal destiny is a guaranteed event...
Because He lives... We can face tomorrow...
Because He lives... All fear is gone...
Because He lives... He holds our future...
Indeed... Life is worth the living... Just because He lives.
Well... All the things that we have talked about tonight are made possible because of the resurrection. It would be a shame if we just took them for granted... And made no effort to allow them to change our life... RIGHT??
The natives on the island had been granted their freedom after hundreds of years of cruel bondage and enslavement. In celebration of the event, a huge bonfire was lit. Each native brought wood. As the individual added another stick to the fire, they would remember and name a painful personal remembrance of their years of bondage. The fire burned high...The people celebrated. The real shame to this celebration was that there were still hundreds of islanders in the interior who had not heard of the proclamation of emancipation. They were still in bondage. Church... What a shame for the world to celebrate the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus... And yet some of us live as if He never died, and arose again... RIGHT?? He came... lived... died and arose so that we could be free... And when the Son sets you free, you are free indeed.
Has the resurrection made any significant difference in your life? Make it happen tonight by coming to Jesus... Accepting Him as the Savior He is.
Come... Submit to His commands of faith... repentance... and New Testament baptism.
Perhaps as a child of God... We have taken the resurrection for granted, and we are living a life that is something less than He came to make possible.
Let us confess our failures and start today to be all that God asked us to be. Come to Jesus tonight... Right now... As we stand and sing this song together... Will you come??
