2nd service Resurrection Sunday, 20/4/14
Special performance (during offering)
Arise my love x2
The grave no longer has a hold on u
No more death’s sting
No more suffering
Arise, arise
—– Ps Prince comes on stage to preach:
Happy resurrection day. Death met death in the person of our LORD Jesus Christ.
Gen 8:4
Ark rested on 7m 17d on Ararat- exact date Jesus would come and conquer death. Day of resurrection. Just as Noah’s Ark rested on a new creation. Jesus death brought forth the new creation. Anyone in Christ is a new creation.
Ararat- curse reversed. When Jesus rose from the dead, He reversed the curse in our life. No more curse in Christ.
This is the day the curse is reversed in your life.
No more curse in your life because Jesus rose from the dead. Death has been abolished.
Death, sin and devil = enemy to God
Never God’s plan that man should die. That’s why God hates death the way He hates sin. The scripture says the last enemy put under Jesus’ feet- death.
Jesus conquered death so we have eternal life. A life that swallows up death.
Everytime someone we love or care for, we cry and it reminds us this is not God’s loving plan for us. He intended for us to live young and healthy forever but He gave us free choice. He didn’t introduce death to us.
Consequence- when we put our finger into a fire, fire burns. If I warned you what I know about fire, and u still put finger in there and get burnt, can’t say I burned you. I told u the consequence- what I know. U chose the consequence.
For free choice to be free choice we must be able to choose freely.
If u exercise ur free choice to put your finger in the fire, u can’t choose not to burn. We are free to choose but we cannot avoid the result or choose the specific consequences we want.
The day Adam partook of the fruit, he died spiritually and then later died physically. God never meant for men to grow old, sick and die.
Wages of sin is death. But the gift of God is eternal life in God through Christ.
Eternal life is the quality of life that God lives by- Zoe life. Different from living forever in terms of duration. Those in Hell also will live forever.
Life that swallows up death and life that resurrects. Death is the end of natural life for man & Resurrection is the end of death for men.
Death receives it’s just desserts. Horrible oppressor and merciless tyrant of death is now having its tables turned on it. Instead of death swallowing life —> His life that swallowed up death. Death of Death itself when Christ rose from the dead.
Jesus was always w the Father. He didn’t come to die to go to the Father. He died and rose for you and I. His victory over death is your victory. He came to include us in His life. Death is your history if you are a believer. It is behind us and we now walk in resurrection life.
Many still fear death (Kia see). Many people are afraid to travel coz afraid to fly but afraid to fly coz afraid to die. Some fear to let their kids to go out because of fear of death. Subject self to bondage. Don’t dare to live a full life. Some people look fine outside but we don’t know what fears they have on the inside.
The fears that people go through- Jesus has come to release us from it.
Hebrews 2:15- fear of death = lifetime subject to bondage. Not just once or for a certain season. Fear doesn’t respect age. It is a tyrant and affects regardless of age or position. Fear of death is behind every bondage.
Fear = wrong thinking/ believing somewhere.
Indicator of wrong believing- Do I experience fears or anxieties on a constant basis? Am I depressed? Do I worries?
Wrong preaching> Wrong hearing> wrong believing> wrong thinking/ wrong emotions
Word of God sets us free from all fear as it tells us what Christ has done.
All the blessings of God, if it is based on how you line up with God, and obey will always be fearful coz you know yourself. But if it is based on Jesus, u can rest. This rest transforms u.
Enjoy holy, powerful life through Christ.
Heb 2:14-
Death isn’t from God. Does this mean the devil is powerful? No. He has no power in and off himself but what he borrows.
There is something God ordained called the Law. Bible states clearly law brings death.
The tree of knowledge of good and evil —> law —> introduces death.
When God gave the law, 3000 people died at foot of Mt Sinai. When God gave the Spirit on Pentecost, 3000 received life.
2 Cor 3 says Ministry of death engraved and written on stones = Ten Commandments. The rest of the Torah were not written or engraved on stones. The other laws written on scrolls and parchments. Only part written on stones by finger of God is the Ten Commandments.
The devil knows this so he flashes before u the Ten Commandments and tells u every time u do something wrong, u are in trouble and can expect punishment and death. So he flashes the ten commandment before u and some preachers help the people see the Ten Commandments clearer :p
No grace to memorising Ten Commandments, people often struggle to memorise it, but even little kids can recall John 3:16!
By the law is the knowledge of sin and not righteousness.
Something in man called conscience- knowledge of good and evil. U might try to drown that conscience w drugs and alcohol but it is always there with u. Always telling u that someone has gotta pay, there is fairness and equity. Someone has to pay. And sometimes our love ones pay the price or we end up paying the price because don’t feel we deserve such happiness- it is like sending a subconscious message inside that because they have done wrong, they should have a fearful expectation of judgment- blv that bad things will happen to them.
The Word became flesh so He can die the death that sets us free. See Heb 2:14
Devil doesn’t come to u directly to kill. He uses the law to bring about death. Power of death is found in his accusation. He prosecutes u and when u accept his accusation, u come under the power of death.
Heb 2:15
God has done something about our fear of death and we need to possess that revelation so we can be free from the fear of death. If you always think devil can pick your number, still not free of the fear. Know that Jesus has done something to release us.
Destroy the devil – destroy= Ka Tar Gey Yo (phonetic) —> put the accusations to nought
Many a times the devil comes as an angel of light or through the mouth of a preacher to attack us and make us focus on self. God wants us to focus on HIS SON. All about Jesus. Not about us. Only about us IN Him.
David knew how to get ahead in life. Used Goliath’s sword to decapitate him. Jesus used the weapon the devil wielded- He used death to destroy death.
Law must be placated and met. Law is holy but can’t make us holy. Perfect but can’t perfect us. Devil uses that which is holy against us so we can’t tell it is his attack on us.
Jesus was born and wrapped up in swaddling clothes (same kind used at burial) and laid to rest in a stony manger… Stony manger picture of stony tomb. Jesus was only baby born to die.
Sin must be paid. Can’t sweep under carpet.
If God isn’t holy and just, whole fabric of universe will cease to exist. But He didn’t want to punish sin in our body because He loves us. This is the divine dilemma.
But God is above every dilemma. The solution? John 3:16 Someone had to meet all the requirements of the Law. So He sent His Son.
God so loved the world… Triune God was involved in your salvation. Not that Jesus is the merciful one and God is stern and judgmental.
Death did not seize on Jesus.
Jesus was not murdered. “No man take My life from me. I have power to lay down My life and I have power to take it up again.”- Jesus said.
Devil tried to kill him twice. Storms at the Lake of Galiliee, tried to kill Him as a baby, Had crowds stoning Him… Not His time in these instances so could walk away.
Bible tells us Jesus positioned Himself to die, bowed His head on the Cross and gave up His spirit. This is power.
Dismissed His spirit as a king would dismiss a servant. He waited for all our sins to be paid for then cried out it is finished
Jesus sweat blood at Gethsamane- doctors say happens during extreme duress. Why did he sweat blood? Because of the very thought of becoming our sin. He had no sins to die for on his own- Peter (man of action) said He did no sin, Paul (man of intellect) said He knew no sin, John (man of the heart) said in Him is no sin, Pilate (the gov of Rome) said I have found no fault in this man, Judas Iscariot (the traitor) said I betrayed innocent blood. He bore our sins. When He carried your sins and mine, there was such a violence that went through His body.
Jesus- holy God. Although came as perfect man- was fully God and fully man. As man he was tired and hungry and slept. But for Him a perfect man, one who never knew sin to received our sins in His system caused Him to experience a violent shock.
At the garden, he sweated blood just thinking about bearing our sins. What about agony at the Cross when he became sin?
Son never been more pleasing to the Father when He hung on the Cross. Jesus was daily His delight. We will never know how much the Father loves us until we know how much the Father loves His Son. He laid down His life.
God poured out his wrath on the sacrifice, but as Father he had to turn His back on His Son (the sin offering) but as Father, His heart broke. Jesus was never more pleasing.
When he was born, midnight became midday. When he died midday became midnight. This is so today we can walk in the light and favour of our Father.
Jesus cried out, My God, my God why have you have forsaken me? > so that today God will always say to is I will never leave u or forsake u. That was the first time Jesus addressed His Father as God. So today we can address God as our Father.
Jesus stood up to all the judgment and consumed it. Nothing was left then he cried out FINISHED!!!
The resurrection is a proclamation that the work is finished.
In the OT, the High Priest w blood of animals, goes into holy of Holies to sprinkle blood on the altar. Promises a year of blessings when sacrifice is accepted. If for whatever reason he falls dead inside, his body will be dragged out and the people can expect a bad year. The sign of God accepting the sacrifice is when the High Priest comes out alive- a divine receipt. Jesus’ resurrection is our divine receipt. If Christ hasn’t risen, we would still be unsaved. But He is risen so we are saved.
He rose without our sins. That means it is all finished at the Cross. When he carried our sins, it was only at the Cross. Rose without our sins denoting PERFECT work- all finished at the Cross. So for us believers to be son conscious & still expect death and punishment in our future is to dishonour the perfect work of Christ.
If someone pays a payment, it is to please the one it is owed to. Not the giver. So when we are sin conscious we are saying God didn’t accept what Jesus did.
When your conscience says somebody has to pay, look to Jesus. His payment on our behalf to a holy God… He didn’t pay the devil to set us free. God owes the devil nothing. The saviour paid the holy God. God sent the Saviour for this purpose. That payment of the value of that Man is like God the Son paying God the Father one billion dollars for our one million dollars sin debt. That is why God is more than satisfied and we have much more left over. That is why we have much more because Christ overpaid our sins coz of who he is. Came out triumphant.
His victory can only be effective in the lives of those who believe in Him.
So if one believes, how come some of us still feel defeated?
5 kings came against Joshua. The 5 kings took refuge in a cave when pursued, and Joshua sealed them in the cave and defeated the enemy. Out came the 5 kings, and Joshua told his men to put his foot on their necks. Let enemy experience the defeat.
1 Cor 15:17-26
Be more conscious of what the last Adam did than what the first Adam did.
Verse 22- often taken out of context. If u take the text out of the context, all u get is con.
Christ must reign until He puts all enemies under His feet. Last enemy to be conquered is death.
Feet is part of body- body of Christ is the Church.
The five kings have been defeated but must put death under our feet. When Jesus comes back, the church will put defeated death under its feet.
1 Thess 4:13-18
Death has been deprived of its sting so believers sleep.
Describes RAPTURE – v17
We will have a new body that will never grow old or sick again forever.
It is one thing to be alive. Remain? Denotes power. There are those who are alive and those who remain alive- keeps death at bay.
Church began 2000 years ago, but the enemies put under the feet of the church get lesser and lesser until death is put under our feet. All enemies down through the years have been under His feet. So curse of poverty etc put under Jesus feet already. He must reign until all enemies are put under this feet. So we can’t be expected to be experiencing what the early church experienced as more enemies have come under His feet.
We are transformed according to what we behold. We don’t need preachers to point us to us. Point us to the answer- BEHOLD THE LAMB OF GOD!
Some pray to see Jesus in person. But Jesus unveiled himself to two of his disciples down Emmaus road though the Word first before revealing Himself bodily. Pastors need to unveil Jesus in the Word.
Matt 22:44
Who is going to make Jesus’ enemies His foot stool? God Himself. Today we are seated at the right hand w Jesus. So God is telling us- would u like me to make the enemy your footstool in Christ? All u have to do is to remain seated.
How wonderful it is after a long day at work, to go home and just relax in your chair? It carries all your weight.
Throne attitude. Sit. Rest.
Sit at MY right hand until I MAKE, not ‘you make’.
We don’t pray for victory. We pray from victory.
I know what doctor said but I can sit and rest. I can say I am not going to be healed. I am healed.
When u pray for= defeated. When u praise God and thank Him it is done- victory manifests
If u do, He sits. U sit, He does.
Power of Resurrection life flows when there is death- no one iota of effort left in a dead person. As long as there is effort, the power can’t flow. Our problem is our effort.
We try to be strong in ourselves- that’s the problem.
When u hold on, God lets go. When you let go, God holds on.
If the devil says “what are u gonna do about it?” Reply him – not I do, He does. I sit. I rest. He will make my enemies my foot stool.
As long as we put effort to save ourselves, we aren’t saved.
Every fresh enemy that presents itself, requires a fresh sitting on our part.
Ps91:1
Psalm of protection. So many promises of protection. Protection from terminal disease, evil… Protection for family… Covers everything. Even terrorism. U shall not be afraid of the terror by night and the arrows that fly by day. Ends w long life God satisfies us. Jesus died young so we can live long.
We don’t live under Ps90…
One of the sisters of a Captain involved in Civil war. The Capt was shot near his heart and fell. But his bodyguard picked up his rifle and killed all the enemies. Capt lying down said, “This is how death feels but I feel no pain.” He got up and found his bible had stopped the bullet and the bullet had gone through many chapters but stopped exactly at Ps91 and pointed exactly to the verse which says a thousand falls dead at our side and ten thousand all around us but we will not be harmed. This is documented in a museum.
Protection from dangerous circumstances – rape, accidents, natural disasters… Not just diseases.
Where is this secret place in Ps91:1
Most High and Almighty- Two names of God. El Elyon. El Shaddai.
He who dwells- He who sits (yashed) in the secret place of the Most High.
When did these names first appear in the bible?
Gen 14- El Elyon. When Melchizadek came w bread and wine to Abraham. “Blessed be the El Elyon”
Gen 17- El Shaddai. When God appeared to Abraham and said, “I am Almighty God” aka El Shaddai.
In btw Gen 14 and 17 is Gen 15 and Gen 16
Gen 15- Abraham told to look at the stars & number them. Abraham believed in the LORD and Abraham was counted as righteous. He was justified based on faith in what Christ has done. Before the bible was written on parchment, God wrote the gospel story, His love story in the Stars. Not astrology- perversion of the twelve constellations. God made the stars. The story began with Virgo (the virgin birth) during Feast of Tabernacle—> ends w Leo (Lion of Judah). Reflection of the start and end of the gospel story (gospel to revelations). Number the stars= tell the story (sa-fir the story) The heavens sa-fir the glory of God. The heaven tells the story of the glory of God. We don’t have to look at the stars today now we have the bible.
Gen 15- Abraham believed in the same message we believed.
Gen 16- the problem. Entire chap about Hagar. Hagar wasn’t God’s idea. Abraham slept w her. She was a type of the old covenant from Sinai. Symbolises once we are righteous by faith, don’t go back to the law.
Phil 3:9-10a
As long as we try to produce our own righteousness = under law. Should only have righteousness by faith in Christ.
The power of resurrection is not there when people dunno about the righteousness which is from God by faith. Know in your heart and not just your heads.
Death will have no power over u when U rest in Christ who overcomes it all and His righteousness. I don’t try to overcome my habit, I rest in Jesus. He has overcome it. Rest in His righteousness and u will be flanked by your El Shaddai.
Don’t envy the wealth and fame of folks like the FB founder etc, U are to envy yourself. U know Jesus. No security company can give u what only God can give.
When men protects, it is uncertain. But if God protects u, u ARE safe.
When Noah was in the ark, he was safe like the ark. Noah fell in the ark but never out of the ark. Where ark went, Noah went. When ark stopped, noah stopped. When Christ was crucified, we were crucified with Him. He rose, we rose. When He sat, we sat. He died in our place 2000y ago. The sacrifice of Jesus is perfect compared to the types in the past that pointed to Him.
Elijah made altar w 12 stones and told people to pour 3 barrels of water over the sacrifice and he prayed. When God sent fire, the sacrifice and twelve stones all got burned up. Nothing left. Under the law, God’s judgment is greater than sacrifice.
When Jesus bore all our stripes and condemnation. The sacrifice bore all the judgment but remained alive. He then offered up His Spirit and dismissed it. The sacrifice is greater than the judgment. Under grace, the sacrifice is greater than the judgment.
At the Cross… It’s not what the people- the Romans or Jews- did to Jesus. It was our sins that put Jesus on the Cross. Whether Jew or Gentile, it was our sins that put Him on the Cross.
All the He did was because of His love for us. Devil wants us to see Christianity as religion but Christianity isn’t a religion. It is about what Jesus has done. Some people are upset we don’t have trappings of religion but He came to make us righteous- even if we are in a T-shirt. U can wear a robe and still be lost and not know Jesus. All He has done is in vain if we don’t receive it. He won’t force His forgiveness on us.
The devil has been defeated and GOD has been glorified. Amen!
Death is now behind us. We are resurrected beings in an un-resurrected body. When we understand that, we will see victory manifest in area of our health and wholeness.