SUN RISE SERVICE |
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Intro: O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? 1 Cor. 15:15 Intro: A sting causes great pain. When I was boy about 7 I went out to the shed where my grandfather had some young calves. I climbed up on the fense to see the calves, and did not notice a large wasp nest directly over my head. The immediately attached me and I have dozens of sting all over my body. My great grand father dipped snuff and it dabbed in on the stings and the pain went away. What a relief it was to be free of pain of those stings. The sting of death is a reference to hell where those who die without Christ go at their deaths. For them death has a terrible stink. Jesus speaking of the rich man in Luke 16:19-31 who died rejecting God. Jesus said, "... And in hell he lift up his eyes, being in torments." Verse 24 is more graphic. "And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus, that he may dip the tip of his finger in water, and cool my tongue; for I am tormented in this flame." (Luke 16:24) No one likes to think about hell do we, but is real. It is Jesus Christ himself that tells us about hell and warns us that it is the end of those who refuse to believe. However, to those who believe and in faith put their trust in Jesus Christ death has no sting and when death comes it does not bring the torments of hell, but the wonderful salvation and enterance into heaven and the presence of God the Father and Jesus Christ our Savior Verse 57 says: "But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ" We may be just ordinary folks, not perfect in any real sense. We may have little to boast of, and yet rich or poor, strong or weak, success or failure in the world’s eyes, we who know Christ as our Saviour have a victory coming!!! A vital part of trusting Christ, of taking Him at His Word, and by simple faith trusting Him for our Salvation, is the sure hope He has given us in that as He arose from the grave, so shall we who trust in Him. 1 Thessalonians 5:9-11 Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, "For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do." On that morning As the sun rose on that Sunday morning, the two Mary's went to the grave to anoint and finish preparing Jesus’ body as Mark. 16:1-3 records. With sorrow in there hearts, probably not looking forward to task, yet faithfully resolved to it. They understood death as being final. They saw death what the world and the unsaved understand it. I am sure you have seen people from all nations mouning and wailing over their dead loved ones. In the death of the lost there is no hope just the stark realization of eternal separation from their loved one. When the Marys arrived at the sepulchre, they found the great stone rolled away, and the tomb empty! Even as the angels told them, "He Is Risen!" I'm sure they could not have understood the full implication. Even as Christ appeared to them, they could not fully comprehend what had taken place! Jesus Christ had suffered and died for our sins, but more He was resurrected conquering both sin and death. He proved He was God and only God can forgive sin. When we sin we sin against God. We disobey Him and dishonor Him, being His creation by living in sin. Yet, He will forgive our sins against Him if we will simply believe His word. That is why God gave us the Bible to show us His plan of salvation. Romans 8:32 says, "He (meaning God the Father) that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" (Romans 8:32) God’s heart is revealed by Peter who wrote, "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9) Jesus Himself said "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved." (John 3:16-17)
This morning You and I stand here, coming to worship, which means to honor and give thanksgiving to the Saviour in whom we have trusted for salvation, yet we too, do not fully grasp what was accomplished for us almost 2000 years ago. Paul touched it, getting as close as we can in these mortal bodies, when he expressed the desire of his heart: "That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made comformable unto His death." (Philippians 3:10) Peter said: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the Dead." (1 Pet.1:3) TODAY
It is a great comfort to know that our Lord Conquered Death and Sin, for us on that Old Rugged Cross.
One Day, for some soon, for some later, God will call us home, and we will lay these old tired and sin laden bodies down, Then and only them will the full significance of what Christ's resurrection will be know to us.
You see, we will experience the resurrection first hand and we will be raised from the grave, in complete eternal victory over sin and death! That for us now is but a hope, promised to us by our loving God. We know it now by His word, on the moment of our deaths, we will know it as a reality, being believers to wake up in the eternal presence of Jesus Christ our Savior.
What a glorious thing lies ahead for each of us who are trusting in Christ and are the Children of God.
It is a promise and a sure hope only for those who believe God’s word and will accept Him as our Lord and Savior, for the others....death and hell will be an eternal sting.
I pray that each one hear, knows the Savior and will experience the joys of the resurrection.
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