He Is Risen Indeed!

______RAISED TO LIFE

INTRODUCTION: HE IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN INDEED!

Today we celebrate the day that Jesus was raised to life • When Jesus was raised to life, He released something into the world that never existed before that moment… resurrection life • And now that life is alive in those who believe • So when declare… He is Risen, He is Risen Indeed • We are not just proclaiming the truth of His resurrection • But we are recognizing the release of resurrection life

So powerful is this resurrection life that Paul said… Romans 8:11 (NKJV) 11 But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

• This resurrection life that is alive in us is giving life to us • Literally elevating us, raising us up to live the life the Jesus promised when He said…

John 10:10 (NKJV) 10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.

• The resurrection life that is ours through Jesus raises us up in 3 ways and I want to take a moment and quickly look at those today

First of all, it raises our position Ephesians 2:4–6 (NKJV) 4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,

As Christians we are a heavenly people • We live according to heavenly principles in the Word of God

• We are not to be ruled by the things of the world, but we are to rule and reign in this life • Notice Paul says that God has made us to sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus • In the ancient world, Kings would only sit when they were at rest • When a King was preparing for war, He would stand ready for battle • But here we see that Jesus is sitting and we are sitting with Him • Symbolizing that the battle is finished, Christ is victorious and He has overcome every enemy… so He is at rest • We’re not fighting for victory in our lives, we are fighting from a place of victory and there is a difference • When we’re fighting for victory, there is a sense that we could loose the battle and that brings a sense of desperation and anxiety • But when we are fighting from victory, there is a sense of confidence because we know that Christ has overcome so I can rest • I don’t have to be anxious, desperate, grasping at options, I can rest

Secondly, resurrection life raises our perspective Colossians 3:1–3 (NKJV) 3 If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. 2 Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.

What you focus on will influence what you see • If you focus on the things on the earth… that’s what you’re going to see • If all you see is this world that is passing away, under the curse of sin • Then you’re going to be filled with fear, anxiety, worry over the future, worry over finances, depression and it will lead you to try and find ways to either numb the pain or distract you from facing real life • By the way, one of the ways we distract ourselves is by making our lives so busy that we don’t have time to think • But when you focus on the things above • When you focus on Christ, who is seated, at rest because He has overcome all the power of sin and death • When you focus on Christ who has defeated the devil and His minions • When you focus on the life that is yours in Christ Jesus

• It fills you with joy, confidence, hope for the future, love for people, a quiet knowing that God is going to work all things together for good, strength and courage to face life • Notice, the Christian life is not about avoiding life… but facing life with confidence because we know that Jesus is victorious and we can be victorious with Him

Third, resurrection life raises our purpose Romans 9:17 (NKJV) 17 “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I may show My power in you, and that My name may be declared in all the earth.”

God has a purpose and a plan for your life Ephesians 2:10 (NKJV) 10 For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

God didn’t bring you into the world for no good reason • No one is an accident… God didn’t say to your pregnant mom… oops that one got by me • God has a purpose and that purpose is to show His power in you that His name may be declared in all the earth

1 Peter 2:9 (NKJV) 9 But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;

• Every single one of us has a story of how God has powerfully brought us out of darkness into His light… tell your story • There are some of you that don’t even realize that God is building a story in you because you’ve yet to surrender your life to Christ • Others are wishing you could get to your happy ending • But the story is not about the happy ending • The story is a story of struggle, battle, heart ache, intrigue, power and redemption

• It’s a story of how God works in the lives of ordinary people by His power and delivers them out of the darkness of the world and brings them into the glorious light of His Kingdom • And then He elevates them to a place of glory, setting them apart form the darkness of the world by giving them a purpose and the power to walk in that purpose • And as they tell the story of Jesus in their lives, His name is declared throughout all the earth • You see God has created you to be a world changer and that is why God has raised you to life

You might say… I’m not a world changer… let me stop you… • Let me ask you a question… who is the greatest evangelist of our day? • Billy Graham • Now, we would all agree that God has used Billy Graham to lead probably millions of people to Christ worldwide on television, radio and through his crusades • Billy Graham’s name is known all over the world • But do you know who led Billy Graham to Christ? • Billy Graham came to Christ during a series of revival meetings in Charlotte, North Carolina by an evangelist by the name of Mordecai Ham • Because of Mordecai Ham, heaven is populated with millions of souls who have come to Christ through Billy Graham’s ministry

Maybe you’re not a Mordecai Ham, maybe you’re a Edward Kimball Who is Edward Kimball? • Edward Kimball is an ordinary Christian who witnessed to a shoe salesman by the name of Dwight L. Moody and led him to Christ • D.L. Moody went on to become the greatest evangelist in his day leading hundreds of thousands to Christ • Through D.L. Moody’s ministry, J. Wilbur Chapman surrendered his life to Christ and started holding evangelistic meetings • One of the men in J. Wilbur Chapman’s meeting was a baseball legend by the name of Billy Sunday • Billy Sunday surrendered his life to Jesus Christ and started holding evangelistic meetings • Thousands of people came to Christ through Billy Sunday’s preaching

• One of the young men who were challenged to faith at a Billy Sunday meeting was Mordecai Ham… who led Billy Graham to Christ. • It all started with an ordinary Christian by the name of Edward Kimball • Edward Kimball probably never saw himself as a world changer • But his faithful witness has resulted in generations of people coming to Christ

Today there are three groups of people in our church • There are those who have surrendered their lives to Christ • There are those who have not • There are those who have been raised to life and those who have not • The ones that have been raised to life have been raised to a higher purpose, a higher perspective and a higher position • They are experiencing the joy of being a heavenly people • But there is a third group • They are the ones who are trying to live in both worlds • They know that they are a heavenly people, but they have one foot in the world and one foot in the church • They are tortured, torn, depressed, anxious, unsatisfied because they will never be satisfied until they completely surrender to Jesus Christ • Wherever you are in your journey with God… God wants you to be raised to life • Maybe you’ve never surrendered your life to Christ • The Bible says today is the day of salvation • You don’t know if you’ll make it to tomorrow • Tomorrow isn’t promised, but you have this moment right now • Surrender your life to Christ • Maybe you’re tortured because you have one foot in the world and one foot in the church • You’ll never be happy until you surrender to Christ… do it now • Don’t delay, stop trying to live life your way, stop looking for answers outside of Christ… look to Christ alone and watch what the Lord will do

How do you surrender to Christ? It’s simple Romans 10:9–13 (NKJV) 9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession

Live / Easter 2015 © 2015 Holland Davis ______RAISED TO LIFE is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For “whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”