I Got a Big One: When the Pope visited Colorado he was anxious to get to an important meeting. The limousine assigned to pick him up did so and off they went. The Catholic chauffeur knew it was the “Holy Father” riding in the car and wouldn’t consider going faster than 55 mph. However, the Pope, anxious to get to the meeting on time, told the driver to pull over, get in the back seat, and let him drive. The impatient pontiff put the pedal to the metal and quickly reached 85 mph on the Colorado interstate. Almost immediately a state trooper hiding off the side of the road turned on his siren and lights, and gave chase. Catching the speeding car, he ordered the driver to pull over. When he saw the driver, he couldn’t believe it and immediately called his captain. He said, “I really got a big one today.” The captain said, “You mean the District Attorney?” “No, sir, much bigger than that.” “You have a Senator?” came the puzzled reply. “No, sir, you don’t understand. This is the top of the line.” “Who do you have? The President?” “No, sir, please understand me, this is really big.” “Well, for heaven’s sake, who have you pulled over?” “Well, Captain, I’m not sure, but the Pope is his chauffeur.”
I. THE RESSURECTION IS PROOF THAT DEATH IS NOT THE END
A. The secular society of today says that our life ends at the moment of our death. School text books talk about evolution to which life is the stage for the next genetic generation to evolve and the last generation to die off. Movies and songs tell us that the end is the end. Only in the Bible do you learn of Gods intention that we all will live forever….including the lost.
1. Into every man is the breath of God. God is eternal.
2. The question is where is each man/woman going to spend eternity!
B. Cynics say that Jesus didn’t die on the cross…that was just a myth.
A woman wrote J. Vernon McGee, “Our preacher said that on Easter, Jesus just swooned on the cross and that the disciples nursed Him back to health. What do you think?” McGee replied, “Dear sister, beat your preacher with a leather whip with 39 heavy strokes, nail him to a cross, hang him in the sun for six hours, run a spear through his heart, embalm him, put him in an airless tomb for three days, and see what happens!”
We are not in the land of the living going to the land of the dying, we are in the land of the dying trying to get to the land of the living.”
II. THE RESSURECTION IS EVIDENCE OF THE EXISTANCE OF ETERNAL LIFE
Jesus did not come back to inhabit his old body only to die again. The scriptures tell us some exciting things about how his body changed at the moment of his resurrection:
Mary Magdalene who knew him well, didn’t recognize him…
He walked some distance with his disciples & didn’t know him
He appeared in a locked and crowded room
He was touchable; Thomas felt of him…his wounds
He cooked and ate fish with the men along side of lake galalee.
He ascended in to glory in the same body he was resurrected. He said that he would come again and take us unto himself to live forever!
III. THE RESSURECTION IS THE GLIMPSE OF GLORY WE OFTEN SING ABOUT
When you want to learn about what heaven is like, just read about Jesus. When you have questions about what happens when you die, just read about Jesus. When you worry that someone is beating you in an argument over heaven and hell, just read to them about Jesus!
Literally hundreds of songs have been written about what life is like after we die. Songs like I’ll fly away, Just over in glory land, On Jordon’s Stormy Banks, and don’t forget “the sweet by and by” . But the epitome of hymns about heaven goes: When the trumpet of the Lord shall sound and time shall be no more..
IV. THE RESSURECTION IS THE FINAL PROOF THAT WHAT JESUS DID ON THE CROSS IS WORTHY OF YOUR GIVING YOUR HEART AND LIFE TO.
I say to you, my friends, that giving your heart to Jesus is worth any price you are asked to pay. But the unbelievable truth is that Jesus paid it all……He paid the price and shows you the way! The only thing He wants you to do is to abandon the worthless life plans you have made and follow him. The reward for living for Jesus is that you can live in eternity serving and praising Him.
