Holy Spirit Bless Us
4-18-06
Matthew 28: 1-10
RESURRECTION SUNDAY
In his book, Henry Morrison said, “The bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is the crowning proof of Christianity. If the resurrection did not take place, then Christianity is a false religion. If it did take place, then Christ is God and the Christian faith is absolute truth.”
For me as a Pastor, I believe this is the absolute truth. Jesus Christ is risen from the dead and He is ALIVE forevermore! Can I hear a loud Amen to that! Let’s shout… JESUS IS ALIVE! JESUS IS RISEN! AMEN!
Though admittedly, there are numerous articles that they want to disproved the Resurrection event. Many don’t believe this event because for them Jesus is a mere human being.
If they don’t believe that Jesus is completely human and also a God, for sure, it will be hard for them to believe the resurrection story.
Others, also buy the idea that Jesus’ body was kidnapped and therefore, no one could tell when his actual body was laid.
But, Praise God! For us Christians, we believe without any stain of doubt that Jesus Christ is alive…He is risen from the dead and He is Lord! He is my Lord!
He is alive…and alive forevermore. Jesus Christ does not exist with time because He was infinite and timeless… eternal. That’s who Jesus is for me.
How about you?
I know we believe in our hearts the Jesus is alive now, that is why we are here to commemorate and celebrate the RESURRECTION DAY! A very important day in the history of Christianity and in our individual life as Christians.
This morning I would like for us to examine the meaning of the word ALIVE…
JESUS is ALIVE and therefore at work in our affairs as human being created by Him and living for Him.
A is for ACTIVE.
Yes, our Lord and our God is Active in our day to day living. He is actively at work FULL TIME…not part time or On-call… He is in our business affairs 24/7…
Therefore, if we say that He is active in our life… the effect is… we should be living our life actively for Him and for our brothers and sisters in His vineyard.
He is alive, active, energetic …and so do we, if we allow Him to do so in our life.
If He is active, my friends, He knows your situation and is on the go to work with you in whatever situations you may have…
That’s how I describe who Jesus is… Alive and Active.
L – if for LISTEN
I can testify to that… He is not only ACTIVE but He LISTEN’S TOO.
Yes, our Jesus Christ is actively listening to us. He hears our every prayer even
Our cries…our complaints…our mumblings…our moanings and yawnings…
our triumphs and joys…
In fact, if you want to use His 24/7 0r Jeremiah 33: 3 communication line, He will always be there waiting for our call… He will surely listen and therefore, He knows what’s going on in our lives. He knows our affairs…our going in and our going out.
His radar and satellite is always clear… no static… no breaking… He hears us very vividly… very clear… and He understand every words we utter and whisper…whether you are brown, black or white… full of hair or even if you have HIV( hair is vanishing)… of even if you are toothless and so forth and so on…
He shows no partiality… He listens to everybody… Christians and non-Christians alike.
I believe, One of the reason why He was resurrected because still He wants to let us know that He still wants to listen to you and to me.
Draw near to God… start your intimate relationship with Him… Talk to Him before it’s too late.
I is for INVOLVE.
Jesus who is Alive and Active, the one who Listens is also Involve in our day to day living.
Can you imagine someone who just love to listen to us but doesn’t want to get involve in our undertakings.
It’s good as nothing. Jesus wants to be involved in all the details of our life.
In fact, He wants to take control of our affairs.
The problem is…we don’t want Him to do it… We want control of our life… We want to do our own way…
But the sad thing is… when we are on the edge or at the brink of danger or no way out situation… that’s the only time that we remember Him and allow Him to come in…But, the good thing is… Our God is always to the rescue… even though so many times we take Him for granted… He doesn’t mind helping us whenever we are ready for help….
Remember my dear brothers and sisters, our prayers… gives God the authority to become actively involved in our life.
Jesus is deeply involved in providing strength in times of our weakness, He is involve by providing inspiration when we are downhearted.
Our appearance… our actions… the way we carry ourselves will show if Jesus Christ is actively involved in our lives.
Christian Author and Speaker John Stott suggests, “Perhaps the transformation of the disciples of Jesus is the greatest evidence of all for the resurrection. It was the resurrection which transformed Peter’s fear into courage and James’ doubt into faith. It was the resurrection which changed the Sabbath into Sunday and the Jewish remnant into the Christian Church. It was the resurrection which changed Saul the Pharisee into Paul the apostle and turned his persecuting into preaching.” Amen!
Let us allow Him to get involved in our lives and surely, He will create an extraordinary transformation into our lives.
V is for VICTORIOUS:
Jesus is Alive and Active and He Loves to Listens because He wants to get Involved in our lives so that we may become like Him - a Victorious God!
Satan was a deceiver and he was wrong. He thought that if he failed in tempting Jesus, he would finally won through Jesus death.
Thanks be to God! Jesus is ALIVE! Ours is the victory as Christians… because our God is Alive and at work in our lives.
1John 5: 4 (NRSV) “for whatever is born of God conquers the world, And this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith.”
Faith in Jesus Christ is the secret of a Victorious Life.
I believe that we are all aiming for the best… we want to be the first… the champion… the achiever…the victor… We will if we have the author of victory- Jesus Himself!
Easier said than done… I know! But… we can do it… What does the Bible says…
Greater is He who is in me than that who is in the world….
I can do all things… through whom? … through Christ (who is Alive) who gives me the strength.
If God is for me…. Who can be against me…
Is these statements not enough to prove our Victory in Jesus!
My understanding is, if we aim for victory, let’s focus on the present. What we can do best to this life at present.
Obviously, there are people who consume most of their time and effort enumerating and caressing the past especially the heartaches and troubles….
Keep going my dear brothers and sisters, God wants us to learn from our past and live for the present and prepare for the future.
And this gives us to look forward to the last letter of the word Alive.
E is for ETERNITY.
He’s been with the people personally for three years as their pastor, teacher, healer, reconciler and many more. But after the ordeal of suffering, crucifixion and death…
NOW, JESUS IS ALIVE… a very clear revelation that He is Eternal.
Even death cannot overcome Him because He is eternal… without end… forevermore…
Not only that our God is the Alpha- the beginning… He is also the Omega… the end but who knows what is the end? … all I know now is that He is Eternal.
Jesus is Active and He listens because He wants to get Involved in our lives so that we may become Victorious like Him that will last through eternity with Him.
Praise God! We can’t be wrong to trust someone who is not dead…
not temporary….
We can dedicate and commit and entrust our life to Him who is Active, who Listens, who is Involved, who is Victorious, who is Eternal…that is….
JESUS CHRIST … the reason for our celebration.
JESUS IS ALIVE my dear brothers and sisters…
Let’s give our loudest clap and highest praise to Him. Glory to God in the Highest! Amen.
