CSI: Cross Scene Investigation
Week 4: Investigating the Resurrection
[The message began with a CSI sytle drama that investigated the evidence of the Ressurection]
For Most People in Our Culture – SEEING IS BELIEVING! [Show me the Money] BUT . . .
For Eric Weihenmayer [WHY-in-Mayor] SEEING ISN’T ALWAYS BELIEVING . . . that’s because he was the first blind climber ever to reach the top of Mount Everest. When Asked what he looks for in teammates, his response sums up what faith is all about.
He said, "I look for people who have an unrealistic optimism about life. I hear people say, ’seeing is believing.’ . . .I want people who believe the opposite, ’Believing is Seeing.’ You’ve got to believe first in what you’re doing & be sure you have a reason to believe it.”
Do YOU Know what you Believe . . . . AND Do you Know WHY You Believe it?
Over the past three weeks of this Series, we’ve Investigated the Betrayal, Investigated the Trial / Last Week - Investigated the Cross . . .
All for the purpose of Examining the Evidence of Christ’s walk to the Cross . . .to help us to KNOW WHAT WE WE BELIEVE . . . AND WHY We Believe it!
That You’re Here Today, Means – Already Believe, or that you’re Curious, or that you were DRAGGED here by Mother!!
TODAY – Investigate the Resurrection – Importance & Implications for Our Lives
While Many Believe that Jesus was Crucified on a Cross (Substantiated by Historical Writers) It’s the RESURRECTION that many have a Hard Time with / “The DEAD RAISED?”
And – While Many Christians HONOR Jesus’ Death And wear Crosses to Commemorate it, the Resurrection has EQUAL Importance, For Without It – Incomplete Story
Apostle Paul – wrote many of the NT Books said this . . . "Unless Christ was raised to life, your faith is useless, and you are still living in your sins. And those people who died after putting their faith in him are completely lost. If our hope in Christ is good only for this life, we are worse off than anyone else. But Christ has been raised to life! And he makes us certain that others will also be raised to life." 1 Corinthians 15:17-20 (CEV)
Without Easter Sunday Morning, Good Friday Afternoon is WORTHLESS. . .Means nothing
GOOD NEWS, for You & ME is Not JUST that God Offers Forgiveness - Son On the Cross . . . . but the Good News – Jesus is NO LONGER In the Grave!! HE’S ALIVE!!
On that Easter Sunday Morn – A group of Jesus’ followers ran into an Angel who said. . .
"He is not here. He has risen from the dead as he said he would." Matthew 28:6 (NCV)
I can take you to the Tomb of Buddha or Mohammad – their bodies are still THERE. But if you go to the Tomb of Jesus – IT’S EMPTY!! HE is NOT there! SO WHAT?
Ever been around a Kid that asks a lot questions? “Why is this & what makes that?”
Then when you tell them and they say, “Sooooo” or “So what?” I WAS ONE OF THOSE KIDS
So What? What does that mean for my Life? SO what if Jesus died on a Cross?
So what if he did Rise - the Dead? Those are the type of Questions I ASK!! Do you?
What does that mean for my LIFE . . . TODAY?!!!
1.Because of the Resurrection . . . My Past Mistakes are FORGOTTEN
We’ve ALL done Dumb Things! I think one of the Dumbest – Eat & Drive at the Same time
How many have spilled HOT COFFEE on themselves?
We KNOW its Dumb – Like we Can’t HELP OURSELVES!!
I Read this Week – One Persons Proposal to Solve the National Debt – “STUPID TAX”!!
Every time we do something DUMB . . . pay a Tax!!
GUYS – We do some pretty DUMB STUFF!!
You NEVER See on Sports Center - FIRST WOMEN To JUMB over the GRAND CANYON!
ESPN-2: I think Another Word for STUPID is EXTREME
Every time someone does something STUPID AND they’re SUCCESSFUL – EXTREME!!
Yeah – Extremely STUPID!! / “Lets jump off a 40 foot ramp w/ Bike & get off in Mid air”
WE EVEN RATE STUPIDITY!! “Now – Lance Jones will attempt to Jump over his House”
“WHAT A LANDING and the Judges have given him a 9.2”
Notice how most of the EXTEME sports come from CA?!! Great place – EXTEME!!
I heard recently that a Panel of Women in CA, were in Search for the PERFECT GUY!!! You would have THOUGHT they would have decided on an ACTOR or ATHLETE or WEALTHY TYCOON
They decided that the perfect man was. . .
[Picture] MR POTATO HEAD!!! Here were their 4 Reasons: #1 He’s tan #2 - he’s cute #3 - he knows the importance of accessorizing (pause) and. . .
4th reason he was chosen - Because if he looks at another girl you can rearrange his face.
Ladies – You do some pretty Dumb things TOO!! Women – thought CD drive drink holder
Ladies put MAKEUP on WHILE YOU’RE DRIVING?!!!
We’ll all Freely Admit – We do some pretty DUMB THINGS!! WE could Solve the National Debt
WE ALL KNOW NONE OF US IS PERFECT!! We ALL make Mistakes. Some are INNOCENT & CARELESS. But many are just self WILLED CHOICES – We Know are WRONG
The BIBLE CALLS THIS SIN – Means to “MISS THE MARK” / Not MEASURE UP!!
Introduce - Two People @ PCC & Their Story [VIDEO Testimony Segment #1]
"He [Jesus] gave himself for us to set us free from every sin and to cleanse us so that we can be his special people who are enthusiastic about doing good things." Titus 2:14 (GW)
SET FREE / CLEANSED / From the Past & our WRONGS
INCREDIBLE WORD PICTURES - Bible illustrates that at BAPTISM.
As Jesus CAME OUT of the Grave to Life AGAIN– So GOD WANTS you to Have NEW Life
[outloud] "God blesses people whose sins are forgiven and whose evil deeds are forgotten. The Lord blesses people whose sins are erased from his book." Romans 4:7-8 (CEV)
2nd Because of the Resurrection . . .My Present Troubles have a PURPOSE
On the Day Jesus was Crucified – No one would have Reported - Possibility of ANY GOOD Coming out of that Situation! Hopeless / CRUEL / Death / What good comes from that?
YET – Thru the Cross He Won A great Victory for you & Me! NEW LIFE! Makes Sense!
What the Resurrection Means for Our Lives is that - STUFF we go thru – Make sense too!
[outloud] "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them." Romans 8:28 (NLT)
One of the KEY Components WE Believe at PCC – “GOD NEVER WASTE A HURT!!” HE will Cleanse You & FREE you From Your PAST!! It CAN be FORGOTTEN!!!
BUT IT WILL NEVER BE A WASTE!! God will Find some way to Use it – For Good. HE Will Find Some way – VICTORY IN YOUR LIFE / And In the Lives of Others!!
Imagine with me for a Moment; Its SAT Morning, the Day after Jesus’ Crucifixion. The DISCIPLES Feeling SHAME – Deserted & Denied Him. Some – Feeling Confused – “Now What?” They DON’T Understand!! They Followed Jesus for 3 Years and Gave their Life to This. Was it just a LIE? Mistake?
Maybe you’re here today – Someone whose Life is Falling Apart. You’re NOT a Christ Follower – You’re WONDERING - “What does Jesus’ DEATH Mean to Me & MY LIFE?”
Maybe today, there are some Followers of Jesus / FEEL like the Disciples / Sat Morning BLUES!!
You too – Confused / Don’t Understand what God is Doing / Feel SHAME & Regret
THEN . . . . . . . . . SUNDAY CAME!! Resurrection Changes EVERYTHING!!
If you’re STUCK in Saturday Morning Blues - because THE STORY IS NOT COMPLETE . . . SUNDAY’S A COMIN’!! Your Savior Is RISEN!! God will MAKE Sense out of it ALL
Like Eric (Why-in-Mayor) GOT TO BELIEVE IT BEFORE YOU SEE IT!! TRUST in GOD!!
AND WHEN YOU DO . . . God will Make it All MAKE SENSE /
Because of the Resurrection . . .Forgive the PAST & Forget - Mistakes /
Because of the Resurrection . . .Give Meaning & PURPOSE to Life
3rd Because of the Resurrection . . .My Future Existence is SECURE
"What a God we have! And how fortunate we are to have him, this Father of our Master Jesus! Because Jesus was raised from the dead, we’ve been given a brand-new life and have everything to live for, including a future in heaven—and the future starts now! God is keeping careful watch over us and the future. The Day is coming when you’ll have it all—life healed and whole." 1 Peter 1:3-5 (Msg)
Peter “SURE Heaven’s Coming / BUT You can start Living a New Life NOW!” [underline]
[VIDEO Testimony Segment #2]
You Can Find Michelle & Harold on the Patio / Lives aren’t PERFECT / Getting BETTER!!
Discovered that BECAUSE Of the Resurrection – NEW LIFE CAN START NOW!!
Don’t have to Wait Till Heaven – But you Can Experience God’s Best Here . . . Now!!
Another Chance at Life / Fresh Start / DO OVER! / LIFE that was Dead . . . ALIVE in Christ
Do you Want another Chance? A Future that’s SECURE? A PAST That’s FORGIVE?
A Present Reality that Has Purpose? Trust – Risen Lord!!
Jesus Died PHYSICALLY so You Don’t Have to / However – you Must Die to Old Ways . .
Risen to NEW LIFE WITH HIM!!
[PRAYER]
[The audio, drama, and graphic resources for this series are available at the website of Pinellas Community Church - www.PinellasChurch.org. Click the "PCC RESOURCES" link]
