We Serve a Risen Savior...Jesus Christ

First Corinthians 15. We're going to read the first five verses in just a moment. First five verses, Once we're all there, first Corinthians 15 and verses one through five. Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also you have received and wherein you stand, By which also you are saved, if you keep in memory, what I preached unto you unless you have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all, that which I also received.

How that died for our sins according to the scriptures and that he was buried and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures and that he was seen of Cephas then of the 12 and we'll stop there for now. Let's go to the Lord in prayer. Dear heavenly father, we thank you Lord for your word today. We thank you for the good news of the gospel. It tells us of our need of a savior.

The savior that came from heaven, Jesus Christ, our Lord, who took our place on Calvary's Cross and who is risen from the dead, offering salvation, forgiveness, sins, and eternal life to all who come to him by faith. Lord, we pray that Jesus Christ would be exalted today and we pray Lord that you would draw us closer to you through the preaching and teaching of your word as it goes forth in the power of the holy spirit. We pray Lord if there's one here that's never trusted you today as Lord and savior. That today might be their day of salvation. In Jesus precious name, we do pray.

Amen. I've entitled the sermon, we serve a risen savior, Jesus Christ. That's the good news. That's the gospel. But as we sit here comfortably this Easter resurrection Sunday, there is seems not to be much to celebrate.

In this world today. There's a lot of bad news and not a lot of good news. Terrorist attacks in California, Belgium, France, and other places in the recent months. The continuing brutality of Isis and others who were slain, brutalizing, enslaving, and raping Christians and non Muslims all over the Middle East. Dozens of murders weekly in the major cities of The United United States.

We become so accustomed to it that it doesn't even faze us anymore. Government overreach and spending which just keeps seems to keep escalating no matter who's in power in Washington. Disease on the rise again recently Ebola and now this Zika virus which seemed to be this little innocuous thing and it seems to keep getting worse with the latest reports. More children are now born out of wedlock than in. And and we are destroying what is left of the God ordained family by redefining what it is to man's convenience.

Our economy continues to teeter on the precipice of entering a devastating depression. No one knows if and when that will occur. It even seems that natural disasters are becoming more frequent and more devastating over the world. Some in panic and fear think the end of the world is coming. Some even set dates.

Welcome to a world consumed by sin. That is the world in which we live. The Bible warns of the effects of sin on nature and on mankind. And the Bible declares that it's going to get worse, I'm afraid, before it gets better. Matthew 24, six, and seven up on the screen and you shall hear of wars and rumors of wars.

See that you be not troubled for all these things must come to pass but the end is not yet. For nation shall rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom and there shall be famines and pestilences and earthquakes in diverse places. Matthew goes on to say, this is just the beginning of sorrows. This is leading up to a time called the tribulation period. Seven years of judgement on the world in which we live.

Times are seem to be headed more and more in that direction all the time because they are. Wanna read to you from second Timothy chapter three. Second Timothy chapter three. And I'm going read verses one through five second Timothy three one through five. Paul writes to Timothy, he says, this know also that in the last days perilous times shall come.

For men shall be lovers of their own selves, Covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers. I I would say that pretty much sums up our pop culture and the those who are popular. In our society, just in those first few. Disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, truce bakers, truce breakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are good, traitors, heady, high minded, lovers of pleasures, more than lovers of God. Having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof from such turn away.

Paul warns Timothy nearly two thousand years ago, this is coming. It is already in the world in Timothy's day, in the cultures in Rome, and it's here again. And it only seems to be getting worse. Lovers of pleasures, more than lovers of God. Having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof.

There there's a lot of religion out there today. If you drive through Clearwater, there's a church and a church and a church and a church. Church is everywhere. It doesn't seem to impact our society. Matter of fact, most of people that go to those churches act just like the rest of the world.

Because they aren't just like the rest of the world. Religious, go to church, talk about spiritual things but if you don't know God, if you don't have a relationship with him through Jesus Christ, then you lack the power that only God offers and has to change us, to make us like Christ, to give us the the power and strength to go against the flow in this world in which we live. These times only serve to demonstrate that the Bible is true. The time of Christ return is drawing near. Despite man's best effort to end poverty.

It's still here. Despite man's efforts to to end murder, just still here. Crime, hatred, prejudice. You can outlaw it. But you can't change it.

Only only Jesus can change man's heart. Violence of all sorts, drunkenness, drug addiction, child abuse, spousal abuse, disease, It continues to come back around and rear its ugly head again and again and again because we live in a world consumed by sin. The very ground brings forth weeds and thorns because of man's sin and man himself himself, his heart is deceitfully wicked and far from God because of man's sin. Kind of a depressing way to start out an Easter Sunday message, I know. Before we can appreciate the good news, sometimes we have to recognize the bad news.

The reason we need good news and the source from which it comes. Doesn't come from the world, doesn't come from material possessions, doesn't come from government, doesn't come from technology, doesn't come from secular education or pop culture. The good news comes from the Lord. No truly good news in a wicked and messed up world comes. From that which is already tainted by it but only from that which is untainted by sin.

Jesus Christ. The sinless savior and the word that he has given to us. What is the gospel? Well, the word gospel, you may have read it a few times in your Bible. You may you may have listened to gospel music.

We throw that word gospel around a lot without really thinking about what the gospel is. Well, the gospel, the word gospel simply does mean good tidings or good news. So, every time you see gospel, the word of God or you hear the word gospel, think good news because that's what it means. Well, what good news it is it talking about? There's a specific item of news that the gospel is referencing.

The the greatest news, the best news, the most wonderful news that has ever been recorded, that has ever been proclaimed, that has ever been told. Is what we find here in first Corinthians chapter 15. He says in verse one again, moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the what? The gospel which I preached unto you, which also you have received, wherein you stand and by which you are what? Save.

We'll come back to that. What is the gospel? He says, verse three, for I delivered unto you first of all, that which I also received, received from the Lord. How that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures. Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures.

Watch the first part of the good news. It's this, Christ came to this Earth. He died for our sins, not for his own. According as the scriptures foretold. Just as they foretold.

This is the first part of the good news. The Bible says in John one one, in the beginning was the word. The word is Jesus. In the beginning, the word was the word. The word was with God and the word was God.

Where was Jesus before he was born? On this Earth. That's right, Alan. He was in heaven. He came from heaven.

He didn't begin when he was born. He already had lived to eternity past. God the father, God the son, and God, the holy spirit. But he left heaven and he came to Earth and he took upon him human flesh because it was necessary to take our place and to be the mediator between God and man. Galatians four verses four and five are two of my favorite verses in the scripture on the screen.

But when the fullness of time was come, God sent forth his son, made of a woman, made under the law to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. When the time was right, here's the good news. When the time was right, the appointed time that God had set, God sent Jesus. Jesus came willingly to this Earth. He humbled himself, became obedient even unto death, even the death of the cross, that we might be redeemed, bought back from sin, and hell, and be made what?

The sons, the children of God. He was born of a virgin as Isaiah prophesied in Isaiah seven fourteen. He was born in Bethlehem as Micah declared in Micah five two. He was born of the tribe of Judah and of the seed of King David is foretold in second Samuel and recorded in Matthew one and Luke four. According to the what?

According to the scriptures, he came according to the scriptures. Just as they had foretold. He grew up from a man to from a child to manhood. He ministered to the poor and needy. He taught them.

He fed them. He healed them. As Isaiah foretold in Isaiah thirty five and forty two and sixty one. And then he died on the cross willingly to pay the price for my sins and not for his. Turn if you would, hold your place in first Corinthians 15 but turn if you would to Isaiah 53.

I'll give you a minute to find that. Isaiah 53 in the Old Testament. So, little bit after Psalms, if you find Psalms Keep turning. You'll come to Isaiah. It's a big book.

It's hard to miss. Isaiah chapter 53. Isaiah 53 is Isaiah's prophecy concerning the coming of Jesus Christ. You're called the servant of the Lord. Isaiah lived in about June.

That's six hundred years in some before Jesus came. Isaiah wrote these words that he received from the Lord just as Paul received his that he wrote in first Corinthians 15. He wrote of the servant of the Lord Jesus Christ in verse three. He said, he is despised and rejected of men. The Bible says, he came unto his own and his own received him not.

He is despised and rejected a man, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief and we hid as it were our faces from him. He was despised and we esteemed him not. He was despised in this world particularly of the religious crowd, particularly of the ruling crowd, particularly of the wealthy crowd. He was despised and he was not esteemed. He wasn't recognized for who he was.

The son of God. But verse four says, surely he had born our griefs and carried our sorrows. They weren't his. He he he was in heaven before he came. He had everything.

He's the sovereign ruler. The Lord of heaven but he left it all to carry our griefs and our sorrows. Yet, we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. What did the world in Jesus' day? What did his people do?

They they they claim that that he was the one who was in the wrong. They they claimed that he was stricken for his sins. They didn't recognize it was for theirs. But the Bible says in verse five, but he was wounded for our transgressions. That's a word for sin, transgressions, trapping transgressed God's law.

He was wounded for our, he was bruised for our iniquities. In other word, for sin that speaks of going astray. The chastisement of our peace was upon him. That that means the what was necessary, the sacrifice, the payment that was necessary to bring us at peace with who? With God.

The payment was paid by who? Jesus Christ on the cross. By the suffering that he bore there for our sins. And with his stripes in the verse five, we are healed. Healed from what?

Healed from sickness, from blindness? No. Healed from the slavery and the penalty of sin. Only Jesus could do that. All we like sheep have gone astray.

We have turned everyone to his own way and the Lord hath laid on him that is Jesus, the iniquity or sin of us all. As he took, he bore the the the suffering, the punishment. That was necessary to pay the price for sin, for our sin, for the sins of the whole world on the cross as he hung there on a hill in Jerusalem that day. He was oppressed and he was afflicted yet he opened not his mouth. He is brought as a lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep before his shearers is dumb.

So, he openeth not his mouth. With one word, Jesus could have come down from that cross. He didn't need to call ten, zero angels. With a mere thought, he could've slayed all of his enemies. But he chose to open not his mouth to bring himself down on that cross or defend him because it was God's will.

It was his purpose. In coming to die on that cross for our sins. Verse eight, he was taken from prison and from judgement and who shall declare his generation for he was cut off out of the land of the living. What that means is this, he was killed, cut off out of the land of living means he what? He died.

There are certain intellectual theologians out there that want people to think, well, he didn't actually die. He he just he just passed out. He just just unconscious. He was in a coma or something like that and three days later, he came out of it in the cold tomb but that's not what the Bible says. You either believe it or you don't believe it.

The Bible says he won. He died. Isaiah foretold it. He said, he would be cut off out of the land of the living. That means that he would die and he did.

They even put a spear in his side to make sure before they took him down off that cross that he was dead. He died there for us. For the transgression of my people, he was stricken. Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures as foretold. First Peter three eighteen says, for Christ also hath once suffered for sins, not his sins, not ours.

The just for the unjust. He, the righteous one, for we who are nowhere near righteous but guilty that he might bring us to God, that he might bring us back together with God. Being put to death in the flesh but quickened by the spirit. He died in the flesh on that cross but three days later, he rose again. He was quickened.

He was made alive. The first part of the good news is this, you are a sinner. Yes. For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God and there is a punishment. There must be.

For the righteous judge of heaven cannot simply just overlook your sin because he likes you better than somebody else. It doesn't work that way. God is just and fair and he is not partial as we sometimes are. But the price has to be paid. The penalty has to be paid.

Let's say that you you saw a car sitting out in that parking lot this morning that you really liked. You said, boy, I that that Ferrari sitting out there. I'd love to have that. If anybody sees a Ferrari, let me know. I don't think I've ever seen a Ferrari sitting in that parking lot.

And you go out there and you open the door and it's unlocked and and you sit down on the seat and you sit down on something. Low and behold, they lost the keys. There they are sitting in the seat. And you take em and you put em in the, it's must be a sign, you know? Cars, it's open, keys are there.

Put it in, take off, go down the road. And then you hear the, know, behind you and you see the lights and you figure out, oh, I'm already in enough trouble. I better not run from the cops and make it worse. So, you pull over, they arrest you, they take you to jail, they set a court date, court date comes. You come before the judge.

The judge says, hey, you've got a choice. You committed grand theft auto. You didn't steal the little Horizon that I had when I was in college. You stole a Ferrari, okay? You committed grand theft auto.

You have to pay $100,000 in fine or you have to go to jail. Now, if you're me, I'd have to what? I'd have to go to jail. I don't have $100.00. Maybe you do.

I wouldn't have a choice. I can't pay the fine. I'd have to go to jail Bible says there's a penalty for sin. The soul that sinneth, it shall die. It is appointed on the man wants to die but after this, the judgment, Revelation 20, it tells us about that judgment.

We have all sinned and we cannot pay the fine. We cannot be totally righteous. We have nothing with which to pay. The Bible says, Isaiah sixty four six, our righteousness are as filthy rags. We can't pay it and the only alternative is a place called the Lake Of Fire.

That's right. A place that you cannot get out of. The sentence is eternal. But there is one who went to Calvary's Cross, Jesus Christ and he was righteous and he died on that cross to pay the price that we could not pay and he offers to us the gift of eternal life if we by faith will repent of our sins and trust in him, he will pay the price that we cannot pay and he will redeem our soul from hell and he will give us a home where? In That's what Jesus has done for us.

That's what Jesus will do for you. If you will trust. In him and in him alone to save you from your sin and give you eternal life. And he can do that because here's the second part of the good news. The bible says in first Corinthians 15, it says this, it says not only did Christ die for our sins according to scriptures but verse four and that he was buried and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures.

Yes, Christ was buried in a tomb and he was there for three days. He didn't stay there. Jesus foretold himself of his resurrection several times in scripture. Matthew twelve forty, for as Jonas was three days and three nights, that's the same as Jonah. Was three days and three nights in the whale's belly, so shall the son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.

So, as Jonah was in the whale's belly for three days and three nights, Jesus would be in the grave three days and three nights but after that time, he would come back. Matthew sixteen twenty one, Jesus says, from that time forth, Jesus began to show unto his disciples how that he must go unto Jerusalem and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes and be killed and what? Be raised again on the third day. Jesus told his disciples ahead of time. They were too thick headed to really grasp a hold of it until he indeed did exactly what he said he was going to do and rose again from the dead on the third day.

This is in keeping with what we read in Isaiah 53. We just haven't got there yet in our reading. In verse nine of Isaiah 53, it says, and he made his grave with the wicked and with the rich in his death because he had no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth. You know, normally, somebody who was executed in this fashion was tossed into a common grave but not Jesus. No, Jesus was buried in a rich man's tomb.

Joseph of Arimathea's tomb. Wasn't thrown in a common grave with everybody else. If you want to go see that tomb today in Jerusalem, you can go see a tomb Nobody's sure which one is the right one. You know why? Because there's no body, you see.

There's no DNA remains left behind. Because Jesus isn't there. He was buried according to the scriptures but he rose again. It tells us in verse 10 of Isaiah 53, yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him. He hath put him to grief when thou shalt make his soul an offering for sin, for our sin.

He shall see his seed. He shall prolong his days and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. The Lord will see his seed. You know who his seed are? That's us.

That's us because of what Jesus did on the cross of Calvary, we have become by faith the children of God. As many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God even to them that believe on his name. God saw all those who are the redeemed in Jesus Christ and he raised his son, Jesus Christ, from dead. Just as he said, he would do. He says here, it uses the word prolong his days.

He was cut off out of the land of the living but his days were prolonged. How was that? He was raised from the dead just as he said. Isaiah, says in Psalm sixteen ten, for thou will not leave my soul in hell speaking of Jesus, neither wilt thou suffer thine holy one to see what? Corruption.

The word hell there also means grave. They won't suffer thy holy one to see corruption. Who's the holy one? That's Jesus. Did he see corruption?

No. Because he was sinless and he was God and he rose again from the dead. You can go visit all these other religious leaders tombs because that's where they are. They're in a tomb But not Jesus. He is risen again from the dead.

Amen. Just as he said. A dead savior is no savior at all. But a living one, now that's a different story. Jesus, God the son is very much alive and preparing a place for us just as he promised he would do.

Turn if you would into John chapter 14. John chapter 14. No, I don't have this one on the screen. So, have to turn there. John 14.

John 14 verse one. Jesus was preparing his disciples for what was coming. As he told them, he was going to go to Jerusalem. He was going to suffer many things at the hands of the religious leaders there and he was going to die on the cross and rise again the third day and after he rose again, forty days later, he ascended up into heaven. He was preparing his disciples for his death and for his ascension back up into heaven and he said in chapter 14 and verse one, he said to them, let not your heart be troubled.

I know I'm telling you all this. You don't want to hear it. You don't want to hear about my death. You don't want to hear about my leaving. I understand that.

I would understand. If I could walk and talk with Jesus flesh, I wouldn't want him to go back to heaven. He told them, he said, let not your heart be troubled. You believe in God, believe also in me. In my father's house are many mansions.

If it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you and if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you unto myself that where I am, there you may be also. Jesus said, don't be troubled. Yes, I'm going away but there's a purpose in my going away. I'm going away to prepare a place for you so you can join me someday.

And he tells us in verse six, the way there. Verse six, Jesus say it unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life. No man cometh under the father but by me. The only way to heaven. The only way to that place that Jesus is prepared is through faith in the shed blood and resurrection and saving power of Jesus Christ.

There is a way. There is good news. This world is not the end of it. It's just a blip on the radar screen of eternity. And not only that but even this blip on the radar screen, you don't have to handle it all by yourself.

Because there is one who wants to not only save your soul for all eternity and he wants to change your life here today, this day. If you will put your faith and trust in him, The risen savior. He is receiving today and interceding for all who come to him by faith as he sits at the right hand of the father exalted on high. It says in Hebrews seven twenty five, wherefore, he is able to save them to the uttermost that come to God by him seeing he ever live it to make intercession for them. Now, you probably don't use that word uttermost too often in your conversation.

What that means is completely, okay? He is able to save them every wit, completely. All of it. Jesus can because he paid for all of it on Calvary's Cross and seeing that he ever want lives, ever lives in heaven to intercede before the father to all those who put their faith and trust in him. We are sinners.

We don't deserve heaven. We deserve hell. All that is except for Jesus. Who came, who lived a sinless life, who died in our place, who offers us salvation, who sits at the right hand of the father, to hear all those who call on his name by faith, and to intercede in their behalf, for their sin. Because he is a living savior.

He is a savior indeed. But we're not quite finished yet with the good news. Yes, Jesus Christ came and he died according to scriptures. He rose again the third day according to scriptures and he was seen by many witnesses according to the scriptures. If you turn back to second Corinthians 15, we read just verse five, it says, and that he was seen of Cephas then of the 12.

After that, he was seen verse six of above 500 brethren at once of whom the greater part remain unto this present that is when this was penned but some are fallen asleep and after that, he was seen of James, then of all the apostles, and last of all, he was seen of me also, Paul writes, as of one born out of due time. This isn't a fairy tale invented by a few desperate disciples. But it's a record of the truth left behind by those who saw him, spoke to him, touched him, watched him, ascend up into heaven after his resurrection. Acts one eight nine, Jesus wrote, you shall receive power after that the holy ghost has come upon you. You shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and all Judea and Samaria and unto the uttermost parts of the earth and when he had spoken these things while they beheld, he was taken up and the cloud received him out of their sight.

I like the introduction to first John. Turn there with me if you would. I'm almost done having you turn, okay? But turn there if you would. I want you to see this with your own eyes as I read it because John has a point to make.

This is John the apostle. He was a witness to all of these events from Christ's miracles to his death, to his resurrection, to his ascension. John, one of the people he wrote to to understand that he was an eyewitness. He says, that which is from the beginning, verse one of first John one, that which is from the beginning which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled of the word of life. That's Jesus.

For the life was manifested and we have seen it and bear witness and show unto you that eternal life which was with the father and was manifested unto unto us when Christ became flesh. Verse three, that which you you have seen and heard declare we unto you that you also may have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the father and with his son, Jesus Christ, and these things write we unto you that your joy may be full. John says, I have good news. And I was there to see it. Jesus Christ came.

He died. He rose again. I saw him. I handled him. And I watched him ascend up into heaven and promised one day he's coming back for me and he's coming back for you, for all of those who put our faith and trust in Jesus Christ and Lord and savior.

This is the good news today. There's a lot of bad news out there but there's good news from Jesus Christ today. He will save you, your soul from hell. He will give you eternal life. He will free you and forgive you of your sins.

If you will come to him. For the last part of the gospel is this, that all who believe this good news repent of their sins and receive Jesus Christ as Lord by faith will be saved from sin and it's eternal punishment in the lake of fire back to first Corinthians 15. Once again, Paul wrote in the first verse in beginning of verse two, moreover, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached or proclaimed unto you which also you have received and where you stand by which also you are what? Saved. Paul said, I am not ashamed of the gospel for it is the power of God and the salvation to everyone that believe it to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

I'm not ashamed today to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ. The world may look at me and call me a fool. May look at you just the same. It doesn't matter what the world has to say. It matters what the Lord has to say and that world that may call you a fool needs Jesus Christ and the only way they're going to be saved is if they hear the good news and the only way you're going to be saved today is if you will respond to the good news and repent of your sins and trust Jesus Christ as savior.

Back to Romans ten nine, we recited it together to be in the service that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth, oh Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Doesn't say get baptized, doesn't say take part in communion, doesn't say do the sacraments, doesn't say give to your neighbor, doesn't say you can go on and on and on. It's not by works of righteousness which we have done but according to his what? His mercy, he saved us. According to his mercy, by his grace, that he has saved us and he will save you today if you will come to him and receive him by faith.

Let's pray. Dear heavenly father, we thank you Lord for your word and for the good news of the gospel, Lord that you've given to us today. For the price that you paid on Calvary's Cross, by which you can redeem every soul. Who will come to you for salvation. Lord, I pray if there's one here today that's never trusted in Jesus Christ as savior, that they today will put their faith and trust in the risen Lord Jesus Christ.

That they might be saved today. Thank you for what you did for us. Lord, I pray as we give this hymn of invitation. There's one here today that would like to know for sure if they're going to heaven. I pray they'd come.

As I stand down here at the front to meet them. In Jesus name, amen.