Lazarus, Resurrection and You

Thanks, worship team.

Tell you what, it's a blessing to be able to come to the Lord's house and start a service

! The focus on the Lord Jesus Christ and what He's accomplished for us, remembrance of what

!

I'm going to segue into our passage this morning and then to be able to look at the Word of

God together and just sit underneath the ministry of the Scripture. And I realize that as a teacher,

as a preacher this morning, that this message is first for me. So, you get to be part of

the fringe benefits of what I've already been able to learn this week. And I understand that

really, the person who's really in the spotlight as I'm teaching is me, because that's the only person

I can change. And I trust that as God's Word teaches us, instructs us today, it'll be more than just

information. That as we walk out of the doors, as we enter the week, that it will be the beginnings of

transformation, maybe the continuation of transformation in our lives. We don't come here on a Sunday morning just to hear some good things from the Bible.

We come here for change. We come here to worship. There really is one audience today. There's one audience and that's the audience of the Lord Jesus Christ.

And as your life is held in the spotlight, and as you evaluate and kind of turn it over in your hands, as you

evaluate in light of the Scripture today,

it's my prayer

that there will be areas of life where we say, you know, Lord, I

need to be more like you here.

That's why we do this. We do this for worship. We do this

so that we can

represent Him in the world in which we live.

Represent Him in our homes.

Represent Him in our workplaces, in our communities,

our families.

And the more we look like Jesus,

the more profoundly we will

impact and influence

the world in which we live.

As I get myself out of the way

so that people are no longer

looking at Andrew Scheer,

but they're looking, hopefully, at Jesus Christ

shining through,

that's when we'll begin to make a difference in this world.

That's why

we come here on a Sunday morning.

And that's the joy

that we have throughout the week

as we take this

eternal Word of God home with us,

as we peer into the Scriptures,

as we learn what God would have

to tell us,

we continue

to refine, and we let the Holy Spirit

refine our lives,

so that day by day

we can look more like Him.

Then,

God will show up

in your community.

Then, students,

God will show up

in your school.

God will show up

in your family.

God will show up

in your workplace.

You have things to complain about

in your workplace?

Things aren't quite the way

you'd like them to be?

Well, the more you look like Jesus,

the more you will impact

your workplace for Christ.

Well, we have been looking through

the story of John chapter 11.

John 11 · chapter mention

We've seen this account of Jesus

who has been asked by

some special friends to come

and to show up

and to do something significant for them.

John chapter 11,

John 11 · chapter mention

which is this account of Lazarus

and his two sisters,

Mary and Martha.

Martha.

And Jesus is about

doing ministry

and He gets this message

from Mary and Martha.

Hey, our brother is sick.

Will you come

and will you help us

deal with this problem?

Now, Jesus had been ministering

for three years

and here we are

in kind of the final few days

of Jesus' ministry.

There's about two to three months

left before the cross.

We're in the home stretch,

really,

when it comes to Jesus' ministry.

And there's been plenty of evidence

that would suggest

if Jesus shows up

and Lazarus is still sick

and He's still with us,

Jesus can fix that problem.

He has shown,

wherever He goes,

whole communities

are transformed

by His touch.

Whole cities are changed

because of His ability

to influence

and impact

and heal diseases

and cast out demons.

Whether you're born

with a certain illness

or whether you come

with leprosy

or whether you come

with blindness

or whether you come

with withered limbs

or whether you come

with a hunchback

or whether this is something

that a doctor

has been trying

to fix for the last 18 years.

One touch,

one word of the Savior

will fix all those problems.

So Jesus,

you just show up

and we'll be okay.

So Jesus gets this word,

this word from special people,

Mary and Martha.

And what does He do?

What would you do?

You get this urgent request

from one of your kids,

please show up!

And you're in the car,

you're moving your way

to their house right away.

But Jesus,

for some reason,

decides to stay.

There is a profound lesson

that Jesus wants to convey.

There is something

more important

than just healing

another disease.

There is something

more important

in Jesus' mind

than just fixing

another problem.

Jesus wants to communicate

a message.

And now,

not just to communicate

that message privately,

He's healed

at least two other occasions.

He's raised two individuals

from the dead

in a private setting.

But now,

He's moving into the public.

Now there is a message

that cannot be missed,

especially considering the fact

that He's just months away

from the cross.

What is that message?

What does Jesus want to convey

to you and to me

this morning?

No, I have to admit

that when I come

to the Scriptures

and especially come

to stories like this,

I have to admit

that sometimes I wonder,

what's the point?

I like the fact

that this narrative

is here.

I appreciate the fact

that Jesus is ministering

to this family

and He's showing up for them,

but what does that do for me?

How does that help me?

What do I do with that

and take that with me

in this week

so that my life

will be different?

We've all memorized

the two words,

Jesus wept.

We know this story well.

And if you haven't memorized it before,

now you have.

You've got John 11.35 down.

But there's an account here

of this running narrative

of Jesus' life

and I think at times

we're in the danger

of just scooting right through

because we've already

heard this story

so many times.

But I've come to see this story

this week with new eyes.

I've come to believe

that this story,

as with other stories

in the scripture,

should infuse within us

fresh enthusiasm

and energy

and passion

for Jesus.

Not only in what He came

to accomplish,

but in how He came

to accomplish it.

That's what makes this story

truly remarkable.

So I want to answer

this question this morning.

What does Lazarus'

resurrection

mean for you?

What does Lazarus'

resurrection

mean for you?

And I'm going to take it

step by step.

These three pieces.

Lazarus,

resurrection,

and you.

And we're going to look at that

this morning.

So let's take a look

briefly then,

or initially,

at the life of Lazarus.

Who was this guy,

Lazarus?

And why is he so important

in this narrative?

First,

I want you to know

that he was an ordinary man.

Lazarus was an ordinary man.

And if you turn back with me

to chapter 11,

verse 1,

you'll see that.

The first few words

of that verse say,

now a certain man.

Now I know this might seem

a little obvious.

Okay.

I get it.

He's an ordinary man.

Big deal.

Here's the big deal.

If you,

like Lazarus,

consider yourself

to be ordinary,

this story is for you.

If you,

like Lazarus,

just seem to kind of

fit in with the crowd,

and there's really

nothing quite remarkable

or noteworthy

about your life,

this story is for you.

Jesus shows up

in this story.

We find that Lazarus

is just a passive player.

Matter of fact,

Lazarus is a lifeless player

in this story.

This story is significant

not because of Lazarus.

It is significant

because of what Christ does

through Lazarus.

So,

if you,

like me,

and like Lazarus,

consider yourself

to be ordinary,

this story is for you.

It's for us today.

Lazarus was ordinary.

He wasn't an apostle.

He wasn't a prophet

like John the Baptist.

As far as we know,

he wasn't a priest.

He wasn't distinguished

in any way.

He was just

an ordinary man,

just another player

in this story

of Jesus Christ.

We do find

that he was a friend

of Jesus.

A special friend,

the kind of friend

that Jesus would actually

spend time with.

And we find

at least one account

before this situation

that Jesus showed up

in the home

of Mary,

Martha,

and Lazarus

in Luke 10,

Luke 10:38

verse 38.

That's a familiar story too

where Martha's about service

and Mary is about listening

and Jesus commends

the listening part

of Mary.

Lazarus

must have been there

seeing this scene

as well.

Jesus traveled

and spent time

with his family.

It was a special family.

We find even

in our chapter

this morning,

John chapter 11,

John 11 · chapter mention

in Mary's plea

for Jesus to come,

she says,

your brother,

excuse me,

so the sisters

in verse 3

sent to him

saying,

Lord,

he whom

you love

is ill.

There was

this affection.

Affection

for Jesus

and affection

from Jesus

to this family.

They felt

a special bond.

we'll find

in chapter 12

as we continue

to make our way

through the gospel

of John

that Jesus shows up

in their house again.

And during the entire

Passover week,

there was situations

where Jesus

would spend time

with his family.

They had a special bond.

But like any

other ordinary man,

we find

in verse 1,

there was a certain man,

now a certain man

was ill.

You ever get sick?

Lazarus

got sick.

He was just like

any other person.

He got sick.

Nothing sets him apart

from you or I.

The impact

of this event

was not due

to Lazarus,

but it was due

to Christ.

And as friends

of Lazarus

and Martha

and Mary,

Jesus

begins

to make

this trek.

But what we find

the people

that preceded him

were friends

of Lazarus

and Martha

and Mary.

There is

some significance

in this gathering.

These influential

individuals

who came,

we find that

in verse 19.

It says,

and many of

the Jews

had come

to Martha

and Mary.

Now,

throughout

the Gospels

we find

this title,

the Jews.

It's used

five times

in Matthew,

six times

in Mark,

five times

in Luke,

but 66

times

in the Gospel

of John.

And in the Gospel

of John,

this title,

the Jews,

is referring

to those

who would be

Jewish leaders.

Those who

had headship

and oversight

over the Jewish

people.

We saw

that in our

recent

discovery

of Jesus

and that

blind man

who was healed.

Remember

the response

of his mom

and dad

who were

afraid

of what

the Jews

would do?

It says,

his parents

kind of

deferred

responsibility

because,

it says,

they feared

the Jews.

For the Jews

had already

agreed that

if anyone

should confess

Jesus to be

Christ,

he was to be

put out

of the synagogue.

This was not

just a

collection

of Jewish

people.

That's described

several other

ways.

A crowd

or the people

or the masses.

But specifically,

the Jews

referred to

those who

were Jewish

leaders.

I love

this.

Jesus

would capitalize

on this

fact.

Somehow,

the influence

of this

family had

reached into

this leadership

of the Jews.

Jesus was

now giving

them one

last

opportunity,

extending

grace one

more time

to this

group of

Jews who

continued to

reject him

time and

time and

time and

time again.

Jesus is

setting up

this awesome

opportunity.

It was by

design so

that God

could use

this family

to showcase

his glory.

Lazarus,

though an

ordinary man,

was a means

of showcasing

God's glory.

That should

bring incredible

joy to your

heart this

morning.

Why did

Jesus delay?

Why a death

and then

subsequent

resurrection?

resurrection?

Was it

simply for

Jesus to

show one

more way

that he

had power

over the

affairs of

life?

Was it

just simply

to convey

his continuing

compassion and

love and

care for

individuals?

Or was it

to make a

definitive

statement?

Was it

to state

categorically

something new

about his

identity?

We find

that Jesus

actually tells

us what

his intention

of this

is.

In verse

4, he

says this,

this illness

does not

lead to

death.

It is

for the

glory of

God, so

that the

Son of

God may

be glorified

through it.

And then

in verse

40, several

verses later,

Jesus says

to her,

did I not

tell you

that if you

believed,

you would

see the

glory of

God?

Jesus is

interested.

In staking

his claim,

in helping

to provide

full vision

to his

identity

as God,

establishing

once and

for all

that he

was from

God and

that he

was God.

The only

role that

Lazarus would

play is

that he

would be

dead.

He would

be lifeless.

He would

be just the

subject,

just the

instrument

by which

God's

glory would

show up.

You think

he can do

that?

God's

power can

shine through

ordinary

people.

Amen?

That brings

us to the

resurrection.

Lazarus,

this ordinary

man, and

now this

spectacular

event that

takes place,

this

resurrection.

We find

in verse

45, let me

read this

for us.

This is

kind of the

beginning of

our passage

for this

morning, from

45 to

verse 57.

What is

the result?

The result of

this resurrection?

It says in

verse 45,

many of the

Jews,

therefore,

who had

come with

Mary and

had seen

what he

did,

believed

in him.

Many

of the

Jews

believed.

Now we

understand that

this is kind

of the running

narrative, the

running purpose

of the

apostle John

in relationship

to the

writing of

these words,

in the

account of

this gospel

narrative.

As we've

heard many

times in

John 20,

31,

these are

written so

that you

may believe

that Jesus

is the

Christ, the

Son of

God.

Jesus

stakes his

claim here

in this

passage,

I am the

resurrection and

the life,

I am God.

And up to

this point,

many have

believed in

Jesus.

We find his

disciples believing

in him in

chapter 2.

We find that

many in

Jerusalem believed

when he performed

miracles in

chapter 2.

We find the

Samaritans

believing in

chapter 4.

We find that

many of the

people believed

when they heard

and saw him do

these signs in

John chapter 7.

John 7 · chapter mention

We see that

even in chapter

8,

some of the

Jews,

some of these

religious leaders

had this

superficial faith

that wasn't

quite adequate.

We find that

in chapter 8

verse 30 and

31.

In chapter 10,

we find that

he went his

way across

the Jordan

and many

came to him

and many

believed in

him there.

People are

coming to

faith in

droves

because they

are beginning

to see

Jesus is the

person he

claims to be.

now Jesus

in grace

and mercy

shows up

once again

to these

Jews,

these leaders,

those who have

invited him

into their

homes and

those who

have repelled

him in the

temple,

those who

have sought

to disrupt

and sought

to discredit

his ministry.

ministry.

And Jesus

continues to

extend grace

to this

group of

men.

And now

we see

that many

believe.

They believe.

It is a

pivotal moment

for them.

Up to this

point, what had

been private

is now pushed

into the

forefront.

Jesus' ability

to raise

the dead

and in

seeing this

sign and

seeing this

miracle and

understanding

that only God

is the author

of life and

seeing Jesus

who identified

and connected

himself with

the Father

in this act

of resurrecting

Lazarus,

making a

definitive statement,

I am God,

some believed.

What grace.

Remember,

this was not a

question of

future resurrection.

resurrection.

Jesus was

trying to help

them understand

this is an

issue of

present resurrection,

present life

that I give

to you.

In him

was life

and the life

was the light

of men.

And Jesus

now shows up

to say,

I am life.

I am resurrection.

If you were

standing in the

audience,

what other

proof would

you need?

What else

is there

to do?

What other

sign could

you even

ask for?

Only God

is the author

of life

and Jesus

deliberately

makes this

hard connection

between himself

and the

Father

immediately

before this

miracle.

We see that

in verses

41 and 42.

His prayer

that says,

I am praying

to you

so that those

who are watching

this know

where this

is coming

from.

It's coming

from the

Father.

No one

asks their

gods to raise

the dead.

No one

even dares

go there

because they

know it

would be

futility.

Only God

the Father

is the

author of

life.

And Jesus

in a

previous

discussion

in John

John 10 · chapter mention

chapter 10

says,

The thief

comes only

to steal

and kill

and destroy.

But I am

come that

they might

have life

and that

they might

have it

abundantly.

Have you

ever

considered

what kind

of life

God

has given

to you?

Have you

ever thought

about that

resurrection

life that

those of you

who have

because of

faith,

what has

that life

accomplished

in you

and for

you?

He is

abundant

life.

He is

eternal

life.

He is

godly

life.

But he

is also

the source

of the

redeemed

life.

the kind

of life

that has

meaning

and purpose.

The kind

of life

that provides

fulfillment

and true

gratification.

The kind

of life

that propagates

life in the

world around

you.

It's the kind

of life

that experiences

life to the

full because

it's able

to conform

to the

design of

the Father

for us

and for

our lives.

Just as a

hammer,

will find

its greatest

fulfillment

in driving

a nail.

You will

find your

greatest

fulfillment

as a

Christian

as you

submit

yourself

to the

giver

of life

and as

you are

living

the abundant

life,

the design

of life

that God

has entrusted

to you.

And we'll

talk about

that more

in a

moment.

Notice

here it

says in

the end

of verse

45,

it says,

Many of

the Jews

therefore who

had come

with Mary

and had

seen what

he did,

believed.

Isn't that

neat?

God uses

instrumentally

Mary.

Whatever

compassion

and love

that she

poured out

and then

received from

this group,

she's the

one who

they're coming

out with

and they

see this

miracle that

takes place

and it's

a result

of the

impact,

some impact

that she

had in

their life,

that they're

there at

the tomb

and they

see Jesus

show up

and they

believe.

I wish I

could say

that that

was true

of the

entire

group,

but there

was another

response,

not only a

result in

faith that

we see in

point number

one,

but also a

result in

frustration,

result in

faith and

now a

result in

frustration.

We see that

show up in

verse 46,

but some

of them

went to the

Pharisees and

told them

what Jesus

had done.

So the

chief priests

and the

Pharisees

gathered the

council and

said,

what are we

to do?

For this

man performs

many signs,

meaning the

rest didn't

believe and

provides another

confirmation of

the fact that

these are part

of the

religious

establishment

who now

make their

way,

they have

connections with

the Pharisees

and now

they're ratting

out Jesus.

How is this

possible?

How is it

possible that

they saw

Lazarus' body

wrapped?

And whether

hovering out of

the tomb or

hopping out of

the tomb,

but it was

clear that he

had been dead.

They had been

sitting with

Martha and

Mary,

they had been

consoling them,

comforting them

for the last

four days.

Lazarus smells

like rotting

flesh.

And this

miracle takes

place in front

of their eyes.

And Jesus'

enemies,

these individuals

that go back

to the Pharisees

confirm that

what has been

claimed to

happen has in

fact actually

taken place.

He has done

many signs.

people

who are

not

in the

world.

They do

not believe.

How are

such things

possible?

Well, it's

possible because

as we find in

1 Corinthians 2,

1 Corinthians 2:14

verse 14,

the natural

person does not

accept the

things of the

spirit.

For they are

foolishness to

him and he is

unable to

understand because

they are

spiritually discerned.

There is

something broken

inside that we

are not able to

understand the

truth that

stares us in

the face because

the spirit of

God hasn't

activated our

life to be

able to

perceive what

can only be

perceived in a

spiritual way.

But in

addition to

that, we

find in 2

Corinthians 4

that Satan

has blinded the

minds of those

who believe not.

Satan also

kind of stands

in the way,

blinding eyes,

keeping us from

seeing the

beauty of the

gospel.

And here's

another clue

that these

Pharisees,

these religious

leaders,

although they

see the

evidence,

it's smacking

them in the

face.

They reject.

Their hearts

are hardened.

So it says

in verse 47,

so the chief

priests and

Pharisees gathered

the council.

Here we see

the meeting of

the minds,

those,

the greatest

intellect perhaps

in the known

world meeting

together.

together.

We understand

that those who

know God's

law are those

who, it says

in the Proverbs,

the fear of the

Lord is the

beginning of

wisdom.

They knew God's

law.

They had it

memorized, the

first five books

of the Old

Testament.

They had

committed to

heart.

They had gone

to temple,

they had

performed

sacrifices,

they had

attended feasts,

they had known

the history of

God's people,

they offered

confession for

sin, they

provided spiritual

leadership for

the people.

They were it.

and yet they

missed the

most important

truth that they

could ever

embrace.

What will be

the outcome

of such news?

What will be

the result of

such divine

power?

What will we

see in their

life?

Will they call

for revival?

Will they say

let's worship,

let's celebrate?

No, we find

in the next

section, verses

49 to 57,

it resulted

in finality

for them.

Resulted in

finality.

One of them,

Caiaphas, who

was the high

priest, this is

verse 49,

said to them,

it is better

for you that

one man should

die for the

people, not

that the whole

nation should

perish.

You get that?

Here is the

high priest.

Here is the

one who

represents

righteousness

for the

people.

Here is the

one guy who

enters every

year, once a

year, the

holy of holies,

to act as a

mediator for the

people, and

what is he

doing?

He's calling

for a breaking

of the ten

commandments.

Let's murder.

Let's take care

of this Jesus.

He calls this

council, we

find this later,

it's better

that one man

should perish

for the people,

not that the

whole nation

should perish.

What is the

issue for

Caiaphas?

Well, we find

in verse 48,

the Romans,

they're afraid

the Romans will

take away both

our place and

our nation.

We find from

Caiaphas' own

words in verse

50, that it's

better for one

man should die

for the people

and not that

the whole nation

should perish.

They're worried

about the

nation itself.

They're worried

about the

traditions and

they're worried

about their

system.

Jesus was a

threat to the

religious

establishment.

The writing

was on the

wall.

Jesus represented

something completely

different.

He had a

different view

of the law,

a different view

of the temple,

a different view

of righteousness,

a different view

of the heart,

a different view

of the Sabbath,

a different view

of God.

Jesus shattered

everything that

was familiar.

Jesus shook

the foundations

of their

traditional

understanding.

Jesus, in

all of his

I am

statements,

was helping

these group

of people to

understand that

what was

symbolized in

the Old

Testament was a

reality in

him.

It was

pointing to

him, but

they had

loved the

symbol more

than they

loved the

object that

that symbol

was pointing

to.

He says,

I am the

bread of

life.

Before,

they had

received the

manna in

the wilderness

and it was

sustenance and

they thought of

themselves as

providing this

or being the

owners of the

word and

those who

could dispense

this word to

others.

Jesus says,

I am the

bread of

life.

I am the

light of

the world.

Those who

had been the

light to the

Gentiles was

now represented

in Christ

himself.

And on and

on it goes.

Jesus was the

fulfillment of

all that had

been pointed to

in the Old

Testament.

There is no

wonder why the

Pharisees hated

Jesus.

Those who were

given the

responsibility of

overseeing the

religious practices,

they were seeing

Jesus as a

legitimate threat.

but let's

not get too

haughty.

Let's not get

too proud because

are there not

times in our

own lives where

God has had to

confront us with

the doctrinal

premises that we

once had because

of heritage and

tradition but now

God has woken us

up and helped us

to see the

deficiencies of

those views.

Whether it be our

system of religion,

our ideas of

spirituality,

our structure of

church, our

pursuit of getting

attention, our

priorities in life,

our desires are to

go perhaps to the

motions and get

credit for it

somehow.

In many ways we

are not a whole lot

different than the

Pharisees.

We need Jesus to

change everything in

our lives.

Jesus.

Interesting, it says

in verse 51 that

Caiaphas did not say

this on his own

accord.

Unwittingly,

Caiaphas is

prophesying of the

substitutionary death

of Jesus that would

not only be for the

Jewish nation but

would be for all of

mankind.

I find it

interesting that in

this event, the

event that pushed

these men over the

edge was the event

where life shows up

front and center.

And their response

to the God of life

was, kill him!

Life shows up and

their hearts are

exposed.

Jesus has already

pinpointed it.

In John chapter 8 he

John 8 · chapter mention

says, you are from

below, I am from

above, you are of your

father the devil and

your will is to do

your father's desires.

He was a murderer

from the beginning

and has nothing to

do with the truth.

I'm life.

Who will you

follow?

Who will you

embrace?

And they made

their final decision.

We're going with

death.

We're following our

father, the devil.

We're pursuing the

murder of Jesus.

We're getting rid of

this threat.

It says in verse

53, from that day

they made plans to

put him to death.

This was the moment

of finality.

Grace was expended

for these men.

It says in verse

54, Jesus therefore

no longer walked

openly among the

Jews but went from

there to the region

near the wilderness

to a town called

Ephraim and there

he stayed with his

disciples.

A ministry that was

public.

a ministry that was

accessible.

The word that had

been close to them

is now withdrawn.

They had made up

their minds.

We don't want this

Jesus anymore.

Up to this point

we have seen the

remarkable response

of faith across

the board.

We see if you

chronicle and if

you've been taking

notes and underlining

in the scriptures

many believed,

many believed,

many believed in

almost every chapter.

From this point on

we don't see those

words again.

Except for in

chapter 12,

verse 11 that

refers to this

event.

But from this point

on we don't see

many believing

anymore in the

gospel of John.

Finality had been

rung.

This marks a

radical shift in

Jesus' ministry.

It moves from the

public now into the

private.

And now the city

is on high alert.

We find that in

verses 56 and 57.

They were looking

for Jesus and

saying to one

another as they

stood in the

temple,

what do you

think?

That he will

come to the

feast at all?

Now the chief

priests and the

Pharisees had given

orders that if

anyone knew where

he was he should

let them know so

they might arrest

him.

The city is put on

high alert.

If Jesus comes in

privately, if he

comes in secretly,

let us know we

want to deal with

him.

Isn't it amazing

that Jesus picks

that moment to

parade himself in

with grand array?

The triumphal

entry?

You don't have to

worry about missing

me.

Another statement

that he'll make in

chapter 12.

So what about you?

What does

Lazarus' resurrection

mean for you?

What do we do

with this information?

First, it's been

sung about and

talked about through

our worship service.

We know that

resurrection power

is for you.

It's offered to

you.

Have you

embraced,

received,

accepted the

resurrection power

in your life?

It is available for

you.

Paul talks about

our previous

status.

In Ephesians

Ephesians 2 · chapter mention

chapter 2, he

says,

you were once

dead in

trespasses and

sins.

You were once

like Lazarus.

You had no

hope.

You contributed

nothing to

spirituality.

It was lights

out for you.

There was

nothing you

could do.

It was over.

But, it

says, but

God, being

rich in mercy

because of the

great love with

which he loved

us, even when

we were dead in

trespasses, made

us alive together

with Christ.

The invitation

that was available

on that day when

Lazarus was

raised from the

grave and two

categories of

individuals were

there, those who

believed and those

who rejected,

it stands front

and center.

That decision is

offered to you

this morning.

Have you

embraced,

received,

taken hold of

the power of

the resurrection

that's available

for you today?

It's available

through faith in

Jesus Christ.

As you confess

your sin, as you

make him the

Lord of your

life, the

miracle was

not in question

for these men.

It was the

implications of

this miracle.

that were in

question.

Resurrection power

is offered to

you.

Number two, the

resurrection power

for those in

faith is in

you.

Romans chapter

six talks about

this.

It says, if we've

been united with

him in a death

like his, we will

certainly be united

with him in a

resurrection like

his.

It says, if we

have died with

Christ, we believe

that we will also

live with him.

Death no longer

has dominion over

us.

You don't have to

be enslaved to

sin anymore.

You don't have to

perform the

rituals and the

duties and the

bondage that sin

has once placed

over you.

You can be free.

You can live the

abundant life that

God has called you

to live.

Free from guilt

and free from

self.

Free from despair.

Free from

enslaving sin.

Freedom from the

pressures of this